Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

"Truth Or Trial?" Rowan asked.

"Truth," Adrian replied.

"... What is your ability?" Rowan asked, his gaze peering onto Adrian.

"I'll do a trial," Adrian said without hesitation.

Rowan smiled, clearly expecting Adrian's choice. "Very well, then. Your trial is to hold your breath for three minutes while maintaining perfect stillness. No movement at all."

The crowd murmured, recognizing the simplicity yet difficulty of the task. Adrian nodded, stepping forward to the designated area. He took a deep breath, exhaling slowly as he prepared himself. Once he was ready, the judge signaled for the trial to begin.

Adrian held his breath, his body completely still. The seconds ticked by, and the crowd watched in tense silence. Maintaining perfect stillness was harder than it seemed, every muscle strained to keep from moving. Even though his body was better than a normal human's, he couldn't complete the trial.

Rowan got one point.

The judge announced the failure of the trial. Adrian took a deep breath and returned to his position, ready for his turn. "Truth or Trial, Senior?"

Rowan, with a confident smile, replied, "Truth."

Adrian hesitated for a moment, then heard the Dreamstalker's voice echoing in his mind. (Ask what was Rowan's least favorite class.)

Adrian's eyes flickered with hesitation, but he decided to play along. "Senior, what was your least favorite class?"

Rowan's expression turned serious as he looked at Adrian. "Are you trying to ruin my relationship with the professors, junior?" He shook his head slightly. "Bad for you, I don't have a least favorite class at all."

The spell remained inactive, indicating Rowan was telling the truth. The crowd murmured in curiosity, wondering if Adrian had a hidden agenda.

Rowan's lips curled into a slight smile. "Your turn again, junior. Truth or Trial?"

"Truth," Adrian replied, his gaze unwavering.

Rowan's eyes glinted with challenge as he asked, "Tell me, Adrian. What is your deepest regret?"

Adrian's expression tightened for a moment, the weight of the question evident. He knew that answering truthfully would expose him, and lying would activate the spell. He took a deep breath, knowing he had no choice but to take the trial. "I'll take the trial."

Rowan's smile widened. "Very well. Your trial is to defeat this automaton in combat within three minutes. No magic or external assistance allowed."

A combat automaton rose from the arena floor, its metallic form gleaming under the lights. The crowd watched with bated breath as Adrian prepared for the challenge. The judge signaled the start, and the automaton lunged at Adrian with mechanical precision.

Adrian moved swiftly, his agility and combat skills on full display. He dodged the automaton's attacks, using his wits and physical prowess to counter its movements. The clock ticked down, and the crowd's excitement grew with each passing second.

With a final, decisive move, Adrian managed to disable the automaton, its parts clattering to the ground. The judge announced his victory before the timer hit the three-minute mark.

Adrian took a moment to catch his breath, then turned to Rowan. "Your turn, senior. Truth or Trial?"

Rowan's eyes glinted with hidden joy as he responded, "Truth."

Well, why shouldn't he be happy? Adrian has already used all of his four Trials, meaning he either has to speak the truth or he earns a point. This game was already in his pocket.

Just a few more turns and the game will end.

"Senior, I asked you about that small incident about your classmates having sleep loss and nightmares. I said I might have a hunch about who was behind Eluna too. She was asked if she had nightmares prior to that day. And guess what, she said yes. Then, I pieced the puzzle together. The person behind her, in the incident was the same person.

Let's call the culprit The Dream Stalker."

"And from what I found out, the Dream Stalker first causes its victims to have nightmares, and after certain amount of time, take control over their actions, the Dream Stalker manipulates its targets to do his bidding."

"Now my question is, do you know who this Dream Stalker is Senior?"

"..." Rowan became silent after each sentence of Adrian. His posture and expression became solemn.

"I think you should answer the truth to this, Senior," Adrian said stopping himself from laughing. "If you don't know, say it, you will lose nothing. But if you know and say it, we can expose the real identity of Dream Stalker right here and now, hell, I will even agree that you have won this game. We will catch the criminal, you will win this event and even become a hero."

The crowd nodded at Adrian's words. He was speaking very reasonably. All the eyes turned onto Rowan who was silently looking at Adrian with a serious thinking pose, his fist under his chin.

"Ah, you don't have to be afraid either. There are principals, instructors, and hundreds of powerful guests. The Dream Stalker can't do anything... Anything at all... He is that powerless and a coward who can't openly fight, and always stays behind his puppets. He is worse than a villain."

"So, tell us, Senior. Who is Dream Stalker?"

Rowan's expression remained serious, his eyes locked onto Adrian's.

Adrian also didn't take away his gaze, but he noticed a slight trembling in Rowan's fists and lips.

The tension in the arena was palpable, the crowd hanging on Rowan's next words.

If there was such an evil individual, as the respectable second year, The Grey Serpent, Rowan, if he knew who it was, he would tell, right?

Rowan, meeting the crowd's expectations finally spoke, his voice measured and deliberate. "Junior, you've certainly put me in a difficult position with this question. But I understand the importance of honesty." He paused, then continued, "Yes, I know who the Dream Stalker is."

The crowd erupted in murmurs, their anticipation growing. Rowan's next words would have significant consequences. Just who could this psycho be?

"..."

"Now, since I already answered your question, it's your turn, right, Junior?" However, Rowan chose to swerve from directly naming the Dream Stalker, creating an air of ambiguity. The crowd's murmurs grew louder, their confusion and frustration evident.

Adrian's eyes narrowed, realizing Rowan had evaded the core of the question. "Senior, you haven't fully answered. Who is the Dream Stalker? You must give a name."

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