Chapter 139


    The game moved on quickly.


    With both teams reduced to less than half, ss As main cannonMeilynwas unleashing an onught of attacks.


    Her target was Serene, hiding in the corner of the court and tauntingly at ease.


    However, Meilyn never seeded.


    "Agh!"


    "Kuhugh!"


    The moment the ball was about to head toward Serene, other ss C students rushed in and defended her with their bodies.


    Judging from the forlorn expressions of the students who were knocked out after being hit by the ball, they likely didn''t intend to do so. Serene must''ve been controlling them with her feathers.


    ''Ugh, I really don''t like her!''


    Meilyn gnashed her teeth. It annoyed her that Serene treated the equal Kizen students like her pawns.


    And what annoyed her the most was


    <em>Flutter.</em>


    Serene shook the outer garment Simon had wrapped around her waist as if showing off her trophies.


    ''I really want to rip it off.''


    Every now and then, she wanted to shoot live fire, not a ball, in her blind fury. But she knew that was what Serene wanted, so she had no choice but to endure it.


    "S-Serene."


    ss C was also in trouble because of Serene.


    The male student leading ss Cs attack finally spoke up, not able to bear it anymore.


    "I told you to refrain from using Hideo as a shield. He''s an essential supporter."


    At those words, Serene kicked the ball off the ground and toward the student, saying,


    "Just go and attack."


    ""


    This was bad. Serene wasn''t even remotely interested in this match.


    They were relieved to see her eagerly listening to the Combat Dark Magic ss when with that guy in ss A, but she immediately returned to her original state afterward.


    ''Ugh. Our team with Serene needs to win no matter what. How are we going to deal with ss A once they get a taste of victory?''


    The student looked around.


    The only ss A student who could draw her attention, Simon Polentia, unfortunately didn''t appear this round.


    Although him being disappointed by that fact wasn''t normal to begin with.


    ''It''s so damn hard to be a leader with a selfish princess in the ss.''


    ss C was alreadypletely under Serene''s control. The whole ss may as well be part of her faction.


    That''s why no one could speak out against Serene''s disinterest. They were just checking in on her behaviour and hoping shed feel better.


    That being said, even if you wanted to be close to Serene, it was also a difficult problem.


    ording to the girls who eat with her, the memory of eating with Serene often disappearspletely.


    The ones who can recall the memories after talking with her often say they don''t know why they said such things.


    Maniption of emotions.


    She was the core of ss C, but no one in ss C considered her a true friend.


    And it was the same for her. She didn''t necessarily want to have a close rtionship with anyone. If she felt offended or ufortable, she''d just send her feathers to control whoever she was speaking with.


    ''I don''t know what happened to her, but shes twisted.''


    The boy''s eyes shifted.


    He saw the face of Simon Polentia, that Special Admission No.1 from ss A.


    A pang of jealousy worked its way up inside him.


    This was the one who Serene considered an equal? Was no one in ss C worthy to her?


    "Ah, what are you doing? Make it quick."


    Brett''s grumbling voice pulled the student out from his thoughts.


    "Ah, yes! Sorry."


    Being a Combat Dark Magic aspirant, he threw the ball with all his might.


    Rick crouched down in preparation to catch the ball, but unfortunately, it hit his stomach and bounced out.


    "Gosh! You dumbass!"


    The student looked at the screaming girl.


    ''Come to think of it, there was someone from the Ivory Tower in ss A, too, right? Was it Meilyn Villenne?''


    She was also arrogant and an individualist, as expected from a person from the Ivory Tower, but her atmosphere was different to Serenes.


    "How can you not catch that after showing off so much?"


    "It''s because you didn''t do ''that'' pose every time your attack seeded."


    "Die!!"


    "Ahahaha!"


    Meilyn was also bossy, arrogant, and wanted the spotlight all to herself. But strangely, the ss A students didn''t look displeased with her. No, they were rather friendly.


    ''They''re from same the Tower, though. ss A better realise they got lucky.''


    Meilyn grabbed the ball and walked up to the front, forcing the student to pay attention again.


    "Anyway, I guess I have to avenge my group member, don''t I?"


    Meilyn pointed at Serene with the same hand she held the ball in.


    "How long are you going to use your meat shields? Come forward."


    At those words, Serene gave a childish grin.


    "I don''t wanna~ Seri is scared of getting hit."


    "Ugh! I really fucking hate you!"


    Meilyn crouched down and turned her throwing arm palm up. Everyone in ss C braced themselves.


    ''Her support enchanting the ball is out. What is she going to do by herself?''


    <em>Crack.</em>


    A change was happening to Meilyn''s ball. Serene''s expression, which had remained the same the entire match, finally changed.


    <em>Crack. Crackle. Pop.</em>


    The ball in Meilyn''s hand was beginning to freeze. Students all the way on the other side of the court were shiverring.


    "Hmm."


    Serene came forward with a foxy smile.


    "Meilyn, have you finally let go of that useless pride?"


    "Shut up."


    The ball in her hand gradually turned into a block of ice. She had to bring both hands in to support the weight. A sheet of ice formed across the ground under the ball like frost.


    ''Interesting.''


    Excluding her unique ability, when using the jet-ck elementalism system, Serene''s specialty was fire. She could fire twenty Dark res at once.


    On the other hand, Meilyn was a little better at ice than fire, but she didn''t use it for anything other than defense.


    She had been intentionally weakening herself. Meilyn once said to Serenes face that she''d defeat her with fire.


    "Sigh."


    Steam poured out of Meilyn''s mouth. Then, she pulled back her hands clutching the ball, ready to throw it.


    All of ss Cs team tensed up.


    "I didn''t change my mind. I''ll be stronger than anyone else, and I''ll defeat you before I graduate from Kizen."


    "Mhm, mhm! Good luck~"


    "But in getting stronger, there''s no need for me to be tied down to just you."


    Her gaze moved to Simon.


    "Oh my, I''m so proud of you~ Then I''ll have to give you a special prize."


    Serene gave a meaningful re to her team, who all nodded and backed away.


    "Hiyaaaaaaaaah!"


    Meilyn even let out a battle cry as she hurled the frozen ball at Serene.


    Serene calmly took out a feather from the tip of her index finger. But the moment she was about to throw it at the ball


    "?"


    Suddenly, she slipped, and the arm that was supposed to throw the feather was now facing the wrong direction.


    Because of Meilyn''s ice magic, an ice sheet had formed on the ground.


    ''Oh my?''


    As Serene slipped, Meilyn''s ball hit Serene in the forearm and bounced away.


    "Woooooaaaaah!"


    The entirety of ss A let out a huge cheer. Meilyn also clenched her fists and let out a loud cry of joy. Serene, who slipped on the ice, blinked in bewilderment.


    The shock from the ss C students was more than that.


    "S-Serene was!"


    "Taken down just like that"


    Serene scratched the side of her head, still a bit dazed. Then, when she met eyes with her ssmates, she yfully stuck out her tongue and smiled.


    ''Ah''


    ''Imma just p her at this point. I dont care what happens.''


    Serene brushed off her skirt and walked out of the court without grudges. As everyone in ss A was cheering


    "ss A, Meilyn Villenne, disqualified."


    Brett''s unenthusiastic voice rang out.


    At the sudden decision, blood rushed to Meilyns face and she turned to Brett.


    "Why?!"


    "Did you not hear the rules properly? Affecting the opposing team will result in disqualification. She just slipped on your ice sheet."


    "Aaaaagh!"


    In the end, Meilyn was also counted as out. She screamed, "I didn''t do it on purpose!" but Simon and Camibarez dragged her off the court.


    The remaining 7:5 situation after ss Cs counterattack without the aces led to a slog where they just took each other down each throw.


    <em>Fweeeet!</em>


    Brett blew the whistle.


    "Winner, ss A."


    It was ss A''s victory, with a difference of two people. The morale of the ss A students skyrocketed, and they jumped in joy, congratting themselves.


    On the other hand, ss C was deathly silent at the defeat of Serene, whom they trusted.


    "I didn''t expect the weakest to win."


    "Now we just have to win one of the two remaining rounds, right?"


    "Come on, let''s go!"


    * * *


    * * *


    In the next round, both ss A and C sent out their moderate-strength teams.


    ss A was the team with the most depth, with Cindy, Jamie, and Camibarez.


    However.


    <em>Pooow!</em>


    <em>Thud!</em>


    "Woooaaah!"


    An unexpected dark horse appeared.


    "Who''s that bastard?!"


    Ivan Varshani from ss C.


    A former boxer and current Combat Dark Magic aspirant.


    Kizens self-proimed speedster.


    He was also Meilyns opponent in her first Duel Evaluation.


    "Huff!"


    He activated Jet-ck Eruption and even caught balls flying toward other students.


    In this game where defense was the key, all of the ss A''s attacks were being blocked.


    ss Cs lead increased ordingly, ending in sess.


    This match was truly Ivan''s stage.


    ''Are you watching, Meilyn Villenne!''


    Ivan''s eyes turned to Meilyn, who standing outside the court, arms crossed and head hung low.


    ''The defeat you gave me is what made me who I am today!''


    Ivan blocked a whopping 5 attacks.


    In the end, Ivan reached his body''s limit and fell to the ground. Immediately he was elimated from ss A''s counterattack.


    Still, all of ss C apuded him because he achieved more than anyone else could.


    ''Haah, I''m so proud. I really did my best.''


    On his way out of the court, he saw Meilyn and Simon talking.


    "Did you see that, Meilyn!!"


    Shouted Ivan, pointing with determination.


    "I''m also in the upper squad with thest Duel Evaluation! Look forward to the revenge match!"


    She frowned.


    "Who do you think you are, talking to me? Do I know you?"


    "!!"


    Ivan''s face turned red.


    "Your first opponent in the Duel Evaluation!"


    "Oh, is that so? Sorry, I dont really remember the chaff. Good game."


    Meilyn waved him away.


    Ivan was so embarrassed that he couldn''t even refute her, and he ended up trudging toward ss C. Praise poured in like a crowd weing back its local hero, but Ivan trudged on nheless.


    The match was waning.


    Cindy Vivace was also knocked out for nothing, not being able to use her etherealization, and other students also got out trying to catch the ball.


    "Everyone, focus! Its not over till its over!"


    Shouted Jamie, the ss president.


    Then, her eyes turned to where ss C threw the ball to the side in a wide arc.


    "Watch out, Cami!"


    Fearing the ball that woulde flying in out of nowhere, Cami took up a shakey stance in a vain attempt to defend.


    <em>Thud!</em>


    Then, from nowhere, a male student jumped in and got hit by the ball instead.


    "Kugh!"


    "A-Are you alright?"


    Surprised, Camibarez came running with tears in her eyes.


    "Because of me"


    The ce where the ball hit hurt, but the male student felt his heart melt at Camis sincerity. He smiled and gave a thumbs up.


    "Yeah, I''m fine!"


    ss C continued to attack Camibarez, but male students came out of nowhere each time to take the attack instead of her or defend it.


    Camibarez was about to cry as another one got hit in the face and fell.


    "Uwah! Sorry!"


    The ss C students who saw this bizarre scene whispered to each other in shock.


    "What''s with her? Is she the Serene of ss A?"


    "Maybe she can use dark mind magic!"


    "Mind magic? But from what I''ve heard, she''s from that ''Urs'' family."


    "By the way, isn''t she a little cute?"


    Camibarez walked over and picked up the ball that fell on the ground.


    "I-I''ll avenge you!"


    She yelled as she worked up her resolve. Explosive cheers and words of encouragement poured out from the ss A students outside the court.


    Camibarez situation was a rarity in Kizen.


    Transcending factions and rivalries, the 16-year-old Camibarez was being treated like the younger sister of the entirity of ss A.


    "Hah!"


    Camibarez sent the ball high into the air. Then, she got down on one knee and closed her hands together like a gun.


    "I''m sorry!"


    Flinging her hands back from the recoil, a bright red bullet shot out of her fingertips. It hit the falling ball and fired it at iprehendible speeds.


    It was aimed off the court, but soon it changed direction and knocked a student over.


    "Ah!"


    "It worked!"


    "Camiiiiiiiiiiiiii!"


    A cheer louder than when Serene was eliminated erupted from the stands.


    She bowed her head apologetically at the student before smiling abashedly at the students cheering off the court.


    "Well done, Cami!"


    Simon also shouted. Her face then melted like the snow in spring, and a bright smile bloomed like the beautiful flowers that take that snows ce.


    "Simon~ I got one!"


    She delightedly jumped up and down.


    Simon waved back with a smile.


    ''Hm? Is it just my imagination, or is the back of my head suddenly very hot?''


    The burning gazes of numerous men were piercing the back of Simon''s head.


    "Come on, hurry up. Next attack!"


    Shouted Brett to speed up the game, yawning soon after.


    <em>Thud!</em>


    <em>Pow!</em>


    Camibarez and Jamie struggled and fought hard, but ss Cs lead was already too great. They continued their volleys without a major reversal and won the round.


    The overall score was 1:1.


    It was finally the third round.


    "Last round. Everyone who wasnt in thest two,e out."


    The students warming up rushed into the court at Brett''s words.


    It was thest match, so they had to fight hard, but the members of ss Cs team found it hard to even imagine victory.


    The presence of the two students standing in the front and stretching was that overwhelming.


    ''Woah, shit''


    ''How do we beat them?''


    It was quite an unfamiliar pairing.


    Special Admission No.1, Simon and Hector of the Moore family were on the same court and on the same team. From the point of view of ss A, who wanted to win, it was an exciting sight.


    The two people stretching met each others eyes.


    ""


    If looks could kill, then Hector wouldve been convicted of murder.


    "Don''t pull your face like that, Hector."


    A vein immediately popped out of Hector''s neck at Simons single, calm sentence.


    He strode closer to Simon, puffing his chest. Simon didn''t back down and raised his chin. The other students on the court stopped them in fright.


    "Hey! Hey! They''re at it again!"


    "You guys are on the same team today!"


    An extreme ipatibility.


    The ss A students btedly started to worry.


    ''Can they really y as a team?''