Chapter 184 A small gift
With a shiver, I opened my eyes upon feeling a slap on my cheek. My gaze, confused and still clouded by confusion, sought to understand what was happening around me. As I gently touched my cheek, throbbing with a slight blush, I turned my attention to Charlotte, whose expression was tinged with concern. Stay connected via My Virtual Library Empire
"What happened?" I asked, my voice still sounding dazed from the experience. I watched as Charlotte looked at me attentively, her eyes shining with the sheen of tears threatening to escape. "You weren't breathing a moment ago!" she exclaimed with a tone of anger mixed with sobs. "You were taking too long to come back, so I came to find you."
Anthony felt bewildered. All he could remember was going to the river to take a shower. How was it possible that he wasn't breathing? The idea seemed surreal, like a fragment of a confusing dream fading away with time. However, Charlotte's crying brought him back to his senses, reminding him of the distress he had caused.
With a sigh of regret, I approached Charlotte and gently placed a hand on her head, trying to convey reassurance with my gesture. "I'm so sorry for worrying you," I whispered softly.
Charlotte, with her hands covering her eyes in an attempt to contain her tears, suddenly stopped crying, and her face turned scarlet. Without saying a word, she covered her eyes and ran back to the shelter with an urgency that left me bewildered. My mind went blank for a few brief seconds, trying to understand what had happened to cause her sudden embarrassment.
Looking down at myself, I finally realized the reason behind her shameful retreat. I was naked. My eyes rolled back. I had completely forgotten that I was completely undressed. With a resigned sigh, I began to dress again.
After a few minutes of walking, I finally arrived at the shelter. All eyes were on me in expectant silence, while Charlotte remained as red as a tomato.
Without saying a word, I entered the shelter and took a seat in the usual spot. Meanwhile, the girls whispered among themselves and occasionally threw me furtive glances. Charlotte continued to show her blush, as if just seeing me had left her in a constant state of embarrassment.
I took a piece of the roasted meat Eleanor had prepared and began to eat it hungrily, trying to break the palpable tension in the air. "I guess it was a good day," I reflected to myself, trying to find some normalcy amidst the discomfort that had settled in the shelter.
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"According to the statistics, there are a total of 27 students dead so far, while 48 students remain alive in the dimensional space," Cristal announced solemnly as she observed the screen embedded in the shelter's crystal. "The number of titans killed has increased to 6," she continued, "some with casualties or wounded managed to finish them off, leaving 9 still scattered across the map."
A playful smile appeared on Atenea's face as she heard the figures. "Not bad, not bad at all," she commented with satisfaction. "I was expecting it to be worse, but in just two days, we've already eliminated 6 titans." She nodded proudly at the progress made.
Then, she turned her gaze towards her friend, interested in knowing more details. "What's the ranking so far?" she asked curiously, eager to know how they stood compared to the other groups of students participating in the event.
Cristal nodded and tapped the screen, a list unfolding before the administrators' eyes.
(Point ranking)
(1st = Anthony Von Valeriano's Group: Points: 35,500)
(2nd = Ezequiel's Group: Points: 33,700)
(3rd = Alexandra Benedetto's Group: Points: 30,000)
(4th = Edward Ironforge's Group: Points: 29,600)
(5th = Victoria Starfalll's Group: Points: 28,800)
(6th = Leandra's Group: Points: 28,000)
…
"Perfect. As you can see, the top spots are occupied by the Primitive class, followed by the Star and Pegasus classes," announced Cristal, as the data blinked on the screen before their eyes. However, her tone changed, turning darker as she continued, "There are only 3 more days left for the event to end, but…"
Her eyes shifted to her friend Atenea, whose mysterious smile revealed that something was afoot. Cristal pursed her lips, visibly worried, and asked cautiously, "Are you really going to do it?"
Atenea didn't hesitate in her response, maintaining her enigmatic smile as she glanced at the screen. On it, the chaos of the confrontation between the students unfolded, some battling creatures, others facing each other, and some trying to take down the titans lurking in the battlefield.
"Yes, I will," Atenea replied, shrugging her shoulders at the expectant gaze of her fellow students in the command center. The atmosphere became tense, filled with anticipation and nervousness, as everyone contemplated what was to come, aware that the last days of the event would be the worst.
However, Atenea had something else to offer. With an expression that combined pride and a hint of madness in her golden eyes, she revealed her surprise for the students who would survive until the last day. She had tirelessly worked to capture more than 30 additional titans, in addition to the 15 already in the dimension. In total, she had gathered an impressive total of 45 titans.
Her smile widened even more, radiating a mixture of excitement. She had prepared something special for those who survived until the last day, as the space inside became increasingly smaller, she would send them a small gift.
"Are you really going to do this?" Cristal murmured dishearteningly, her voice filled with resignation. She had tried, in vain, to change her friend's personality over time, but had never managed to influence her significantly. The other teachers present in the command center remained silent, aware of what would happen on the last day of the event.
Cristal's eyes reflected a mixture of frustration and acceptance, knowing that Atenea remained who she was, unchanged by any attempt to shape her. Meanwhile, Atenea remained seated with elegance, her legs crossed and a charming smile on her face. In her hands, her fingers toyed agilely with a metal stick.
None of those present dared to question Atenea's decisions. Despite the tensions and concerns her behavior could generate. Only her friend, Cristal, had the privilege of expressing her concerns, without dying in the attempt.