Chapter 288: Academy Clash (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 288: Academy Clash (2)
Five academies were participating in the Academy Clash:
Märchen Academy.
Bethel Academy.
Raizel Academy.
Bellatrix Academy.
Meisa Academy.
Among them, Bethel Academy and Bellatrix Academy appeared to be forming a collaborative front.
“Why do you think the Ice Sovereign joined an event like this?”
In the spectator stands, a female supervisor from Bethel Academy turned to the male supervisor sitting beside her.
“I thought I already told you—I don’t know,” he replied curtly.
“How cold…”
“How could a former knight like me understand the true motives of History’s Youngest Archwizard? He seems to get along well with his peers, so it might be for a reason as simple as wanting to enjoy his youth.”
The male supervisor popped a lollipop into his mouth.
“…Do you think anyone can actually beat the Ice Sovereign?”
“I doubt it. How do you even fight someone like that?”
“I thought so, too…”
“He’s a kid who holds the title of Ice Sovereign. How could anyone possibly win against a wizard who is practically a living legend? Our students are all terrified, the poor things.”
“But everyone seems determined to do their best. Maybe they think there’s a way to handle him, like a special victory rule…”
The female supervisor glanced down at the students roaming the battlefield.
“No matter how amazing the Ice Sovereign is, he’s still just another participant bound by the rules of this game. You just need to logically explain to the students that victory is possible, give them hope, and give them a little push. They’re at an age where they’re always up for a challenge.”
“Of course, that’s easy to say when they haven’t actually faced him yet.”
“They’ve never experienced the Ice Sovereign’s power firsthand, right? Isn’t that just temporary ignorance?”
“That’s true. But for now, this is enough. Some students even consider it an honor to fight him. Anyway, that’s the bottom line.”
The male supervisor shifted his gaze toward Noah Bartin, one of Bethel Academy’s scouts.
“Märchen Academy likely expects us to only aim for the special victory condition. Let’s catch them off guard.”
The rules of the Academy Clash had been announced only after each academy was stationed at their respective bases. The organizers had done this specifically to prevent any pre-event collusion.
However, the academies had already planned for such a scenario.
The male supervisor recalled the briefing he had given the students at Bethel’s base before the competition began.
—We’ve already made arrangements with the other academies. We agreed to target Märchen Academy first. I feel for the Märchen kids, but if we let the competition proceed normally, they’re bound to dominate.
—First, we’ll check if any rules might help us counter the Ice Sovereign. If there aren’t any, we’ll abandon the focused attack strategy.
—You’ve probably noticed it, too. The rules of this competition seem aimed at the Ice Sovereign. The other academies must have realized it as well. The organizers wouldn’t just let an ecosystem disruptor like him run wild. There are likely traps or items designed to deal a blow to him.
—After scouting as planned, if our suspicions are confirmed, pull back immediately. Then, alongside the other academies, we’ll take down Märchen Academy. Our goal is to destroy Märchen’s Heartstone. If we confront the Ice Sovereign head-on, we’ll lose, so focus solely on the win.
—If we find there’s no way to deal with him, abandon all plans, focus on evasion, and aim for the special victory. Understood?
It was an uncertain strategy based on a hunch. But without dealing with the Ice Sovereign, there was zero chance of winning. The name "Ice Sovereign" carried an overwhelming, suffocating authority.
The female supervisor let out a thoughtful hum. She couldn’t shake the doubt lingering in her mind about whether the plan would actually work.
*
Meanwhile, two male students with swords at their waists, Ian Fairytale and Abel Carnedas, were moving through the terrain as part of Märchen’s scouting team. Other scouts were fanned out across different sectors.
Their primary objectives were gathering intelligence and collecting items. Engaging the enemy was strictly secondary.
The setting of the Academy Clash resembled a small town, though there were no fully enclosed buildings. Every structure had an open roof or missing walls, ensuring the spectators had a clear view of the action.
“Senior Ian, over there.”
“What is it?”
Puuuuuu!
Ian and Abel turned their heads mid-run. In the distance, a massive pillar of water shot high into the sky.
“Is that a battle?”
“The pillar is too straight for a fight. It looks like it was shot up intentionally… Ah! Senior Ian, watch out!”
“Huh?”
At Abel’s shout, Ian kicked off the ground and leaped backward.
A bug was slowly crawling across the dirt. Its glossy brown shell was etched with small, glowing magical inscriptions.
“A bug…? What is that?”
“It’s a trap.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“It’s a Zith—a beetle-type monster. They cause a small explosion upon contact as a survival tactic. They usually live in swamps, so finding one here means someone placed it deliberately. It’s definitely a trap.”
Ian looked impressed. “You really know your stuff, don’t you?”
“Haha.” Abel knelt in front of the bug, examining the script on its shell. “It says: ‘Disqualified if it touches the body or magic.’”
“So the organizers set up traps like this.”
“That’s why Senior Isaac…” Abel recalled a conversation he’d had with Isaac at the base.
—Senior Isaac, what if we just use large-scale magic and sweep everything away? Wouldn’t that be exciting?
—I think that would be suicide. The organizers wouldn’t let that happen unchecked.
“Senior Isaac was right. He’s as sharp as always.” Abel stood up with a sly smile and checked his pocket watch. It had been forty minutes since the start of the match. “Let’s be careful, Senior Ian.”
“Wait.”
“What?”
Ian looked back toward the direction where the water pillar had risen. “What do you think that was? It felt like an announcement to everyone…”
“Hmm… It’s just speculation, but it let every other academy know there’s an enemy there. It might be a lure, or a trap…”
Ian nodded in agreement. “That seems likely. Let’s avoid that area.”
“Got it!”
The two boys broke into a run once more.
*
Meanwhile, at Raizel Academy’s base.
In the central room, a crystal the size of a small child floated in the air, emitting a soft, rhythmic glow. This was the Heartstone.
The guardian of Raizel’s Heartstone was a muscular student with blue hair, Van McGregor. He sat in a chair, his face a mask of its usual stoicism. Nearby, his red-haired twin brother, Hans McGregor, lounged on a sofa.
Screech!
A student burst into the room, breathless. Both Hans and Van turned their gazes toward him.
“S-Sir Hans! The signal flare has been fired!”
“The one we discussed earlier?”
“Yes…!”
Hans rested his arm on the back of the sofa, looking bored. “I wasn’t keen on this from the start. Have you considered that the ones who fired the flare might be planning to stab us in the back?”
“I-If that’s the case…! Team A just returned with an item! Please, take a look!”
The student approached Hans and presented the item. It was a small, round hand shield made of polished metal. The number "23" glowed brightly on its mana-inscribed surface.
“If I remember correctly, the command is ‘Inspect #23’… right?”
“Inspect #23,” Hans and Van spoke in unison, following the instructions from the initial briefing.
In response, particles of mana coalesced in the air, forming glowing letters before them.
“So that’s what it does.”
The twins read the description floating in the air.
#23 - Reflective Shield
Uses: 1
Rarity: Rare
Effect: If this shield is attacked, the attacking participant is immediately disqualified.
“With this… we can definitely take down the Ice Sovereign!”
Hans let out a wide, predatory grin. “This is solid proof.”
The item itself possessed no inherent magical power; it was just an ordinary shield. However, because it was tied to the competition’s absolute rules, participants were forced to adhere to its effects.
Even the Ice Sovereign had to follow the rules of the game.
In other words, they now held the ultimate counter-measure.
Hans looked at Van. “Are you ready, Van?”
“Ah, of course, Hans.”
The twins stood up and headed for the exit. The Heartstone floated quietly behind Van McGregor.
“Hand it over. We’ll use it as our trump card.”
“Ah, yes, Sir!” The student handed the Reflective Shield to Hans.
“W-wait a moment. Are you planning to go out and fight…?”
“We’re recalling the scouts. We need to strike Märchen Academy before they secure any items of their own. The other academies will likely start moving soon. We don’t want to miss our chance to face the Ice Sovereign.”
“But if both of you leave, the Heartstone…”
“Leaving the Heartstone here is riskier. Its location is already known, isn’t it? It’s safer to keep it moving. Everyone moves together.”
Hans smiled.
“We’ll set up a new base elsewhere. There are plenty of buildings here. If those with earth magic fortify them, it’ll be enough. We’ll take a strategic position so Van, who specializes in long-range interception, can defend and attack effectively. Then, we crush Märchen Academy.”
In truth, Hans held absolute command over Raizel Academy. The other students had no choice but to follow his lead.
“This is going to be fun…!”
Hans was practically vibrating with excitement at the thought of dismantling the Ice Sovereign with Van’s support.