Book 1 Chapter 28

[28]27

Class 5 and Class 1, split into two camps, sat in a circle around their respective professors.

"Are there any students who wish to participate?"

"I recommend Leo and Chelsea first!"

As Karl raised his hand, the students nodded.

Leo was not only the class representative but also made an impressive showing during the interim classes, solidifying his reputation as a skilled individual in the students' minds.

Chelsea, needless to say, was from a prestigious hero family and had the highest admission test score in Class 5.

"Leo Flov, Chelsea Lewellin. Any objections?"

"None."

"I have none either."

"Good. Karl Thomas, who recommended them, you go too."

"Huh? I, I think other friends would be better…"

"There's no right to refuse."

"Yes!"

Karl had no choice but to participate, albeit reluctantly.

"Next?"

"I'll go!"

"I will too!"

Iliana and Tate enthusiastically raised their hands.

"Iliana Laden, Tate Marcoa. Four more people left."

"I'll go too."

"Nella Cabin."

As Nella announced her intention to participate in a languid voice, the male students rushed to raise their hands.

They were motivated by Nella, one of the most beautiful girls in the class, participating.

Thus, eight participants stepped forward.

"It seems Class 5 has also decided its members!"

Sedgen spread his hands.

Woong-!

Light erupted on the training ground, and rectangular lines were drawn.

Along with it, a goal made of mana lines appeared at the edges of the square.

The players from both teams gathered in the center.

"The game will last 20 minutes. While victory is important, the spirit of fair play is even more important. I'll give you a short time for strategy discussion."

Professor Sedgen, who granted the strategy discussion time, went to the referee's stand.

"You came out so fearlessly?"

"I'll crush you."

Celia and Chloe glared at Karl with sinister smiles.

A frightened Karl hid behind Chelsea.

After exchanging greetings, the players from both teams gathered in the center of their respective camps.

Leo was appointed captain by Chelsea's recommendation.

"The top students are one thing, but look at the other kids from Class 1."

"They're all from prestigious families."

"They're determined to win no matter what."

"Wasn't Class 1 the one with the highest average?"

While everyone was making tense faces and devising strategies, Leo asked, putting on a blue vest.

"But isn't the Knight Department at an advantage for physical movement?"

"What are you talking about, Leo? Vasterra is not automatically advantageous just because it's the Knight Department. The performance of the Magic Department and the Summoning Department is also very important!"

Tate replied.

"Why?"

"Why? Of course…"

Tate, trailing off, suddenly seemed to remember something and asked,

"Leo, have you ever played Vasterra?"

"No."

"You're from the Kingdom of Delad, right?"

"Yeah."

"Ah, shoot. The Kingdom of Delad is a border region, so you wouldn't know."

Tate covered his face.

"In Vasterra, you win by scoring more goals in the opponent's goal within the time limit. However."

"However?"

"The strategy discussion time is over. All team captains, come forward! We will decide the first attack."

Leo stepped forward as the representative.

The representative for Class 1 was Duran.

Sedgen, holding a coin, asked Leo,

"Which do you choose, heads or tails?"

"Heads."

Sedgen glanced at Duran, who nodded indifferently.

Ding-!

The coin flipped and landed on Sedgen's hand.

"Tails. Class 1 gets the first attack."

Duran, who received the transparent ball, smiled menacingly.

"This time, I'll definitely crush you."

Leo shrugged off Duran's provocation.

Duran, his face contorted, returned to his camp and handed the ball to Celia.

"Finish the rest of the explanation."

At Leo's words, Tate shouted with a tense face.

"There's no time to explain! Experience it yourself! Here it comes!"

"Huh?"

Whoosh-!

The transparent ball turned red and was engulfed in flames.

"Here I go!"

Celia threw the ball with all her might.

Flash-!

The ball drew a straight trajectory and flew towards Leo at tremendous speed.

Leo narrowly dodged it.

Thump-!

"Ack?"

A male student behind Leo was hit in the side, screamed, and was flung away.

Thud! Roll, roll, roll!

Celia swept her disheveled hair back and high-fived her teammates.

Watching his classmate wriggle on the ground after being so brutally hit, Leo asked with a serious expression,

"…Is he going to die?"

"We get protection from protective gear, but… it hurts a lot."

Karl replied with a horrified voice.

Tate swallowed nervously.

"This is Vasterra! If you hit an opponent with the ball, the turn transfers! However, if you get hit by the ball and can't move, you're out! It's a dangerous sport where you could even lose your life if a strong person throws it!"

Now Leo understood why the students were so tense.

Scoring a lot of points was one method, but before that, incapacitating all opponents also led to victory.

***

"Magnificent! Powerful! Elegant! As expected of Gerdinger's direct descendant!"

Sedgen clapped his hands gleefully.

"Halind! Your class can never beat our class!"

"The game is still in its early stages, though?"

"Hehehe! That's true! But with student Celia alone, we have an absolute advantage! You know better than anyone that the Gerdinger family is highly specialized in Vasterra!"

"…"

To Sedgen's words, a Class 1 student raised their hand and asked,

"Why is the Gerdinger family advantageous in Vasterra?"

"Excellent question! The most efficient attribute in Vasterra is fire, which has high destructive power! And the Gerdinger family's fire is considered the most powerful among humans!"

He pointed at Halind with a triumphant expression.

"The Empress of Vasterra, your senior who is legendary at Lumern Academy! One of my first disciples and this friend, was also from the Gerdinger family!"

Senna, who was listening to the explanation, chuckled.

"We also have a student who wields the aura of fire."

Halind watched Leo as he caught the ball.

Fire erupted from the ball Leo was holding.

***

'It's imbued with neutral mana?'

Leo, having gauged the ball's characteristics, lightly rolled the ball engulfed in fire aura on his palm.

The Class 1 students watched Leo with tense expressions.

"Karl."

"Yeah?"

"Is it okay to attack or restrain people with abilities?"

"No. Marking to prevent passage is allowed, but attacks can only be made with the ball."

'So the ball is the only means of attack. The side with the ball has an absolute advantage.'

"Is that so?"

While Leo was figuring out the rules, Nella approached the same-class male student who had fallen first and unleashed her aura.

As the white aura light burst forth, the male student's face visibly relaxed.

'Hoho? Healing aura? That's a rare attribute.'

Aura has various attributes.

Generally, there are many attributes that enhance attack power, but there are also attributes that heal wounds, like Nella's.

"Oppa Leo. If you hold the ball for too long, it's a foul and the turn transfers."

"Understood. I have one more question. Is it okay to kick the ball with my feet, not just my hands?"

"It's fine. But wouldn't that decrease accuracy?"

"It's fine."

Leo tossed the ball into the air and then kicked it with his foot.

Bang-!

The aura that formed at Leo's toes exploded, adding to the ball's momentum.

The ball, instantly propelled by the amplified aura and his incredible physical ability, flew towards Class 1's goal faster than Celia had thrown it.

"Block it!"

Celia shouted urgently.

Crackling sound-!

Mana erupted from Chloe's body, and a thick ice wall appeared in front of the goal.

CRASH-! Crack-!

The ball was deeply embedded in the thick ice wall.

"As long as I'm here, scoring a goal is imposs—"

"Is it possible?"

Leo, who had charged into Class 1's territory, smiled at Chloe and charged towards the goal.

This surprised the Class 1 students.

"W-what…!"

In the meantime, Leo leaped towards the ice wall.

"Ah!"

CRACKLE-!

He delivered a flying kick to the ball embedded in the ice wall.

Crackling sound-! Shattering sound-!

The ice wall shattered, and the ball went into Class 1's goal.

Beep-!

"Class 5… scores the first point."

Professor Sedgen blew the whistle with a resentful voice.

"As expected of the class representative!"

"His reflexes are incredible!"

Cheers erupted from Class 5.

'As expected, not easy.'

'Ugh! I was careless.'

'You rascal!'

Celia, Chloe, and Duran glared at Leo, their faces contorted.

"Nice! The first point is really important!"

Karl gave a thumbs up.

"Alright! Let's defend Class 1's attack like this and win the turn!"

Iliana, the mood maker, shouted, raising her hand.

"Ooh!"

The atmosphere in Class 5 heated up.

"It seemed like a reckless attack, but he scored by using his momentary wit!"

As Sena exclaimed in admiration, Halind shook his head.

"No, that was a strategy."

"Huh?"

'According to Ain, he took the lead role on the ship during the entrance ceremony, right? So he must have already understood Chloe Muller's characteristics.'

Chloe's specialty is ice magic, and her high-speed chanting ability is top-tier among first-years.

In other words, she is the most specialized player in defending the goal among Class 1's players.

Leo had understood this beforehand and exploited the gap.

'He's an excellent strategist for his age.'

Halind stroked his chin, his eyes gleaming.

Meanwhile, Class 1's counterattack began.

Duran, holding the ball, ran towards Class 5's territory.

Crackling sound-!

Golden aura sparks flew from his body.

Crack-!

As he sprinted, Chelsea instantly caught up.

Lightning and wind, both are attributes specialized in speed.

"Where do you think you're going!"

"Tsk!"

As Chelsea stubbornly pursued, Duran clicked his tongue and passed the ball to Celia, who was following behind.

"Ah!"

Chelsea was surprised.

'Bad luck, but the pass is accurate.'

Celia, having received Duran's pass, charged towards Class 5's goal without hesitation.

Students blocked her path, but Celia easily evaded them.

Leo appeared before Celia.

"Hello."

"I knew you'd come."

Celia smiled broadly.

"But what can you do? Even if it's bad luck."

Crackling sound-!

"This guy's speed is pretty fast, you know?"

"I don't think you, who only has brute destructive power, should be saying that, Celia Gerdinger?"

Duran, who had bypassed Chelsea unnoticed, was now jumping over Celia's head.

Even with speed specialization, Chelsea couldn't possibly beat Duran in a jumping contest.

Celia and Duran looked at each other, their faces contorted.

The two naturally had extremely bad relations.

However, they would not let personal feelings jeopardize their victory.

Whoosh-!

Celia passed to Duran.

Leo didn't even attempt an interception.

'What, did he give up?'

As there was no pass interception, Celia looked at Leo in confusion.

And upon seeing Leo's face, she realized something was wrong.

"Duran, wait…"

But it was too late. By the time Celia's words reached him, Duran was already throwing the ball.

Crackling sound-!

"This ties the score!"