Chapter 239: The Eve of the Official Battle
'Professor of Human Mana Studies, Pascal.'
A man stood before the office, glanced at the name engraved on the plaque, and opened the door.
The dark room beyond was revealed.
The only light inside came from the moonlight filtering through the curtains.
“I'm here.”
The man who stepped inside was none other than the Cleaner in the guise of "Dion."
As his unique skill, Transformation, was released, the appearance of the Cleaner gradually returned.
“My job as the Academy janitor ends tomorrow. I got a little attached to it, but considering all those trash-like students, I guess it's for the best.”
“Welcome, Mr. Cleaner.”
Seated at the table and reviewing documents by the light of the moon, Rahan raised his head.
As always, a relaxed smile rested on his lips.
“Rahan. What did Old Man Potton say?”
“He told us to proceed as planned.”
“The opportunity to kill the Imperial Princess came sooner than expected, but there won't be another chance this good.”
“It will likely be our only opportunity.”
The reason this operation was possible was simple.
There would be no bodyguards on the Mock War battlefield.
The Imperial Princess's bodyguard had originally remained hidden in secret.
However, after the Clock Tower Incident last winter, Rahan had discovered exactly who was protecting her.
The former Empire’s Current Greatest Swordsman.
The man currently posing as a student under the alias "Ruga."
“The bodyguard was always at her side, so we couldn't recklessly attack the Imperial Princess.”
Ever since Verdi failed to assassinate the Imperial Princess during last year's Succession War Incident, the bodyguard's vigilance had only grown stricter.
Even the professors had heightened their guard, leaving no opening.
But this time was different.
Only Schulers among the second-year students were permitted to participate in this Mock War.
Ruga, however, was not a Schuler.
Therefore, he couldn't participate.
In other words...
He would be separated from the Imperial Princess.
“This is a chance that won't come again. We have to finish it within thirty seconds. Any longer, and he'll catch our scent and come after us.”
“Thirty seconds? Three is enough, Rahan.”
The Cleaner scoffed at Rahan's warning.
“You haven't forgotten our deal, right? Once I kill the Imperial Princess, you'll tell me who the Black Demon is.”
“Of course.”
Rahan had kept the bodyguard's identity secret all this time in order to restrain the Cleaner's recklessness.
But once the objective of assassinating the Imperial Princess had been accomplished...
It no longer mattered to Rahan whether the Cleaner turned the Academy into a sea of blood.
“At last... I'll finally get my revenge after ten long years.”
The Cleaner curled his lips into a grin, intoxicated with madness.
But Rahan's next words immediately cooled his excitement.
“However... there is one student you must never approach.”
“Who?”
“Villed of the Dedencman Family.”
The Cleaner frowned.
“Why him?”
“Those are direct orders from above.”
“Above? Who's that supposed to be? You mean Old Man Potton?”
“I cannot tell you any more than that.”
The Cleaner clicked his tongue.
Out of all the countless brats in the Academy...
He couldn't understand why one of them was an exception.
“Villed... Villed... I've heard that name somewhere before. Ah, that tall guy?”
“Yes. You are not to look at him, nor speak to him.”
Rahan's firm tone awakened the Cleaner's mischievous side.
Mixing a grin into his voice, he probed Rahan.
“But, Rahan. What if I accidentally forget and lay a finger on him?”
“…….”
The Cleaner was still grinning.
However...
The ever-cheerful smile on Rahan's face instantly disappeared.
What remained was a hollow, expressionless face devoid of all emotion.
The eerie transformation caused even the Cleaner to hesitate in surprise.
After all...
This was the first time he'd ever seen Rahan make such a face.
“...Hey, what's with you? I was joking. Just joking. No need to get that serious.”
Rahan spoke with cold eyes.
“Remember this well, Mr. Cleaner.”
There wasn't the slightest trace of exaggeration in his voice.
“If you become involved with that student in even the slightest way... both of us will die.”
Particularly when he said, "both of us will die," his voice carried absolute conviction.
The Cleaner, whose instincts were no different from a beast's, immediately understood.
Rahan wasn't exaggerating.
He was genuinely afraid.
Someone capable of making even a powerful man acknowledged by the Cleaner fear death.
It couldn't simply be explained away as the backing of a Count's Family.
The emptiness within Rahan's eyes ran far too deep.
“…….”
The Cleaner swallowed hard.
Judging by Rahan's reaction...
Even someone as dim-witted as the Cleaner realized there was no point asking any more questions about Villed.
“...Fine already. I told you it was a joke. I won't touch the guy.”
Morning.
Official Mock War Waiting Room.
It was a spacious and luxurious hall.
All of the second-year Schulers had gathered here.
The tension of the students preparing for battle mixed with the bustling movements of the assistants.
“Attention! The audience will be watching from here! Aside from the fourth-years, it seems nearly every student has gathered!”
With the assistant's shout, a hologram materialized in midair.
Apparently, it was projected through magical power.
The screen displayed a magnificent circular colosseum.
The wide-open scenery instantly stirred old memories.
'It's been a while since I've seen that place.'
It was the very arena where the first-years had fought their ranking battles shortly after I first arrived in this world last year.
Its maximum capacity was supposedly ten thousand spectators.
However, even the Academy's entire student body amounted to barely a quarter of that.
The seats would never actually be filled.
The assistant, who appeared to be in charge of the broadcast, proudly continued his explanation.
“This is the revolutionary system we've prepared for this official battle! Besides the main screen, every audience member will also have their own personal display at their seat, allowing them to observe whichever participant they wish!”
As a demonstration, the assistant manipulated the hologram.
From every conceivable angle, viewers could freely observe another assistant preparing the broadcast inside the arena.
'With a system like that... using Shark's ability will definitely be difficult.'
To defeat the Cleaner...
Shark's power was indispensable.
However, openly using Shark's ability would practically be the same as announcing to the entire Academy,
'I am the Black Knight.'
That would become an incident significant enough to completely derail the original storyline.
Under no circumstances could that happen.
'Still... it's not like there's absolutely no way.'
Of course...
That method would be extremely troublesome.
...It might even become grounds for disciplinary action.
But my highest priority right now wasn't my own safety.
It was ensuring the Imperial Princess survived.
If something happened to me, I could always find another way to recover.
But if the Imperial Princess died...
Everything would be over.
“Even though the match doesn't begin for another hour, we've already passed two thousand spectators!”
Classes for every grade had been canceled today.
Naturally, everyone had gathered to watch one of the Academy's major events.
Students.
Staff.
Even professors.
...At that moment.
Clack. Clack...
The disciplined footsteps of military boots echoed through the room.
Approaching was Assistant Chariot, dressed in full uniform with his military cap pulled low.
Alongside him appeared Professor Jennings, the blond professor wearing glasses.
Stopping in the center of the waiting room, Jennings unfolded an enormous magical map and fixed it in midair.
“Greetings, Schulers. I shall now explain the battlefield upon which today's official battle will be fought.”
The map transformed into an intricate three-dimensional display, vividly revealing each area's terrain.
Compared to the practice match, today's battlefield was on an entirely different scale.
Unlike before, when there had only been forests and roads...
This battlefield featured enormous outer walls, intricate passageways, and even underground waterways.
'Just as I expected... there are far more possible routes.'
It had been the same in the game.
The official battle maps came in several variations.
The moment I saw the terrain...
I immediately recognized which battlefield type this was.
“The key to today's official battle is 'Delay and Counterattack.' We second-years are overwhelmingly outnumbered. Therefore, during the early stages, we will defend while utilizing the Watchtowers, reducing the enemy's numbers before launching our counteroffensive.”
Professor Jennings continued his briefing while pointing to key locations on the map with his baton.
“We've also organized two separate mobile support teams. Students specializing in mobility will immediately reinforce any area that comes under threat.”
Next...
Jennings warned everyone about one of today's most troublesome mechanics:
The Support Ability System.
During the Mock War, defeating enemy students or monsters granted points.
The more points accumulated...
The more physical enhancement abilities one received.
“The moment a first-year defeats one of you, they'll begin growing at monstrous speed. Do not allow even a single lowerclassman to use you as a stepping stone.”
The bonus awarded to a first-year for defeating a second-year was twenty times greater than what a second-year received for defeating a first-year.
A single defeat carried devastating consequences.
“The respawn time is ten minutes. Remember well—a single mistake leaves a hole in your battle line for ten entire minutes.”
A ten-minute respawn penalty.
Since resurrection took such a long time...
The strategy this time was to first reduce the overwhelming swarm of first-years before launching the counterattack.
“Ren. Your position will be Attacker. Take the Watchtower on the left passage.”
Turning pages of his documents, Jennings began assigning every student their positions one by one.
After assigning roughly thirty students...
Only a handful remained.
“Heidel, Kunking, Sia, Elined...
“And...”
“Villed.”
Everyone called was a proven ace.
...Except for me.
“I trust your judgment. Therefore, I grant you freedom.”
Free Position.
Jennings was entrusting those he believed in to read the battlefield themselves and create opportunities on their own.
'Well... even if he'd assigned me somewhere else, I was planning to act independently anyway.'
At least this spared me the trouble.
Finally, Jennings turned toward Kaylin.
“Kaylin. You will be the operator of Block.”
“Yaaay~! Thank you very much! I'll have fun piloting that gigantic golem!”
Kaylin threw both hands into the air with the excitement of a child.
During the practice battle, Kaylin had used a Watchtower as the core to create a golem.
However...
The Block she would summon today was on an entirely different level.
Not only was Block two to three times larger than an ordinary golem...
It was also a massive siege weapon capable of smashing through sturdy fortress walls in a single blow.
“I've said this repeatedly. Block is our core strategy. Do not deploy it until I give the signal. Understood?”
“Yeees~! Of course I know that! Leave it to me!”
Kaylin answered confidently.
But Jennings merely let out a quiet sigh.
If Block's summoning authority were stolen...
Or if its deployment timing was missed...
Their entire strategy could collapse.
Entrusting such a dangerous trump card to Kaylin—the student with the greatest magical power in their year—was the obvious decision.
“That concludes everything I have to say.”
As Jennings dismissed the magical map...
The doors of the waiting room slowly opened.
“It's time. Proceed to the battlefield.”
“I wish you all the best of luck.”