How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game Chapter 666: Light 7

FWOOSSHH!!

"Ugh—!"

Stacia managed to intercept the final spear just in time, her sword vibrating as the radiance shattered into fragments.

Her respiration was heavy, her chest rising and falling as the combined weight of heat and fatigue hit her like a physical blow.

Her body had been driven to its absolute threshold in a matter of seconds.

The onslaught had seemed unending.

However, in truth, the entire exchange had barely lasted a single heartbeat.

Through her heightened perception, Stacia observed clearly—Rose was already weaving another spell on the ground below.

Composed.

Patient.

As if this entire ordeal were merely a trivial task.

If victory was her goal, she couldn't afford to remain at a distance.

Closing the gap was her only option.

"Damn it..."

Mana erupted violently around her form.

[Flame Curtain]

She transformed into a localized explosion of crimson-gold fire, the flames condensing to propel her downward like a descending meteor.

[Hidden Blade Technique]

[Second Form]

[New Moon]

Her movements became incredibly precise. Crimson lightning coiled around her limbs as her velocity spiked, the atmosphere howling as she tore toward Rose with unprecedented speed.

The gap was closing—

Then, without warning—

A tugging sensation.

Her perspective shifted violently.

Before any reaction could form, the solid earth vanished from beneath her.

She was suspended in the sky once more.

"...Again?"

Below, the arena floor shimmered.

Thousands of golden sparks materialized simultaneously.

Spears.

Even more than before.

Stacia clicked her tongue in irritation, twisting her body in mid-air as she glared down at her opponent.

Rose returned the look.

Indifferent. Unfazed.

In that moment, the realization struck her.

This wasn't a trial of her strength.

She was being toyed with.

Rose had no intention of letting her get within striking range. Not even for a second.

More radiant light gathered around Rose’s feet, manifesting spell after spell in a continuous stream.

.....

She’s dangerous...

This was the verdict Rose reached almost instantly.

The disparity between them as mages was undeniable.

Rose could quantify it easily—raw mana volume, finesse, incantation speed—every metric favored her.

Yet, that advantage didn't cause her to lower her guard. If anything, it heightened her wariness.

The fire Stacia wielded was no common flame. It consumed mana, dissolved structures, and warped the magical flow in her vicinity.

Paired with her swordplay—lethal, efficient, and strangely reminiscent of the styles used by Riley and Seo—her presence was deeply unsettling.

She wasn't merely powerful.

She was specialized for hunting mages.

Rose understood that if Stacia ever breached her defense, the situation would turn messy. Not necessarily fatal—not yet—but enough of a nuisance that ignoring the possibility would be reckless. And Rose never ignored a threat.

That was why she maintained the distance. Why she dictated the rhythm of the battle. Why she refused to give Stacia any room to recover.

Because Stacia was concealing a deeper secret.

With her extraordinary mana perception—further sharpened by her golden eyes—peering into Stacia’s mystical core was simple. Beneath the inferno and the blade techniques, something ancient was stirring.

A presence.

A temperature that wasn't just heat, but pure intent.

Rose identified it immediately.

A divine favor.

[Blessing: Sol Fal]

The signature of the Fire Spirit King.

The Incinerating Wolf—Takal.

Rose’s eyes narrowed slightly. While her expertise didn't lie in elementalism or spirit pacts, she knew how exceptionally rare—and lethal—that blessing truly was. It wasn't a gift given to just anyone, and certainly not something a typical first-year student should possess.

'She’s exactly like that gray-haired junior...'

A mountain of questions formed in her mind.

How did she secure a contract? How much of that power could she actually channel? What were the constraints? And why was she using the Gyeoul Family’s secret techniques?

Too many variables.

However, for the moment, those answers could wait. She would extract them soon enough.

Rose’s mana surged again, steady and disciplined, as more Spears of Light materialized around her. One by one, golden magic circles formed in the air, their geometry perfect and sharp.

To a spectator, the strategy might have looked monotonous. Perhaps even boring or inefficient for a mage of her caliber. Rose had countless methods to end the duel instantly, after all.

But that wasn't the objective.

This was the most effective method for observation.

Even while keeping Stacia at bay, Rose never let her focus waver. Every movement, every reaction time, the way the flames reacted under stress—every scrap of data was being cataloged in Rose’s mind. Curiosity and caution worked in tandem to guide her next moves.

Now show me...

A small flicker of intrigue danced in Rose’s golden eyes as she watched Stacia fight against the relentless downpour of light. Then—

The atmosphere shifted.

The mana surrounding Stacia altered subtly. Rose sensed it at once. An entity stirred behind the blessing buried in Stacia’s soul, like a dormant predator beginning to wake.

"So, it’s finally reacting..." Rose whispered.

...

Meanwhile, in the VIP gallery, Riley and his companions watched the conflict with varied expressions.

Snow was reclined, clearly enjoying the spectacle. Alice was frowning, her eyes fixed on the aerial battle as her fingers gripped her seat. Seo remained as stoic as ever, her gaze sharp and unreadable.

The duel had surpassed the comprehension of most students, yet it felt strangely familiar. This was Rose’s signature style—just another version of it.

"...Is she playing with her food?"

Seo’s soft remark startled the group. She rarely commented during matches.

Alice blinked. "Eh—Seo, that’s a bit mean..."

Snow shook her head slowly, watching the glowing chaos above the stadium. "I don't think so. This looks more like a mage's intellectual curiosity. Rose isn't being arrogant—she's trying to analyze her."

Snow gave a small smile. "Honestly, if I possessed that level of power... I’d likely do the same when encountering such a fascinating opponent."

Seo nodded, though she didn't truly understand the mindset of a mage. In a real fight, your life was on the line. As a practitioner of the sword, efficiency was paramount. If you could kill your enemy, you did so immediately.

No wasted movements, no hesitation. That was her training. That was the essence of her blade. Perhaps it was her upbringing, or perhaps the Hidden Blade technique itself was built for nothing but swift execution. Prolonging a fight had never made sense to her.

And yet...

She looked back at the stage, where Rose dominated without even breaking a sweat. Slowly. Methodically. Curiously.

Seo tilted her head.

Is that... fun?

The thought stayed with her. Winning quickly was satisfying, but it carried a certain dullness. Every battle ended before it truly began. No tension. No build-up. Just the draw, the strike, and the end.

...Perhaps there was merit in slowing things down.

Should I try that next time? she pondered.

But a follow-up thought arrived immediately.

They always die instantly even if I try to go slow...

Her brow furrowed.

Then... should I just make them bleed first instead...?

Her eyes brightened at the idea. It seemed like a logical conclusion. A new plan—one she was convinced was genius—took root in Seo’s mind.

Beside her, Alice looked over and felt a sudden chill. Seo was too quiet. The look on her face—intense, contemplative, and oddly serious—was more alarming than a smile would have been.

Alice gave a shaky laugh. "Uhm... Seo...?"

"Yes?" Seo asked calmly, turning her head.

Alice started to speak, then stopped herself. "...You know what—never mind, hehe."

She decided it was better to let Seo figure things out. Perhaps learning to pace herself would be good for her development. Probably. Hopefully. Alice sighed and looked back at the stage. Let’s just hope this doesn't turn into something strange...

At the same time, Riley, watching the scene, felt a pang of sympathy for the struggling Stacia. To any other observer, Rose looked merciless. But Riley saw the truth.

At the very last millisecond—just before a spear would have dealt a fatal blow—Rose was micro-managing their speed. Just enough for Stacia to parry or take a graze instead of being impaled. Thousands of spears, all being controlled manually. It was terrifying. The precision required was staggering. One lapse in concentration and the match would be over. Yet Rose did it with a detached, calm expression.

Riley breathed out slowly. Beyond his respect and pity, there was curiosity. So, this is what Alice meant when she said I’d understand if I saw it myself.

He hadn't spotted it at first. Evelyn’s runes were subtle—woven into Stacia’s very soul, layered so perfectly that they bypassed Riley’s initial scans. But as Stacia was pushed to her breaking point, the truth emerged.

For a fleeting moment, Riley’s eyes changed. Dark blue. His sight delved deeper, past the mana and the surface. "...A blessing, I see."

And not just any ordinary favor. Everything clicked. That was how Stacia had managed to burn Lucas. He recalled the mana surge from a few days ago—violent and unnatural. He’d assumed it was Alice experimenting again, especially since he’d felt her signature too. But now...

"...That clone of mine," Riley whispered.

A mix of amusement and worry touched his face. He respected Evelyn’s competence, but he hadn't expected her to go this far. After all, a Spirit King wasn't just a powerful entity. It was something akin to a minor deity.

Riley spoke the name without realizing he had said it aloud. Unbeknownst to him, a certain golden-eyed girl was tracking his every reaction and heard every word.

Rose’s gaze shifted for a fraction of a second. Then, the rain of spears ceased.

No explosion occurred. No dramatic pause. Just total silence. The mana on the stage warped, folding as if space itself were contracting.

[Celestial Magic]

[Spatial Imperium]

Faint blue starlight flickered—ethereal and menacing. In an instant, Stacia was no longer in the air. She was back on the stage floor. Her bruised body stumbled forward, her flames dying out as her eyes widened in shock.

"What...?"

She was on solid ground, but her equilibrium was gone. Before she could process the teleportation, Rose was standing directly in front of her. Those golden eyes were now dull. Cold. Flat.

FSSSHHHHH!!!!

An immense pressure crashed down. It felt like the weight of the entire world was on her shoulders. Stacia’s knees gave way immediately. Her sword ground against the floor as she collapsed, using the blade as a crutch to stay upright. Her lungs felt like they were on fire. Her mana was in turmoil.

For a terrifying second, she wondered if another spirit king had arrived. "Cough—!"

Blood stained the stage. Her vision blurred. What is this? Why can't I move?

Then, Rose’s voice reached her. Low, frigid, and demanding.

"Summon it...."

Stacia’s frame shook. Painfully, she forced her head up. Rose stood there, one hand raised. At her fingertips, a sphere of compressed light was forming—heavy and vibrating with catastrophic energy. It was small, but the pressure made Stacia’s survival instincts scream. This was no longer a test.

Rose looked down at her with total indifference.

"Call for that dog," she commanded flatly. "Now."

Stacia swallowed, her throat parched.

[Ultimate-Grade Light Magic]

[Light] [EX]

'W-what is that?' Her heart raced as she stared at the orb. It looked like light magic, but she could sense its unique, terrifying nature. She knew instinctively that if that power was unleashed, she wouldn't survive.

Crack...!

Her emergency bracelet suddenly fractured. Literally. 'W-What’s happening!?'