Chapter 306
Simon put on the glasses, and looked around.
The color of the valley had turned navy blue. The fields were blue, and the distant castle walls were purple.
In other words, wearing these glasses allowed him to see the locations where the cards appeared, each marked in a different color.
‘An absolute must-have, if you’re going for the mission of collecting all 7 cards in different colors.’
It was a very good start.
Simon immediately moved to find the next card.
* * *
[ Black Team member entered.]
[Black Team (1/3), White Team (2/3)]
Wooooong!
Simon opened his eyes.
The moment he picked up the orange card lying on the ground, and entered the new game,
‘...Where am I now?’
Looking around, he found himself standing on top of a massive cylindrical pillar. Below was a sheer drop, so deep that clouds floated beneath, meaning it was at a considerable altitude.
Beyond Simon’s field of vision, there were more of these pillars.
In the overall space, there was one pillar each on the far left and right, and between them, pillars were arranged in 3 columns and 4 rows, all keeping an equal distance apart. With Darkness, the distance was more than enough to jump across.
‘So what are we supposed to do here... Ah.’
Without a doubt, they had said Black Team and White Team.
In the center of the pillar Simon was standing on, there was a black flag planted. And far away, he could see a white flag fluttering in the wind.
‘A 3-on-3 flag capture match.’
Simon tried lifting the flag. It was heavier than he expected, so it required both hands.
[1 Black Team member entered.]
]Black Team: (2/3), White Team (2/3)]
‘One more for our side!’
Who would it be? Simon waited with anticipation.
In the last game, he had met class rep Jaime and had a good time playing, so he hoped this time too it would be a skilled and pleasant partner.
Pop!
Soon, a magic circle unfolded beside Simon, and a male student appeared above it. He had mostly black hair with a tinge of yellow, and carried a long pole of unknown use over his shoulder.
It was a familiar face. The other boy, just having entered the game, looked at Simon in shock.
“Y-You!”
“...Haah.”
Simon let out a small sigh. Not someone he wanted to get involved with.
Special Admission No. 10, a member of the Randolph gang, a necromancer who used the black magic “Doppelganger” to produce countless copies of himself.
Malcolm Randolph from Class M, someone Simon had fought once before during the first semester’s duel evaluation.
Of course, Simon had overwhelmingly won back then. Malcolm, understanding the situation, frowned deeply.
“Damn it, of all people, I have to be on the same team as you...!”
[1 Black Team member entered.]
[Black Team: (3/3), White Team (2/3)]
At that moment, another member was added to the Black Team. Simon and Malcolm stopped talking and looked toward the teleportation magic circle.
From the magic circle emerged a male student with white hair and a white hat. His skin was brown, his upper body bare, wearing only pants.
It was someone Simon had fought recently.
‘Raheim Northfold.’
Special Admission No. 8, current Lord of Snowfield Castle, and the very man who had been spectacularly rejected by Maelyn.
“You, you’re—!”
Upon seeing Simon, Raheim pointed a finger in shock.
“Jumon Vollendis!!”
“...It’s Simon Follentia.”
Simon corrected him with clear displeasure.
It was the worst lineup imaginable. To be on the same side as these guys...
“Fine then! Jemmon Vollentona! This time, we’ll fight for Maelyn fair and—!”
“No, seriously, what kind of joke is this team composition?”
A voice laced with irritation came from the side. Malcolm was holding his forehead, shaking his head.
“I don’t want to carry idiots like this.”
Raheim’s head turned toward him.
“And who the hell are you?”
“...!”
Malcolm’s face twisted in outrage.
“You—You don’t know me? I’m Malcolm Randolph, Special Admission No. 10!”
“And who’s that supposed to be?”
Simon decided to just ignore them.
By then, the White Team had also filled up their roster, and a new screen appeared, showing the names of all the students in this match.
<Black Team>
Simon Follentia
Malcolm Randolph
Raheim Northfold
<White Team>
Jule Vincere
Elisa Selene
Enki Daft
Putting aside personalities, just judging by names, this was impressive.
It really felt like a war between the special admissions.
Among them, Jule Vincere was Special Admission No. 5, known to be insanely strong.
“Interesting.”
Malcolm said, crossing his arms.
“No. 1, No. 8, and No. 10 on one team, and No. 5 and No. 7 on the other.”
Raheim let out a mocking laugh at his words.
“Some no-name is talking big? Do they even count No. 10 as a special admission?”
“You’ve been pissing me off since earlier. You looking to get killed, seriously.”
The two pressed their foreheads together, snarling at each other, while Simon, having stepped back a few paces to avoid getting involved, watched them with a look of contempt.
In terms of name value, their side had the advantage, but there was absolutely no sign of teamwork here.
‘Maybe I should just knock them all down and do it myself.’
While Simon was entertaining such thoughts, the game rules were explained.
[The team holding the opposing team’s flag wins. Anything is permitted to take the flag.].
[The game starts in 10 minutes.]
The rules couldn’t be simpler. Malcolm spoke again.
“In games like this, one person usually defends while two go on offense. I’ll go with No. 1 here, so Castle Lord, you defend.”
Raheim let out a scoffing laugh.
“Cut the crap. You two defend. I’ll go alone.”
The two immediately began bickering again, grabbing each other’s collars and hurling insults right in each other’s faces.
Meanwhile, the White Team seemed to have already finished assigning roles and setting up tactics.
Simon could see Elisa summoning three ghost ships floating in the air.
“This is getting annoying—”
Then Simon spoke.
“Both of you, shut up.”
“...!”
At those words, Malcolm and Raheim flinched and looked at Simon. Then, hardening their expressions even more, they said,
“...D-Don’t order me around!”
“Jemmon Vollentona! That remark just now shows no respect for the Lord of Snowfield Cas—!”
If they were people worth reasoning with, Simon would’ve spoken gently, but they weren’t worth that courtesy.
Simon opened a subspace.
“Just.”
Chwarrrrrrk!
On Malcolm’s right side, six subspaces opened, and the tentacles of the Overlord shot out.
“Both of you, come at me right now.”
On Raheim’s left side, the head of Deimos emerged from a subspace, jaws wide open.
Another thing the two had in common was that they had each been utterly crushed by Simon in the debut matches of the Overlord and Deimos.
Gulp.
The surroundings fell silent, the sound of swallowing could be heard. Malcolm and Raheim were darting their eyes around, perhaps recalling the pain of the past.
“W-Wait a second! Such extreme judgment isn’t good.”
Malcolm, now slightly deflated, forced a smile.
“Y-Yeah! We’re rivals competing over Maelyn! An alliance would be best for now!”
Raheim, too, was sweating profusely.
As was often the case, when male students had clashed once, a subtle pecking order tended to form between them.
Simon recalled his summons, then spoke.
“Just follow my plan.”
* * *
Meanwhile, Elisa of the White Team was looking down at the enemies from her ghost ship.
‘Their name value is higher, but we can do this.’
It was obvious they’d be fighting each other and making a mess. Elisa looked at her reliable teammates with a satisfied smile.
In the White Team, Elisa and Jule would go on offense, while Enki would defend.
Enki might not be a special admission, but in Class E he was considered an ace-level, top-ranking student. There was no feeling that their side was at a disadvantage.
Elisa picked up her communication crystal.
“Jule, keep moving.”
Elisa’s ghost ship had powerful firepower, but due to its large size, it was relatively slow. She wanted to use Jule first to gauge the enemy’s reaction.
Jule was hopping from pillar to pillar, when—
‘...Snow?’
The surrounding clouds suddenly changed, and snow began to fall. Soon, a snowstorm blew in, blocking her view.
Half of the opposing field was now so blizzard-stricken that she couldn’t see a step ahead.
Elisa lifted her communication crystal and spoke.
“Jule, don’t panic. The snow means it’s Raheim’s Golden Snow magic. Hold your position.”
The intent to block vision was obvious. Whatever the scheme was, she wouldn’t fall for it easily.
‘Hm?’
Then, one side of the snowy mist turned black.
From the far right pillar, someone emerged through the haze.
‘Simon Follentia!’
Drawing deep blue Darkness with him, Simon held a bow formed of Darkness in his hand.
‘Wait, that technique is—!’
Of course, Elisa had analyzed the main black magic of Keyzen’s Special Admission No. 1. Raise a Blood Golem, form a Royal Guard from its power, and then squeeze that power into the form of an arrow, a triple transformation.
‘But he’s skipping all the middle steps, going straight to the bow?’
Simon was seen raising the bow, drawing in Darkness. The distance was too great, even if Jule rushed now, he wouldn’t make it in time to stop him.
<Simon Remade – Blood Arrow>
The dark arrow flashed, then shot out with a long comet-like tail.
Elisa’s eyes widened, she had thought for sure it would attack the ghost ship, and was ready to jump from the deck.
But the Blood Arrow wasn’t aimed at her, it was aimed at her team’s flag position.
‘That... that can reach?’
Kkwaaaaaaaaaang!
Amazingly, it did. Simon’s Blood Arrow struck the White Team’s flag position and caused a massive explosion.
Elisa held her blowing hair as she looked down from the ghost ship.
‘But now what?’
Was he misunderstanding the rules? The winner wasn’t the one who destroyed the flag, but the one who held it.
The explosion smoke cleared, revealing a massive crater. The flag, blasted loose, had fallen to the ground.
The flag itself had weight, so it hadn’t flown too far.
Cheok!
Then, a staff lodged in the crater rose up on its own.
Elisa’s eyes widened in realization.
‘No! That arrow just now carried Malcolm’s weapon!’
A magic circle opened beneath Malcolm’s staff, and from it popped out a doppelganger identical to Malcolm.
“Enki! Stop it!”
Enki, on defense, hastily fired black magic, but the range was far and it was too sudden. The doppelganger easily evaded the attack and finally gripped the flag in both hands.
‘But it’s useless!’
Elisa smiled.
‘It only ends if the real person holds it! He doesn’t even know the rules, what a fool—!’
However—
Vwooom!
The doppelganger suddenly hurled the flag straight off the cliff.
‘What!’
A completely incomprehensible action.
Who would go to all that trouble only to toss it into the abyss? Elisa moved her ghost ship to guard the falling flag.
But before she could—
“Hahahahaha!”
The Black Team also had a necromancer capable of flight.
Raheim was dashing in, bells ringing from his arms and legs. Elisa’s face went pale.
‘No! We were without even a chance to react!!’
While Raheim’s snowstorm, Simon’s Blood Arrow, and Malcolm’s doppelganger each drew the enemy’s attention and rattled them in turn, Raheim had already descended to the bottom of the cliff.
“The flag!”
Elisa fired shells from the ghost ship, but Raheim easily dodged them mid-air and finally caught the falling flag.
“This body claims it!”
Then, delighted, he shook the flag wildly.
Piiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!
[The game has ended.]
[Winner: Black Team!]
[All Black Team members are awarded cards.]
“Ghh! So frustrating!!”
‘To have it end so easily!’
Elisa slammed the railing of the ghost ship over and over in frustration.
‘There’s no way those idiots came up with that strategy.’
Her gaze turned toward Simon, holding the bow of Darkness.
“...Simon Follentia.”
Simon dispersed the bow of Darkness into the air, then looked up at Elisa.
With a faint smile, his body teleported away and vanished.
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