The Eclipsed Order

Chapter 84: Chapter 84: The Final Scores and the Accusation

The group continued deeper into the dungeon, but the mood that had been lighthearted only a short while ago had noticeably changed.

One of them glanced at the monitoring crystal in his hand, his expression becoming increasingly irritated as the numbers changed.

"What does this mean? Why are they advancing so quickly?"

Another student looked over his shoulder.

"At this rate, we’ll fall behind. Judging by the number of monsters they’ve already killed, their score has probably passed ours."

"Then we need to keep moving."

The student in front didn’t slow down, his eyes remaining fixed on the passage ahead.

"Don’t worry about them. We already forced them to deal with that swarm. Even if they managed to survive, they’ll have wasted a considerable amount of time and mana. With their current condition, I doubt they’ll be able to advance at the same pace."

A few of the others nodded.

That had been the purpose of the disturbance in the first place.

They hadn’t expected the opposing team to be defeated outright. That would have been too obvious, and if the instructors discovered that they had deliberately caused trouble, it could easily become a problem.

All they needed was to slow them down.

At least, that had been the plan.

One of the students glanced back toward the passage they had come from.

"Still, they’re stronger than I expected."

"You’re worried about them?"

"No. I’m simply saying we shouldn’t underestimate them."

A short silence followed.

Then another student laughed.

"There’s no need to be cautious now. We’re already ahead in terms of experience, and we’ve been clearing our path efficiently. As long as we maintain this pace, they’ll never catch up."

The student carrying the monitoring crystal looked at the latest numbers again.

His expression changed slightly.

"Wait."

"What?"

"Their score changed again."

Everyone stopped.

He stared at the crystal for several seconds before speaking.

"They’re still collecting cores."

The others looked at one another.

"That doesn’t make sense."

"They should still be dealing with the swarm."

"Maybe they escaped and took another route?"

"No. The crystal tracks their progress. They’re still in the same section."

The irritation on one student’s face slowly returned.

"So they actually fought through all of that?"

"It seems so."

He clenched his fist.

"That swarm should have cost them much more time than this."

The student at the front remained quiet.

For the first time, the confidence in his expression had faded slightly.

He had expected the trap to create a significant gap between the teams, but instead, the distance between their scores was barely changing.

"They’re persistent," he finally said.

"Should we set up another disturbance?"

"No."

The answer came immediately.

Everyone turned toward him.

"Why not?"

"Because doing it again would be too obvious, and we don’t know how much they have already figured out."

He paused before continuing.

"Besides, the deeper we go, the stronger the monsters become. We don’t need to interfere if the dungeon itself will eventually do the work for us."

That seemed reasonable.

The others gradually relaxed.

One of them smiled.

"Then let’s see how far they can actually make it."

"Exactly."

The group resumed walking.

Their footsteps echoed through the stone corridor as they pushed deeper into the dungeon, each of them now more conscious of the competition than before.

Neither group intended to lose.

And somewhere behind them, the team they had tried to slow down was already moving again.

Several more hours passed.

By then, the dungeon had become noticeably quieter. The six teams had spread throughout the assigned floors, each pursuing monsters wherever they could find them, and the numbers displayed on the monitoring crystal continued to change as cores were registered.

For a while, the ranking had remained relatively stable.

But as the final hour approached, one particular team began to grow increasingly uneasy.

______________________________

Kingdom of Valerian: 307 points.

Kingdom of Ramwel: 302 points.

Kingdom of Darth: 290 points

"They’re still ahead of us."

The student lowered his voice, his eyes remaining fixed on Valerian’s score.

"They should have slowed down by now. After the swarm earlier, they were already supposed to be struggling with their pace."

Another student folded his arms.

"Could they have recovered somehow?"

"They couldn’t have done that naturally."

A brief silence followed.

Then one of them spoke carefully.

"Unless they’re using potions."

Several expressions changed at once.

"Don’t say that so loudly."

"I know what the rules are."

"Potion use is prohibited. If we’re caught using them, we’ll be disqualified immediately."

The student who had brought it up remained calm.

He knew that better than anyone.

After all, they had already used potions themselves.

They had prepared for the possibility of running out of stamina long before entering the dungeon, and when their condition had deteriorated, they had quietly relied on recovery potions to maintain their pace.

It was against the rules.

If the instructors discovered it, their entire team would be removed from the competition.

That was precisely why they couldn’t allow anyone to investigate them.

The student slowly turned his gaze toward the other teams’ scores.

"Then we simply have to make sure the investigation falls on someone else."

The others understood immediately.

One of them gave a faint smile.

"You mean Valerian."

"Who else?"

He leaned back against the stone wall, his expression becoming more relaxed.

"They’re only five points ahead. If we accuse them after the competition and the instructors discover even one potion among their belongings, they’ll be disqualified."

"And if they haven’t used any?"

"Then nothing happens."

He shrugged.

"But do you really think the instructors will simply ignore an accusation involving the team that is currently in first place?"

The others exchanged glances.

They wouldn’t.

A suspicion raised at the right moment could easily become an investigation.

And if Valerian was forced to prove that they had not cheated, even a small mistake could turn the situation in Ramwel’s favor.

One student hesitated.

"But won’t it look suspicious if we’re the ones making the accusation?"

"That’s why we won’t make it look like an accusation."

His smile widened slightly.

"We’ll make it look like we’re reporting something we noticed."

Another student let out a quiet laugh.

"So that’s your plan?"

"We’re not asking them to believe us. We’re asking them to check."

He looked toward the monitoring crystal again.

"And if Valerian is disqualified, the first place becomes ours."

For a moment, nobody spoke.

Then one of them smiled.

"Five points really are worth a lot."

The student gave a quiet chuckle.

"They are, especially when someone else is the one taking the risk."

Later

The final announcement from the monitoring crystal eventually came.

The numbers froze.

The competition was over.

Inside the dungeon, Ares noticed the change almost immediately.

The score displayed on the crystal no longer moved.

So that’s it.

He lowered his sword slightly and looked toward the others.

No one needed to say anything.

They had reached the end.

After collecting the remaining monster cores, the group made their way toward the designated exit, where the dungeon’s transportation magic would return them to the surface.

The moment they stepped outside, the difference between the dungeon and the open air was obvious.

Several students from the other kingdoms were already waiting, some leaning against walls while others were checking their equipment and counting their remaining cores.

The instructors stood nearby, recording the condition of each team as they returned.

"Valerian, you’re back."

Their instructor looked over the group carefully.

"Any serious injuries?"

"No," Lyra answered. "A few minor wounds, but nothing that requires treatment."

"Good. What about your supplies?"

"We still have enough."

The instructor nodded, apparently satisfied.

"You maintained a good pace throughout the latter half. Whatever you did after the twentieth floor, it clearly helped you recover your rhythm."

Lyra gave a polite nod.

"We adjusted our formation once the monsters became more difficult."

The instructor then looked toward Ares.

"And your support magic was useful as well, D’Averon. I received several reports about your team maintaining a surprisingly stable condition despite the number of encounters."

Ares smiled faintly.

"I only provided support where necessary."

"Even so, it made a difference."

One by one, the remaining teams returned.

Some arrived exhausted, others with damaged equipment, and a few with expressions that made it obvious they were already calculating their position in the rankings.

Eventually, all six teams had gathered.

The instructors took their places before the large ranking crystal.

The conversations gradually died down.

One of the senior instructors stepped forward.

"Everyone performed well today. The dungeon proved considerably more difficult than the previous practical examinations, particularly in the deeper sections, and several teams were forced to change their original approach once the monster density increased."

His gaze passed across the students.

"Your final scores have already been recorded. There will be no further changes."

The atmosphere tightened.

Ares glanced at the other teams.

Everyone was waiting.

The instructor raised his hand.

"We will now announce the final rankings."

Ares remained silent.

So this is how it ends.

"The sixth place belongs to—"

The rankings were announced one after another.

Then came the top three.

"Third place, Kingdom of Darth, with 321 points."

A small reaction came from the Darth students, but they quickly composed themselves.

The instructor continued.

"Second place, Kingdom of Ramwel, 335 points."

Ares noticed several students from Ramwel exchange looks.

Then the instructor paused.

"First place..."

There was a brief silence.

"Kingdom of Valerian, 349 points."

The Valerian students relaxed.

Lyra simply closed her eyes for a moment before letting out a quiet breath.

Ares looked at the ranking crystal.

Five points.

Not a bad result.

Then—

"Wait."

The voice came from the Ramwel side.

The instructor turned.

"What is it?"

One of the Ramwel students stepped forward.

"We believe there has been a mistake."

The atmosphere immediately changed.

Lyra opened her eyes.

"A mistake?"

"You announced Valerian as first place."

"That can’t be correct."

The student’s expression hardened.

"They cheated."

A few students from the surrounding teams began whispering.

Lyra’s brows drew together.

"What are you talking about?"

"You know exactly what I’m talking about."

"I don’t."

The Ramwel student pointed toward their group.

"They used potions inside the dungeon."

Several instructors immediately became more attentive.

One of them frowned.

"Potion use?"

"Yes, Professor. Recovery potions are strictly prohibited during the examination. We believe Valerian used them to maintain their condition."

Lyra’s expression remained composed.

"That accusation is completely unfounded."

"Of course you’d say that."

"Because it’s the truth."

"You expect us to believe that?"

The Ramwel student took another step forward.

"Your team was already showing signs of exhaustion earlier, yet somehow you continued advancing at nearly the same pace until the end. Five points ahead of everyone else, despite everything that happened."

"That doesn’t prove anything."

"Then let the instructors inspect your equipment."

Lyra stared at him for several seconds.

"If we have nothing, will you withdraw your accusation?"

"If you’re innocent, you have nothing to worry about."

Ares almost sighed.

What is this?

He watched the exchange without saying anything.

They’re really doing this?

The accusation wasn’t even subtle.

They weren’t trying to prove anything. They simply wanted the instructors to investigate Valerian while everyone was still focused on the ranking.

And if something suspicious appeared, they would take advantage of it.

How convenient.

The Ramwel student continued.

"Even if you’re a princess, that doesn’t place you above the rules."

Ares almost laughed.

A princess?

Seriously?

They were standing there with such confidence that anyone unfamiliar with the situation might actually think they had caught someone red-handed.

He glanced toward the others.

Some of the teams were watching with interest, while others looked irritated at having their victory ceremony interrupted.

One student from another kingdom finally spoke.

"If you have evidence, present it. Otherwise, you’re wasting everyone’s time."

"We wouldn’t make such an accusation without reason."

"Then show us your reason."

The Ramwel student hesitated.

Ares noticed it.

There it is.

That little pause.

They had expected the instructors to immediately investigate Valerian, but they hadn’t expected someone to demand actual evidence first.

Ares stepped forward.

"I have something to say."

The Ramwel student looked at him.

"You?"

Ares reached into the side pouch attached to his belt.

"I think this belongs to you."

He removed a small glass vial and held it between two fingers.

The liquid inside was a deep crimson.

Around the neck of the bottle was a thin metal seal bearing the crest of Ramwel.

The moment the students saw it, their expressions changed.

The Ramwel student went completely still.

Ares tilted the vial slightly, letting the light catch the liquid inside.

"Interesting, isn’t it?"

Nobody answered.

The instructor’s expression darkened.

"Where did you get that?"

"Inside the dungeon."

Ares looked directly at the Ramwel students.

"I found it after one of your members discarded it."

"That isn’t ours."

The answer came too quickly.

Ares smiled.

"Really?"

"Someone must have planted it."

"Of course."

His tone was almost amused.

"That would certainly be convenient."

"You’re framing us."

"If I wanted to frame you, I wouldn’t have brought something carrying your kingdom’s crest directly in front of the instructors."

The student clenched his jaw.

"You could have obtained that somewhere else."

"Then perhaps the instructors should examine the potion themselves."

One of the instructors took the vial.

After inspecting the seal and the liquid, his expression became increasingly serious.

"Recovery potion."

The Ramwel students went silent.

The instructor turned toward them.

"Explain this."

"We—"

"You said Valerian was using prohibited potions."

The instructor’s voice had become noticeably colder.

"And now a prohibited potion bearing your kingdom’s seal has been found in the dungeon."

"That doesn’t prove we used it!"

"Then why was it there?"

No answer came.

Ares watched them carefully.

They still weren’t finished.

One of them finally spoke.

"We didn’t use that potion during the examination. Someone must have taken it from us."

Ares raised an eyebrow.

"Taken it from you?"

"Yes."

"And then somehow dropped it in the exact section where your team passed through?"

The student said nothing.

Ares continued.

"That’s certainly possible."

He paused.

"But there’s another problem."

The Ramwel students looked at him.

Ares’s expression remained calm.

"You didn’t just use potions."

Silence.

"Earlier, you disturbed the spider nest."

Their faces changed.

Ares continued before anyone could interrupt.

"You triggered the nest before leaving the area, then moved away without fighting the monsters you had disturbed."

Lyra looked toward him, realizing where he was going.

Ares gave a small smile.

"You were trying to slow us down."

One of the Ramwel students stared at him.

"How did you—"

He stopped himself.

Ares’s smile widened slightly.

There it is.

"You were going to ask how I knew?"

The student said nothing.

Ares looked around at the group.

"Because we were the ones who had to deal with them."

His voice remained calm, but there was unmistakable amusement in it now.

"Do you really think we wouldn’t notice that the monsters suddenly became unusually aggressive after another team had passed through the area?"

The Ramwel student’s face gradually lost its confidence.

Ares tilted his head.

"You were careful, I’ll give you that. You didn’t attack us directly, and you didn’t leave anything obvious behind."

He lifted the potion slightly.

"But you made one mistake."

The instructor looked at him.

Ares turned toward the Ramwel team.

"You assumed we wouldn’t notice."

The Ramwel students stood completely silent.

Ares gave them a faint, almost sympathetic smile.

"And now you’re accusing us of cheating because you need an explanation for why we were still ahead of you."

One of the Ramwel students finally snapped.

"That’s ridiculous! You have no proof that we disturbed those monsters intentionally!"

Ares shrugged.

"Then you should have no problem explaining why your team was seen leaving the area immediately after the nest was disturbed."

The student’s face stiffened.

The instructor’s eyes narrowed.

"Is that true?"

Nobody answered.

The instructor looked from one student to another.

"Answer me."

Still nothing.

The silence lasted several seconds.

Then one of the Ramwel students lowered his head.

The instructor’s expression changed.

"I see."

The Ramwel instructor stepped forward, his face visibly disappointed.

"You were aware of the rules."

"Professor, please—"

"I asked you to represent Ramwel with discipline and integrity."

"We only wanted to win."

"That does not excuse this."

The students lowered their eyes.

The atmosphere around them had completely changed.

The earlier confidence was gone, replaced by embarrassment and regret.

The head instructor finally spoke.

"Using prohibited recovery potions constitutes a violation of the competition rules. Deliberately interfering with another team’s progress is an additional violation."

He looked toward the Ramwel instructor.

"Do you agree?"

The man closed his eyes briefly before answering.

"Yes."

The head instructor turned toward the Ramwel team.

"Your team is disqualified from the competition."

Nobody protested this time.

The students simply stood there, their faces pale.

Now they had lost everything because of them.

Ares watched them quietly.

What a waste.

They were strong enough to compete for first place honestly.

Instead, they gambled everything on a cheap scheme and ended up exposing themselves.

They didn’t even notice that i sent a shadow to get one potion from their pouch.

Earlier when my team are fighting, i secretly use a shadow to see what the other teams are doing, that’s why i found out that they’re cheating.

Lyra glanced toward Ares.

He merely smiled and said nothing.

The final ranking had already been decided.

And this time, there was no way anyone could take it away from them.

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