NOVEL WEB Chapter 50: Wooden Bridge
The only ones who weren't affected by the Telecactus's illusion magic were Von and Amber, because they refused to drink the water from the lake.
Some members of the squad were lucky enough to break free from the spell using their strong willpower. But those who were mentally weak were devoured.
Von and Amber couldn't intervene because anyone who drank the water was pulled into the illusion realm created by the Telecactus, a powerful spell close to Seventh Class spell.
The only way to escape was to overcome your deepest desire.
Those who managed to break free from the illusion were returned to the spot where they had vanished.
Some mages even succeeded in defeating the Telecactus inside the illusion, which also brought them back to reality.
The remaining survivors were Gabby, Amber, Von, Maya, a priest named Myr, a Gravity Mage named Helen.
The last to emerge was Robin. He had defeated the Telecactus, its body covered in deep, jagged cuts.
Gabby thought to himself, "He was drenched in sweat, and blood seeped through the cracks in his armor. His breathing was also heavy."
Helen was still scared by what she saw. She lost her friend, and the memory of the illusion still hurt her deeply. Maya felt the same way—sad and shaken by everything that happened.
But the priest, Myr, was not affected. He was protected by divine energy, which helped him break free from the illusion easily.
Von stepped forward, his voice steady but heavy with emotion:
"Out of the hundred brave souls who set out on this expedition, only a handful of us remain. Gabby, Von, Amber, Maya, Myr, Helen, Robin… we are all that's left.
We've lost friends and comrades. Each one of them fought with courage, and many gave their lives in ways we may never fully understand.
But right now, mourning must wait. The dungeon portal we face is unforgiving, and survival demands our focus.
We must live—for their sake. We must fight—not just for ourselves, but to honor those who fell. Their sacrifices must not be in vain.
So, gather your strength. Steel your hearts. We move forward together."
With his speech the squad's morale has been lifted.
And so, they continued their journey on foot. They couldn't afford to slow down or waste time—they didn't know when the Thrixell might catch up.
After walking for another league, they finally saw a waterfall in the distance. It looked peaceful, almost like a sign of hope.
But standing in their way was a wooden bridge. Beneath it was a sea of snake-like monsters, each one filled with deadly venom. They swam and leapt through the water like dolphins, their movements fast and wild.
They crossed the bridge. Gabby was still at the rear, tailing Robin.
All of the squad has made it to the other side. And midway, Robin and Gabby remained.
Then suddenly—Robin choked him in the neck without a warning. Raising him above the groun.
Gabby remained calm. There is no reaction from his face.
He remarked, "So, it will all comes to this, huh?"
Von and Maya turned around as they noticed Robin's action.
Maya asked, "What are you doing, Robin?"
Robin remarked, "We can't let this useless fool pass the exam while our worthy comrades died because of his reckless actions. He's the reason Thrixell kept chasing us. His incompetence caused us to lose more people—and when he drank from the lake, it led to even greater losses.
He added, "You deserve to die, Gabby."
Von stepped in, trying to stop Robin. "Don't do this, Robin. I swear, I'll kill you if you hurt him."
Robin glared at Von. "Then choose. It's either me or this useless fool."
He sneered. "Of course you'll pick him over your classmates—those who bled for survival. I bet you'll even get a nice reward for keeping him alive. Am I right, Von?"
Von looked away. He couldn't deny it. If Gabby survived, Professors Morisson and Odel promised Von a spot in the upcoming Academy competition and a reward in gold coins.
Amber turned to him. "Is that true, Von?"
Von said nothing.
Amber's voice hardened. "You let so many die… all for Gabby? You didn't tell us. Over ninety students gone, and none of us knew your real motives."
Maya sat silently, hands over her eyes, too shaken to speak.
Gabby, calm despite the tension, said softly, "I know who you are."
Amber shouted, "Throw Gabby off the bridge! Let the sea snake eat his worthless body."
Von declared, "I won't allow this. If you do this, Robin, I swear—you won't make it out of this Dungeon Portal alive."
Robin raised an eyebrow. "So I was right. The squad leader's threatening me now?"
He tightened his grip around Gabby's neck and asked, "Any last words?"
Gabby simply repeated, "I know who you are."
Robin smirked. "What a fool. Yeah, you know me well enough to understand. I protect my people. And if getting rid of you is what it takes, then so be it."
He let go.
Gabby fell from the bridge.
Everyone stood in silence, watching Gabby fall—except for Robin, who confidently strode away from the wooden bridge without looking back.
As soon as Gabby hit the surface of the sea, dozens of snakes burst from the water, swarming toward him. They leapt at his body with terrifying speed.
He vanished beneath the waves, consumed by the writhing mass of serpents.
Moments later, a pool of blood surfaced. A silent proof that Gabby was gone.
As Robin stepped off the bridge, calm and composed, Von met him with fury burning in his eyes.
Without a word, Von swung his fist, fast and raw with emotion but before it could land, a priest darted forward and caught his arm mid-air.
"That's enough, Von," the priest said firmly, gripping him with surprising strength. "God does not favor a child who spreads misfortune. Gabby was the cause of our squad's downfall, not Robin."
Von pulled his arm back, chest heaving with anger, shame, and regret. His eyes narrowed, not at Robin, but at the weight of his own decisions.
Amber and Helen stepped in, their staffs glowing faintly as they pointed them at Von. Their faces were hard with resolve.
"We still respect you as our squad leader," Amber declared. "But what you did. Keeping secrets, manipulating outcomes was unacceptable."
Helen added coldly, "If you truly plan to harm Robin, then you'll have to get through us first."
Von stood frozen, surrounded by the very people he was meant to protect. His position, once rooted in leadership and trust, now trembled beneath the weight of betrayal and broken bonds.
Von realized that friendship is more importand than the reward so he remarked, "I'm sorry everyone. I was blinded by my own dreams and got pulled by political manuevering of the Academy."
Von lowered his weapon and dropped to his knees, the weight of guilt pressing heavily on his shoulders. He looked around at the faces of his teammates, the pain, the betrayal, the silent disappointment etched into every glance.
"I thought I was doing the right thing," Von said softly, his voice cracking. "I thought that if I could secure that Academy spot… I'd finally be recognized. Not just as a leader, but as someone worth following."
He clenched his fists, trembling. "But I was wrong. I was blinded by ambition, seduced by promises of prestige and power. I traded trust for a dream built on sacrifice and not mine, but yours."
A breeze swept across the bridge, carrying with it the scent of blood and salt. Von's eyes met Amber's. "You all fought with courage, loyalty, and heart. And I" His throat tightened. "I let politics manipulate me into seeing Gabby not as a person, but as a stepping stone."
Tears welled in his eyes. "Friendship… it's not something to measure in rewards or victories. It's earned in trials, in standing by one another, no matter the cost. And I failed you."
Helen looked down, her grip on her staff easing slightly. The tension in the air lingered, but something shifted.
Von continued, his voice steadier now. "I don't deserve forgiveness. But I will fight—not for the Academy, not for recognition, but for all of you. If I have to earn back your trust step by step, I will. Even if it means walking through the depths of this dungeon alone."
He added, "I promised that we will make it and survived through this."
"I can't trust anyone in this squad anymore." Maya whispered inwardly.
She was an ordinary, non-awakened girl with a useless ability: the ability to communicate with animals. But here, in this survival exam, her power felt completely useless. There were no animals around, not even a single bird or insect to answer her call.
She hadn't chosen to be here. Her friend had pressured her into joining, convinced that her ability would prove valuable. But now, surrounded by danger and distrust, Maya felt out of place like she didn't belong in a world built for warriors and awakened talents.