I Can Only Cultivate In A Game-Chapter 212: There Is A Catch

Victor laughed. "Alright, Assassin Barbie, maybe chill with the threats. There were like hundreds of people there."

"Exactly. Hundreds of suspects."

Danny whistled. "And here I thought I was the protective one."

The group broke into chuckles as the mood lightened. Victor leaned back against a pillar, letting the exhaustion settle in.

His body ached a little but the presence of his friends numbed it a little. They kept poking questions about the rope crossing, the fire, and how he stayed calm.

Victor explained in his usual animated way... swinging his arms, exaggerating expressions, and occasionally doing dramatic reenactments of his stumbles and near-death moments.

The students around him laughed, some nodded in admiration while others joined in to share their own close calls.

Just when Victor had everyone laughing over a story about Reed screaming in falsetto while dodging a flaming eagle, a voice interrupted.

"Victor Revenant."

He turned to see a pair of instructors standing beside the Vice Principal with her sharp amber eyes and a clipped tone that always carried authority.

"Would you come with us for a moment?" she asked.

Victor's friends went quiet.

He nodded while standing upright. "Sure thing."

They led him away from the crowd to a quieter part of the surroundings where a couple of wooden chairs sat beneath a tree. The Vice Principal motioned for him to sit.

Victor flopped into the seat with a huff. "I know I'm amazing and all, but y'all could've waited till after dinner."

The Vice Principal raised a brow. "This isn't about your performance today. We want to revisit the incident from the morning."

"Of course," Victor nodded and dropped the humor slightly.

An instructor beside her pulled out a tablet and began recording.

"Let's go over it again," she said. "When you arrived at the arena earlier, who escorted you to your preparation room?"

Victor thought back. "One of the event staff. I didn't recognize them. Tall. Round faced. Black uniform. Didn't say much."

"Was the waiting room sealed before you entered?"

Victor nodded. "Yeah. Looked untouched. I went in alone."

"And the gas?"

He leaned back slightly. "It wasn't there... then all of a sudden it was... Faint purplish green, like mist coming from vents. Seemed... magical."

The instructors exchanged glances, and the Vice Principal leaned in slightly. "Is there anyone you've had issues with recently? Someone who might want to harm you?"

Victor hesitated.

Derek's name hovered at the edge of his thoughts.

The guy had a chip on his shoulder and a tendency to act like he was auditioning for an antagonist role, but this level of sabotage? No. Derek was many things, but a mastermind? Definitely not. He'd probably try to punch Victor, not gas him.

Victor shrugged. "Can't think of anyone. I'm a pretty likable guy, y'know?"

One of the instructors gave a faint chuckle while the Vice Principal sighed.

"Well," she voiced out. "we'll continue investigating. I apologize again for what happened. It should never have occurred inside the Academy, especially not during a major event. I promise we'll get to the bottom of it."

"Thanks," Victor nodded before standing. "I appreciate it. But really—if someone tries that again, I'm putting them through a brick wall."

They let him go with faint smiles.

Victor left the shaded courtyard and made his way back toward the feedhubs while dragging his feet slightly. freewebnoveℓ.com

The artificial sky was now a deep orange, with stars beginning to glimmer up ahead.

As he rounded a corner, he nearly bumped into someone. She stepped back quickly as her green skin reflected the fading artificial sunrays.

It was Elyra Vorn.

They both paused.

"…Hey," she voiced with a quieter tone.

Victor raised a brow. "Elyra. Fancy running into you without a beast trying to kill us."

She looked at him for a second, then gave a small nod. "Thanks… for helping earlier. With the cane..."

He waved it off. "Didn't do much. You had it under control."

"Still," she said. "Noted."

She started to walk away, then paused again. "But don't think that means I'll go easy on you in the coming phases."

Victor smirked. "Wouldn't dream of it."

She gave a faint smile before continuing down the path.

When Victor rejoined his group, dinner was already underway. They grabbed seats at a long table in one of the open-air halls.

The platters were filled with steaming food spread across smooth wooden surfaces.

They laughed, traded stories, and gossiped about who might win which legacy weapon. Danny was mid-sentence about some new armor a Berserker instructor promised him when Selene leaned in.

"Victor. If you win, I'm buying you a whole cake."

"I already want cake," he mumbled while smacking his lips.

"Then win early."

They all laughed again.

Later that night, Victor trudged back to his dorm alone.

The halls were quiet now with most students already asleep or meditating for tomorrow's trials.

He swiftly entered his dorm and fell onto his bed.

After days inside the game, nearly dying in real life, and crossing a flaming death rope in bamboo stilts, he didn't even remember falling asleep.

His breathing slowed.

And for once…

Victor didn't dream at all.

...

...

The morning sky unfurled with streaks of orange and gold, warming the walls of the Awakened Academy.

But the sunlight wasn't what had students buzzing... it was the second day of the Legacy Weapons Competition.

The stands filled quickly with voices rising in excited chatter as instructors maintained order. From balconies to sky-suspended platforms, anticipation rippled like a living force.

The competition had become the centerpiece of the academy. No class, no lesson, no assignment had a sliver of attention compared to it.

Security around Victor's waiting room was nothing short of elite. Two instructors clad in reinforced battlewear flanked the door with their arms folded, expressions neutral but alert.

Inside, Victor was stretching his shoulders and rolling his neck while clad in his training gear with his weapon laid across his lap.

His friends were all there.

Selene paced behind him like a bodyguard, Danny leaned against a wall near the refreshment dispenser, while Kai tossed grapes into his mouth from a bowl. Aria was seated cross-legged on the floor with her gaze bouncing between Victor and the monitor showing snippets of the crowd outside.

Reed, on the other hand, was standing by the mirror brushing his bangs down dramatically.

"Alright, I'm just going to say it," he announced, "why is everyone gathered in Victor's room? Where's the concern for my safety?"

Danny smirked. "Your room didn't explode."

"Nor did it try to gas you," Selene added without looking at him.

Reed raised a hand. "Not yet."

Kai laughed. "That's because no one thinks it's worth assassinating you."

Reed's jaw dropped. "You monsters."

Victor chuckled while inspecting the sheath of his sword. "Just admit it—you came for the vibe."

"I came to protect you," Selene corrected before walking over and placing a hand on Victor's shoulder. "And if someone tries something again, I swear I'll burn this whole school to the ground."

Victor raised a brow. "Let's not go full arsonist."

She narrowed her eyes. "No promises."

The mood, though lighthearted, was charged. Beneath the jokes, the worry was real.

The sabotage yesterday had rattled everyone, and though Victor had come out of it alive and still in the competition, the questions it raised hadn't gone away.

A distant announcement echoed through the halls.

> "All non-participants, please vacate the preparation quarters. Competitors, proceed to the arena floor."

Selene gave Victor one last intense stare before heading out with the others. "Don't die."

"I'll try to keep that promise," he replied.

Once they were gone, Victor stood and followed the instructors down the quiet corridor.

As soon as he stepped into the open sunlight of the grand arena, a roar of cheers met him. The second day had officially begun.

Across the field, platforms had been rearranged, floating in organized sections for each combat class: Mages, Assassins, Summoners, and of course... Warriors.

Victor moved to the warrior's side where fifty-one other remaining contestants stood.

All had endured the madness of Day One, and each bore their exhaustion with pride.

No one was taking this lightly.

Instructor Elric appeared again, like a phantom of discipline wrapped in armor. He stood with his hands behind his back and wasted no time.

"Phase Four begins now," he voiced loudly. "This phase is not about brute strength. It is about mastery of your skills. The ability to strike once and make it count."

Floating constructs rose from the ground ahead.

They were thick vertical targets wrapped in various materials. Some glittered like marble, others throbbed like jelly, and a few looked deceptively like ordinary dummies.

"These are your targets," Instructor Elric continued. "Each contestant will face a stretch of twenty. One strike per target. Miss or strike more than once, and it's invalid. Succeed, and points are granted."

The students nodded silently.

Victor's eyes narrowed as he watched the dummies shift in the air.

Instructor Elric stepped forward. "But there's a catch..."