Enu vs. Oscar(3)

Enu frowned, his fingers twitching as he adjusted the controls on his observer. "That's odd. Why is it walking so openly? Something isn't right."

Hanz, who was crouched beside him, whispered, "Could be bait."

Enu exhaled sharply. "Annis, send me your coordinates."

Annis immediately responded in precise agent-style terminology.

"Bravo-six, five clicks east of the rusted pipeline, near the fallen truck. No obstructions within a 15-meter radius."

The audience murmured in approval.

The accuracy of Annis's report gave insight into how much her team had trained for this moment.

"Copy that. Hold position. Sending recon."

Enu redirected his second observer to Annis's location.

The hovering device maneuvered through the ruined cityscape, dodging debris and broken structures, until it had a clear view of the target.

The camera feed flickered on the holographic screen for all to see.

A lone figure moving too smoothly. Too predictably.

The instructor's voice carried through the air.

"Enu's team is exercising patience here, and it's paying off. Instead of falling for the bait, they've deployed their observer to confirm. A wise move."

Enu studied the footage carefully.

"Don't engage." His voice was firm. "That's not a person. It's probably one of the opponent's abilities."

A ripple of excitement ran through the cadets watching.

The instructor nodded in approval. "It looks like Enu's team has identified Oscar's decoy correctly! A crucial decision. If Annis had attacked, she might have exposed her position and triggered a counterattack."

Annis exhaled, gripping her whip tightly.

In the past, she would've charged ahead without thinking. But she refused to let Adelaide beat her in the rankings.

"Understood. Holding position."

As the match continued, the screen flashed the current point system:

-Red flags – 15 points

-Blue flags – 10 points

-Yellow flags – 5 points

-Green flags – 2 points

The holographic screen split into two, showing both teams' perspectives.

On one side, Enu's team had successfully identified the decoy, while on the other, Oscar's team was still waiting for results.

Inside the apocalyptic battlefield, En adjusted his grip on his sword, his sharp eyes locked onto Oscar, who had his clay doll positioned in an open area. "Did they take it?"

Oscar's brows furrowed as he kept an eye on his observer, which was stationed near the decoy.

A few tense seconds passed before he shook his head.

"No reaction. They spotted it."

Ayun, their team's support, frowned slightly. "That was fast. Did they destroy it?"

Oscar exhaled. "No. If they knew it was fake, they'd have taken it out immediately. But they didn't. That means they're playing cautiously."

En clicked his tongue. "Tch. That's annoying." He turned to Ayun. "How much time do you need to set up buffs?"

"Depends on how many you need."

En glanced at Oscar. "New plan—forget tricking them. We don't have time for a slow strategy. We need to go in."

The instructor's voice carried over the arena.

"It looks like Oscar's team is switching tactics! Their initial plan to lure Enu's team with a decoy has failed, so now they're moving to a direct confrontation. A bold but risky choice!"

Oscar nodded, immediately molding two more clay dolls.

This time, they weren't decoys—they were fighters. The clay hardened, taking the shape of humanoid figures wielding blunt weapons.

"I'll send these ahead," Oscar said. "Even if they destroy them, it'll tell us where they are."

En grinned. "Perfect. We'll use the chaos to take the flags while they're distracted."

Ayun adjusted her stance, casting a glowing white light over En and Oscar. "I'll give you both a speed buff. If things go south, retreat immediately."

The camera feed zoomed in as the clay dolls started moving forward, blending into the ruins.

"Oscar's team has decided to go on the offensive! Instead of waiting, they're sending in two clay warriors to initiate contact. Meanwhile, Ayun is buffing her teammates—likely enhancing their speed and reflexes. If they pull this off, they could force Enu's team into a disadvantageous position!"

On the other side, Enu's observer detected movement.

Hanz, who had been waiting silently, finally spoke. "Two targets incoming."

Annis smirked. "This is getting fun."

The battlefield remained eerily silent, save for the distant echoes of shifting rubble and the occasional gust of wind sweeping through the ruined cityscape.

The tension in the arena was palpable as both teams prepared to make their next move.

The instructor's voice rang out over the venue, keeping the audience engaged.

"And here we go! Enu's team is making their first tactical decision. Instead of engaging immediately, Enu himself is breaking off to retrieve a flag while his teammates run interference. A calculated move—but will it work?"

Enu pressed a hand against his earpiece. His voice came through the comms, low and precise.

"Objective in sight. Northwest quadrant, 12 meters behind Alpha-7 structure. Cover me."

Annis grinned from her position. "Copy that, Specter."

Hanz let out a quiet chuckle. "Ghost in motion. Distraction incoming."

The camera feed zoomed in on the blue flag positioned behind a partially collapsed building, its fabric fluttering gently in the wind. It was worth 10 points—not as valuable as the red flag but still a significant gain.

"Enu has just marked a blue flag as his target! He's moving into position while his teammates, Hanz and Annis, are about to create a distraction to keep Oscar's team from realizing what's happening!"

On the field, Annis cracked her whip against a nearby rusted metal pole, creating a loud, echoing clang! that rang through the empty city ruins.

Hanz, positioned slightly ahead, suddenly dashed from cover, making sure he was just visible enough before ducking behind a crumbling wall.

The instructor narrated excitedly.

"And there it is! A textbook misdirection! Annis and Hanz are drawing attention away from Enu's position—will Oscar's team take the bait?"

From Oscar's side, one of his clay dolls immediately turned toward the noise, its blank, expressionless face scanning for movement.

En, crouched behind cover, narrowed his eyes. "They're trying to pull us away."

Oscar remained calm, watching through his observer. "Ignore the noise. They wouldn't be that obvious unless they were hiding something."

Ayun frowned. "Then where's their real play?"

En exhaled sharply, tightening his grip on his sword. "Somewhere close. Keep your buffs ready."

Meanwhile, Enu moved swiftly through the debris, keeping low as he reached the back of the building. The flag was within arm's reach.

"And here comes the retrieval—Enu is right at the flag! If he secures it without being spotted, his team will gain an early lead!"

But just as Enu's fingers closed around the fabric, his instincts screamed at him.

Something was wrong.

His eyes flicked upward—

A third clay doll, smaller and almost unnoticeable, was stationed right above the flag, clinging to the edge of the collapsed building. Its hollow eyes snapped onto him.

Enu's heart pounded.

"Shit."

The trap had been set.

The moment Enu's fingers brushed the flag, the small clay doll lurched from the shadows.

"Boom! And just like that, Oscar's trap is sprung!" the instructor's voice echoed through the arena.

Up in the stands, Kieran whistled. "Damn, they really thought ahead."

Visconti nodded, watching intently. "Oscar's team was expecting a distraction. That small clay doll was likely stationed there from the start."

On the battlefield, Enu jerked back just in time as the clay doll lunged at him, its arms elongating unnaturally as it tried to ensnare him.

Oscar smirked from his position. "There you are."

Ayun immediately cast a buff, her hands glowing faintly.

"Speed Enhancement"

En instantly felt the magic boost his movement speed, and without hesitation, he launched forward, dashing across the ruined terrain with incredible agility.

"And now En is moving in! With that speed buff, he can reach Enu in mere seconds—will Enu manage to escape?" the instructor narrated excitedly.

Enu cursed under his breath. "Damn it. That was good."

Quickly adjusting, he grabbed his earpiece.

"Contact. I've been made. Scout was hiding at the extraction point. Hostile inbound. Need cover fire—now."

Annis and Hanz immediately moved.

Annis, without hesitation, cracked her whip, wrapping it around the rusted remains of a nearby streetlight.

With a single, powerful pull, she snapped it down, causing the top half of the pole to collapse, blocking En's direct path.

Hanz sprinted forward, his sword flashing as he intercepted En's trajectory.

"And here comes the reinforcement! Hanz and Annis are closing in to support their leader! The battle is heating up!"

Oscar, still calm, glanced at Ayun. "Prepare another buff. We're not done yet."