Chapter 90: Midterm Exams (7)

Understanding of Combat midterm test.

The survival battle had already reached its midpoint.

Although Understanding of Combat was a mandatory class for first-year students, there were those who neither attended the lectures nor took the test.

Yuria and other magicians were prime examples.

Magicians from the Magic Tower had separate exams due to skill development considerations and fairness issues.

Those tests were much more difficult, scored more strictly, and far more troublesome to prepare for.

Still, in return, they could omit one of the mandatory classes, and Yuria had skipped Understanding of Combat without a second thought.

Instructor Frahan’s teaching and testing style had been notorious since the high school division.

On the other hand, there were also those who attended the lectures and took the test to earn bonus points.

Close to Carl, Pozers was one such case, and he was currently participating in the survival battle, fighting in the city.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

In a city full of structures and large-scale buildings, the presence of a magician was indispensable.

They could use detection magic to understand the terrain and locate enemies, and they could engage targets from far away.

Thud! Thud!

The moment they so much as peeked their heads out, a barrage of magic bullets rained down, forcing Maximilian to click his tongue and duck.

“Miss Laysis. I think we’re trapped.”

“Indeed. I didn’t expect they’d dig in here and wait for us.”

Laysis wiped away dripping sweat and furrowed her brow.

Originally, they had been a three-person party, but moments ago they had lost one member to a trap.

Now, only Laysis and Maximilian remained.

Neither of them was skilled in magic, so they could only endure the suppression.

“Pozers is really going all out, huh.”

And when the one suppressing them was a close friend, they were even more hesitant to act recklessly.

When Maximilian had ended up in the same party as Laysis, he thought himself truly lucky.

She was the runner-up in the year, a solid ally whose skills needed no further praise.

But Pozers’ party had an even greater advantage.

‘Partnering with Nerian? Isn’t that cheating?’

The undisputed top freshman.

There was no one who could match him in combat power—well, except for Carl in brains, but in terms of sheer force, he was unmatched.

Perhaps thinking this was a chance to rack up points, Pozers relentlessly kept up the suppression.

When they had first run into each other in that trap, Maximilian had expected some leniency. He was wrong.

Thud!

Trying to check the situation outside with a shard of glass, Laysis had the tip she peeked out blasted off.

“…What is he, a sniper?”

Normally, he didn’t work this hard, but maybe because of Nerian, he was gritting his teeth and giving it his all.

“This isn’t going to work. We can’t break through. I don’t think Pozers is in the mood to play around today.”

“With our party at a disadvantage, it’s risky to go for a frontal fight.”

“Then should we run?”

“That would be best. Getting eliminated here would be a huge loss.”

If they were eliminated, they would lose 10% of their accumulated points.

Considering that the test had just passed the midpoint and there were still plenty of points to be earned, they absolutely could not afford to be knocked out now.

“Let’s split up and lose them, then meet back at these coordinates in 20 minutes.”

“Understood.”

“I’ll give the signal… one, two, three!”

At the signal, Laysis immediately sprang from her position.

To help Maximilian escape safely, she drew attention by firing suppressive shots with a Phantom Bullet in the opposite direction.

She couldn’t keep up a rapid-fire barrage like Pozers had earlier, but for suppression purposes, it was enough.

She ran in the exact opposite direction from Maximilian, leading Nerian toward her side whether it was deliberate or not.

A man who valued efficiency wouldn’t recklessly chase someone obviously fleeing with intent.

Shaaak.

Laysis descended a hill and entered a residential area below.

After catching her breath, she checked the Archive and found an item worth points not far away.

“…”

She hesitated for a moment.

If there was an ambush or she ran into someone, it could be troublesome.

Facing an opponent alone was a world apart from having even one ally.

‘Still, I should take it while I can.’

She made up her mind.

After reuniting with Maximilian, there might not be another chance to earn points.

So she moved cautiously toward the coordinates shown on the Archive.

Clatter.

The location was inside a half-collapsed house.

She carefully opened the leaning door and checked the living room and kitchen.

After some searching, she finally found the item in a tucked-away bedroom, letting out a sigh of relief as she secured the points.

‘Now…’

All she had to do was return to the rendezvous point and rejoin Maximilian.

As she left the bedroom and headed for the exit—

Shiiak!

Hearing the sonic burst behind her, she reflexively exhaled sharply and leapt aside.

Kang! Kang! Kang!

A brief skirmish erupted in the confined interior.

Both Laysis, who blocked the attack, and her assailant realized each other’s skills were no joke, and they hesitated.

“…Louis?”

“Damn.”

Seeing the strikingly beautiful woman with golden hair flowing, Louis frowned.

He had thought another lost fawn had wandered in—but it was a tiger with its mane flying.

Whether a cadet was strong or weak, defeating them awarded the same points.

And in that sense, Laysis was a low cost-performance target.

“…”

Louis kept her in his sights while quietly sensing the surroundings.

Logically, a cadet of Laysis’ caliber wouldn’t be wandering alone.

Especially now that the test had moved past the midpoint toward its final stage.

That meant…

‘Her teammates are all out, and she’s alone.’

In that case, the situation was different.

A three-on-three against a party with high-ranking cadets was risky, but if only Laysis remained, she was a target worth attacking.

Kang! Kang! Kang!

Louis pressed the attack again.

In that moment, even in the cramped space, Laysis blocked every incoming attack and, with a calm face, attempted to negotiate.

“Louis. You know it won’t be easy for either of us to decide this fight. So, why don’t we each go our own way?”

“Miss Laysis, sorry, but I can’t just let you go. I need points too.”

By now, there were only a few cadets left, and most of the items had already been found.

The only way to gain points was to defeat as many cadets as possible.

With such a tempting prey in front of him, how could he let her go?

Even if she was a wounded beast.

Crash!

While the two were clashing blades, the ceiling in one corner collapsed, and Kaiden, who had been lying in wait, ambushed.

“…Kuh!”

Laysis was instantly driven into a corner.

With her back to the wall, she tried to create an opening, but she couldn’t block every incoming strike.

Each time a blade’s tip grazed her body, her vision wavered and her consciousness grew heavy.

‘This won’t do.’

When fighting multiple opponents, it was crucial not to expose your back.

But when she was already being pushed back head-on, she couldn’t afford to cling to such tactics.

So Laysis made her move.

Clang!

She smashed the window beside the kitchen and hurled herself outside.

Louis and Kaiden, exhaling sharply, immediately gave chase, but it was hard to match her desperate speed.

“Sorry, but this is as far as you go.”

“…Carl.”

Carl landed in front of the fleeing Laysis.

He had been watching from the rear for a chance to intervene and now blocked her path.

“Perfect!”

Louis shouted in triumph, kicking off the ground with force.

Laysis’ breath caught in her throat, but with a resigned look, she sprinted forward.

‘Carl is hiding his strength.’

If it was just the two of them, it might be different, but with Louis and Kaiden present, he wouldn’t reveal his full ability.

With that hope, she all but body-slammed into Carl.

“…Ugh!”

Overpowered by her force, Carl’s body was sent flying far away.

As she continued running, Laysis glanced at Carl, who was rolling on the ground.

“…”

Even covered in dirt from rolling, Carl was smiling faintly just for her to see.

He had opened the way for her to escape.

‘Thank you.’

She gave a quick wink before dashing away.

“Where do you think you’re—!”

Louis, taking advantage of the opening Carl had created, reached toward Laysis’ back, but suddenly froze at a new presence.

Fwaaah!

A pillar of pure white ice shot up from the ground beneath him.

In that time, Laysis had already escaped into the distance.

Before he could even dwell on the frustration of losing her, Louis turned to the newly arrived intruder.

“Hm.”

Nerian descended onto the battlefield, scattering pure white frost.

Whether he had been chasing Laysis or not, his gaze lingered on her retreating figure before shifting to the remaining three.

“Well, this just got interesting.”

Louis smiled fiercely at his eternal rival.

A tastier prey had appeared before him.

And, to top it off, he was alone without any allies.

Catching his breath, Louis looked to his party members.

“Kaiden, Carl.”

“Yes.”

“Understood.”

“You two go after Laysis. She’s at her limit, so the two of you will be enough.”

“…But.”

Kaiden cast him a worried look.

Even Louis—could he face the top-ranked Nerian alone?

But Nerian smiled confidently and glanced at his friend.

“It’s fine. I’ll catch up soon.”

“…Alright. You better come.”

Kaiden nodded firmly at his leader’s resolve, then motioned to Carl to move.

As he turned away, Carl gave one last glance at the motionless Louis and Nerian before sprinting off.

“…”

A brief silence fell between the two.

Nerian watched the others leave before turning back to Louis.

“I wouldn’t have minded a three-on-one.”

“That wouldn’t be fun. Maybe if I were alone, sure.”

“Hm.”

“I’ve wanted to cross swords with you since the entrance exam, but the chance never came. At least this test gives us the perfect stage.”

“Louis, it’s too soon. You can’t beat me yet.”

“I don’t need some power to do it. I am Louis of Wolfsburg.”

Louis’ eyes sharpened.

The Hopfenheim bloodline inherited the Power of Ice.

Wolfsburg, too, once had a similar Blessing of the Wind, but it had been lost since the second generation, with no one able to manifest it.

Because of that, the Wolfsburg name had always been a step behind Hopfenheim’s, and the gap persisted to this day.

‘So what if it’s a blessing or power?’

Louis gripped his sword tightly.

What mattered was the will to strike to kill and relentless effort. Blessings and powers were just extras.

Even without such abilities, Wolfsburg—and Louis himself—stood strong.

He had fought this far to prove that.

And today, here, he intended to show it.

Even if it was just a test.

“Come at me, Hopfenheim.”

It was reason enough to risk his life with a sword in hand.

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