Book 1 Chapter 573

573.

The sudden start of the opening match, which no one expected.

However, the 400 first-year students, who were flustered, simultaneously rushed towards the class weapons scattered across the entire Erek training ground.

"Move!"

"Form a formation quickly!"

The panic lasted only a moment.

Although they were still inexperienced first-years, they were seasoned veterans of the Hero Academy.

Moreover, they were 100 students hand-picked from those first-years.

Despite the sudden, unexpected situation, the first-years reacted in an instant.

Just then.

Taaat-!

"Attack Seirun!"

Some Azonia students charged towards the Seirun students with their aura steps.

Seirun was an academy that, for a long time, only admitted elves who could use star magic as an admission requirement.

It was literally a school where magic was the main focus.

As a result, it was famous for producing the most powerful mages, but conversely, it meant that knights and summoner classes were weak.

Therefore, they were bound to show their weaknesses in close combat.

At that moment, an elf pulled out a spear stuck in the ground and swung it towards the charging beastmen.

Hwoong-!

Puhuhuhubuhubug-!

The spear moved quickly, repelling the beastman students.

"Kkuh?!"

"What!"

The beastman students, taken aback by the unexpected counterattack, retreated in confusion.

Angre, a female student from Seirun, landed lightly on the ground from the air and glared at the Azonia students.

"You seem to think that because our school is famous for star magic, our knight class is weak."

Thud-!

"As long as I'm here, you'd best not think of attacking our rear."

Angre slammed the butt of her spear onto the ground and glared upwards.

"Heh, there's quite a spirit in Seirun!"

At that moment, a large, tiger-like beastman stepped forward.

"What's your name!"

"Angre Bizzan."

"I'll remember it! You too, remember the name of the man who will defeat you! Carlos's name…"

"Angre! Move!"

Just then, a female student from Seirun behind her shouted.

Simultaneously, Angre leaped high into the air.

Yoiniya Tella, who was behind Angre, her eyes gleamed, and she unleashed her magic.

"Arc Ray!"

Kigigigig-!

Arc Ray, the easiest magic to learn and apply in star magic.

Yoiniya's Arc Ray, who competed with Lea, the top student in pure magic capacity among Seirun's first-years, was certainly powerful.

Countless light particles rained down on the beastman students pursuing the Seirun students.

"Kwaaaaak!"

Angre and Carlos, who had been confidently engaging in direct combat, fell.

Carlos, who received a combat disabled status, was warped out of the arena.

"Kuhuk!"

"What?"

The attention of the Azonia students, who were targeting Seirun students but were stopped by Yoiniya's magic, was all focused on Angre and Yoiniya.

"Ugh! This is annoying! Aim for them first!"

The beastman students aimed for Yoiniya.

At that moment, Angre quickly intercepted the beastman students aiming for Yoiniya.

However, the targets quickly became more than Angre could handle.

As a result, Angre quickly hoisted Yoiniya onto her shoulder and began to move at an incredible speed with her aura step.

Yoiniya cast reinforcement magic on Angre.

Holding Angre tightly, Yoiniya aimed her staff at the beastman students and began to unleash magic.

***

-Ah! Seirun students! Their teamwork is excellent! Especially students Angre and Yoiniya! They are creating a guerilla tactic, buying time for Seirun, which is relatively vulnerable to close-range attacks, to form a formation!

Runeba, a fourth-year student from Lumen who had somehow made it to the commentary booth, shouted excitedly.

The opening match has just begun, but the Seirun students are performing wonderfully! Not a single student has been eliminated yet in this chaotic battle!

Despite the chaos, Seirun students quickly coordinated and overcame the crisis.

-Professor Sedjen! What do you think of this situation?!

-Elegant! It's very elegant! Especially Seirun's coordination is very impressive! And it's quite unexpected!

-What's unexpected?

-Isn't it surprising that Seirun's first-years are showing such excellent teamwork!

-Indeed! It was rumored at the beginning of the semester that Seirun's first-years couldn't cooperate due to extreme competition.

-Yes! I won't say names, but they even made our exchange student study alongside their first-years! I heard they showed a truly chaotic state.

-Oh! Chaotic! That's a good expression! Hahaha!

Sedjen and Runeba chatted enthusiastically.

Disparaging both schools in the Luse Battle was close to tradition.

As such, the two were merely commenting as they always did.

But unfortunately, this was not the Luse Battle.

Beep!

Static came through the microphone.

-Professor Ain? Professor Ren? Are you trying to take me down again?! What did I do wrong! Don't come any closer! Eek! Eek! Did Halind order you again?! Why do you only listen to that guy's orders… Let go! Let go! You dogs of Halind! Let gooooo! Mmph mph!

-Professor Halind! Please give me one more chance! Who else would do this commentary besides me…

-Take them out. Professor Yura.

-Ah!

Sedjen's screams and Runeba's pleas.

And after Halind's voice, which sent shivers down one's spine, was heard, the commotion finally subsided.

The audience saw Professor Sedjen and Runeba being dragged away from the commentary booth.

A moment later, Elena's face appeared on the broadcast screen, sitting in the commentary booth.

-This is Lumen Broadcasting. We apologize for a brief broadcast interruption. The commentary will now be handled by Lumen's top professor, Professor Halind Edmon, and Lumen's Vice Student President, myself, Elena Zerone. Please forgive the previous broadcast interruption.

Elena spoke playfully with a sweet voice, clasping her hands together, and stuck out her tongue, eliciting gasps from many.

A moment later, the game screen returned.

"Annoying. Why do I have to clean up something like this."

Elena grumbled, frowning.

"Focus on the commentary."

"Yes."

Elena replied primly and turned on the microphone's amplification magic again.

"You're embarrassing the school."

Iliana muttered in a low voice. Kal said,

"You're going to embarrass the school plenty this time too, so don't be too harsh."

"What do you mean by that?"

Iliana squinted her eyes, and Chelsea said,

"It's not wrong."

"Sia! The kids from other dorms are teasing me!"

Iliana hugged Chen Xia and complained.

"You two are too much. Iliana will get hurt if you state the facts so openly."

"You're the most cruel!"

Iliana screamed.

"By the way, why is Seirun's teamwork so good? Weren't they on bad terms with each other?"

Chloe asked Eiran.

Eiran nodded at her words.

"Yes, of course, it's true that the first-years were at odds with each other."

At the beginning of the semester.

Seirun's first-years, who were strictly stratified, viewed their peers as obstacles to overcome and were wary of each other, resulting in complete animosity.

However, after the arrival of Seirun, the comet mage, this tendency changed.

"After the first-term midterm exams, the first-years who received Leo-nim's teachings achieved surprising results, leading to a lot of self-reflection among other students. Especially Yoiniya, who is active with Angre, went around preaching the importance of cooperation."

Yoiniya, who led the top elite team of the upper grades, was thoroughly defeated by Angre of the lower grades and disciplined herself.

"Yoiniya. Speaking of which, aren't you currently the second-ranked first-year at Seirun?"

"Yes, and you're famous as a fantastic duo with Angre."

"Knight and mage, it's a combination that can create the best synergy when working together."

Kal nodded.

"By the way, Eiran, why are you telling us that information now?"

Iliana narrowed her eyes.

"Huh? Because you didn't ask…"

"Hey! You're from Lumen!"

"I… I'm an exchange student? I have to go back to Seirun soon…"

"What? You're going to betray us!"

"Th-that's not it…"

"Are you saying all our past friendships were meaningless? You're going to betray us! How could you! Traitor!"

"Such!"

As Iliana pointed her finger and shouted, Eiran's large eyes welled up with tears.

Seeing Eiran like that, Iliana crept closer and put her arm around her shoulder.

"Heh heh, there's a simple way to prove our friendship."

"Wh-what is it?"

"Tell me the weaknesses of Seirun's second-year students. Heh heh heh. If you tell me that, our friendship will continue…"

"Eiran! How long are you going to stay here?"

Just then, Seirun's second-year students appeared.

"Eiran! I missed you! When are you coming back?"

"Huh? But why are you crying?"

"Did the Lumen kids bully you?!"

Seeing Eiran with teary eyes, Seirun's second-year students started to fuss.

Then, they glared at the Lumen students fiercely.

"You bullied our Eiran?!"

"I didn't think you were like that!"

"No, everyone, it's a misunderstanding. The Lumen people took good care of me."

Eiran hurriedly calmed her friends.

"But why are you crying?"

Aris, a second-year student from Seirun, asked with a puzzled expression. Eiran explained the situation.

"Iliana-yang said that to prove our friendship, I had to tell her all your weaknesses…"

At those words, the atmosphere became even more hostile.

"I didn't think you were like that! Lumen is despicable!"

"Iliana Laden! Prepare yourself!"

"Let's go! Eiran! They're just trying to use your naivete!"

"Take off that uniform quickly too!"

The Seirun students, incensed, took Eiran with them and went to the Seirun side.

Lumen's second-year students all looked at Iliana.

"Good job. Embarrassing the school."

"Because of you, we've become despicable too!"

"Hey, it was a joke! It was just a joke!"

Chelsea and Kal said with a look of dismay, and Iliana protested with a tearful face.

"What are you going to do now? It looks like the Seirun kids will target you first."

"Hey guys? You'll protect me, right? We're friends."

Iliana smiled as cutely as possible.

Seeing Iliana like that, Kal said,

"You caused this mess. You clean it up."

"I knew you'd say that! You jerk! Chelsea? Will you help me if the Seirun kids target me? Huh? Sister Chelsea?"

"Why would I?"

"Nela? Tate?"

"I'm a healer, so I'll provide treatment."

"I'm staying in the rear, how can I save you, who's on the front line?"

"Chloe-eeee!"

"I'm also in the rear."

Chloe sighed softly, and Iliana clung to Chen Xia.

"Xia! The kids are being petty and won't help me! You'll help me, right? Huh?"

To this question, Chen Xia smiled softly, shook off Iliana's hand, and said,

"Who are you?"

"Hey, you bad people!"

***

"There! Luke Elda!"

Kwagagagag-!

"Eek?!"

Luke flinched as an explosion occurred next to him.

"What did I do wrong?"

"You! You were Mentor Flov's mentee, right?!"

"Th-that's true, but?"

"That's your crime!"

"Th-that's absurd! Eek!"

"Don't run away! Fight back!"

Seeing Leah chasing him with burning eyes, Luke exerted more force on his feet.

Just then.

Kwaang-!

"Luke Elda! Fight me!"

Medvez blocked Luke's path.

"Why you?"

"It's natural for a beastman to have a competitive spirit with the strong! Come on!"

"Luke Elda is my prey, so you stay out of it!"

"Heh! The prey belongs to whoever catches it first!"

"Then…"

Leah grinned.

Gooooo-!

"Die, both of you!"

"It's just a match, why are you saying die!"

"Senior Flov told us to kill each other!"

"That's for survival! It's just words…!"

As unusual magic surged from Leah's body, Luke's expression, which had been fearful and protesting, hardened.

Seeing Luke's change in demeanor, Medvez's eyes lit up.

'The atmosphere has changed!'

Medvez grinned, clashing his fists together.

'First, Leah Tingel's attack…!'

Just as Medvez was preparing to defend against Leah's attack.

Swish-!

A sharp sword energy targeted Leah.

Leah flinched and sent magic towards the direction the sword energy came from.

Kwagagagagag-!

With a huge explosion, Leah landed on the ground.

Tap-!

Aina landed in front of Leah.

"Aina Beidna! Are you trying to interfere?!"

Leah shouted angrily, aiming her sword at Aina.

"I'm your opponent."

***

The first-year students, who were flustered by the sudden start of the survival match, regained their composure.

They formed their formations in the vast Erek training ground and began to eliminate their opponents.

Leo chuckled as he watched them.

"Then, shall we start in earnest?"

Kugugugugugugug-!

The ground began to vibrate.

The first-year students, who had been wary of each other, showed flustered expressions.

'It's easy to be wary of the enemy in front of you. But in battle, the enemies targeting you are not just the ones in front of you.'