Book 1 Chapter 553

"Then, let's begin the second-year Combat Studies class and the Vastera match."

Rippen, the Combat Studies professor, placed the Vastera-specific ball in the center of the arena.

To gain the first attack, they had to secure the ball.

"One, two. One, two."

Chelsea bent and straightened her knees, warming up.

The fastest person on Chelsea's team was none other than Chelsea herself.

'That's Duran over there. And Iliana must be supporting Duran.'

Chelsea eyed the fastest individuals on the opposing team with caution.

Duran Moira.

A user of lightning aura, she competes with Chelsea and Eliza for first place in speed among their classmates, excluding Leo.

In Eliza's case, she was excluded from the scramble for the first attack because she was an easy target when using her summoned beasts.

'In any case, I need to get the ball faster than Duran. Once I get it quickly…'

Chelsea's eyes rolled, then fixed on Iliana.

'I'm going to throw it in Iliana's face.'

Chelsea, with a ferocious predator-like expression, recalled her earlier words.

'But, captain, surely they're not taking leave for today, are they?'

She had been worried ever since she heard that Leo had skipped class for a date with Elena.

'Of course, I heard it was a condition for Elena Jerome accepting the position of vice student council president.'

Still, what bothered her bothered her.

It felt like the hearts of the noble young ladies of the Rodren Empire, who received love letters addressed to Abad daily, back when she was young.

'No, it's more bothersome than then!'

Leo's popularity had been consistent since his first year, so it wasn't anything new.

But for some reason, this time it bothered her intensely.

So she was trying hard not to think about it.

In such a situation, Iliana had successfully provoked Chelsea brilliantly.

'She's so annoying, just one hit, only one!'

Chelsea gritted her teeth.

Meanwhile, Professor Rippen brought the whistle to his lips.

Seeing that, Chelsea tensed every muscle in her body.

*Peep!*

*Whoosh!*

Chelsea sprinted towards the ball, creating a tremendous gust of wind.

*Crackle!*

Duran also dashed towards the ball, emitting lightning.

The moment the two reached out for the ball at an equal speed.

*Flash!*

Someone snatched the ball with a bright flash of light.

Both Chelsea and Duran stared with wide eyes at the person who had snatched the ball.

Even Iliana, the very one who had secured the ball first, looked at the two and the ball with a bewildered expression, "Huh?"

"Why are you guys so slow?"

*Zap!*

Iliana, without any malice, succeeded in provoking not only Chelsea but also her teammate Duran once again.

"What? Iliana got the ball before Chelsea and Duran?"

"Even though Iliana is fast, she's no match for Chelsea and Duran, right?"

The speed of Chelsea and Duran was renowned not only among the second-years but throughout Lumerne.

When Iliana completely overwhelmed those two in speed, the entire second-year class was thrown into confusion.

"Maybe Chelsea and Duran weren't trying their hardest?"

"Those embodiments of competitive spirit? No way?"

"They've been competing for the fastest speed in our grade since their first year."

"Right, they're rivals and have been grinding their teeth not to lose, so there's no way they'd hold back?"

The murmuring second-years soon began to reach a conclusion.

"Hey, when was the last time we had a full-grade speed test?"

"Mid-first semester."

"Didn't Iliana recently practice acceleration magic or something?"

"If so…"

Everyone looked at Iliana with surprised eyes.

"Does that mean Iliana has become faster than those two in the meantime?"

***

"So that's how it is!"

Iliana grinned.

"The results of the magic I've been learning recently are showing now!"

Iliana, with a smug expression, looked triumphant.

"It must be thanks to Luna's magic. You've gotten so much faster."

"Hmph. As expected. Have you become a little useful?"

"Hohohohohohoho!"

Hearing their conversation, Iliana covered her mouth and burst into laughter.

"The era of 'Light Speed Quick Sword', Iliana, has begun!"

"That nickname is lame."

As Chelsea narrowed her eyes, an excited Iliana pointed at Chelsea and Duran with her finger.

"So you two are now 'slowpokes' compared to me? Hohoho!"

"…"

Chelsea and Duran stared at Iliana with menacing eyes.

Kal, watching them, clicked his tongue.

'They're so excited, they don't even realize they're about to die.'

"That means Eliza is slower than me too!"

*Bang!*

"I understand what you're saying. I want to go and beat her up right away."

Eliza, with veins bulging on her forehead, tightened her whip.

She looked like she was about to charge at Iliana.

"Hey, hey, hey. Calm down. Guard your position."

Kal broke out in a cold sweat.

At that moment, Chelsea charged at Iliana.

"Hand over the ball!"

"No way! With those slow movements, you can't catch me…"

*Crackle!*

"Hand over the ball! Iliana Laden!"

"W-wait! We're on the same team… Eek?!"

Iliana, seeing Duran charging at her with terrifying ferocity, screamed and ran away.

"Why are you running! Hand over the ball!"

"You're charging at me like you want to beat me to death!"

This was when Iliana screamed.

"What are those idiots doing?"

Celia, frowning, moved towards Iliana using her aura step.

"Iliana! Pass!"

"Ah, okay! Pass!"

"That won't do."

"Ah?!"

Chen Xia, who had somehow approached right in front of Iliana, smiled.

Close enough to feel each other's breath.

"Xia, how can you!"

"No matter how fast you are, if I read your movements, I can predict your path. Hoit-!"

Smiling sweetly, Chen Xia swung her foot.

*BAM!*

"Ack! The ball?"

Chen Xia, with an acrobatic move, stepped on Iliana's head and stood on her hands.

And with a fluid motion, she kicked the ball out of Iliana's hand.

The ball seemed stuck to her foot and never left Chen Xia's foot.

*Crack! Whoosh!*

"Eeek!"

As Chelsea and Duran closed in, Iliana reached out to snatch the ball from Chen Xia. At that moment, Chen Xia pushed down on Iliana's head with her hand, using the recoil to create distance between them.

*BAM!*

And before it could reach Duran's hand, she kicked the ball with all her might into the air.

*Thump!*

At that moment, Eiran caught the ball in mid-air.

Seeing that, Abad shouted towards the goal.

"Warden!"

The goalkeeper was none other than Warden.

Warden invoked his spiritual energy.

Along with it, Eiran threw the ball with immense force.

"Mama?!"

The ball plunged straight towards Iliana, and Iliana screamed and threw herself away.

*CRASH! KWA-GA-GA-GANG!*

The ball dug into the ground, creating a massive crater.

Iliana, who barely dodged the ball, gasped.

"Why did you do that! You should have aimed for the goal!"

Taid shouted urgently.

"S-sorry! I didn't mean to! I thought I had to send Ms. Iliana away…!"

"Send her away?!"

"It's a good strategy. Warden is guarding the goal steadfastly."

Chen Xia said with a smile after intercepting the ball stuck in the crater.

"It's difficult to break through Warden and score, so it's better to start by reducing the opposing force."

"Yes, yes! That's right! That was the strategy! It's absolutely not because Ms. Iliana was annoying or anything!"

Eiran clenched her fist and smiled brightly.

"So, Ms. Iliana, brace yourself."

Though her face was smiling, a creepy feeling emanated from her.

Watching her, the students in the stands shivered.

"S-scary."

"I thought only Lunia El Lund was scary, but Eiran is also terrifying?"

***

From then on, the Chelsea team continued to dominate the attack.

And Chelsea, Chen Xia, and Eiran focused their attacks on Iliana.

Iliana's movements, narrowly dodging attacks using acceleration, were almost miraculous.

And for some reason, those movements continued to provoke the three of them.

"She's really good at dodging."

Kal let out a hollow laugh.

Taid approached Kal.

"Kal! Is this okay? Offense isn't our specialty, is it? If we get caught in Iliana's strategy and lose the ball, it'll be a big problem!"

"Doesn't it look like a strategy?"

"That's true."

Kal and Taid shook their heads, watching Iliana frantically running away, crying "Save us!"

"Well, it's true that our team is better at defense."

"Right? If we concede the first point like this, it'll be trouble!"

"Yeah. But it won't be easy for the other side either."

"What?"

"Well, if you hit them with a shield, it hurts a lot, right?"

Kal grinned.

"If the three of them go wild like that, the other side will be busy defending, making it hard for them to go on the offensive. And we have the best goalkeeper."

Kal gave a thumbs-up behind him.

Seeing Kal, Chloe smiled.

"Kal, I'll go to the front lines too."

"Hold back at times like this! Come on!"

At that moment.

"Stop chatting."

*Whoosh!*

Eliza, who was providing aerial support on her Wind Wyvern, approached.

"The possession has shifted."

Celia, who had somehow succeeded in stealing the ball, was waving the ball in her hand, igniting her fire aura.

Seeing that, Chloe invoked her magic.

*Crack crack crack!*

An icy world manifested around the goal.

At that moment.

*Snap!*

'Dispelling using spirit magic.'

"…"

The earth spirits covered the ice.

Chloe looked at Warden with a chilling expression.

"Chloe, is it okay?"

"No problem."

"Taid! Help Chloe! Eliza, keep Abad in check from the air!"

"Got it!"

"Hmph! Don't give me orders."

Taid moved to the rear guard, and Eliza flew into the air to pursue Abad.

'Celia's offensive power is so deadly that it can break through Chloe's defense in an instant.'

As she specialized in offense, Celia's attacks could turn the tide of the game in a single blow.

'We must not give the ball to the opposing team as much as possible.'

Being specialized in defense means that their ability to retain the ball is also superior.

Indeed, it's not easy to steal the ball from Chelsea, Chen Xia, and Eiran, who are the pillars of the offense.

'And we should aim to score the first point as well!'

'Just because our allies are specialized in defense doesn't mean they can't attack, and similarly, if the opponent is determined to defend, it will be difficult for us to break through. And if we are counter-attacked, it will be even more problematic. In any case, blocking the attack is the priority for now.'

Kal narrowed his eyes.

'Putting Iliana forward as a provocation is clearly not the idea of Celia, Abad, or Duran.'

All three of them were from the highest echelons of prestige.

Therefore, even though they were intelligent, they were weak against such surprising tactics.

There was no need for surprise tactics.

The three of them had the ability to break through everything head-on.

'…Is it Warden?'

Kal's gaze fell on Warden, who was positioned in the rear.

Warden, boasting the largest build among the second-years.

Along with his overwhelming strength that brought opponents to their knees, most students thought of Warden as a taciturn brawler.

However…

'He's a complete schemer. That guy too.'

Kal clicked his tongue.

'If Leo hadn't been around, he would have been the strongest in our grade.'

Not only his strength but his intellect was not to be underestimated.

'First, I need to read the flow of the battle. Read it and find an opening…'

Kal was observing the movements of his allies and enemies.

"Kal!"

"Huh?"

He heard Taid's urgent voice.

Suddenly, Kal realized that the ball thrown by Celia was right in front of him.

'What? They wasted a possession to attack me first?'

Kal wore an expression of incomprehension.

'Why?'

*KWA-GA-GA-GANG!*

***

Warden muttered, watching the opposing side engulfed in flames.

"Checkmate, Kal Thomas."