How To Survive A Calamity

'And the rest is self explanatory...'

-"Booo!"

-"Crazy."

-"Get beat already!"

Hearing the boos and insults hurled unsympathetically at me, i stared forward with my spear raised on my shoulder.

The sun was scorching, and under its radiant heat, a hot draft of wind swept through the arena.

I glanced sideways at one side of the spectators in the stands and i mused begrudgingly inwardly.

'Even if you say all that, it's not like i want to be here either.'

And i really meant that.

The first thing i thought when i suddenly saw the quest pop up a couple of days ago was:

"What kind of crazy shit is this?"

It was crazy and absurd, there was no way i was going to possibl-

'No, that was bullshit.'

I cast my head down and sighed.

I had no idea what Meta's intentions were for the sudden appearance of the quest.

....

===

[Type:- Survival

Name:- Quest to becoming Stronger

Description:- Challenge the number one student of your year to a duel.

Duration:- ...

Rewards:- +1 instant level up!

Penalty:- ...]

===

...

A sudden quest without a duration, or penalty, but offered an instant level up as a reward.

And all i 'just' had to do was challenge the first ranked first year in my scchool year.

'No one can blame me on this one.'

My actions were justified.

Or rather...

I played easily right into Meta's hands yet again.

While i felt sense of dejection stir inside of me,

-"Uoooooh, she's here!"

-"Is it finally starting?"

The bloodlustful crowd exploded anew all of a sudden.

The reason for the rekindled excitement was walking right Infront of me.

-Step -Step

I raised my head, and my lips nearly unconsciously pulled into a frown.

The pristine image of Ceres gracefully revealed her from and presence through the dust raised by the passing wind. She was tall, her form and step exuded an intimidating weight. And her deep red eyes coldly pierced at me.

But what i was still struggling a little to understand even by this point...

'Why?'

Why had Ceres agreed to a duel with me in the first place?

To prove herself? As the strongest and best first year?

I didn't think she had to though. Ceres was the only Ascended Hero amongst the First Year cadets as far as i knew.

Especially if it was against someone like me who, in comparison, ranked last.

Or was it a form or sense of pride? Like, never turn down a fight or a challenge, no matter who its from?

I didn't easily decide to perform this quest either and mulled over it for sometime. I was intent on believing there had to be some sort of scheme or ulterior motive at play here, but no matter how much i contemplated and thought about it, i couldn't realise just what Meta was up to.

Perhaps, there probably really was no scheme actually.

I mean, it has already been established that Meta was a troll...

Fact still remained, i was running impatient and ultimately decided to gamble.

An instant level up

The quest reward was more than enough to entice me. If i could get it, that's one more step to Ranking up. Then I'll just be one level behind Eta rank.

But when the time came.

-"Okay..."

Ceres had said yes.

-Step.

As Ceres footsteps cane to a halt, she stood a few feets before me and stared silently.

"..."

"..."

Then, her lips pulled downward into a twisting frown, and Ceres thin silver eyebrows arched and bent into a glare over her eyes.

For some reason, she was now glaring at me.

Her gaze was intense, overbearing and aloof. The weight of Ceres aura and presence was passively intimidating

A little overwhelmed, i almost let my facial expressions crumpled and took a step back.

"...Wh-what?" I couldn't stop myself from stuttering.

"You're here."

"Huh? I am."

The unexpected words that followed made me tilt my head in puzzlement.

Did she really expect me not to arrive or bail out at the last second?

Bah! Victor Bright never turns away from a fight...!

'No, Victor Bright tries to survive, Zach Harper never turns away from a fight...' even in such a situation, i still enjoyed the leisure of self deprecating sarcastic commentary to alleviate my stress.

'How nostalgic...'

Ceres gaze layered, it sharpened and became icy enough to make me want to recoil.

"You're bold, aren't you? Or is it arrogance or confidence? Perhaps i should call it stupidity, than bravery."

"..."

I was speechless and baffled.

Ceres was suddenly being savage with her words...

As if misunderstanding my silence, Ceres Walker snorted and continued. Her voice and words laced with irritation and animosity. She said with a heavy finality.

"I'll let this one slide, take back the challenge and drop off now."

"..??"

She's... letting me go?

At Ceres' generous offer, i humbly declined by maintaining my silence.

I could more or less understand where Ceres was coming from to an extent.

'I don't think I've seen her talk this much either.' and from this short interaction, i think I've succeeded in somehow re-evaluating my opinion over this girl.

She was here trying to give me, someone obviously weaker, an easy way out. She didn't seem like the type yo enjoy trampling over the weak.

I raised my spear and planted it into the ground.

'She's a good kid.'

"I apologise, Ms. Ceres..." I looked at her and said. The icy expression on her beautiful white face was stoic but softened.

"When i challenged for a duel, i didn't think it was a battle of words."

Ceres expression turned rigid at my words.

I pretended not to notice, scratched my head and sighed before continuing.

"You surprisingly talk a lot."

Why the hell was i further antagonising her?

Before this all happened, for some reason, Ceres had her eyes on me. Perhaps it was some type of interest or whatever, but by some 'twist of fate' we both got the chance to duel against each other in a one versus one battle.

'I don't know why, and probably I'm just feeling self important actually. But it would probably be better to end whatever interest or relationship between Ceres and i here. For now.'

Having those thoughts, i took a deep breath and smiled sinisterly at Ceres with the tip of my spear pointing at her.

"Hmph. You asked why before didn't you? Isn't that obvious? No.1 Victor, Bright... Doesn't that have a nice ring to it?"

[Scummy bastard.]

'...'

I couldn't retort. Even i felt like cringing.

I felt icky and awkward. I sounded like a shameless thrid rate villain of a cliché novel.

Ceres' cold expression dropped further. It was hard to tell since she was usually like a blank canvas, but maybe it was because i was finally seeing her up close like this and my heightened senses could detect some subtle shifts in her facial muscles.

I kind of felt bad, and my body trembled with goosebumps from my cringe.

Ceres was a good person who didn't seem to enjoy relishing in the superiority of those weaker than her. She had given me the chance to walk away from this and save face. Well, as much face as i could possibly save at this point.

She offered me an opportunity to avoid the embarrassment that would come with my loss, but even that was just another type of embarrassment.

'And at the same time, I'm kind of pissed actually.'

Ceres, that bastardly good girl... Isn't she actually more arrogant and haughty than she looks?

Where does she get off thinking I'd lose? Hmph.

'On a regular day, i probably would, but i don't think she has the right to indirectly imply that.'

Of course i wasn't saying i could win on a regular day either...

Ultimately, a part of my actions also had to do with my petty pride.

-"What?! Look at that bastard!"n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

-"How dare that lowlife to goddess Ceres!"

-"Crucify the madman! Crucify him, i say!"

-"Buahaha! Did he actually just say that?!"

-"Even after the goddess' display of kindness and benevolence, the lowlife dares to..."

-"In the end, isn't 1499 just an attention seeker? There's no way he actually thinks he can win, so why else would do all this if it wasn't just for the attention?"

-"Ah, now that you say so, that is possible."

-"So he's crazy, and an attention seeker."

The crowds cheered and booed. It seemed like they got wind of a part of our conversation.

I was amazed at how quickly and naturally human beings made justification and reached conclusions.

Well i guess the first person to challenge the position and of number one would gain a lot of attention...i mused with a mumur.

I moved my attention away from the curses and swears of the audience and turned back to face my opponent.

"Ms. Ceres, are you ready?" I said in a low voice, gripping my spear.

Ceres, her ever cold and indifferent mask, stared at me without an expression any longer.

Her red eyes turned glassy and silently intense.

Ceres reached for the broad sword next to her and thrust it straight into the ground beside her. She took a step forward at me, unarmed and raising her fist.

Then Ceres coldly uttered, her voice more icy than a lake in winter.

"This is enough."