Chapter 15
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Mock Battle for Leadership
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Abel spent a long time observing the Blade Tail without a care.
But something snapped him out of it.
[Main Quest 'Mock Battle' is now in progress!]
[First Quest: Take on the leader role in the mock battle against the Blade Tail.]
[This is a linked quest. Rewards will be given upon completing all quests.]
It was the sudden appearance of a Main Quest.
Abel had breezed past previous messages without much thought, but this one he couldn't ignore.
Main Quests were the core of the story, after all.
Not only did they offer far better rewards than regular quests, but they were crucial for the story's progression.
'Failure comes with hefty penalties...'
Calming his excitement, Abel composed himself and scanned the surroundings.
The other kids had varied reactions.
Rian and Hena burned with hot gazes—not quite like his own, but intense.
Daniel, Jun, and Charlotte looked tense. Iolin and May didn't fit either category.
'Iolin's as impassive as ever.'
Her face gave nothing away about her thoughts.
May wasn't dozing off, but she stared at the Gigadeus Fragment with a half-dazed expression.
"Alright."
Jacqueline clapped to get their attention, then spoke softly.
"Come closer and observe it more carefully."
At her words, Abel stepped forward without hesitation. Seeing this, the others followed suit.
As the cadets approached, the Blade Tail unfurled its crouched body.
Scraaaape—.
Its tail dragged across the floor, echoing with a sharp metallic screech.
The approaching cadets froze.
They knew it couldn't escape, yet the sound instinctively put them on edge.
Its tail, rigidly raised, looked ready to lash out through the bars at any moment.
But some pressed on despite the menacing display.
Abel, in particular, never paused and walked right up to the bars.
'It’s not dangerous anyway.'
It wasn't mere courage—it was certainty.
Those bars weren't just ordinary metal.
Though invisible to the eye, a magic barrier enveloped the entire enclosure.
"Grrrrr..."
Even with Abel right in front of it, the Blade Tail only growled threateningly without attacking, thanks to that.
"Hmm."
Abel even crossed his arms as he examined it closely.
This beast, entirely metallic, had a different allure from Gigants.
Despite being metal, its body formed beautiful curves, and its movements were astonishingly fluid.
'From a certain perspective, it feels like a distant relative of Gigants...'
Gigants were modeled after Gigadeus.
Gigadeus Fragments, while not fully understood, were known to derive from Gigadeus.
In a way, they shared the same origins.
It was a fascinating topic he could ponder for hours.
But Abel didn't forget his purpose and asked Jacqueline.
"Eight of us against this one?"
"That's right. Even classified as low-tier, it won't be easy. Your performance in the exercise will naturally factor into your grades."
Gigant training would begin in earnest tomorrow.
That left barely two weeks.
Even for an elite special class, syncing up and fighting in just two weeks wouldn't be simple.
Jacqueline continued.
"We'll also select one leader. The chosen leader will receive extra credit."
Everyone's eyes lit up at that.
Abel was no exception.
The Main Quest's objective was precisely to claim the leader spot.
'As long as it follows what I know, no big worries.'
Whether leader selection would proceed exactly like in the original game would reveal itself in time.
"Um, could you move a bit to the side?"
Then Hena tapped his arm.
His position was apparently blocking her view.
"Oh, sorry."
Having observed enough, Abel apologized and stepped back readily.
But just as he lifted his foot, a strange sensation hit him.
Thump—.
His heart pounded fiercely.
An inexplicable unease surged from deep in his chest, accompanied by a raw heat.
Abel clutched his chest with one hand and instinctively looked up.
Whoooong—.
The Blade Tail's red-glowing eyes stared straight down at him.
Their gazes locked in midair.
Its eyes didn't hold the look of an untouchable prey.
Rather...
-Why.
Abel stumbled back at the sudden voice.
"Why? What's wrong?"
"What happened?"
Hena and Daniel spoke up, seeing his reaction.
Abel caught his breath to respond.
"Just now..."
But Daniel beat him to it.
"Ah, startled by the growl?"
Abel furrowed his brow.
"Growl?"
"Yeah. It's pretty intimidating, right? First time seeing one this close for me too."
Daniel carried on casually.
He hadn't heard any growl—just that unidentified voice.
Abel swallowed his words.
Instinct told him not to voice what happened.
Regaining his composure, he played it off lightly.
"Yeah. Got spooked up close like that."
"Happens. Guess you're human after all."
Daniel chuckled.
Abel laughed it off appropriately and looked back at the Blade Tail.
It lay crouched on the floor again, as if the eerie moment never happened.
No time for deeper thought.
"Observation time's over. Let's begin the lesson proper."
Jacqueline started the class.
"Today, we'll cover what Gigadeus Fragments are and the characteristics of this Blade Tail. Pay close attention—it'll help greatly with the exercise in two weeks."
The heat in his chest had vanished without a trace.
Abel rubbed his chest and focused on Jacqueline's voice.
Unlike practicals, theory classes demanded attention for high marks.
"Gigadeus Fragments are beings closely tied to Gigadeus..."
Jacqueline's steady voice droned on.
The cadets might have found it dull, but the intriguing content kept them hooked.
An hour flew by, and class ended.
Normally, they'd head to the cafeteria or dorms, but not today.
The leader issue remained.
The special class's eight elites—all top-tier—had no intention of yielding the role. Except May, who left yawning.
Jacqueline addressed the remaining seven.
"There are two ways to choose a leader. First: discuss and decide on one. But that seems unlikely now."
"Uh, yes."
The cadets replied sheepishly.
They'd talked long after class but couldn't bridge differences.
Jacqueline told them.
"Then we'll use the second method."
"What is it?"
"Aren't you Gigant rider candidates?"
Smiling faintly at them, Jacqueline said.
"In that spirit, combat has long resolved disputes."
The cadets looked flustered at "combat."
Did she mean brawling?
Jacqueline clarified.
"If interested, visit me by 8 p.m. tomorrow. I'll explain then."
With that, she turned and left, signaling no more questions.
The cadets stared blankly before exiting with questions lingering.
* * *
Abel sat in the empty classroom, scribbling notes.
[Gigadeus are humanity's clear enemies.
They hold a third of the continent, and even humanity's mightiest forces, led by Gigants, can't fully drive them out.
Gigadeus Fragments are lesser beings akin to them.
Their forms range from beast-like to...]
Scratch-scratch—.
Only the pen on paper echoed in the empty room.
Abel wrote for nearly an hour before setting down his pen.
"Whew."
Exhaling deeply, he closed his eyes briefly.
He recalled his body from last night after special class, while washing up.
Specifically, the odd pattern that appeared on his chest.
'What is it?'
It resembled a flame emblem.
He had no habit of daily self-inspection, but he'd have noticed a chest tattoo.
It appeared suddenly. And he suspected the timing.
'That heat then.'
When facing the Gigadeus Fragment.
He'd felt searing heat on his chest. Then the pattern appeared there.
Even a fool could connect them.
Another question followed naturally.
'Whose body is this?'
Before Vulcanus named him Abel, he was just "beggar" or "brat."
He never knew the original owner's name or had a chance to.
Waking up, he'd been collapsed in rags on the street.
No clues to identity.
So he'd assumed typical stray boy.
But if not?
If this monstrous Sync Rate wasn't random?
Sigh.
Abel rubbed his face.
Not a puzzle solvable now.
It definitely reacted to the Gigadeus Fragment, and he'd face more plenty.
'If it's truly special... I'll feel something next time too.'
He needed to research the pattern separately, but brooding was pointless.
'I'll check the academy library later.'
Decision made, Abel grabbed his notebook and stood.
Then.
Someone entered the classroom.
"Abel!"
Daniel, with Hena beside him.
She eyed Abel, notebook under arm.
"You stayed in the classroom the whole time?"
"Just organizing notes."
Daniel cut in.
"Whoa. I bolted for food 'cause I was starving."
"Figured as much."
Abel had shooed him off when he kept asking to leave together post-class.
"Anyway, confident about today?"
"Combat?"
"Yeah."
"No basis to judge. We don't even know the format."
Abel had suspicions, but details were unknown.
Daniel nodded with a frown.
"True. Could've explained ahead."
"Whatever, we'll see. Let's go."
"Yeah."
The three left the building and headed to another.
"Pretty sure it's this way."
"Isn't it there?"
After minor detours, they reached the instructors' offices and special facilities building.
Flashing cadet IDs at the entrance, they spotted familiar faces by the stairs.
"Ah, there you are."
The special class cadets.
Daniel approached casually.
"Sorry. We're last?"
"Yeah. Instructor Jacqueline said to go to the back once all gathered."
Rian—big but timid-looking—replied.
All eight assembled, they headed to the opposite exit.
Opening it, they gaped.
An unexpected vista lay behind the building.
Vast plains.
Far larger than the Gigant piloting practice field.
"Over here."
Jacqueline waved and called. They hurried over.
And saw.
Titos lined up behind her.
"This is the mock battlefield," Jacqueline told the still-stunned cadets.
"Normally for second-years and up."
"Mock battle means..."
"Exactly: ride these Titos and fight a mock battle."
Smiling, she elaborated.
"Miles-class need outdoor fields due to size, but Titos are fine here."
The field was jaw-droppingly wide, overflowing for Titos but not true battlefield scale for Miles.
She continued.
"You'll ride Titos for a mock battle. The winner becomes leader. Simple, right?"
"What do we do with them?"
"Ah, didn't specify the event."
Jacqueline answered Daniel kindly.
"Capture the flag. Even real riders train this way."
Excitement and curiosity sparked in all.
Except one.
'Been a while.'
Abel felt more nostalgia than curiosity.
This mock field appeared in the game.
As a minigame series, including capture the flag.
He anticipated it but worried too.
'Don't want to crush their spirits too hard.'
They were teammates; overwhelming them might demoralize.
"The leader gets 10 extra points immediately."
[Rewards vary based on linked quest performance.]
Jacqueline's words and the popup message made Abel shelve concerns.
'Holding back insults them.'
Giving his all respected them.
Abel switched mindsets swiftly.