Chapter 50

After Almon and Ludger’s elimination, the situation resolved more easily than expected.

“This isn’t the time for infighting. If Fernan and Luina took out Almon, then they’re the ones in the lead right now.”

Under Carlo’s leadership, the remaining members of Group 1 and Group 2 allied and launched a direct assault on Group 3’s formation.

However, just after they left behind a small number of people, Group 3, who had rushed back as quickly as possible after eliminating Almon, launched an assault on the formation.

“Fernan? Luina?”

“What are you doing here?”

“Our team is attacking your base right now!”

“We know. That’s exactly why we’re here.”

Capturing Group 1’s flag—completely unguarded—was even easier than expected.

“Let’s head back to our formation.”

The timing was perfect.

Dozens of lightning bolts crashed down endlessly, and with the students’ fierce onslaught, the formation was practically in ruins.

Many had already been eliminated.

“Fernan…!”

Carlo, leader of Group 2, clenched his teeth tightly.

“Damn coward…!”

“I don’t think you’re any better.”

“I challenge you to a one-on-one magical duel! If you’re truly an honorable mage, you’ll accept.”

“I think you’re a bit confused.”

Fernan shrugged.

“I’m not a mage. I’m a merchant. And a decent merchant always seeks efficiency.”

In other words, he had no intention whatsoever of dueling Carlo Deneb one-on-one.

“Luina.”

Zaaap!

With a thunderous crash, the magic barrier protecting Carlo trembled. A bolt of lightning struck—but was blocked by a suddenly raised rock.

The battle had begun.

***

The ideal cooperation between a knight and a mage consists of the knight holding the front while the mage casts spells from behind.

A simple yet powerful combination.

But because of that simplicity, if the frontline fails, the whole thing falls apart quickly.

Group 2 had the best mage in the faculty, but unfortunately, they didn’t have a knight strong enough to stop Luina.

And Carlo couldn’t handle Luina personally—not with Fernan persistently interfering and getting in the way.

A chaotic battle broke out, and in that type of clash, knights had the advantage over mages. Additionally, Group 2 had left part of their team guarding their formation, so they were outnumbered.

In the end, Carlo was forced to retreat, losing four teammates in the process.

“Should we chase them?”

“Wait. Let’s take a moment to regroup.”

From Group 3 to Group 1, then to Group 4. Now back to Group 1, then again to Group 3.

They had fought fiercely at each stage. Most were exhausted. A short rest was necessary.

“What if we give them time to recover? Wouldn’t that be a problem?”

“We’ll have to accept it.”

After all, if they chased them now, they’d suffer too.

Besides, some of their own had stayed behind and were rested in the formation.

After sending out a small scouting party, Fernan and his team rested for about twenty minutes, then held a strategy meeting.

“What should we do?”

“There’s no need for us to go, right?”

“Yeah. Defending our formation gives us the advantage. No need to take risks.”

“What if they don’t move either?”

“Then it becomes a battle of patience.”

No one wanted to charge into enemy territory on their own. Fernan agreed.

“Then for now, let’s reinforce our defenses…”

At that moment, a message appeared on all maps:

【Some rules have been changed.
First, the battlefield will shrink.
Second, the flag will be assigned to a member. If that bearer is eliminated, the entire team is eliminated.】

The area on the maps began shrinking rapidly.

【You’ve exited the battlefield. Return within the time limit.】

【Time remaining: 30:00】

“Seems we weren’t the only ones thinking that.”

“……”

“……”

“Well, first we need to decide who will carry the flag.”

***

He was unlucky.

The reduced field was formed slightly closer to Group 2’s formation, and the exhausted members had to move immediately without any rest.

Those small setbacks added up and worked against Fernan.

“I’ve been waiting for you, Fernan.”

Fernan, who had assigned Gert Grotz as flag bearer and moved with his teammates, ran into the enemy who had already set up their formation.

“Did you know, Fernan? First place is mine, not yours.”

He should have realized earlier that Carlo’s meaningless talk was only to buy time.

“I never said I was first.”

“Yes. You’ve always been like that. With that calm gaze, like you know everything from behind the scenes.”

Carlo’s eyes glowed intensely.

“But this time you won’t be so composed.”

He raised his staff.

“This time, I’ve won. You’ve walked straight into your grave.”

Twenty mages stood beside him.

“A grave? Don’t be ridiculous…”

Fernan laughed as he sensed the massive flow of mana building around Carlo.

No one in Group 2 could manipulate that much mana alone. That could only mean one thing.

“Combined magic?”

A technique where mages link through a magic circle to amplify a spell.

The more mages involved and the more mana used, the more powerful it became. But it came with drawbacks.

It required a complex system of calculations, formulas, and an elaborate circle, and the participants would be left heavily drained.

“Sure, it’s time to end this, right?”

That’s why it wasn’t a good spell for a multi-team competition. Unless there were only two teams left—like now.

“What a shame… we’ve already spotted you.”

Also, combined magic needed time to activate. That meant the spell hadn’t been released yet.

“Luina, stop them!”

“You shall not pass!”

Clang!

Luina’s sword, rushing at Carlo, was blocked by Alia.

“Attack!”

“Kill them all!”

“Combined magic? What kind of trap is this?!”

The students charged into battle. They clashed with Group 2’s defensive line. At first, it looked like an even match—but it soon tilted.

Naturally—some mages were occupied with preparing the combined magic.

But then, something Fernan hadn’t foreseen happened.

“Everyone back!”

The combined magic activated much sooner than he’d calculated.

“…How is that possible?”

“Mana crystals aren’t yours alone.”

“Spread out!”

Fernan struck the ground with his staff. Mana waves surged across the terrain.

Rrrrumble!

The field shook like an earthquake. Massive walls of rock rose one after another.

Fernan gulped down a mana potion and summoned more earth.

Meanwhile, massive black clouds gathered overhead.

Crack!

An ominous sound echoed.

“This is the end for you, Fernan.”

“Wait! A spell like this could cause deaths!”

“Luina Bercheff. That’s not my concern. That’s what the professors and assistants are for—if needed, they’ll step in.”

He wasn’t wrong.

At that moment—

“First place in the magic department will be mine too. As always.”

BOOM!

More than a lightning strike—it was like divine punishment. A blinding light engulfed everything.

Rrrrraaaaaggghh!

The ground collapsed.

***

“….”

Fernan sat up.

“Carlo… damn bastard.”

Team 2’s combined magic blasted through five stone walls.

Their defensive circle was shattered, and all protective artifacts had burned out after serving their purpose.

“…One is completely destroyed. Do you know how much that cost…?”

At least the map remained intact. And Luina too.

But the impact collapsed the ground beneath them, and Fernan fell beside Luina.

Several students were dragged down as well, but there was no time to help everyone.

“Are you okay, Luina?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

But her face was visibly pale.

“And the others?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t realize it was like this down here.”

The underground chamber was vast, with rubble and rocks everywhere.

“We need to get out of here first.”

“Understood.”

As Fernan checked Luina’s condition, she paused.

“What is it?”

“There was something right where I lay down.”

“Something?”

Fernan followed her gaze. Indeed, something shiny lay among the dirt mounds.

Carefully, he dug at it.

A metal door embedded in the ground, leading deeper underground.

“…What is this?”

Not large, but carved on its surface was an emblem of a bird.

No—it wasn’t just any bird.

“Armian…?”

At first glance, it looked like an eagle, but it was the Saint Bird—the emblem of the Armian family.

A sacred white-feathered bird with four wings.

“It really is the Armian crest… But why is it down here…?”

Luina frowned in confusion, and Fernan realized immediately.

“…Damn. It’s all this underground fanatic’s doing.”

A setup.

A trap arranged by the First Emperor.

How were all his traps buried underground? He must have been a knight—or maybe an earth mage?

‘No, wait… wasn’t one on an island? In any case, Aint… why didn’t you find these before?’

But there was no time to investigate further.

“Is anyone there?!”

“Are you okay?!”

“Help me!”

Voices called from all directions. Fernan organized his thoughts.

‘This cannot fall into others’ hands. It must not be discovered now.’

Whatever happened, Aint had to find this. Fernan drank a magic potion and drew a concealment circle on the ground with reagent.

“What are you doing?”

“A concealment circle. Making sure no one can find this.”

“Why…?”

“I’ll explain later. First, we need to rescue the others.”

“Understood.”

Once the circle was complete, Fernan and Luina began searching.

“Are you okay?”

“T-thank you, Luina.”

“Fernan!”

“W-we need to get out!”

In the end, they found seven students. But five of their maps were completely incinerated.

“We survived thanks to the artifacts you gave us.”

“Same here.”

Those who survived were the flag bearer Gert and his partner Neria.

Handing out artifacts as a precaution had been an excellent move.

“Damned insane fools! Who casts combined magic in a test?!”

“Aaah, my leg!”

Some had broken limbs, but no one was seriously injured or dead.

It seemed the map’s built-in magic was far more effective than Fernan had imagined.

“Fernan. Do you have potions?”

“Potions?”

“We need to treat the wounded, right?”

“No need for potions.”

“Eh?”

A presence stirred.

“Where is everyone?!”

“I detect life that way!”

It was Professor Grad and three assistants.

“…Stingy.”

“I don’t spend where it’s unnecessary. Prepare yourselves.”

“Prepare… for what?”

“The exam isn’t over yet.”

Because they were still alive.

***

“I won…!”

Carlo exulted in triumph.

Until recently, he could have never imagined feeling this way after facing someone like Fernan.

Tenth place—solid but clearly below first.

That’s what he thought. But he was wrong. Fernan had been hiding his true level and now stood at his throat.

He couldn’t let his guard down. He could lose first place.

Especially knowing Ludger Schwaben was eyeing Fernan warily.

So this victory was even more valuable.

He’d lost during practice—and then lost again mid-term.

“Yes. We won…!”

“I can’t believe we actually got first!”

“But… what about those who fell—are they okay?”

“It’s not over yet! Finish off those still on the ground!”

“We just need to find Group 3’s flag bearer!”

The Magic Department students couldn’t even move, weakened by the combined magic’s backlash. So the Knight Department began searching among the debris for Group 3 members sprawled across the field.

Half had already been eliminated when their maps burned—but survivors remained.

They couldn’t resist. They dropped without defending.

Carlo was certain of victory.

Rrrrumble!

Until walls of stone rose from the ground’s collapse. On one stood a knight and a mage.

“Luina!”

“Yes!”

Luina Bercheff—the only other second‑year knight besides Almon with no equal.

She sprinted straight toward Carlo.

She was fast—so fast that Group 2’s knights scattered across the field couldn’t reach her.

“Damn sh—!”

That was her last scream.

The map barrier stopped the blow—but Carlo’s map ignited simultaneously.

“You got complacent, Carlo Deneb.”

No mage who hated losing—even if they were dead—spoke mockingly so sweetly in Carlo’s ears.

“I won.”

Fernan looked at him with a mocking smile.

“First place isn’t really something I care about, anyway.”