Chapter 51: Chapter51-Classroom
The hall was spacious and colorful, filled with lights that twinkled like stars.
As I glanced around at the other guests' faces, I some how felt glad that I had come.
There were so many familiar names around.
Willson, Starfall, Taylor, Lapele and so on....
"...?"
However, even in this splendid crowd, there was one person that stood out.
I recognized her at a glance.
Even Lia, who the previous Michael had never seen attending the Cannes meeting, was here today.
This definitely meant something was up.
I squinted my eyes, looking for her bitchy sister Anna, who wasn't with her.
I was surprised since they usually stuck together when I first met them.
'Where is that bitch?'
Just as I was wondering about her location, the atmosphere in the hall suddenly began to change.
A hush fell over the crowd as everyone, including Lia, began to look up.
I muttered to myself, "Huh? What's going on?"
Why are they all looking up?
Glancing upwards, I saw something unusuala white crystal-like ball floating near the ceiling.
A timer was visible in its center, protected by glass.
Oh, it's just another decoration...
What's so special about it?
What a letdown... I expected something big...
For a moment, I thought it must be some kind of decoration arranged by the event planners and decorators.
Then, my eyes fell on some of the decorators who were also looking up.
Wait! Why are you all looking up? Didn't you all arranged it?
However, the mixed expressions of confusion and shock on the faces of some decorators told me otherwise.
Am I wrong?
My heart raced as I realized something was not right.
The decorators wouldn't look up at the ball if they had arranged it, which means they didn't.
Then, who did?
Rebels?
I don't think so...
This event is one of the most secure, with maximum army and hunters deployed by both associations.
And another thing, if rebels were behind this, many questions arises.
Why now?
The Cannes event has been going on for almost eight decades, and in all this time, even their ancestors never thought of attacking it.
And are they really that dumb?
If you think about it, almost all of humanity's strongest people are here.
Attacking now would mean a heavy loss of their men and resources. Even if they attacked, they should know that they could never win, even if both rebellion organizations joined forces.
So, I ruled out the possibility of a rebel attack.
Then, who did this?
I used my appraisal skill on the ball, but to my dismay, the information displayed was:
"Your level is insufficient to discern!"
This means the object is of a higher rank, but what could it be?
I tried to think of as many possibilities as I could in my current situation, but as the saying goes, time waits for none.
The timer continued to count down: 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... 0.
Fuck, the time is over.
The crystal ball blasted, filling the room with a blinding white smoke.
My vision went completely white; I could only hear the gasps and murmurs of the crowd.
**Person 1:** "Hey, What's happening?"
**Person 2:** "Is this part of the event?"
**Person 3:** "I can't see anything!"
**Person 4:** "Decorators! What the fuck was that? What's with all this smoke, and what was that strange ball?"
Then, amidst the chaos, a loud thud echoed across the floor of the castle.
Hmm, what just happened? Did something fall to the floor or make that sound?
My heart skipped a beat as I struggled to locate the source of the sound.
Before I could process further, a voice cried out, panicked and urgent, "Someone help! Sir Zeras has collapsed!"
The name Zeras sent a shiver down my spine.
He was similar to me in many waysan introverted and quiet person, around the same age as myself, and he preferred to avoid social gatherings and events unless they were important.
I learned all this about him because he's also a well-known writer in the human domain who recently published his own life story and biography in a book.
It may sound surprising, but it's true.
Some people are just unusual.
With his collapse, a sudden cascade of events unfolded.
More thuds reverberated across the floor, accompanied by gasps and cries for help.
People began to lose consciousness rapidly, as if some invisible force was knocking them down one by one.
Uncertainties clenched my chest.
What was happening?
Was it a toxin in the air?
Or something else...
None of the explanations made sense for the surreal scene happening right in front of me.
Suddenly, I started feeling sleepy.
Why am I so sleepy all of a sudden?
Sleeping gas?
It's definitely sleeping gas; I've already inhaled it.
For a moment, I considered covering my nose with my hands, but I abandoned the idea when I saw the smoke wasn't clearing up.
What should I do?
I don't understand, but I can just sleep for nowno, what the hell is wrong with me?
I have to stay awake.
I can't pass out like everyone else.
I struggled against the increasing drowsiness creeping into my limbs, desperately trying to stay alert.
I have to stay awake.
My eyelids felt heavy, like they were being pulled down by an unseen force.
Panic surged through me as I realized I was losing the battle to stay awake.
I have to...
Despite my efforts, I couldn't hold on any longer.
The world around me blurred, my vision grew dim, and my body slumped to the ground with a soft thud, joining others who had already collapsed in the once lively hall.
I lost...
Darkness enveloped me as unconsciousness overtook me, leaving behind only the chaotic sounds and unanswered questions in the hall filled with stars and lights.
...
Suddenly, I blinked my eyes open, feeling confused.
As consciousness gradually returned, I found myself in a completely different environment.
The vibrant lights and opulence of the hall had been replaced by the muted tones of a classroom.
Sunlight filtered through windows, casting long shadows across rows of desks and a chalkboard adorned with mathematical equations.
Blinking away the remnants of sleep, I struggled to piece together what had transpired moments ago.
My mind was foggy, memories of the chaotic event at the Cannes meeting jumbled with the present.
Where am I?
Wasn't I supposed to be at Cannes right now?
How did I end up here?
I quickly checked my watch and was surprised to see that it was already 11:00 a.m., two hours past the time I arrived in Cannes.
I also checked the date, but it was still the same: April 15th, 2130.
What's happening here?
The time shows it's the same date, but two hours have already passed since I lost consciousness.
Shouldn't I be in a hospital or back at my mansion?
I stopped questioning myself and focused on my surroundings instead.
There's a desk, a chalkboard, and chalk...
"Is this a school classroom?" I muttered to myself, looking around uncertainly.
It seems likely, judging by the setup.
I checked my character profile which confirmed I was indeed in a classroom, adding to my confusion.
So, I'm in a school.
I can't get an answer from anyone about how I ended up here, and I don't have any answers myself because I was unconscious the whole time.
There's no one else here but me.
I sat alone on one of the benches in the classroom.
I glanced towards the classroom doors in the southwest corner.
Deciding to investigate further, I headed towards the doors to get a better understanding of where I am.
Which city am I in right now?
Just as I got close to the door, my virtual screen appeared, and I was hit with a bunch of messages.
[Host, the Chain Quest: [Fear the Walking Dead!] has started!]
Main Quest: [First Trial!]
You and others have accidentally entered the hidden Labyrinth of Ambrosia. Survive 15 days in the Labyrinth without dying.
Objective: 0/15 days.
Reward: One of the Seven Keys to the entrance of the Lost Continent.
Wait! Two quests at once?
Is there a Christmas or New Year event going on or what?
I mean, two quests... This is ridiculous.
I never expected the Labyrinth of Ambrosia to be in that castle.
And what's with the other 5 days of survival? The chain quest just told me to survive 10 days, and now this quest is telling me to survive 15 days...
And there are others here too, which means people who fell unconscious on the floor at the Cannes event, just like me, have also been transported here.
Is it a coincidence that they're also part of my quest?
I'm not sure.
All I know is that my head hurts a little.
I message my forehead with my right hand for a few seconds and then let out a sigh.
Now this is confusing, very confusing.
I looked at the messages again, and my eyes caught the "Main Quest."
Huh? That's new...
Isn't this my first time getting a main quest from the system?
I think so.
But when I think about the Labyrinth and its location, there are still some questions left unanswered.
Like, where is this?
Is this an illusion, or have I been transported somewhere else?
Forget it for now; checking my surroundings is the main priority.
I went outside the door, looked left and right, and saw that my class was in the middle of a large corridor.
I also realized I was on the fifth floor of a high school.
How?
At the end of the corridor, I saw an elevator with a sign above it that had two words written in bold letters: "Fifth Floor."
I walked over to the windows and looked down at the school playground, only to see something shocking.
I exclaimed, "Hey, aren't those zombies?"
There were about 100 to 200 zombies wandering around mindlessly.
Their skin was black and decayed, and they had visible wounds on their bodies, showing they were once human.
After being bitten by at least one of the zombies, they had transformed.
So, this is what the chain quest meant by "Fear the Walking Dead."
Let's see if I can use my appraisal skill on them from this distance...
'Appraise.'
I looked at the zombies carefully, but the info screen didn't appear until I focused on one zombie.
Then, it finally showed up in front of me.
Damn, I only used it hoping it would work.
I half expected it to actually do something in the first place.
**Zombie**
Height: Typically around 6 feet tall.
Weight: 180 pounds.
Strength: Moderate physical strength, capable of overpowering an average human.
Weakness: Vulnerable to headshots or severe brain trauma.
Critical Body Parts: Brain (for incapacitation).
Rank: ????
That's...