287 – Academy Competition (1)
A day when the sun shines brightly.
Aldrek had a separate area, shielded by a large radius wall. It was built for the academy competition, and it was full of various structures.
It was the stage for the academy competition.
Spectators lined up on the wall surrounding the stage. Many spectators occupied the stands and watched the stage. Spectators from each academy were sitting in a section divided by academy.
In the building separately installed at the top, the imperial magnates were seated, and the highest seat among them was Emperor Carlos.
“I would like to take this opportunity to welcome all the distinguished guests!”
Above the stage, in the sky.
A man was boarding a colorful floating balloon floating calmly in the air. He was the host of the academy competition.
His cheerful voice boomed through the power of the loudspeaker.
The spectators were able to take a closer look at the host thanks to the field of view magic deployed on the wall where they were sitting.
“Today’s Academy Competition! The five most prestigious academies in the Gerber Empire will compete for supremacy right here! Then, let me explain the rules!”
Next to the host, the stage of the academy competition was shaped like a simple map with magical powers.
At the end of the stage, there were a total of five buildings spaced apart at regular intervals.
The buildings boasting unique exteriors were treated as bases for the five participating academies.
“As you can see, there are strongholds for each academy at each end of the battlefield! Each base is entrusted with a large jewel called ‘Wishimseok’.”
Glowing signs appeared in the five bases of the academy.
“If a total of four whistle stones are broken, the academy competition is over! Only one academy that holds its own team’s whistleblower wins the championship! In other words, Whishimseok is the heart of each academy!”
That is, the goal.
To destroy the opposite academy’s Whistle Stone while protecting your own Academy’s Whistle Stone.
“However, actions such as enchanting or manipulating the Whistle Stone are grounds for disqualification. This is to prevent expedients, so please keep that in mind!”
The presenter continued to explain.
“And one of the contestants in each academy is the ‘watchman’ and must stick with the whistle stone. Whether traveling or sleeping, in any case, by all means!”
The term ‘keeper’ refers to the person who guards the Whisimseok.
“They were selected at our discretion, and the evaluation criterion was ‘person judged to be the strongest’.
Also, each participant would have put this pendant in a visible location.”
The host pointed to the pendant worn on his left chest.
“In this competition, it is called ‘Qualification Seat’. If this qualifying seat is broken or dropped, that contestant is eliminated immediately! Top-notch healing mages and priests are always on standby! We promise quick treatment, and we look forward to the wonderful struggles of the participants!”
The host called the audience’s attention with an act that seemed to remind him of a story he had forgotten and said, “Oops!”
“But don’t think only of enemies! There are many traps set up on the battlefield, so be careful! Of course, as many traps as there are, there are many useful items, so look for them!”
Then, the host pointed to the lake in the center of the competition stage.
Twelve bridges were built over it, all connected to a small land in the middle.
There was an unusual structure on the land.
“And special victory conditions! There is a safe in the center of the battlefield. You’ll need three keys to open the safe. There are various clues prepared on the battlefield to find the key, so it’s like a treasure hunt! If you succeed in opening the vault, the academy will be victorious in an instant!”
The crowd was buzzing.
It was because the idea of a special victory condition was the first to come out of the academy match so far.
“The time limit is until midnight the day after tomorrow! If a decision is not reached by then, whoever has the greater number of surviving students wins! Also, students who meet the elimination conditions will be eliminated immediately, so any actions taken immediately after being eliminated will be invalidated, so please do not cause any inconvenience!”
The presenter extended his right arm forward.
“The winning academy and its participants will be rewarded with sumptuous gifts from the Eiffelto Royal Family! Please look forward to the fierce battle between talented people!”
The presenter’s explanation of the rules is over.
On the other hand, the base of Merhen Academy where I am.
“Cheer up! Ajaa!!”
“Kyaaak! Wow, you were surprised!”
“It’s a gathering of big names, Amy! You have to cheer up and go!”
As our protagonist, Ian Fairytale, cheered up, Amy Holloway, who was next to her, was startled. He’s a very energetic guy.
Ian’s goal is to join the Knights. In other words, he would want to stand out from the big players in the crowd with his swordsmanship skills.
Sitting on the bench in front of the window, I just rolled my eyes and looked around. Everyone took a look at Ian and prepared their hearts according to their own routine.
Matteo Jordana takes a deep breath and relaxes.
Tristan Humphrey, who closes his eyes and meditates, heating up his magic circuit.
Abel Carnedas wielding a sword and Roanna Shelton watching him.
Lisetta Lionheart doing push-ups.
Kerid or white clark eating a sweet snack.
It was a heavy atmosphere from beginning to end.
Each of the students had a pendant, or qualification stone, attached to the visible part.
We were notified of the rules of the academy competition in advance, so we did not have to listen to the host.
From noble mtl dot com.
‘The opening ceremony is over, and the explanation of the rules is over… . I’ll start soon.’
I looked out the window.
Luxurious facilities, a staggering stage, and massive sight-enhancing magic for a large audience.
How much money was invested in the academy competition, which will only take place for a day or two? When you actually witness the scene, your tongue sticks out.
Well, it was only natural to secure funds to set up a stage like this. It was because the giants of the kingdom did not spare their support in the academy competition.
Currently, the grandstands were lined with giants from the Gerber Empire. Their main purpose is to search for quality young talent.
“Isn’t it unfair?”
A female student with bobbed blue hair approached me.
The image of walking around holding a navy blue pillow in his dwarfed arms. sleepy look. It was Ciel Carnedas.
she sat next to me
“what?”
“The organizers intervened in the screening of contestants for each academy, and selected the person judged to be the strongest as the watchman.”
The qualification stone worn on my left chest was gold, unlike the other students’. It was proof that he was a watchman.
When the academy competition started, I was in a position where I had to stick with Whisimseok as a watchman for the Merchen Academy.
“Why?”
“I wonder if the rules are weird for some reason.”
Ciel turned his head out the window and looked at the presenter on the floating balloon.
“Keeper constraints, special winning rules… . Just looking at this rule, it seems like it was made with you in mind.”
“is it?”
sharp
It was as Ciel said. It’s because it’s subtly different from the rules of ＜Merchen’s Magic Knight＞ [Act 11, Academy Competition] that I know.
In the game, there was no concept of a watchman, a role that protects the whistle stone, and there were no special victory conditions.
It’s probably a rule that the organizers created with awareness of me.
‘It’s not surprising because the intention is clearly visible.’
I expected it to be like this from the beginning.
“But didn’t you bother with this? Why did you participate?”
“Because if Bingje is on our side, we can suck the honey. I have no intention of turning down this good opportunity.”
Ciel yawned.
“Please make sacrifices for me to suck honey.”
“Is there anything you can’t say, you… .”
This guy’s head was full of thoughts of just taking a nap and receiving the winning prize.
“Kick… . This is Won, you can see the way to win right away, right?”
Suddenly, Jack Schneider, a mantis-like boy, spoke in a low voice.
It seemed that he raised his voice on purpose, as if to ask us to listen to him.
“Wouldn’t it be enough if we all just guard the Whishimsuk here and then compete later~? Then we can safely conserve power, and the other academies will fight each other and weaken their power on their own, right? If you kill them all then… .”
“You ignorant bastard. Is your intelligence just that of a passing worm?”
“what?”
Tristan, who had been meditating, narrowed his eyes and glared at Jack.
“Do you think the organizers wouldn’t have expected such an insignificant act?”
“what… ?”
“You seem to have already forgotten what I said about the many helpful ‘items’.”
Of the participants, I’m probably the only one who knows what kind of items there are. Because I have game knowledge.
However, anyone could easily infer that the more items they secured, the more advantageous they would be.
“The strategy of staying passive in this tournament will definitely be designed to be at a disadvantage.”
It was as Tristan said.
Each item that can be obtained from the battlefield has an effect related to the game rules.
So, no matter how much I was, I had no confidence to win against an enemy team with a large item difference.
In other words, the more you wait, the more disadvantageous you become.
“You idiot… .”
Jack cursed at Tristan in a low voice, but he couldn’t bear to actively confront him.
In terms of skill, Tristan was far superior to Jack.
profit.
Suddenly there was the sound of a door opening, and Professor Fernando Frost burst out of the central room.
“The academy competition will start in 10 minutes. Prepare everything.”
The air has changed. A sense of serious weight was felt from the students.
I got up from my seat.
* * *
“I’ll say it one more time to the old woman.”
The base of Betel Academy.
The supervisor gathered the participants and talked.
“The most dangerous enemy in this academy match is, of course, the ice Empror of Marchen Academy. He is a male student with blue hair and red eyes. He would definitely have taken on the role of watchman.”
said the supervisor sternly.
“Don’t think about winning by fighting the Ice Emperor. Keep in mind, breaking the whistle is enough. Got it?”
The students responded in unison with a loud “Yes!”
Like them, other participating teams were establishing tactics and cooperating.
Everyone had one common opinion.
The person to be most careful about in this game is the Ice Emperor of Marchen Academy.
Everyone had only heard about the Ice Festival through rumors. Rumors tend to be exaggerated, but the fact that the Ice Emperor is the most dangerous enemy is clear.
Meanwhile, on the side of the crowd where the students and staff of Märchen Academy gathered.
Snow White said, “Hmm… .” He thought.
“Are you worried about anything?”
Merlin Astreans, the escort driver sitting next to him, asked.
“I was just curious. trap… What is it?”
A trap the moderator told you to watch out for.
“I don’t think senior Isaac could be in danger, right?”
“I will. This is a game played according to set rules, and the organizers must have been conscious of Isaac Ball for the balance of the game. For example, if there is something like a footrest that will fall off if you step on it, even if it’s an Isaac ball, you won’t be able to use it. But, Princess White, Prince Isaac will do just fine. There is no pointless waste of time than worrying about that person.”
“Yeah, that’s right… ? If you’re Isaac-senpai, of course you’ll do well, right?”
“yes. only… .”
“only?”
“… it’s nothing.”
Although unfounded, Merlin speculated that the academy competition was going to take a unique turn.
“Look! The fuse that will start the spark has just been lit!”
At the host’s shout, the audience all turned their heads to the same spot.
A large, elongated fuse line that ran down the wall was lit by a wizard with flame magic.
The flames ignited the fuse with sparks and soon reached the end of the fuse.
There was an ornate torch there.
Quaang!
Roaring!
With an explosion, flames rose with explosive force on the cauldron.
“Ego! Let’s start the academy competition from now on!!”
The cheers of the crowd rang out.
A large and transparent soundproof barrier was created on the stage of the battle. It was a magic developed to make the participants unable to hear the host’s relay.
After the start of the competition, several students jumped out from the five bases and started running. It was the starting squad.
In less than 20 minutes, the vanguards of the two academies met.
“Oh, the students from the two academies have already met!”
The stage of the Academy Competition boasted a huge area that was no different from a small city.
However, the students of the two academies ran to each other’s direction as if they had kissed beforehand, and in the end the paths quickly overlapped.
The spectators naturally expected them to fight, but things turned out differently than expected.
“… Is that so too?”
Merlin frowned.
“How did this happen! Is it before exploration? We leave without fighting!”
The presenter relayed the situation.
As if they had no intention of fighting from the beginning, the vanguards of the two academies just nodded and passed by, then started moving in the same direction, maintaining a certain distance from each other.
“Merlin, those people… .”
White’s voice trembled.
From noble mtl dot com.
In the academy competition, Merhen Academy had nothing to be disappointed about. Because it has the terrifying power of ice Empror. The difference in power from other academies was stark.
However, there is only one academy that can win here.
Then, what would be the best choice for academies other than Merhen Academy?
“It is said that fish that used to fight each other in fresh water join forces when a catfish suddenly appears.”
Destroying the most dangerous common enemy first.
“maybe… I think it will be something similar.”
Merlin’s guess turned to conviction.
The academy match this time was supposed to take the form of a subjugation against Isaac.
Isaac subjugation, begin!