Chapter 55
The challenge, involving the pride of the leaders of Class A and Class B, had begun.
The tense atmosphere between the two made me gulp unconsciously.
Marin was a character who, even in the original work, showed a lot of affection towards those around her.
She must have done the same for the kids in Class B and thus trusted them as well.
Mei, although she looked a bit gruff, had an incredible affection for Class A.
Neither of them thought their class would lose at all, so if one side were to lose, one of them would inevitably be hurt.
Thinking that a 3-3 draw would be nice, I peered at the battle of the first team reflected beyond the displayed screen.
Overall, it was Class B that was on the offensive.
However, Class A was holding firm thanks to Daniel’s timely support and André’s solid defense.
It seemed like a stalemate, but then, Daniel, having slipped behind André’s shield and out of sight, jumped up and launched a powerful javelin.
One of the kids from Class B, hit by it, disappeared from the screen, possibly having sustained damage beyond the capacity of their protection gear, and was flung out of the illusion spell.
“That’s it, Daniel!”
“Aah! If you get hit by that!”
I heard the contrasting sounds of joy and despair from both sides.
It had been pretty even with the same number of players, but with a decrease in numbers, the balance was broken.
With a numerical advantage, Class A turned aggressive, and eventually, members of Class B began to drop out one by one, leading to Class A’s victory.
As the illusion magic lifted, the victorious kids from Class A returned triumphantly, striding like they were in a victory parade.
“Mwahahaha! Applaud!!!”
“Daniel! Daniel! He’s a god!”
“Everyone else was great too!”
As Daniel, the hero of the victory, raised his spear high and shouted, the other kids from Class A cheered.
The kids from Class B looked a bit heated by this provocation.
Mei leaned her head back slightly and muttered to Marin, as if stating the obvious.
“It seems like Class A is going to win.”
“Hmph, there’s still just one match! The next five are definitely going to Class B!”
Marin shot back confidently, then turned toward the kids sitting in Class B and shouted loudly.
“Don’t give up! Show the strength of Class B!”
I could see the kids from Class B lifting their spirits in response to Marin’s shout.
They seemed resolute in their thoughts of getting back at them for sure.
Mei, still convinced that Class A would win, watched this scene with an air of leisurely confidence, as if giving them a challenge.
However, when the results of the battles for teams 2 and 3 were announced, Mei’s smile vanished.
This was because both teams had won for Class B.
“Waaah, we lost…”
Had Jessie heard the contents of the betting? Before the battle of team 3, Jessie, who had proclaimed, “I will definitely score a point!”, came back teary-eyed.
As I soothed Jessie, who had clung to me like a leech, Marin smiled and spoke to the now quiet Mei.
“Did you see? The potential of Class B. Do you still think Class A will win?”
“It’s 1 to 2; the results aren’t final yet.”
Although Mei spoke in a reassuring tone, I could inexplicably sense her slight anxiety.
Mei must have felt it too.
It seemed that Class B was slightly superior in terms of average strength.
In the original work, when the classes merged, there had been a higher proportion of students from Class B.
This meant there were fewer kids from Class B remaining in the gym, and that implied there were more kids on the Class B side who could be treated as immediate forces.
No matter how Eve tried to balance the groups, some differences were inevitable.
It was a stroke of luck that Daniel and André, stronger than expected, had won the first team’s battle.
As Eve called group 4, Mei sprang up abruptly.
“Mei, go for it! Please take revenge for me!”
When Jessie, who was behind me, yelled, Mei turned to us.
I nodded in encouragement at Jessie’s enthusiastic shout, and Mei nodded back before moving forward.
Her eyes were ablaze with the determination to win.
… Although I was cheering, honestly, the opponent seemed a bit tough.
Looking at the composition of group 4, I thought it was a very unbalanced match-up.
Marin, sitting next to me, released the little girl she had been holding and freed her.
“I’ll be back!”
“Yeah, have a good one.”
Florene popped up off the floor with a thunk as she stood up to greet Marin.
There was no trace of worry on Marin’s face as she told her to go.
“It’s my first time seeing her in person today, but I’ve heard stories about the daughter of the Dolos family. If what I heard is true, this group might be a bit tough.”
Sylvia whispered softly to me from the side.
The Dolos family, Florene’s family, was very famous.
They were comparable to Sylvia’s family, Astra, and the principal’s family, Aegis.
A family with not only fame but also influence.
Yet, the reason Sylvia didn’t know Florene’s face was, due to her peculiar personality, they hadn’t allowed her to wander outside very much.
In any case, I already knew the stories about Florene that Sylvia had heard from the original work.
The current generation of Dolos was known to be eccentric and exceptionally strong.
And I also knew that there was no exaggeration in those rumors at all.
The battle of group 4 began.
Florene took out from her pocket a small rod with a little star-shaped decoration on the end.
Holding what looked like a magic wand, Florene, with her small stature and pink hair, looked like a magical girl from a toddler’s anime.
Yet despite her seemingly harmless appearance, the kids of Class A didn’t rush in to underestimate her.
Due to her famous surname, it seemed that the class representative had given a rough hint about her.
That was a good judgment, but it only applied if they had a way to deal with her.
Florene beamed brightly at Class A, who was hesitating to approach.
Dolos, the family of a hero who led the 70 crusaders to defeat the Witch of Lust long ago.
The hero, who ran tirelessly from the distant west to his family with a huge hole in his belly, announcing the news of the noble sacrifice of the 69 and the defeat of the Witch, had a simple capability.
Just an incredibly strong body. That was it.
With just that, he was strong enough to lead renowned heroes.
Florene was someone who was regarded as having inherited his blood more strongly than anyone else in her family.
The only reason Marin was able to hold her down was that Florene didn’t particularly dislike that action.
Very few people could physically subdue Florene.
The rod in Florene’s hand suddenly stretched in length.
It became almost as tall as her.
As the star-shaped decoration increased in size proportionally, suddenly, menacing spikes protruded from it.
It was a strangely shaped weapon, but it was classified as a morning star.
As Florene charged towards Mei while wielding the weapon with one hand, a horrifying sound echoed as something heavy cut through the air.
Although Mei jumped back quickly to avoid that attack, she seemed to feel the terrifying destructive power, her face turning pale with fright.
I recalled the story from the original work regarding Florene’s weapon.
It was an immensely impressive story that I remembered vividly.
Long ago, a group of drunken dwarves debated what the most manly weapon was and crafted a weapon from adamantium, the heaviest and most durable metal in the world.
It could extend in size depending on the user’s capability, but in proportion, the weight increased, making it a true weapon of man.
If it didn’t exceed a certain size, the spikes wouldn’t protrude, taking the form of a toy that little girls could carry. Thus, it was birthed as the “Girl Detector.”
When the dwarves came to their senses, they realized that the weapon they made had no lightweight enchantment, so no one could wield it in its true form.
Thus, the dwarves, who suddenly became all ‘girls’, sorrowfully gifted that weapon to a true man.
And at this moment, ironically, the “Girl Detector” unveiled its true form in the hands of Florene, who looked like a little girl.
Seemingly perplexed that Mei didn’t dodge the attack, Florene tilted her head slightly and charged again, swinging her weapon wide horizontally.
Mei, needing to dodge that monstrous attack, jumped back again, her face painted with horror.
Florene now readjusted her grip on the weapon with both hands, causing the “Girl Detector” to suddenly grow in size.
With a shout of “Hiyah!” and what seemed like a cute battle cry, Florene swung at Mei.
As a result, what should’ve been Mei’s protective barrier shattered with an unpleasant noise.
The body of Mei, struck by the physical attack of the magical girl (physically), soared into the air and disappeared.
What followed was a massacre.
While the A-class kids tried to distract Florene and create some distance, the remaining kids from Class B interrupted, leading to one A-class kid falling after another every time Florene swung her weapon.
The mock battle of group 4 ended in a predictable defeat for Class A.
Whether it was because Class A had lost three times in a row or some other reason, Mei returned and sat down with a look of disbelief.
Jessie hurriedly rushed over to comfort her, but Mei’s expression didn’t easily improve.
Florene, who had hopped into Marin’s arms, looked at Mei and innocently remarked,
“I thought being a class leader meant you’d be strong, but that didn’t seem to be the case at all. Marin is as strong as Florene. But don’t be too down! Losing to Florene isn’t shameful!”
Although Mei looked like she wanted to burst, she contained it and only displayed her frustration in silence.
But Jessie, unable to hold back, glared at Florene and shouted.
“Ugh, Mei isn’t weak! You little shrimp!”
“L…little shrimp?! Hey! You’re not much taller than Florene yourself! Plus, it’s true that she’s weak! She got launched in one hit!”
Florene, who was insecure about her small stature, trembled as she yelled at Jessie.
Jessie seemed to take on the duty to defend Mei and shouted back fiercely.
The spectacle of the two small girls arguing while clinging to their respective captains looked like an argument between elementary school students.
“I might be small because I have dwarven ancestors! You little shrimp! And Mei has a strong heart! She wouldn’t run away even before the Monster of Sloth!”
“What’s the use of a strong heart! You have to be strong for real! And Florene is going to grow more!”
“Ugh! Anyway, Mei is strong! And to think about growing at this age means you’re not just small in height, but your head’s small too! Our growth spurt is long gone!”
“Ugh…Marin! She’s making fun of me! Say something to her!”
Just like kids turning to their parents in a losing argument, Florene sought out Marin for help.
Marin sighed and lightly tapped Florene on the head.
“Ow! Why? Florene didn’t say anything wrong!”
“You started it. You can’t say things like that to others! Haah, you’re giving me a headache. I’m sorry. She has a tendency to speak without thinking.”
With a familiar sigh, Marin bowed her head to Mei.
“Phew, it’s okay. What she said is true, anyway. And Jessie, I appreciate the intent, but personal attacks aren’t okay. You should apologize quickly.”
After Marin’s apology, Mei took a deep breath and said so.
With a face that had been declaring victory, Jessie turned red after Mei’s words.
It seemed she realized just how childish her actions had been.
As Jessie cautiously bowed her head to Florene, Florene shook her head, admitting she was wrong too.
Usually, after something like this, they’d force a ridiculous hug of reconciliation, but thankfully, Marin and Mei didn’t seem inclined to do that.
“By the way, I heard there were students who defeated the Monster of Sloth at school. Was it you guys? It must have been a tough opponent, that’s impressive.”
To ease the slightly stiff atmosphere, Marin changed the topic.
Perhaps because of what Jessie had just said, when the talk turned to the Monster of Sloth, Mei replied.
“To be precise, it’s not a group that defeated it, but a single person. I hardly did anything. It was Scarlet who took down the monster.”
As Mei looked at me, Marin and Florene also turned their gazes toward me. Their eyes were filled with admiration, making me avert my eyes.
Oh no, this gaze is troubling…
Seeing Mei smirk slightly, she turned back to Marin and spoke again.
“You said you’re as strong as the girl from Dolos. If I were that strong, I could have helped more… Well, anyway, experiencing it firsthand, I can see that Class B is strong. If you’re also strong, there must be many outstanding people.”
Feeling good from Mei’s praises, Marin shrugged her shoulders.
“Hmm, so you’ve finally come to realize the excellence of Class B. Well, if you’ve realized that, you can consider the bet canceled. I only said it because I thought you were underestimating Class B back then.”
In the bet of who gets to four points first, having already obtained three points, Marin seemed to offer Mei a sort of magnanimity, thinking she had already won.
Seeing that, I sighed with pity.
Marin, who looked calm but somewhat klutzy, couldn’t help but accumulate misfortune even when she could have just stayed put.
Mei replied to Marin, who shrugged her shoulders.
“…You know, I haven’t lost yet. If Class A wins the next two matches, it’ll be a draw, right?”
“You seem to have some trust in something.”
When Marin asked, Mei subtly glanced my way.
To be precise, she must have seen Sylvia, who was glued to my side, quietly observing the situation.
Then Marin looked over here too.
“Ah, so you were counting on these two. The heiress of Astra and the student who defeated the Monster of Sloth… Unfortunately for you, Class B has a secret weapon hidden away. It’s going to be tough for you. Of course, you’ll have to take me down first.”
I wanted to correct any misconceptions, but at that moment, Eve called for the members of team 5.
“I bet I will win 1 against 5?”
Marin declared confidently as she stepped forward.
Since Sylvia was also in group 5, she subtly stood up.
“Can you win?”
“Shall I do my best to win?”
When I asked, Sylvia questioned back.
I stole a glance at Mei, who still looked a bit somber and appeared she might look even more depressed if she lost, so I nodded.
“I wasn’t planning to lose from the start, but if Scarlet is telling me to win, I guess I’ll have to fight even harder.”
Sylvia smiled and stepped forward.
And the battle of group 5 was incredibly thrilling.
Marin’s parents were both famous heroes known for their superpowers, and she inherited both abilities, allowing her to manipulate water and cold freely.
Gathering moisture from the air, she shot out a powerful water cannon and sneak-attacked with frozen moisture falling from above.
Sylvia intercepted all of Marin’s onslaughts of water and ice with precise spellcasting.
The silver starlight symbolizing Astra reflected off the water and ice, creating a breathtaking sight even amid battle, causing the kids watching to be constantly amazed.
However, within those beautiful attacks was undeniable destructive power; despite Sylvia and Marin managing the battle, the other kids from group 5 began to drop out one by one.
Mei looked at the scene with a complex expression.
I couldn’t tell what emotions she was feeling.
But now she was no longer just an extra who had no name; she was my friend, and I gently squeezed her hand from behind as she watched the battle of the main characters in this world.
Mei, startled by the sudden touch, looked at me for a moment, then smiled gently and squeezed my hand back.
I turned my gaze back to the screen.
Now only Sylvia and Marin remained.
While attacking, Marin had encircled herself with a fortress of ice to block the swarm of starlight heading toward her, putting her on the defensive.
However, Sylvia’s starlight was more than enough to break through the ice.
As Sylvia began to recite a longer spell, the screen suddenly lit up, and the battle of group 5 ended with a victory for Class A.
“You… are strong.”
Marin, who had stepped up with confidence, blushed at seeing Sylvia sitting beside me and stammered out her words.
“Don’t be too upset. Losing to me isn’t something to be embarrassed about.”
Perhaps impressed by what Florene had said earlier, Sylvia smiled softly and said so, prompting Marin to bury her face in Florene’s shoulder.
It would have been better if she had just stayed like that, but Marin lifted her head slightly and opened her mouth again.
“…However, the next group will really win for Class B. Someone stronger than me is still left.”
Marin said this as she looked towards where the kids from Class B were seated.
Just then, Eve called for the last remaining 6th group, and a notable male student stood up from where Marin’s gaze was directed.
A male student with messy blond hair and sunken eyes.
Dwight Neinhart, who could be considered Yoon Si-woo’s rival character.
He was set up as a wizard, a descendant of the great mage who once set up a curtain in the city.
He was one of the students evaluated to have asymmetric strength among others.
“Dwight is really strong. Even someone who defeated the Monster of Sloth like you will find it tough. But, aren’t you going to compete?”
Marin looked at me and asked.
It seemed she firmly believed I would participate in group 6, but, shaking my head, I removed the jewel that was stuck to my left arm, showing my bare arm.
“Well, in this situation, I’m banned from combat for a while.”
I had worn it to avoid startling the kids from Class B, but unexpectedly, it created a misunderstanding.
Marin looked confused for a moment as she realized I wasn’t competing, then, upon seeing the four members from Class A moving out in group 6, she gasped.
“Four of you? Really? Isn’t this unfair?”
It was perfectly true.
I vigorously nodded in agreement internally, staring at the guy who perfectly embodied unfairness in this world.
Yoon Si-woo met my gaze for some reason and slightly nodded his head.
I didn’t know what that was about, but upon reciprocating his nod, he seemed happier.
There was a murmur from the B-class side, but as Eve didn’t say anything more, it quieted down.
Dwight was muttering something about wanting to finish this quickly.
He must have been exhausted from practicing magic every night, even cutting back on sleep.
With trembling eyes, Marin murmured to herself while watching Dwight.
“Are they really okay without one member against Dwight?”
Sadly, it didn’t matter.
Regardless of Marin’s confusion, the battle of group 6 began.
And right as it started, numerous magic circles adorned the space around Dwight.
Even in the early part of the work, his level of magical deployment was astonishing.
Students who knew a bit about magic were shouting that it didn’t make sense.
Magic requires a certain amount of time for activation, but Dwight Neinhart was a genius capable of drastically reducing that time and executing multiple spells simultaneously.
A combination of overwhelming talent and terrifying effort had resulted in impressive outcomes.
As spells, each carrying significant destructive power, rained down on Class A, Yoon Si-woo made his move.
With a few swings of his sword—
The magic vanished as if it had never existed.
The absurd act of Yoon Si-woo, effortlessly cutting through the spells, left even the onlooking kids momentarily speechless.
Dwight, flustered, deployed his magic again.
But ordinary spells could not stop Yoon Si-woo.
Embodiment of injustice who possessed talent, effort, and excellent equipment, he didn’t stop even amidst the downpour of spells.
In fact, even in the original work, Dwight had never defeated Yoon Si-woo.
How could he contend with Yoon Si-woo, who seemed stronger now than ever?
Thus, the battle ended quickly, just as Dwight wanted.
Seeing that, Marin seemed to lose her composure slightly, her eyes trembling.
Mei murmured in disbelief.
“It’s a draw, but I feel like I lost.”
Hang in there, Mei.
Unaware of anything, Yoon Si-woo was simply smiling brightly and nodding at me.
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