How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game Chapter 667: Light Interlude

Very few things possessed the power to truly irritate Rose.

However, once she reached her limit... things always escalated too far.

Is Riley... actually doubting me?

And all because of this girl?

Her golden eyes grew dark as they focused on the shivering form of Stacia.

The girl continued to cough, struggling to maintain consciousness under the sheer weight of Rose’s mana.

Me?

The person he trusts above all others?

The atmospheric pressure surrounding Stacia intensified, becoming heavier with every passing second.

Riley had never stated his faith in her out loud.

He didn't have to.

For Rose—young, naive, and desperately in love—his silent assurance had always been plenty.

The way he remained by her side.

The way he never felt the need to step in.

The way he looked at her as if the victory was already a foregone conclusion.

It’s Rose. It’s fine.

Rose can handle it.

There’s no one else but Rose.

That was the natural order of things.

Not once had Riley shown a hint of doubt toward her.

Not in the heat of combat.

Not in her choices.

Not in her strength.

He believed in her.

So why now?

Why did his voice tremble with uncertainty?

Why did he utter those words... for her sake?

Rose’s mana flared once more, an invisible burden crushing down even harder on Stacia’s frame.

The floor of the stage groaned under the mounting force.

This girl is making him doubt me.

The realization took root in her heart—sharp and bitter.

Along with it came a far worse sensation.

Annoyance.

Not a temporary whim. Not the minor frustration she felt when Riley associated with others.

Not even the jealousy she had trained herself to suppress and ignore.

This was different.

This was a slow, quiet burn... one that refused to be extinguished.

Her fingers tightened slightly, light pooling with greater intensity at her tips.

Her eyes never strayed from Stacia.

For the first time since this duel began, Rose wasn’t merely testing her opponent.

She was furious.

"Stacia Alger Del Luna..."

Rose spoke her name aloud.

"Summon your wolf."

The order was frigid. Absolute.

Stacia remained on one knee, her blade buried in the stage just to prevent herself from falling over.

The weight pressing upon her felt less like mana and more like the force of gravity itself—merciless, heavy, and inescapable.

Her ears rang incessantly.

Her vision blurred and spun.

The world seemed to tilt and fray at the edges.

Thinking was impossible.

Focus was gone.

Even drawing breath felt wrong, as if her lungs were being squeezed shut from every direction.

If I don’t act this instant...

She felt it instinctively.

This was no longer just about a loss.

She would be maimed.

Broken.

Perhaps even worse.

"I don’t know what happened but..."

Her gaze flickered through the misty haze.

Amidst the sea of faces in the audience, she found him.

Riley.

He was observing in silence.

That sight hurt more than the crushing pressure.

I must show him...

That I am worthy of standing beside him as well.

Her hands tightened around the sword's grip.

Despite her body's screams of pain, she forced her mana to circulate again, pulling it back toward her heart.

Beat.

The mana heart throbbed.

Crimson-gold flames wreathed her body once more, flickering weakly before surging with strength.

For that future to become real—

I will not surrender.

With fierce determination, Stacia dragged herself upward.

As she stood, the agony underwent a change.

A wave of warmth washed over her.

It wasn't scorching heat.

It was a gentle, heavy warmth—almost soothing.

Like being held in a protective embrace.

A powerful presence settled over her very soul.

[This will only be temporary, child...]

Her eyes widened in realization.

"Wolf...?"

[It will come at a high price.]

[A painful one.]

[But if you desire a chance to win... this is the only path.]

She answered without a second thought.

Her mana erupted violently.

A column of fire shot toward the heavens, roaring as it spiraled around her. The flames were no longer merely crimson and gold—they were deeper, more ancient, and wilder.

Even Rose, who stood nearby with an air of casualness, was forced to retreat a step as the heat and force swept across the platform.

The wolf had answered the call.

What arrived was not simple fire—it was flame condensed to such a terrifying density that the audience began to feel it even through the reinforced magical barriers.

Heat flooded the arena like a choking tide.

The air itself began to warp.

Protective runes flickered frantically as if in protest, their light warping under a weight they were never meant to endure.

"Bolster the barriers—immediately!"

"Deploy the emergency containment formation!"

"Seal the outer arrays—prevent it from spreading!"

Chaos broke out among the instructors, regulators, and academy officials as they fought to stabilize the stage.

Sweat dripped from their brows as mana was poured desperately into the failing enchantments.

But it was clear to anyone with a shred of mana sensitivity—

The defensive spells were burning.

Not cracking.

Not shattering.

Burning.

Before long, they would dissolve entirely.

At the heart of the storm, Rose stood perfectly still.

The sphere of condensed light remained in her palm, its glow steady—though it was dimming faster than before.

Her golden eyes stared ahead with composure.

What stood before her was no ordinary summoned spirit.

This was the zenith of flame.

No—

It was the physical manifestation of fire itself.

An entity whose very being defined incineration, purification, ruin, and rebirth.

These were flames that did not just burn matter—

But concepts themselves.

Even Rose, having attained the Eighth Circle of her mana heart, sensed it immediately.

Her mana was being scorched away.

Not consumed.

Scorched.

With every second the wolf remained, her energy reserves dwindled at a shocking speed, evaporating under a pressure that no shield could fully block.

Then—

GROOOOWWWLLLLL—

The sound vibrated through the entire arena.

A primal, deep growl that sent shivers down every spine and instantly silenced the crowd.

From the massive inferno behind Stacia, a shadow emerged.

A gargantuan wolf-like shape, constructed entirely from living fire—its body shifted like molten sunlight, and its eyes glowed with ancient wisdom.

And standing beneath it—

Was Stacia.

Her figure was tiny by comparison, yet she remained steadfast.

The flames coiled around her not as a weapon, but as a sign of recognition.

"Senior..."

Her voice shook, but she didn't turn away.

"...Don’t die."

For the first time—

Rose’s eyebrows twitched.

She understood the situation.

They both did.

This was no longer a mere test.

They were preparing to unleash everything they had.

Stacia raised her sword high above her head.

Runes flared to life across the blade and her skin, shining with an authority far older than the academy itself.

[Spirit Authority of the Fire King]

[Blessing: Sol Fal]

The flames reacted instantly.

They grew deeper and sharper, roaring with increased intensity as the wolf’s presence flared.

[Your flames shall now incinerate everything.]

[Abstract concepts are no exception.]

The energy surging through Stacia was no longer human.

It was divine.

As the stage shattered under her feet and the arena shook—

Stacia dropped into her combat stance.

Her feet dug into the broken stone, her grip tightening until her knuckles turned white.

The flames around her howled, rising higher as her will sharpened.

Then, she swung.

SWOOOOOOOSHHHHHH—!!!!

A gargantuan arc of incinerating energy shot forward, tearing through the air like a plummeting sun.

The beam was massive, violent, and absolute—flames so fierce they distorted space itself as they raced toward Rose.

With fire capable of burning even concepts, victory finally seemed within reach.

And yet...

For a single beat of the heart—

FOOOOSHH.

Just like that.

As easily as snuffing out a candle, the attack disappeared.

There was no explosion.

No collision.

No resistance.

The beam simply... vanished from existence.

Stacia froze, her breath caught in her throat.

The arena fell into a deathly silence.

Only stray embers floated down, glowing briefly before turning to ash on the floor.

Slowly, she raised her eyes.

Rose stood exactly where she had been, completely unharmed, her expression indifferent.

I put everything I had into that strike...

Her mind raced, disbelief filling her chest.

And yet—nothing happened?

"So, flames that interfere with the very concepts of reality..."

Rose spoke softly, almost as if talking to herself.

"...That is quite impressive."

Her golden eyes locked onto Stacia’s crimson ones.

"But it isn’t enough, junior. Simple methods usually have simple solutions."

"W-What did you do...?"

Stacia’s voice was a raspy whisper.

"I reverse-calculated the magic you employed."

The explanation hit her like a physical blow.

Stacia’s eyes widened in shock.

Around them, the crowd broke into murmurs—judges leaned in, and instructors stared in total disbelief.

"But—that wasn't a spell...!" Stacia cried out.

Rose tilted her head slightly.

"Spells. Blessings. Authorities."

She raised a hand casually.

"To me, they are all the same. The only difference is the complexity of the calculation."

Then—

Rose opened her left palm.

Flames caught fire.

They weren't just similar.

They were identical.

The same crimson-gold fire.

The same density.

The same suffocating heat.

A flawless replica of Stacia’s own power flickered calmly in Rose’s hand.

"See?" Rose said quietly. "I can do it too."

"...W—What...?"

Stacia’s entire body shook.

Her legs felt like lead. Her mind couldn't process the sight.

This wasn’t just talent.

This wasn’t just being a genius.

This was something entirely beyond that.

Her mana was nearly spent, her body pushed to its limit, but what truly crushed her wasn't the exhaustion—it was the realization.

Is this... the gap?

Between someone gifted—

And someone like Rose?

No.

Even a genius shouldn't be capable of this.

Rose’s eyes moved past Stacia.

Behind her, the massive silhouette of the flaming wolf was already vanishing, its form crumbling, flames scattering like embers in the wind.

Even an ancient being like that seemed stunned—its presence wavered, as if it hadn't expected its authority to be dismantled so perfectly.

Rose saw it.

She simply didn't feel like explaining.

Explaining would be tedious.

And no one present would be able to grasp it anyway.

"Well then," Rose said with a tone of calm boredom,

"If that is the extent of your power, junior... this is where we part ways."

The condensed light at her fingertip grew sharp, its glow narrowing into something fatal. The mere pressure caused the air to vibrate.

But then—

"Stop."

A firm hand gripped Rose’s right arm.

Her eyes widened with genuine surprise.

"Riley?" she asked, turning her head.

He was suddenly there beside her, his face calm but serious.

"She has already lost, Rose," Riley said in a level voice. "So calm down."

"But she—"

"Look around you."

Rose hesitated.

"Huh... oh."

Only then did she notice the state of the arena.

The barriers were cracked and flickering wildly, the layers of defensive magic barely holding on.

Staff members were barking orders, and professors were dumping mana into emergency spells, their faces masks of sweat and panic.

If Rose unleashed her spell now—

There would be casualties.

Unintended ones.

"...Fine."

With a small click of her tongue, Rose allowed the light to fade from her finger.

The pressure dissipated almost instantly.

She looked irritated.

Giving Stacia one final, indifferent look, Rose turned and wrapped her arms around Riley’s, pulling herself close to him.

Like a territorial cat, her golden eyes narrowed—sharp and warning, sending a clear message to Stacia to stay away from what belonged to her.

Riley, however, looked past Rose.

His eyes settled on Stacia.

Neutral.

Calm.

Impossible to read.

There was no praise.

No disappointment.

Only a quiet acknowledgment.

That was the final thing Stacia saw.

Her strength finally failed her.

Her knees gave way.

Her vision turned to black as she collapsed onto the shattered stage.