The Artifact Securing Match
They rode the teleportation magic circle and arrived at a new location.
Despite it being the middle of the day, the sky hung dark and heavy. Thick mist swirled over land utterly devoid of life's energy, where only gaunt, withered trees stood like skeletal sentinels.
This place is......
[So this is Deathland.]
Pier's avatar spoke up abruptly. Simon lowered his gaze.
Here?
[Mm! Though it looks like a remote outskirts, quite far from the central area where Prince's mansion stands. The natural undead like the zombies seem to have been cleared away in advance!]
A massive mana screen had been erected here, and staff from Kizen Headquarters bustled about their work. The fact that Headquarters itself was involved made it clear this was no small exam.
Once all the students had arrived, Aaron stepped forward.
"Attention. I will now explain the theme of this examination."
Grumble, grumble—
The teaching assistants came trundling forward, pulling wheeled carts. The students craned their necks and rose onto tiptoes, each trying to catch even the slightest glimpse.
Three trays sat atop the carts, each covered with a lid. In unison, the assistants lifted them.
"Is that......"
"What is that?"
Dirt-caked broken plates, shards of pottery. They appeared extremely old — colors faded, surfaces worn away.
"The theme of this examination is the Artifact Securing Match."
Artifacts?
Question marks bloomed in every student's eyes.
"Rare artifacts lie buried in the ground of the testing grounds. You will participate as treasure hunter teams, and you must secure artifacts that are rarer and faster than the competing teams."
Simon grasped it immediately and smiled.
They said buried in the ground, did they?
For starters, this exam looked very likely to be the kind that used a ghoul's refined sense of smell and detection abilities to unearth artifacts buried in the earth.
Aaron activated the device in his hand. The screen flickered to life, laying the entire expanse of the testing grounds out at a glance.
"This is the testing grounds. It forms a perfect square, and the area marked now is your starting position."
On the square field, four markers blinked near the edges, just below each corner.
"And at each starting position stands a structure called an 'altar.'"
The screen shifted to show the altar — a structure shaped like a colossal skull with its jaws gaping open.
"Using your ghouls' detection abilities, you must retrieve the 'artifacts' buried throughout the testing grounds and bring them to your altar."
Countless blue and yellow markers blinked across the entire field on the screen.
They were example positions of artifacts.
"At the moment the exam ends, the scores of the artifacts held in each altar are tallied. The squad with the highest total claims final victory. All other squads receive grades corresponding to their rankings."
Loraine, who had been listening intently, rested her chin on her hand.
"Simpler rules than I expected."
Simon nodded in agreement.
"Next, the point values of each artifact."
The blue artifacts scattered across the testing grounds were worth 1 point.
The slightly rarer yellow artifacts were worth 3 points.
And at each starting position's altar sat a red artifact — worth 15 points.
Immediately, a girl raised her hand.
"Aseraz Mikel here! What are those red artifacts?"
"They are artifacts kept at each starting position."
Aaron answered plainly, the corner of his mouth curling upward.
"Every one of your squads begins the match in possession of this 15-point artifact."
The quick-witted students caught on at once.
An utterly deliberate mechanism.
"To summarize: dig up the artifacts buried in the testing grounds and place them in your own squad's altar. The squad with the most points when the exam ends wins. Any questions?"
"None!"
Aaron crossed his arms.
"That covers the broad strokes. The rules themselves are simple, but as always at Kizen, the sub-rules are what matter."
As if they'd been waiting for that exact moment, the assistants dispersed among the students and handed out pamphlets.
"Commit the sub-rules thoroughly to memory. All of your movements will be observed by Headquarters personnel. Violate a rule once and you receive a warning; twice, it will be treated as cheating on the exam — you'll be given an F and escorted out."
Simon took his pamphlet as well.
"Next, the match-ups."
Aaron brought up a new screen. Simon checked his own squad first.
Match 1 : Squad 1, Squad 4, Squad 10, Squad 13
The first match......! And that means—
Simon's head turned. Another student was already looking back at him.
Hector of Squad 1.
"Waaah! Of all things, the first match!"
Eshu flitted about frantically. Beside her, Loraine spoke in a lowered voice.
"I'd say going first isn't bad. The awkwardness and fumbling will be the same for us and for them."
"Th-that's true, I guess."
Just then, the Head Assistant's voice rang out.
"You have thirty minutes of rest time! You may move about freely, but be careful not to wander too far — you could come under attack from natural undead."
Rest time, in name only — it was really thirty minutes of strategy time. All four members of Squad 10 swiftly found a spot and pulled out their pamphlets.
"Before we plan anything, let's get the sub-rules down first."
"Got it!"
The sub-rules contained a great deal, but the essentials read as follows:
— Examinees may not directly participate in this examination.
— Examinees may use only techniques applicable to ghouls.
— Examinees may control a maximum of 3 ghouls simultaneously. Once deployed, a ghoul cannot be returned to subspace.
— Examinees must maintain at least 1 ghoul at all times.
"Those four are the core."
Simon said. Toto, engrossed in reading the pamphlet line by line, looked up.
"S-so it really is an exam evaluating our ghouls, which means we have to rely on ghouls exclusively."
"Exactly. Say, could you tell me how many ghouls you have left? I'm at nine."
Loraine raised her hand.
"Nine for me as well."
Eshu and Toto muttered sheepishly.
"I'm down to four, President."
"......Sorry, Simon. Three left."
Among the other Summoning students, three or four ghouls remaining was the average. Losing even one meant a sudden drop in combat power. Students carrying nine or more live ghouls like Simon were rare.
Simon spoke again.
"From what I remember, Hector's also at nine. Thinning out his ghouls won't be easy."
Hector had lost more ghouls than Simon during their Funeral Studies classes, but had started Materials Studies with a staggering thirteen.
Eshu thrust her hand up with a jingle!
"Me! Me! I have a report too~! Pierre Buckler's ghoul count is seven!"
Having long since grown accustomed to her hyperactivity, Simon fielded it with ease.
"How do you know that?"
"I overheard it during talk time while we were pulling an all-nighter! Everyone was going on about how many ghouls they had left. Ah, I suppose it could be fake intel?"
"I-I'll write it down."
Toto took out his notebook and carefully jotted down the estimated ghoul counts of their opponents.
Simon spoke up.
"Alright, back to the sub-rules. There are a few more things I want to flag."
— All artifacts in the testing grounds may be moved by ghouls only.
— The red artifact at the 'altar' cannot be moved at the possessing squad's discretion.
"So this last one — it seems the 15-point red artifact has to stay at the home altar."
Loraine's expression turned serious.
"Someone will have to remain behind to guard it."
"Right."
The value of a 15-point red artifact was considerable.
It would take fifteen 1-point blue artifacts, or five 3-point yellow artifacts, to match it.
"Hmm— with this setup, everyone's going to prioritize protecting their artifact, so won't it just turn into an artifact search-and-defend game?"
Eshu blurted out suddenly.
"Everyone just hunts the artifacts near their own base, occasionally ventures out to fight off an opposing team's ghouls — I bet it'll end at exactly that level."
"No."
Simon shook his head with certainty.
"If it's Hector, he'll come."
"We strike Simon Polentia."
Hector declared in a voice like drawn steel.
Pierre Buckler nodded, while the other two students stiffened slightly.
"D-do we really need to fight the Student Council President's squad?"
"There's no reason to take on that kind of risk, Class Rep. We could just safely swallow up Squad 4 or 13 and take first place—"
"No."
Hector shook his head.
"Strictly speaking, this exam is a battle between our Squad 1 and Squad 10. As long as it comes down to a fight for first place, we will clash with each other once no matter how the exam unfolds. Moving to strike a rival for the top rank is only natural."
"Th-then what if we strike Squad 4 and 13 first, and then go after Simon's Squad 10—"
"What happens if, while we're busy fighting those weaklings, Simon's Squad 10 assaults our altar?"
"......"
The two squadmates' expressions grew complicated.
"All it does is bleed our strength before we ever face him. And even if we devour one of Squad 4 or Squad 13 within the two hours, it's worthless if our home base falls."
"Then what do we do?"
"We do the exact opposite of what you suggested."
Hector's eyes gleamed.
"At the start of the exam, while everyone is scattered hunting for artifacts, we hurl our full strength in a surprise assault and destroy Simon's altar."
"B-but won't Simon then come storming our altar to take it back?"
"We simply repel him — and frankly, it's unlikely to come to that."
Hector scoffed.
"That man always thinks rationally. Given the remaining time, he'll realize it's more sensible to strike Squad 4 or 13 than to pick a fight with us at full strength."
"......Hmm."
"No need to overthink it."
Hector pressed a fingertip hard against his forehead.
"This isn't 1:1:1:1. From the very beginning, treat it as a duel to the death between Squad 1 and Squad 10."
Squad 10 was hard at work on their strategy meeting as well.
But Eshu, rather than focusing on strategy, was craning her neck and far more absorbed in peeking at the other teams' movements.
"Ah!"
Eshu ducked her head and whispered.
"There's Pierre! Pierre! Pierre Buckler's on the move! What do we do? He's heading toward Squad 4!"
Good intel.
Simon feigned casual conversation while glancing toward Squad 4. He could see Pierre and the Squad 4 students talking.
"It's definitely an alliance offer."
Toto shuddered.
"What if three squads gang up and hit us all at once? If it's Hector, he could pressure those two squads into—"
"I don't think that'll happen."
Simon shook his head coolly.
"Squad 4 and Squad 13 are bona fide Kizen students too. They're not the type to bow to Hector's coercion, and above all, Hector wouldn't lean on them that way."
"......Y-you think so?"
"Yeah. Maybe back in first year, with that fiery temper of his, but not now."
Simon rested his chin on his hand and smiled.
"He's the Class Representative leading the whole department now. He won't do things like threatening his own department's students. He's probably just telling them not to interfere with the fight, nothing more."
Loraine chuckled.
"Maybe it's because we're in the same class, but you two know each other a little too well, don't you think?"
"......Haha."
Eshu, who had been surveying the other squads like a meerkat, whipped her head back around.
"Everyone, listen up! Breaking news! This time Hector Moore himself is heading to Squad 13! Uuu, shouldn't we take some kind of action too? I'm getting anxious!"
"Alright. Let's do this."
At Simon's single remark, everyone turned to look at him with wide eyes.
Simon grinned.
"Unlike Hector's side, let's make them an offer they absolutely cannot refuse."
When strategy time was over, the Head Assistant called out in a ringing voice.
"Students participating in the first match, please proceed to the teleportation magic circles."
Perhaps because it was the opening match, the attention of every student in the department converged on them.
The four squads, Simon's among them, stepped forward. Before them stood four teleportation magic circles.
Squad 1, Squad 4, Squad 10, Squad 13.
The students of each squad gathered among their own and lined up before their respective circles.
"I trust you have all studied the rules thoroughly."
Aaron walked out and addressed them.
"No more watching each other's backs. Compete fiercely, and focus on claiming the highest score."
"Yes, sir!"
"The examination begins now."
An assistant activated the magic circles, and all sixteen students felt their bodies lift into the air.
Alright — our first major practical evaluation. Even if only to hold onto the top seat, I have to finish this in first place.
Simon's head turned.
He saw Hector staring straight ahead, a sinister smile playing at the corner of his mouth. He, too, looked remarkably confident in this ghoul practical evaluation.
Of course—
With my new ghouls, no matter what the opponent throws at us, we'll win.
Simon wasn't contemplating defeat in the slightest.
