Chapter 64: Meeting Expectations
With everything done, it was time to see what other rewards the chest held. Only then could Noa leave the tomb.
But first, he had to see what went through Thalia’s mind.
The girl had seen how the Graveworm had devoured core fragments and then noticed Noa’s strange condition that lasted only for a heartbeat.
The former scene wasn’t strange at all.
Graveworms were known for eating ashes, so neither she nor the two other girls thought much about it.
As for the second scenario, thankfully, she was the only one to notice it.
That’s why her eyes locked onto his, afraid that he was in pain.
Seeing this, Noa chuckled. "It’s nothing," he said, keeping a warm smile on his face. "I am fine, so stop looking at me with puppy eyes."
Thalia’s brows twitched.
She, too, smiled wryly, her voice going low. "Good to hear. Now, on to opening the chest—it’s your turn, right?"
Just like always, she ignored both Liz and Lily.
She didn’t even consider them and pointed at Noa to open the wooden chest that rose from the floor.
He, however, crouched beside the case swiftly. It looked fragile, as if even a single attack would be enough to shatter it into pieces.
Liz and Lily, on the other hand, watched the scene from afar.
Their faces showed a tiny hint of displeasure because of the duo’s actions, but also hinted at their unyielding curiosity.
Lips parting, they waited for the artifact to be revealed, hoping they would get something as well. But the longer Noa’s finger touched the still unopened chest, the sharper their gaze turned.
Suddenly, the lid clicked open.
A wave of potent mana surged out, increasing the weight of the air momentarily.
Noa inhaled deeply.
His hands went down to the chest, searching for the artifact that the tomb rewarded them for completing the final objective.
But the green light that erupted from it was blinding, affecting both Thalia and Noa.
Just then—
The glow reflected in Liz’s eyes. She looked hungry, desperate, and no longer innocent—as if there was no point in a false facade anymore.
That was when her hands moved.
Her fingers stretched, and green sparks erupted from her fingertips as poison coiled around her.
At the same time, Lily’s unseen dagger gleamed in this light. Her feigned innocence was quickly replaced by malice as she dashed towards Thalia.
Betrayal.
Unannounced.
Silent.
It was in their eyes, in their gestures, and finally, greed won over the act they had kept until now.
But—
There was one thing they hadn’t calculated.
Noa’s sword was already half-raised, his movements fluid as ever.
He had been waiting for this.
From the moment the girls offered him to join, he knew something was off.
They acted like innocent, dumb girls who flattered him only to gain a chance to befriend the most influential student of the academy.
Noa barely trusted anyone.
He would rather chop his fingers off than believe that they had pure intentions.
What’s more, Liz had been hiding her poison element from the moment they had set foot in this tomb.
She had a double elemental affinity, but couldn’t hide it from his senses.
Lily wasn’t innocent either.
Just like her friend, she had concealed something as well. But in her case, it was a pristine dagger she had disguised as her short staff.
Noa discovered it thanks to his Dragon’s Gaze and realized the girls weren’t weak or inexperienced as they had pretended to be.
Liz’s spell was launched first.
She aimed it at Noa’s exposed, unprotected back, but knowing his quick reflexes, she didn’t stop there and threw everything in her power, almost exhausting her entire mana reserve.
With that done, she was confident of her assassination.
She worked swiftly and silently, and even if Noa sensed that something was coming, it would have been too late for him to react.
Yet, the spells she had cast cut through the air instead.
They reached the chest but didn’t leave a single dent on it.
As for Noa, he was nowhere to be found, his body blurring a fraction of a second before the poison spells claimed it.
The air grew heavier—the venom making breathing harder.
This time, she wasn’t pressing her fingers on her nose, but because of a sudden surprise, she stumbled back.
Thalia was no less attentive than Noa.
Her senses had been screaming since she had met the girls for the first time.
She knew they were up to no good and left not a single opening in her defense, putting her into a perfect position to block any attacks that tried to claim her life.
As a result, Lily’s flashy dagger descended in silence.
It was aimed at her back, but it met the sturdy wall of snow that swallowed not only the blade but the attacker’s hand as well.
A sudden frost wall from behind wasn’t something Lily had anticipated.
She had watched her target closely and not once had she shielded her back, putting her into the illusion that Thalia was exposed.
But the wall completely destroyed her momentum.
"You bitches should have kept your act. If you had barked for me enough, I might have even considered throwing you a bone. But now, you two have ruined your only chance and doomed yourselves in the process," Thalia spoke calmly.
Her voice was cold.
She looked angry, and without holding herself back, she pressed further.
Noa didn’t stop either.
Instead of hiding in darkness, he emerged from the shadows with even deeper control over the element than before.
He was no longer hiding his true power.
Shadow particles noticeably shrouded his entire frame, including his blade, which showed no mercy.
Seeing this, Liz retreated again, her eyes wide in disbelief.
She had seen Noa’s fighting style—she knew his max speed and how well he used the environment to his advantage.
Not in her wildest dreams would she have thought that he was controlling the darkness itself this entire time.
And even though she didn’t give up, the fight was over in less than a minute.
Both girls knelt before him.
Their usual fake smiles, soft voices, and calm eyes were all shattered.
Noa crouched before them, pulsing with killing intent as his blade still rested in his grip. "Why?" he asked sharply, his tone even.