Chapter 220 Match 3: Lineup

Diana's explanation hit the team hard, causing their minds to whirl as they realized the stakes were much higher than they had previously thought. They came to understand that even a low-ranked academy could quickly rise to the top by launching a successful Castle Siege attack.

Lucas let out a heavy sigh, feeling the pressure of the upcoming match. "Looks like that 10-point lead isn't much after all," he said.

Ayla nodded in agreement, her eyes narrowed in concentration. "We need to be strategic with our team selection. We already know we'll be targeted, so we have to choose carefully," she said.

All eyes turned to Ares, waiting for his decision on the matter. The tension was evident as he spoke.

"This battle will be no easy feat," Ares muttered, his brow furrowed in deep contemplation. "Our castle cannot be left undefended, and after defeating the academy, we must not only seize their crown but also carry it back to our castle to claim the ten points, which will be challenging."

"And to top it off, we cannot take our own crown with us while we are moving, which means we must divide our team into two groups: one to attack the other academies, and the other to defend our own castle."

Pausing for a moment, Ares' expression changed. A sly grin formed on his lips, and his eyes glimmered with a mischievous light. "But there is another easy way to gain points," he continued. "...If our students are brave enough to hunt down the other academy students, we can claim the killing points."

!?

Ares' words elicited widened eyes from everyone. It was a risky move, but it just might be crazy enough to work.

Because, as if capturing castles wasn't difficult enough, they also had to weaken the defense before breaking in to grab the crown. It was going to be a tough nut to crack, and it would require a lot of planning and strategy.

But then, Ares's words made everyone have an epiphany. "Why bother with all the hassle of raiding castles when we can just hunt down the students who are already carrying the crowns?"

They could ambush those in the middle of a castle raid or hunt down the students exiting the castle with the crown. It was risky, but they knew that they needed to be bold if they wanted to win.

But as Ares pondered the situation, he realized that he didn't have the right students for the job. 'I know that the protagonist Lucas, who has a heart of gold, would struggle with such a cunning game plan,' he mused.

"This bastard is giving me a headache," Ares continued. "But I suppose we'll just have to trust in him and see how he fares against all the other academies gunning for them together."

Despite Lucas not being the type to engage in underhanded tactics, Ares had faith in his protagonist halo. With Lucas on their side, they just might be able to come out on top, even with all the other academies targeting them.

'Who knows,' Ares pondered, 'maybe Lucas has some tricks up his sleeve that even I wasn't aware of.'

"Alright everyone, listen up! We don't have much time, so let's get this over with quickly," Ares said, taking charge of the situation.

"For match 3, Erina will be leading the charge and serving as the team's strategist," he declared, his tone firm yet encouraging.

"Lucas will be our frontline spearman, while Ziona and Kevin will provide support with their swords.

Penelope and Mia will be our mage duo, using their magic to disrupt the enemy and provide cover for our team.

Nate, Lio, and Sofia will serve as our archers, picking off targets from a distance.

And last but not least, Evan will be our shield bearer, protecting the team from enemy attacks."

At the mention of their names and roles, the students stepped forward with a mix of excitement and nervousness.

[Here's the team:

•Erina: team leader, strategist, and dagger wielder.

•Lucas: spearman.

•Ziona & Kevin: sword wielders.

•Penelope & Mia: mages.

•Nate, Lio, & Sofia: archers.

•Evan: shield bearer.]

***

Erina accepted the leadership role with confidence, "Don't worry, I'll do everything it takes to secure this victory."

Ares nodded in approval, "I'm counting on you, Erina."

Ayla turned to Lucas, "Brother! Be careful and don't hesitate to take down your opponents. This is just a VR match, so you're not hurting anyone in real life." She expressed.

"H-Huh, But—"

Lucas tried to respond, but Ayla interrupted him, "No buts! You have to win this match for me or I won't talk to you anymore!" she pouted, trying to sound cute.

Ares watched Ayla's antics with a blank expression, wondering if her childish approach would actually work. But Ayla winked at him confidently, as if to say "I've got this."

"...."

Only time would tell if Ayla's method would motivate Lucas to win the match.

"Alright then, let's get ready for the match!" Ares declared, as the students cheered and got into position. The match was about to begin, and everyone was determined to win at all costs.

After a team discussion that lasted a few more minutes, Erina led the team toward the VR room. As they entered, they noticed that the room was packed with students. They were chattering among themselves until their team arrived, at which point they all fell silent and gave them a once-over.

"...."

Erina couldn't help but think inwardly, 'I have a bad feeling about this.'

From the expressions of the other students, she didn't have to think twice about what they were thinking. And as she looked around the room, she saw that the team from Cherry Blossom Academy was also getting the same treatment as them.

"At least our team isn't the only one that will be targeted," she muttered with an awkward smile.

"Hercules!" Lucas suddenly gritted his teeth.

!?

Erina followed Lucas's gaze and saw that the infamous Hercules was also participating in this match. Not only him, but she also noticed many other powerful students that made their names, like Sakura from Martial Star Academy, Alexander from Royal Knights Academy, Tyler, and many other recognizable individuals.

"Hmm, with so many representatives and vice representatives from other academies participating, this match won't be an easy one," Penelope spoke up, catching the attention of her teammates. "I can't help but wish Ares was here with us in this match as well."

"....."

Her teammates went silent, unsure of how to respond to her statement. They couldn't deny that having Ares with them would make things easier, but they also knew that the tournament was about their growth and not just about one individual's strength.

"Even though Ares is a strong ally to have, we shouldn't rely solely on him. This tournament is an opportunity for all of us to improve our skills and abilities, not just for one individual to showcase their power," Lucas spoke, highlighting the significance of personal growth and development.

"Indeed, the tournament is an opportunity for all of us to push ourselves to our limits and grow as individuals," Erina said, her voice firm and confident. "Let's give it our best effort, and regardless of the outcome, we'll come out of this stronger and better than before." She added, her reassuring smile giving her team the confidence they needed.

Clap—Clap

As the teams were murmuring amongst themselves, their chatter was suddenly interrupted by a round of applause. They turned to see the professor in charge of the VR room making her entrance.

The professor was a tall, striking woman with an athletic figure, her flowing white hair cascading down her back in gentle waves. Her piercing red eyes seemed to take in everything around her, as she stood there in a long white lab coat over a black blouse and pants, giving her a professional yet approachable appearance.

"Hello, students. My name is Maya. Nice to meet you all!"

As she introduced herself, she pulled a pair of spectacles from her pocket and began to wipe them clean with the hem of her lab coat. With a quick exhale, she placed the glasses on her nose, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear in the process.

This simple gesture was enough to make the hearts of the male students skip a beat.

"Before we begin, let's go over some of the finer details of this match, shall we?" Maya said, a huge grin forming on her face.

!?