Teamed with a Heroine: The Shifting Labyrinth Assault

Thanks to the defensive vest, Kane's upper body was decently covered. The problem was her lower half. The swimsuit-like fashion left her legs completely exposed. In that getup, there was scarcely a trace of the marquis's daughter's nobility or authority. It was still hard to believe that Kane Swara would wear something like this, but that wasn't important right now. She looked ready to charge straight at me.

I watched her movements tensely. That's when it happened.

A familiar ripple of mana swept through the entire waiting room with a thunk. All eyes turned upward in unison. To the glass control wall installed at the top of one side's wall. A man stood beyond it.

Bastian Cred. He issued a short, gruff announcement through the amplification magic tool.

The air around us shifted with those words. We'd already received the rules upon arriving in the waiting room. Some students calmly checked their weapons, others took deep breaths while radiating tension, and still others engaged in subtle power plays for alliances outside their teams.

Normally, I'd be doing the same. But right now, I had no time for that. I immediately turned back to Kane.

"?"

What unfolded was an unexpected sight. The distance between Kane and me hadn't changed. The expression that had looked ready to devour me moments ago had already softened. She crossed her arms, tilted her head slightly, and scrutinized my face carefully. Then, as if nothing had happened, she sat back down in her seat.

...Had I misread her? Just as I convinced myself of that and let go of my tension, Runes leaned toward me.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"It's finally starting! But isn't it too much to announce it only when there are 3 minutes left? It's making me ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠nervous."

"Oh? But I don't sense any tension from you at all."

"Huh? Really?"

"I'll pray in advance for all the students who have to face you, Runes."

Runes laughed as if it was ridiculous, then fired back immediately.

"Come on, you don't seem nervous either now that I look at you."

"It's just your imagination. I don't show it well anyway."

My expressions don't move as I want, but inside, I'm plenty tense. Runes, Kane, Elise. The odds of facing all three as enemies were high— it'd be weirder if I wasn't tense. Still, my motivation hadn't waned. I had no intention of crumbling before variables like this. My experience and pride, rotted away from overplaying the original game, wouldn't allow it.

"Let's both do our best."

"Yeah! See you as fellow freshmen."

Runes thrust out her fist full of fighting spirit. I carefully bumped mine against it, infusing a light wish that we wouldn't meet inside the labyrinth.

Time flew by in an instant, and the exam start loomed right before us. I stood up in preparation for the teleport.

As I rose, my body wobbled under the weapon's weight, but I quickly steadied my stance naturally. That's when it happened.

"As expected, it's you. Harné Astel, right?"

A sharp voice stabbed into my back.

"!"

I whipped my head around reflexively. There stood Kane Swara. She'd closed the distance to just a few steps away. If not for the no-movement order, she looked ready to grab me by the collar.

The professor's countdown rang out. But it didn't register. Kane's gaze had seized all my nerves.

"Answer me."

"...Yes, that's me. But I don't believe I know you."

At my frank response, Kane let out a disbelieving scoff.

"Hah, surely you haven't forgotten me? You who..."

Magic circles bloomed simultaneously beneath everyone's feet. Dazzling patterns flashed, making the air's mana quiver faintly. Kane bit her lip as if only now realizing the time, swallowing her intended words. Instead, she declared in a low voice.

"I'll definitely find you in the exam arena."

That chilling voice carried a clear undercurrent of intense obsession. But something was off. Now that I looked closer, it didn't quite feel like anger or grudge.

"And then I'll challenge you to a duel."

Kane was smiling. Her face couldn't hide the rising anticipation.

"Be prepared."

That was definitely excitement.

A flash filled my vision.

I hadn't misread Kane. But I had no idea why she was acting like that. Looks like I'll have to contact her after the exam. Well, that's a problem for later. For now, I focused on the situation at hand.

As the flash faded, my vision filled with gray walls. Artificial barriers at least 10 meters high, covered in old moss and vines, looking abandoned for centuries. Similar walls towered everywhere around us. These would soon shift on their own, gradually altering our path.

This was the team battle exam arena: a moving labyrinth themed after an ancient maze.

And beside me stood two strangers. A plain-looking boy with shaggy hair. A small cat beastkin girl with a youthful face.

They were undoubtedly my randomly matched teammates.

"..."

We locked eyes and scanned each other in that split-second moment. An awkward yet amusing ritual before introductions, judging our team luck by first impressions.

The cat beastkin girl broke the silence first. She alternated glances between me and the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠boy, then shrugged exaggeratedly.

"Hmmm, looks like our team luck isn't great. Well, I kinda expected this."

Her mutter was loud enough to be clearly heard. The boy's face stiffened as he realized he'd been dismissed.

"...What do you mean starting off like that? You don't even know who I am."

"Dunno. That's why I'm saying it."

"What the...!"

As the boy bristled, the girl casually crossed her arms. Her tail swished leisurely—it was clearly deliberate provocation.

"I take interest in worldly affairs. I've already scouted all the promising freshmen this year."

She eyed the boy up and down.

"But not you."

Her lips curled smugly.

"I don't care about the weak."

The boy flinched at her ominous words. But unwilling to let it slide, he spoke again in a slightly trembling voice.

"Th-then you must be someone special? Or... are you just planning to latch onto the strong?"

"Hmmm."

As if she'd been waiting for that reaction, the girl smirked.

"The fact that I can say something so rude to a stranger—doesn't that prove I have the skills to back it up?"

The boy's eyes wavered. Confirming it, the girl drove the nail in.

"Attacking first without knowing your opponent is a losing move, y'know?"

"...On second thought, I think I overreacted. Please forgive my rudeness before revealing your identity."

"Eh."

...The girl hadn't been normal from the start, but the boy's submission speed was no joke either. An absurdly quick shift in attitude. The girl seemed inwardly flustered too, twitching slightly.

With things getting interesting, I naturally joined in.

"The weak can recognize the strong."

The girl's gaze turned to me. The hunched boy finally looked my way too.

"I was quiet from the beginning, wasn't I? So, please grace us with your identity."

I'd memorized—not just rote, but internalized—the info on key students. Of course, I recognized the girl at a glance. No, I had to. So I inwardly cheered and gladly hyped her up. She deserved it.

"..?"

The implicit hierarchy had somehow settled before introductions. Caught off guard by the flow despite starting the provocation, the girl fell silent for a moment. But good is good. She quickly recharged her arrogance and slipped a hand into her protective suit pocket.

"Heh, fine. I'm..."

What emerged was a stylish monocle. She donned it—seemingly without lenses—and declared boldly.

"Second-generation Weapon Master, Skala Barnabas. You've heard the name, right?"

"Whoa! O-of course!"

The boy's spine straightened from his bow.

"You're the sole disciple of the former Vice Commander of the Defense Forces! A genius who can already wield almost any weapon..."

"Yeah, yeah."

Skala cut off the boy midway, seemingly satisfied. With a precise wrist snap, she swept back her hair dramatically. Separately, her cat ears flapped cutely.

"Heh, that's why I hate when my face isn't well-known. Gotta introduce myself."

Skala Barnabas. One of the heroines, as expected. If you ranked first-years by combat prowess, she'd be around Kane Swara's level—a monster.

...But with her kid-like face that looked my age, it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠didn't quite fit. And in that outfit, she was about a million light-years from the vibe she aimed for.

Maybe because she was on my side, she just seemed cute.

After that, the boy and I exchanged light self-introductions. The boy's name was Darvin Mogus. If memory served, he'd ranked mid-to-low at enrollment. But later, he'd climb to top-half class as a late bloomer.

Then, a guidance broadcast echoed from the dark skies above the labyrinth.

Content we'd already gotten in the waiting room. That's why we'd done names first.

"Alright, let's decide."

Skala's demeanor grew a bit serious thanks to the broadcast. She pocketed her monocle and pulled cheap paper from her vest.

"Whether we go for elimination points, kill scores, or invest in the central stronghold."

It was the exam rulebook handed out in the waiting room.

"Eh, no need to read details now. Let's share weapons and positions first, then think."

Skala skimmed it and looked away. She energetically drew the weapon from her back.

"Mine's a bow! My best weapon, so expect great things!"

"...A bow, huh."

Darvin muttered, his expression subtly awkward. Like he had something to say but couldn't spit it out.

"Yeah. This maze is kinda narrow. High ceiling, but can't climb walls."

So I said it for him.

"Lots of blind spots too. Not the best for archers."

"..."

Skala clearly knew it too—her face flushed slightly.

"Ugh, I heard it was a labyrinth theme, but didn't think the walls would be this high... or so blatantly maze-like."

She kicked a floor pebble irritably, grumbling.

"Why limit to one weapon anyway? My identity's gone."

"Th-then, Skala, you can't go full power? Aren't we in danger?"

Darvin eyed her anxiously. She twitched visibly but quickly feigned nonchalance.

"Heh, you only know half. Enemies have less chance to dodge my arrows too? As long as I don't get ambushed, they're all prey."

This variable maze was prime for ambushes.

"As expected of Skala! No, Lady Skala!"

Darvin seemed convinced, shedding his doubts and submitting again. Buoyed by her zealous follower, she regained her initial confidence.

"Anyway, one frontline's enough. One of you two take it."

Skala's eyes scanned Darvin's weapon. As expected from his slight build, he was a mage. He shyly drew his wand under her gaze.

Her eyes shifted to me next. Precisely, to the weapon at my waist.

"...?"

Skala froze. Like her brain had stalled seeing something impossible. Darvin noticed my weapon a beat later and ended up in the same state.

Savoring their reactions, I partially drew my weapon from its sheath.

Shring.

"Looks like I'm frontline. Pleased to work with you."

The weapon was a taedo—a massive slab of iron far longer than a standard sword. I gripped it two-handed, dragging the tip along the ground. Hmm, not customized for me, so it was a bit heavy.

"No no no, why pick that? You look too frail to even lift it properly!"

Too absurd, her maintained persona cracked. Feeling smug at her reaction, I replied confidently.

"Yes. But I've walked the path of taedo arts my whole life."

"...Wanna give that to me instead?"

"Absolutely not. Please respect my personal score."

"..."

I could feel trust from both plummeting. So harsh. I was serious, after all.