478 Chapter 478: Practical Exam Tournamen (2/2)
Melina and Nirvana glared at each other from the opposite side of the arena, one determined and the other derisory. Unaware or uncaring of the rivalry between them, Teresa Taylor raised her staff to release her announcement.
”Without further ado, let the Saint Teresa Academy's end-of-semester practical examination tournament commence!”
There was a cheer, and the exam began. Not the actual tournament, though. Even though the participants had emerged, they were currently strategizing.
I glanced at Nirvana's team, and was unsurprised to see that all four members were frontline fighters. None of them specialized in ranged magic, and all of them held melee weapons. Nirvana herself wielded a mace for some reason. Her teammates wielded a rapier, a whip, and another mace. It would be troublesome for Adrian and Melina to engage them in close combat.
On the other hand, they didn't have to worry about long-ranged spells coming from the enemy. Of course, both of them already knew that. I had ensured that they did research on their opponents beforehand.
Intelligence, as always, was key.
Even Adrian was looking nervous, his hands shaking as he clutched his sword. He glanced at the trembling Melina, who looked pale.
”Hey,” he assured her with a forced smile. ”It's okay. We'll definitely win as long as we stick to the plan.”
The plan. Right. The format of the tournament was fairly simple, a ”game” where you had to catch the opponent's flag to win. Each team could have up to five members, but Nirvana chose to bring four members. Whereas Adrian and Melina weren't able to recruit anyone else into their team. That might be bad, considering the goal of the game.
Each team had been allocated a specific area – those hills at the opposite side of the arena – where their flags were planted. Successfully protecting your own flag while stealing the enemy's was the condition for victory. Also, you could recapture your own flag from the enemy by defeating them and taking it back, so it wasn't an automatic loss once they got their hands on your flag. The same went for the opposing team – just because you captured their flag didn't mean you automatically win either.
On the other hand, if neither team managed to successfully capture the other's flag within fifteen minutes, then they would count how many members had been eliminated – in other words, killpoints. In this way, Adrian and Melina's team had the advantage because they could theoretically score more points than the opposing team. Obviously you could also win by incapacitating and defeating all the members of the opposing team. It was also possible to get draws, but neither team would want that.
I knew that Adrian and Melina wanted to win. So did Nirvana.
My lips curled into a smile. Nirvana's desire to win would be her team's undoing.
The referee walked up and rang the bell to signal the start of the match. The timer began counting down from fifteen minutes, and both teams sprang into action.
”Let's go!” Adrian said, thrusting his sword forward.
Even though each team would normally leave at least a single person behind to guard their flag, neither team did so. Nirvana and all her members hurtled forward, while both Adrian and Melina hurried into cover.
Just as we predicted. Knowing Nirvana's personality, she wouldn't be satisfied with merely taking the other team's flag.
She would want to crush both Adrian and Melina in combat, and humiliate them in front of everybody. She was the type who enjoyed beating up her victims with her own hands – almost at the expense of victory. No, to be more accurate, pulverizing her victims with that ugly mace of hers was the victory that she sought. As I said, as long as the other team was fully eliminated…and there were only two targets.
Nirvana was aware of that as well, and she couldn't wait to beat the two of them up to a pulp.
”I'll head straight for their base!” Melina shouted as she sprinted into the thick of the forest. Nirvana narrowed her eyes as she turned around, tracking her movements. Adrian paid her no attention and instead grinned.
”Leave them to me! I'll delay them as much as I can!”
Wooden branches and vines exploded out of his sword as he dove at the opposing team. Sakura petals also streamed around him, forming a deadly barrier that simultaneously served as a cloud of swords.
”!!”
Nirvana's team was forced to scatter. As for me, my eyes widened. Adrian, that scoundrel…to think that he was capable of casting two spells at the same time? Even veteran mages had difficulty executing two spells simultaneously, yet he was pulling it off with ease.
The guy was talented, that was for sure.
”Surround him!” one of Nirvana's teammates shouted, and they obliged. But there were only three of them. Their leader was gone, having smirked and disappeared into the forest after her true target. However, none of the trio complained, and they attacked Adrian in near flawless synchronicity.
Fortunately, Adrian had wrapped himself in impenetrable defense and their short-ranged spells bounced off his cloud of Sakura petals. Above, Cecilia nodded in approval.
”Adrian has improved remarkably…it seems like Richard really taught him a few tricks.”
”Why do you think I request Richard to teach Adrian?” Sacha chuckled smugly as he rubbed his chin. ”I know he will be the one to bring out my son's full potential.”
While Adrian continued to distract the opposing team, Melina continued to run toward the opposite hill, a sudden spell halted her in her tracks, and she instinctively spun around to face her assailant after dodging it easily. Standing atop one of the outcrops of artificial ruins was Nirvana, her body wreathed in blazing mana.
”I'm delighted that you were so cooperative enough to come straight to me, Melina!”
Looking down on the blond swordswoman from above, the gladiator sneered contemptuously.
”Or did you perhaps think that you could win by avoiding combat and stealing our flag?”
She then flicked her hand casually and giggled.
”It's true…right now our base is empty. Of course you would think that it's open to attack. And if you indeed succeeded in seizing our flag, you would get all the attention you crave.”
Nirvana then burst out laughing.
”How naïve. But you know…if all you wanted was attention, then you just needed to ask. I will be more than happy to oblige you.”
In a single bound, she leaped off the outcrop and dove at Melina, raging mana swirling around her mace and strengthening her strike. Cackling hysterically, Nirvana sped right toward Melina, sadistic violence in her eyes.
”I'll break all your limbs…until you're lying on the ground and begging me to stop!”
Please go to
to read the latest chapters for free