308 – Academy Team Competition – 5
[Protectable Personnel: 35]
[Protectable Personnel: 34]
[Protectable Personnel: 33]
⋯⋯⋯⋯.
Baekryeom Princess nervously chewed her fingernails as she stared at the screen. It was as if an invisible hand was slowly tightening around her throat.
“The number of protectable personnel is decreasing. Have you found the Gordius team members hiding in the mansion?”
“Not yet, Princess! We’ve been digging through the grounds, but… we haven’t found them. We’re sorry!”
“It’s nothing to apologize for. I know you’re all doing your best. First, come back into the mansion. Baekseol and Selvier will be here soon.”
“But, uh… “
If they didn’t find those hiding, even if they were lucky enough to defeat Baekseol and Selvier, they would lose. The Baekryeom Princess knew this very well.
Even if the *Great Labyrinth* hadn’t attacked, they were at a disadvantage. The number of those hiding in the mansion was 39 – a number that was, in itself, overwhelming pressure.
But there wasn’t time. If they went out looking for the hidden Gordius party without preparing for them, defeat was certain. A complete bind. The Baekryeom Princess’ faction was caught in a two-sided pincer like a sandwich.
The most viable option, perhaps, was to persuade Baekseol and Selvier… but the odds were low.
Though it was a distant conversation, the Baekryeom Princess had been able to hear Gordius and Baekseol’s conversation. It was her best guess that Baekseol was highly unlikely to accept her persuasion.
Her worries deepened.
“Then what in the world should I….”
“Leave it to me, Princess! I will be your shield!”
“We will defeat the enemy! We will dedicate victory to you, Princess!”
Those who say that know it too. It’s a wall far too high to overcome with resolve alone. Time ticked away, and before they could even decide, the White Snow had arrived.
The White Lotus Princess led everyone down to the first floor, preparing for battle. Each drew their weapons, and those capable of magic positioned themselves in the rear, readying ranged attacks.
They also brought out the core of the manor’s defense, the large shields. If two people stood blocking the entrance with them, it could be sealed without even the smallest gap.
Ice magic is, after all, based on projectiles. If they could take all the attacks at the front, they could buy the maximum amount of time with a minimal force. That was what they thought.
There was even a stroke of good luck.
Thump. Thump. Thump……
“That sound is…… the ‘Great Labyrinth’!”
“The crazy labyrinth is coming!”
They didn’t know why, but the Great Labyrinth was approaching. If so… if they could just hold out inside the manor, they could deal with both the White Snow and Selbier!
Clunk. They raise the shields.
And then, patter. A sound of footsteps, light as snowflakes, landing in front of them.
Swooosh──
A biting chill sweeps through.
*Beep*. The announcement rings out from the second floor. ‘The owner of the “Crown” has been detected. A one-hour countdown will now begin.’
As expected, the White Snow possessed the “Crown.”
“……The manor is already full. And the ‘Great Labyrinth’ is coming behind you. How about trying to find other means outside?”
The White Lotus Princess threatened her, a look of intense tension on her face, but the White Snow, without feeling even an ounce of danger, yawned leisurely and declared.
“Turtles… no, tortoises. You can give up now.”
“Give up?! That’s absurd! We have nine people here, we can’t turn tail and run without a fight, not with our noble bloodline!”
“The entrance to the manor is narrow! And we have large shields completely sealing it! We will hold out, even if it means our deaths, we won’t let you step one foot in!”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
No.
The timing when Snow White suggested giving up, that was her design… it was when a move for victory was prepared. It was the same with Gordius, and even in Bennet’s case, though the White Lotus Princess didn’t know it.
She had already done something.
A shiver.
The White Lotus Princess trembled. A chill ran down her spine. It wasn’t just a feeling; a cold was actually seeping in. From behind, no less. That was strange.
Crack!
A member of the rear team cried out, his ankle area frozen solid.
“Cold air is coming from the 2nd floor… through the stairs!”
“How?!”
“One of the windows on the 2nd floor was open!”
It was the window Gordius had opened when he left the mansion.
The mansion was an indestructible object, and there was no way to open a closed window from the outside. This was something they’d checked countless times.
Also, when the White Lotus Princess’s faction occupied the mansion, they’d checked and locked every window. So, it was impossible for cold air to come from the outside… it should have been.
The rules do not change.
A window that cannot be opened from the outside was opened. Snow White’s chill was pouring in from that window, slowly draining the temperature. So the answer was simple. The 2nd-floor window was opened from the inside.
At the time, the 1st floor and below were already filled with the White Lotus Princess’s people. Then, the only remaining direction was up… the ceiling!
Gordius’s appearance from the ground was a disguise, meant to deceive!
The image of a tacky ceiling design and an out-of-fashion chandelier flashed through the White Lotus Princess’s mind. It really didn’t fit the mansion. Like it was added on. The princess shouted sharply.
“⋯⋯ I get it, I get it! I know where Gordius’s team members hiding in the mansion are!”
“You mean… you figured it out?!”
“Not the basement, the ceiling! Above the ceiling… the third floor!”
But it was already too late.
If they’d realized the unease a little sooner, if they’d confirmed the second-floor window was open, could they have endured Snow White’s onslaught a little longer?
They might have even been able to fight and eliminate Gordius’ faction before they broke through, or bought time until the *Great Labyrinth* attacked.
Now, with everything too late, there was only one option left for Lady White Lotus.
A melee.
Snow White and Selvier didn’t even know about the maximum number of people they could protect, nor that they were being devoured in order of proximity to the mansion entrance. A melee, waged with all their possibilities resting in that ignorance.
“Everyone except the two guarding the entrance, move to the second floor! Break through the ceiling, and hold them off from inside!”
“We will hold them back with our lives, Lady!”
“How much meaning will that struggle have? Now then-“
*Click.*
Selvier stopped Snow White as she raised her hand.
“Selvier?”
“You’re thinking of wiping them all out again and passing it off as you having no more magic left, right? I can’t wait anymore. The *Crown’s* countdown has already started. I’ll clear them out in one go, then it’s you and me, one on one.”
*Whoosh—!!*
“Metamorphosis, *Blaze Angel*.”
The air around them grew hot, Selvier’s entire form rippling and turning into living flames. Seeing that, Snow White raised her eyebrow slightly. It was the most surprise she was capable of expressing.
“A fire mage’s metamorphosis…?!”
“When did they reach the stage of metamorphosis!”
“Inferno Angel, Stage 1, 『Gleam』.”
From her fist, a condensed little sun is launched. And the instant it clashes with the shield, an explosion erupts, a deafening roar echoing throughout the entire mansion.
*KWAANG*──!!
–
Selvier’s fable, boasting formidable firepower, carries the demerit of weak durability. On the other hand, Snow White’s simple fable, which slows down the opponent, is stable but lacks prominence.
The two fables interlock, complementing each other.
“I need to get close before that idiotic fire magic blows up—*gkk*, my steps are slow…!”
“The aiming isn’t as precise as I thought! If I carefully read its trajectory…”
“How am I supposed to dodge while slowed down, in a mansion with all sides blocked!”
*THUD*, *KWAANG*──!!
The stage itself was advantageous. Each time they cast magic, they get hit, caught in the aftershock, thrown to the floor, or slammed into a wall. Selvier laughed joyfully, relishing the feeling of their abilities perfectly meshing.
It’s not the kind of synchronization you get when fighting directly connected to a crazy mage, but it feels like completing a three-legged race across a track.
Snow White also slightly curled the corner of her lips. So, they had finally reached the same level. She hadn’t thought it would take long, but it was faster than she expected. She was pleased.
The mage pair was definitively gaining the upper hand over the White Lotus Knights. The confined space of the mansion limited avenues to avoid attacks, so they were hit with every shot.
However, the mansion was also contributing to dragging out the battle.
“…If we unleashed our true firepower, we’d be caught in it too.”
“That’s right. Mages are better off running around in open fields.”
“But we could wipe them all out. 『The Great Labyrinth』 is coming… but based on our conjecture, the interior of the mansion is safe.”
Casting area-of-effect attacks easily triggers a danger close. Inevitably, they had to reduce their firepower to avoid friendly fire, which was extending the lifespan of the White Lotus Princess faction.
*WHOOSH*──!
Another fireball flies in.
“⋯⋯We’ll redirect Selvier’s next attack, to the ceiling! One, two!”
“House Secret Art, Crescent Slash!”
“Orion Lance Style First Form!”
Following Lady Baek-ryeom’s commands, they each poured their magic into their finishing moves, altering the trajectory. The redirected fireball struck the ceiling head-on, exploding.
KWA-aaaNG──!!
Thud. Thud-thud. The ceiling shattered with absurd ease, revealing the forms of 39 people stationed above.
“Ugh, disgusting. What the hell are those⋯⋯”
Selvier was in shock. Students were clinging to the domed ceiling, packed together like a swarm. They shouted, sticking tight to the surface.
“⋯⋯We’ve been found! But Operation ‘Cicada’ continues! Hold on!”
“I can hear the ‘Great Labyrinth’ coming, Gordius went all the way! He pulled it off!”
“Then all we have to do is hold out to the end! We can make Gordius’s sacrifice worthwhile-!!”
Confusion mixed into Selvier and Baekseol’s expressions. Why are they trying to hold out so desperately? Is there something… something more?
Is the interior of the mansion not safe from the ‘Great Labyrinth’ either? No, it’s too late to investigate now. They increased the power of their magic, risking friendly fire.
“Hah… If we blow them all away, we won’t even have to think about it! Flame Angel (焰天使) Stage 2 – ‘Crimson Neighboring Star (赫隣星)’!”
“That’s right. It’s simple if we just eliminate them all. ‘The Gardener of the Ice Garden’.”
Woooshhh- CRACK-CRACK-CRACK!
The mansion’s temperature split in half. On one side, fierce flames erupted, while on the other, various ice structures such as roses and swans sprouted.
The remnants of Team Gordius dealt with it simply.
“I’m going first-!”
“Next, it’s my turn!”
A sacrifice.
“…You’re jumping directly into the source of the magic?!”
“Is she covering it with her body before it can be cast? It would have ended in a pointless suicide, but… the ‘safety mechanism’ installed for the confrontation is reducing the magic’s power.”
Gordius’s team members, like moths drawn to the sun, threw themselves one after another, buying mere seconds of time before being incinerated and vanishing. The White Lotus Princess clenched her fist at the sight.
They were jumping without hesitation, even when their leader, Gordius, wasn’t there. As if they were still together, even unseen. But what about her? Had she led her subordinates properly? Or was she just a little lacking?
Did she even deserve to be a leader…?
While the White Lotus Princess wavered, Selvier furiously built up her magical power. But even so.
“But this is just stalling for time! I’ll blow it all away with stage 3 『Nova』— Kyaaack?!”
*Thwack.*
A large hand that had ascended the stairs grabbed her.
Selvier, in shock, twisted her body to look behind, toward the window of the second floor. There, with its mouth pressed against the mansion’s entrance, was the 『Great Labyrinth』. Time had run out without her noticing.
“B-but this was supposed to be a safe zoneeeee?!”
*Shuurrrlk.* With a final cry, Selvier was sucked in.
Snow White, her face hardened, watched the scene while a single bead of cold sweat trickled down her face. She finally understood the rules and started sprinting.
She didn’t know how many people the 『Great Labyrinth』 would devour, but the order… it was based on proximity to the entrance!
“Push Snow White back!”
“Hold on!”
“Get back, you turtles…!”
The number of people that could currently be protected displayed on the screen was only 17. The special task force that had left to go outside had worked hard to break open the cabinets. And there were still twenty people hanging from the ceiling.
『The Great Labyrinth』 will sweep everything away, and then, only the Gordius team will remain!
“Ha, hahahahaha! Gordius, you’re watching from the sky, right?! We won──!!”
It was a definitive declaration of victory.
Baekseol, the White Lotus Princess, and her underlings, all sensed the outcome and halted their movements. The『Great Labyrinth』 was about to finish everything.
⋯⋯⋯⋯.
It was about to finish everything⋯⋯?
“?”
“The Great Labyrinth, why… isn’t it moving? There are still a lot of people left.”
“The screen, the number of people shown on the screen is seventeen. I’m sure of it!”
The 『Great Labyrinth』 suddenly stopped moving.
The mad wizard, who had been watching through the cameras, jumped up from his seat. Did I make a mistake in the coding? Where did an error occur…?
Just as Mima was agonizing over whether to turn on the announcement, a static noise crackled, and then, a bizarre magical surge emanated from within the Great Labyrinth, spreading in all directions.
The screens that felt the surge began broadcasting the inside of the 『Great Labyrinth』 instead of the headcount. It was a kind of broadcast hijacking.
That surge reached the screens of the visitors watching the Academy Tournament, and parents and nobles from all regions also witnessed the scene.
-KREEAAK! What the hell are these tentacles!!
A terrorist group being toyed with by tentacles and other gruesome gimmicks, and──
-Hahaha, you have fallen into hell with me. That evil plan to throw the Academy into chaos, Namgoong Chung-hui has taken it from you!
Envers, ambitiously declaring his victory.
–
Meanwhile, a mansion occupation battle was unfolding.
Hee-young-hyun, a suspiciously academy-savvy newbie terrorist, was at the head, guiding the terror group.
It was easy to convince the terrorists. After beating down a couple to prove his strength, he gained their trust by ranting about his hatred for the academy.
Of course, Envers’ acting was terrible.
“So, now only the name Hee-young-hyun (希永玄) remains. In closing, I say I’ve never once dreamt. Not once…”
“Truly a heartbreaking story. I believe you. You are one who hates the academy.”
Hee-young-hyun’s overly detailed tale, rehashed in the academy style, worked because the borrowed narrative was quite good, even if the acting was clumsy. Everyone just assumed he was bad with words.
He also got to hear their plans. The terrorist leader had a crystal ball capable of recording video, and a magical interference artifact that could broadcast the video everywhere.
Their goal was to gruesomely and miserably murder students, then widely disseminate the footage to ruin the academy’s reputation.
But being discovered by Envers was their misfortune.
Envers stopped walking on a wide path within the academy.
“Do you know where this is?”
“…I’m not sure. But you said you’d guide us to a place where students who lost the tournament rest, didn’t you?”
“Well, I didn’t lie. Waiting here is the… quickest way. It’s coming soon. The dungeon for the eliminated.”
Thump, thump, thump-thump-thump-thump-thump–!
The 『Great Labyrinth』 is coming. This path is part of the 『Great Labyrinth』’s route.
During the Labyrinth’s attack that occurred right after the Baekseol vs. Bennett match, Envers was there too. Even in the midst of his frantic escape, he memorized the 『Great Labyrinth』’s route.
Later, while trying to return to the mansion and join Gordius, Envers encountered a lost terrorist and, sensing something suspicious, began tailing him. He then subtly slipped into their group.
It’s a shame he couldn’t participate in the team tournament, but apprehending a wicked group trying to attack the academy is the right thing to do, isn’t it!
Envers believed Gordius would understand.
“What the fuck, what is that monster?!”
“You son of a b*tch, did you trick us?!”
*Shlink.* Drawing their weapons, the terrorists radiated murderous intent, but Envers, empty-handed, quietly assumed a high stance, and in his mind, grasped the heavens.
“You won’t move a single step from here. Metamorphosis,『Imperial Sword Form』──!”
“Kuh…?!”
“W-what, what is this power…?!”
He embodied his intent. Infusing all sword paths into his will, projecting them outward. The air, previously empty, instantly transformed into the perilousness of a mountain of swords.
The oppressive weight of the sky bound every last member of the terrorist group.
*Thump thump thump thump thump*── *shrrrraaak!*
“U-uaaah!”
“I’ll kill you, I’ll kill you, Hee-Young-Hyun──!!”
They were all swallowed by the 『Great Labyrinth』.
To announce the terrorists’ safe capture to the outside world, Envers snatched an artifact from their leader and used it.
Afterward, the 『Great Labyrinth』’s process, having consumed a surplus of uncounted individuals, experienced an error. Because this area was being monitored by outside personnel for the competition, it calculated the terrorists it had just eaten as students.
It’d already eaten dozens, so it figured it should eat less.
Thus, the 『Great Labyrinth』 left the mansion’s students, whom it was originally supposed to devour, and ceased operation. It had only swallowed Selvier and a few others, backing out since it had consumed all it needed to.
“Uh, uh… Hey! Hey, where are you going! You have to eat Snow White!”
“Is this Envers’ doing?! Did Envers ruin it?!”
“Hey! We were about to win, where are you going you b*stard, 『Great Labyrinth』──!!”
Despite the desperate screams of the Gordius Team, who had been on the verge of victory, the Great Labyrinth leisurely vanished, leaving Snow White and the White Lotus Noblewoman faction unscathed within the 『Mansion of Glory』.
“……….”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
“Metamorphosis,『The Tortoise Loses to the Rabbit』.”
Snow White’s actions were mercilessly fast even then, and in the end, everyone except Snow White was annihilated.
Gordius’s plan, which might have even reached victory… was shattered by the omen of a beast, Envers.
–
The mad wizard’s office was heated up because of the team battle’s fairness controversy.
It was due to the fight between Gordius’s team, who said they should have won since they lost the victory due to a gimmick after winning everything, and Snow White, who said she would have still won if they fought again.
Mima muttered, tearing at her hair.
“⋯⋯Aisha, do I have to apologize for this? Should I have predicted that those guys trying to destroy the academy would show up at this timing?”
“If the problem was set up wrong, the professor should get scolded. It wouldn’t have been a problem if you had completed the coding with higher perfection in the first place. And weren’t you a bit lax? You said that academy attacks were the rule of the world you lived in.”
“Yes, it’s all my fault… Compensation, compensation. Ughhhmmm…”
Apart from the mad wizard who was deeply troubled, this team battle received fervent interest from the relevant people. It was not just the visual beauty of the video but also the fact that it accurately grasped the competence of the academy students.
The previous one-on-one battles were not detailed enough to see if the viewer’s insight was low. Rich people without magic power, whose dynamic vision couldn’t keep up, could only vaguely estimate their specs by seeing the flashes of light.
Or, they had no choice but to make estimates based on external evaluations or academy rankings.
However, the videos, which were edited to make it easier to receive information from various angles, were different. They accurately understood the value of the students, which resulted in a pumping up of the amount of donations coming into the academy.
It was half successful, it seemed.