Chapter 393
Chapter 393
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 393
Chapter Title: Capture the High Ground (2)
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Shirone's team had decided on their positions the night before.
Shirone, with his excellent movement, would be the forward, while Nade and Iruki would take the left and right wings.
The versatile Amy was the linker, and Maya, whose offense was weak, was naturally suited for guard.
On Screamer's team, Screamer himself, the star of the Magic Fist Finisher strategy, was the forward.
Luman of crowd control and Pony of hydrokinesis were the left and right wingers, the utility-focused Suabi was the linker, and Eider was the guard.
The two teams didn't even make eye contact. Whatever their usual relationships, right now, they were nothing but competitors.
Taking it a step further, Screamer lifted his chin and approached Shirone. He knew the importance of winning the initial psychological battle.
"Hey, you ready? Ready to get crushed, I mean."
Shirone's stock had risen even higher after the survival test, which only fueled Screamer's excitement.
A team with Maya on it was bound to have the worst balance. If he could defeat Shirone in this match, he could solidify his position in the graduating class.
"You must be anxious, having a hole in your team."
"For the biggest hole to be saying that, have you no shame?"
To Shirone, Maya was no longer just a fellow graduating student. He couldn't forgive Screamer for insulting her.
"Heh heh, I'll finish this 5-0. You just wait and see."
At the evaluating instructor's call, the six teams walked to their designated battle arenas.
Following behind Canis, Arin suddenly remembered something and glanced back at Screamer's team.
"..."
A giant snake was coiling arrogantly.
It was always a bizarre sight, but today it was even more so.
"Canis, don't you think we should tell him? Shirone?"
"Forget it. Shirone is a competitor in the graduating class, same as us. It's not like we have an alliance with him."
Arin didn't ask again. With her own life on the line in Capture the High Ground, she had no room to worry about others.
As they crossed the threshold of the battle arena, Canis added one more thing.
"He's not the type to go down easy, anyway."
* * *
Shirone's team and Screamer's team entered the 2nd Battle Arena and briefly reviewed their strategies in their respective zones. The thing Screamer's team was most wary of was, of course, Ataraxia.
"Listen up. If Shirone uses that magic circle he used to beat Dante, we charge unconditionally. We just need to take out Shirone. The casting time seems to be over a minute, so we'll have a chance."
Pony asked.
"What if we fail? If they go with Guardian Force, we could get countered, right?"
Guardian Force was an extreme defensive formation where all members protected the flag, and it was the most likely tactic Shirone would choose if he were to cast Ataraxia.
"In that case, we retreat, no matter what. Dig a bunker on the high ground and hide. With Luman's crowd control, it'll be instantaneous."
Eider said.
"Then we're essentially starting one point down, aren't we?"
"Giving up one point is fine. He passed out after using it just once back then. There's no way he can use a grand-scale magic every round. In fact, if we can wear down Shirone's mental energy, it's a gain for us."
Even if it was powerful, a spell that took a minute to cast offered various ways to respond. They would try to interrupt it if possible, but if not, they could just hide.
"Alright, alright! This is 20 points for the taking. That's why we formed this team. Just like we planned, let's crush them from the start."
Screamer's team put their hands together and shouted a cheer.
Meanwhile, Shirone's team was also finishing their review. Iruki gathered everyone and spoke in a low voice.
"We'll have to use Ataraxia depending on the situation. They'll probably funnel all their utility spells into Screamer anyway. We should use the Sidewinder formation to seize the early initiative."
Sidewinder was a formation where the wingers ran wide along both lines, a strategy that could pressure an enemy team trying to concentrate on the center line.
When the announcement signaling the start of the first round was heard, the ten members scattered to their respective positions via spatial movement. Of course, once the Ichunbun System activated, spatial movement would be grounds for disqualification.
Shirone waited at the 10-meter mark of the center line.
The battle arena map was symmetrical, and various obstacles were set up, blocking his view of his teammates. All Shirone could see was Screamer, facing him from 20 meters away.
Dressed in form-fitting training wear, he was warming up, his feet moving rapidly before slowing to a relaxed state. There was no trace of nervousness in his calm warm-up.
'Iruki will clash with Luman, and Nade with Pony. Should I move to Iruki's line, then?'
Though the numbers were an even 5 vs 5, strategies and tactics would constantly create partial 1 vs 2 or 1 vs 3 situations. The key was to gain an advantage in these local skirmishes through choice and focus.
-10 seconds until the start of Round 1.
The lights in the battle arena came on, and the hum of an engine could be heard.
The Ichunbun bracelet lit up, and Screamer began to step lightly, turning his body diagonally. As he rapidly moved his feet back and forth on the spot, he looked as if he were floating in mid-air.
"Alright! Let's have some real fun!"
4 seconds. 3 seconds. As the countdown ticked away, Screamer's legs moved even faster.
From a distance, it might have looked like he was just fooling around, but watching from 20 meters away, Shirone felt the hair on his arms stand up at the speed of his Schema.
Could human legs move that fast? He looked like a tightly coiled steel spring, ready to launch at any moment.
"Wooooooooooh! Wooooooooooh!"
Screamer's body blurred as he shook his limbs. At the same time, the Ichunbun System activated, and everyone entered the Spirit Zone.
-Capture the High Ground, Round 1, will now begin.
*Pop! Popopop! Pop! Pop!*
A dazzling display of multi-colored lights exploded above Screamer's head. Strength enhancement, agility enhancement, nervous system enhancement, concentration enhancement, muscular endurance augmentation—a 20-spell utility magic combat package from Suabi was relentlessly hitting him.
With the high-speed casting, a specialty of utility mages, Screamer's movements became even faster. The moment his limbs became a blur, a piercing screech erupted from his mouth.
"Kiyaaaaaaaaaah!"
Screamer Martial Arts - Flying Dragon Kick.
Stretching his arms out to the sides as if to dislocate his shoulders, Screamer shot forward with his right leg extended like a cannon barrel.
'Spear to Spear?'
A tactic to pressure the entire line by attacking the opposing forward.
Seeing Screamer fly toward him like a massive crossbow bolt, Shirone reflexively cast a spell.
'Berserk!'
Just as the curtain of light pulsed, Screamer's human bullet broke through the barrier of mass and struck Shirone.
"Keuk!"
Shirone, who had crossed his arms to block his chest, was sent flying over 5 meters before collapsing to the ground.
Even though Berserk had dampened the force, the impact pierced his solar plexus, knocking the wind out of him.
'So this is the Magic Fist Finisher strategy.'
A creature's strength cannot be analyzed by the sum of its stats.
Just as increasing strength also increases speed, the twenty buffs coordinated with each other, creating a synergistic effect that transcended mere numbers.
*Popopop! Popop! Popopopop!*
Suabi continuously applied buffs. The active buffs she cast had an average duration of two seconds. The key was to rotate through all 20 types with perfect timing.
Amy moved to block Screamer. In a Spear to Spear, it was standard for the linker to back up the center line.
"Wadadadadadadada!"
The sight of Screamer flying in via short-distance teleports was terrifying. With each flash of light, his posture changed, like a spinning pinwheel.
"Wada! Wada!"
The frames of motion were omitted from Screamer's rapid-fire punches. A side kick carrying his full body weight sent her flying back while still in her defensive stance.
"Kiyaaaaaaaaaah!"
Screamer clenched both fists and trembled. His shirt, torn by Berserk, revealed a torso of rippling, lean muscle.
With the center line broken, Screamer charged toward the high ground unimpeded. Maya attempted an offensive, but before she could even cast a spell, her arm was twisted behind her back, and she was pulled into Screamer's embrace.
"L-let go of me!"
"Heh heh, what's wrong? First time feeling muscles like these? Don't be shy."
Screamer grabbed the flag. The Spirit Zone had vanished, but with his Schema, overpowering Maya was no problem.
As the pole was pulled out, the Ichunbun System shut down.
-Round 1 has ended. Round 2 will begin in 5 minutes.
Screamer came down from the high ground, planted the flag at the bottom of the hill, and shouted at Shirone's team.
"Hey, isn't this a little too easy? With a guard this weak, can you even protect your flag properly?"
The Magic Fist Finisher strategy was far more powerful than Shirone had anticipated. Screamer's skill was impressive, but Suabi was the real problem.
A master who could rapidly cycle through 20 different batteries. It would be difficult to seize victory without taking her out.
Shirone turned to Maya. She was the key figure who could serve as a counter to the Magic Fist Finisher strategy.
Maya nodded vigorously. She was burdened by the attention she was getting from the team, but for Shirone's sake, she was willing to do anything.
'I'll do my best, Shirone!'
Round 2 began, and Screamer once again pushed forward with a Spear to Spear.
As Shirone retreated into his own territory, Screamer's confidence soared. Even the great Shirone was afraid of him, wasn't he?
"Hahaha! What a coward...!"
*Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah!*
Screamer's steps faltered and tangled. When Maya's sound magic erupted, it felt like an earthquake was happening inside his head.
"Heuk!"
Suabi grimaced.
The Rhapsody of Death that Maya was singing was a spell that broke the enemy's concentration. But with her skill level at a mere specialty stage 2, she shouldn't have been able to produce such power.
'Her voice is different, isn't it?'
Unlike before, when she had used formal vocal techniques, Maya was now unleashing the Rhapsody of Death as if she were simply singing a song. The range was short, but the amplification was immense.
Without buffs, Screamer's power was significantly weakened. Shirone's team, having pulled their line back early, defended solidly.
As the battle devolved into a chaotic brawl, Screamer retreated to his side of the field.
Maya's amplification was incredible, but her range wasn't that wide. He planned to take out Shirone from his own territory.
"Suabi! Buffs!"
As he crossed the center line, Suabi's buffs kicked in again.
His leg strength enhanced, Screamer shot forward with tremendous acceleration.
The back of Shirone, who was breaking through the 60-meter mark of the enemy's territory, rapidly grew closer.
"Kiyaaaaah!"
Screamer charged in with a Flying Dragon Kick.
Twisting her waist to let Screamer pass, Amy shouted.
"Shirone! Behind you!"
"Too late!"
At that moment, Shirone's body glowed with a pale light and exploded, scattering in eight directions.
Shotgun Movement!
"Keok!"
As a streak of light struck his abdomen, an anti-magic of immense power surged through him. It was an impact that even his Schema's strength-enhancing build couldn't handle.
*Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!*
Each time a part of the Shotgun Movement shot forward, Photon Cannons were sprayed across the entire battle arena.
It wasn't a simple movement technique. It was a powerful crowd control ability that tore Screamer's team's formation apart.
"Ugh!"
Eider barely managed to evade the hail of Photon Cannons. With Amy backing him up and blocking the path to the flag, Shirone was able to leisurely grab the pole and pull it out.
-Round 2 has ended. Round 3 will begin in 5 minutes.
After a round ended, it was customary to place the flag back in its original spot, but Shirone carried it down the hill. He then pointedly slammed it into the ground at Screamer's feet, and with a snort of derision, returned to his team's zone via spatial movement.
"That bastard...!"
Shotgun Movement, a spell that combined movement, attack, and crowd control all at once, was a magic that no one but Shirone could pull off.
'What? The God Particle?'
In the world of magic, were there only gods and no devils? Why the hell wasn't anyone doing anything about a guy like that?
Pony approached, looking at Shirone's team's high ground.
"Don't get worked up. Anyway, what happened? Maya's sound magic is way too strong."
That was the cause of their defeat in the second round. But Screamer had no idea how she had amplified her magic in such a short time.
Seeing Maya laughing among her teammates, he remembered what had happened during their strategy session, and his anger flared up even more.
'Dammit! How did he do it? With that untalented kid...'
The atmosphere on Shirone's team was cheerful. The counter to the Magic Fist Finisher strategy had worked perfectly.
"Maya! That was really cool! You won this round."
"I just did what you told me to..."
Iruki's advice to abandon formal vocal techniques had hit the mark. It was a strategy that discarded technique to drastically enhance the raw power of Maya, who had a natural gift for singing.
Of course, this method had its limits.
The reason sound mages learned vocal techniques was because it was the most specialized way to technically control one's voice. In the end, fighting with raw power alone would only work at the student level.
But Maya had gladly accepted Iruki's proposal.
She wanted to bring victory to those who had fought Screamer for her sake.
Shirone's team was not a one-man team.