NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 171 Distrust
Despite the low magical affinities and limited weapon skills, none of the dukes were discouraged. On the contrary, the artifacts seemed to respond even more to their presence, moving with renewed energy. Thanks to the care and attention of the empire, the children were admitted to the academy, although their rankings placed them in the lowest classes due to their abilities.
Despite this, they were still closely monitored by the emperor, who understood the importance of their potential as possible owners of the artifacts. However, among the four identified artifacts, one still showed no sign of activity.
As the years passed and the children grew, this artifact became a persistent enigma, challenging even the best efforts of the academy and the emperor himself to unravel its mystery.
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Anthony opened his eyes, feeling consciousness gradually returning to his body. After a few seconds of confusion, his gaze fell upon the landscape stretching out before him. A vast expanse of snow covered the ground, with trees draped in white swaying gently as if greeting him. The air was cold but invigorating, filling his lungs with a sense of purity.
Small white flakes fell from the sky, softly adding their presence to the white mantle covering the earth. In the distance, imposing snow-capped peaks rose against the horizon, creating an impressive sight.
As Anthony took in his surroundings, he noticed his attire: a simple leather armor protecting him from the cold, a black shirt underneath, and flexible long pants. However, what caught his attention the most was the ring adorning his finger. Inside it lay a master-level sword, radiant in its simplicity yet laden with meaning.
There was nothing more than that; just the sword and himself in this wintry landscape, leaving a question floating in his mind about the purpose of this place and the role he was meant to play in it.
"That was weird," resonated a feminine voice behind Anthony. He slightly turned his head and saw a woman with fiery red hair and yellow eyes, wearing armor similar to his but tailored for a feminine figure. She was tall, as tall as Emily, with an athletic and toned body denoting impressive strength. She was a beauty with red hair in a nutshell.
Beside her stood another woman with green hair, shorter than Eleanor but equally beautiful: Adelaide Viridis, Anthony's two companions for this event.
Adelaide and Eleanor's gazes slid across the snowy landscape, marveling at the astonishing reality of their surroundings. "This is incredible, I can even feel the cold on my skin. Plus, the air feels so real too," Adelaide commented, surprised by the authenticity of the world around them.
Anthony was equally surprised. Everything seemed so vivid and tangible, as if they were truly immersed in real life. The sensation of cold on his skin and the freshness of the air only heightened the sense of wonder.
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The two girls, noticing the white hair that perfectly camouflaged with the surroundings, shivered down their spines. The only one with white hair in that group was Anthony Von Valeriano. Anthony's towering stature of 1.90 meters left Adelaide breathless, while the imposing presence of the boy generated a sense of fear in both girls.
Although they had been friends with Anthony since childhood, his recent attitude had changed dramatically. They had witnessed Anthony almost knocking them unconscious with blows on more than one occasion. If it weren't for the intervention of his father, Noah, they probably wouldn't have made it this far.
Because of these experiences, they always tried to stay as far away from Anthony as possible, feeling a latent fear every time they were near him.
Despite the friendship they shared in the past, the dynamic between them had changed drastically, saturated with fear and distrust. Anthony could feel the cautious looks from the girls behind him, as if they were assessing him cautiously. He inwardly shook his head, understanding their reservations toward him.
Although he understood their attitude, he also knew that as the bearer of the ring, it was his responsibility to lead the group.
With an awkward smile, Anthony turned to face them. As he did so, the girls took a few steps back, keeping a cautious distance. The tension in the air was palpable, and Anthony internally reflected on the difficulty of the situation. He hesitated for a moment, feeling embarrassed by the lack of proper words to ease the tension that had formed between them.
Finally, after a moment of awkward silence, Anthony scratched his head, searching for the right words. However, he realized that whatever he said might not be enough to dissipate the mistrust the girls felt toward him.
After a few minutes of tense silence, Eleanor stepped forward, her voice resonating with determination. "I'm certain you're different, but..." Eleanor clenched her fists, her face reflecting her anger as she glared at Anthony. "Still, I can't trust you," she declared firmly.
Adelaide stood alongside Eleanor, supporting her friend with a gesture of agreement. Anthony looked at both of them, his expression reflecting understanding and acceptance. "I understand," he responded calmly. "I'll keep my distance, don't worry."
After uttering those words, Anthony activated the stone projecting the map, studying the topography of the area carefully. The two girls approached slowly, their mistrust still palpable in the air. Together, they observed the representation of the mountain on the screen, aware of the task they had ahead of them.
They were at the top of a medium-sized mountain, and Anthony knew their first task was to descend it and find a safe place to spend the night. Additionally, they would have to hunt for creatures and ensure they had enough food to survive. Despite the tensions between them, they all knew they had to work together, as teamwork was crucial.
The three of them descended from the mountain for a few minutes, and as it wasn't too steep, they reached solid ground but with snow. Around them lay the forest, with the river to their right and a vast open space. After reflecting for a while, they decided it was best to enter the interior of the forest. They believed they could find better places to spend the night there.
The entire area was very quiet, and they were confident that at least some other groups must have also landed in this biome with them.