Chapter 316

As exam season approached, the students grew increasingly busy.

Chen Xia muttered as she looked at the Glory dormitory’s base ahead.

“……It feels like something’s missing. What exactly is lacking in our base?”

In response to Chen Xia’s murmur, Chloe, who had her arms crossed, began to seriously ponder.

And she wasn’t the only one.

The students from the Magic Department who were constructing defense towers at the base also fell into deep thought.

Eventually, the Magic Department students spoke up in unison.

“Firepower?”

“If we increase firepower here, what are we trying to do? The base’s purpose is defense. We should focus more on defensive power.”

Chen Xia let out a small sigh.

Then she looked at Leo.

“Young Master Leo, do you see anything lacking?”

“This should be enough.”

At Leo’s words, Chen Xia looked again at the Glory base.

“I think I could sneak in easily.”

“Among our year, no one has infiltration abilities like you, so this should be enough.”

“That’s true.”

Chen Xia nodded in agreement.

Hearing their conversation, Chloe gathered the Glory students.

“We’ve completed all preparations.”

Chloe looked at Leo as she spoke.

“Leo, as soon as it starts, attack Noble’s base with the others. I’ll attack Harmony’s base with Chen Xia.”

Chloe turned to Eliana.

“Eliana, you defend the base with the others.”

Eliana pouted.

“I want to go attack with you too, Class Rep.”

At Eliana’s grumbling voice, Chen Xia smiled faintly.

“Miss Eliana, you’d definitely charge in recklessly. I think it’s better for you to guard the base.”

“Ugh.”

Eliana groaned, seemingly out of things to say.

Seeing that, the Glory students burst into laughter.

“Anyway, the decisive battle is in three days. Rest up well until then. Manage your condition carefully.”

When Chloe spoke with a smile, voices filled with resentment rang out from here and there.

“How can we rest when we have written exams?”

“Exactly! Do you know how hard it is to manage your condition?”

As the same-dorm students grumbled, Chloe tilted her head.

“Can’t you prepare for the written exams based on your regular studies and review bits in between practical exam prep?”

At those words, Chen Xia chuckled.

“That’s only possible for someone like you, Miss Chloe. Normal people can’t do that.”

“……But you did it. Chen Xia.”

Eliana spoke with an exasperated look.

Chen Xia smiled brightly as she looked at her.

“I only slept about 30 minutes a day. I was trained to do that.”

“……If Chloe is unbelievable, then you’re just scary.”

Eliana shook her head.

“I can help with studying, though.”

“Ooh!”

“Miss Chloe!”

“Ice Goddess! Ice Queen! Ice Witch!”

“Who just said witch?!”

Chloe shouted in embarrassment, her face turning red.

—

Lumene was filled with crowds.

The principal of Lumene, Leena, pressed her temples as if her head hurt while looking at the audience-packed stands.

“Why did the board make me play the face of this thing? They don’t even like me since I’m from the Shadows anyway.”

As Leena grumbled irritably, Yura, who was assisting her, nodded in agreement.

“That’s what I’m saying. Why are they making me do this too?!”

Yura, who normally wore sensual outfits for ease of movement, was dressed today as a very proper lady.

Looking at her, Len commented.

“Senior Yura looks rather presentable as long as she keeps her mouth shut.”

“And why does that ‘as long as she keeps her mouth shut’ part have to be included?”

“You really don’t know? Then I’ll explain it in a way even you can understa—”

With veins popping on her forehead, Yura grabbed Len by the collar.

Seeing that, the external guests who had come to greet them turned and ran in fear.

Leena laughed heartily as she watched the two.

Ain let out a deep sigh.

“Principal, shouldn’t you stop their antics instead of watching?”

“Thanks to them, all the annoying people are staying away. Isn’t that great?”

Ain pressed her fingers against her brow.

‘Moments like this make me miss Principal Kalian.’

Though he was a bit silly and quick to push work onto professors, Principal Kalian always carried himself with authority during external events.

Leena was a more diligent principal than Kalian, but she clearly detested public events.

Seeing Ain like that, Leena rested her chin on her hand and laughed.

“Don’t get so worked up, Professor Ain.”

Leena smirked.

“Everyone already knows I’m a Shadow. That’s why external guests don’t want to greet me. Most people in power don’t have clean hands.”

The Shadows have long been tasked not just with executing traitors, but also purging the cancerous elements of the world.

In extreme cases, some Shadows have taken up assassination as their calling.

That’s why people in power instinctively avoid them.

“Anyway, should we say there were no surprises in the first-years’ exam results?”

Leena rested her chin as she watched the first-years being cheered by the audience after their practical combat test.

This year’s midterm practical for first-years was a labyrinth dungeon raid.

It wasn’t a Hero Dungeon, but one created by professors.

The team that cleared the labyrinth in the shortest time would get the highest score.

“Aina Beidna. I guess she really is Kalian’s great-granddaughter.”

Leena narrowed her eyes at Aina standing on the training field.

“She placed first in the Knight Department’s test too, right?”

“So I’ve heard.”

Ain nodded.

“She beat Haviden by a small margin.”

“Hooh. What about the other departments?”

At Leena’s question, Ain reported.

“No surprises. In the Summoning Department’s beast race, Sasha took first place. She’s top overall. In the Magic Department, Juen took first in the magic combat exam.”

“Hmm.”

Leena stroked her chin.

“What about Leo Plov’s mentee?”

“Luke Elda placed mid-to-high in the written exam, but in all practicals, he’s at the bottom.”

“Should we say that’s expected?”

“It is. However…”

“However?”

“He hasn’t improved at all since the start of the semester.”

“……I heard he’s working hard?”

“Harder than anyone.”

Leena looked amused.

“Looks like the student council president pulled some strings. Should I look forward to the finals?”

Leena, who had been nodding, sneakily checked the time.

“You should get going now to prepare.”

“Yes, understood.”

Ain bowed and, looking at the junior professors who were still fighting, said coldly,

“Let’s go, you idiots.”

“Who are you calling idiots?!”

“Senior Ain, would you like me to explain what an idiot is in a way you’ll unders—”

“Shut it.”

Leena shook her head as she watched Ain dragging them away by the collars.

‘Ain is going to age fast.’

—

At Noble’s base, Abad gathered the dorm students and spoke.

“According to Carr’s intel, Glory plans to have Chloe and Chen Xia attack Harmony’s base while Leo attacks ours. I thought it was important enough to share this with Celia.”

“Was that really necessary?”

Tide asked with a puzzled expression, and Abad responded.

“Harmony and we have a non-aggression pact anyway. We can’t attack each other until Glory’s base is taken down. So I figured it’s best to combine all our main forces and strike Glory’s base together.”

Eliza was trimming her nails.

“Since dorm members are split, it’ll be hard to take down a base.”

“Exactly. Chloe probably planned to launch key forces quickly and secure kill points.”

“……So that means Glory didn’t assign a King among their dorm heads?”

At Duran’s comment, Abad shook his head.

“No, they probably did assign one.”

“Isn’t that too risky of a strategy?”

“The strong don’t fall easily. They probably chose someone powerful as King to catch their opponents off guard. The question is, who among the three is the King…”

Abad stroked his chin.

“Carr, what do you think?”

When Abad asked, Carr scratched his head.

“Well, if I were Chloe, I’d pick Leo as King.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s the most reliable.”

“……It’s true Leo Plov has great mobility, so he could quickly escape the battlefield.”

Eliza narrowed her eyes.

“Should we go after Leo Plov?”

“No. Leo has excellent mobility. Sure, I might catch him in the air, Duran on land, and Eliza in water, but—”

Abad narrowed his eyes.

“Leo is mobile in all environments: air, land, and water. If we go after him recklessly, we’ll just take losses.”

Abad shook his head.

“Better to just crush the base itself.”

He spread out a map.

“Celia is probably thinking the same as me. We’ll use our main force to attack the front of Glory’s base. Emio, take your group and sneak around to the rear of the Glory base.”

—

Celia looked at the students.

“You’ll probably run into Noble’s detachment if you go behind Glory’s base. If they keep their promise, don’t fight. Attack together. You probably won’t take it down in one go. But if you deal heavy damage, Glory won’t be able to join the main battle.”

“Even though there’s a non-aggression pact… we’ve basically formed an alliance.”

At Nella’s murmur, Celia turned serious.

“As soon as we gain an advantage over Glory, we and Noble will clash immediately. Don’t let your guard down just because we’re allies.”

Just as the strategy meeting was ending—

Fweeeeeep! Boom—!

A flare lit up over Lake Lumeria.

Seeing it, Celia spoke.

“Let’s move!”

At her words, the second-years began to mobilize.

—

Emio led the Noble students toward the rear of the island where Glory’s base was located.

“Nice weather.”

Emio curled his lips into a smirk.

A mist hung over the lake.

Perfect for moving stealthily.

That’s when they sensed a presence in the distance.

The Noble students grew wary.

“Harmony?”

“Yeah, it’s us. Emio.”

“Nella.”

Emio frowned.

“Abad made this plan trusting your commander. Looks like Celia and Abad found common ground through all their bickering.”

“They’ve known each other since childhood.”

Nella gave her signature lazy smile.

“Let’s work well together until we take down Glory. We’ll take the lead. You follow.”

Emio stepped forward.

“Why is she taking the lead? Thinks she’s the boss or something?”

As a Harmony student grumbled, Nella smiled faintly.

“In the military, the one who seizes the position first is what matters most, right?”

Shrugging, Nella led the Harmony students behind Noble.

At the front, Emio muttered to himself.

‘This pisses me off. Looks like everything is going according to Abad’s plan.’

This test had a heavy strategy component.

As a military family heir, Emio had thought it was his chance to shine.

But the students had unanimously chosen Abad as commander.

He could live with that.

The problem was…

‘Why the hell did he pick Carr as his strategist?’

To make matters worse, Carr had perfectly predicted the enemy’s movements.

That irked him even more.

‘Now that damn commoner gets to show off flawlessly?’

He was just wishing Carr’s intel would be wrong when—

Shhhhhhh—!

A presence stirred ahead.

Emio halted, secretly delighted.

“Looks like Carr was wrong after all.”

“What?”

“It’s the Glory guys.”

At Emio’s words, the Noble students quickly prepared for battle.

The Harmony students followed suit.

“This just got interesting. Let’s see who’s come to play.”

Just as Emio began deploying his magic—

“I’ll wipe you out.”

Emio quickly began chanting.

But the enemy finished casting even faster.

Fwoooosh—!

And the power rivaled what Emio had been preparing.

Eyes wide, Emio was caught off guard by the unexpected intensity of the magic.

BOOOOOOM—!

A fire-based spell evaporated the mist in an instant and engulfed Emio.

Caught by surprise, he tried to defend himself, but the flames were faster.

Fwoooosh—!

Struck by the fire, Emio was instantly judged as dead and forced to return.

“You shouldn’t have let your guard down.”

As the mist cleared, Nella gasped at the figure that appeared.

“Leo?”

“What’s he doing here?!”

“Was the intel wrong?”

Leo, who was supposed to attack Noble, had appeared at the rear instead.

The mist once again concealed him.

“Read for presence!”

“How many from Glory came to intercept?!”

“I don’t sense anything!”

“No way…”

The Harmony and Noble students wore bewildered expressions.

“Just him?”

“Correct.”

Vwooooom! Fwoooosh—!

As the towering flames rose, the students’ faces hardened.

BOOOOOOOM—!

A massive fire construct erupted skyward.

(T/N: It almost feels cheating at this point. Leo is too stronk lol)