Chapter 553

Book 1 Chapter 553

“Alright, let us commence the sophomore Combat Studies practical, the Bastera bout.”

The instructor overseeing the Combat Studies department, Professor Ripen, deposited the specialized Bastera sphere precisely at the pitch’s midpoint.

Securing the opening gambit required gaining possession of that specific sphere.

“One, two. Up, down.”

Chelsea limbered up, flexing and straightening her legs to ensure her muscles were warm.

Without question, Chelsea herself held the title of the swiftest competitor on her own squad.

‘Duran is stationed over there. And Illiana is positioned to provide him with backup.’

With vigilant eyes, Chelsea monitored the swiftest threats on the rival squad.

Duran Moira.

Utilizing lightning aura, he rivaled Chelsea and Eliza for the crown of highest speed among their peers, provided Leo was discounted.

Given that Eliza’s reliance on summons rendered her a conspicuous target, she had opted out of the initial rush for the opening possession.

‘Regardless, I must beat Duran to the sphere. Snatch it swiftly, and then…’

Chelsea’s gaze scanned the pitch before locking directly onto Illiana.

‘I am going to hurl it straight into Illiana’s countenance.’

Adopting the countenance of a predatory beast, Chelsea recalled her earlier internal musings.

‘But surely, the class president hasn’t remained away from the dorms overnight again, has he?’

The piece of news that Leo had missed his lessons for an outing with Elena had been weighing heavily on her mind.

‘To be fair, I understood that it was the prerequisite demanded by Elena Jerion before she would agree to serve as the Vice Student Council President.’

Even so, the irritation lingered obstinately.

It mirrored the way the highborn maidens of the Rodren Empire used to glare at the romantic missives that descended upon Avard nearly every single day during her childhood years.

‘No, this actually vexes me significantly more than it did back then!’

Leo’s immense popularity was hardly a recent development; it had been an established fact since their freshman year.

Yet on this particular occasion, for some inexplicable reason, it proved far too agitating to ignore.

Consequently, she had strived with all her might to banish it from her thoughts.

It was precisely during this vulnerable state that Illiana managed to perfectly trigger Chelsea’s ire.

‘She is incredibly grating, so a single strike will do, precisely! Just one solid hit!’

Chelsea ground her teeth together in frustration.

Simultaneously, Professor Ripen raised his whistle to his mouth.

Observing this motion, Chelsea coiled every single fiber of her being tightly.

Beep-!

Whoosh-!

Kicking up an immense gale in her wake, Chelsea bolted toward the center.

Crackle-!

Duran similarly unleashed bursts of electrical energy as he surged toward the prize.

Just as the pair arrived simultaneously, preparing to reach out for the sphere at identical velocities.

Flash-!

Accompanied by a brilliant gleam, an unexpected figure intercepted the prize.

Chelsea and Duran both blinked in utter astonishment at the person who had seized the sphere from under their noses.

Even Illiana, who was the actual individual to secure the sphere first, glanced between her own hands and the two sprinters with a thoroughly bewildered “Huh?” expression.

“How are you two being so incredibly sluggish?”

Crack-!

Crack-!

Without harboring any genuine spite, Illiana successfully managed to enrage not just Chelsea, but her own teammate Duran as well.

“What’s that? Did Illiana seriously just outpace Chelsea and Duran to the sphere?”

“Granted that Illiana possesses swift feet, she shouldn’t have been capable of outrunning Chelsea and Duran, right?”

The extraordinary velocity of Chelsea and Duran was common knowledge not merely among the sophomores, but throughout the entirety of Lumerne.

Seeing Illiana utterly eclipse those two in sheer acceleration plunged the entire sophomore assembly into absolute bewilderment.

“Is it possible that Chelsea and Duran weren’t giving it their maximum effort?”

“Those absolute paragons of competitiveness? Not a chance.”

“They have been locked in a fierce rivalry for the top speed rank in our class since the first term.”

“Exactly, they are bitter competitors who have constantly ground their teeth to avoid suffering defeat to one another, so why on earth would they slack off?”

The whispering second-years rapidly began deducing a theory.

“Listen, when exactly did we have the comprehensive class velocity assessment?”

“In the middle of the opening semester.”

“Hasn’t Illiana been intensely practicing velocity amplification sorcery or something of that nature lately?”

“If that is the reality of it…”

The assembly cast astonished glances toward Illiana.

“Are you implying that Illiana managed to surpass both of them in speed during this brief period?”

“That settles it, then!”

Illiana flashed a broad smirk.

“The fruits of the novel incantation I acquired recently are finally manifesting!”

Sporting an intensely self-satisfied grin, Illiana radiated absolute triumph.

“This is undoubtedly the result of Lady Luna’s mystical teachings. My velocity has scaled incredible heights.”

“Hmph. Quite so. It appears you have finally developed a modicum of utility, eh?”

“Hahahahahahaha!”

Overhearing their remarks, Illiana masked her mouth with her palm and dissolved into boisterous laughter.

“The epoch of the Light-Speed Blade, Lady Illiana, has officially arrived!”

“What an embarrassing title.”

As Chelsea knit her brows in distaste, a thoroughly animated Illiana snapped her fingers—snap!—pointing directly at Chelsea and Duran.

“The pair of you are nothing but ‘turtles’ compared to my current self, aren’t you? Hahahaha!”

“……”

“……”

Chelsea and Duran directed intensely ominous glares at Illiana.

Karl, observing the unfolding spectacle, shook his head in silent judgment.

‘She is completely swept up in her excitement, entirely oblivious to the fact that she is flirting with absolute disaster.’

“That means Eliza is far slower than I am as well!”

Snap!

“I comprehend your sentiment entirely. I am currently fighting the urge to march over there and strike her down.”

With visible veins bulging along her forehead, Eliza gripped her lash tightly until it was perfectly straight.

She appeared entirely prepared to pounce upon Illiana without a moment’s hesitation.

“Whoa, whoa, easy now. Pull yourselves together. Remain in your designated sectors.”

Cold perspiration began to bead on Karl’s brow.

Right at that second, Chelsea leaped straight toward Illiana.

“Relinquish the sphere!”

“Not a chance! With such ponderous strides, you will never manage to apprehend m—”

Crackle-!

“Surrender the sphere! Illiana Raden!”

“W-wait! We belong to the same squad… Aaaah?!”

Terrified by the sight of Duran barreling toward her with terrifying intensity, Illiana shrieked and fled at full tilt.

“Why are you retreating! Give up the sphere!”

“You are lunging at me with the clear intent to pummel me into oblivion!”

It was precisely during Illiana’s frantic screaming that the tide shifted.

“What on earth are those blockheads doing at a moment like this?”

Celia scowled and advanced rapidly toward Illiana’s position by utilizing an aura stride.

“Illiana! Send it over!”

“Ah, understood! Catch!”

“I cannot allow that to happen, can I?”

“Huh?!”

Chen Xia, who had already materialized directly in front of Illiana’s face, offered a subtle grin.

They stood at such close quarters that their respirations practically mingled.

“Xia, how did you get here so quickly!”

“Regardless of your rapid acceleration, if I decipher your trajectory, I can easily anticipate your destination. Up we go-!”

Beaming cheerfully, Chen Xia swept her leg upward.

Bang-!

“Agh! Where did the sphere go?”

Chen Xia planted her palm squarely on Illiana’s head, hoisting herself aloft in a display of pure gymnastic prowess to balance on her hands.

Executing a fluid, lithe contortion, she hooked the sphere cleanly away from Illiana’s custody.

The object remained securely tethered to Chen Xia’s foot, as if bound by an adhesive.

Crackle! Whoosh-!

“Eek!”

As Chelsea and Duran rapidly closed the gap, Illiana reached forward in a desperate bid to reclaim the sphere from Chen Xia.

Chen Xia applied downward pressure onto Illiana’s skull with sudden force, utilizing the resulting leverage to launch herself well clear of Illiana.

Bang-!

Before Duran could extend his arm to intercept it, she struck the sphere with maximum velocity, sending it soaring high into the heavens.

Thud-!

In that exact instant, Ayran intercepted the soaring projectile mid-air.

Observing this development, Avard bellowed out toward their defensive zone.

“Woredan!”

The individual protecting the net was none other than Woredan.

Woredan immediately channeled his inner spiritual energy.

Simultaneously, Ayran hurled the sphere with staggering momentum.

“Oh my goodness?!”

The projectile hurtled directly toward Illiana, who let out a panicked shriek and threw herself to the side.

Crash! Kaba-ba-ba-bang!

The sphere slammed violently into the turf, carving out a massive depression.

Illiana, having narrowly escaped a direct impact, stood with her mouth hanging open in shock.

“What was the purpose of that! Your target should have been the net!”

Tade bellowed out in frantic exasperation.

“M-my apologies! I simply… I concluded that it was imperative to eliminate Miss Illiana first…!”

“E-eliminate?!”

“It represents an effective tactic. Young Woredan is resolutely defending the net.”

Chen Xia, having retrieved the sphere where it sat embedded within the crater, remarked with a broad grin.

“Given the immense difficulty of bypassing Young Woredan to register a point, I believe it is far more prudent to employ a tactic centered on diminishing the adversary’s numbers first.”

“Precisely, precisely! That is exactly it! It was entirely a calculated tactical maneuver! It absolutely had nothing to do with finding Miss Illiana incredibly vexing or anything of the sort!”

Ayran squeezed her hand into a tight fist before offering a luminous smile.

“Therefore, Miss Illiana. Do brace yourself.”

Though her expression remained cheerful, a palpable wave of dread seemed to radiate from her form.

Observing this display from the viewing decks, the gathered onlookers shuddered.

“T-that is terrifying.”

“I was under the impression that only Lunia El Runda possessed a frightening side, but Ayran is absolutely bone-chilling as well, isn’t she?”

In the period that followed, Chelsea’s squad maintained a relentless monopoly on the offensive push.

Chelsea, Chen Xia, and Ayran focused their coordinated assaults almost exclusively on Illiana.

Illiana’s desperate maneuvers, barely evading the oncoming strikes through her newfound speed boosts, bordered on the supernatural.

Yet, for some peculiar reason, her very manner of evasion seemed to persistently inflame the tempers of her three pursuers.

“She possesses a remarkable talent for staying out of harm’s way.”

Karl offered a weary, amused chuckle.

Tade stepped up beside Karl.

“Karl! Can we truly afford to let this persist? Offensive maneuvers aren’t our primary strength, correct? If we get ensnared in Illiana’s antics like this and surrender possession, we will find ourselves in a terrible predicament!”

“That hardly resembles a coordinated strategy, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Fair point.”

Karl and Tade both shook their heads in unison, observing Illiana frantically sprinting across the turf while shrieking ‘Assist me!’

“Regardless, maintaining a defensive posture is undeniably beneficial for our squad.”

“Is that so? If we allow them to claim the opening point under these conditions, we’ll be backed into a corner!”

“Undoubtedly. However, securing that point won’t be a simple task for them either, you see.”

“Pardon?”

“Think about it, receiving a blow delivered by a shield is incredibly painful, is it not?”

Karl smirked confidently.

“With those three exhausting themselves in such a frenzied assault, the opposition will be far too consumed with defensive duties to mount any counter-offensive. Furthermore, we possess the premier net-keeper on our side, don’t we?”

Karl gestured with a definitive thumbs-up toward their rear guard.

Chloe offered Karl a subtle, knowing smile.

“Karl, I intend to advance to the vanguard as well.”

“Exercise some restraint during circumstances like this! I implore you!”

It was precisely at that juncture.

“Cease your idle chatter.”

Whoosh-!

Eliza, who had been offering aerial recon while mounted atop a Wind Wyvern, descended toward them.

“Seeing as the offensive possession has just shifted.”

Celia, who had somehow managed to cleanly strip the sphere away, was currently rotating her arm while gathering a blazing flame aura around the projectile.

Witnessing this, Chloe immediately unleashed her incantations.

Crackle-!

A domain of absolute frost materialized rapidly around their defensive net.

Right at that exact microsecond.

Crunch!

‘A negation wave triggered via spiritual incantations.’

“……!”

Terrestrial spirits surged forth, blanketing the icy domain.

Chloe fixed Woredan with an icy, unblinking glare.

“Chloe, can you manage this?”

“It poses no issue.”

“Tade! Move to assist Chloe! Eliza, maintain pressure on Avard from the sky!”

“Understood!”

“Hmph! Refrain from issuing directives to me.”

Tade retreated to the absolute rear of their formation, while Eliza soared back into the heavens, keeping a watchful eye on Avard’s positioning.

‘Celia’s destructive capacity is potent enough to shatter Chloe’s defensive barriers in a single burst.’

Given her absolute specialization in pure destruction, Celia’s strikes possessed the unique capability to completely alter the momentum of the contest with a solitary hit.

‘We must deny the rival squad possession of the sphere for as long as humanly possible.’

Our own emphasis on defensive formations naturally translates to our squad being exceptionally adept at maintaining control over the sphere.

In truth, attempting to wrest the prize away from Chelsea, Chen Xia, and Ayran—who serve as the absolute cornerstones of the frontline—is an incredibly daunting task.

‘And if the opportunity arises, we must secure the opening point ourselves!’

‘Just because our companions excel at defense does not imply they are incapable of striking; conversely, if the opposition truly commits to an absolute defensive posture, breaking their lines will prove exceedingly difficult for us. Should we fall victim to a sudden counter-strike, the situation will become vastly more problematic. For the time being, neutralizing their immediate assault remains our absolute priority.’

Karl narrowed his vision thoughtfully.

‘Utilizing Illiana as an explicit tool of provocation, regardless of how I analyze it, does not match the tactical style of Celia, Avard, or Duran.’

All three originated from the most illustrious lineages among the nobility.

Consequently, despite their inherent cleverness, they lacked familiarity with such unorthodox, erratic maneuvers.

Furthermore, they had no practical requirement for deceptive ploys.

This was because the trio possessed the raw power necessary to simply shatter any obstacle through a direct confrontation.

‘…Could it be Woredan’s doing?’

Karl shifted his focus toward Woredan, who remained stationed at the absolute rear of the pitch.

Woredan possessed the most imposing physical stature among the entire sophomore class.

Coupled with his ability to suppress adversaries through sheer, overwhelming physical might, the majority of the student body viewed Woredan as nothing more than a quiet, brutish brawler.

And yet…

‘He is an exceptionally crafty individual underneath it all, without a doubt.’

Karl clicked his tongue in silent acknowledgment.

‘In a world where Leo did not exist, that individual would undisputedly reign as the mightiest warrior in our class year.’

Neither his raw power nor his tactical acumen should ever be discounted.

‘To begin, I must accurately decipher the momentum of this engagement. Read the battlefield and locate a vulnerability…’

It was precisely while Karl was meticulously scrutinizing the positioning of both comrades and adversaries.

“Karl!”

“Huh?”

Tade’s panicked shout echoed across the field.

In an instant, Karl perceived that the sphere Celia had launched was flying directly toward his own position.

‘What? She is completely discarding an offensive scoring opportunity solely to target me directly?’

Karl’s face contorted into an expression of sheer bewilderment.

‘For what possible reason?’

Kaba-ba-ba-bang-!

Woredan spoke softly under his breath, observing the opposing squad’s defensive lines completely swallowed by the raging inferno.

“It is checkmate, Karl Thomas.”