BXBX NOVEL Chapter 150 Traitors
The way back to my dorm was lit by the soft glow of floating lanterns, casting an ethereal light upon the cobblestone path.
While the City surrounding the Academy was in chaos and the main entrance was flooded with civilians and students, the campus itself was calm and serene.
It was as if the events outside the Academy were contained within an invisible bubble, protecting us from the turmoil beyond.
Well, that was pretty much what was happening since the Mana Barrier was put in place.
Anyways, it was a pleasant respite from the chaos outside.
"..."
Walking through the campus, I had only a single thought swirling through my mind...
How should I make the most out of this situation?
While the Demon attack wasn\'t supposed to happen for a year or two, it occurred today, making my plans go completely haywire.
Never have I ever thought that I could change the game plot so drastically.
But I couldn\'t do anything about it now anyway, so I might as well embrace the unexpected and see where it takes me.
Or... that\'s what I wanted to say, however, all that left my mouth was curses.
"Fuck!"
Kicking the nearby bench, I could see its metal legs bend under the force of my kick and a satisfying crash as it toppled over.
Never, in normal circumstances, would I have the audacity to destroy Academy\'s property, but today was not a normal day, was it?
I looked at the bench, now lying broken on the ground, and couldn\'t help but feel a strange satisfaction.
It reminded me a lot of my plans...
Ruined and in disarray, just like everything else in my life at the moment.
"What a mess..."
Sighing, I moved away from the ruined bench and continued my walk back to the dorm.
It only took a couple more minutes for me to enter the dormitory building and swiftly make my way up the stairs to my room.
Click...
Closing the door behind me, I leaned against it, feeling the weight of the day pressing down on my shoulders.
The attack...
It was supposed to decimate half of the city population and many lives would be lost.
While I didn\'t care about most people, I couldn\'t shake off the feeling of dread that loomed over me.
The sudden change in circumstances had thrown me off balance, and now I had to adapt quickly to this new reality.
But what if...
Strange thoughts started to creep into my head.
I was probably the reason why the attack happened earlier than predicted.
I am the sole variable that changed the course of events in this game. Well, the protagonists might be a tad stronger than in the game, but my presence and actions still hold significant weight in shaping the outcome.
I didn\'t feel the responsibility though, it was meant to happen either way.
Now I had to make the best out of the situation or rather prevent the situation from further escalating.
These Demons were a crafty bunch and they weren\'t going to stop with just destroying half the city.
Oh no, no no...
They would try to invade the Academy grounds and cause chaos within its walls.
In the game, this could be prevented by stopping the Students that betrayed humanity, but the reality of the situation was much more complex.
I was alone and my Mana was almost depleted, I had no way of stopping more than a dozen student traitors.
I needed help...
***
Knock... Knock...
I knocked on the wooden door of another student\'s room, feeling my impatience growing with every second that passed.
If Demons were to invade the Academy and break the barrier...
I didn\'t even want to think about it.
"Coming..."
Suddenly, a distant sound echoed on the other side of the door and I heard footsteps approaching.
Click...
"Aiden?"
As soon as the door opened, I didn\'t even have to say a word before simply grabbing Oscar\'s arm and pulling him outside.
"I need your help."
Glancing at him, I could see his confused face but I had no time for explanations.
We were friends, right?
And friends are supposed to be there for each other in times of need.
"At least let me change my clothes!"
Thud...
Before I could even take another step I was hit in the back of my head, groaning as my vision blurred for a moment.
Oscar fucking punched me!
I was about to turn around and give him a piece of my mind, but before I could react, Oscar had already disappeared back into his room.
"..."
Standing there with my fist clenched, I looked around to find something to destroy but the hallway was empty, hence I just held my fist tight and took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down.
After a few more minutes Oscar showed up, but my anger had already dissipated.
Although I hadn\'t said anything about the help I needed he was holding a spear in one of his hands, ready combat.
\'Smart fellow...\'
Musing to myself, I nodded before turning around and leading the way toward the Academy grounds.
"So... what\'s the problem?"
As we walked through the campus, I slowly explained the situation to Oscar. I told him about the traitors within the Academy who would soon attempt to shut down the Mana Barrier, allowing the Demons to invade and cause chaos. His expression was a mix of concern and suspicion, likely wondering how I had gained such specific knowledge.
Nonetheless, he simply nodded his head, trusting our friendship enough to follow my lead.
We entered the Academy\'s garden, moving through the maze-like bushes and arriving near the fountain. The soft glow of the floating lanterns in the garden added an eerie ambiance to the atmosphere. I took a moment to catch my breath, realizing that I hadn\'t fully recovered from the Mana depletion during the Demon attack.
"Look, I know this sounds crazy, and you have every right to be skeptical."
I began, trying to find the right words to convince him of the impending threat.
"But I have reasons to believe that traitors are planning to bring down the barrier tonight. We need to act fast and stop them before it\'s too late."
Oscar squinted his eyes, contemplating my words, but then he sighed and readied his spear.
"Alright, I\'ll trust you on this one. But we need a plan."
I nodded, appreciating his willingness to believe in me.
"We need to find the traitors and prevent them from destroying the barrier. If we can intercept them, we might be able to buy enough time for the awakeners to handle the situation outside."
Oscar nodded in agreement.
"Sounds like a plan, but how do we find them? And how do you know all of this?"
His question made a smile climb its way onto my face.
"It\'s a secret~"
Oscar gave me a look that made me feel like a retard, but I just chuckled and gestured for him to follow me.
As we continued our walk through the campus, I couldn\'t help but feel a mix of nervousness and excitement.
The soft glow of the floating lanterns guided our way through the maze-like bushes, and the calming sound of water from the fountain provided a semblance of peace amidst the chaos outside. However, my mind was anything but calm as I tried to come up with a plan.
"So, any ideas on how we find these traitors?"
Oscar asked, his voice hushed to avoid attracting unwanted attention.
However, I barely chuckled, taking a seat on one of the benches surrounding the fountain.
"We just wait, they\'ll come here eventually."
Oscar raised his eyebrow in confusion, but soon followed, taking a seat beside me on the bench.
"So... how is it going with Rose?"
Since we had nothing to do, Oscar decided to fill the silence with casual conversation.
"Oh, Rose. She\'s... umm... she\'s good."
However, this only brought my thoughts back to what occurred today.
All I knew was that she would hate me when she woke up.
Well, I guess that was kind of deserved since all of the people left in the store are probably dead.
But...
If I had a second chance I would do the same thing.
Although Rose compared herself to others and in her eyes, her life was as valuable as everyone else\'s, I couldn\'t let her sacrifice herself for a lost cause.
In my eyes, her life was worth much more than a dozen civilians.
I\'d sacrifice a lot of things for the protagonists to survive, be it a few people or entire cities.
That might sound fucked up, but if anyone else were to know what I know and face the same decisions I\'ve had to make, they might understand.
I could even argue that I\'m doing evil for greater good.
At the end of the story, this world would either be destroyed by Demons or the protagonists somehow manage to protect it.
I was simply an executioner that would carry out the necessary sacrifices to ensure the survival of those who could potentially save us all.
It\'s tough but it\'s a burden I must bear.