Chapter 43: Chapter 43

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Translator: Vine

Chapter Title: First Place

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Seeing Seron's scream, I looked at her with a pitiful gaze.

"What kind of manners are those, in front of Grantony? Seron, Seron-ah."

"Aargh, I'm more curious about your brain, the one that thought bringing this skull-head would actually be helpful!"

"I don't know about that, but it's probably bigger than your brain, Seron."

"Pwahahahaha!"

As I bickered with Seron, Card wiped away tears and burst into uproarious laughter.

"Alright, alright, Seron, calm down. Won-non must have a reason for bringing the Little Ossuary, right?"

As Card calmed Seron down, she huffed and pointed at Grantony.

"And why is he in charge of healing in the first place?"

Healing duties were traditionally handled by students of Holy Arts.

That's why Seron couldn't possibly understand why Grantony was taking on a healing role.

"On the contrary, I'm puzzled why you *can't* understand why Grantony is in charge of healing."

"He doesn't heal, he kills!"

That's a prejudice against Soul Mages.

I pointed at Grantony's head.

"Then let me ask you this: Is there any Holy Arts student who can keep someone alive, even when all that's left is a skull, like Grantony?"

Seron's lips parted.

"…Usually, you wouldn't call that 'alive'."

"It certainly looks that way."

Even Card understood this.

These laymen.

"Grantony is a Soul Mage, and he knows how to handle Corpse Arts. He understands how the body is structured, and he can reassemble broken bones and even restore flesh to them."

Of course, unlike Holy Arts, it would involve pain.

Regardless, it's true that a Soul Mage can provide alternative healing if a Holy Arts student falters.

The opposite of Holy Magic is Black Magic. However, both have similarities in that they deal with the bodies of living beings.

"Most importantly, I asked Professor Veganon, and he gave his permission."

In the first place, if the professors hadn't given permission, I wouldn't have been able to bring him.

At the mention of the professor's permission, Seron hesitated.

Even so, it seemed she still had something to say.

"The problem is whether that skull-head will cooperate properly in the first place."

In team battles, cooperation is also part of the score.

Grantony had a history of causing various incidents from way back. There was a reason students called him the Little Ossuary and avoided him.

"We're treated pretty much the same, though."

But to the students, I, Seron, and Card weren't treated much differently from Grantony.

Womanizer, Card.

Bulldog, Seron.

Bastard, Hanon.

Before we knew it, each of us had acquired a nickname.

'Come to think of it, aren't I the only one treated too harshly?'

Is it because I'm an enemy of Isabel, whom everyone at Jerion Academy admires and likes? My nickname is unusually intense.

Still, recently, the number of guys who openly curse at me has decreased.

The students aren't fools. It's probably thanks to them seeing my track record and knowing that nothing good would come from messing with me rashly.

"Anyway, there weren't any Holy Arts students willing to join our team. We should be grateful Grantony joined us instead."

"Heheheh, I was going to be disqualified anyway. So it's all good."

If you don't join any team in the team battle, you get disqualified and receive the lowest score. So there was no downside for Grantony to join our team.

"If my grades go up, I'll get more support, right? I can stay in the Otherworld longer."

Grantony clacked his teeth together and let out a grim laugh.

Seron looked like she wanted to argue more, but she eventually sighed and shut her mouth. She realized there was no point in wearing out her voice talking any further.

"Just you wait if our grades drop. Princess Sweet Potato, I won't let you off the hook."

I'm not sure who should be saying that to whom.

"Isn't that a big problem?"

"Oh no."

At that moment, gasps erupted from all around. I raised my head belatedly and spotted someone being carried away on a stretcher.

The moment I saw this, my body instinctively leaned forward.

Nikita was there. It seemed she had gotten injured in the middle of the team battle.

*Clench—*

What gripped my collar was Sharin, who had been leaning against my back and sleeping. She looked at me with half-open eyes.

"We're in the middle of our exam too. It's not too late to go after it's over."

Sharin was right. Even if I followed Nikita right now, nothing would change.

"Was that the Vice President?"

"Hmm, they said she was a daughter of the Cynthia family. I had expected a little more."

"Didn't they say this was the weakest generation? The Cynthia family must be heartbroken to have lost Nia Cynthia."

"They say Nia Cynthia's body still hasn't been found."

Murmurs spread from the spectator stands. Even after Nikita was carried away, the team battle continued.

The third-year students fought desperately in their team battle. However, it seemed they didn't quite impress the VIPs, who showed little interest.

As a result, the third-years' motivation waned with each passing moment. By the end, no one was even clapping.

All the third-year students finished their team battle, feeling dispirited.

"Now, we will begin the second-year team battle."

"Oh, finally."

"The Generation of Golden Flame, huh? I'm looking forward to it!"

"Now this should be worth watching."

As the Professor of Magic Arts announced the second-year team battle, the VIPs' reactions changed instantly.

For the third-years, who were their seniors, it was a very disheartening thing. But the third-years knew.

They knew their talents couldn't compare to those of the second-years, who were a year below them.

"First group, Team Iris."

Soon after, the professor called out the teams. The order of the exams was determined by considering the average scores of the group members.

Meaning the group with the highest scores would go first in the team battle.

'As long as it's a competitive structure, having a score to beat will make them try a little harder.'

It was an order calculated to include a psychological factor.

Being the first group when no one else has set a score comes with pressure. It was like saying: since you're composed of high-scoring members, take the psychological risk.

But would that apply to Team Iris?

"Let's go."

Iris Hysirion strode forward majestically, her black hair flowing. Beneath her hair, her red, jewel-like eyes shone clearly.

The ones who followed her were, without exception, among the strongest second-years.

There wasn't a trace of fear in their eyes. It was as if only the confidence of being number one in the team battle existed.

"It's Princess Iris."

"I'm looking forward to this."

"Isn't she the strongest imperial family member in history?"

A stir also rose among the VIPs.

Top student in Martial Arts.

The strongest imperial family member in history.

Although she was given the derogatory title of the 'Last Villainess.' No one could deny that she was the strongest.

Team Iris stepped onto the arena where the team battle would be held. Then, smoke rose, and the arena began to change shape.

A hemispherical sphere enveloped the arena.

Inside the sphere, one couldn't see outside. It was a structure designed to help them focus, without having to worry about gazes from outside.

Soon, a thick white smoke blanketed the area.

*Thud!*

A single Apostle appeared, conjured by illusion magic. An Apostle with the substantial, massive build of an ox.

"Kuaaahhh!"

The moment it appeared, it beat its chest and let out a mighty roar.

*Slice!*

And just like that, its neck was severed. It was an instant kill.

Everyone who witnessed the sight gasped.

Before anyone realized it, Iris was standing behind the Apostle. Clearly, most of those present hadn't seen Iris move.

Iris's red eyes glowed quietly within the smoke. Her eyes were like red roses blooming in the darkness.

"She's the strongest, alright."

Everyone couldn't help but agree with Card's murmured words.

Team Iris continued to rack up instant kills after that. The overwhelming spectacle continued, making onlookers lose their will to fight.

It was as if Team Iris was telling the other second-years:

That first place in the team battle was theirs, so they should give up their dreams.

However, in the latter half, Team Iris's speed began to slow. The Apostles appearing in the later stages were not easy opponents even for Team Iris.

But given that almost no third-year students had reached the later stages, just making it to the latter half already guaranteed them a top rank.

*Thud!*

And finally, Team Iris defeated even the very last Apostle registered in the illusion magic.

"31 minutes, 21 seconds."

This was the time it took Team Iris to defeat all 10 registered Apostles.

Since the last Apostle took a little over 10 minutes, it meant they had defeated the previous nine Apostles within 20 minutes.

"Well done. Congratulations on the first clear."

Professor Veganon, dressed in a neat suit unlike his usual attire, praised Team Iris.

Iris thanked him and turned away proudly. Unlike her teammates, she showed no sign of fatigue.

As Iris walked away, her eyes briefly met mine. She glanced at me and then continued past.

'Still a monster.'

At least within Jerion Academy, there was no one who could defeat her right now.

"Next, Team Hanon."

The next team called was ours.

"Uh, u-us? Why?"

Seron looked flustered. But of course, there was a clear reason why we were the second team.

Our gazes converged on Sharin.

Top student in Magic Arts, Sharin Sazalis.

Even with all eyes on her, she shrugged with a languid expression.

"I'm very capable, you see."

The gazes of the other second-year students also turned to us. The students who hadn't known Sharin was on our team looked puzzled.

Their reaction was, *Why is she with those problem children?*

"Ugh, after Princess Iris? That's just too much! Our team is a mess without Sharin!"

Despair clouded Seron's face. Indeed, it was clearly the perfect order for comparisons to be made.

I raised my hand and firmly pressed down on Seron's head.

*Don't jinx it anymore, just listen.*

"Everyone, listen up. The strongest team has set a score."

A fierce smile spread across my lips.

"So, if we clear it within 31 minutes and 21 seconds, we're first place."

It was obvious, yet something that couldn't be stated so plainly.

Card burst into uproarious laughter.

"You're right! Won-non is right."

"Heheheh, this will be fun."

True to a gathering of problem children, none of them knew how to be discouraged.

"Yeah, if you called me, you'd better at least do that much."

Sharin also nodded with a satisfied expression.

"Let's go get first place."

As I walked towards the team battle arena, my eyes caught Isabel. She hadn't taken her eyes off me the entire time.

I could feel the fervor in Isabel's eyes. This was clearly a sense of rivalry.

'No matter what score I get, she'll surpass it. Is that what she's thinking?'

Isabel had no interest in Team Iris from the start. Her sole objective was to defeat me.

In that case.

'I'll never let myself be surpassed.'

Even for the sake of the scenario, I have no intention of losing.

The team battle.

I will definitely finish in first place.