Anomaly of Fate
Chapter 60: Consequence of Chaos

Chapter 60: Consequence of Chaos

The explosion roared through the clearing, a violent wave of force that should have torn through everything in its path. Yet, for Velren, there was no fire, no shockwave, no debris. Only darkness.

It swallowed him whole the moment Professor Vekar’s barrier snapped into place. The sounds of destruction beyond it dulled, as if the world itself had been muted, leaving only the weight of the void pressing against his skin.

Velren’s breath came slow and steady, but beneath that, there was unease. His instincts screamed at him—this wasn’t just an ordinary defense. It wasn’t like Solenne’s barrier, nor was it a conventional dome of protection. This was something else, something deeper. The darkness didn’t just block out the explosion. It felt like it had consumed it.

He couldn’t see Eterna in his arms, but he still felt her presence, the faint rise and fall of her breath against his chest. At least she was still there. Still real. Unlike this endless black, stretching in every direction with no horizon, no up or down—

Until...

The suffocating darkness around him began to thin, retreating like mist dissolving under the morning sun. Velren felt it first—a subtle shift in the air, a loosening of the oppressive weight pressing against his skin. Then, without warning, the black dome fractured, splintering into wisps of shadow before vanishing entirely.

His vision returned in a sudden rush. And what he saw left him stunned.

’What the hell...’

The forest, once dense and unyielding, had been utterly transformed. Trees that had stood for decades were now nothing but splintered stumps, their trunks either vaporized or flung far beyond sight. The ground was torn and scarred, deep trenches and jagged fissures marking where the explosion had ravaged the earth.

Yet, at the center of it all—directly where Cloaky had fallen—was something that shouldn’t be there. Amidst the devastation, the metallic clearing remained untouched. The ground beneath where Cloaky had died, a perfect circular plate of polished silver, was completely intact. Not a single crack nor a single mark of damage can be seen on it.

The explosion should have destroyed everything in its radius, yet the metal remained firm, unyielding, almost unnatural.

’Again... What the actual hell?!’

This wasn’t normal. None of this was normal. And whatever that thing—Cloaky—had been, it clearly wasn’t something that belonged to this world.

"...Do you mind letting me go?"

Velren blinked, finally snapping out of his daze. That was when he realized—Eterna was still in his arms, held close against him. He immediately let go, stepping back with an awkward cough.

"Ah... right. My bad."

Eterna, as always, barely reacted. Her usual indifferent expression remained, though there was something unreadable in her gaze as she dusted off her uniform.

"It’s fine. I get why you did it," she said simply, rolling her shoulders as if nothing had happened.

Velren exhaled in relief, grateful that she wasn’t making a big deal out of it. But before he could fully collect himself, he felt it—that weight. A familiar, piercing stare drilling into him.

He turned, and there stood their homeroom teacher, Professor Vekar.

Velren gulped. That look... He had seen it before—many times, in fact. It was the same deadpan stare Fenrir often gave him whenever he did something particularly reckless. The kind of gaze that made it very clear: You really think you’re getting away with this?

The professor’s voice was calm, yet firm.

"I believe the announcement was clear. All first-years were to evacuate to the nearest safe zone immediately."

Damn. No hesitation, no room for excuses—just straight to the point.

’This guy doesn’t cut loose ends, huh?’

Velren opened his mouth, ready to explain, to at least protest something—but before he could, another voice cut in.

"It’s my fault," Solenne said, stepping forward.

"The intruder... it was after me from the very beginning. They were only trying to help."

Velren shot her a look.

’Wow. A big save from the princess herself!’

Professor Vekar remained silent for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then, with a tone that brokered no argument, he spoke:

"You will all face disciplinary action. Further consequences will be decided in due time."

Velren sighed. Well... it could’ve been worse.

The Professor glanced toward the destruction one last time before turning away.

"For now, make your way to the main beach. Move."

***

As they made their way toward the safe zone, Velren noticed two additional figures walking among them—Solenne’s partner and Mikhail’s partner, the ones Eterna had knocked out earlier. It seemed the professor had managed to protect them from the explosion as well, as both were now conscious, albeit looking worse for wear.

Solenne’s partner, the girl with the staff, walked beside her, still slightly unsteady, occasionally rubbing her temple as if trying to shake off lingering dizziness. Mikhail’s partner, on the other hand, was scowling, clearly irritated by how things had turned out.

"Tch, can’t believe I got taken out just like that..." the axe wielder muttered under his breath, throwing a side glance at Eterna.

Eterna, unfazed, kept walking without sparing them a single look.

Meanwhile Solenne, sensing the tension, sighed.

"We should be close to the beach by now."

Of course, the only reason they even knew where to go was because of Professor Vekar. He hadn’t joined them, choosing instead to remain at the site of the battle. Whether it was to investigate the scene or to ensure no further threats emerged, Velren didn’t know. He also didn’t care to find out.

What he did care about, however, was the fact that he was currently stuck with Mikhail leaning heavily against him.

’Why do I have to be the one carrying this guy?’

Professor Vekar had given the order to wake him up earlier, and now here he was—letting Mikhail lean on him like some kind of walking crutch. The guy was conscious, sure, but still groggy, stumbling slightly with every other step.

Mikhail, after a while, began glancing at the others. His gaze lingered on Solenne, then shifted briefly to Eterna before finally landing on Velren. He squinted, narrowing his eyes in scrutiny.

"Say... who the fuck are you supposed to be?"

Velren nearly stopped walking.

’Is this guy serious?’

Was this an aftereffect of Eidolon Veil? Did it somehow mess with people’s memories, making them forget his existence for a short while? Or was this guy just that stupid?

Velren exhaled through his nose, deciding he was too tired to even deal with this.

"I’m... tired and need some sleep."