Battle Royale I

Every chosen student was called out to the podium by Windstrum. He gave them what seemed to be blue orbs but much smaller than the ones that hovered on their head.

After that, the whole class went to the training ground under Windstrum's guidance.

"The team selection is now in progress!" As Windstrum finished, all the students flocked over the chosen leaders, hoping to be picked, to find favour in Windstrum's sight.

I still cannot understand why I wasn't chosen. Am I not strong enough?

I stayed at the side-line of the field, watching the students beg to be picked by one of the leaders.

I noticed the students started dispersing, which creating a path leading to where I am sitting currently.

And just like royalty, Elise walked down the path they cleared for her and soon enough got to where I am.

"D-Danny... Please can you be on my team?" Elise asks and blushes all the way through, again.

"...Sure."

Originally, I didn't want to play the game anymore but then I looked up to where Ben and the other groups are and it seems they all look like they will crush Elise's team.

Presumably, Ben is going to be the biggest threat in this competition and I know one can never be too prepared.

Since I have the Omega Eye it is easy to identify the strong students.

I and Elise were walking around the field and she 'sympathised' with some weak folks and let them into the group. We only have two slots left and I can't afford to let them be weak students also.

Finally, we found two students. The first is an overgrown boy named Bruce Nagey, his height is double mine and his weight is triple. He has really short brown hair with a round face and body. He is a Berserker, making him the greatest defence.

And the second is a girl with the same build as Elise but just a little bit taller. Her name is Arleore from the Bedivere family, one of the top military families. She has long pink hair reaching her knee but she packed it in a ponytail, she also has beautiful round pink eyes with really fair skin.

"So what is the plan?" Says Arleore in a rather dominating way. Her voice is still girly but chilly and cold; at least she doesn't wear a stoic expression on her face.

Bruce on the other hand never speaks, he just stays behind Arleore.

I told them the plan I came up with, which is a full-brunt defence system. I divided the team into five, a group of two individuals each. Four out of the five teams are positioned as the edges in a square-based manner and the fifth team in the middle.

Since Elise is the leader and the person with the orb she will be part of the fifth team, with me and the twins.

We will move rotationally forward and occasionally exchange positions to confuse the opponent on the location of the orb.

Shortly after the plan was made we were called to the centre of the training ground by Windstrum.

All the other students that weren't participating sat in the seats meant for the audience.

All the ten teams stood circular with Windstrum in the middle. Out of the ten teams, only two are captains I know something about, Ben and Vin Drale.

"The rules are simple, a team loses when all its members are beaten or the orb stolen. Now get into your positions." Windstrum orders.

"Don't think I will make it that easy for you. Huhuhu!!!" Windstrum raises one of his hands in casually. Circles with weird-looking inscriptions appeared under all the bases of the teams. Suddenly, we were in the forest.

"Don't worry spectators, I have a way for you to see." We all heard Windstrum's voice but we couldn't see him.

A big blue orb came close to us and I gasped in awe realising it was, magitech.

From what I read in the library, magitech was brought up 200 years ago but started gaining traction 50 years ago after an instrument for viewing things and broadcasting was invented. This is different from the magic orb used by alchemists and spiritualists to spy on things. The orb for magitech sends sound and also transfers it to a bigger screen, while the orb for alchemists or spiritualists doesn't send and can only be viewed in the orb itself. I wanted to be an inventor of magicless inventions but I can't deny that magic is sometimes fascinating.

I used 9th Sense to map out the terrain of the new and improved training ground. I could sense waterfalls, rivers, and even a volcano. I wonder how powerful this old man is.

"Let the game..... Begin!"

***

We are about 10 minutes into the game and nothing has progressed. We are dodging enemies and moving quite steady to the teams I assume will be the hardest to conquer, so we can be at our best when fighting them.

"Team Gray have just conquered Team Dave by defeating all their members!" The commentator – Windstrum, announced the recent update on the battlefield.

We kept on manoeuvring our way through the small fry enemies and finally got to one of the base prominent enemy teams, Team Drale. But they aren't here.

"Team Anna has just conquered Team Luke by stealing their orb!"

I quickly used 9th Sense to map out where they are but it was already too late.

"Everybody jump!" I shouted but only a few could react as fast enough.

Little earth golems emerged from the ground, holding the legs of four members of our members. A large ice tornado came running down, swallowing the area those 4 members stood.

I really can't grasp the full potential of 9th Sense so I will just use it like I have been up till this point.

I can feel where the opponents were hiding.

Arleore and Bruce sensed when the tornado was coming and split up with the group.

After a few minutes, they joined the group back again as we made our way to where Vin Drale is.

"Team Gray just conquered Team Anna by defeating all their members!"

The area is the thick part of the forest where it is easy for someone to ambush a whole group by taking them one by one.

Bruce is leading the way with me right behind him.

'Swoosh'

"Saaannnnddddyyyyyyy!!" The last one of the not-so-strong students Elise chose is shouting at the tip of his tone for the loss of his comrade.

With that alone, I already know what I needed to do since Team Drale is definitely in this forest.

"Elise, can you suck the water out from the trees?" I asked with a devilish grin on my face.

"...I-I have never done it before, but I will try." At least it wasn't a no.

"Arleore, since your magic is based on control of your hair can you tie your hair to some trees?"

"How did you--"

"I have my ways. Now please can you answer the question? Seeing that we don't have time." I said, pointing at the last weak member as a rope was dragging him up by the leg.

"You...You could have saved him!" Says Arleore, grabbing my suit collar with her two hands.

"I can't tolerate weaklings being in the group," I said in a cold and expressionless manner, "Therefore I will ask you one more time, can you do it?"

"...Yes."

I might come out as harsh there but I know what I am doing. The boy that got dragged is working for Vin Drale and he is the one that made them drag Sandy. I saw him do it but didn't speak because I was curious about his agenda. So now that they took him means that they want to get us right now.

"Ok, let's get to work then. Elise, drain the water from as many trees as possible and Arleore connect those trees with your hair magic. Bruce, you and I will fell the trees Elise doesn't get to dry up." I issued out the commands and we got to work immediately.

Vin Drale isn't in this forest because he is waiting outside to ambush the survivors of this trap.

Not more than 10 minutes after, everyone's MP was drained. So I decided it is already enough.

Arleore gave me the rolled-up chunk of hair she cut off that connected the trees.

"Thanks." Although I thanked her she still looked at me with anger-filled eyes.

"Hades." As I called out his name he prepared the fire. One of the qualities of him having intelligence on par with humans.

Immediately he shot it towards one of the dry trees it caught fire and started to spread using the connected hair.

"Let's go!"

We started running in the direction we came from and I was slowly unrolling the rolled-up chunk of hair as I could see the fire following me because of it.

Nearly five minutes after, the rolled-up chunk of hair finished and nearly every part of this thick area is on fire.

I started hearing screams and shouts. I burst out laughing, devilishly.