My Second Chance in Life in Another World-Chapter 66: BEST FRIENDS

RAIDEN’S POV

Let’s go back a bit in time—when Will had just finished his 45th match.

It was already late at night by the time I returned to the academy. The campus was quiet, save for the occasional rustling of leaves and the distant hooting of an owl. Most students were likely in their dorms by now, either sleeping or preparing for the next day’s lessons.

I didn’t bother using the main gate. If the guards saw me sneaking in at this hour, they’d start asking questions—questions I wasn’t in the mood to answer. Instead, I slipped through a hidden passage behind the west wall, one I had discovered in my first year. It was narrow and required some maneuvering, but it allowed me to enter the academy undetected.

As soon as I made it inside, I headed straight for the cafeteria.

Not to eat—I had something more important to do.

The cafeteria was nearly empty, save for a few students lingering around. Most of them paid me no mind, engrossed in quiet conversations or their late-night meals.

Then I spotted him.

Byen, the Jack swordsman of our academy.

He was sitting alone, casually sipping from a cup while flipping through a book.

I walked over and took a seat across from him without saying a word.

Byen barely glanced up. Instead, he asked in a low voice, "Did you finish reading the book I lent you?"

It was a code. A discreet way of asking, ’Did you complete the task?’

I leaned back, offering a small smirk. "Yeah, and it was interesting."

Translation: Yes, the task was a success.

Byen nodded in approval, setting down his cup. "Is that so?" He reached into his coat and pulled out a small pouch, setting it on the table between us. The bag of gold coins made a soft clink as it landed. "Then here’s the money. Buy me the sequel."

I casually took the pouch and pocketed it. Payment received.

"Okay," I said, as if we were simply discussing books and nothing more.

Just as I was about to leave, Byen spoke again.

"Oh, and before you go," he mused, flipping a page in his book, "I saw your friend on the first floor of the fifth-year dormitory. He’s having fun with Alad."

I froze. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

The words were casual, but I knew what they meant.

Byen wasn’t talking about fun.

He was telling me, in code, that he had seen my friend—being bullied by Alad.

A sharp, cold anger flared in my chest.

I turned on my heel and sprinted out of the cafeteria.

I reached our dormitory within minutes, my breath slightly ragged from running. As soon as I burst through the door, my eyes darted around the room.

Tyiyn was lying on his bed, his arm draped over his eyes, looking half-asleep. Tork was sitting at his desk, flipping through a book, seemingly lost in thought.

But there was no sign of Will.

Tork looked up first, raising an eyebrow at my abrupt entrance.

"What happened?" he asked, setting his book aside. "You look like you’re searching for something."

Tyiyn sat up as well, rubbing his eyes. "Yeah, what’s with you? You’re acting like a madman."

I ignored their remarks. My mind was focused on only one thing.

"Where is Will?" I asked, my voice sharper than I intended.

Tork frowned. "Don’t know. I thought you were with him."

That wasn’t good.

I turned to Tyiyn. "And you?"

Tyiyn stretched his arms lazily, letting out a small yawn. "No clue. Maybe he’s with Chris?"

Chris? No. If Will was with Chris, I wouldn’t be feeling this overwhelming sense of urgency.

That confirmed it.

Will wasn’t with Chris.

He was with Alad.

At the fighting grounds.

And if Byen’s words were anything to go by, it wasn’t just a simple fight.

"Wait," Tork said suddenly, his sharp eyes locking onto mine. "Did Will disappear?"

His tone changed instantly. The lighthearted curiosity in his voice was gone, replaced with something far more serious.

"Eh? Did Will?" Tyiyn added, his usual laziness fading as he sat up straighter.

I hesitated.

I didn’t want to involve them.

Alad was dangerous, and if I brought them along, they’d be putting themselves at risk.

But I couldn’t go alone.

Alad’s fighting ground was his turf, and walking in alone would be suicide.

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms.

I had no choice.

Will needed help.

And I couldn’t do this alone.

Taking a deep breath, I looked at them and made my decision.

"I think I know where Will is..." I said, my voice tense.

Tork and Tyiyn immediately straightened up, their expressions turning serious.

"Where?" they asked in unison, their voices filled with urgency.

I clenched my fists. "If what I’m thinking is right, then Will is in big trouble."

The room fell silent for a second.

Tork was the first to react. "Huh? Why didn’t you say so earlier? Where is he?" He shot up from his bed, his chair scraping loudly against the floor.

Tyiyn, who usually had a carefree attitude, was now standing with a grave look on his face. "Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go!"

I couldn’t help but feel grateful for these two. They didn’t hesitate, didn’t question it—they were ready to run straight into danger for Will.

A small smile crossed my lips despite the situation. "Yeah, you two are true friends—no, my best friends. Let’s go. We don’t know what’s happening, and every second counts."

Just as we were about to leave, a voice came from the doorway.

"Bring me too."

We all turned toward the voice, and my eyes widened in surprise.

Standing there, her arms crossed, was Chris.

"Chris? What are you doing here?" I asked.

Chris wasn’t just any girl—she was Will’s childhood friend, someone who had been with him through thick and thin. But that didn’t mean I could let her come with us.

I shook my head. "I can’t bring you to such a dangerous place. You’re a—"

"Water Arrow!" Chris suddenly shouted.

Before I could react, three sharp, water-shaped arrows shot past me, barely missing my face. The cold droplets splashed against my skin, a clear warning.

"What are you doing?!" I asked, taking a step back.

Was she seriously attacking me just because I refused to let her come?

Chris narrowed her eyes. "Don’t underestimate me just because I’m a girl." Her voice was steady, filled with determination. "Will and I have faced much stronger opponents than you can imagine. So please, bring me. It’s my turn to save him now."

I stared at her for a moment, trying to gauge if she truly understood what she was getting into.

But the fire in her eyes told me everything.

There was no hesitation. No fear.

She was serious.

With a sigh, I relented. "Fine. Just don’t whine when you see what mess we’re getting into."

Chris smirked, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "I won’t."

I turned to the others. "Let’s go save that best friend of ours who’s always at the center of any trouble."

"Yeah!" they all replied in unison, and without another word, we sprinted toward the fighting grounds.

***

WILL’S POV

Pain.

It was all I could feel.

My body was trembling, every nerve screaming in agony. My mouth was filled with the metallic taste of blood, making it impossible to speak.

Is this where it ends?

Alad stood before me, his sword glinting in the moonlight. He had a twisted grin on his face, savoring the moment.

"That was a loud one," he chuckled, clearly entertained by my suffering. He casually twirled his sword before aiming it at my right leg. "How about I do the other leg next?"

No... Please don’t... I don’t want to feel that pain again...

I wanted to beg, to plead, but no words came out. My body refused to move.

I could only watch as he prepared to thrust his blade into my flesh.

I braced myself, expecting another wave of agony.

But before Alad could strike, a powerful voice rang out.

"Fireball!"

A bright orb of flames shot through the air, heading straight for Alad.

He barely managed to leap backward in time, dodging the attack. The fireball struck the ground where he had been standing, sending embers flying in all directions.

The sudden attack stunned the crowd, and for the first time that night, I saw a flicker of uncertainty cross Alad’s face.

The sound of footsteps echoed in the arena.

Three figures rushed in, their presence commanding the attention of everyone present.

Two of them immediately stepped in front of me, swords drawn, their blades pointed directly at Alad’s throat. The third stood by my side, ready to cast another spell if necessary.

My blurry vision slowly focused on them.

Tork... Tyiyn... Raiden...

They came.

"What do you think you’re doing to my friend?" Raiden asked, his tone ice-cold.

This wasn’t the usual Raiden—the one who joked around and acted carefree. This was a side of him I had rarely seen before. His eyes were sharp, his stance firm.

"Make one move, and you’re done," Tyiyn added, his voice carrying a weight that made even the onlookers step back.

Tork, who was usually the calmest among us, had his sword tightly gripped, his knuckles white. "Will, are you okay? Leave this to us."

I wanted to respond. I wanted to say thank you, to tell them I was okay.

But my throat blocked, and all I could do was stare at them in disbelief.

They actually came.

Even though it was dangerous.

Even though they could’ve ignored me.

They came anyway.

A familiar voice snapped me out of my daze.

"Will! Sorry we’re late!"

The girl who had cast the fireball stepped forward, her long brown hair swaying as she moved.

Chris.

She looked furious, her hands clenched into fists.

She turned to Alad, her expression dark. "Now that we’re here, you can leave everything to us. We won’t let you lay another hand on him."

I froze.

That line...

It was the exact same thing I had said to Chris when I saved her from Ruel.

And now, she was saying it back to me.

A weak chuckle escaped my lips, despite the pain.

Looks like we’ve switched places this time, huh?

For the first time since this nightmare began, I felt a spark of hope.

I wasn’t alone.

And I was going to survive this.

"Okay, okay, quit the drama nonsense. Who the heck are you brats?" Alad said, his lips curling into an arrogant smirk. His dark eyes gleamed with amusement as he lazily twirled his sword. "You dare to interrupt my playtime when it was at the climax? Who do you think you are?"

Chris’s body tensed beside me, but before she could reply, Raiden stepped forward, unfazed.

"You still have a lot to say even after having two swords at your neck?" Raiden said, his voice cold and unwavering.

For a brief moment, the onlookers murmured, wondering if Alad had finally met someone who could shut him up.

But Alad just laughed.

"This?" He gestured to the swords hovering at his throat, as if they were no more threatening than a pair of twigs. "Why would I feel threatened by this?"

Before anyone could react, Alad’s sword moved in a blur.

He’s fast!

Raiden’s eyes widened, and Tyiyn barely managed to dodge as the blade slashed through the air where he had just stood. The sudden attack had caught them off guard.

Alad’s smirk deepened as he took a casual step back, putting distance between them.

"Is that it?" he taunted, tilting his head mockingly. His stance remained loose, relaxed, as if this was all just a game to him.

"Tsk!" Raiden clicked his tongue in frustration, gripping his sword tighter.

Alad, on the other hand, suddenly snapped his fingers, as if he had just thought of something brilliant. His expression lit up with excitement.

"That’s right! I just thought of a great idea," he said, grinning widely.

Something about that grin sent a chill down my spine.

"I’m sorry that the event got interrupted," Alad continued, turning to the audience with exaggerated theatrics. "That’s why here’s a mini-event for you all!"

Mini-event?

A murmur of interest ran through the crowd. Some people chuckled, clearly entertained.

What’s he planning now?

"Werk, Cirris, come here," Alad called out.

Two figures emerged from the sidelines. Werk, a massive brute with arms like tree trunks, cracked his knuckles loudly. Cirris, a lean and agile fighter, twirled two daggers between his fingers with a smirk.

The moment they stepped forward, a pit formed in my stomach.

"This mini-event will be a battle between Will’s friends and Werk and Cirris!" Alad announced, his voice booming through the arena.

The crowd erupted in cheers and shouts. They weren’t just spectators anymore—they were gamblers eager for a show.

"Isn’t that exciting?!" Alad grinned. "What’s more, the one who can guess who will win will get one gold coin each."

The murmurs in the crowd turned into an excited frenzy.

"All you have to do is stand in the corner of the team you think will win and support them with all you’ve got," Alad continued, clearly enjoying himself. "The one who guesses correctly will get one gold coin! You can now guess!"

Immediately, the spectators rushed to Alad’s corner, gathering behind Werk and Cirris. Not a single person stood behind Raiden, Tyiyn, and Chris.

The message was clear.

They didn’t believe in us.

Not even a little.

The arena buzzed with energy, and a wave of laughter rippled through the crowd. People were already shouting bets, calling out how quickly Werk and Cirris would finish the fight.

"It seems like the audience can think properly," Alad mused, his smirk widening. "Well, I guess that’s that."

Raiden’s fists clenched. His glare was sharp enough to cut through steel.

"Do you think we’re playing your game?" he asked, his voice low, dangerous.

Alad shrugged, his tone still infuriatingly playful. "Who said I need your permission?" He chuckled, tilting his head. "You will have to fight, whether you want to or not."

Chris shifted beside me, her grip tightening around her wand. Tyiyn exchanged a glance with Raiden, silently assessing their options.

We were backed into a corner.

We had no choice.

"Now!" Alad raised his hand and snapped his fingers. "Werk! Cirris! Attack them!"

Without hesitation, Werk and Cirris lunged forward.