The days passed, the big day and the first official event of the Eldoria Academy were approaching, I talked to Javier about the situation of the suspect, but it seems he hasn't found anything, so I'm sure we'll learn something during the incursion.
The professors and teachers did not reveal the location of the event, so various assumptions were made about where it would be held. Some thought about the underground caves beneath the great Elarion Lake near the main kingdom of the continent, Eldrion, while others speculated about the long swamps of the dark forest known as the Ashen Mire. These were just ideas from the students, but nothing proved that it would be so.
When I arrived at the academy as I did every day, there were several students outside the academy, being organized by teachers, but among them, I only recognized two.
(Javier) Noah over here!
Among the various rows of students, Javier was easy to spot due to his tall presence, surrounded by several other students.
... Javier, what's happening? Javier, what's happening?
(Javier) Don't you know? You don't know? Today is the incursion! Today will be the raid!
…that
I knew it would be soon, but I didn't think it would start today; I always had the habit of putting everything off, so it was easy to confuse me.
...Javier, do you know where I need to position myself?
(Javier) I-I don't know.
I saw how the crowd was taking Javier away little by little, so I started looking to see where it could be.
(Selene) Don't you know where it is?
...uh, I didn't see the teacher.
Professor Selene appeared suddenly. During the days, I was training with the professor, so we got closer to the point of not calling each other by our names, only when we are not at the academy.
(Selene) You need to improve your perception more, it's ideal for a swordsman.
....heh, you're right.
The teacher maintained a serious face in front of other students, except for me, who always smiled.
The teacher is very kind.
An hour passed after the teacher took me to my seat next to other classmates I already knew.
The wizards positioned from corner to corner had been touching the ground with their hands since morning.
(Rolan) Alright, everyone will enter one by one!!
Rolan, as a practice teacher, was designated as the general teacher for this incursion, who has command and responsibility over the others.
But I didn't understand where he wanted us to go in. "To the academy?" That was absurd. I just stood there watching.
(Rolan) Keep your composure!
The professor exclaimed. The wizards who were there, struck the ground.
Clang! Crash!
The floor trembled, several rocks emerged from the ground, floating orderly and with dramatic slowness, forming a large door.
Construction magic. It's original magic, not a replica of any element, just like the barrier can be said to be magic belonging to the same mana.
And as such, the construction magic for any type of structure, cutting stones, making boards, it was astonishing what that magic was capable of.
The door was already formed, the wizards brought palm-sized mana stones and one much larger than the others, placing them subtly with telekinesis, causing them all to activate.
The door emitted a faint glow, from the upper tip where the largest mana stone was located, it created a shockwave and finally became the door.
The center of the door had a celestial and crystalline glow.
The surprise of all the students was evident upon seeing this type of large-scale construction magic.
"How exaggerated"
He had a confused smile while looking at the door.
(Rolan) Enter as you were already ordered!
The teachers of all subjects made the students go through one by one, including me.
∆
From an unknown and dark place despite the strong sunlight, only a table with two identities is observed.
(???) 1: How are the preparations going?
(¿??) 2: it's almost done.
(???) 1: Did the professor already give the pills to our infiltrator?
(??) 2: it's in process... Sir, if our goal is to eliminate Javier who threatens the boss's life in the future, why doesn't he go eliminate him now?
(??) 1: You're an idiot, Javier has the backing of the academy director.
(??) 2: Are you referring to the powerful wizard Torian Elden?
(??) 1: What are you surprised about? It was obvious that was coming.
Torian Elden, director of the Eldoria Academy, is over 350 years old, has lived through many wars, and is known as the most powerful wizard in the kingdom. Currently, there are three who are directors of the other three great academies on the other continents.
They were still alive thanks to the fact that they infused their organs with magic so they could keep functioning. But that didn't change their already aged appearance.
(???) 2: but our boss is the strongest in the world, can't he deal with the director?
???) 1: the problem doesn't lie in a fight against the director, but in the connections he has, the other two great wizards, and also fighting against him, Torian Elden, is like declaring war on this empire and the others.
(???) 2: So it's this complicated, now I understand this kind of move from the boss.
(??) 1: you understand quickly, go observe how the preparations are going.
(¿??) 2: Yes!
∆
To be left speechless was an understatement; a hundred meters away, there was a huge snow-covered mountain, its size was colossal.
The concern of others was no joke, it was just known that this event would be horrible.
(Rolan) Students of the Eldoria Academy, we find ourselves on this great nameless snowy mountain!
The smile he had didn't ease the worries but increased them; Professor Rolan, being an addict not only to swords but also to fights.
His only friend who understands him, Javier.
(Rolan) This snow-capped mountain, as such, is over 8500 meters tall and more than 40 kilometers wide! Each of you will be mobilized to different locations! And your mission is to get the highest score!
They can be, eliminating enemies, raiding dungeons or hidden places, their experiences will be recorded in a book that will follow them at all times!
"That mountain resembles the size of Mount Everest!"
(Rolan) Approximately more than 10,000 students will be competing for the top spots, they will have the ability to form groups but keep in mind that their grade will be individual!
Apart from the book that will be following you, you will have return bracelets that will send you back to this place if you are in definite danger or have received a certain amount of damage!
30 minutes!, you will have 30 minutes to form teams, get a weapon from the warehouse, and gather other resources!!
All the students moved from their spots, some looked for a group, others simply prioritized weapons in the large crowds.
(Javier) Noah, let's go together, I'm here with Luna!
…e-espera-
Among the crowd of students, it was very difficult for me to move, and while I was looking for Javier, someone grabbed my shoulder and pulled me to another distant place.
Printed on the wall, I didn't understand why he was doing it.
…selene-
(Selene) Shhh!, look, I want you to team up with these people.
He handed me a sheet that had noted three particular types of people.
… eh, why? eh, why?
(Selene) Every swordsman must adapt to their surroundings because they won't always be with their friends.
Professor Selene's gaze was terrifying, I didn't understand the reason for her frustration, but I was going to listen to her anyway.
...ok, they are.
(Selene) That's my apprentice! Or wait, here.
Selene changed her attitude quickly. Before leaving, she left me a sword and a few medicinal herbs.
...thank you!
She just waved goodbye, she must be leaving quickly because this will get her into trouble.
Three students, a student who handles the bow, one who uses magic, and another who was a warrior. A very strange order of students.
"But this is what I must look for"
They also had specific names, but "How to know who all these students are?"
...what a headache.
As soon as I started looking for the darn group, I didn't expect that the group was also looking for me. Amidst the crowd, a group of three called out to me, two women and a man.
(¿??) Hello! You are Noah, right?
... y-yes, and you?
He had a Japanese air, dark green hair, and blue eyes, a normal build, almost my height. He carried a sword and had a calm expression, he resembled the appearance of another protagonist.
(???) I am Daren and they are Elia and Liria.
(Elia)(Liria) Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you.
The other two people who were behind Daren seemed strangely identical.
"Are they sisters?"
One was somewhat small, like the moon, with straight purple hair and black eyes, the other was almost the same, taller, but a little shorter than Javier, with equally straight hair but black in color and purple eyes. If one represented the cute and lovely, the other expressed the beautiful and gorgeous, but both had a vacant expression.
And that's how we met, but I also found out the reason why they approached me. Apparently, they are all delegates from different courses, and the one I represented was the one from Professor Selene.
"Was the adapting thing an excuse?"
(Daren) You seem thoughtful, is there something bothering you?
"How did he know?"
...no, it's nothing.
It was strange, the group itself, "What purpose did they have at the event?" Time passed, the 30 minutes ended immediately, but there were groups that did not approach the line, among those groups was mine.
… Daren, what's going on?
(Daren) I have no idea.
(Liria) Maybe as representatives we have another type of mission?
Among the sisters, apparently the youngest was the only one who spoke, but what mattered most to me were the groups we were left with, around six groups of four.
All the other students passed through the door, and Professor Rolan stayed with us while the other teachers went to their respective campaigns to supervise the students.
(Rolan) You are probably wondering why you are here, your mission is not to score points, but to take them away.
The other students have already been informed about this, so they will be more cautious around you. Likewise, if they earn enough points, they will also be able to position themselves on the event leaderboard.
When it ended, each of us was given mana stones of a single color per group.
(Rolan) With those stones, not only will you be sent in groups to other places, but you will also be able to see the status of the other team, point thieves, and it will help you stand out from others, so if the other students find out, you will be quickly attacked or maybe just escape.
"I trained since I spent more time with Selene, I have some skill."
(Rolan) Something you should know, even though it seems easy, that just by defeating other groups you earn points, the points collected will be divided among each group member, and if one gets seriously injured, everyone will be sent back to this place.
"The difficulty increased a lot."
For some reason, I felt watched by Daren and the others.
(Daren) Noah, if you're weak please, I would like you to step back.
Daren's attitude changed suddenly, but the sisters' expressions remained the same.
"I suppose it doesn't change anything in their eyes."
If you want me not to be a nuisance, I'll listen, but if something happens, I'll have to get involved even if it makes things worse.
The mana stones lit up intensely, teleporting us together.