There are a total of five academies participating in the Academy Competition.

 

Marchen Academy.

 

Bethel Academy.

 

Raisel Academy.

 

Bellatrix Academy.

 

Mesa Academy.

 

Among them, the places where the advance team showed cooperation were Betel Academy and Bellatrix Academy.

 

“I mean, why would you participate in an event like this?”

 

spectators.

 

The female supervisor at Bethel Academy asked the male supervisor next to her.

 

“I think I said I don’t know before.”

 

“It’s cold… .”

 

“How could a former knight like me know what the fearsome kid who is the youngest archmage is really thinking? The friendship seems good, but if you get to know it, there is a possibility that it is an ordinary reason to ‘enjoy youth’.”

 

The male supervisor put the lollipop in his mouth.

 

“… Do you think you can win the Ice Festival?”

 

“See that it is difficult. How do you fight a kid like that and win?”

 

“I guess so… .”

 

“I am a child with the title of Ice Emperor. How can you beat a wizard who is practically a living legend? In fact, all of our students are in a state of fear. Unfortunately.”

 

“But it’s an atmosphere where everyone wants to work hard. Aren’t you doing it because you think you can do something against Bingje? There are also special victory rules… .”

 

The female overseer looked at the students wandering around the battlefield.

 

“Yet there is. No matter how great the ice festival is, he is still only a participant in the end and is bound by the rules of this game. Logically explaining the possibility of winning to students, giving them hope, and giving them a little push on the back can somehow motivate them. Everyone is at a young age with a strong spirit for a challenge.”

 

The male supervisor picked up the lollipop with his fingers.

 

“Of course, it’s possible because I’ve never seen an ice festival before.”

 

“You’re saying it’s because you’ve never felt the power of ice, right? Isn’t that just a temporary blindfold?”

 

“yes. Still, this is enough. There are students who want to enjoy the glory of fighting ice. Anyway, that’s the conclusion.”

 

The male supervisor looked at Noah Bartan, one of the advance guards at Betel Academy.

 

“Of course, we hit the back of the head at Merhen Academy, who thought we would have no choice but to aim for the special victory rule.”

 

The rules of the academy competition were notified when each academy was waiting at the base. The organizers did so to prevent the academies from colluding in advance.

 

However, the academies kissed in advance in preparation for this.

 

The male supervisor recalled the story he had told the students at the base of Betel Academy before the academy competition began.

 

─ ‘We discussed with other academies in advance. Let’s join forces and aim for Marchen Academy first. I’m sorry for the Märchen guys, but if we run the tournament normally, it’s obvious that they’ll dominate.’

 

─ ‘So after we heard the rules of the game, we decided to check it out first if there were any rules that might be able to go against Bingze. If it doesn’t look like that, I decided to overturn the concentrated attack strategy.’

 

─ ‘You must have noticed. The rules of this tournament seem to be conscious of ice skating. Other academies may have noticed. There is no way the organizers would let the ecosystem destroyer, the ice festival, go unattended. In other words, I’m guessing that among the traps and items, there might be something that can give Bingze a shot.’

 

─ ‘So, proceed with the search as planned, and as soon as you are sure of your guess, take over the advance team. And cooperate with other academies to hit Marchen Academy. Our goal is to destroy the Mercen guys’ Whistle Stone. If you really fight with Bingje, you will surely lose, so focus only on winning the game.’

 

─ ‘If it’s judged that there is no means to deal with Ice Emperor, discard all plans and focus on special victory while running away hard. got it?’

 

It was an unstable strategy based on the assumption that the guess was correct.

 

However, if you couldn’t do something about the ice skating, you couldn’t aim for the championship in this competition. No matter how lowly the name Bingje is treated, it is overwhelming.

 

“If anyone decides they have the means to defeat the Ice Emperor, they decide to fire elemental magic towards the sky. From then on, this tournament will be a 4-on-1 match against Merhen Academy.”

 

At the words of the male supervisor, the female supervisor let out a meaningful breathing sound.

 

It was because I couldn’t get rid of the question that was floating in my head whether things would go as planned.

 

Meanwhile.

 

Two male students with swords at their waists, Ian Fairytale and Abel Carnedas, were traveling together as an advance party. The students of the advance team other than them were exploring other sections.

 

The main purpose of the two boys was to search for information and collect items. When encountering an enemy, fighting and winning was a secondary purpose.

 

The stage of the Academy Competition was reminiscent of a small city. However, none of the buildings were closed, and each one had an open ceiling or exterior wall, so it was designed to be clearly visible to the spectators.

 

“Senior Ian, over there.”

 

“what?”

 

Woo woo!

 

Ian and Abel turned their heads in one direction as they ran. At one point, a column of water rose high.

 

“Is it a battle?”

 

“The water column is too straight for a battle. As if it was shot on purpose… . oh! Senior Ian, be careful!”

 

“uh?”

 

At Abel’s cry, Ian kicked off the ground and fell backwards.

 

A worm was crawling slowly on the ground. The glossy brown shell was engraved with small letters glowing with magical powers.

 

“bug… ? Why is that?”

 

“It’s a trap.”

 

“How can you be sure of that?”

 

“Hey, it’s ‘Jis’. Scarab and Witch Beast. It’s survival strategy is to cause a small explosion when it comes in contact with something. There’s no way a guy who lives mainly in wetlands could be in a place like this, right? If that’s the case, that means someone has set it free. It must be a trap.”

 

Ian was amazed.

 

“You know these things pretty well… ?”

 

“hahahaha.”

 

Abel knelt down in front of the bug and checked the writing on its shell.

 

“If the shell is in contact with the body or magic, it will be removed… It says.”

 

“Some of the traps planted by the organizers are like this.”

 

“So, senior Isaac… .”

 

Abel recalled the conversation he had with Isaac at the base.

 

─ ‘Senior Isaac, how about sweeping it all away with large-scale magic? Hot!’

 

─ ‘I see it as an act of suicide. There’s no way the organizers would have let that happen.’

 

“As expected, senior Isaac. You are sharp.”

 

Abel stood up from his seat with a smirk.

 

Abel takes out a pocket watch from his pocket and checks the time. 40 minutes had passed since the match started.

 

“Let’s go with caution, senior Ian.”

 

“for a moment.”

 

“yes?”

 

Ian looked in the direction the water column had risen.

 

“What do you think the water column was? It felt like announcing to everyone… .”

 

“hmm… . Whatever you think, you’re only guessing, but then all the other academies know there’s an enemy out there. Maybe it’s a trap… .”

 

Ian was convinced.

 

“It is very likely. Let’s not go over there.”

 

“yep!”

 

The two boys started running again.

 

Meanwhile, the base of Rizel Academy.

 

There was a single crystal floating in the air in the central room. A crystal the size of a small child that emits soft light. It was a whistle.

 

The watchman of Risel Academy with Whisimseok by his side was a blue-haired, muscular male student, Van McGregor. He was sitting in a chair with his usual expressionless expression.

 

Near him sat on the couch his red-haired twin, Hans MacGregor.

 

Squeak!

 

A student hurriedly entered the central room. Ban’s and Hans’ eyes turned to the student.

 

“Ha, Hans! Van! A flare has been fired!”

 

“Is that what you were talking about earlier?”

 

“yes… !”

 

Hans raised his arm on the back of the sofa and put on a sad expression.

 

“I didn’t like it from the first time I heard it. Aren’t you thinking about the possibility that the guys who set off the flares will stab us in the back?”

 

“Well, then this! Group A of the advance party has just returned with an item… ! Please check!”

 

The student approached Hans and took out an item to show.

 

A small one-handed shield. With a round appearance, it was a shiny iron shield.

 

On the shield, the number ’23’ engraved with magical power was shining brightly.

 

“As I heard at the time, ‘Read No. 23’… was it?”

 

“Read No. 23.”

 

Hans and Van spoke according to the explanation of the rules they had been notified of at first.

 

As if in response to their voices, mana grains suddenly appeared and began to glow before their eyes, forming letters in the air.

 

“It’s like this.”

 

The two male students read the letters engraved in the air.

 

[ No. 23 – Reflective Shield ]

 

[Can be used: 1 time]

 

[Rating: Rare]

 

[Effect: If this shield is attacked, the player who attacked is eliminated. ]

 

From noble mtl dot com.

 

“Winning the ice festival… , It seems possible enough!”

 

Hans grinned.

 

“I’m sure it’s something like this.”

 

It was the moment when it was confirmed that there was a means to beat the Ice Festival.

 

Hans looked at Van.

 

“Are you ready, Van?”

 

“Ahh. Of course, Han.”

 

The twins got up from their seats and started heading for the door.

 

Whisimseok calmly followed Van McGregor.

 

“Give it up. I will use it as a last resort.”

 

“Ah, yes!”

 

The male student ran to Hans and handed him item number 23, the reflective shield.

 

“Now, wait a minute. Thinking of going to a fight… ?”

 

“It must have been because the decision to bring the advance team back quickly was due to the fact that Marchen Academy decided to strike before securing items. Other academies will move slowly. My brother doesn’t want to miss the chance to fight Bingje.”

 

“But if the two of you go together, Hwi Sim-seok… .”

 

“It’s more dangerous to put a whistle stone here. The location has already been specified, right? Rather, it is safer to move it. So, everyone moves at once.”

 

Hans smiled.

 

“It would be better to build a base somewhere else. There are a lot of buildings here. It would be enough if the guys who know how to handle rock magic expand it. You have to secretly preoccupy a good position. So that the class specialized in long-range interception can effectively attack and defend. Then, attack the Merchen Academy.”

 

In fact, command of Rizel Academy was as if it belonged to Hans. The students had to follow the instructions he would give.

 

“That sounds like fun… !”

 

Hans was excited about the idea of fighting Bingze with Ban’s interception on his back.