Emeric recalled the overall situation of the battle when he was fighting Makdal, who remained composed. Contrary to his expectations, Ebil’s gang was struggling.
Especially the troops led by that man with the ponytail moved smoothly, like a living snake.
‘These guys aren’t the type to stay in Schlaphe Hall. Especially this commander, he has the talent to have gone straight to Adelle Hall if he had taken the third exam.’
Whenever there was danger, he manifested a temporary shield in the air and immediately replaced dropped weapons. He also created chains to fill in the gaps in their attacks.
“Where is your leader now?”
Emeric released Makdal’s hair and looked down at Ricks.
Makdal, though slumped, managed to stand up again.
“It’s not over yet…”
“You still have some fight left in you. You’ve become more resilient.”
Emeric once again grasped his sword by the sheath, preparing his stance. Makdal swung his staff, and more snowmen appeared.“Eat this!”
Emeric effortlessly dodged the icicles shot by Makdal and destroyed the snowmen with his sword.
Pop!
While doing so, he kept an eye on the overall situation. Despite the disruption of their forces by the barbarian, the enemy should have been subdued by now.
Yet, one by one, his comrades were falling.
‘Something is going wrong. Even if that first-year kid is exceptional, why are the others struggling against these slaves…’
At that moment, Emeric heard the sound of an arrow slicing through the air.
Whoosh!
After the sound passed, a student from Buerger Hall fell. On the ground was a long stick with feathers attached.
“An arrow?”
Observing carefully while dodging Makdal’s attacks, he noticed the blunt tip.
It wasn’t meant to kill.
Even if the tip were sharp, it wouldn’t penetrate the armor and aura of a knight.
“You’re getting distracted again!”
Emeric sliced through the cursed fog that Makdal sent with a gust of wind and quickly grabbed the arrow.
It sparked with static electricity.
‘Is this arrow enchanted…’
Whoosh!
Another student fell.
Emeric tracked the trajectory of the arrows with his eyes.
Two faint figures.
They were shooting arrows from the roof of the Schlaphe Hall dormitory.
The person beside the archer must be enchanting the arrows.
Whoosh!
Seeing more of his comrades falling, Emeric changed his thinking.
Even if Ebil’s gang held out, the additional forces joining them would soon turn the tide.
However, if their troops continued to decrease like this, it would be futile.
‘But capturing that archer is impossible…’
To reach the roof, one had to enter Schlaphe Hall, a place full of strange phenomena requiring a vigilant approach with the Rule Mirror.
The archer was literally shooting from the safest fortress.
‘It’s impressive to hit from that distance, but why station there… Damn, if we drag this out, it will be bad for us.’
Emeric momentarily abandoned his amusement and ignored the snowmen.
Poof!
The incoming punches were just snowballs, barely affecting his aura-clad body.
“I’ll give you this. Your leader is quite the strategist. Perhaps defeating Bidon was indeed his skill.”
“Finally realized it?”
“First, I’ll make sure to finish you, Makdal.”
Emeric charged, evading various spells and cutting down the distance with his sword.
Once within range, he swung his sword horizontally.
“Hut!”
Makdal quickly ducked, avoiding a fatal blow.
“You’ve only bought yourself a few more seconds, Makdal.”
Emeric kicked Makdal in the solar plexus, followed by a punch to the jaw, and slashed diagonally with his sheathed sword.
“Ugh!”
With a dull impact to the neck, Makdal passed out.
The snowmen disintegrated into powder.
At that moment, the reinforcements who had been cut off arrived.
“S-Sorry, seniors, we were a bit late getting out through the windows.”
“Ugh, what took you so long? Hurry and help!”
“Yes, sir.”
They replaced the front line, moving the injured to the back. As they regrouped, the once-confident Schlaphe slaves started to falter.
An arrow from afar bounced off a second-year knight’s armor.
Clang!
Emeric turned to look at the roof of the Schlaphe Hall dormitory.
The man next to the archer was panting heavily, visible even from here.
‘Out of mana already, huh.’
No more variables. Emeric raised a hand and shouted.
“Everyone, stop!”
His booming voice made the fighting slaves and troops lower their weapons and focus on him.
“The battle is already decided. Surrender peacefully before you get hurt.”
The key point was that these were slaves.
The goal was to maintain the established order, not to render them useless.
It was a concession because of this.
However, the ponytailed man sneered.
“You think the battle is decided? Don’t be mistaken.”
His group shared the same sentiment.
In no time, a relaxed smile spread across the slaves’ faces.
Emeric found it incomprehensible.
At this point, they should raise the white flag, yet why…!!
A certainty flashed through Emeric’s mind.
‘Hersel Ben Tenest must be here.’
If morale wasn’t broken even with the fall of their strongest, it meant he wasn’t the real strongest.
Moreover, if the leader was cowering in fear, they wouldn’t look so confident.
Emeric scanned the area and found where he was hiding.
“This is creative.”
A fully intact snowman.
Even with Makdal unconscious, this one remained untouched.
Hiding in such a place.
Emeric gripped his sword and smirked.
“Let’s begin, then. A real fight between the leaders.”
He slashed the snowman’s neck diagonally, and a metallic sound echoed.
Bang!
The snow exploded, revealing…
“Athera.”
Fully armored in full plate, Athera blocked with her sword.
“Sorry, not the person you were looking for.”
Athera shook her wrist, recovering from the impact.
Emeric couldn’t help but laugh at the ongoing twists.
“Ha. You really mess with people. Where is Hersel Ben Tenest?”
“Before that, as the representative, I have a few things to say.”
Athera raised three fingers.
“We demand three things. First, return the equipment you took. Second, stop looking down on Schlaphe Hall students just because you have money. And the last, most important thing…”
Emeric blinked as Athera smiled.
“An increase in wages.”
Emeric responded with a chilling voice.
“You’ve gone mad hanging around slaves, Athera.”
Athera retorted.
“Failed negotiations? Then prepare to get beaten up by him.”
“I’d love that. I’ve never had such a hard time meeting someone.”
Athera banged her armor and stepped back.
“Ugh, snow got inside. Anyway, he’ll be here soon.”
She then shouted to the slaves.
“Everyone, retreat.”
Athera ran off.
The Schlaphe slaves stopped fighting, tending to the injured as they followed her.
The students of Buerger Hall watched in astonishment.
Emeric muttered to himself.
“He’ll be here soon?”
Just then, a breeze sent chills down Emeric’s spine.
***
The Adellele Hall’s exclusive floor was very high in the fortress.
The terrace offered the best view, overlooking everything below.
While it also restricted access to Schlaphe and Buerger Hall members, I had the professors’ permission, so I was an exception.
Watching the battle between the two factions from above, I backed away from the terrace railing about ten meters.
Then I began drawing spells with my staff.
‘Donathan, maximum speed.’
– You’re doing something crazy again, huh.
We both moved our bodies in sync, accelerating to our top speed.
Racing past the terrace entrance, I planted my foot on the railing and leaped with all my might.
Tuck!
What I was about to do was a bombing run.
The target: Emeric and his cronies.
Their formation was tightly packed, perfect for a massive explosion.
Thanks to the strategic positioning of the Schlaphe Hall humans, this was ideal.
Moreover, they had drawn attention, increasing the success rate of the surprise attack.
Falling towards the distant ground, I adjusted my position with telekinesis, feeling the cold air as I descended.
As I neared Emeric’s head, now appearing larger, I greeted him.
***
“Hello? Nice to meet you.”
There he was.
Hersel Ben Tenest.
Right behind him.
Emeric turned around hastily.
He had no time to react.
The world already filled with blinding light, and a ringing sound echoed in his ears.
Beep.
In the blocked-out senses, all he could feel was the dull pain throughout his body.
Even though he wrapped himself in aura, the impact was enough to disrupt his thoughts momentarily.
Emeric steadied himself, forcing his legs to support his weakened body.
‘Ugh, my head…’
Ignoring the throbbing headache, he swung his sword to clear the rising smoke.
“Are you hiding again? Show yourself! Hersel Ben Tenest!!”
After a moment of silence, Hersel’s voice came through.
“Wait a bit. I need to pick up some clothes after using this spell.”
As the smoke started to clear, Hersel was buttoning up his coat.
Emeric adjusted his stance, while Hersel glanced around with a smirk.
“Give up, Emeric. You’ve lost.”
All the soldiers were unconscious, lying on the ground.
Given the slight noise of the earlier explosion, the man in front of him must have used some bizarre magic.
“I admit it. Your tactics have completely defeated me. But how about this?”
Blood trickled from Emeric’s mouth.
– It felt like his core was tearing apart.
The shock had caused a reverse flow of aura.
‘Until I can use my aura again, I’ll have to buy time with swordsmanship alone…’
Aiming his sword, Hersel suddenly turned his back on him.
He seemed to be mumbling numbers, full of composure, which only heightened Emeric’s wariness.
‘A sudden opening? No, it could be a trap. Better to strike when least expected.’
Emeric took a step forward, braving the risk, and Hersel turned, asking in a heavy voice.
“Why go this far?”
His eyes were sincere.
Emeric pondered briefly, appreciating the chance to stall for time until he could use his aura again.
“Even among beggars, there’s a hierarchy. No matter where you go, there’s a pecking order.”
Imposing ranks was a natural human instinct.
“If ranks are abolished, chaos would only ensue. It’s better to draw clear lines and live within them.”
“Those with ability become nobles. What system could be simpler and more functional?”
Even commoners could rise if they earned enough money or made significant achievements.
If they failed despite their efforts, it was due to a lack of effort.
“If you choose to stay at the bottom despite opportunities, then fulfill your responsibilities at that level. That’s the duty of your position.”
Hersel nodded.
“I agree. The capable should be treated accordingly. That’s right.”
His words provoked Emeric.
Someone like him should have easily made it to Adelle Hall.
“Knowing that, why go to Schlaphe Hall? After taking the third exam, you still reject the natural order?”
Yet he chose Schlaphe Hall, and despite declaring himself a slave, now stood here defying the rules.
“Enough of this mockery. Draw your sword! Let’s settle this now!!”
Emeric roared, filled with murderous intent, while Hersel asked Donathan.
‘Is he really unable to use aura?’
– I said it’s reversed, he can’t use it, how many times must I tell you to believe it!
‘Can I win with pure swordsmanship?’
– This is the third time you’ve asked, you insufferable…!
Hersel picked up a wooden sword lying on the ground, igniting ‘The Noble Blood Ember.’
“Alright, I’ll make sure you rest soon.”
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