Episode 522
Episode 522
"Please put me in the vanguard! I'll bring us victory!"
Angrago shouted energetically.
Lee Han, who was suffering from muscle pain, looked at Angrago as if he were a madman. 'What gives him the confidence to say such things?' From what he'd heard, their opponents were polo fanatics who ate and breathed nothing but polo, while the students here were first and foremost magicians who prioritized magic.
He couldn't fathom where such confidence came from.
"Angrago. How exactly do you plan to win in this situation?"
"Wardanaz. I've played polo every single day without rest. Sometimes over ten matches a day."
"......"
Lee Han stared at Angrago with contempt. 'No wonder this bastard kept dozing off during study sessions...' The more he thought about it, sports like polo should be banned by school regulations.
If that happened, the average scores of White Tiger Tower students would easily rise by at least 20 points.
"Professor! Please put me in the vanguard—"
"Hold on. Alpha. Didn't you fall off your mount during the last race?"
"Huh? Yes. That's true, but that was a mistake—"
"Then you're in the rear."
"...Ah, no! Professor! This can't be! This can't be!!"
Contrary to his usual indifferent attitude toward academics, Angrago protested vehemently, but Professor Lightning Step remained coldly resolute.
When they were already at a disadvantage, he couldn't trust someone who was all talk.
What they needed was pure skill.
"Wardanaz. Richmond. The others are important too, but you two are especially crucial. Understood?"
"Professor. I'm still not fully recovered from the stone-throwing festival this week."
"Stone-throwing festival? Ah. The Saint Iactus Festival? Wait. Why were you even... Never mind. Professor Verdus must have taken you." 'That's not it.' Lee Han almost said it was Professor Lagrinde but stopped himself.
He didn't feel the need to point it out.
"Is the muscle pain severe?"
"Yes."
"Hmm."
Professor Lightning Step rummaged through his belongings and pulled out a potion.
"This should be fine. It's not against regulations. Drink it."
"Thank you... Hmm. Is this a recovery potion?"
Lee Han uncorked the bottle and drank the potion, then looked puzzled.
The pain throughout his body quickly faded.
This was far more effective than the stimulant potion he'd received at the infirmary.
"No. It's a potion that makes you unable to feel pain."
"......"
While Lee Han was stunned, Professor Lightning Step gathered the high-performing students and gave instructions.
"Your team tactics are lacking, and so are your individual skills. Even your mounts are somewhat inferior."
Nilia raised her hand in disbelief and asked,
"Couldn't you at least let us change our mounts?"
The opponents had brought ostriches, mountain goats, wolves, and even turtles, while they only had horses.
But Professor Lightning Step slowly shook his head.
"Actually, that works in your favor. While unique mounts have their advantages, they're also harder to handle and more unruly. In comparison, your horses are loyal and steadfast. Especially if you've taken good care of them throughout the year."
Unconsciously, the students' faces filled with pride.
They remembered the sweat and time they'd spent tending to the stables over the past year.
Their efforts would not betray them.
Gainando grumbled as he picked the remaining straw from his hair.
"Loyal and steadfast my foot... They bite my head every time they see me."
Ignoring him, Professor Lightning Step continued,
"The only tactic available to you is a war of attrition. The longer it goes, the sooner your opponents' stamina will run out."
Shyles, a student from Black Turtle Tower, asked curiously.
Coming from a family that specialized in carriage transport, he was well-versed in the characteristics of various mounts.
"But their mounts aren't particularly lacking in stamina compared to horses, are they?"
"Ah. The horses you're riding have been specially raised by me to have far greater endurance. Just don't let the opponents notice."
"......"
"......"
"Alright then. Lower the defensive line, don't lose your reins no matter what, don't cry if you get hit once... Wardanaz. Come here."
"?"
Lee Han was puzzled when Professor Lightning Step called him aside separately.
"Are you planning to give me another potion? I know it's against the rules, but if there's a way not to get caught..."
"What? No. That's cheating. I wouldn't go that far."
'Though it wouldn't be strange even if you did.'
"Actually, one of the reasons I'm expecting victory in this friendly match is you."
"Me?"
Lee Han froze.
In a situation where he couldn't use magic or mana-based attacks, Lee Han's capabilities were limited.
No matter how skilled he was at riding or swordsmanship, could he really defeat experienced polo players?
"What are you riding?"
"Ponlig?"
"Right. And Ponlig is..."
"Ah."
Lee Han realized what the professor was aiming for.
'Aha!'
"So if we release Ponlig's transformation and let him sweep away all the opponents' mounts, we win?"
"...Do you have any complaints about me forcing you to participate? If so, please say it now."
Having finished preparations, Professor Lightning Step crossed his arms and frowned as he surveyed the field.
Beside him, the captain from the city nobles, Bulpad, smiled and said:
"Thank you for giving us this opportunity."
"What do you mean?"
"There's no greater honor than competing with the renowned students of Einrogard. By the way, I heard the Einrogard Polo Club members achieved good results this time?"
"Without winning the championship, it's meaningless..."
"What are you saying? Isn't the process what matters?"
"Hmm."
Professor Lightning Step's frown deepened with rising anger.
Truthfully, the opponents had done nothing wrong.
They were sincere opponents who had accepted the invitation thinking it was a good proposal, but...
When someone was already in a bad mood, acting oblivious only made them more irritating.
Moreover, the fact that several key players, including the captain, were absent from the polo club team further enraged Professor Lightning Step.
Of course, the opponents had arranged it that way to accommodate the inexperienced freshmen, but when it came to one's favorite sport, people naturally became petty.
Given the recent underwhelming results of Einrogard students, Professor Lightning Step was desperately thirsty for victory.
"I hope many of you will feel the charm of polo today and join the polo club next year."
"I'll join!"
Angrago shouted loudly from the stands. At that, Bulpad nodded with a bright smile.
"Perhaps we'll meet and play polo together someday! But Professor, why is that student sitting down? He seems to like polo."
"His leg is broken."
"Oh..."
He looked fine, but his leg was broken? Bulpad gazed at Angrago with pity.
Meanwhile, the students and players faced each other and exchanged greetings.
"Let's have a good match."
"It's an honor to play a friendly match with Einrogard students."
The Granden City players spoke sincerely.
Suddenly curious, Lee Han asked:
"But among the seniors, some must be members of the school's polo club. Has there never been a friendly match before?"
"Ah. Einrogard students usually play with those from other magic schools, right?"
"That... No."
Lee Han was dumbfounded.
'Then why us...'
If students from other magic schools were busy, they could've just waited. Why bring such high-level opponents?
"I see..."
Seeing Lee Han's interest, the excited opponent enthusiastically rambled about the appeal of polo.
"The Einrogard Polo Club is truly a club with a long history. The imperial prize money record they set back in the day still stands unbroken."
"Prize money?"
"Yes."
"Polo has prize money too?"
"Of course it does?"
Lee Han was astonished.
Shailse beside him was equally shocked. 'How does he not know...?' From spectator fees to various prestigious figures staking their names on prize purses—
If you could win, polo was a sport where you could earn as much as you wanted.
And above all, he couldn't understand why the Wardanaz wouldn't know this.
"Magic school students use their prize money for magical research, don't they?"
"Ah. Yes. Well, that's true."
Lee Han imagined embezzling the prize money distributed by the polo club for business funds before snapping back to reality.
After all, no money would be at stake in this friendly match. 'Focus.'
"Huh. By any chance, are you from the Richmond family?"
"Ah. Yes."
The players also struck up a conversation with Shailse, who was standing nearby.
The previously friendly players' eyes sharpened, and they began whispering among themselves.
"Let's target that student first..."
"Just in case, don't let your guard down for a second."
"......"
Whistle!
The moment the match began, dust billowed across the vast field.
Two players mounted on an ostrich and a wolf charged forward, fiercely dribbling the ball with their mallets.
Shailse, covering the right flank, shouted urgently.
"Everyone, maintain formation and don't fall ba— Cough-cough-cough!?"
The wolf immobilized Shailse's horse, and the ostrich swiftly kicked out.
Shailse was sent flying, tumbling head over heels.
Watching this, the White Tiger Tower students involuntarily roared.
"That's some high-level technique!"
"A flawless <Player Drop>!"
'What kind of ridiculous technique name is that...?'
"Hold the line! I'm going in!"
Lee Han realized the skill gap between his friends and the opposing players was far worse than he'd thought.
At this rate, they wouldn't just be overwhelmed—they'd concede a goal in no time.
The only one who could buy time now was Lee Han, riding the griffin.
"Ponlig. I'm counting on you."
Ponlig's eyes burned crimson, and rough breaths escaped his mouth—it had been so long since he'd heard such affectionate words from his master.
Boom!
"Watch out! Right side!"
"Block them!"
As Lee Han, positioned on the left, sharply veered right, the opposing players moved to shield their ball-handler.
Gritting his teeth, Lee Han braced for impact.
Direct shoulder attacks might be excessive, but as he'd seen earlier, attacks using mounts—from shoulder-level strikes to lower ones—varied widely.
He couldn't cut down seasoned players in one stroke, so he had no choice but to trust in Ponlig's sheer mass to break through.
Screeeech!!
"?"
The mountain goat blocking his path suddenly shrieked and swerved, startling its rider.
Why was his partner, who'd been perfectly in sync until now, reacting like this?
The wolf beside it was no different.
As Ponlig closed in, it panicked and scrambled back.
With a gap instantly opening, Lee Han charged forward. Watching this, Professor Lightning Fist punched the air in excitement.
"That's the way!"
"Wh-what just happened?!"
Bulphard shouted in disbelief.
What in the world had just occurred?
'It's far more effective than I expected!'
Professor Lightning Fist struggled to suppress a grin, inwardly delighted.
This was performance worthy of full marks—he wanted to cheer right then and there.
"That horse was originally a griffin."
"Huh? But..."
As the opponent floundered, speechless, Professor Lightning Fist struck first.
"Of course, it might seem dangerous for a first-year to handle a griffin. But with proper preparation, it's not that risky."
The professor lied effortlessly, not even bothering to wet his lips.
Objectively speaking, no amount of preparation could make handling a griffin anything but extremely dangerous.
"No... that's not it."
"?"
"We actually trained for facing a griffin as opponents. So why are they so terrified...?"
"...?!"