What I faced after the wall-gazing meditation was a team battle.

‘Of all things, a team battle.’

I had expected a day like this would come eventually.

The Martial Academy was a place of learning where various martial sects gathered.

Joint training that pursued harmony and cooperation with team members who had each learned different martial arts was also essential.

Although I didn’t expect that training to start so early.

‘This is a big problem.’

I stood alone, lost in thought.

Of course, since I hadn’t participated in the last class, there were no team members who had consulted with me, and there were no people with whom I had exchanged blows.

‘And it’s awkward to join in late now.’

At the very least, we had to practice together for a week, but who would want to be with someone who hadn’t even shown their face because they were being disciplined?

Right now, I wasn’t the top student, but just a problem child who had even been disciplined for being absent without leave.

As proof of that, aren’t there already groups of people glancing at me and whispering?

“To come back so brazenly after leaving as he pleased. The discipline of the Martial Academy has hit rock bottom.”

“If it were anyone else, they would have been expelled, how did he come back?”

“It’s because his family is good. That scoundrel top student. No, is he the ‘former’ top student now?”

That subtle ostracism. As I was looking around to find some other way in the midst of that, I suddenly felt a presence approaching.

“You seem to be in trouble.”

“You guys are?”

When I lifted my head, what was there was a man with a shaved head and another with medium-length hair.

It was Gu Dong and Lee Huimun.

“Don’t tell me you were waiting for me?”

When I asked, sensing the situation, the guys nodded as if they had been waiting.

How touching. This is why people should live kindly.

“But what about the other team members?”

The required number for a team formation is 5 people per team. But right now, there are only three of us gathered here, including me.

“You don’t have to worry about that. What happened was…”

“We are a team of 4. We had no choice if we wanted to be with you.”

Lee Huimun, who had cut in, said as if subtly showing off.

Originally, in a class like this, the teams are chosen randomly. Because if left to their own devices, only the prestigious families would stick together.

However, in the case of a team of 4, which was at a disadvantage because the numbers didn’t match, the students could change it autonomously.

“Everyone said they wouldn’t be in a team of 4. So for now, only we came in.”

Gu Dong chimed in from the side.

No matter how much of a top student I was, they were bound to be reluctant to have to join and work together on the same day.

And even more so if it meant joining a team with a small number of 4 people.

“Still, there was someone who joined us just in time.”

“Nice to meet you.”

Just then, a mid-low, beautiful voice was heard.

“You are…!”

I raised my voice, unable to hide my bewilderment at the unexpected person.

A handsome man with a gentle impression was there.

Straight eyes and long, tied-up hair. There was no way I wouldn’t know.

‘Baek Hasin.’

A playable character in Martial Academy. He was the protagonist of this game.

* * *

“Let’s do well.”

Baek Hasin approached in a friendly manner. It was a likable action, as expected of a protagonist.

But that’s why I had a question.

“You could have joined another team, couldn’t you?”

At the natural question, Baek Hasin gave an awkward smile.

“Haha, it seems the rumors about me aren’t good. Everyone was a bit reluctant.”

‘Come to think of it, there was a professor who disliked Baek Hasin, right?’

Baek Yuhwan, a professor from the Baek family, had always disapproved of Baek Hasin.

In fact, Baek Hasin was a bloodline that was out of favor even in the Baek family.

In the past, his mother, Baek Yeonseo, was a promising rising star not only in the Baek family but also in the Central Plains.

But after Baek Yeonseo left home as she pleased, she came back after 10 years, left Baek Hasin, who was a newborn at the time, and disappeared, and the persecution began from then on.

He had gone through all sorts of gossip and bullying, including debates about whether he was really of the Baek family’s bloodline, but there was a separate reason why he was being pressured like this.

It was because a few years ago, the head of the Baek family had taken notice of Baek Hasin’s talent and insight and had put him in the succession battle.

There were probably many reasons, but there must have been a scheme to stimulate the eldest and second sons of the Baek bloodline with Baek Hasin.

The fact that Baek Hasin, who had no power or support base, was made a successor candidate already showed that intention.

In fact, the growth of Baek Hasin, who was outstanding in martial talent, made the direct bloodlines feel a sense of competitiveness in martial arts.

‘What a petty trick.’

Baek Hasin, who had endured the pressure from his family calmly, had entered the Martial Academy to grow without external pressure, and was now being kept in check by Baek Yuhwan.

He probably had his intermediate students, whom he was in charge of, subtly spread the story to the held-back students of a similar age, giving them orders and spreading rumors to isolate Baek Hasin.

I remember being hit by it several times during my playthroughs.

‘Thanks to that, I was able to form a team like this.’

Of course, it bothered me to be involved with the protagonist like this, but since the situation was what it was, it couldn’t be helped.

I shrugged my shoulders and answered as if it were no big deal.

“It doesn’t matter. The rumors about me aren’t good either.”

“Ah.”

At those words, as if he remembered something, Baek Hasin let out a short exclamation without realizing it and then immediately apologized.

“Sorry, you must be having a harder time with the false rumors.”

He seemed to have recalled the reputation about me. He was a guy who was considerate in strange places. I said to Baek Hasin for sure.

“It’s true.”

“Huh?”

Baek Hasin showed a flustered reaction for a moment. But my words continued.

“Most of what you’ve heard is true. That I won a duel with a formation, that I was disciplined for staying out overnight without permission, all of it.”

Soon, he sent me a questioning gaze.

It couldn’t be helped. Leaving aside the fact that the rumors were true, he probably never thought that the scoundrel top student would admit it so readily.

But there was a scheme behind my obediently reciting this history.

It was to make my role clear.

“Conversely, it also means that my formation is that useful. To the point where even if I stay out overnight without permission, it ends with a disciplinary action.”

When I presented the previous rumors as proof of my ability, Baek Hasin nodded his head in a daze.

‘If it’s a group project at this time…’

“The name of the team battle we’re going to do is the Apricot Scramble, right?”

I, who had taken the lead in the conversation, asked.

“That’s right.”

Lee Huimun, who was standing next to me, answered and informed me of the background and rules of the team battle.

In the past, when the Heaven-Shattering Demon was taking a walk on the back mountain of the academy, which was being built, he saw two groups of birds fighting over an apricot tree.

They were trying to protect their own apricot tree with their insufficient numbers and take the opponent’s, and the Heaven-Shattering Demon was said to have been inspired by this and devised a team battle.

The rules of the Apricot Scramble, which had such a history, were simple.

Each team had to protect their own apricots and pick the fruits from the opponent’s apricot tree.

Since they had to both defend and attack at the same time, it was a team battle where strategy and capability were essential.

“First of all, as everyone knows, we are at a disadvantage.”

This team battle. Only our team has a small number.

Originally, we would have had to bring in one more person, but it had long been dismissed by Namgung Dohyeok’s words that we had to know how to win even in a disadvantageous situation.

In that case, we have no choice but to solve this with our own strength.

“The basis of strategy is to grasp the strength and distribute it. First, we have to decide the number for offense and defense.”

How to divide the strength is the most basic rule of military strategy.

“Wouldn’t 2 vs 2 be fine?”

I shook my head at Gu Dong’s question.

“That’s the standard. But it’s different in a disadvantageous situation. Dividing the offense and defense equally may seem harmonious, but it’s actually disadvantageous for us.”

“Why is that?”

When Baek Hasin expressed a question, I asked back.

“We are 4, but they are 5. If they have a thought, how will they distribute their forces?”

“3 attack, 2 defense, or 2 attack, 3 defense?”

I nodded my head and affirmed Lee Huimun’s answer.

“If we look at it from a standard perspective, there’s a high possibility that they will come out with 3 vs 2 or 2 vs 3. In that case, what about us?”

Even if the enemy has one more in defense, they won’t be pushed back in the offense, and even if they have one more in attack, the number of defenders is the same.

In other words, it means we will be pushed back easily.

“If we fight standard vs standard, this side is at a disadvantage.”

When considering all the cases from 0 offense, 5 defense to 5 offense, 0 defense, 2 vs 2 had the lowest possibility of victory.

Unless the enemy was crazy. There was no way they would take an extreme strategy of 0 in defense and 5 in attack.

There was no reason for the opponent team, which was in an advantageous position, to make such a gamble.

On the other hand, there was also no reason to implement a strategy of 0 attack and 5 defense.

In the first place, if they did such a thing in an advantageous 5 vs 4 fight, they would only get a demerit from the instructors who were watching.

In the end, the enemy will choose one of the combinations of 1, 4 or 2, 3.

“Then shouldn’t we be on the defensive? That seems to be the best.”

Just then, Baek Hasin asked sharply.

Since we would be in a disadvantageous position by default, it would feel like a loss to disperse our personnel for an offense.

Because if we all defended, we would at least be at a draw when considering the enemy’s combination, and if we were lucky, 4 of us could even face 2 enemies.

“So you’re saying we should lure the approaching enemies and pick them off?”

Lee Huimun asked, letting out an exclamation as if he had never thought of it.

I shook my head at that.

“That’s a possible strategy if the opponent is a fool.”

If the enemy was a puppet that just attacked blindly, we could clash with them and win.

But the tide of battle always changes in real time.

Information gathering is essential in tactics. If the enemy thinks their numbers are small compared to the opponent, they will immediately withdraw.

‘And they will somehow send a signal and aim for the gap while we are gathered together and rush in all at once.’

The opponent has more numbers than us. And the distance to the two fruits is at most the distance of a small hill.

Even considering that it’s a mountainous area, it’s quite short.

It means they can respond flexibly by placing 2 in defense, 1 as a messenger in the middle, and 2 in attack.

In this case, you might think of finishing off the 2 on the attack side quickly, but the enemy will also know this. So they will try to attack with fast and strong guys.

While they immediately run away and buy time, the middle messenger can join, and then even the defense side can join in.

If that happens, it becomes a headache for us, who have to protect the fruit.

“Don’t be mistaken. We’re not defending a castle.”

You shouldn’t think of it as defending a castle just because you’re protecting something.

Because if you only have something to protect without a geographical advantage and a castle wall, it’s closer to an escort.

In the case of an escort, the attacking side, which can choose the timing of the attack, is actually more advantageous than the defending side, whose range of movement is narrowed because they have something to protect.

And the purpose of this battle is, after all, to seize the opponent’s fruit.

“In the first place, you have to think about the reason why the victory or defeat is decided just by picking one of the opponent’s fruits.”

The rules were made that way to prevent actions like setting a trap with the fruit as bait and so-called ‘camping’.

By basically making it so that you have to attack to win, and by subtly setting the stage to be advantageous for the attacking side.

‘If you don’t grasp this, you’ll just be swayed.’

“I see…. We have to consider our purpose and situation, and even the opponent’s strategy.”

Baek Hasin muttered, letting out a faint exclamation.

‘He’s certainly extraordinary.’

“So what should we do?”

Just then, Gu Dong asked.

“Did you leave the answer with me?”

“No, that’s not it… I thought a great hero would have a way.”

Of course, there is a way. But there was a part I had to confirm before that.

“What are the members and tendencies of the team we’ll be facing?”

“It’s a team composed of held-back students, including Do Sogi, whom we faced last time. Their skills are all said to be about the same.”

Lee Huimun answered.

“Since they’re held-back students, they’ll probably try to show something.”

They’ve already failed once, and they’re familiar with this team battle. And the opponent is a new student team composed of 4 people.

‘It’s perfect for them to prey on.’

“The opponent will put weight on the offense, won’t they?”

“Yes.”

I nodded my head at Baek Hasin’s words.

I shouldn’t be sure of the opponent’s actions without grounds, but I was certain.

Would Professor Baek Yuhwan, who had tried to isolate Baek Hasin, be satisfied with just Baek Hasin’s defeat?

‘Absolutely not.’

He would probably try to create a scene where he is helplessly defeated without being able to do anything.

With that, he would probably plan to drop his evaluation score to the worst and make it so that he can’t even be promoted.

‘I won’t let that happen.’

Because this guy is the protagonist.

He’s an irreplaceable high-level personnel who has to do the things I can’t do in the future.

Before, I couldn’t do anything because I lacked the ability, but now that I’ve grown, there’s nothing I can’t help with.

‘Well, thanks to that, I could clearly see how the enemy would act.’

Ironically, Professor Baek Yuhwan’s trick had actually given me information on how the enemy would act.

I can’t lose after he’s done this much.

“So, what should we do now?”

At Baek Hasin’s question, all eyes were on me.

I, who had become the center of the team members before I knew it, made a decision.

“This side will attack too.”

(End of Chapter)

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep