- A heavy silence hung in the air after the final blow, a vacuum of sound that replaced the thunderous clash of battle.
- Slowly, I pushed myself to my feet, my muscles screaming in protest. It was a tough fight, maybe not the toughest I'd ever faced, but it had pushed me to my limits.
- My body throbbed from the accumulated abuse, a sharp reminder of the chances I'd taken.
- I could still feel the phantom sting of the impact, the memory of my back hitting the stone wall.
- I had let the creature's massive arm connect, a risky gamble to get an opening for a counterattack and that unexpected monster appearance.
- It didn't pay off, and the force of the blow had sent me hurtling backward.
- The crash had rattled every bone in my body and left me seeing stars.
- My recklessness was a powerful impulse, a need to end the fight quickly that always seemed to override my common sense.
- I knew I had to be more careful, not just for my own sake, but for theirs.
- The worry on Rose's face was going to be my real punishment.
- As I made my way back to the others, a blur of pink hair launched at me, and I was immediately enveloped in a tight hug.
- It was Rose, her arms wrapped so fiercely around me that I could barely breathe. "You idiot!" she cried, her voice muffled against my shoulder. "You absolute idiot! I saw you get slammed into that wall! I swear, I thought you were a goner!"
- I winced, a small smile touching my lips. "Hey, I'm fine, see? Not a scratch on me." I pulled back slightly to look at her, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
- The worry on her face was a dagger to my heart. "I'm sorry, Rose. I know I was reckless. I just... I got carried away. And thanks to your healing, I am fine."
- She let out a frustrated huff and lightly swatted my arm.
- "Reckless? You were a walking disaster! Don't you ever do that again, you hear me? I was so worried sick about you and your stupid recklessness. And what if you had any serious injuries?"
- "I hear you," I said softly, my smile fading as I took in the genuine concern on her face.
- A warmth spread through my chest, a feeling of gratitude that washed away the lingering dread of the fight.
- "Thank you, Rose. Thank you for worrying about me. It means a lot."
- She just shook her head, a small, sad smile on her lips. "Someone has to," she mumbled, but the affection in her voice was clear.
- We stood there for a moment, just holding each other, the quiet understanding passing between us a stark contrast to the chaos we had just left behind.
- The dungeon run was officially over, and with an unknown attack still lingering in our minds, we gathered our things and headed back to the relative safety of our dorms.
- Thus ended one of the big events in the early stage of the game's storyline.
- The next day, I got call from from one of the teachers, it was the principal's, and I knew what was coming.
- I had to face the music and explain what happened last yesterday.
- The fight had been a blur of adrenaline, and now, a new kind of fear had taken hold.
- As I walked down the long, empty hallway, the silence was deafening.
- With every step, a flurry of thoughts ran through my mind. How was I going to explain this without revealing the whole story? Would they believe me?
- I pushed the thoughts aside and took a deep breath, steeling myself for the conversation ahead.
- Upon entering the office, the principal was sitting at his desk, his face unreadable.
- He gestured for me to sit down, and I took my seat, my eyes darting around the room, taking in every detail.
- The atmosphere was tense, and I knew there was no escaping this.
- He started with a long, drawn-out speech about the importance of safety and how the school's reputation was on the line.
- Then, he finally got to the point. He wanted to know what happened yesterday and what kind of "monster" I had fought.
- I gave him a watered-down version of the events, leaving out the parts about the supernatural.
- He listened intently, his eyes never leaving mine. When I finished, he was silent for a moment before he finally spoke. - "I believe you," he said, and I almost collapsed with relief. But then, he continued, "but the truth is, this is a very sensitive matter. We don't want to cause a panic, and we definitely don't want to become a magnet for trouble."
- And that's when he made the deal. "You keep this incident to yourself, and we'll handle the rest. We'll say that it was a freak accident, and that's it. No more questions, no more rumors. We'll handle everything, and you'll be free from this nightmare."
- I agreed, and as I walked out of the office, I felt a weight lifted from my shoulders.
- The fight was over. I knew that this was just the beginning, and I was in for a long, difficult journey.
- Thus the normal life of our academy days continued as the incident became something hidden and never talked about ever again.