Ch.255255 – This Is My Heart

“Ishtar. You need to drop that ball!”

“…It’s impossible.”

Despite the Saint’s urging, Ishtar answered weakly.

“I could block it if I use all my remaining mana. But after that, I won’t be able to do anything else.”

“No way…”

Does this mean they have to helplessly watch as Oknodie’s dark ball evolves into the infinite acceleration lightning ice ball that absolutely must not be allowed to evolve?

“It won’t be exactly that. Since the ball takes on the property it absorbs most, it would technically become an infinite acceleration ball.”

“There’s no point in being technical about it! Whatever it becomes, Oknodie still wins.”

Certainly, they never expected to be caught off guard like this even after successfully countering Oknodie’s stage 4 ball.

Ishtar herself was acutely aware of it.

She had always thought, since the entrance exam, that those without wit or creativity beyond brute force relied too much on power, and that power was undervalued…

But experiencing it firsthand made her truly understand.

The power advantage clearly belonged to Ishtar.

Oknodie’s dark mana was impressive, but Ishtar was the chosen warrior of the one true god, the Sun Sophemia, with a righteous mission.

Yet being cornered like this and essentially forced to concede defeat could only be attributed to the difference in creativity.

‘A complete defeat, truly.’

The students outside the court were also stirring.

“Did Oknodie win?”

“It’s a checkmate.”

“Look at the speed of that acceleration ball. There’s not even an afterimage.”

“Even a warrior can’t block a ball like that after using up her strength to eliminate more than half of the remaining first-years.”

“Even if the warrior had the advantage, I hope Oknodie wins.”

“Right. Oknodie is the one securing victory for the first-years.”

“That warrior only looked after her own party’s grades during midterms.”

“Oknodie also takes care of her own people, but many more people benefit from it.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to follow Oknodie at this point?”

Even students who disliked and avoided Oknodie were now cheering for her as the more likable option between her and Ishtar.

Saint Yuie narrowed her eyes into triangles and was about to scold the students, but Ishtar shook her head.

“It’s fine. Leave them be.”

“Ishtar…”

“I may lose my reputation, but I’ll win the battle.”

“But… huh? You’ll win the battle?”

“Creativity. The essence of the Academy is that those with stronger thinking power win. Now that I understand the essence, my eyes are clear. This situation is absolutely not disadvantageous to me.”

<Warrior’s Enlightenment – When cornered, chance of gaining enlightenment increases by 5000%>

Even though Ishtar had focused entirely on strength, the power of enlightenment inherent to warriors granted her an intelligence uncharacteristic of a strength enthusiast.

“When the stage 4 ball enters the infinite acceleration phase, defeat is certain. Using force to block it would only result in it being absorbed. But there’s a weakness.”

“What weakness?”

“It’s slow.”

“Huh?”

“That ball is slow.”

“…Ah!”

Yuie realized a moment later.

Oknodie also spoke with a face full of regret.

“Hmph. You figured it out.”

“If I eliminate Oknodie before it enters the infinite acceleration phase, it’s over.”

The warrior turned her sword tip.

Instead of targeting the stage 4 dark ball slowly advancing toward the infinite acceleration zone, she aimed at Oknodie.

Ishtar wasn’t the only one exhausted.

In fact, having used such power twice, Oknodie was even more exhausted than Ishtar!

“Now. It’s time to end this.”

“…Says who?”

Crackle.

Electricity rising from the floor bound Ishtar’s hands.

“!”

“A warrior’s resistance would normally not allow such an attack. But now that you’re completely exhausted… it works.”

<Electric Trap>

<Electrocution>

She could eliminate Oknodie with just one wing cutter swing, but this prevented her from doing so.

As Ishtar was immobilized by Cassia’s final check, Yuie’s staff targeted Cassia.

“Holy Arro…”

Clang! Thud.

A pot flew from somewhere and struck Yuie’s head, making a crisp sound.

“You thought only the warrior’s party had skilled people? You’re mistaken.”

Zhang with her neat hair now completely disheveled.

She was the one who had thrown the pot that Isabelle had dropped just before being eliminated.

“Don’t dent the pot!”

“Is it okay if Oknodie gets hurt?”

Isabelle closed her mouth with a look of extreme concern.

But due to her excessive movement, blood spurted again from the wound she had been keeping closed by pressing on acupuncture points.

Tsk.

She truly was a monstrously strong woman.

Warrior Ishtar.

Having faced her twice, it was a strength Zhang didn’t want to experience a third time.

“Stepping on the line means elimination, right?”

Zhang was about to step outside the line voluntarily.

“Ah~hahahahaha~~!”

Until Mandela, the second-year top student with drill hair, spoke up as she watched the first-years’ civil war descending into chaos.

“I heard the 981st class had many talented students, and it’s true. The Light Warrior and the Dark Princess. Either way, it was an extremely high-level battle.”

“…Are you going to interfere, senior?”

“Not at all. I just want to see overflowing talents destroy each other before they target us second-years. I’m willing to set aside points for that.”

“…Does that mean?”

“Yes. I forfeit.”

Before the warrior’s attack could target Oknodie, Mandela declared her forfeit.

The warrior and Oknodie, the two pillars of the 981st class first-years.

Just before their confrontation could reach a conclusion.

To ensure their rivalry wouldn’t end.

With a macroscopic view, she gave up the winner’s position in the inter-grade competition, forcibly cutting off the battle so that the first-years’ internal division wouldn’t be resolved with clear winners and losers.

“If Mandela decided that, we should follow.”

“If it’s Mandela’s choice, I have no objections.”

“The Marchioness is trustworthy.”

The remaining second-years also unanimously stepped on the line following Mandela.

Unlike the first-years who were divided between frontier and empire, lower and upper classes, the entire second-year absolutely trusted and followed Mandela.

“The inter-grade competition between first and second years ends with the first-years’ victory.”

Though it appeared to be a concession, the result was an upset with the first-years defeating the second-years.

* *

[You have achieved 1 victory in the inter-grade competition.]

[You made a great contribution to the victory.]

[You have acquired 10,000 points for your decisive contribution.]

[Mandela’s favorability has increased.]

[Most first-years’ favorability toward you has increased.]

[The favorability of a minority of first-years who follow Warrior Ishtar has decreased.]

[Professors are watching you with interest.]

[Some professors want to make you their assistant.]

[Omoshiroi Dragon Principal thinks you are an interesting child.]

I received an even greater reward than the ranking prize.

So many relationship changes!

That’s because the inter-grade competition was the core event of the sports festival.

The timing was really good.

If Senior Mandela hadn’t helped a little, I might have been eliminated right there.

And painfully too, by the warrior’s strike!

“Thank you for your help, Senior Mandela!”

“Oh~hohoho~~! If you want to thank someone, thank this worthy junior. I don’t need to introduce who this is, right?”

“Big sister Arcadia?”

Arcadia, the Count’s daughter.

She who was often seen suffering from bullies during the sports festival appeared at an unexpected moment.

“Fufu. I have social connections with Marchioness Mandela and asked for a favor. It’s far from enough to repay all the help Di has given me.”

“Not at all. It was a huge help. Thanks to you, all the first-years earned free points!”

When Arcadia’s contribution becomes known, all the students who spoke ill of her will disappear.

“No. Please don’t use my name. It’s enough if only Di knows my intentions.”

“Why? Your position is unstable, big sister.”

“Not at all. I have Senior Mandela who grants such unreasonable requests from juniors, and Di who is reliable despite being my peer.”

“Still…”

“If you’re really concerned, please widely spread that this achievement was Di’s instead of mine. If the warrior starts checking me, it would be very burdensome for me with my unstable backing.”

So there was such a political reason.

Well, this cycle’s warrior is the type to strike first and ask questions later when someone gets in her way.

“Then this is my heart’s desire!”

When I hugged the princess’s waist, Arcadia stroked my head.

I closed my eyes contentedly as her hands tidied my hair that had become disheveled from fighting.

“Thank you, Di.”

“I should be the one thanking you. Why are you thanking me?”

“Just because. I’m grateful for everything. Including all the things you did behind the scenes for me during this sports festival.”

Ah.

I tried to be discreet to avoid causing unnecessary worry, but was I already discovered?

Well, the bullies who got bitten by mosquitoes screamed so loudly and had such dramatic accidents that I was startled several times while spying nearby.

“Even though I’m no longer a Duke’s daughter, I can still be of help to Di. Just like today, in the future too.”

“Why are you saying such things?”

“I just wanted you to know.”

Perhaps my chasing after other events instead of someone without events made Arcadia feel a bit neglected.

“Then I’ll tell you something good, just for you.”

“What is it?”

“Rest well for an hour. As much as possible.”

“Fufu. Why?”

“Next are the third-years.”

Arcadia’s puzzled face turned pale.

If we beat the second-years, we have to play dodgeball with the third-years.

Well, we’ll probably lose.

But it will be a good experience.

The first-years don’t yet properly understand how terrifying the third-years are.