NOVEL WEB Chapter 95
Chapter 95. Chaos
The confrontation has finally begun.
First, chaos──the initial challenge to bring the battle to an individual level where no tactics intervene. They succeeded in creating a setting where they could utilize all the training they had done so far.
For now, as a commander, this is as far as he can go. From here on, it all depends on how well Class B can demonstrate the results of their training.
“……”
This is no joke or anything.
Indeed, even if his Bloodline Magic is sealed, Hermes is a powerful magician. Even against Class A individuals, he would likely be able to handle them well using enhanced general-purpose magic──if it’s one-on-one.
Even he, without Bloodline Magic, cannot handle multiple Class A magicians who wield powerful Bloodline Magic, despite his shaky basic abilities as a magician. He could manage two, but three would be quite challenging.
Therefore, from here on, it’s a true all-out war. It’s a fight to see if Class B, with Hermes, can cover the gap that Hermes alone cannot bridge──
“……It seems they’re quite rattled as well.”
Hermes’s prediction was off──in a favorable way for Class B.
……Class A was careless.
They had fallen into the opponent’s trap, having their initial charge thwarted. ……Even so, there was still some complacency somewhere in their hearts.
Arrogance that they were the chosen ones, supported by their overwhelmingly powerful Bloodline Magic.
They believed that as long as they had that, they would be fine—a confidence not in their own abilities, but in their inherited power.
Now, they were paying the price for relying solely on that.
“──There!”
“What!”
A Class B student’s magic, released with a spirited shout, grazed a Class A student’s cheek.
The Class A student broke into a cold sweat──now in a state of unmistakable confusion.
(What is going on──why am I being cornered!? By someone with such inferior Bloodline Magic!)
Nothing made sense.
The Class B student they were facing now was someone they had faced before in joint magic training. Back then, they were helpless against their own Bloodline Magic and felt no threat from them at all.
Yet now.
First, the performance of their magic significantly improved.
The power, speed, and frequency of the magic were vastly different, even though the magic itself hadn’t changed. It was so different it felt like a different magic altogether.
And above all.
“Next──there!”
This was it.
For some reason, their opponent’s timing for casting magic was annoyingly perfect.
They would cast their magic when the Class A student wanted to release their Bloodline Magic, exploiting its weaknesses.
As if their movements were being completely read.
“They tend to use big moves, so we hit them with a barrage of small attacks to keep them from casting──huh. Annoyingly, it’s just as he said.”
“What──”
“Moreover, your movements are exactly like his were back then. ……Haha, it’s terrifying.”
The Class B student’s face twisted in fear. ……They clearly weren’t afraid of their current opponent but of someone else.
……And this fact only humiliated the Class A student further.
“Don’t──get cocky!”
Shouting in anger did nothing to change the situation.
If anything, their anger made their magic more predictable, creating more openings for their opponent.
They were helpless, their disadvantage worsening rapidly.
Similar situations were erupting everywhere.
Some were losing their composure due to anger, while others were acting irrationally out of confusion.
To put it bluntly──their behavior was utterly disgraceful.
But it was understandable.
Just like Aster before. These Class A members had almost no experience of being at a disadvantage.
So, they didn’t know how to act when cornered. They didn’t know how to turn the tide.
Their fragility in dire situations was a greater weakness than Hermes had anticipated, and it was being exploited to the fullest.
……However, Class A still showed some resolve.
No, it might not even be resolve. The actions they took when cornered were the same as before, merely becoming more desperate in wielding their Bloodline Magic.
But──in the sense of ‘forcing their only strength,’ it wasn’t necessarily a bad move. In fact, it was easier to handle if they had tried to counter with new tactics.
And simultaneously──to the extent that their brute force was effective, the gap created by the difference in Bloodline Magic was still overwhelming.
“Ugh!”
A Class B student, who had been overwhelming a Class A student moments ago, groaned in agony.
In contrast, the Class A student, trying to cover up their previous disadvantage, laughed loudly.
“Ha! It seems it was just for show at the beginning──take this!”
The Class A student hadn’t changed their fighting style at all. From the start, they had been relentlessly using big moves. Class B had been trying to prevent that──but they couldn’t block everything, and once a Class A student’s attack landed, the tide quickly turned.
“You thought you could bridge the gap between us chosen ones with some clever tricks? How foolish!”
The Class A student grew increasingly smug. Similar situations were occurring elsewhere.
And──if even one Class B student were to fall, the balance would instantly crumble. A freed Class A student joining the fray would lead to a quick collapse of the battle lines.
Even if Hermes and Nina, who were free to move, tried to cover it, there were over twenty risk points. The two of them couldn’t prevent everything.
At this rate, Class B would soon be overrun by the powerful Bloodline Magic──
──but.
(……It’s okay.)
Observing while flying around the battlefield, Hermes was confident in his heart.
Yes, this was within expectations. If anything, the initial overwhelming advantage was a fortunate surprise, and now things were just returning to normal.
And naturally, they had planned for this──or rather, the plan was based on this outcome.
Hermes remembered. After the first day of training, explaining the overall strategy to his classmates.
◆
“First, let me make this clear.”
After the first day’s training, as classmates lay exhausted on the ground,
Hermes, still catching his breath from close combat training with Nina, calmly declared,
“Even if you manage to complete this training, you probably won’t be able to defeat the A-class students.”
The classmates murmured.
“To be precise, you won’t be able to achieve a high win rate. At best, it’s fifty-fifty, and against some, you’ll be lucky to reach thirty percent. With just two weeks, that’s the limit of what we can achieve.”
“Th-then it’s pointless!”
The one who stood up and snapped was Albert, who had started training earlier.
“You said we could win if we specialized in defeating specific opponents!”
“…I’m sorry about that. It was difficult to explain at the time, so I intentionally withheld that information. Here, I’ll be clear. Even if you choose your opponents, or rather, only then will you see a chance. Unfortunately, the gap created by Bloodline Magic is a significant barrier.”
Negative words.
But still, there was no despair on the faces of the B-class students.
Because they knew. Hermes wouldn’t reveal negative information without a reason.
More specifically, they understood he had a strategy considering those facts.
The B-class students prompted him to continue with their gaze. Bowing his head slightly in appreciation of their quick understanding, Hermes continued.
“With that in mind, there are two things I want you to focus on. ‘Not getting easily defeated’ and ‘ensuring victory when you see a chance.'”
“…What do you mean?”
“The former is self-explanatory. The latter means it’s okay to win only once every two or three times. But when you get a chance to win, you must ensure it.”
Hearing this, the class was confused. …Then it’s pointless, they thought.
If everyone in the class had a fifty percent win rate, only fifteen would remain in a head-to-head match. And since they specialized in defeating specific opponents, they would inevitably lose when matched against each other.
Hermes acknowledged this obvious conclusion and answered.
“Rest assured. Winning once every two or three times is enough. In the real battle, you’ll have the exceptional opportunity for ‘multiple attempts.’ More specifically, as long as you’re not instantly defeated, you’ll get several chances. The most efficient training is to ensure you seize one of those opportunities.”
And as the conclusion, he stated…
“Because,” looking at one girl, he added with a slightly teasing tone,
“We have a saintess on our side.”
◆
“Bloodline Magic—[Ars Paulina]…”
A beautiful voice from the rear of the battlefield, a sound the B-class had longed to hear.
At the same time, blue light spread across the chaotic battlefield, precisely targeting only the B-class members who were on the verge of defeat.
The blue light instantly healed their injuries and fatigue. The B-class students, revived, attacked the A-class students again.
“What—?!”
The A-class students, startled, tried to fend off the attack, but the momentum pushed them back, and the roles reversed.
Similar scenes occurred elsewhere on the battlefield, and the B-class made a sudden comeback.
The A-class students quickly realized the cause and looked with envy and annoyance at the girl standing at the rear of the B-class formation, a blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl.
Yes.
She was the keystone of this strategy. The third irregular in B-class, following Hermes and Nina.
A genius with two Bloodline Magiccs. The guardian of the crystal and the other commander of B-class.
Sara von Hartmann raised her voice to encourage her struggling classmates.
“—It’s okay! You can do it, just believe and keep going!”
Her voice lacked authority or grandeur,
but she had nurtured bonds with the B-class students that more than made up for it.
The encouragement from the girl who had supported them more than anyone had the greatest effect in this situation.
“Even if things get dangerous, I’ll help! I won’t miss a single thing…”
And the other key to this strategy,
was her extraordinary tactical eye, able to precisely place her magic in the optimal spots in this chaotic melee.
Hermes had discovered this hidden talent in Sara during a direct confrontation, and now she reigned as the keystone of their formation.
“This is impossible…”
“Unbelievable, it can’t be—!”
The A-class was again unsettled.
The initial unexpected struggle had already shaken them. They were starting to believe they might lose if this continued.
And now, they realized that as long as Sara’s magic lasted, this assault would continue.
If they were overwhelmingly weak, repeated revivals wouldn’t matter. If it was just once, they could handle it.
But now, both elements were in play. The fear of a blade that could reach their throats being swung repeatedly.
This fear completely shattered the A-class students’ composure.
Thus, the tide of battle turned once more.
The gap in morale was enough to overturn the difference in skill. Even individually, the B-class had a good chance of winning, and in case of any danger, Hermes and Nina acted as insurance to ensure victory.
The perfect formation was complete. 27 individuals wielding their power, supported precisely by 3.
In a sense, it was a more perfect teamwork than the A-class, who prided themselves on it. The A-class’s defeat was becoming certain—
“…Well, they wouldn’t just let us win easily.”
But when Hermes muttered this with a bitter expression,
—purple light attacked all the B-class members at once.
The assailants were semi-transparent humanoid soldiers.
These soldiers swiftly attacked each B-class member, firing magical bullets with undeniable power.
Caught off guard by this unexpected reinforcement, the B-class students began to fight back, but soon realized.
These soldiers were abnormally tough. Even with their Bloodline Magic, they couldn’t inflict a single scratch with half-hearted attacks.
Perhaps they could be defeated with a concentrated full-force attack, but—the A-class students with powerful Bloodline Magic wouldn’t allow such an opportunity.
“What are these things—ugh!”
“This can’t be real—!”
Faced with overwhelming numbers, the B-class students were quickly put on the defensive.
Hermes and Nina hurriedly prevented a total collapse, but cracks were starting to form everywhere. With Hermes and Nina covering, Sara activated her reserve magic, [Theur Gy], to maintain the battle lines.
Barely managing to hold the line for a brief moment, Hermes and Nina stood back-to-back, looking in the same direction, and exchanged words lightly.
“She’s finally making her move.”
“Yes. …I had hoped she’d stay on the defensive a bit longer, though.”
Their gaze fell on a purple-haired girl walking calmly, leading countless soldiers.
The irregular of the A-class. The one who surpassed even the former second prince, the most powerful and feared magician of their generation, excluding Hermes.
A lone game-changer. The one who commands spirits, the embodiment of the Underworld Queen Trivia.
—Katia von Trakia. Finally, his master appears.
Faced with the most formidable opponent and the closest friend, who approached with terrifying dignity,
(…Now, the real challenge begins.)
Hermes, with a cold sweat and a smile, fueled his spirit and determination.