The Mock Battle Begins
Tactical training was broadly divided into two parts: theory and practice. While it would have been ideal to learn the theory while simultaneously putting it into practice, the resources of The Lake—the virtual reality space where practical lessons took place—were strictly limited. Because of this constraint, only one group could undergo practical training per day.
Two days after attending tactical theory classes alongside the students of Swordsmanship Class 2, our group's turn for practical training finally arrived. Comprising eight from the swordsmanship class, two from the spearsmanship class, two from the archery class, and four from the magic department, our sixteen-member group was split into two teams of eight: Team A and Team B. This division was for the mock battle scheduled for our very first practical lesson.
"Team-versus-team mock battles." That was the evaluation method that would dominate the first half of the semester. The format was simple: eight teams, each consisting of eight members, would compete against one another in a league format. By combining the wins, losses, and individual performances throughout this process, each cadet's personal ranking for the second semester's evaluation would be determined.
Of course, those rankings did not necessarily reflect one's actual strength as a hero. After all, the standings were calculated entirely based on player-versus-player combat. For a hero whose primary duty was to fight Chaos beasts, interpersonal combat was merely secondary. Nevertheless, the academy insisted on using PvP for the first semester's evaluation to foster growth through intense competition.
'Still, PvP tactics are actually quite important.'
Even if a hero's primary adversaries were Chaos beasts, that wasn't always the case. For starters, the Demon Kings themselves were fundamentally intelligent, humanoid foes. Furthermore, there was always the possibility of having to fight other heroes who chose to side with them. Being familiar with the tactics they might employ would undoubtedly prove useful.
I turned my head to scan the members of my own team, Team B. Wilhelm, my classmate from the archery class, had naturally been assigned to Team A, and Yoo Seora, the only person I somewhat knew from Swordsmanship Class 2, was also on Team A. Consequently, most of the cadets left on Team B were people I had either only heard of or didn't know at all.
'Well, I can just figure them out as we go.'
For the time being, we would only be doing practice matches rather than official evaluations. Today's mock battle, in particular, was a team deathmatch with no special rules, continuing until the last cadet on one side was "killed." It was the perfect format for assessing everyone's individual capabilities.
'Besides, as an archer, my position is in the rear, which makes things much easier.'
That was the primary advantage of the archer class. From the rear, one could maintain a wide field of vision and survey the entire battlefield. Because of this, even if the strongest hero assumed the role of party leader, many hero parties entrusted tactical command to their archer.
'The problem is, I'm not in any position to command anyone yet.'
Right now, I knew absolutely nothing about my teammates. Since they knew nothing about me either, there was zero chance they would follow my orders. Therefore, this mock battle would inevitably devolve into a chaotic brawl with everyone fighting in scattered skirmishes.
'I'll just hide as best as I can and observe.'
Of course, I would lend a hand if the situation absolutely called for it. But since this was just a mock battle, I had no intention of exerting myself.
The arena for the mock battle was an artificially generated forest inside The Lake. A barrier split the center of the forest, separating Team A and Team B. During the waiting period before the barrier dropped, I moved as far toward the edge of the forest as possible. Soon, the blare of a horn echoed from somewhere, signaling the start of the battle.
'Wind Authority.'
Using my Wind Authority, I leaped onto the branch of a sturdy-looking tree. I climbed higher, stepping lightly from branch to branch. However, I didn't go all the way to the top. The middle section, where the foliage was thick enough to provide cover, was much better for hiding.
'This height is perfect for spectating.'
The entire forest where the mock battle was taking place lay spread out before my eyes. There were blind spots, of course, but that was an unavoidable limitation.
'Anyway...'
The moment the barrier vanished, a clash erupted in the center of the forest. It seemed both teams had at least one hotheaded member. Straining my eyes, I could make out the figures fighting in the distance. Come to think of it, Alan's... no, my eyesight was surprisingly sharp. I had noticed this before, but my hearing was quite keen as well. Perhaps, in exchange for sacrificing physical strength, stamina, and talent, my senses had been made exceptionally acute.
'Right, they'd better win that one.'
Team B emerged victorious in the opening skirmish. It was an obvious outcome. All four swordsmanship cadets from Team B had charged forward, whereas Team A had only sent out a single person. Having won, the victorious group began to press onward. However...
'Their targeting is all wrong.'
According to standard tactics, their priority should have been locating the enemy's mage. Depending on how they were utilized, a mage was a force capable of annihilating an entire army single-handedly. Yet, the four swordsmen of Team B remained clumped together, blindly pushing forward.
'At this rate...'
Despite their four-to-one advantage, they hadn't won the initial fight particularly fast. Because they hadn't sized up their opponents yet and possessed virtually no teamwork, their engagements dragged on. By the time they actually found the enemy mage, the mage would likely have already completed all their necessary casting.
Team A, on the other hand, was playing it differently. Excluding the two unlucky souls who had run into Team B's four-man vanguard, the remaining spearman and two swordsmen had split up and infiltrated Team B's territory. I checked on our team's two mages—one from combat magic and one from support magic. Fortunately, they seemed to understand the basic tactic of sticking together, as they were positioned in the same spot. Furthermore, our spearman cadet, seeing the four swordsmen depart, had stayed behind to guard the mages.
'With that setup, they should be able to buy plenty of time even if they're discovered.'
It was a force that couldn't be overcome by a single intruder. The enemy would have to call for backup. In the meantime, our rear guard could easily hold the line.
'Unless, of course, it's her.'
My gaze locked onto a girl darting through the forest. She was constantly scanning her surroundings as she advanced. And the direction she was heading in led straight to our team's mages.
'This is bad.'
Granted, the current Yoo Seora had a major flaw. She still hadn't broken out of her Default Build. Why was that a flaw? To explain that, one had to understand a key distinction.
The Default Build and the Standard Build were entirely different concepts. The Standard Build was synonymous with the optimized path universally recognized by players as the absolute best. The Default Build, however, was different. What would have happened to Gwen or Elsie if they had never been sponsored by a Constellation? In Gwen's case, she might have actually found her holy relic sooner without a Constellation, since her Constellation's goal was to delay her acquisition of it as much as possible. As for Elsie, she would have lived a life no better than a prisoner in the Reim Kingdom. That was the Default Build—the path a character naturally trod when no Constellation intervened.
And in Yoo Seora's case, her Default Build unfortunately dictated that she pursue swordsmanship.
'Not that the current Yoo Seora doesn't have a Constellation, though.'
Occasionally, there were players who insisted on reaching the ending using only the Default Build. Sometimes, what looked like a default build was actually a highly eccentric, specialized build. ...But putting all that aside, it was fundamentally impossible for Yoo Seora to survive with her Default Build. Granted, her situation wasn't as utterly hopeless as Elsie's kingdom escape route, which carried an abysmal success rate even with a Constellation's help. With just a tiny bit of assistance from a Constellation, Yoo Seora was more than capable of surviving. Later on, with the help of an Apostle, she would walk a paved road, even if it wasn't exactly lined with flowers. However, a Constellation-less Yoo Seora was mathematically destined to die.
'The fact that Yoo Seora is here means...'
She did indeed have a Constellation. Yet, for some reason, her Constellation was raising her along the Default Build. Why?
'How should I know?'
Maybe they were a weirdo, maybe they had abandoned her, or maybe they had some other plan. Whatever the case, it wasn't my concern. Unlike Elsie, who would have died a miserable death if left alone, Yoo Seora was already walking a relatively smooth path simply by entering the Hero Academy.
'Her Constellation will take care of it.'
The important thing was that even with her Default Build, Yoo Seora was exceptionally strong in a mock battle environment where holy relics could be used as disposable items without consequence. If she clashed with our spearman like this, the outcome was already decided.
'I need to keep her in check.'
My arrows wouldn't reach her from this distance. Even if they did, my accuracy would drop precipitously. Infusing my feet with Wind Authority once more, I began to close the distance. Moving swiftly from branch to branch, I managed to get within firing range before Yoo Seora could spot our mages.
I repositioned myself in a heavily shaded, elevated spot. If it were up to me, I would have loved to use the Optical Modification skill to turn completely invisible, but regardless of my proficiency, it was an impossible feat with my F-rank mana pool.
'Still, it'll be hard to spot me from a distance.'
I had already confirmed that there were no other Team A cadets nearby. That meant there was no one here to interfere with me. If Yoo Seora's attention got drawn to me instead, that would actually be a win. It was right as I drew my bowstring that something glinted in the corner of my eye. Fortunately, I possessed something far faster than my own limbs.
'Wind Authority.'
I deflected the incoming arrow using my Wind Authority. Having barely evaded the immediate danger, I turned my head toward the direction the arrow had flown from. It was deep within Team A's territory. From there, I saw another arrow soaring into the sky.
'What kind of ridiculous...'
That spot was easily twice my maximum range. Naturally, let alone accuracy, it was a distance my own physical strength couldn't even hope to reach. Yet, Wilhelm was executing such an ultra-long-range snipe as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
'I guess that's a playable character for you.'
I used my Wind Authority once more to deflect the next incoming arrow. His accuracy was terrifying; if not for my Wind Authority, the arrow's trajectory would have driven it straight through my skull.
'What should I do?'
No matter how versatile the Wind Authority seemed, it had its limits. With my current proficiency, it was impossible to use it to assist my own shots while simultaneously blocking incoming arrows. If I had to choose between the two...
Watching his arrow fly, Wilhelm could hardly believe his eyes.
"What in the world...?"
There was no point in attacking the enemy mages, as they were currently immune to ranged attacks thanks to the support spell Magic Shield. Therefore, he had decided to keep the enemy archer in check. Although the guy's archery during their first class had seemed incredibly clumsy, Wilhelm reasoned that anyone who had passed this year's exceptionally competitive entrance exam had to be hiding something.
And his intuition had proven correct. The guy had evaded his arrow using some unknown ability. Yet, something felt off. To confirm his suspicions, Wilhelm loosed another arrow.
"How...!"
He saw it clearly. Without even moving his body, the guy had caused the arrow's trajectory to bend.
"Sung Yu-rang, was it?"
For some reason, the guy still looked completely unfazed, radiating an enigmatic sense of strength. Wilhelm drew his bow once more.
"Let's see what you've got."