Standing before Team 10вЂTMs empty altar, Hector was speechless. His teammates caught up, panting.
Hector! Did you find it
What ItвЂTMs gone!
Seeing HectorвЂTMs thunderous expression, they quickly grasped the situation and looked around frantically.
Are they allowed to do that ItвЂTMs against the rules for them to move their own red relic!
Hector was lost in thought. That was true. You could steal another teamвЂTMs red relic, but you couldnвЂTMt move the one from your own altar. Which meant...
Those bastards!? HectorвЂTMs eyes blazed with fury.
вЂTMOne hour ago.вЂTM
The students were on a thirty-minute break. Teams huddled together, studying the rules and formulating strategies. Team 4, also in the first match, was doing the same.
Man, the department rep is intense,? a male student from Team 4 remarked with a shrug. Pierre Buckler had just delivered HectorвЂTMs message, and it was brutally clear.
—?DonвЂTMt interfere.
HectorвЂTMs Team 1 was going after SimonвЂTMs Team 10, period.
But isnвЂTMt this a good thing for us?? a female student on the team asked, pulling her knees to her chest. ?Honestly, the worst-case scenario was Team 1 and Team 10 coming after us and Team 13. But now the giants are going to fight each other. We can just stay out of their way and collect relics.
Exactly. WeвЂTMll at least avoid last place, and we wonвЂTMt get on the department repвЂTMs bad side.
A consensus was forming, but the leader of Team 4 remained silent, his arms crossed and eyes closed.
Leader, you donвЂTMt look happy,? the first student noted, narrowing his eyes. ?YouвЂTMre not actually aiming for first place, are you
The leader didnвЂTMt deny it. He lifted his head. ?Is there something wrong with a Kizen student aiming for first place
N-No, of course not! But letвЂTMs be realistic. We got super unlucky and ended up in a match with the Student Council President and the department rep! How are we supposed to beat them
The leader of Team 4 didnвЂTMt have an answer. He just hated having to accept defeat from the start, to resign himself to fighting for second or third place.
вЂTMAnyone can rise to the top at this school.вЂTM
He had witnessed a miracle firsthand: his own classmate had started in the 900s in the entrance rankings and had risen to the top by their second year. It had inspired him. He had sworn to be different this year. But now, in the very first major evaluation, he was supposed to give up on that vow just because of a bad draw
Hello, hello.
Just then, a girl with orange hair came bouncing over to them. The female student from Team 4 recognized her and waved.
Oh, hi, Eshe! What brings you here
Her,? the male student muttered, his expression hardening. ?SheвЂTMs from SimonвЂTMs Team 10.
The other members of Team 4 immediately went on guard. Eshe, unfazed, neatly folded her skirt and squatted down in the middle of them, grinning brightly.
What do you want?? the annoyed leader of Team 4 demanded.
HectorвЂTMs team was just here! I came to see if I could find out what they said!
In your dreams.? вЂTMThe nerve of her to ask so openly.вЂTM The leader turned his head away sharply. Eshe pouted. Then, a sly smile touched her lips.
Should I guess Can I вЂTMWeвЂTMre going to attack SimonвЂTMs team, so you guys stay out of it!вЂTM Something like that, right
The members of Team 4 flinched. Eshe chuckled. ?Actually, IвЂTMm here to deliver a message from our вЂTMStudent Council PresidentвЂTM!
Cut it out!? the leader of Team 4 roared, startling his teammates. ?Are you two the only teams in this test Huh Just because you have some power in this school, you treat us like we donвЂTMt matter and just give us orders. ItвЂTMs pissing me off! Fuck! ArenвЂTMt we Kizen students, too
L-Leader!
WhatвЂTMs with the sudden outburst!
His teammates tried to calm him down. EsheвЂTMs eyes widened. ?I think thereвЂTMs been a misunderstanding. WeвЂTMre not here to give вЂTMorders.вЂTM WeвЂTMre here to make a вЂTMproposalвЂTM.
A proposal
Hear me out before you get angry. IвЂTMll tell you exactly what the Student Council President said, word for word.? She clapped her hands together. ?IвЂTMm about to make you an offer you canвЂTMt refuse.
SimonвЂTMs proposal was shocking. After hearing it, the leader of Team 4 muttered in a daze, ?YouвЂTMre just going to give us your teamвЂTMs red relic
Eshe nodded vigorously.
Eshe. Look me in the eye and tell me,? the female student said, her eyes blazing. ?No strings attached
Nope!
Just for free
Yup, yup!
Why
I wasnвЂTMt told the reason. IвЂTMm just here to deliver the presidentвЂTMs message.
The leader of Team 4 rubbed his eyes, his expression troubled. вЂTMSimon knows Hector will attack. Rather than let his rival get the relic, is he planning to give it to us to screw Hector over?вЂTM
Just then, Eshe added, ?Oh, and he also said this: Our altar will be empty, so if you run there as soon as the match starts, you can grab the red relic before Hector gets there.
вЂTMJust as I thought.вЂTM
The fifteen-point red relic was a game-changer. Holding two of them would secure at least second place and dramatically increase their chances of winning. SimonвЂTMs motive was clear: use a third party to keep fifteen points out of HectorвЂTMs hands. For Team 4, it was an incredibly tempting offer.
Well, IвЂTMve said my piece, so IвЂTMm off!
As soon as Eshe left, Team 4 huddled together.
ItвЂTMs a trap!? the male student insisted. ?HeвЂTMs using the relic as bait to lure us into an ambush and wipe out our ghouls!
What if heвЂTMs actually working with Hector?? the female student countered. ?Maybe theyвЂTMve secretly teamed up to take out one team each and split the relics.
No.? The sleepy-eyed student who had been quiet the whole time finally spoke up with a yawn. ?ThatвЂTMs not it.
The leader of Team 4 looked at him. ?YouвЂTMre in Class A, right What are Simon and Hector really like
Hector Moore will go after Simon. No matter what. And,? he smacked his lips, ?Simon Polentia is not the type to lie.
That settled it. The leader stood up. ?IвЂTMll go to Team 10вЂTMs side alone with one ghoul. If anything seems off, IвЂTMll pull back immediately.
Even if it was a trap and he lost a ghoul or two, he decided it was a risk worth taking.
вЂTMPresent Day.вЂTM
Hah! Hah!
The leader of Team 4 sprinted through the darkness, a ghoul running alongside him. Inside its body was Team 10вЂTMs red relic.
вЂTMI did it! I did it! I did it!вЂTM
It was just as Simon had said. The altar was empty, and the sounds of battle up ahead suggested a clash between HectorвЂTMs and SimonвЂTMs teams. He had his ghoul swallow the red relic and was now racing back to his own base.
вЂTMI... Our Team 4...!вЂTM His lips trembled with exhilaration. вЂTMWeвЂTMre going to surpass Simon and Hector and take first place!вЂTM
He ran harder, and finally, Team 4вЂTMs altar came into view. He couldnвЂTMt wait to share the news. He pushed through the jet-black energy, about to accelerate—
вЂTMSHIIIIING!вЂTM
A sharp claw shot out from the darkness, grazing his ghoul. Startled, he commanded the ghoul back.
Hold it! Hold it right there! WeвЂTMll be conducting a spot inspection.
At the sudden voice, the leader looked up. Three pairs of eyes glinted in the darkness.
Where are you off to in such a hurry
Krrrrr!? At the same time, ghouls emerged from the shadows, prowling. A total of nine ghouls. He was completely surrounded.
вЂTMThump.вЂTM
A male student dropped from a tree, smirking and holding up a finger. ?Your ghoul looks quite plump. Mind if I cut its belly open and see whatвЂTMs inside
вЂTMThose bastards from Team 13! They must have sniffed it out!вЂTM
The leader of Team 4 quickly summoned two more ghouls, but it was still three against nine. The disadvantage was clear.
Alright, smash them all!? The nine ghouls controlled by Team 13 swarmed forward.
There he is! We found him!
Protect the leader!
But this time, voices came from ahead. The rest of Team 4 had arrived, their six ghouls charging at full speed.
Well now, youвЂTMre fast! But it doesnвЂTMt matter! Kill them all!
Golden lines appeared on several ghouls as вЂTMDirgeвЂTM was activated. They surged forward, trailing black energy like capes.
Not a chance!? The leader of Team 4 cast Dirge on his own ghoul and met the charge head-on. It was an all-out war from the very start.
Simon hadnвЂTMt only approached Team 4. While Eshe was talking to them, he had sent Toto to Team 13, who were strategizing behind the restrooms.
—?YouвЂTMre going to give your red relic to Team 4
He offered the red relic to Team 4, then intentionally leaked that information to Team 13. The members of Team 13 also debated if it was a trap, but it was information they couldnвЂTMt ignore. They, too, had been frustrated by the terrible draw and were about to enter the test simply trying to avoid last place. But suddenly, an unexpected opportunity had appeared. What if Simon was telling the truth Team 4 would get first place.
And from Team 13вЂTMs perspective, Team 4 was beatable. Of course, they had to consider SimonвЂTMs intentions, but...
—?ThereвЂTMs no way in hell IвЂTMm letting Team 4 take first place.
This was a game where they were destined for a boring fight for third or fourth place. If there was even a sliver of a chance to win, they were willing to bet on it.
So, when the test began, the leader of Team 13 led three teammates to lie in ambush on the path between Team 10 and Team 4. Just as Simon had predicted, the leader of Team 4 passed by alone. Soon, a muddy, desperate battle erupted between the two teams vying for the top spot.
вЂTMOoh-hoo-hoo! Our Student Council President has a brilliant mind!вЂTM Eshe was amazed. His understanding of Hector, his grasp of the other teamsвЂTM situations—he had to have it all figured out to devise such a strategy.
While everyone else was fighting, Eshe headed for Team 13вЂTMs base.
W-WhoвЂTMs there!
Team 13 had gone to attack Team 4, leaving only one member to guard the altar. Seeing him jump in alarm, Eshe waved cheerfully. ?Hi! ItвЂTMs the friendly neighborhood empty-house thief!
Eshe had her criteria. Two or more defenders, sheвЂTMd pass. A defender from Group A or B, sheвЂTMd pass. But luckily, a single student from the weakest D group was guarding it. This, she could win.
YouвЂTMre from Team 10!? he sputtered, pointing at her with an enraged expression. ?You tricked us!
Huh I really, truly didnвЂTMt trick you.? Eshe tilted her head. ?We just gave you information about Team 4. No coercion, no requests. Whether you used that information or ignored it was your decision.
She thrust her arms forward. ?And so, your red relic! WeвЂTMll be taking it!
Behind her, a ghoul covered in orange paint began to run. For some reason, it even had lipstick smeared on its mouth.
You have terrible taste!
The student from Team 13 controlled three ghouls. It was a three-on-one fight. EsheвЂTMs lipstick-wearing ghoul was quickly pinned to the ground.
Ha! You were so confident, but you only brought one
As the student taunted her, the subdued ghoulвЂTMs mouth opened.
вЂTMActivate!вЂTM
A change occurred in her ghoulвЂTMs summoning circle. The operational values of its formulas and shapes shifted, and an adjacent magic circle lit up. Eshe instantly constructed a reverse-engineered structure, reassembling the components into a curse.
—Test takers may only use techniques applicable to ghouls.
A curse doll, created purely from the ghoulвЂTMs summoning magic and thus not violating the rules, slipped into the mouths of the opponentвЂTMs ghouls.
Ghoul Dirge. My success rate with this in a real fight is pretty low,? she said, raising her arms like a pianist. ?But IвЂTMm an expert at messing things up!
The curse dollвЂTMs magic penetrated the opponentвЂTMs summoning circles. Eshe instantly drew RenoвЂTMs Golden Line in reverse.
вЂTMGush!вЂTM
The studentвЂTMs ghouls howled in pain, vomiting streams of jet-black energy.
Wh-What is this What did you do?!
Eshe laughed, touching a fingertip to her tongue. ?Everyone only thinks about casting Dirge on their own ghouls. They never think of casting it on their opponentвЂTMs.
вЂTMThud! Thump!вЂTM
All three of the studentвЂTMs ghouls collapsed. Eshe summoned a new ghoul from her subspace and had it casually retrieve the red relic. The student from Team 13 could only watch helplessly.
You—!
Bye! ItвЂTMs just a test, so donвЂTMt hate me too much!? she giggled, fleeing with her prize.
вЂTMI think IвЂTMve joined a fun team!вЂTM
With this, Team 10 had secured two relics, taking a huge step toward victory. Team 13 could hardly retaliate; they would have to bet everything on their fight against Team 4, who now also possessed two relics. The only remaining problem was Hector, who had been thoroughly outplayed by Simon. And he certainly wouldnвЂTMt back down easily.
вЂTMI wonder what Hector will do now?вЂTM

Comments

Loading...