Chương 3: Unexpected Encounter

What the hell is going on?

As I woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of a loud blast, I set out to find the source of the disturbance.

Astonishment awaited me as I stumbled upon a clearing, illuminated by a faint, ethereal glow. In the center, two figures were locked in a fierce battle, their movements a blur of speed and precision.

The combatants danced across the forest floor, their swords flashing in the moonlight as they clashed with unmatched ferocity.

One wielded the power of wind, their strikes swift and elusive as they sought to outmaneuver their opponent. The other, harnessing the might of earth magic, moved with grounded strength, each blow delivered with unwavering force.

The wind user darted around their opponent, launching quick strikes and feints, trying to find an opening.

But the earth user stood firm, their movements deliberate and calculated as they countered each assault with unmatched skill. With a powerful sweep of their sword, the earth user unleashed a wave of stone and debris, forcing the wind user onto the defensive.

Caught off guard, the wind user stumbled backward, struggling to regain their balance.

Seizing the opportunity, the earth user pressed their advantage, closing in on their opponent with relentless determination. Each strike channeled the raw power of the earth, their blows resonating like a landslide.

Despite their best efforts, the wind user found themselves overwhelmed. With a final, decisive blow, the earth user sent their opponent crashing to the ground, unconscious and defeated.

Absorbed in thoughts of survival and whether to interfere, I almost forgot about the upcoming scenario.

A month and a half after the protagonist's encounter with Chris Harrison, the academy would be attacked by terrorists, and the students would be held captive for a mythic artifact in the basement.

The attack would fail due to the protagonist and his squad, who were already investigating strange events around the academy and capital.

As I tried to recall these details, a shadowy figure noticed my presence and fled into the forest, leaving the unconscious individual on the ground.

Witnessing the real deal sent chills down my spine, paralyzing me. When I came back to my senses, I saw a lean figure lying under a large tree.

Approaching the body, my suspicions were confirmed. It was Christiana Peterson, one of the female leads of Kevin's squad. She had been investigating suspicious activities related to terrorism around the academy and the capital.

In the novel, she would lose to the earth elemental user and fall unconscious. Kevin would notice her absence, find her, and take her back to the academy.

But two strange things were at play.

First, there was no mention of these glowing mana stones under the tree.

Second, this incident wasn't supposed to happen yet, and there was no sign of the protagonist approaching.

I checked her condition and found a large cut on her shoulder, causing significant blood loss. The healing particles in the air couldn't heal such a large wound.

I immediately removed her dirt-covered dress to prevent infection.

Lacking disinfectant, I washed my shirt in the river and started cleaning the wound.

After several attempts, the bleeding finally stopped. I gently tied my shirt around her shoulder to prevent further damage. The mana particles began their healing process.

As a science student, I was in awe of the real-time healing without medical equipment. I moved her closer to the mana crystals.

Examining her closely, I noticed her lean but perfectly proportioned body and beautiful face. If she had been in my world, she could have been a model.

"No, what the hell am I thinking? This isn't the proper attitude towards an injured person I just treated. I need to review my bioethics."

I pondered how to return her to the academy, as there was no sign of the protagonist. The mana crystals were a good find, useful for various purposes. And I had to decide my stance for the upcoming terrorist attack.

Shattering my thoughts, a message appeared on the holographic panel:

[TASK 1: Rescue the perpetrator, Emmeline Neville, of the upcoming terrorist attack on the Royal Academy.]