My Family in the Novel?

35  Joint Combat Exams 3

Cricket noises filled the air in the middle of the night, their chirping a symphony in the depths of the academy's dense training forest. The usually peaceful forest had its usual visitor once again.

Swoosh...!

A deafening sound filled the air as a powerful vortex of wind swept through a dense grove of trees. The aftermath of the attack left a trail of destruction in its wake. Panting heavily, a figure stood amidst the fallen trees, surveying the damage with a dissatisfied expression.

"Only six?" he thought, his disappointment evident. The attack had managed to pierce through just six trees, a number that fell short of his expectations. As the academy's second-ranked student among the second years, William Spearshake held himself to an incredibly high standard. He was no stranger to pushing his body to its limits in pursuit of strength, even if it meant risking his own well-being.

For William, becoming stronger was not merely a desire but a necessity. As the illegitimate child of the Spearshake noble County, he carried the heavy burden of proving his worth. Failure was not an option, for he knew that the moment he faltered, his family would abandon him. He couldn't allow that to happen, as the funds and resources from the county were essential for the care of his ailing mother.

Swoosh!

Once again, William swung and thrust his spear, a technique he had practiced since his childhood. With relentless dedication, he had honed this technique to perfection. While many at the academy saw him as a genius or a naturally talented individual, William knew that he was neither. He was acutely aware that his current level of strength was the result of unrelenting willpower and an unwavering determination never to give up.

Every ounce of his skill and strength had been earned through sheer effort and relentless hard work. He understood that complacency was his greatest enemy. If he allowed himself to become lax or overconfident, those ranked just below him could easily surpass him. His current position as the academy's second-ranked student was, in his view, primarily due to the fact that those beneath him had not invested the same level of effort into training and mastering their talents. William had no intention of resting on his laurels; his drive to excel burned brighter than ever.

William was keenly aware that if those beneath him put in the same amount of effort he did, it wouldn't be long before they outstripped him. As he continued to practice his spear techniques, he couldn't help but reflect on the moment that had humbled him within the academy—the moment he was first defeated by the combat department's top second-year student.

In what appeared to be a casual and effortless motion, he had been brought to the ground. His chest was torn open, and blood gushed from his wounds, all delivered by a fierce-looking woman with fiery crimson hair and eyes. She had looked at him with a disinterest that felt like a cold slap of reality. "Sorry, I couldn't control my strength" her words had struck him harder than any physical blow.

That day, the pain he felt was unlike anything he had ever experienced. He had always been eager to prove himself, challenging nearly everyone in his year. It was his way of attempting to discourage these promising individuals from surpassing him too quickly. However, when he had challenged her to a duel, everything had fallen apart. She possessed an overwhelming level of talent and strength, and William couldn't help but acknowledge it during their battle. The defeat had haunted him, driving him to push himself even harder and to become the second-ranked student he was today.

Evadne Darja, hailing from the illustrious Darja clan known for their mastery of the destructive flame technique, was a prodigy well before she even set foot in the academy. The school had anticipated her brilliance, and she didn't disappoint. No one within the academy had ever come close to defeating her in a duel. Not even the top students from the third and fourth years could withstand her unparalleled skills, and they often found themselves humbled when they challenged her.

However, there was something that William knew, a secret hidden from most of the academy's students. Unlike the majority of talents in the school who relied solely on their innate abilities and skills, Evadne Darja combined her extraordinary talent with relentless hard work. She was dedicated to honing her already formidable strength and could be found training nearly every day.

"Can't I have even a fraction of her talent?" William couldn't help but harbor a negative thought. "If I possessed even a fraction of her natural ability, my life might have been just a bit easier."

Regaining his focus, he poised himself for another attack. With a fluid spin, his spear created a vortex that gradually gained speed. The emerald glow of his mana enveloped the weapon as he concentrated his power.

Swoosh...! He thrust the spear forward, and an immense gale of green wind followed, piercing through the nearby trees. The force sliced through the trees with ease, launching them into the air.

"Five?"

"Haha….hahahaha"

William chuckled, his self-deprecating laughter echoing through the forest.

….

"Crack!"

A thunderous explosion rocked the once-pristine white skies, shattering their serenity with ominous dark rifts that now marred their splendor. The Goddess, an ethereal figure of grace and power, found herself in a dire predicament, coughing up golden blood as she struggled to contain the chaos that had erupted.

"Why are you guys suddenly making a move?" she grumbled, her tone tinged with annoyance. The heavens, once a picture of tranquility, were now marred by the mysterious black cracks, and the Goddess had no choice but to pour her divine might into sealing and stabilizing these unsettling rifts.

From the sinister void within the cracks, black lightning crackled and surged, laying waste to the goddess's celestial abode and palace. Realizing the gravity of the situation, the goddess channeled even more power to try and bring stability to the ominous rifts.

"!@#$@$#@@##!!"

An ear-piercing scream, laden with dread and the unknown, erupted from the cracks. The very sound of it sent shivers down the goddess's divine form, and for a moment, she felt as if madness would consume her. Swiftly, she enveloped herself in a powerful golden light to protect her sanity.

Golden radiance lanced from her being, striking the cracks and gradually shrinking them. The dark energy from the other side resisted in a chaotic struggle against her divine might. Light and darkness clashed in the celestial skies, their powers echoing to the very heavens. In a sudden and cataclysmic explosion, the dark forces subsided, and the goddess seized her chance. Pouring more of her power into the crack, she inspected the rift for any lingering threats.

"Cough, cough," the goddess stumbled, collapsing onto the pristine white floors of her divine domain.

"Sister!" A silver-haired woman appeared suddenly, rushing to the goddess's side.

"What happened? I suddenly felt an absurd amount of divinity being used in your domain," the newcomer inquired with concern.

The goddess pointed to the skies, specifically at the black cracks that defied their celestial surroundings. "They got excited," she replied with an absurd smile before falling unconscious. Even in her unconscious state, her divinity continued to pour out, reinforcing the seal on the cracks.

"Sister!" Callisia, the Goddess of the Elves, was left perplexed and unsure of what to do in the face of this enigmatic crisis.

…..

Knock, knock.

"Ian, are you inside?" Elena rapped on Adrian's door, but there was no response. It was already deep into the night, so Elena found it rather unusual that Adrian hadn't returned to his dorm room yet.

Elena reached for the doorknob to check if it was locked. To her surprise, it wasn't. She furrowed her brows, finding it strange.

"Did Adrian forget to lock his door?" she wondered aloud.

Elena glanced cautiously to her left and right, ensuring no one was watching. After assuring herself that she was alone, she continued with her thoughts.

"It wouldn't hurt to wait for him inside, would it?" Elena reasoned with herself, her curiosity getting the best of her.

"Excuse me," she announced as she entered Adrian's room, her steps tentative and quiet.

Elena clapped her hands, and the lights in the room immediately flickered to life. She took a quick glance around the space, confirming what she had suspected.

"He's not here," she muttered to herself, a faint sense of disappointment creeping in.

As her gaze wandered around the room, she couldn't help but marvel at its beauty. Although Adrian's room wasn't as grand as her own, the level of intricacy and personal touches in the décor appealed more to her taste. She found herself appreciating the aesthetics of his room more than the theme in her own quarters. While she was grateful to the school for personally renovating her room to her preferences, she couldn't help but wish for a room more akin to what other students had.

Elena moved further into the room, still curious and fascinated by Adrian's personal space, eventually she found herself on his bed.

As Elena stood by Adrian's bed, her gaze fixed upon the familiar piece of furniture, a wave of memories washed over her. She couldn't help but recall the intimate moments they had shared on that very bed, the moments filled with laughter, conversations, and the lingering feelings they had for each other.

Her face flushed with embarrassment at the vivid images that flashed through her mind. She shook her head, trying to dispel the memories that threatened to overwhelm her senses. She couldn't believe how those recollections could be both thrilling and embarrassing at the same time. It was impossible not to blush at the thought of those moments.

Elena gingerly sat down on the bed and ran her fingers across its surface, marveling at its softness and comfort. The bed itself was incredibly inviting, but her mind kept racing back to their previous encounters. Her face turned a deep shade of crimson as those memories resurfaced once more.

Flick! the lights in the room suddenly turned off, plunging Elena into darkness. A shiver ran down Elena's spine, and she couldn't fathom why the lights had gone out so suddenly. Suddenly the atmosphere got colder.

Her heart began to race as an unsettling feeling crept over her.

Clap, clap, she clapped her hands twice to command the lights to turn back on. Swoosh the room was bathed in light once more, Elena sighed in relief, her eyes nervously scanning the room.

Her hands, still trembling from fear, resumed tracing the soft surface of the bed, but then, they suddenly encountered an unexpected obstacle. She halted, bewildered, and her eyes darted to the side, where she saw it.

"A doll?" She said aloud.

Elena gasped as her eyes locked onto the doll. It was unlike any ordinary doll; this one had a nightmarish quality to it. Its grotesque appearance was enough to send shivers down her spine, and the way it grinned, with an unsettling smile, while looking straight ahead, filled the room with a malevolent aura. Every hair on Elena's body stood on end, and an overwhelming sense of dread washed over her, as if the doll itself exuded an aura of pure malevolence.

The room's lights flickered, causing a sense of foreboding to descend upon Elena. She had an inexplicable feeling that the doll was dangerous, far beyond anything her rational mind could comprehend.

Suddenly, the doll's head turned, and its lifeless eyes locked onto Elena. Terrified, she stumbled backward, her knees giving way as goosebumps spread across her body.

As the lights flickered on and off more rapidly, fear continued to grip her. She had no idea what was happening, and the room's menacing atmosphere only deepened her anxiety.

Flick, the lights turned off again. Elena's breaths were shallow as she tried to make sense of the absurd situation. Her heart raced, and her voice cracked as she spoke "Wh-what's going on?"

Suddenly, the lights began to flicker even faster, before they plunged the room into complete darkness once more.

Elena's heart raced as a deep sense of fear enveloped her. Every fiber of her being screamed for her to run, to escape the horrifying presence of the doll. However, an inexplicable force seemed to paralyze her in place, rendering her unable to move. It was as if invisible chains bound her, leaving her utterly helpless in the face of this surreal nightmare.

Flick, the lights turned back on, revealing an empty room. The sinister doll had disappeared.

Elena, trembling with fear, wondered aloud

"I-it's go-ne?" Tears welled up in her eyes. It was the first time in her life she had ever felt such paralyzing fear.

"##@#$!##@!"  unknown words echoed in her ears as she felt a presence nearby. She turned her head to the right, and there it was: the doll, with its dead eyes and unsettling smile, had returned, and it uttered a chilling phrase before reaching out to touch her forehead.

"Ian, please help me!" Elena cried out in her mind, desperately seeking refuge from the sinister presence of the doll.