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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Vine
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Several figures infiltrated the special training grounds, located right next to the regular arena.
Their ages and even their races varied, but they shared one thing in common. They were all students at the Academy.
“Ready?”
“Yes, Senior!”
They were wearing their school uniforms, but their faces were hidden behind masks, and all of their broaches were removed.
They all carried heavy pouches at their waists. The metallic clanking sounds betrayed their weight.
They were the students who had bet on Edgar Lemnos during his duel with Atlas, and lost.
“We can’t bet on the shorty, after choosing Lemnos. The results will be in our hands, tomorrow!”
The words came from a senior student, in the Department of Magical Engineering, who had gambled away his student loans.
No one among them dared to suggest… not placing any bets on either side.
If they were capable of that, they wouldn’t be in this situation.
“Our target is the special training ground’s control room. We can change the settings there. The settings are randomized for tomorrow’s duel. We can change them for our victory!”
The training grounds were designed for the final exam.
It was a space isolated from the outside world. The control room could alter every aspect of it.
They could turn it into a hell of brimstone or a snowy wasteland.
“Senior… are you sure about this? The Headmaster is the witness for tomorrow’s duel…”
“Run if you’re scared. I’ll be expelled if Lemnos loses.”
The other students seemed to agree with that idea.
“…Well… I’ve been through many tests, I know the inside of the control room. Trust me.”
“We have nowhere to retreat! Let’s do this!”
They entered the special training grounds, a dome-shaped structure.
Outside, there was a sign that read, “No Entry, Under Maintenance,” with a hand-written addition underneath: “Entering at your own risk.” But they ignored it.
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The Magical Engineering student, who often assisted with the special training grounds, was intimately familiar with its security measures.
“It’s open…!”
The student, used to spending late nights in the control room, found this task… routine.
Unlike the randomized settings used during a duel, the exams required a specific environment, which required lots of work from him the night before.
“Remember the order, right?”
“Yes, leave it to us!”
“We’ve got everything prepared.”
“Yes.”
The other students checked the pouches on their waists.
They contained duplicates of the special training ground’s master keys, as well as protective talismans.
The main control room was only one, but there were four other control rooms, to set up the sub-areas of the training ground. Normally, the main control panel was in charge, but with the random mode activated, interfering with the main panel will not be enough.
If they could activate all five panels, they could guide the spatial formations with their talismans.
“Remember, come back to the main control room, after you’re done.”
They scattered.
The Magical Engineering student easily opened the main control room. A green holographic projection shimmered in the dark room, displaying the settings for tomorrow’s duel.
The student placed the talisman onto the black box beneath it. A “signal” would alter the spatial formation, making the conditions difficult for Atlas.
They could even add debuffs targeting Atlas.
But, before he could place the talisman, he found another one already in its place.
“Someone was here already?”
He wasn’t the only one.
He studied the inscription. It wasn’t a spell, but a sentence:
“Look up.”
He looked at the ceiling.
“You finally looked.”
Atlas was hanging from the ceiling.
“Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!”
The control room was filled with screams.
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“There are people in the arena!”
The staff who came to work at the training grounds in the morning were shocked by the scene.
The control rooms were littered with students. They had been beaten into a pulp, but they were still alive.
They were all sent to the hospital.
The staff cleaned up the blood, checked the settings, and continued cleaning.
It was a normal day.
“It didn’t move them to another location.”
In a normal situation, such a fight would have warranted a change of location.
I had beaten fifteen people, all of them wanted to change the settings to aid Lemnos.
The leaders of these three teams had come for the money, the other two had some personal beef with me, and lastly was a desperate attempt to get the attention of the Five Pillars.
The most absurd thing was that none of them had outside support.
They had thought it would be easy, since they’d helped set it up for the exam.
‘Why is security so bad, when they claim to use it for exams?’
The situation was very fishy.
I stretched, seeing the clean-up operation being completed.
“I’m going, it’s annoying. The staff are here, they will prevent others from intruding.”
The grounds had been cleared, it was unlikely that anyone would enter again.
The staff was busy cleaning the grounds, but it seemed much more chaotic on the Academy’s grounds.
“Was he really coming just to watch his son duel? That’s amazing.”
Edward Lemnos had arrived at the Academy on the morning ferry.
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I arrived at the harbor and saw River and Amy already there.
“Atlas, you were up all night? You’re not going to be tired for your duel?”
“I’m fine.”
Amy gave me a bottle of coffee.
“Want a coffee?”
“I will.”
It must have been from a nearby shop. I had never liked coffee, because it stunted your growth, but I couldn’t refuse her kindness.
“Why are they all gathered here? What’s so special about it?”
“Lemnos’ head is here, it’s natural for people to be curious.”
“I’m curious, too.”
They were curious to see the head of the Lemnos family.
They had no TVs, the newspaper photos were in black and white.
He was a man I had met in passing. I had seen most of the nobles since the Royal Knights were based at the Imperial Palace.
They didn’t know me, of course.
Edward Lemnos was always scowling.
His thick body and his red hair were impressive.
Looking back, he wasn’t a bad person. He simply hated the Royal Knights.
Edward Lemnos arrived at the harbor with only two guards.
His muscular form seemed to be pulsating, like a mirage. He had a great presence.
“Wow… Edgar was tough, but he’s even more impressive…”
“His thighs are like logs…”
Unlike other nobles, whose strength was shown in the number of their followers, Edward Lemnos radiated a power of his own.
I have grown accustomed to high ranking Experts since I had met so many at the Royal Knights but that level is right under the Masters.
If you are within the top of the Experts you are within the top ten strongest warriors in the world.
Lemnos scanned the crowd, his face etched with suspicion, looking for someone, probably the Captain.
“If I beat Edgar… will that make him want to kill me?”
“Maybe not kill you, but he would definitely hate you…”
If I won… Lemnos would hate me, if I lost… the Captain would kill me.
‘Why is this a lose-lose situation for me?’
But I had to win. I couldn’t lose to some nobody.
I had to do it, since I had already been let off the hook for my desertion.
Lemnos probably didn’t know who he was actually fighting. It made me pity him.
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