369 Chapter 369: Operation Metro (2/2)

Then again, if that was the case, why did they keep all the alliances that were formed yesterday together, instead of breaking them apart and randomizing them?

Whatever. I didn't know the answer, and didn't think it was that important to try and analyze the decisions of the tournament staff. What mattered was that Harrison was thrown into this team deathmatch along with his allies, and his performance at present would determine whether our academy would move on to the next round or not.

The match had already begun. My friends and I watched our shared holographic screen, zeroing in on Harrison when he appeared from what seemed like nowhere. A couple of dozen other students materialized beside and around him, all of them drawing their weapons and checking their Divine Devices or casting a few spells.

Then they ran without a word. Even without needing to communicate, the students already knew what to do. They had already discussed this prior to the match. In any case, those stragglers who were thrown into the team at the last minute naturally followed the rest, intuitively aware of their roles. There was little point in staying behind at the spawn point.

The goal of the match was to \”kill\” as many opponents as possible. It was that simple. Playing passive and lingering behind while the other forge ahead would be a great way to get left behind in terms of points. In addition to kill points, participants also earned points by Support – in other words, healing and reviving a teammate, assist kills, repairing weapons and equipment, protecting and defending a teammate, providing intelligence, etc. Even if you didn't have much in the way of combat ability, as long as your support skills were excellent, you could still score high in this round.

I frowned at that. They should have done this format for all of the stages, not just the final one. Maybe they would implement this system from next year onward.

Harrison vaulted over one of the ticket barriers, following his teammates into the train platform. They rounded a corner and were about to descend the stairs when a fireball scorched toward them.

\”!!!\”

Already anticipating that, Harrison's team immediately pulled back, avoiding a huge explosion as the fireball struck the wall and burned away paint. Taking cover behind the wall, Harrison's team launched a counterattack of their own, flinging icicles and earth spikes down the stairs. An explosion ensued, followed by a painful yell.

\”Get them!\”

\”No, wait! Don't just rush up the stairs!\”

It was too late. The first two mages from the opposing team literally flew up, wind billowing about them as they cast furious spells to blow their opponents away or cut them apart with aerial blades. However, they were met with a wall of overwhelming firepower, almost a dozen spells slamming into them and incinerating them instantly. Their bodies crashed down the stairs in a burned heap, and lay there for a few moments before disintegrating.

They didn't really die, of course. A few seconds later, they respawned back at the back of the tunnel, dazed and outraged.

\”What the fuck happened?!\”

\”Why is the entire enemy team gathered up there?!\”

\”Where's our backup?\”

Even as they began to sprint back toward the stairs, a furious firefight had erupted between the two teams. Harrison had to conjure a golden holy barrier to deflect a few spells that came dangerously close to ending the lives of his teammates. As they withdrew, huffing and heaving, a healer captain rushed over to tend to their wounds.

\”Fall back a few steps for now,\” Harrison directed, providing suppression fire with several holy spells to cover their retreat. Sensing a weakness, the opposing team surged up the stairs, only for a fire captain to detonate the advanced flaming spell he had been casting this entire time. Four of the enemy mages howled as they toppled over, their bodies set ablaze. Either falling across the stairs or crashing right back to the bottom, their lives expired almost instantly. The healers couldn't get up in time to revive them, not when a blistering hail of firepower came crashing down on their positions, forcing them to keep their distance.

\”Damn it!\”

\”Find an alternative route!\”

While Harrison's team kept the opposing team pinned at the stairs, a small group detached themselves and made for another path – the relatively wide array of escalators – in hopes of circling around so that they could attack the enemy from behind.

Unfortunately, the captain of Divine Divination Academy had already predicted that.

\”!!\”

The covert operative mages, who thought they were being stealthy, were met with a barrage of spells that were akin to machine gun fire, and forced to flee. Before they realized it, at least two of them were shredded by razor leaves and icicles.

\”If we can't break through these barricades and reach upstairs,\” one of the opponents murmured, turning anxious. \”Then we'll seriously lose the match!\”