Aizen Arena is bustling from dawn.
The team battle is where all the students from five academies gather to showcase their skills.
Even though it’s not a tournament-style competition per squad but rather a clash of all five factions at once, the time required is no joke.
After the conclusion of the first round, the squads waiting in the back take their place.
This pattern repeats for a total of five battles.
The sparring is conducted as a mock siege battle.
“There seem to be some promising youths this year as well. Perhaps I should take one.”
Voices came from outside the waiting room door.
“This time, I’ve set my sights on someone from Wisdom Academy.”
“Hmm, but won’t the maintenance costs be enormous?”
“If the allowances rise, I’ll just let them go and bring in someone new. But if they stay, that’s fine by me too.”
Judging by their conversation, they must be minor nobles looking to scout talents.
Now is the best time to hire elite students at the cheapest rate, just before they enter the workforce.
The value of selected team members was so high that it was out of reach, so their attention naturally shifted to the rest of the students.
From my perspective, they’re considered the leftovers, but in the public’s eyes, they’re still elite students from prestigious academies.
Anyway, this has nothing to do with our proud Frostheart.
“Hersel, are you sure it’s fine not to check on them? You’re the student council president. Shouldn’t you at least give them some words of encouragement?”
“It won’t make much difference anyway, Limberton.”
The integrated sparring serves as a debut stage to showcase oneself.
“This is essentially a job market. The more prominent one’s performance, the more they’ll catch the employers’ eyes. After that, they’ll receive excellent offers and walk a path of glory.”
But that doesn’t apply to Frostheart.
“From the moment we enroll, we’re bound to become Pathfinders. That’s imperial law.”
No matter how well we do, there’s no benefit.
Under such conditions where motivation is hard to instill, any words of encouragement would only have a fleeting effect.
They would only feel the stark gap in skill and end up more disappointed than expected.
However, this didn’t mean the main players should slack off.
“Still, for those selected, things might be different. Depending on their performance, they might receive contracts from high-ranking families or even the royal family.”
“Huh? I thought we were all destined to become Pathfinders?”
I shook my head at Limberton’s question.
“There’s a law in the empire, Limberton, called the Special Talent System. If it’s deemed beneficial for the nation, they’re given special privileges, even allowing them to hold high-ranking positions.”
In such cases, Frostheart has no choice but to comply.
“So everyone should give it their best. Even if you choose the Pathfinder route, having multiple offers indicates your recognized value. Naturally, this would be advantageous for promotions too, wouldn’t it?”
Motivated by this, their eyes began to shine.
Among them, Ricks’ gaze was particularly intense.
“If I do well, maybe even the Orian family…”
Considering his family was poorer than Limberton’s Delsi family, it was understandable.
Now, perhaps I should set a goal to wrap things up.
“Listen up, everyone. Our goal is—”
“To win, of course.”
Haha, Mircel says all we need is to beat Everblaze.
That alone would stun people, wouldn’t it?
“Yes, the goal is to win, of course.”
I gave a vague response before Limberton caught my attention. He was nervously glancing at the clock, unable to stay still. He seemed quite anxious about the team battle.
“Limberton?”
As I said earlier, he probably thinks I should be more involved.
“Huh?”
“I believe I’ve fulfilled my duties as student council president. The rest depends on how they perform.”
As the integrated sparring date approached, the student council had been bustling with activity.
Even while busy with academy restoration, we devised strategies to secure a good performance in the team battle.
We distributed those strategies to the squad representatives, but whether they’d give it their all depended on their mental state.
“So, all we need to do is quietly cheer for them from behind.”
Though I don’t remember each of their faces, we’ve spent years together.
Whether willingly or not, I’ve seen with my own eyes the efforts they’ve made.
And I love stories where hard work is rewarded in the end.
Achievements have a way of moving people’s hearts just by witnessing them.
***
When the time came, we took our seats in the section prepared for the selected members.
The seating arrangement resembled a coliseum.
Everything was designed for the sole purpose of watching the battles unfold below.
“They’re going to do a siege battle in a place like that?”
Limberton pointed toward the stage.
Miniature fortresses, bridges, and other terrains like hills and grass patches were scattered around.
“Even if it’s divided by squads, still, with five academies, that’s 500 participants per battle. Isn’t it way too small?”
As Limberton said, the stage was about the size of an auditorium.
If everyone entered, there wouldn’t be room to step, but with the mechanisms embedded inside, it was more than sufficient.
“You wouldn’t know since it’s your first time.”
“Huh?”
“Look at the others. None of them seem to find it strange, do they?”
The organizers directed the squads participating in the first round.
The participants, equipped with their gear, stepped onto the stage in a single file.
As soon as they entered, their entire bodies, along with their equipment, shrank in size.
“W-What the… I’ve turned into a dwarf!”
“It’s thanks to magic. Beneath the arena lies a magical artifact that adjusts the size of the space. Those structures over there may look like toys, but they’re actually built to real scale.”
“…Such incredible magic exists?”
Before I knew it, more people besides Limberton were listening to my explanation.
It’s too bothersome to explain to each of them individually.
Seeing my annoyed expression, Bellman thankfully showed off his knowledge.
“Spatial adjustment magic is the secret art of an ancient grand magician. His name was Deol Meckelon, the 13th tower master of the Mage Tower. Before his death, he turned his body into a magical artifact and donated it here.”
Limberton frowned.
“Ugh, now it just looks like a grave to me. Fighting up there feels kind of… unsettling…”
“What’s the big deal? He himself gave permission to trample on it.”
Riamon’s reply was devoid of any unease. Limberton, having grown accustomed to his tactless remarks, didn’t make much of a fuss.
“We’ve come this far, so there’s no turning back. But I really don’t want to shrink any smaller…”
“The fact that you could shrink even more is quite impressive, though.”
Limberton’s brow furrowed deeply as he glared at Riamon. That remark was bound to hit a nerve.
“You don’t need to worry about that, Limberton. Our sparring will follow traditional methods. The magical artifact won’t be activated.”
Bellman’s explanation made me nod silently. The team battle, which was initially conducted in cramped conditions, had been expanded to give them more opportunities to shine.
The last participant in the back row stepped onto the stage.
Then, the mages from the Mage Tower waved their staffs, and energy began to gather in midair.
What formed was one giant orb, accompanied by four smaller orbs orbiting it like satellites.
The audience gawked in astonishment.
Even those who had seen it before must have found it awe-inspiring.
The orbs acted as enormous screens that displayed the same scene from every angle.
The main battles were shown on the central giant orb, while the smaller orbs highlighted notable performers from each academy.
This demonstrated the Mage Tower’s advanced technology, bordering on over-technology.
Just as tension filled the air, the first to make a move was the Valient faction.
“Uh-oh, Hersel, they’re starting already!”
They quickly mounted horses stationed within their fortress and began a cavalry charge.
Their target was Wisdom Academy, which always claimed second place.
“Hmm, judging by the number of troops left at their base, the vanguard must consist of a select elite force.”
With those words, I quietly observed the team battle. The fierce clash between Valient, teeming with aspiring top-tier knights, and Wisdom, known for their magical prowess, was intense.
Feeling it would take some time, I turned my attention to the other academies.
As expected, the rivals Everblaze and Scarlett ignored the relatively weaker two factions and continued their own skirmishes.
To them, Frostheart didn’t even exist.
“…It feels like we’re being treated as invisible, doesn’t it?”
“To them, Frostheart is just dessert for the victorious faction, Limberton.”
“Still, isn’t that a bit too dismissive?”
I sighed at Limberton’s remark.
“Our seniors have passed down a long history of being crushed, their flags torn from fortresses, and all points surrendered. There’s absolutely nothing to be proud of.”
Just then, Harpal’s voice echoed from the orb focused on our faction.
It was likely one of Ricks’ group.
“I’m not sure if this is the right move…”
“Then do you have a better strategy?”
“Well, no, but leaving only one defender in the fortress while everyone else charges out… If we get ambushed, we’re done for.”
Although his words sounded weak, I couldn’t completely dismiss Harpal’s concerns.
We had trained to hunt monsters or survive in the wilderness, not to fight against people in siege battles.
The crash courses we received barely covered the basic concepts.
Even forming proper battle lines, the core of close combat, was amateurish.
Most were only hobby-level equestrians, and even those who knew cavalry tactics were barely beginners compared to the enemy.
However, there were areas where we excelled, and they didn’t.
“Harpal, we’ll stick to the plan. The student council put a lot of thought into this strategy, so it should work. Unless you have a brilliant alternative?”
“Do I look like I have one? Fine, let’s go.”
The squad leaders led their troops toward the fortress’s rear gate, leaving their horses behind.
They covered themselves with cloaks and moved quietly through the bushes.
Luckily, Scarlett and Everblaze were too focused on their battle to notice much else.
Though some tried to observe Frostheart’s movements, they wouldn’t notice a thing.
Why?
“Do what we learned in class.”
Stealth techniques were a basic course at Frostheart.
While other factions had individuals specializing in infiltration, all Frostheart students were trained in it.
And not against humans but against monsters with keener senses.
“Think of them as monsters and suppress your presence to the max. Got it?”
If they noticed us, it would only be because of our mistakes.
Harpal directed the magic division.
“See the gaps between the trees? Let’s expand the foliage.”
The mages waved their staffs to enhance the cover further.
As they advanced, the knights of Scarlett Academy suddenly blocked their path with surprised expressions.
Of course, no matter how much they underestimated us, they wouldn’t leave their defenses completely unmanned.
Now, it was up to Frostheart’s cohesion. Watching with interest, I couldn’t help but chuckle at Harpal’s next comment.
“Three-Headed Wolf!”
The three-headed wolf we had encountered during the labyrinth training.
It was a tricky monster that needed to be dealt with cautiously, avoiding its howling to prevent being surrounded by a pack.
Because of this, Harpal’s words sounded almost like a password.
“At… attack!”
It seemed the others participating in the team battle felt the same way.
Those who had frequently hunted such creatures acted before the sentry could even alert their allies. Using magic, they silenced any sound and began closing in, surrounding the sentry from all sides.
Smack!
The sentry was struck on the head by Harpal’s sword and knocked unconscious.
What followed happened in an instant.
“While the magic division keeps them busy, set up the ropes! Attach them to the walls!”
“Those infiltrating, focus on opening the gates immediately!”
Even though we lacked siege warfare skills, Scarlett’s troops had left only about a quarter of their forces in the fortress, with the rest out on the battlefield.
“Damn it, we’re under attack! Tell them to return immediately!”
Despite their attempts to return and resist fiercely, the gates were quickly breached due to our overwhelming numbers.
Meanwhile, Scarlett’s forces, locked in combat with Everblaze and now aware of the situation, were visibly anxious, glancing repeatedly between the fortress and their immediate foes.
Their hesitation didn’t last long.
The flag was paramount.
The moment it was captured, the faction would be declared defeated.
Even while risking attacks from Everblaze, Scarlett hurriedly retreated to defend their flag.
But it was already too late.
Harpal roared as he held the wooden flagpole high.
“It’s down!”
Scarlett’s symbolic eagle flag fell to the ground below the fortress.
In its place, the Pathfinder’s compass-marked flag rose, prompting stunned silence from the audience.
“What?”
“Wait, which faction already… huh?”
Murmurs erupted as onlookers tried to make sense of the situation. Most had been watching the intense battle between Valient and Wisdom, so it took a while for the realization to sink in.
After all, something like this had never happened before.
“So… you’re saying Scarlett was taken down? By… Frostheart?”
Even I struggled to grasp the reality of it.
Limberton was in the same boat, though for a slightly different reason.
“Wait, that worked? Just like that?”
“It might have seemed simple, but listen, Limberton. That was far from easy.”
Others might see it as a straightforward strategy, an easy win.
But the reality was quite the opposite.
“Even with superior numbers, achieving that in such a short time is no small feat. It required precise coordination. If Scarlett’s troops had returned before it was over, it would have been a failure.”
Overwhelming with numbers alone isn’t enough to topple a fortress.
The defenders always have the advantage, as terrain can often allow a smaller force to defeat a larger one.
“When did those guys get so in sync?”
It wasn’t surprising for members of the same squad to cooperate well, but cohesion between different squads was rare.
Though Pathfinders were known for large-scale cooperative missions when needed, most of the time, they operated independently.
Their tasks often involved treasure hunting, which sometimes made rivals out of allies, leading to internal competition.
This was why I felt an inexplicable unease.
“Ah, I think I know why,” Limberton chimed in.
“Hm?”
“Remember when we fought the spirits? Everyone worked together well then.”
Hmm, there’s some truth to that.
“Even so, just one instance of teamwork isn’t enough.”
“It’s not just that. Don’t forget, they worked together on rebuilding the fortress. By now, they can coordinate without even speaking. They just signal, and spells fly exactly where they’re needed.”
Ah, that made sense.
Construction work required synchronization.
And since they had built a fortress themselves, they would naturally understand the structure of their target.
During the process, they must have honed their skills in magic and aura, turning the project into training.
In that case…
As the possibilities of what could happen next crossed my mind, I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“What’s so funny all of a sudden?” Limberton asked, puzzled.
“I’m just glad to see they’ve started on the right foot. And knowing that their capabilities are higher than expected.”
“Uh… what?”
“Limberton, do you know how small nations survive among great powers?”
“…Stop dragging it out and just tell me.”
“By mastering diplomacy.”
Valient and Wisdom are too preoccupied fighting each other on high ground to notice us.
Our targets are only Everblaze and Scarlett.
And this last battle proved how Frostheart could influence their fight.
One of them could fall below Frostheart, the traditional last place.
Thus, a three-way battle has formed.
The initiative, naturally, belongs to Frostheart.
“Round two will be interesting, Limberton. With the right words, we can manipulate them however we want.”
“You… what kind of strategy did you come up with?”