The Final Onslaught: Fate of Finals and Summer Break Hangs in the Balance
"The drainage infiltration team is set as follows: me, Relbrian, Donal, the Vladir princess, and Reina von Wolfgang."
"Ah, an elite squad, then."
"Ugh, what a disgrace. A joint op with the likes of you..."
"Oh, Adrian, I'll pass on this one."
Reina's firm declaration. Glancing back at her, I immediately understood why.
"This time, I'll surpass her. That's it, right, Reina?"
"Yes."
Not her usual beaming smile, but a resolute expression. Of course. With Daisy's von Shukros as the enemy's 'leader,' she intended to face her head-on.
"But if the leader falls, it's an instant loss."
"Oh? Do you really think any second-year could outdo me in a magic duel?"
"That's true, but..."
"Don't worry, Adrian. I'll bring back word of victory for sure."
I had nothing more to say to her smiling like that. She'd declared she'd overcome her own limits herself—how could I stop her by saying it wasn't time yet?
"Don't push yourself. Dodge what you can, don't waste mana blocking what you could evade. Treat it like real combat. You're more important than some finals exam."
"Oh, Adrian, then you don't push yourself either. Even as the drainage infiltration team, it's basically diving alone into enemy territory. Conserve your strength, take them out cleanly, move stealthily. For me, your safety matters more than winning or losing these finals."
This girl. I shot her a glare, and she innocently tilted her head.
"...Sorry to interrupt."
The Hamburger guy suddenly cut in.
"They're moving the supplies."
"Time for us to split, then. The main force presses on and hits the castle head-on to draw their eyes. We'll slip in quietly while they're distracted."
"Understood."
Me, Donal, the Vladir princess riding behind me, and Relbrian besides. The four of us broke off from the main force and raced toward the forest.
"...What should we do, Leader?"
"The enemy's main force is approaching."
"We're moving the supplies, but they're suspiciously uninterested in them. They're just charging straight ahead."
"Leader, please give orders."
"Sorry. Give me a moment to think."
Daisy von Shukros, seated at the head, pressed a hand to her forehead and let out a deep sigh. No answers in sight.
She'd thought she'd played her trump cards well enough. Sending out the full army right after losing the scouts, using the golem cavalry to preserve forces—it had all been part of the strategy.
'Warfare is this difficult...'
The enemy leader was Reina von Wolfgang, but she knew. The foes' command rested solely with 'him.'
Who could've guessed? What seemed like a full-frontal assault had just smashed their defenses and fled, ignoring supplies entirely as they marched here.
'But this is a castle.'
Defenders held the advantage in sieges. Before the overwhelming structure of the 'castle,' raw numbers wouldn't matter much.
"For now, prioritize moving the supplies."
Maybe... this could turn into an opportunity.
Daisy von Shukros turned her head, gazing at the jade throne behind her seat and the crown atop it. Lose or break that, and it was over.
Yes. She had a 'sure victory condition,' but it wasn't enough alone. She needed a more ironclad plan.
"...How about this?"
Her proposed tactic stunned everyone, but realizing it was the only way to reverse the tide, they agreed.
"And here, I forfeit my role as leader."
She removed the defense team's armband and handed it to the girl beside her.
"Kalen Snowwhite."
"..."
"You become the final guardian of that crown. Protect it, no matter what."
With that, she rose from her seat and strode forward.
Around the purple-haired girl radiating mana floated four different minerals. And trailing the magic department's top student were her followers.
They passed through the archway exit brimming with light.
"Now, let's make our final stand."
"Sounds like the battle's kicked off."
Donal remarked, hearing distant booms and explosions.
"We left Reina and the others behind, but most key players are here. We'll snag the crown before they lose."
We were inside the drainage channel now. Ankle-deep water from yesterday's use. Advancing with a single torch.
The 'Griners' had roughly sketched a map, but I didn't need it. I'd traversed this path hundreds of times in the game.
"Move out."
Splash, splash, splash.
As we pressed on relentlessly, splashing through water—
"Something ahead."
"Hm."
A clear human shadow. Drawing closer, it was a knight department student in gym clothes, wielding a massive shield. A familiar face.
"Bilrum, huh."
"Fate brings us face-to-face as enemies, Sir Adrian."
Second-year knight department. No wonder I hadn't seen him on the assault team—he was defense.
"...I have to block this path."
"Yeah, figured."
They weren't brainless. They'd anticipated a drainage assault. Or maybe they'd predicted me specifically.
One might call it walking into a brutal trap.
But.
"...I'll hold them."
"Adrian, go on ahead."
Relbrian drew her rapier, Donal his greatsword, stepping forward.
"...Hold the line."
"Got it."
"Don't worry, sir."
"...This battle will forge my growth!"
Clash.
We bypassed them, pushing deeper until the metallic clamor faded, encountering another.
"Whoa? Didn't think you'd actually come. Nice to see ya!"
"...Knight department runner-up. Levin. Adrian, I'll take this one."
"You sure? Princess, flowing water is..."
"This is stagnant. No issue stepping in it, and it's dark with no sun. The farther you go with that infernal fire, the stronger I get."
She bit her arm, forming a longsword from 'blood,' and said,
"Hurry on."
"Uahaha! Beat the top spot here, and it's mine? Let's dance!"
Battle joined.
I passed them too, climbing up. Walk, turn, ascend, left, keep going...
Light appeared.
And.
"...Never thought you'd be my final opponent."
"..."
I approached. Toward the knight standing reverently before the throne and crown beyond.
Pale aquamarine hair, familiar shield, sword at waist, everyday gym clothes.
I drew the spirit tree branch and dagger simultaneously. Even gloved, I felt their grips clearly.
"Sir Adrian, I must protect this."
"Of course. That's proper."
⟨Lord and Knight⟩
"Then let's properly test a knight's resolve to defend."
"Please do."
Soon.
The sound of us kicking off together echoed through the hall.
Magic clashed fiercely against magic.
"Not a chance!"
"Hah!"
Mineral spears assailed from all sides, deflected by Reina's tri-element combo. She then scattered black petals from her staff everywhere.
Not to be outdone, Daisy raised her grimoire and hand skyward, raining down dozens of fluorite longswords.
A true pitched battle. Everyone halted to watch this clash of titans.
Each determined to crush the other sincerely. A collision of vows not to yield.
The magic duel raced toward its end, mana reserves dwindling.
Five-element mana arrows swept the floor; dust-caked Daisy rolled across it.
Support and attack mages clashing evenly was near-miraculous.
Reina landed lightly before her.
"Hated Shukros. Let's end this."
"Hah!"
Then.
Slash.
Daisy von Shukros extended a finger; an unseen ore longsword flew, severing her right arm—precisely the leader's armband.
It fell with a soft rustle.
"...You never watch your surroundings. That's your fatal flaw!"
The battlefield fell silent.
But Reina von Wolfgang merely smiled lightly.
The fallen 'leader armband' crumbled to dust.
"...Illusion magic? No way!"
"Yes. I'm not the leader. Looks like you're not either?"
"Haha..."
Staggering to her feet, Daisy von Shukros summoned over seventy ore longswords and polearms behind her.
"See it through to the end? Fine."
Behind Reina von Wolfgang floated every mid-tier elemental spell from the academy's second-year curriculum.
That moment.
Reina von Wolfgang felt a slight dizziness.
'Hm, I see... Adrian borrowed a bit of mana. Must be intense over there too. But even without it, I can't yield. I won't lose here!'
"Haaaaah!"
"Haaaaah!"
Mana infused with conviction collided.
A massive explosion engulfed the battlefield.
"...Leader, you switched. When did you put on the armband?"
"This morning. You're wearing one too, aren't you?"
"I..."
We've traded blows already. Naturally, she's taken more damage. But I'm not unscathed.
Covered in dust, rolled on the ground countless times. Gym shirt torn, feet frozen in ice. And the armband I'd bound tightly to my arm revealed itself.
I'd hoped to hide it till the end. Pity.
"...Time to finish this."
"Perfect. Just what I wanted."
But I felt my remaining stamina and mana were low. Mana already bottomed out.
'Never suited for prolonged fights anyway.'
Squeezing out enough for one Attribute Sword at best. Not sufficient. Needed two clean hits.
'Sorry, Reina... No choice.'
Lending Mana 2 to Reina von Wolfgang.
Request accepted.
Mana 2 granted.
Mana flowed in. Yes. Now defeat was impossible.
"Haaah!"
I twisted my torso to dodge her charging blade, cast Fireball at her feet to shatter the ice, and kicked off the ground.
She blocked with Ice Crystal Shield Art, probed openings with Will of the White Snow. Undeniably stronger than our scout skirmish—growth in less than a day.
With something to 'protect' behind her, she grew fiercer. That was Kalen Snowwhite, future moniker: Indomitable Knight.
Steadily approaching her destiny. I couldn't help but smile at the sight.
Yes, I knew protecting was key. But blindly sacrificing for unblockable strikes? Different story.
Kalen Snowwhite. Unraveling her 'curse' and 'past' became my fate the moment I recruited her as a fated companion. Never pondered when, though.
But now, I would.
Deflect the sword, elbow strike. She dodges; I swing the spirit branch at her side, twisting to thrust the dagger.
Ice Crystal Shield Art blocks; she swings back fiercely.
Offense and defense dragged on; neither yielded easily.
But.
Still insufficient.
"Ah, oof...!"
Her sword swing habits, personality quirks, combat tells. To me, who knew them all, this fight was just a test of my knowledge.
One strike, two, three to her legs—disrupt balance, wrap and deflect to topple her.
Now.
Count reached 0.
Available again at midnight.
Guaranteed one-hit. Plus bonus damage.
Her face, sensing defeat, held no despair.
"Attribute Sword..."
Wind-wrapped blade arced toward her shoulder.
"True Strike."
All squeezed mana in the descending Attribute Sword struck the floor, cleanly severing her armband.
And more.
Stumbling forward, I snatched the crown fallen from battle shock, stabbed it with my dagger, and shattered it.
I turned back.
What happened outside? Unknown.
But one thing clear.
Now, this storm of a finals exam.
All of it, finally over.