Chapter 114

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 114

Chapter Title: Shall We Call It a Draw?

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(5)

10.

Arsen Camp's Base.

Since the battle began, Ullan hadn't taken his eyes off the screen.

Among them, the one he paid particular attention to was his comrade from his past life, the holy knight Ian Marcus.

'He's hiding his true strength.'

The proof was that he wasn't using his holy power.

Ian was an expert, but if he pushed his holy power to the limit, he could wield a master's power for a short time.

Yet even while concealing his strength, he showed no signs of being pushed back. If anything, Arsen's assault team was the one falling behind.

'At this rate...'

The battle would solidify into Ian's victory.

No sooner had his guess ended than—

The hunter, Land Filius, who had been peppering Ian with arrows while keeping him in check—his orb shattered.

Only Iris and Ivela Elead remained.

Realizing the situation was turning increasingly dire, Ullan immediately spoke to Cliff.

"Don't we need to help?"

"......"

"It looks like it's time to rotate in."

Still no reply.

But he hadn't been silent the whole time.

Until Land fell, he'd been clutching his bracelet, conversing with someone.

Then, at that moment.

Ian grabbed Ivela by the collar.

Ivela clutched her stomach and rolled on the ground.

Watching this, Iris suddenly pulled back for some reason. Was she planning to flee?

The thought had just crossed his mind when—

—Ullan Bator!

A booming voice echoed across the battlefield.

In the footage, Iris abruptly shouted his name. Veins bulging on her neck, she bellowed at the top of her lungs.

—If you're watching this footage, rotate in with the defense unit's combatants and come to the battlefield! We need your help!

With Iris's call for support—

Cliff's face twisted in displeasure.

"Tch, what a pointless thing to do..."

His expression clearly showed his irritation.

With a scowl, he clicked his tongue softly. Then, as Ullan moved to leave the base, he called out to his back.

"Stop, barbarian."

"......?"

"You can't leave here."

"What do you mean?"

"You're part of the base defense force. Don't think of stepping foot ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠outside."

"But Iris asked for my help..."

"I guess you didn't understand me."

Furrowing his brow again.

Cliff glared at Ullan.

"Rotations or whatever, you can't go out. That was the student council's condition for participating."

"Student council? Participating condition?"

"You didn't hear it from Iris?"

He hadn't.

He'd only learned that morning that the student council was even participating in the mock battle.

At Ullan's bewildered reaction, Cliff sneered as if it all made sense.

"Well, I suppose I understand Iris's feelings. As the lady of the Senior Count family, she probably didn't want to converse long with a barbarian like you."

As his mocking reply ended—

Iris collapsed in the footage.

The assault team was now completely wiped out.

Ullan narrowed his eyes.

He didn't know why Cliff was blocking him, but he couldn't hesitate any longer. If things continued like this, they might lose without accomplishing anything.

Ignoring Cliff, he tried to leave the base right away. To head to the defensive line and rotate in with someone.

But a problem arose.

"If you go out, I'll go out too."

Cliff stood at the entrance with him.

He tapped the door with his foot, as if ready to leave the base at any moment.

"Even a stupid barbarian like you knows what happens if the base is left empty, right?"

"......"

Ullan, about to step out, closed his mouth.

Why was he doing this?

His incomprehensible words and actions furrowed Ullan's brow.

"Why go this far..."

"I hate you."

At that moment.

Cliff cut him off.

"The fact that I attend the same academy as a barbarian disgusts me to no end."

Contempt filled his bright blue eyes.

He scanned Ullan's body up and down as if looking at filthy trash.

"It's not just me. The other students think the same. They're just too scared of your fists to voice their complaints."

"The one who should have left the academy isn't Himmel Deorg—it's you. You're an impurity that doesn't belong in Arsen!"

Arsen's forces dwindled rapidly.

Cliff, however, paid it no mind. Ullan no longer watched the screen either.

With the entrance between them.

Cliff glared at Ullan.

"Know your place, barbarian."

"......"

"You don't fit in at Arsen."

He growled fiercely.

Then his foot tapped the door again.

"So when I'm asking nicely, leave Arsen. Stop tarnishing its reputation any further. If you refuse..."

I'll make you want to leave.

Cliff smiled slyly.

There were plenty of ways.

He'd already driven out double digits of commoner students. Expelling a barbarian with no backing would be child's play.

'Even if you're an expert, if your reputation tanks from public humiliation, you won't last.'

Cliff wore a satisfied smile.

But only for a moment.

He sensed something off.

'What's this? Why no reaction?'

Despite the sharp barbs and mockery, Ullan showed no response. He just stood there silently, lips pressed tight.

As if deep in thought.

Wait. Deep in thought?

Cliff's eyes widened slightly.

At the same time, Ullan's eyes rounded.

"Ah, I see."

"What?"

"Yeah, that'll work."

Ullan nodded.

Looking as if he'd just emerged from deep contemplation, he made Cliff's eyebrow twitch.

"You... don't tell me you've been ignoring me this whole time..."

"Huh? Did you say something to me?"

"......"

The impossible became reality.

Cliff's face went slack.

Moments later, it flushed red with purple undertones. The humiliation of being ignored by a barbarian.

"Listen up."

Meanwhile, oblivious or not, Ullan looked at Cliff and spoke.

"I found a solution."

A clever way to break the current impasse.

Ullan revealed it proudly.

"I just need to keep you from leaving the base."

"......What?"

Cliff looked dumbfounded.

An obvious solution anyone could think of.

So he'd ignored him all this time just to come up with this? He twisted his face and yelled.

"Ha! As if you could stop me...!"

"Do you know what a totem is?"

"What? Totem?"

"A structure shamans erect to achieve ritual purposes."

Of course he knew that much.

Cliff was a mage, after all.

"What does that have to do with—"

"It has everything to do with it."

Cutting him off abruptly.

Ullan's finger pointed at him.

"I'm going to turn you into a totem right now."

His voice was utterly flat.

The moment he heard it—

A chill!

Goosebumps erupted across his body.

His instincts screamed wildly.

Get out of here now!

Realizing this, Cliff shouted desperately.

"Don't come closer!"

He chanted a pre-prepared defensive spell.

Grabbing his mana orb, he warned sharply.

"Take one more step, and I'll shatter my mana orb!"

This should stop Ullan from acting rashly. A shattered orb meant part of the base's defense evaporating.

And one more thing.

He had leverage to threaten.

"Then I'll claim you ambushed me and broke my orb! The one in trouble will be..."

You, instead.

Cliff intended to say.

But the words didn't come. The feel of the orb in his hand had vanished like smoke.

"......Huh?"

Cliff blinked blankly.

Soon after.

Horror crossed his face.

Ullan had approached unnoticed and held his mana orb.

"Wh-what?! When did you...! Gah!"

As he tried to shout in shock—

Cliff let out a strangled scream.

A massive hand had roughly seized his face.

Then came the immense grip strength.

In agony as if his face would burst, Cliff thrashed and screamed.

"Aaaagh! Kgh! Gah!"

But it was futile resistance.

The more he struggled, the tighter Ullan's grip crushed his face.

Meanwhile, Ullan wordlessly advanced.

Moments later, he reached the cabin's center. Where Arsen's flag stood.

"This spot should do nicely."

Ullan nodded silently.

Cliff wanted to scream, What are you doing to me?!

But then—

The world flipped upside down. Before he could ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠question the sudden change—

Boooom!

A violent impact to his head.

Dazed as if struck by lightning, his vision went black.

Cliff lost consciousness.

11.

Thud! Crumble crumble!

Dust filled the cabin.

The impact had shaken dust from the ceiling. Once it settled, Ullan gazed at the object before him.

"......"

There lay the student council president.

Cliff Anton, jammed in upside down.

His head and upper body had punched through the floor, leaving only his lower half exposed.

Ullan bound Cliff's ankles tightly with a cord. Then he tucked the glowing blue mana orb between his legs.

"Now it looks like a proper totem."

Satisfied, he smiled.

Then he recalled this mock battle's rules.

'Each camp's base must...'

Have at least two defense forces present.

Changes in personnel granted grace periods or disqualifications depending on circumstances.

'But it doesn't specify their condition.'

In other words, even injured, as long as they were at the base, they counted as defense.

Plus, the orb was intact, so Cliff technically existed here as defense.

"Even I'm impressed with this solution."

Coming up with such a clever idea.

Attending the academy was paying off. Feeling smarter, Ullan grinned proudly.

At that moment.

A presence approached from outside.

Urgent footsteps followed, and someone pounded roughly on the door.

"Ullan! Ullan! Are you inside?!"

A familiar voice rang in his ears.

He opened the door to a familiar face.

"Noa?"

"Yes! I came to rotate in."

Noa panted heavily as she replied.

Ullan grinned at her words.

Perfect timing. He'd been about to seek her out anyway.

"So hurry up and... Ack! What the?!"

Suddenly, Noa jumped in surprise.

She'd spotted Cliff Anton jammed upside down in the floor. After a short yelp, she pointed at him in shock.

"Wh-what is that?"

"Cliff Anton."

"Oh, the student council president. I thought it was some kind of totem."

Nodding roughly.

Noa's eyes narrowed.

"You didn't kill him, did you?"

"No."

"His upper body's through the floor."

"He's still breathing."

Well, that settles it then.

Noa nodded.

"Fair enough, as long as he's alive. Now hurry to the battlefield! I'll guard the flag with the totem—er, student council president."

"You sure you'll be okay alone?"

"It'll be tough, but I have to hold out as long as I can. I don't want to lose like this, right?"

True enough.

Losing without doing anything wasn't what Ullan wanted.

"Got it. I'll leave it to you."

"Yes! Oh, any strategy?"

"Strategy?"

"Figured as much from how you asked."

Noa smiled sheepishly.

Ullan shook his head.

"No, I do have one."

"Oh, really? What is it?"

"It's..."

As he moved to answer—

A massive boom erupted.

Crack! Boom!

The door flew off its hinges.

Intruders burst into the base. Two young men with holy shields at the fore.

Eloden's assault team.

"Arsen's flag spotted!"

"Great! ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Secure the flag first!"

The cadets' faces lit up.

But they made a mistake.

They fixated on the flag and noticed Ullan too late. Though even if they had spotted him first, it wouldn't have changed much.

Booooom!

An ear-shattering explosion.

As Ullan thrust his fist, a shockwave roared like a storm. It engulfed the defenseless pair.

Rumble rumble!

With violent tremors like an earthquake, the two were flung outside the base.

The two fainted without even screaming.

Having neutralized the assault team in an instant.

Ullan turned to Noa. And finished his earlier answer.

"This is my strategy."

"......What's that mean?"

"Smash anything that gets in my way."

"No, that's a bit..."

Too simplistic for a strategy?

But she couldn't voice it. Ullan had already vanished from the base.

Whoooosh!

Facing the fierce wind head-on.

He silently gazed down the hill.

Eloden's assault team climbing toward him entered his view. Among them, some familiar faces.

"Ian."

And Laurea too.

Meanwhile, their faces stiffened.

As if they'd seen something terrifying.

Moments later, their pale faces retreated in unison without a word.

One reason only.

The moment their eyes met, Ullan kicked off the ground and charged straight at them.

"IIIIIIAAAAAN—!"

A joyful roar laced with delight.

Thrilled at the chance to fight his comrade from his past life, Ullan charged down the hill without hesitation.