In the VR Training Hall...
The Academy's Rector, Osiris Dovian, along with the teachers and Lok Withsworth, earnestly gazed at numerous hanging screens. Each displayed different scenes of students in the virtual world. However, their focus was mainly on one screen, showing Stare casually leaving the group of three.
"Idiot," Lagertha immediately commented with distaste, shifting her gaze to other screens.
"I knew he was mad, but I didn't think he was this mad. At this point, he wouldn't even last before the test began," Imma said in an amused tone as he stared at the screen displaying Stare.
Lok instantly nodded in agreement, while Osiris and Emma didn't remark on Stare's actions, maintaining an indifferent expression as they continued to watch the screen.
Professor Kali, on the other hand, appeared barely interested in viewing the screens, as his eyes were scarcely open. His only reasons for being there were to cure his boredom and perhaps to check out the Withsworths' tech. He assumed the test would be filled with entertaining moments, but that seemed unlikely this early on, so he didn't bother much with what went on, only occasionally glancing at the screens.
"I don't think he'll go down that easily." Just A Guy, who appeared uninterested in leaving any remarks and continued staring at the screen with his signature smile suddenly spoke up, capturing everyone's attention in the hall, including Professor Kali, whose eyes shot wide open and focused on Just A Guy.
"Did I hear you correctly?" Imma was the first to break the odd silence that had befallen the hall.
"Mhm." Just A Guy nodded in affirmation. "I don't think he'll go down that easily."
Imma stayed quiet for a moment, wearing a completely stunned expression, before bursting into laughter, his eyes tearing up.
"I can never understand your overhype of this boy. I guess it makes some sense in a way... a crazy person vouching for another crazy person."
Just A Guy, however, remained unfazed by Imma's taunts, silently smiling while still fixated on the screen displaying Stare.
"Imma has a point, Guy..." Osiris, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up.
"Your interest and confidence in this boy are quite... well, sudden, especially for someone as fickle as you are with everything. What exactly do you see in him?"
The smile on Guy's face grew as he casually shrugged his shoulders. "It's just gut feelings... I guess."
Lagertha immediately scoffed at his response, while Imma burst into another round of laughter. Osiris seemed to have anticipated a similar reply, so he silently shook his head, and the rest in the hall remained completely indifferent.
Guy, however, seemed unfazed by all of this, maintaining a constant smile on his face.
"Oh, look at what we have here... another deserter, and this time the culprit is someone interesting." Just A Guy suddenly called out not too long after, prompting everyone to turn their attention to the screen he was currently observing.
They immediately saw a familiar stunning girl with fiery-red hair and ice-blue eyes walking away from a group of three students. The ugly expression on her face as she left and the remorseful, unconfident expressions on the faces of the three students behind her made it evident that her reason for leaving wasn't favorable.
"Eleanor, the daughter of Frost-flames," Lagertha muttered as she observed the scene on the screen.
"I guess she wouldn't last before the test even begins as well," Guy casually remarked, instantly drawing the attention of the group back to him.
"You're comparing a prodigy with great potential to some noisy underachiever kid who is most likely unable to take a hit from an average person," Lagertha lashed out at Just A Guy, visibly annoyed by his words.
Guy simply chuckled at her words as if it was some sort of tantrum.
"If you're so sure, why don't we make a bet, Miss Blood Weaver? If my kid doesn't meet the requirements for passing the test, then I'll let you use me as a practice target for your horrendous training for a week," Guy offered with a more amiable-looking smile.
"What do I get to stake?" Lagertha asked, seemingly skeptical.
"Well, I'm aware of your custom-made Tier III blood dagger; I'm pretty sure that's a nice counter-wager for what I'm bringing to the table," Guy immediately proposed.
"Fair," Lagertha stated casually.
Although Lagertha was a little skeptical about Guy's intentions in staking on a losing game like this, she eventually decided to give in. To her, this was simply an easy win with no chances of a loss.
"How about you, Imma? Won't you like to get in on the bet too?" Guy turned to Imma, offering him his amiable smile as he spoke.
"What have you got to offer me?" Imma asked, seemingly in thought.
"My most prized possession at the moment, my V-X limited edition hovering sports car. It cost over half a million credits, and there are only ten of these babies in the whole New Earth—a perfect wager."
"And what do I get to bet with?" Imma asked.
"Your title of 'most hottest hero,'" Guy instantly replied, causing the lollipop stick hanging on Imma's mouth to immediately disintegrate.
Everyone in the hall expected Imma to lash out after that, but his disintegrated lollipop stick was the only sign of displeasure he showed. Calmly, he took out another piece of the lollipop stick and stuck it in his mouth.
"Why would I bet on that?" Imma asked in a surprisingly calm tone, his squinted eyes focused on Just A Guy.
"Well, it's only fair you also put something as precious. Besides, the odds on this bet are currently against me," Guy continued with his amiable smile and tone.
Imma seemed reluctant to give in as he just remained staring at Guy silently.
"Or unless you think my boy will actually ace the test," Guy suddenly added in an inciting tone, instantly bringing out a different reaction from the reluctant Imma.
"Deal," Imma immediately agreed, and with their bets settled, they all turned their attention back to the screens.
…
Stare continued his search for shelter, completely unaware of the massive bet placed on him and his performance in the test.
All the buildings he had seen so far were in ruins, not much different from standing outside.
He hadn't encountered signs of any other living thing so far, which was a relief but also left him with an uneasy feeling.
At some point, he began to suspect that the virtual world might be intentionally devoid of life.
After what felt like hours of walking and searching, Stare finally found a still-standing and suitable building. It appeared to be a former restaurant. Carefully, he opened its door and entered, observing the place starting with the serving and eating areas.
Unsurprisingly, it was quiet and abandoned, much like every other place around.
The place was in disarray, with furniture and cutleries scattered and most of them destroyed. Despite the chaos, something about the place immediately captivated Stare's interest.
Noticing a sausage roll on the floor, he found it peculiar that half of it seemed to have been bitten off by a human. What added to the mystery was that it didn't appear to have been cooked too long ago. Stare, being aware that sausage rolls weren't meant to last more than three days, observed that the one on the floor showed only slight signs of staleness.
As he squatted to scrutinize the food, Stare became increasingly skeptical about the situation of the test and the virtual world.
After rising to his feet and inspecting the sausage roll, Stare was abruptly startled, instinctively taking a few steps back upon seeing a tall, pale man dressed in white chef's clothes and staring dead into his eyes.