Chapter 121

“What… what just happened?!”

“Slane got taken down in one hit?!”

“No way, that can’t be true!”

The first-years shouted in shock.

The second-years were also staring at us with their mouths wide open.

This reaction was because Slane’s notoriety and strength were well-known throughout the academy.

For someone like me to take down Slane in one hit, it was natural for them to react this way.

Even though I had just finished off what had been handed to me on a silver platter, the result was that I had done something incredible.

‘Who would have thought… I’d get an easy win thanks to the psycho princess.’

While I was still processing it, I had taken down the formidable Slane. This was an unexpected stroke of luck.

…But this could be a big problem.

Not for the second-years, but for the first-years.

Slane, who had been hit from behind, would surely realize that someone had ambushed him.

And there was only one person he could suspect right now.

“Kill, kill, kill, kill!”

Slane, who had been marked as a casualty, stood up, spewing murderous intent.

The first-years were so shocked that their eyes were about to pop out.

“What the… what’s he doing?”

“That crazy bastard, seriously!”

“Ah! Someone, knock that guy down again!”

The first-years were hearing the nightmare sound of their points decreasing in real time due to Slane’s severe rule violation.

But Slane didn’t care at all.

It was as if he could only see one person.

“You damn bitch!”

Slane roared with murderous rage and charged.

He was heading towards Princess Oscar.

Everyone froze.

They had expected Slane to attack me in his rage.

But attacking an ally, and the princess at that?

Everyone was in shock, their brains seemingly frozen.

‘Wow, the team-kill incident is being reenacted like this.’

Even though I had completely changed the flow of the mock battle, seeing the team-kill incident reenacted like this gave me chills.

It was as if someone was whispering in my ear, “You can’t change the future, Max, you’re destined to die.”

‘What a ridiculous thought.’

I shook my head to clear away the useless thoughts.

I had changed a lot of futures as Max, so that couldn’t be true.

Meanwhile.

Slane reached the princess.

“How dare you do something weird from behind?”

His wooden chain scythe was imbued with aura.

He didn’t care about the mana restrictions anymore and was going all out.

Beep beep beep beep!

The warning sound of the mana restriction bracelet indicating disqualification rang futilely.

‘It wasn’t this bad.’

My eyes widened.

In the game, he wasn’t marked as a casualty, so he didn’t attack with such desperation.

But using aura?

Could the princess block that attack with her mana restricted?

“What are you talking about?”

The princess tilted her head as if she didn’t understand.

Then she casually thrust her wooden sword forward.

It looked like a very light movement.

The aura on the sword was very thin.

It looked like it would break against Slane’s aura.

But.

Thud.

“Ugh?”

The chain scythe wrapped in aura couldn’t advance as if it had hit a wall.

No, it was pushed back.

Slane staggered back several steps.

His expression showed…

For the first time, a heavy and deep sense of defeat.

He realized with just one clash.

The immense, insurmountable wall that stood before him.

‘Damn, she blocked aura with a mere sword aura? The princess was this strong in her first year? And she was hiding her strength?’

I was shocked too.

This was completely different from the princess’s strength I knew from her first year.

I thought she had just reached the level of a master, but what was this?

“Catch that maniac!”

“No matter how crazy he is, this is too much!”

The first-years, having come to their senses, urgently tackled Slane.

Fortunately for them, Slane seemed to have lost his will to fight.

He realized that no matter how much he rampaged, he couldn’t put a scratch on the princess.

“…Damn, this is frustrating.”

Slane muttered, and the first-years forcefully subdued him, pinning him to the ground.

“Seriously, you’re driving me crazy.”

Lucia sighed, looking like she had aged ten years.

She threw a meaningful glance at Princess Oscar.

As Slane’s closest ally, she knew he wouldn’t attack the princess without a reason.

But without evidence, neither Slane nor Lucia could do anything.

“Your Highness, are you alright?”

The imperial faction students stopped fighting and rushed to check on the princess.

If she had taken that attack directly, it wouldn’t have ended with just serious injuries, so their fuss was understandable.

“Yes, I’m fine. But I don’t understand why Slane suddenly attacked me…”

Her acting was superb.

Her expression, mixed with confusion, doubt, and concern, was so natural that almost no one would suspect her.

Except for me, Slane, and Lucia.

‘But.’

The situation had become strange.

I had planned to lure out Slane and his gang and take them all down, but things had gone awry.

While it was a gain to capture Slane without much effort…

‘The baiting strategy is over.’

There were no more enemies who would fall for provocations.

Now, we had no choice but to fight strength against strength.

Fortunately, we had set up a formation to attack from both the front and back.

‘There are 12 left.’

I didn’t count the remaining first-year Common Class.

They were irrelevant from the start.

I didn’t have the luxury, time, or manpower to worry about them.

All I saw were the princess and the remaining 11 Royals.

There were few, but I was sure it would be a tough fight.

But.

‘Let’s do this, princess!’

The second-years had already done more than enough.

The first-years were the ones who should feel the pressure now.

We had nothing to lose.

Squeak.

Ping!

I quickly drew my bow and shot an arrow into the air.

A prearranged signal to come here immediately.

The princess saw it and smiled mysteriously.

The final battle was about to begin.

* * *

“Haha… This is… quite something…”

“Who would have thought it would turn out like this…”

“You really can’t predict anything.”

“Amazing. This is an incredible mock battle.”

“Except for that unacceptable chaos, that is.”

The professors watching the mock battle were almost at the peak of excitement.

Taking out two with a surprise attack, luring and defeating Ethan and Emily, and finally, as if blessed by fortune, even taking down Slane in one blow.

Moreover, Slane attempting a team-kill was an unprecedented event.

The professors couldn’t remember the last time they had seen such a thrilling, tense, and completely unpredictable mock battle.

“Hmm, I’m not sure.”

Despite Max and the guerrilla team’s great performance, Professor Karen remained calm.

It was because of the situation that had just occurred.

Slane’s movements were clearly unnatural.

Where there’s an effect, there’s a cause.

Her suspicions pointed to one person.

But there was no evidence.

Even if there was distance, the Princess hadn’t shown any special behavior.

Moreover, would the Princess have any special motive to act against her own team?

She wasn’t the type to act on whims or recklessly.

Always calm and composed, why would she do something detrimental?

‘Something doesn’t add up.’

That’s why she was unsure.

“……”

Professor Lawrence was also silent, lost in thought, possibly pondering the same thing as Professor Karen.

On the other hand.

They say villains recognize their own kind.

Professor Lapit seemed to have a hunch.

‘She seems a bit off in a similar way to the strange ones in our organization.’

There was a familiar scent of the odd ones who filled the organization.

It was an intuition born from experience, so it was likely correct…

‘Damn, this makes her even more annoying.’

A good person is easy to deal with, even if they’re strong.

Because they’re good.

Being good is a penalty in itself.

Their means are limited, and they are bound by many things.

On the other hand, a bad person is difficult to deal with, even if they’re weak.

Because they’re bad.

Being bad is a buff.

They can do anything, using any means necessary.

But a bad and strong person?

No need to say more.

They’re the hardest to deal with in the world.

And the Princess seemed to be that type.

Not just strong, but incredibly strong.

While Lapit was thinking this.

“Oh, finally…”

“The fierce battle is about to reach its conclusion.”

The professors murmured.

All the students who had led this war had gathered in one battlefield.

It was a truly tense atmosphere.

“It’s starting!”

A professor’s tense shout marked the beginning of the battle.

* * *

“Everyone, hold the line here!”

Brett decisively abandoned the fortress.

The fortress was indeed the key to defense.

But being holed up there limited their actions.

In the current situation, where coordinated responses were crucial, that would be a poison, Brett realized.

He hadn’t been the Royal leader for two consecutive years for nothing.

“Push them back and retreat, harass the first-years!”

Become solid and retreat, and push forward at any opening.

A textbook tactic.

Now, the textbook was the best.

It was a battle of strength against strength.

“Yeah!”

“We can do this!”

“Let’s show the first-years what we’re made of!”

The second-years cheered, boosting their morale for the final time.

In contrast, the first-years were in disarray.

With strong comrades continuously being marked as casualties and even a team-kill incident, it would be strange if they weren’t disorganized.

At that moment.

“It’s alright.”

Princess Oscar spoke in a calm voice that strangely pierced their ears.

The chaotic atmosphere among the first-years subsided as if it were a lie.

“I’ll handle them. Everyone else, focus above.”

Concentrate on one side.

If they could do that, they could concentrate their forces and exert their full power.

But.

“Alone?”

Leader Grey looked at the Princess with a doubtful expression, thinking that even she couldn’t handle it alone.

The ones who had taken down Ethan, Emily, Alfred, Leon, and Slane.

No matter how strong the Princess was, she might not have enough hands to deal with them.

But Princess Oscar smiled calmly.

“Yes, alone. Don’t worry. They won’t get through.”

The word “never” is often hollow.

But coming from the Princess, it carried weight.

Above all, her demeanor.

Calm and untroubled.

Such an attitude could only come from absolute confidence.

“Well, if it’s the Princess’s decision…”

Grey looked around at the others.

The Imperial faction would follow the Princess’s decision, and Slane’s gang didn’t seem to have any complaints.

If it went well, great. If not, it was the Princess’s responsibility, so as third parties, they had nothing to lose.

“Is everyone in agreement? Thank you. I wish you all good fortune.”

After a polite bow, Princess Oscar moved.

Her steps seemed somehow excited.

‘It must be my imagination.’

Grey thought as he spoke.

“Alright, let’s go too, everyone.”

* * *

‘She’s coming alone?’

I narrowed my eyes.

I had expected her to bring at least one or two.

Even if she was facing Elaine and Riviera, there would be gaps with just Allen and me.

She needed someone to cover those gaps, but she came alone?

‘Does she think she can handle all of us alone?’

I chuckled in disbelief.

The problem was, it wasn’t just baseless confidence.

“Is this our second meeting?”

Princess Oscar stopped at a reasonable distance and smiled.

She acted as if the sneaky stunt she pulled earlier never happened.

Well, she wasn’t foolish enough to admit it openly.

“Yes, I suppose it is.”

I nodded, not bothering to argue.

There was nothing to gain from challenging her.

She was a scary woman.

“I haven’t met the others before. I’m not very social…”

Princess Oscar glanced at the other three.

“Yes, it’s our first time, Princess.”

“Hello, junior.”

“It’s an honor to meet you, Your Highness…”

The three responded in their own ways.

…Allen, what honor are you talking about on a battlefield?

Swoosh.

Princess Oscar raised her wooden sword.

“Alright. Let’s have a fight with no regrets.”

She moved.