“From now on, I will explain the rules for today’s ‘Capture the Flag’ game.”
Gaston announced.
I glared at the 5th Room across from me.
Next to me, I could hear the heavy breathing.
It was Richard.
He was even more excited than I was.
Dillon tapped both of our shoulders.
“Let’s listen to the explanation. Don’t go off topic later.”
Only after getting scolded did Richard and I focus on Gaston’s words.
“The participants are 12 from each room. A total of 24 people. Among them, one person is responsible for the ‘flag’ you see here.”
Two flags were set up on either side of Gaston.
One was white, and the other was black.
The white flag and the black flag.
“Each room will be given a flag holder. The rule is simple. You have to steal the opponent’s flag and place it in your room’s flag holder. However, the flag holder’s position cannot be moved. Similarly, only one person can carry the flag, and that cannot be changed.”
Gaston continued explaining.
“This training exercise is based on protecting your lord while securing specific objectives. It is a situation that cannot be managed alone, so cooperation is crucial.”
“There are three victory conditions. Either place the opponent’s flag in the flag holder, have all opponents surrender, or incapacitate them.”
Gaston looked at his wristwatch and wrapped up.
“Three minutes for questions. Five minutes for team discussions. Then we will begin.”
There were several questions and answers exchanged afterward.
What happens if you go outside the restricted area?
You will be disqualified by the supervising instructor.
Can we use items other than the ones provided?
It’s allowed if it’s for camouflage with trees or grass, or if you’re throwing stones for auditory confusion.
However, carving wood to create a spear or using rocks as weapons is not permitted.
“What happens if we attack a surrendering opponent?”
“Of course, that means disqualification. It’s also forbidden to attack someone after they declare surrender.”
“How can we tell if the opponent is incapacitated?”
“I’ll leave that to individual judgment.”
That sounds quite irresponsible.
And a bit loose.
Listening to all this, suspicions began to arise.
It’s not that we hadn’t practiced group combat training at the training ground.
But the emphasis had been relatively small.
After all, the role of a knight rarely finds itself in such situations.
Training isn’t bad, but it does feel inefficient.
It’s better to focus on other areas during that time.
‘So why on earth are we doing such a grand training exercise?’
This training caused the entire schedules of the 13th Room and the 5th Room to be canceled.
Even Gaston mentioned the special meal provided by Eliya.
It’s as if doing well in this training would increase our chances of getting special food.
The justification for providing special meals is simple.
To motivate the trainees.
Essentially, it’s a way to give them a sense of accomplishment.
Can motivation be determined through a training exercise that’s far removed from a knight’s responsibilities?
‘Of course, other scores will be aggregated to assess performance, but it feels suspicious… I mean, it’s unlikely they’re lying.’
On closer inspection, that wasn’t the only strange thing.
It’s also noteworthy that Gaston is in charge of this group training subject.
And that they are clashing with the 5th Room, where Salaman and Envinil belong.
I don’t know how this group combat training was conceptualized.
But what if it’s someone’s scheme?
What if it’s a stage set up for a specific purpose?
“Time for questions is over.”
From now on, it’s time for team discussions.
I was just a listener.
I had nothing to say.
I wasn’t knowledgeable about this area in the first place.
I’m not particularly quick-witted either.
The main speaker is Dillon.
And several senior cadets including him.
Meanwhile, Richard maintained a distance, just like me, staying silent.
We exchanged glances.
We smiled simultaneously.
‘That guy….’
It was the bond between two similar thick-headed individuals.
After several rounds of discussion, a conclusion was reached.
“Our tactic will be simple.”
Dillon stated firmly.
“We will combine our strength so it doesn’t scatter.”
The reasoning was clear.
“The opponents are much stronger than us, both as a group and individually.”
The 5th Room ranks among the best in the entire training ground.
Their individual capabilities are clearly superior to those of our 13th Room.
Not that there aren’t any lower-ranked cadets like Envinil.
“If our weak strength scatters, we’ll easily be picked off one by one. We should stick together and maintain a defensive formation.”
It was a reasonable and expected response.
That’s why it felt even stranger.
We were going to clash in a field.
The area includes woods and dense grass, but we wouldn’t enter there unless we were fleeing.
We hadn’t learned how to engage the enemy while navigating complex terrain.
Thus, it’s likely that straightforward confrontation in the field would be the entirety of the tactic.
‘What’s the point of this training?’
It seems less about training and more about some other goal.
Today’s training is planned and led by Gaston.
He is targeting me.
And the opposing 5th Room.
They’re presumably receiving commands from Gaston.
‘So they’re trying to do something to me using this test against the 5th Room.’
For now, that’s the most plausible hypothesis.
‘I need to be careful not to let anything happen.’
It was bound to be the case, but there now exists a clear reason to focus on the fight.
I can’t just take it lying down.
Regardless of my suspicions, the meeting continued.
“We can’t change who carries the flag, so we should choose someone fast.”
Dillon looked between two candidates.
One was Lindell.
And the other, Daike.
They are the two fastest runners in our room.
“Daike, you take the lead.”
A brief moment of disappointment crossed Lindell’s face.
“Hmm. I’ll give it a try.”
“If things get dicey, you need to run away. Since you can’t escape alone, one person has to follow you…”
“I’ll go with you.”
Argon volunteered, raising his hand.
Everyone agreed with the suggestion.
He is the third fastest after Daike and Lindell and also possesses excellent fighting ability.
On the other hand, Lindell’s combat ability is somewhat lacking.
I briefly looked elsewhere.
In the distance, I spotted Eliya’s small figure.
‘I guess she came out to see, though she won’t be easily seen today. Not that she came out specifically to see me… but why do her eyes seem so bright?’
Did she cast magic?
“…D-Judas!”
“Oh, uh? Sorry.”
“You’re at the front.”
“Got it… huh?”
I regained my sense of reality in an instant.
I was lost in thought, looking around at Dillon and the others before questioning.
“Me?”
Dillon replied.
“You and senior Richard will be leading the charge. You’re the only one in our room who can use magic. I’ll coordinate the overall situation from the center.”
“That’s… I can’t control it at will.”
“We have to rely on that possibility for now. It can’t be helped.”
And he was right.
We are seriously outmatched here.
“But if you really can’t handle it….”
“No, let’s give it a shot.”
I want to win, even if it means taking risks.
I had no choice but to agree with Dillon’s words.
Who knows what might happen?
If we’re fighting hard up front and getting hit, maybe I’ll actually be able to use my magic.
Dillon smiled, seemingly reassured.
“Thank you.”
Even though I’m at the front, I won’t be far from the backline.
That’s just how close it has to be.
With only twelve of us.
While the remaining meeting progressed, I mentally simulated.
The lessons and techniques I learned while clashing with Gawain.
Don’t rely solely on the sword.
For example, using long legs to create a disruption just as effectively as a sword.
Finally, Richard spoke solemnly.
“We’ll kill them all and return.”
Today, Dillon didn’t refute that.
He merely smirked and added.
“Let’s try killing them once.”
Around that time, Gaston declared.
“Meeting time is up. Everyone to your positions.”
*
The group combat training began.
Confirming this, Gaston directed the other knights.
“Keep a close watch. I’ll oversee everything from a distance.”
Among the knights at the training ground, all are equal except for Gawain.
On the surface, that is.
There exists a subtle hierarchy among them.
Gaston ranks high on that list.
Therefore, he holds the authority to issue commands.
“Yes.”
The other knights agreed without protest.
What he said wasn’t incorrect.
A knight skilled in magic could observe the entire battlefield from afar.
Having finished his orders, Gaston moved away from the combat zone.
Crossing the open field would quickly take him to the wooded areas.
Gaston continued onward through that forest.
He traveled quite a distance.
The tranquil and secluded forest was somewhat dark.
Suddenly stopping, he spoke to the air.
“Now’s the time. It’s time to prepare for the sniping.”
Then, someone emerged from behind a tree.
Clad in a wide robe that reached his ankles and a deeply pulled hood, he looked quite suspicious.
However, the long wooden staff he held clearly revealed his identity.
He was the wizard Gaston had brought for today.
In a weak voice, the wizard asked.
“If we solve this, you’ll really wipe away the debt, right?”
“How many times must I tell you to believe it? Just make sure to resolve it properly.”
“I get it….”
The grumbling wizard followed Gaston as they moved toward where the cadets were battling.
“Here it is.”
Finally, Gaston came to a halt.
This was the pre-determined sniping position.
The end of a wooded hill felt more like a low cliff.
He could see cadets engaged in intense combat far away.
It seemed the battle was already underway.
“Black hair with golden eyes. You should recognize him as described last time. Can you see him?”
“Hmm… there he is.”
Despite the distance, the wizard quickly spotted Judas.
He was currently the one fighting the hardest among the cadets.
“When things become more chaotic and confusing, aim for an arm or a leg. Focus on one spot.”
“Yes, yes.”
“Let me confirm again: You’re sure this won’t attract Eliya’s attention?”
“Of course. I’ve told you multiple times that this magic was developed specifically for long-distance assassination. I’ve used it several times in the field.”
“Don’t let your guard down.”
“Stop being overly worried. Judging by the rumors, he seems to be quite a capable wizard, but… that’s just someone newly awakened as a wizard.”
The wizard chuckled leisurely and shrugged his shoulders.
“It’s nearly impossible to detect from this distance. And if he does notice, what can he do now? How would he reach here? Unless he’s capable of long-distance teleportation.”
“Hmm.”
“If he could truly do that, he’d be a monster. It would rewrite the history of magic.”
The wizard asserted confidently.
Gaston decided to trust him.
Although he was lazy and addicted to gambling, his skills as a wizard were certain.
Even though he guessed Eliya would come out because of Judas, he felt flustered when she actually did appear.
But there was no need to worry.
No matter how capable Eliya was, she wouldn’t know about the sniping planned for today.
The two held their breath and waited for the right moment.
The wait was not long.
In several meanings.
*
Just a few minutes into the training, the 13th Room and the 5th Room were face to face.
It was an unavoidable circumstance.
A vast plain.
Surrounded by a forest.
They had no reason to detour to different areas.
Nor the capability.
It was a natural sequence, and it was what Gaston had intended.
The 5th Room’s tactics were also similar to that of the 13th Room.
They gathered all their members together like we did.
No need to divide their members; it was clear they were stronger than us, so splitting up would only expose them to the risk of being picked off individually.
However, unlike the 13th Room where a fast person was put in charge of the flag, they assigned it to someone reasonably strong.
There was no reason to give the flag to someone fast since there was no need to run away.
The second-in-command of the 5th Room, Zeroblum, carried the flag on his back.
The first-in-command, Salaman, did not carry the flag and moved more freely.
The fight between the two factions was one-sided.
Within minutes of clashing, the 13th Room had to send Daike running.
He sprinted, kicking up dust, with Argon needing to protect him as they fled.
Having nearly been captured in just a few minutes, it was an unavoidable choice.
In response, the 5th Room sent two of their own.
There was no need to drag things out and let them run since they were confident they could win even 10 against 10.
From the beginning, the 5th Room’s objective wasn’t victory.
To be precise, the goal of Salaman, who led them, was different.
To inflict an injury on Judas and Dillon, causing them discomfort in their movements.
Or even worse, to impose a lifelong disability.
In the midst of the chaotic melee, they were ordered to make it look like an unintentional mistake.
The one who gave the orders was Gaston.
The cost of that command was worth it.
It was a fortunate situation since he had disliked Judas for some time now for daring to capture Eliya’s attention.
Now that he was about to leave, he didn’t care to avoid conflict.
Salaman lowered his indifferent gaze.
Only five members remained from the 13th Room.
Lindell, Dillon, Perlyn.
And Judas and Richard.
The previous three were on the brink of collapse.
Judas and Richard, back to back, were barely hanging on.
The 5th Room wasn’t entirely unscathed either.
Despite the anticipated overwhelming difference in strength, three of them fell incapacitated.
Judas and Richard.
The outcome they achieved through their tenacity and sheer will.
But that minor result didn’t impact the overall outcome.
They could not win.
Salaman felt no merit in unleashing his magic.
“Haah… haah… I’m going to die…”
Richard muttered as he wiped blood from his mouth.
He spoke over his shoulder.
“Hey. Are you alive?”
“Don’t talk to me….”
Judas was also breathing heavily.
His body throbbed from being bludgeoned with a wooden sword.
He had managed to dislocate a few joints, but it didn’t change the outcome.
Especially not against Salaman.
He’s stronger than Galliot.
Even if he unleashed his magic, he wasn’t sure he could win.
‘Why can’t I do it right now…?!’
Judas bit down hard.
He had been trying to unleash his magic since before, but it was ineffective.
This was a dangerously dire situation.
He felt angry.
Facing an enemy he desperately wanted to defeat, it emerged as a situation where defeat was likely.
How could he not be angry?
And yet, his magic didn’t respond.
‘Please, just work! Just once, please…!’
Time flowed regardless of his anxiety.
Salaman approached with a composed stride.
“Let’s end this.”
His tone was reminiscent of a mocking noble.
“There’s no longer any value in engaging further. You’re bothersome, wasting time. I won’t need to dirty my own hands.”
The remaining members of the 5th Room surrounded the five members of the 13th Room before charging in.
In an instant, pandemonium erupted.
The sounds of wooden swords clashing projected a crude, juvenile ambience.
This wasn’t a battlefield spewing sparks from iron and steel.
It was an imitation, a mock training of knight cadets.
But its essence was anything but juvenile.
The lethality of the wooden swords was comparable to a heavy blunt weapon.
They struck the limbs and body of the teenagers, who weren’t even wearing leather armor.
Skin tore in thinner areas, blood oozed out.
What should be weapons were becoming tools of brutal and vicious beatings in that scene.
In the center of it, Judas was the only one among the 13th Room’s members who wasn’t bleeding.
Thanks to Gawain’s training in swordsmanship, he skillfully blocked all attacks.
Blocking, dodging, rolling, he minimized damage.
But that was all he could do.
Victory remained far beyond reach.
“Haah, haah…”
His lungs burned painfully while gasping for air.
At that precise moment when his focus wavered.
A chill ran down his spine.
Something approached from behind.
Even without looking, it was an area of instinct.
He immediately turned around and raised his shield.
Something heavy came crashing down just beyond his shield’s view.
Bang!
The dull impact numbed his arm.
Stepping back, he barely glimpsed what lay beyond his shield.
The second-in-command of the 5th Room.
Zeroblum, who was wielding the flag himself, had come forth.
He remembered that he once struck Judas last time.
It was time for repayment.
“Haah…”
Judas desperately attempted to steady his breathing.
His gaze swept across the battlefield.
All he could see was his frustrating adversaries.
In the backdrop, the most bothersome sight was Salaman, standing a few paces back watching.
He wanted nothing more than to shove that arrogant face into the ground.
Cowards who cling to others’ strength because they don’t have the guts to voice their grievances to him.
In the midst of unpleasant memories, Zeroblum charged in.
Judas raised his shield desperately to block.
His body swayed.
Exhaustion was creeping toward his limits.
His vision blurred.
He strained his eyes to focus.
Zeroblum pressed the attack.
At that moment, survival instincts blared strong warnings – and they were double-fold.
From behind, an opening loom.
Something threatening.
And far away; something invisible closing in.
Perfect flanking infiltrating from front, back, and sides.
No way to block it.
‘Damn…!’
Thud!
His shield rattled.
He blocked Zeroblum.
Whack!
Something struck his side.
But there was no pain.
[“Evasion Triggered” activated. Magic defensive usage x1.]
[Next use in 24 hours.]
‘Magic…? Who is it?’
There was no time to think.
The threat from the rear remains.
Stab! A sharp sensation cut his skin.
He could hear the sound it made.
Yet again, there was no pain.
Someone was there.
Judas, after pushing Zeroblum away, turned around in a rush.
To his surprise, there stood Dillon, blood spilling from his abdomen.
Punctured by an opponent from the 5th Room.
An Envinil from Judeca, just like himself.
He was holding a sharpened stone.
“Dillon?!”
It was Dillon.
Astonishment showed on Envinil’s face as well.
His intent had been Judas.
However, Dillon, who was far away, rushed in and took the hit instead.
“…”
Judas clenched his teeth.
His blood boiled as rage surged within him.
His heart thudded like it might explode.
The realization struck him—he was furious.
In a situation destined for defeat against an enemy he desperately wanted to win against.
How could he not feel anger?
And yet, his magic wasn’t responding.
‘Please, just work! Just once, come on…!’
Anxiety surged within him, yet time continued to flow.
As Dillon’s last words reached him.
“Glad I made it in time…”
With that final declaration, the last strand of rationality snapped.
With downcast eyes, Judas stood still.
Zeroblum thought Judas was paralyzed in shock and capitalized on it.
“You idiot-!”
In combat, letting your guard down meant defeat.
Zeroblum laughed mockingly as he swung the sword.
However, Judas was no longer there at the place where the blow fell.
The sword tip struck the innocent ground instead.
“W-what?!”
When he turned his head, he spotted Judas looming over Envinil.
Judas grabbed the collar behind Envinil’s neck.
His other hand grasped the sleeve’s end.
With all his strength he pulled and twisted.
The technique of lifting and slamming an opponent’s body using their waist.
‘Waist fling.’
Envinil’s vision spun.
Thud! The sound echoed as his back slammed against the ground.
His lungs and heart felt like they might burst from pain, making his body quiver.
In a flash, his eyes widened, revealing the whites.
Judas disregarded Envinil and checked on Dillon.
Thankfully, the wound wasn’t deep.
The weapon was a crude stone knife made from a broken rock.
But it was significant that it had been fashioned into a blade and used.
He could see instructors murmuring in hushed tones far away.
Apparently, they were having a serious discussion about some urgent situation.
They seemed to lack the time to ponder this scene properly.
Maybe it’s for the better.
If it just ends like this, he thought he wouldn’t be able to sleep for days to come.
“Rest easy.”
Judas said as he laid Dillon down.
Dillon’s eyes widened in astonishment.
Behind Judas, Zeroblum was lifting his sword high.
“Behind…!”
At that very moment, Judas had already surged past Zeroblum.
He discarded the wooden sword into the air.
Immediately, Zeroblum’s sword was neatly severed.
At the same time, Zeroblum’s eyes rolled back as he crumpled down.
Judas had used his wooden sword to slice off Zeroblum’s weapon.
Dillon stared at Judas’s back, as though witnessing some bizarre phenomenon.
‘Weapon enhancement using magic…?!’
Judas was now advancing towards a fixed point.
Salaman.
Just as he was approaching, a light erupted from deep within the woods ahead.
A golden beam shot into the sky.
That wasn’t light; it was fire.
Though distant enough to appear like a line, it resembled a flame storm more closely.
His fragile consciousness snapped tight in alarm.
‘…Eliya?’
No way. Did something happen to Eliya?
That suspicion vanished.
If it was an ambush, he could understand; however, confronting a healthy Eliya was impossible.
To say the least, given the flames flickering beyond, the object of worry lay not in Eliya but in the woods and the adversary.
Eliya was safe.
Judas wasn’t even aware of the relief flooding over him.
Nonetheless, calmed by the earlier moment, he advanced toward Salaman.
The remaining members of the 5th Room dared not to halt Judas’s advance.
Salaman’s brow furrowed with irritation.
He witnessed something he had never seen.
Losing their composure, as Judas approached, he smirked.
“That expression is quite a sight.”
Salaman’s expression twisted even more.
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