How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game Chapter 656: Frozen Resolve 2

Three days had officially passed since the Continental Grand Festival commenced.

Inside the academy's borders, the event was unfolding with much more efficiency than anyone had anticipated.

The movement of spectators and students, the rotation of the combat zones, and the management of the massive stages all functioned like a perfectly synchronized machine.

If anything, the fervor surrounding the competition only intensified as each day went by.

"The victor is—Clad Ran!"

As another duel reached its conclusion, a fresh wave of cheers broke out. The announcer’s voice boomed throughout the stadium, vibrating with the shared intensity of triumph and defeat.

Daily life now consisted of constant skirmishes and clashes of raw talent and willpower.

The winners were filtered through the brackets, moving toward increasingly violent and high-stakes encounters.

However, the true draw for the spectators was the total unpredictability of the pairings.

While the academy maintained strict control over the various battle sectors, the selection of opponents remained almost entirely randomized.

Consequently, no one—neither the participants nor the crowd—could ever predict what the next round would bring.

In a secluded area of the academy grounds, far from the thunderous applause, Fay walked beside her older brother. Her face was clouded with contemplation rather than excitement.

"Elder Brother," she murmured after a long silence, her voice steady yet laced with a hint of anxiety, "it is highly likely I will have to face that honorable warrior again... the one from before."

Melan shifted his gaze toward her, grasping her meaning instantly.

"Hm... by honorable, are you referring to Kagami?"

"Yes."

Melan slowed his pace, his features hardening into a serious expression. "I understand. He is a formidable foe—disciplined, tenacious, and significantly more lethal in a one-on-one duel."

Fay gave a small, silent nod as he continued his assessment.

"You must keep this in mind," Melan warned. "The fact that he lost to us in the team matches was not an accurate gauge of his true power. There were... specific circumstances. Variables that worked to his disadvantage."

His words caused Fay’s memories to resurface.

The team battle.

While much of that period remained strangely hazy—as if some parts of her mind had been intentionally blurred—one specific moment remained etched in her mind with perfect clarity.

The clash against Kagami’s squad.

Back then, the fight hadn't seemed particularly grueling.

Kagami and his teammates had been defeated faster than expected, crushed by superior coordination and overwhelming numbers.

But looking back with the benefit of hindsight, Fay could now see the reality of the situation.

Kagami hadn't been defeated because he lacked strength.

He had lost because he was burdened by the need to protect too many people at once.

He had positioned himself at the heart of the fray, acting as a shield for his allies and absorbing immense pressure while forced to make split-second, impossible choices.

In a way, his defeat wasn't a failure of power—it was a result of his noble character.

In a pure duel, stripped of the weights that divided his attention, Kagami was an entirely different beast.

There was a clear reason why he was considered one of the premier warriors of Lumen Academy.

Fay’s fingers tightened into a slight fist at her side.

"I understand," she replied softly. "Should I face him... I will not make the mistake of underestimating him."

However—

That did not imply that Fay’s own prospects were dim in a fair, individual fight.

On the contrary, she felt a surge of confidence.

Immense confidence.

"I have already completed the necessary reconnaissance and evaluation of my opponent for tomorrow," Fay stated with composure, her voice unwavering despite the weight of the name she spoke of.

"Good," Melan said, nodding in approval.

For a short time, the two elven siblings traversed the academy halls in silence, their rhythmic strides taking them toward the next sector—the designated waiting area for Melan’s looming match.

As they approached, the roar of the audience grew in volume.

It was far louder than they had anticipated.

Shouts, cheers, and frantic whispers surged like a breaking tide against the stone walls, far exceeding the noise of previous matches.

In fact, the density of the crowd here rivaled that of the main sector, where the Emperor himself was watching the proceedings.

Fay's pace slowed, her elven ears twitching as she processed the staggering wall of sound.

"It appears this duel is of much greater significance than we presumed, Elder Brother..." she whispered.

Melan’s eyes narrowed as he took in the atmosphere, and he gave a slow nod.

"It seems her renown is even greater than we first suspected..."

Fay looked over at her brother, who had already taken a seat on a waiting bench. A knot of unease formed in her chest as she realized a bitter truth—

This massive crowd hadn't gathered for him.

That realization made the upcoming event feel much heavier and more suffocating. Entering a stage against such lopsided expectations, where the entire audience was already rooting for a different conclusion, was a daunting task.

"I believe in you, Elder Brother," Fay said with deep sincerity.

Melan let out a soft, self-deprecating chuckle and scratched the back of his neck.

"Haha... I am grateful for your support, Fay. But please, don't look at me with such pity this time," he said, offering a small smile. "I will simply do my best—just as I have always done."

Before she could say anything else, a powerful voice thundered through the arena.

"Melan of the Elven Kingdom!!!!"

Hearing his name, Melan stood up from the bench.

Before heading out, he reached over and gave Fay’s head a gentle pat, a familiar and grounding gesture of affection.

Fay looked up, her eyes still filled with visible concern.

Melan met her gaze with a warm, steady, and unwavering smile.

Then, he turned and walked toward the arena stage.

Halfway through the tunnel, he stopped briefly.

"Oh—by the way," he said, glancing over his shoulder. "Is the Princess watching?"

Fay paused for a heartbeat before replying.

"...Yes. Princess Vanessa is present. Though she is masking her presence... she is certainly here."

Melan gave a single nod, his face hardening with resolve.

"Good."

With those words, he marched forward and was swallowed by the roaring spectators, leaving Fay alone in the staging area—her hands clasped tight, her heart racing, praying silently that the stage would not consume her brother.

With every stride he took toward the center, the atmospheric pressure felt more tangible and heavy.

It wasn't just the noise of the crowd.

It was the way they looked at the arena.

Melan was no stranger to fighting humans.

He knew their thirst for combat, spectacle, and glory—but this was his first time witnessing such a concentrated aura of pride and awe directed at a single individual.

The look in their eyes wasn't just admiration.

It was absolute faith.

He raised his gaze to see his opponent standing perfectly still.

Seo Gyeoul.

Her expression was tranquil. It was almost vacant. There was no bloodlust radiating from her, no aura of impending doom.

To an observer, she looked like someone patiently waiting for a rainstorm to pass.

And yet, Melan was well aware of the truth.

He had heard the rumors.

He knew that this fight would likely be decided in an instant.

Even so... standing across from her, it was difficult to fathom that this woman could strike someone down before they even realized they were in a fight.

His grip tightened on his bow.

He steeled his nerves and took a deep, controlled breath.

Yes, she was a monster.

Yes, she was a genius of the sword.

But that didn't mean he would simply surrender.

No one had managed to last even a single second against Seo Gyeoul.

Therefore, his objective was simple.

Just one second.

That would be victory enough for him.

"Let the match begin!!!!"

The moment the announcer’s signal rang out, Melan reacted.

He raised his bow in a single, fluid motion, channeling elven mana into the string and the arrow.

Ancient runes glowed softly as he aimed directly at her torso—not with the intent to kill, but to force a reaction.

To make her move. To shatter her opening tempo.

That was his strategy.

But—

Before the vibration of the bowstring could even reach his ears—

A flash of purple lightning engulfed the arena.

The world suddenly tilted.

Melan felt no pain.

He didn't even have time to feel terror.

The next thing he knew, his face was pressed against the freezing stone floor, the scent of ozone and burnt air filling his lungs. His bow lay several paces away, sliced perfectly in half.

He blinked once in confusion.

Then, the darkness claimed him.

The duel was over.

He had lost—

Before he could even process that the fight had started.

....

Clap. Clap. Clap.

The slow, almost rhythmic sound of clapping drifted across the quiet edge of the stadium.

Seo slowly looked up.

Standing nearby was Snow, clapping lightly with a faint smile, as if she had just finished watching a pleasant performance rather than a brutal, one-sided defeat.

"It seems your duel concluded quite swiftly this time as well," Snow remarked casually.

"Yes..." Seo answered.

"Fufu. I realize this tournament isn't particularly significant to us," Snow continued in a light, teasing tone, "but perhaps holding back a bit more would make the matches more entertaining for you, don't you think?"

"I did hold back."

"Oh...?"

Snow blinked, clearly caught off guard by that statement.

A short silence hung between the two of them.

"By the way," Seo added, "why have you come here? Did your own match finish early?"

"It did."

"I see..." Seo paused for a moment before asking, "Should we go and find Riley together?"

Snow shook her head slowly. "That sounds lovely, but that isn't why I’m here."

Seo turned fully toward her, giving the other girl her undivided attention.

"I actually came specifically to see you," Snow said. "There is something I wish to ask... a small favor."

Seo tilted her head, considering the request for a moment. Then, she gave a nod.

Snow offered a faint, satisfied smile.

Shortly after, the pair exited the arena and headed toward the secluded rear gardens of Killian Hall.

The roar of the crowd gradually faded into the distance, replaced by the soft whistling of the wind and the rustle of leaves.

Sunlight beamed through the canopy of tall trees, casting elongated shadows over the manicured hedges and stone walkways.

They came to a halt near the center of the garden.

Seo took a brief look at their surroundings before turning back to Snow. "So," she began, "what was it you wanted to ask me?"

Snow did not reply immediately.

Her smile slowly dissolved.

When she finally spoke, her voice was calm—eerily so.

"Seo," she whispered, "kill me."

"...?"

Seo tilted her head again, an instinctive reaction, but this time her gaze held no confusion—only a razor-sharp focus.

She studied Snow’s face intensely.

Serious.

Lucid.

Unwavering.

Snow was not joking.