573.
No one had anticipated the sudden start of the opening battle.
However, the 400 first-year students, who had been momentarily bewildered, simultaneously sprinted towards the weapons scattered across the Erek Training Ground, each belonging to their respective classes.
“Move!”
“Hurry, form the formation!”
Panic reigned for only a short while.
Though still inexperienced as first-years, these students had undergone myriad trials at the Hero Academy.
Moreover, they were one hundred of the best-chosen students among the first-years.
Even amidst the sudden and unexpected chaos, the first-years quickly responded.
That was when it happened.
Ta-at-!
“Attack Seirun!”
Several students from Azonia Academy dashed forward towards the Seirun students, propelled by their aura steps.
Seirun was an Academy with a long-standing admission condition that allowed only Elves capable of using the Magic of the Stars to enroll.
In essence, their main forte was magic.
Thanks to this, Seirun was renowned for producing some of the most powerful wizards, but conversely, it also implied that their Knight or Summoner classes were relatively weaker.
Thus, they inevitably had vulnerabilities in close combat.
At that moment, an Elf who had just pulled a spear embedded in the ground swung it towards the approaching Beastmen students.
Whoosh-!
Perperperperperk-!
The spear moved swiftly, repelling the advancing Beastmen students.
“Guh?!”
“What?!”
Stunned by the unexpected counterattack, the Beastman students retreated.
Angry landed gracefully from mid-air and glared at the Azonian students.
“Just because our school is famous for the Magic of the Stars and our Knight class is weaker doesn’t mean…”
Kang-!
“…you should underestimate our rear guard.”
With a spear strike against the ground, Angry’s eyes flashed.
“Tsk, Seirun has someone with quite the spirit!”
At that moment, a bulky tiger-like Beastman stepped forward.
“What’s your name?”
“Angry Bizan.”
“I’ll remember that! You should also remember the name of the man who will defeat you…”
“Angry! Move away!”
At that moment, a Seirun girl shouted from behind.
At the same time, Angry jumped high.
Yoinia, who was stationed behind Angry, narrowed her eyes and unleashed her magic.
“A C Ray!”
Keekgiggiggigg!
The easiest and most versatile magic to learn from the Magic of the Stars, the A C Ray cast by Yoinia, who competed with Rea for the top spot in pure magical power among Seirun’s first-years, was undeniably powerful.
Innumerable particles of light engulfed the Beastman students chasing the Seirun students.
“Kraaaaaa!”
Angry, who had been confidently engaging in a frontal battle with Carlos, fell.
Carlos, deemed unable to continue the fight, was instantly warped out of the arena.
“Cough!”
“What?”
As other Seirun students were targeted, Azonia students who had been blocked by Yoinia’s magic focused their attention on Angry and Yoinia.
“Phew! This is annoying! Target that girl first!”
The Beastman students went after Yoinia.
At that moment, Angry quickly intercepted the Beastman students attacking Yoinia.
However, the situation rapidly became overwhelming even for Angry.
Realizing this, Angry swiftly picked Yoinia up over her shoulder and started rapidly dashing using aura step.
Yoinia cast enhancement magic on Angry.
Yoinia, holding tight to Angry, started firing magic in all directions with her wand aimed at the Beastman students.
– Ah! The Seirun students! Their teamwork is exceptional! Especially Angry and Yoinia! By using guerrilla tactics, they’re buying time for relatively defenseless Seirun in close combat to form their formation!
Suddenly on the commentary stand, Runba, a fourth-year from Lumeran, shouted excitedly.
Even as the opening match just began, the Seirun students are putting up an incredible fight! In this chaotic battle, they haven’t lost a single member yet!
Even amid the confusion, the Seiruns were quickly linking up with each other and weathering the crisis.
– Professor Sedgen! How do you see this situation?
– Elegant! Very elegant indeed! The coordination among the Seirun students is highly impressive. Moreover, it’s quite unexpected!
– Unexpected how?
– Isn’t it surprising that first-year students from Seirun display such excellent teamwork?
– Certainly! Only until the beginning of the semester, rumors were rife about how the first-years of Seirun couldn’t cooperate due to fierce competition!
– Yes! Without naming anyone, we even sent one of our students as an exchange student to study with the first-years! They were shown in an unbecoming manner, like being ground into dust!
– Oh! Ground into dust! That’s a good phrase! Hahaha!
Sedgen and Runba were excitedly chattering.
Disparaging both schools during the Ruse Tournament was somewhat customary.
Thus, they were merely doing what they always did.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t the Ruse Tournament this time.
Prrrrit!
Static came through the microphone.
– Professor Ain? Professor Ren? Is this about dragging me down again? What did I do wrong! Don’t come near me! Huh? Again, Halind sent you?! Why do you only follow his commands… Let me go! Let go! You Halind’s dogs! Let me gooo! Eeeeppp!
– Professor Halind! Please give me one more chance! Who else but me can provide such commentary…
– Haul him off. Professor Yura.
– Ahhh!
The screams of Sedgen and Runba’s desperate pleas.
And then the chilling voice of Halind that sent shivers down the spines of the listeners.
The commotion was eventually settled.
The audience watched as Professor Sedgen and Runba were dragged off the commentary stand.
Moments later, Elena appeared on the screen with a beaming smile.
-Lumeran announces: There was a minor broadcasting mishap earlier. Henceforth, the commentary will be handled by the esteemed Professor Halind Edmond of Lumeran and I, the Vice President of Lumeran, Elena Zeruon. Please overlook the earlier incident with an understanding heart.
She playfully stuck out her tongue after clasping her hands together and speaking in a sweet voice, eliciting a round of applause from various quarters.
A little later, the game’s visuals returned.
“This is so annoying. Why do I have to clean up this mess?”
Elena muttered angrily with a frown.
“Focus on the commentary.”
“Yes.”
Elena, answering primly, reactivated the amplification magic on her microphone.
“Disgracing the school.”
Iliana muttered quietly, to which Kal replied.
“You’ll disgrace the school sufficiently this time, so try not to do that.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Iliana opened her tired eyes, and Chelsea spoke.
“That’s not untrue.”
“Hey! Other dormitory kids will tease me!”
Iliana clung to Chen Sia and complained.
“You both are too much. It’s not right to state the obvious so clearly. Iliana-san will get hurt.”
“You’re the cruelest!”
Iliana screamed.
“Anyway, why are the team works of Seirun students so good? Didn’t I hear they didn’t get along well?”
Chloe asked Eiran.
“Yes, indeed, it’s true that the first-years were divided at the beginning of the semester.”
At the beginning of the semester, the first-years in Seirun were thoroughly categorized into hierarchies which turned their classmates into rivals.
But after the arrival of the Comet Wizard in Seirun, this trend began to change.
“After the mid-term exams in the first semester where the first-years tutored by Lord Leo performed admirably, other students underwent a great deal of introspection. Especially Rea and Yoinia, who are excelling now, emphasized the importance of cooperation.”
Yoinia, leader of the top elite team in the advanced class, was thoroughly defeated by Anger of the lower class, leading her to reassess herself.
“Yoinia? Now that I think about it, isn’t she the second seat of Seirun’s first-year class?”
“Yes, especially her teamwork with Angry is legendary.”
“True, the combination of Knight and Wizard indeed creates the best synergy when their coordination matches.”
Kal nodded.
“Anyway, Eiran, why are you divulging this information just now?”
Iliana narrowed her eyes.
“Wait? Well, because you didn’t ask…”
“Huh! Aren’t you from Lumeran?”
“I’m an exchange student? I’ll return to Seirun eventually…”
“What? You’re betraying us?”
“That’s not it…”
“The bonds of our past friendship have been rendered meaningless, haven’t they? You intend to betray us! That’s too much! Traitor!”
“Indeed!”
Iliana waved her arms and shouted, causing large tears to well up in Eiran’s big eyes.
Seeing this, Iliana stealthily approached and put her arm around her shoulder.
“Haha, there’s a simple way to prove our friendship.”
“What is it?”
“Tell us the weaknesses of the second-year students in Seirun. Ha ha ha. If you do that, our friendship will endure…”
“Eiran! How long are you staying here?”
At that moment, the second-year students from Seirun appeared.
“Eiran! We’ve missed you! When are you coming back?”
“Huh! Why are you crying?”
“Did the Lumeran folks h*rass you?”
The second-year students from Seirun were flustered upon seeing Eiran with teary eyes and quickly turned a fierce gaze towards the students from Lumeran.
“How dare you bully our Eiran!”
“I didn’t see it coming. Lumeran is despicable!”
“Yo, everyone, it’s a misunderstanding. The Lumeran folks took good care of me.”
“But why are you crying?”
Aris, one of the second-year students from Seirun, asked curiously, and Eiran explained the situation.
“Iliana-san asked for all of your weaknesses to prove our friendship…”
This made the atmosphere much more hostile.
“I didn’t see it coming! The Lumeran students are despicable!”
“Iliana Laden! Prepare yourself!”
“Come on, Eiran! These people are simply trying to take advantage of your innocence!”
“You should take off that uniform!”
In anger, the Seirun students took Eiran and went back to their side.
All the second-year students from Lumeran glared at Iliana simultaneously.
“You’re doing a great job. You’re disgracing the school.”
“Because of you, we’ve been labeled as despicable as well.”
“Hey, it was just a joke! A joke, I tell you!”
Chelsea and Kal shook their heads in disappointment as Iliana defended herself with a gloomy face.
“What are you going to do now? The Seirun students will surely target you next.”
“Guys? You’ll help, right? We’re friends, aren’t we?”
Iliana smiled as sweetly as possible.
Upon seeing this, Kal spoke.
“It’s your fault. You have to make it right.”
“That’s what I figured! d*mn you! Chelsea? Will you help if the Seirun students target me? Eh? Sis Chelsea?”
“Why should I?”
“Nella? Teid?”
“I’m a healer, so I’ll treat you.”
“I’ll be at the rear, so how can I help you, who’ll be at the front line?”
“Chloeeee!”
“I’ll be at the rear too, you know.”
Chloe let out a small sigh, and Iliana clung to Chen Sia.
“Sia! They’re being mean and won’t help me! Will you help me? Right?”
In response, Chen Sia smiled gently but shook off Iliana’s hand.
“Who are you?”
“Hey, you bastards!”
“Over there! Luke Eldar!”
Kwa-ga-ga-ga-kang!
“Hieeeek?!”
Luke was startled when an explosion occurred near him.
“What have I done wrong?”
“You! Were you mentored by Senior Flob?!”
“Uh, yes, but why?”
“That’s your crime!”
“That’s absurd! Heeek!”
“Don’t run away! Face me in battle!”
Luke put more energy into his legs as he saw the fiercely burning eyes of Leia chasing after him.
When he saw Leia chasing him with the intent to k*ll, he put even more strength into his legs.
Kwaang-!
“Luke Eldar! Fight me!”
Medvez blocked Luke’s path.
“What for?”
“You, a strong one, ignites my beastly competitive spirit! Attack!”
“Luke Eldar is my prey, so stay out of it!”
“Hehe! Prey goes to the one who catches it first!”
“Then…”
Leia grinned.
Gooouuuuu-!
“d*e!”
“It’s just a match, not d*ath!”
“Didn’t Senior Flob say ‘k*ll’?!”
“That’s survival talk only! Stop it…”
A sinister magical force surged from Leia as she protested and Luke’s expression froze.
The change in Luke’s demeanor did not go unnoticed by Medvez, who gleamed with excitement.
‘The atmosphere has changed!’
Medvez, curling his lips upward, slapped his fists together.
‘First, I’ll handle Leia Tinggel’s attack…’
Just as Medvez prepared to counter Leia’s attack,
Ssak-!
A sharp blade of energy aimed at Leia.
Leia flinched and redirected her magic towards the source of the blade.
Kwa-ga-ga-ga-ga-kang!
A massive explosion occurred, and Leia landed on the ground.
Tack!
Aina descended in front of Leia.
“Aina Beidna! Are you here to interfere?”
Leia angrily shouted, and Aina pointed her sword.
“You’re my opponent.”
*
The first-years, who were bewildered at the start of the sudden survival contest, had regained their composure.
On the vast Erek Training Ground, they formed their formations and began to eliminate their opponents.
Seeing this, Leo smirked.
“Then, it’s time to get serious.”
Ku-gu-gu-gu-gu-gung-!
The ground began to tremble.
The first-years, who had been wary of each other, wore expressions of confusion.
“Guarding against the enemies you see in front of you is simple. But on the battlefield, those hunting you won’t just be the enemies directly in front.”
![[TS] The Protagonist is Conquered](https://i3.wp.com/novelhitam.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1743806812-5548-TS-The-Protagonist-is-Conquered.png?resize=85,105 "[TS] The Protagonist is Conquered")
