CH 169

"What a bunch of high spirit kidskids. It's an excellent guild."

"Yeah."

So muttered Ladvena, as she looks at everything happening in the white castle where guild <Eden> is, through a monocle-like item which grants the user farsight.

And the one who nodded in reply is Philis, a newly appointed instructor in the combat department major from this year onwards.

The usually gentle and lazy Philis in fact is indebted to Ladvena.

Which isn't surprising, as Ladvena was the homeroom teacher of Philia for the whole three years, when she was a student. Philis has been very much looked after by her, so Ladvena is close to a mentor to her.

And what kind of trick fate has played, Philis is now working in the same workplace as her. It has been close to one month but Philis still doesn't look accustomed to it.

"The <Brave> in the rumors and the <Saint> Princess. Others don't seem to be weak either. It's really a miraculous guild to be qualified to take the E-rank promotion exam in less than one month's time."

Ladvena puts away the monocle while saying that. Although she sounds amazed, her tone is still gentle. She is really delighted to see a guild with a promising future appearing. Philis doesn't look up to as her mentor for nothing. She has a strong teacher temperament who loves to aid and guide the students to correct their path.

"Well, Philis. You're the leader this time. So we will just follow what you say"

"It's really hard to determine how to move."

In the end, <Eden> is a bit different from other guilds.

The E-rank exam is just a checkpoint. It's like a ceremony where they guide the students, and sometimes give them a push. In this exam, what is required from the instructors is to determine if students are being foolhardy or have they learned anything so far from dungeons.

They will teach them again if they haven't learned it, and once they have passed this hurdle, they will guide them through the <Guild Battle>.

Thus, the E-rank exam is a test which helps students consolidate their abilities and motivation.

That being said, neither of them knows how to guide such an out of norm guild. Hence, the reason why Philis is having a headache.

"We are here to correct the mistakes if any problem arises. What Philis ought to do is follow what your feeling says. Who knows if the normal way turns out to be the best way to teach them about guild battles. By all means, that guild seems to be flourishing on its own under the leadership of the <Brave>. Even if you can't show them the way, I have a hunch that they are capable of learning on their own. So I think it would be futile to teach them through any special means."

Time is nearing, however, she still hasn't prepared any strategy.

"It's about time to commence the test. Are preparations ready, Makui-sensei?"

Ladvena turns back and asks the male instructor, Makui, who nods and gives a thumbs up.

He's quite an untalkative person. However, his knowledge in practicals is incomparable and relied on by the students.

Just, he's untalkative.

"Come on leader, let's not make our dear students wait. Hurry up and decide"

"Okay. Then, let's take the central part first. In the meantime, we will change our course depending on how the opponent moves. Ladvena-sensei and I will be a two person group and Makui-sensei, please capture the forts and secure a route to the eastern castle"

The central region, to describe in shogi's terms, is a strategic point. As long as they can take it under their control, it will become a key point for them to allow capturing forts, castles, bases and they can even defend them smoothly.

Usually, instructors wouldn't go as far as to capture the central region right from the beginning, but the opponent they are dealing with is an anomaly. Regardless of the victory of defeat, Philis' thinking is to capture it first so that she can respond to any occurence.

Honestly speaking, it's a bit unpalatable to win like this but just as Ladvena has said, the best way to teach them is to simulate a true guild battle scenario.

"Central, is it? Well, this is also fun on its own. Okay, let's go."

"Yes. Then, Makui-sensei, take care of eastern side please"

Receiving the approval of Ladvena, Philis gives out the instruction.

Makui nodded in silence as usual, did something in the tablet terminal and soon, a gargantuan screen appeared above the mid space of the dungeon. A countdown timer displays on it.

The exam will begin when it turns 0.

"It seems the other side has also began their preparation"

Ladvena used the monocle to once again check the situation in base <White>, and also confirmed that the students can properly see the screen. There's no referee this time so buzzer would be the signal for start. It wouldn't be any good if they can't see the countdown so it's another duty of instructors to ascertain it.

Then, a buzz echoed from the screen as the cue to the beginning when the countdown reaches 0.

Guild battle starts!

"Oh!"

"What!?"

The instructors were instantly flabbergasted at the movement of the <Brave> and the <Princess Knight> who unhesitatingly dashed out of their base.

They didn't look like a newbie guild who's taking a guild battle for the first time, but a veteran team who has gone through multiple guild battles.

Ladvena was taken aback in surprise while Philis yelped in astonished voice.

"Oh, the other side also seems to be aiming for the central region. Philis, what action will you take now?"

"Huh? I mean no, we can't change our strategy at this point. Let's move as we have discussed earlier."

"Understood. Though, these kids surely are quick for already being at the 2nd square. We will be overtook if we make a blunder, so be careful, Philis"

The <Eden> was unthinkably quick in action and it was a surprise for them.

The instructors also defeated the monsters around the castle and proceeded while taking control of the forts, yet they couldn't put much of a gap even though they were taking them at considerable speed.

Just when Philis thought they would end up encountering each other in the central region, the opponent side abruptly changed their course and advanced towards the northern region.

"Hmm. We can't be like that."

"So their goal was northern castle all along"

"What are you going to do? Chase them or secure the central region?"

The castles are hard to take down with their high resistance. Unlike the forts, monsters are also considerably strong with Lv30. With their abilities, they would surely be able to catch up with them but it would be a different case if they decide to take the central region.

What's more,

"Rear guard also on their trails"

As Ladvena said, the opponent team's rearguard is already chasing after the two members who left first through the white painted square. And because white painted area is still under the protection period, they are unable to stop them either.

If they leave the central region and pursue them to the northern square, it would be possible to secure the strategic location later.

But, it's also unknown if they will be able to occupy it even if they fight for it.

Opponents have five members while they are only two, not to say she's not confident in stealing the last hit to take down the castle either.

In that case, they are better off securing the central square is what Philis thought. Not realizing that it's a completely meaningless action.

"Continue as planned!"

"Good grief, Phillis. You still have a long way to go"

As a veteran, Ladvena could predict what’ll happen afterwards, but Philis can't. The choice becomes the key to pushing the instructor group into a dilemma.

Ultimately, the instructor group secured the strategic point while the <Eden> continues to advance in a straight line and managed to capture the northern castle.

Philis group lagged behind in the point difference but it was soon turned into a deadlock by the points earned by Makui-sensei by taking down the eastern castle.

Philis' group then wanted to take down western castle but since the <Eden> was close to it, it instead fell into their hands.

With this, all of the main castles have fallen down.

From there should be the commencing of a PvP battle while racing for the forts and Philis’ group who boasts an overwhelming difference in Lv can challenge the students from the rule perspective but then, it would deviate from the true meaning of the E-rank exam.

So what Philis group can only do is to take down other forts while defending the castles they have already acquired. The central square was secured, and the Philis group expanded their camp greatly in the central region. This should have been a significant strategic advantage.

But the <Eden> instead focused on acquiring the forts outside of the central area, like a ring. It seems as if they don't care about any strategic point etc and aimed for any square they can get their hands on, thus the point difference against the Philis’ group was unilaterally widening.

Not to say the time left is only 8 minutes. Philis group made a comeback by turning over two of the castles of the <Eden>.

But wait,

"What? Aren't we going to lose at this rate?"

Philis was surprised, as the screen in the mid air displays,

<Ongoing: [White - 5710P] & [Red - 7280P]>

<Time left : 7min 46 sec>.

Although Philis side (Red) seems like they are in the lead, the situation can easily be out of their hands if even one of their castles falls.

Philis, who finally realized what was happening , turned to face Ladvena.

"Goodness, that <Brave> boy is really something. He completely out played me even though I was quite serious about this. This is really my inexperience for not being able to see through his ploy despite the Lv difference."

Ladvena just chuckled in response as she already knew how the situation was going to unfold.

Philis sweated when she saw it.

Since when she was dancing on his palm?

Certainly, there was a difference in number from the beginning. However, he's just a student, not to say a freshman who's in the academy for less than a month. With the Lv difference in mind, she let down her guard.

Lv difference isn't directly connected to the victory in the guild battle. No matter how strong an individual is, it's just a losing battle if the whole guild isn't strong.

Philis shouldn't have forgotten it too, nor had she planned to go easy on them. In other words, you can say she was playing as if it's a real guild battle. Although she was somehow bound by the rules and it's not unusual for PvP to be banned either, she didn't care much about it.

But the result, she's almost on the losing end without understanding how. Just one more chess piece to fall and victory is out of their hand.

Now that would be a sight to behold when Philis knows that everything was happening just as a freshman student has envisioned.

Ultimately, the exam ended with the <Eden> who took down northern castle winnings which was left undefended since the Philis side with only three members could only defend two castles.

The count became 0 and settled at the point <(White - 8360P) vs (Red - 7850)>.

E-rank exam (guild battle)

Winner - <Eden>