As Dorothy continued to get answers right, she felt the scent of blood and money closing in on her.
“Yui. The friend from outside who opened up the world beyond the life we knew in the Goldfield.”
The emotions swirling in Dorothy’s heart were indeed complex. Yui was the enemy who tried to take Rockbell away from her. The cruel girl who sought to steal her place. Yet, she was also the one who had introduced her to a new world. Without her, there could have been no Gift Academy, nor any meeting with Oknodie.
“If we were to meet again…”
The thought of meeting again lingered in her mind. What would happen if they did? Her own complicated feelings finally clarified the moment they arrived at the next quiz location.
“Ah. So that’s it.”
Yui, together with other students, was not unlike herself. A sincerity that could convince her to leave the forest, which had once represented everything to her. The guide that led Dorothy out of the woods was once again guiding the students.
That sight.
That scene.
Now no longer made her envious or jealous. It merely seemed indifferent and like someone else’s affair.
“I just wanted to confirm something.”
How Yui’s kindness in the Gold Forest was not eternal. Although it was true that she offered help, Dorothy wished to realize that she was merely being used, as was clear from Yui’s expression that carried an ulterior motive. Now, Yui’s kindness no longer lingered in her heart as regrets or hesitations.
“Dorothy!”
“Yui.”
“I know this is an impudent request. Still, I’m asking you. We need Oknodie’s help.”
“For what?”
“To reach the library.”
Contrary to her words, the way Yui’s hand clung closely hinted at another intention.
Unmatched foe. Target of danger. Within 25 meters at 10 o’clock.
The signal pointed to the Third-Year Senior. The one who had carried the most scent of blood that tickled Dorothy’s nose. Yui’s eyes quivered with anxiety. She was asking for help, but she also understood how shameless this action was. The retainers of Hector, belonging to the Hector Retainer Group, shared her unease. They knew well their organization was at odds with the organization that played with Oknodie.
Would they help just because they received a request from the enemy? They would be fortunate if they didn’t retaliate. There were even those regretting that their operation was going wrong.
Honestly, Dorothy felt the same way. The thought of “those fools” came to mind.
“In the forest, we would always punish the nasty beasts who invaded our territory!”
Could humans be any different? Moreover, she had even heard that Hector from the Hector Retainer Group routinely tormented a child named Kasia. Yet, sometimes she thought, what if Oknodie were in trouble?
Oknodie was a hard-to-read friend. A girl who knew everything and was adept at practically everything. Appearing cheerful, yet hiding a brutal side under her cheerful demeanor.
Would she help or turn away?
“Oknodie doesn’t help the weak! If it’s not interesting. Would Yui make me entertained?”
Not quite. Yui had ignored her for her own amusement.
“Sometimes, Oknodie helps even when it’s not fun, because she’s someone who can help!”
Could Yui be of help to her? There might just be a chance. Yui had treasures galore, after all.
“Give me a treasure. Then I might forget about the past and will help you this once.”
Dorothy pointed at Yui’s light shoes. Yui bit her lip tightly and then nodded in agreement.
Deal established.
For reasons unknown, the Third-Year Senior had become an enemy. Dorothy pointed at him and declared.
“Everyone, we need to defeat that senior to proceed to the next path!”
*
“Indeed. Is this the kind of test this time?”
“A third-year acting as an examiner. Even with their rank, they can’t handle so many.”
Mob and Jaku, who had followed Dorothy, pressed forward with other lower class students. Unbeknownst to Mob, many of this group were members of the Secret Scholarship Society within the organization that played with Oknodie, made up of Wahyhiemhai Foundation scholarship students.
The reason, of course, was that Jaku was the second-in-command within the Secret Scholarship Society. Considering that the first-in-command was the nominal leader, Oknodie, Jaku was practically leading them.
These weren’t just ordinary students; they were scholarship students who became brazen in front of the Third-Year Senior.
“If we push with numbers, what can they do even if they are third years?”
“Can’t they just bleed if we poke them with knives?”
“Let’s just dunk them.”
Such cruel thoughts suited them too well for students! As they all drew their swords and rushed in, the retainers of Hector shouted in a hurry.
“Don’t do it!”
“If you exhaust your strength slowly, we’ll be the ones in trouble!”
The scholarship students laughed derisively.
“Hah. What are they talking about?”
“Weren’t they the ones who asked for help?”
“Are they throwing a fit? Poor losers.”
We are different. We are part of Oknodie’s organization. Moreover, we are scholarship students.
“Hahaha!”
The first charge, filled with such pride, caught Tetraforce off guard, and he laughed heartily without moving or dodging. Something was wrong.
By the time Jaku sensed unease, the students blinded by public honor swooped their knives down on the senior.
With a series of loud clangs, like hammering iron, the students’ weapons collided with the senior.
“Ugh!”
“My hand!!”
“It feels like I just pounded it on the ground!”
The scholarship students wept or clutched their pained hands. Everyone was too busy anguishing from the strong recoil to care about their surroundings.
“Ah, that’s ‘Metal Skin.’ You can briefly return mana to your body or skin to deploy the world’s hardest metal defense at any desired place.”
Game over.
Even after all that slashing, the senior didn’t suffer a scratch. Instead, only the first-year students took damage.
However, Jaku instinctively knew they couldn’t step back.
“Push! If we get counterattacked here, it’s the end. If we stop slashing, we’re the ones who’ll be in trouble!”
“!!”
“Jaku’s right. With that kind of strength coming at us, we won’t be able to withstand it.”
As the scholarship students looked at each other and charged in again, Tetraforce nodded, acknowledging these were indeed first-years entering their second semester.
If they were the kind to run away after just one attack, he planned to turn them into the squirming folks at the blood pool.
“But still, we mustn’t play too much. Now that you’ve felt the presence of a student council officer, you can no longer remain tied down. The fun ends here.”
“Don’t let them get entwined! Either dodge or block them all!”
Despite Yui’s shout falling flat, Tetraforce expanded his arms widely and unleashed threads that flooded the entire passage like a waterfall.
“How are we supposed to evade that?!”
“Aaahhh!!!”
The swung sword rang out with a clang as the might of Metal Skin flowed through the entire threads.
This wasn’t something they could just accept!
[Charging – Point Piercing]
[Beggram’s Iron Wall Defense Art]
[Terrain Change – Fortification]
Some poured all their strength into deflecting the enemy’s attack, others enhanced their defense to endure, and others constructed trenches using the landscape.
Though the various forms of resistance held out for a moment against Tetraforce’s blow, they were all swept away in subsequent offensive waves.
“Ah, it hurts…”
“My head…”
“I feel like I’m going to die…”
As some students lay half-dead on the ground, among those still standing, Tetraforce’s eye gleamed with interest.
“Impressive? You’re managing to hold out.”
“Cough. A delaying tactic. For some reason, that senior seems afraid of dragging this on. He can’t kill us. So don’t worry about dying and just hold on.”
With one arm slumped, Jaku, dripping blood, spoke up. Just then, the Hector retainers arrived, forming ranks beside the survivors and swiftly pulling the injured back.
“And now for the second wave.”
“How can he use that much power again right away without any delay!?”
“Tsk. Instead of reinforcements, we’ve just become a burden.”
Leading the charge with his mantle flapping, Hector used the fluttering edges of his cloak to momentarily boost his strength beyond limits into the tip of his sword.
[Trojan Royal Family Fantasy Kingdom Swordsmanship]
[Leading Sword]
A powerful sword technique that amplifies your strength by the number of those standing behind you.
In a flash, golden threads of mana tucked under his cloak ran to all the students, channeling power into Troy, increasing its might even more than when he faced off with Poppy’s roots.
“Oh? Was there a royal child among you?”
“This is the power of a rightful heir to the throne. Senior, you should have concluded things before our numbers grew. You’ll regret allowing us to join.”
“To repay that splendid display, I’ll show you an amazing technique in return.”
As many threads gathered around Tetraforce’s outstretched index finger, forming a giant line.
[Stack][Stack][Stack][Stack][Stack]
What had once held tremendous power as a single thread now merged into one.
“The technique for manipulating borrowed power isn’t one unique to your royal family.”
“You stole royal techniques!!”
“Haha. Don’t be mistaken. In fact, royal families across various nations tried to monopolize this power, seizing it from the world. The ‘revolutionary’ or ‘usurper’ standing before angry citizens must never wield that power.”
“I can’t believe it!”
“It doesn’t matter if you deny it. Such practical techniques can be found in the ‘Library.’ No matter how high you build the walls of your royal families, Gift Academy grants the power to tear them down.”
“Even so, no one stands behind you!”
“It doesn’t matter if I’m alone. I can simply take their power. Besides… the power I ‘took’ and ‘left behind’ is still abundant.”
Was he referring to when he faced off with the monster tree?
Hector couldn’t fathom it. With such a powerful blow…
‘Could it have been a strike held back!?’
“I’ll only hit you enough not to kill you.”
The white light of Hector’s sword clashed against Tetraforce’s bright red blood chain.
The overwhelming pressure felt as though it might shoot him off the ground at any moment.
It was suffocating.
Even just enduring that single blow was incredibly draining.
As the energies rising from behind supported his trembling body, it seemed like a scene of grotesque struggle.
“Mob, if that prince falls, we’re finished!”
“I know…!”
“Grrr, lend your strength to the prince!”
“Crazy. The energy reserve of treasures is depleting so quickly; this is insane!”
Mob, Jaku, Deipobos, Yui. Even significantly boosting their combined forces, the wave from Hector’s piercing sword struck out, scattering everyone back with the strength of the combined mana shield supporting them.
As the writhing Jaku finally managed to lift his body, he caught sight of Hector, who had been momentarily unbroken despite being knocked down, swept by Tetraforce’s foot.
“Now, juniors. There’ll be a brief period for blood donation. If you exerted strength, you have to replenish it. Would you lend your power to the unfortunate seniors being hunted by the student council?”
Just as they felt despair at the senior drawing closer like a web of threads.
“Stop!”
Finally, Dorothy, the strongest in their group who hadn’t joined the fray, raised her voice with authority.
“If you attack us, it’ll lead to breaking this!”
What Dorothy had brought were signposts strewn throughout the last gate of the Library expedition.
They were designated as ‘Property’ under the Academy’s classification.
As Dorothy clad herself in signposts like armor, Tetraforce found it hard to believe.
“Junior. It might be inappropriate for me to say this, but I think you might not have your wits about you. With the moment you’ve brought that out, shouldn’t you already be liable for damages due to property destruction?”
“If you hit me, you too will have to pay points for property destruction, senior. Feel free to hit me if you can!”
With the unprecedented defensive technique of point self-destructing, Tetraforce, taken aback by Dorothy’s cleverness, promptly halted his attack.
