How to survive in the Romance Fantasy Game

Chapter 517: A New First For Lucas

“GODDAMN IT! WHY WON’T IT STOP CHASING US!?” Flamme screamed at the top of her lungs, her voice cracking from sheer panic.

“You tell me, you stupid idiot! I told you this was a bad idea! I should’ve known not to trust you!” Reina yelled back, just as frantic, clutching tightly onto Flamme’s waist as they zipped through the air atop her massive familiar.

Wind howled past them as they zigzagged across the sky, weaving through trees and cliffs in erratic bursts of speed.

Behind them, a blinding trail of light spears—hundreds, maybe even thousands—glittered like divine judgment, relentlessly closing the gap.

“Neru!!!” Flamme screeched. “Can’t you do something about this!?”

No response.

“What do you mean you can’t? Aren’t you supposed to be a damn Spirit King!?”

“It doesn’t matter if it’s infused with Celestial magic—just block it already!!”

Reina, who couldn’t hear Neru’s voice like Flamme could, looked at her companion in disbelief. “Are you seriously yelling at the only thing helping us survive right now?!? Could you please focus on NOT getting us killed!?”

“I’m trying, you dumb Reina!” Flamme snapped, glancing back as more light spears shattered against the air, sending sonic booms through the sky. “You try doing something for once instead of hugging me like a scared baby!”

“You know I can’t do anything against magic of that caliber!” Reina snapped. “And FYI, if it wasn’t for me, that initial spear Senior Rose launched at your face would’ve wiped you off the field instantly!”

“Yeah, well… that was before things got this crazy!” Flamme barked back.

Reina’s eyes twitched. “This is your fault, isn’t it!? I thought the plan was to recruit Stacia and the other top freshmen to form a team! Why did you suddenly rush in like a lunatic!?”

“I—well, it looked like Rose was about to leave!” Flamme stammered, sweat dripping down her forehead. “I didn’t think we’d get another chance!”

“You just got excited and jumped the gun again, you reckless moron!” Reina shouted.

“It was a strategic decision!” Flamme argued, even as her eyes darted up to the sky, catching the elimination announcement that had just appeared in glowing text above them: both Stacia and Vanessa had been knocked out of the exam.

“Strategic, my ass!” Reina yelled. “That announcement popped after you charged in!”

“Tch, well what was I supposed to do! Wait and let her go!?”

“Yes! That’s literally what we planned!”

As the screaming match continued, their familiar swerved wildly through the air to avoid a fresh wave of pursuing spears.

In all honesty, Flamme had always considered herself to be at least on par with Rose—the so-called brightest star of their generation.

Rose, the young prodigy who had reached mana levels equivalent to that of an Archon before even finishing her second year at the academy.

The girl whose brilliance in magic wasn’t just limited to casting spells, but extended to her terrifying understanding of theory, her insatiable thirst for arcane knowledge, and the almost divine control she had over mana.

The golden child, the peerless genius, the beacon of light.

She had too many titles to count.

A walking myth in the eyes of her peers.

But hadn’t Flamme received praise too?

Hadn’t she earned her own absurd, almost comical titles?

Wasn’t she also considered a genius in her own right?

That’s what Flamme had believed.

Until now.

Until she came face to face with the sheer absurdity that was Rose—not just a genius, but something beyond it.

Rose wasn’t just talented… she was monstrous.

The kind of existence that made you question what it meant to be human.

Her calculation speed was inhuman, her mana reserves seemingly endless.

She had conjured hundreds—no, thousands—of spears of light without so much as a chant, as if willing the very laws of magic to bend to her will.

And those spears… supposed to be mid-tier in classification… felt as though they rivaled high-tier destruction magic in sheer force and precision.

And the worst part?

She wasn’t even serious.

Rose hadn’t been aiming to kill. She wasn’t fighting like her life depended on it.

She wasn’t even flustered.

To her, their entire confrontation was like brushing away a couple of flies buzzing in her way.

That cold, unbothered gaze.

That indifferent flick of her wrist as she launched the spells.

It wasn’t arrogance—it was truth.

Flamme realized, in that moment, that there were levels to genius.

And Rose? Rose was the terrifying result of a monster being born with the mind and aptitude of a genius.

And there was no competing with that.

“Have you learned your lesson now, Master…?”

Neru’s voice echoed smoothly, almost teasingly, in Flamme’s mind.

“Shut up, you stupid snake! Just get us out of here already!” Flamme snapped, her arms wrapped tightly around the invisible coils of her familiar’s body.

The skies trembled around them.

Streaks of light—those dreaded, merciless spears—continued to rain from the heavens, chasing them with unwavering precision.

Neru, her highest-ranked Spirit and guardian familiar, twisted his serpentine dragon-like body in agile rolls and curves, expertly maneuvering through the relentless pursuit.

His long, transparent body—completely invisible to normal eyes—cut through clouds like wind slicing water.

Despite his master’s panic, Neru glanced back slightly, his golden reptilian eyes gleaming with quiet intellect.

‘In truth… I could probably block those spears—for myself. But for the both of them? Not with certainty.’

The absurdity of Rose’s magic was such that even high-grade barriers were unreliable.

Her celestial magic didn’t just amplify destructive power—it warped the very concept of distance and time.

A defense that would normally be timed perfectly would collapse an instant too early… or a fraction too late.

He let out a soft, inaudible sigh.

‘If only this reckless girl learned something from this… but then again, asking Flamme for reflection might be too much.’

“…Sigh… It seems it’ll take a little longer before you truly understand, Master. But don’t worry—we’re safe now.”

“What the hell do you mean we’re safe, you idiot? They’re literally right behind us!” Flamme screamed, her head snapping around as Reina clung tighter behind her, both their eyes wide with panic.

The glowing spears had drawn dangerously close—mere meters away. The humming sound of condensed light and magic roared in their ears.

Reina gritted her teeth. “We’re not going to make it—!”

Flamme’s heart froze. She shut her eyes.

So did Reina.

And then—

A ripple.

Neru twitched.

A sudden shift in air pressure occurred just below them.

And then—

A flash.

A radiant trail ascended from the earth below travelling up like a comet breaking through clouds.

A man streaked up behind them, his figure trailing arcs of gold.

The moment he appeared, his blade moved—once, twice, three times.

[Golden Shower]

With the grace of a veteran swordsman and the precision of a master spellcaster, three slashes of light expanded into wide arcs—colliding with the barrage of spears and erasing them from existence.

The impact lit up the sky like a second sun, bathing everything in warm gold.

The pursuing light spears shattered.

Gone.

In their place stood a young man, perfectly balanced atop Neru’s invisible back, as if standing on solid ground.

His golden eyes gleamed with calm clarity, his hair flowing with the wind.

“Are you two alright?”

Flamme and Reina stared in disbelief.

“Senior Lucas…?”

He smiled gently. “I’m glad I noticed your little predicament in time.”

…..

“So… let me get this straight. You two actually tried to fight Rose, and then decided to retreat after realizing the… massive difference in power?”

“Y-Yes…” Reina responded, voice meek as she lowered her head.

“I see. Well, it is Rose. I can’t blame you.”

Lucas gave a small nod, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “She’s not exactly someone you can go head-to-head with casually.”

“Haha… yeah, we figured that out the hard way,” Reina said with a dry laugh, before glancing to the side—where Flamme sat, arms crossed, eyes staring into the fire.

They were deep in the northernmost part of the forest now.

Trees with thick trunks loomed all around, their branches stretching wide.

Scattered around them were large moss-covered stones, some oddly lined up as if placed there with intention.

The three of them were sitting near a bonfire Lucas had already set up, the flickering flames warming the chilly almost evening air.

“So, this is your designated area, senior?” Flamme asked, her voice casual as she looked around, noting the arrangement of the rocks and cleared ground.

“Ah—yeah. I tried to give it a more menacing feel at first, something that could feel intimidating or cool, but…” Lucas scratched the back of his head, chuckling. “Turns out I’m not exactly great at visual design.”

“That explains the awkward vibe,” Flamme muttered. “The atmosphere doesn’t match the forest at all. It’s kinda ugly.”

“F-Flamme, you idiot—!” Reina hissed, flailing her arms a little. “I’m really sorry, senior! Flamme’s just a bit blunt, she doesn’t mean anything bad by it—really!”

“It’s fine,” Lucas waved her off with a smile. “She’s not wrong anyway. I know it’s a bit off.”

Reina sighed, exasperated but also relieved that Lucas didn’t take it to heart.

Still, it hadn’t even been ten minutes since he saved them, and Flamme was already throwing jabs like they were back in class.

She stood up quietly, brushing dirt off her clothes before bowing deeply toward Lucas.

“I know it’s a little late… but still, thank you, senior. You really saved us.”

“You don’t need to bow, Junior Reina, I only did what any aspiring knight should. Sit down and rest a bit. I’m sure that chase must’ve drained more than just your mana.”

Sitting back down quietly, Reina let out a soft sigh.

Her eyes flicked toward Flamme, who—unsurprisingly—continued ignoring her.

Then her gaze shifted to Lucas.

Her senior. Her supposed oddball of a senior.

She had known since their first meeting that Lucas wasn’t exactly normal.

Something about him always felt a little off.

But still, she’d never expected this.

To rise up from the ground in an instant, reach them midair, and cut through all those spears of light like they were nothing—it was nothing short of absurd.

And yet, he’d done it so casually, without a hint of panic or urgency.

Just… precise, controlled power.

Now that she thought about it, maybe they were being ridiculous.

Charging toward the center of the forest like they had any real chance at winning that “mystery prize.”

Maybe they had let their confidence cloud their heads.

She sighed again.

“By the way, Senior,” Flamme suddenly spoke, breaking the silence, “that path over there—does it lead to the center of the forest?”

Lucas gave a short nod. “Yeah. That path right there leads straight to it.”

“Hoh… and since this area is under your care, aren’t you supposed to defend it against any juniors?” Flamme asked, her tone casual but laced with something mischievous.

Lucas shrugged lightly.

“That’s true. I’m assigned to this section, and I will defend it… but only if someone tries to fight me or do something underhanded. That’s the knight’s code, after all—only fight those with courage.”

He paused before adding with a light chuckle, “Though… sneaky ones? I do eliminate those. Cowards aren’t exactly exempt.”

Reina blinked at his bluntness. But Flamme?

She smirked.

With quiet, deliberate steps, she approached Lucas, who was still seated on his small rock.

Then, leaning in close—far too close—she brought her lips near his ear and whispered, voice sweet and teasing.

“So… as long as we stay your good little Girls~ you won’t hurt us~?”

Lucas stiffened. “J-Junior… your face is a little too close…”

“Hm~? Does that really matter— Ow! What the hell—!?”

Flamme yelped as Reina yanked her back by the ear.

“Stop acting like a damn fool, you idiot!” Reina hissed.

Lucas blinked. “Uhh…”

Reina gave him a quick bow of apology, her expression tense. “I’m really sorry, Senior. She’s just… always like this.”

Then looking around once more Reina asked.

“Isn’t this whole area kind of… too open?” Reina asked, looking around the vast clearing. “Are you sure you can guard it all by yourself, Senior?”

Lucas nodded calmly. “Ah, the other paths? They’re actually covered in hallucination magic spread by the principal herself. No matter which way the students go, it all loops back here eventually. Even if someone manages to resist the illusion, they’ll run into a herd of A-rank monsters surrounding the field. Pretty hard to get through that unnoticed.”

“I see…” Reina muttered.

Flamme chimed in, a little more energetic. “Then flying straight to the center isn’t an option either?”

Lucas shrugged lightly. “From what I’ve heard, the principal made sure of that too. There are a few hidden countermeasures in place. So… probably not.”

“Hmph, so you’ll never know unless you try, right?” Flamme said, nudging her partner. “Hey, Neru. Wanna test it out? Huh? No again? Tsk—pussy~”

Lucas let out a low chuckle, amused by Flamme’s antics, while Reina just buried her face in her hands. She didn’t even bother explaining Flamme’s behavior anymore—it was a lost cause.

“It’s getting close to nighttime,” Lucas said, glancing at the sky before looking back at them. “You two should rest here for now. The exam will still go on for a couple more days, and I’m sure you’ll need the energy. That said… you’re free to leave whenever you want. I won’t stop you.”

“You’re quite the caring senior, huh?” Flamme said, crossing her arms with a playful smirk. “Even though we’re technically enemies.”

“Well, yeah, only technically. But if we’re going by that logic, we’re also still seniors and juniors first. That means I have a responsibility to watch over you both… at least, that’s how I see it.”

“Is that so?” Flamme said, narrowing her eyes teasingly. “Are you sure it’s not just because Dumb Reina is—O-Ow!!”

Reina had yanked Flamme back by the cheek, pinching it hard.

“We appreciate it, Senior,” she said, trying to ignore Flamme’s whining. “Actually, we’ll gladly take the offer. We really are exhausted… so don’t mind if we rest up here a bit.”

Afterall it’s not everyday you got chased by burning spears of light for hours on end.

Lucas gave them a small, warm smile. “Of course. Make yourselves comfortable.”

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