NOVEL NEXT Chapter 116: The Outbreak Test!
"…I guess since these two aren't going to fight, and there aren't any beasts left for them to hunt, it makes sense to end the first stage now."
Saying that, Bale leaned back slightly, letting the tension in his shoulders ease. The trial hadn't ended the way anyone expected. But life rarely did. Such is life.
For just a moment, he watched the two figures standing quietly together, Sophie's expression serene, Bruce's calm and unreadable, their silhouettes framed by the fading simulation.
Then Viris chimed again, a crisp digital tone.
Bale nodded once.
"End it."
Inside the VR world, Bruce and Sophie exchanged a soft glance, one of quiet understanding, just as a cold, composed voice swept into their minds like a ripple.
"Congratulations. The first stage of the trial has come to an end. You two managed to survive to the end, you'll get special rewards for that."
The world around them shuddered. Colors bled away. Sky dissolved into flickering fragments.
The earth beneath their feet cracked, then folded into darkness like a sheet being pulled away. The wind stilled. The trees faded. The trial itself unraveled.
Bruce tightened his arm around Sophie's waist, drawing her close for one final heartbeat of warmth before the void swallowed everything.
Their vision dimmed. Blackness consumed the horizon... and the trial ended.
...
A low hiss filled the pod room as two pods unlocked at the same time. Steam seeped out in swirling ribbons, drifting through the cold air like ghosts escaping their chambers.
And then...
Bruce and Sophie stepped out.
Conversation around died instantly.
Every pair of eyes snapped toward the two figures emerging from the mist. Some widened with fear. Others trembled. A few held awe that they couldn't hide. Several instinctively looked away, unable to meet Bruce's gaze for more than a heartbeat.
Bruce met the stares ahead calmly.
And the room unconsciously leaned away from him.
It was only natural. He had terrorized nearly everyone. Even those who hadn't died at his hands had felt his presence carving through the trial like a force of nature. They felt his impact. Seeing him in the flesh again made the air feel thin, as though the walls themselves were afraid to breathe.
Ozai's fists clenched tightly by his sides.
Being the first to die. Being wiped out so brutally. Having his humiliating death announced.
It was the greatest disgrace of his life.
'If this gets out… If anyone sees that footage…
Father will disown me. I'm sure he would.'
The thought hit him like a blade to the gut. Sweat broke along his hairline. Ozai's mind spun rapidly; calculating, scheming, panicking.
He was already planning everything. How to delete the footage. How to pressure the Guild.
How much money to throw at people. How many connections to pull. How many people to silence.
He would do anything, pay anything—to erase that defeat.
But deep down, he knew one truth.
The trial wasn't over.
There was still one stage left. A final chance to claw back dignity… or lose even more.
The room stirred as the metal door behind them slid open with a mechanical hum.
Every recruit straightened instinctively.
Bale walked in.
A collective whisper rippled across the room like a shockwave.
"Bale…"
"That's really him…"
Many recruits had dreamed of seeing him—a living legend, A-Rank Adventurer. They had seen him in Vr but seeing him in the flesh felt unreal. His very presence carried authority, a quiet pressure that made the room fall into a respectful silence.
He moved with calm precision, each step cutting through the tension like a blade sliding through silk. Without needing to say a word, the crowd parted for him.
Bale stepped to the front of the room, his gaze sweeping across the recruits—cold, assessing, sharp enough to weigh their souls.
When he finally spoke, his voice was steady.
"I trust you all learned a great deal from the first trial."
Not a single person dared answer. Everybody nodded silently in unison.
Bale continued, tone firm and unyielding. "We will immediately proceed with the second stage."
The atmosphere tightened, as though invisible hands had gripped the walls and pulled inward.
Bale's eyes narrowed slightly as he scanned their faces.
"And if any of you hold grudges over who killed you…" his voice dropped into a harder tone, "I advise you to drop it now."
A chill rolled through the room.
Recruits stiffened. Shoulders tensed.
Several swallowed hard. The few who had been glaring at Bruce moments earlier quickly shifted their eyes elsewhere.
When Bale spoke like that, no one doubted he meant it.
Of course… everyone knew Ozai was the exception. Even Bale. If Ozai wanted revenge, it'll definitely be a pain in the aas
But after seeing how Bruce handled him… after watching himself get dismantled like a child…
Even Ozai wasn't reckless enough to try anything now. Not unless he wanted to be humiliated twice.
Bale continued, his expression unreadable.
"The next stage is solitary. This time, you will not meet each other. Not even by accident."
A soft ripple of disappointment spread through the room. Some had hoped for a rematch. Some wanted allies. Some wanted revenge.
But Bale crushed that hope without hesitation.
"Your task is simple," he said. "and It should not take more than twenty-four hours to complete."
Every recruit leaned forward subtly, listening intently.
Bale's voice turned cold.
"You are adventurers stationed in a seaside village. Together with other adventurers, you raided a dungeon. But the beasts inside were too many, and by sheer luck, you were the only survivor."
Several recruits stiffened. Some clenched their fists.
"You escape the self-destructing dungeon… only to be informed that the village is under attack by beasts capable of causing a sea-dungeon outbreak."
A heavy wave of dread swept through them.
Sea-dungeon beasts were another level of nightmare. Even veteran hunters avoided them when possible.
Faces paled.
Bale let the fear linger for a heartbeat before he continued.
"This stage is the easiest," he said, his tone cutting through the tension like ice. "If you discover one secret."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over them again with razor focus.
"What's priority of adventurers during dungeon outbreaks? What's the most important thing to do when beasts break out of dungeon? know this and know peace."
The room stilled.
Every heart pounded louder.
Every mind raced faster.
Bale delivered the command like a verdict.
"That aside, Your goal... Which is only half answer to what I asked earlier, is to ensure the least number of ordinary villagers die during the attack. The more the survivors the better it is for you and your rank in the Guild"