Chapter 349 - A Practice Match for True Strength
Club activities are truly a page of youth.
Unlike battles where life and death are on the line, these are peaceful contests, governed by strict rules. It’s a very clean world, far removed from the anything-goes realm.
A major stage will be used for the practice match between the two schools.
Preparations are progressing steadily, and the magic dolls are already in position on the stage. On the front side, the dull white dolls with green bibs form a circular formation, while on the back side, the pearl-colored dolls with orange bibs line up in two rows. From this setup, one can already guess the kind of group battle they are preparing for.
I ruminate on the rules I learned from the rulebook. After all, to exploit the rules, one must understand even the smallest details that others might overlook. To nitpick, one must fully understand the rules. This is necessary, even if it’s to protect oneself.
I don’t think the practice match will be that complicated, though. Probably.
The combat method for magic dolls involves equipping specialized weapons, and up to twenty-five dolls can participate in a group battle. There’s no problem if the number is less, but substitutions are not allowed during the match.
Each doll typically holds a spear or sword-like rod in one hand and a shield in the other. However, the rules allow for both hands to hold weapons, or for two shields, or even for a single weapon held with both hands.
The weapons must be chosen from a designated set, varying in size, weight, and length. Each school can select weapons that suit their preferences and strategies, which is a very interesting point.
The weapons lack sharp edges and have low lethality, but if they hit a doll, the affected part will stop functioning. A hit to the right arm will render it immobile, and a hit to the head or chest will result in a death judgment, completely immobilizing the doll. Of course, a mere graze won’t count; the attack must have significant force to be considered a hit. This functionality is a testament to the well-crafted magic dolls.
Today, the orange-bibbed dolls outnumber ours by seven, putting us at a numerical disadvantage. All the more exciting, isn’t it?
However, with a group, tactics and coordination can somewhat offset the disadvantage in equipment. The club president must have thought so. On the other hand, it might also lead to a crushing defeat. Let’s see how it goes.
"Evilbanshee-sensei, the preparations are complete. Would you like to say a few words?"
Oops, I completely got into observer mode.
Alright, if they want a pep talk from the advisor, I’ll give it my all. Standing in front of the neatly lined-up club members, I fold my arms and speak with authority.
"The difference in equipment and the lack of practice due to slacking off means we’re almost guaranteed to lose. But hey, it’s not a life-or-death battle. It’s just a practice match. This is a chance to test our skills against another school and identify our weaknesses. It’s a healthy club activity. So, relax and enjoy it."
The members look at me with a mix of surprise and confusion. Such gentle words are unexpected from my usual strict guidance.
Of course, I’m not about to send them off with such soft words.
"...A mediocre advisor might resort to such comforting words. But I have high expectations for you. So, listen up. If you lose, act as if your lives are on the line. Show them the difference in spirit!"
The members straighten their backs, their confused expressions turning resolute.
"I’ve always thought you lack the necessary desperation. Expecting a second chance is already a sign of defeat. I always think of every battle as a one-shot deal. Today’s match is today’s match. There is no tomorrow!"
We know we’re going to lose. But I want to see the spirit of determination. That’s my order.
"I’ve already given you the strategy. The rest is up to you. President, I won’t interfere. It’s all yours."
"Understood. Everyone, as the advisor said, this is a hopeless battle. We’re vastly outnumbered and outmatched. But we’ve set up this practice match for a reason. This trial is necessary for our future victories. When we face them, we’ll likely be shocked by the gap in skill. But we must never give up, not even at the last moment. If we lose here, there’s no coming back. We must approach this with the right mindset. We cannot embarrass ourselves in front of the Glams Academy students who have agreed to this match."
"Don’t worry, President. We won’t let our spirits be broken!"
"That’s right. We have nothing to lose. Let’s give it our all."
The responses are filled with determination. We’ll make the most of today’s loss. If we can, it will be a great learning experience.
"Then, let’s go."
The members have improved their expressions. From here on, I’ll watch and support them.
The students by the stage hold palm-sized control rods, ready to start. Despite our meager budget, we managed to get new control rods, which are slightly easier to operate, but that doesn’t change the disadvantage of our two-generation-old dolls.
An invisible magical cord connects the control rods to the magic dolls, allowing them to move. With high enough magical perception skills, the cords can be seen, but it’s usually unnecessary. The cords can stretch and contract freely, and they don’t break or tangle, making it a very well-designed system.
The win condition is simple: immobilize all of the opponent’s dolls. It’s a total annihilation battle.
The other side seems to be pumped up, probably thanks to their unpleasant advisor. They seem ready to go all out without holding back.
The referee, a Glams Academy student, will oversee the match. In a real competition, professional referees would handle it, but this is just a practice match.
The referee on the stage raises a large flag, and when it’s lowered, the match begins. Both sides are watching intently.
The flag is raised with a dramatic flourish and then brought down with a swift motion.
"Let’s finish this quickly!"
The other side’s president shouts, and the dolls in the horizontal formation start moving in unison, creating a spectacular sight. The performance gap between the latest and two-generation-old dolls is laughably large. They’re using a strategy that takes advantage of this.
"Stay focused on defense, just as we planned!"
Our president shouts back, quickly regaining composure despite the initial panic.
The defensive side forms a large shield wall, maintaining a circular formation. Given the significant difference in mobility, fighting the same way would be futile. They must hold their ground and look for any openings to counterattack. There’s no other way.
The performance gap becomes apparent only when you see it in action. This is going to be tough.
The group of green-bibbed dolls, tightly packed and holding their shields, is attacked by the orange-bibbed group. The latter uses their superior mobility and numbers to easily surround and repeatedly attack and retreat like waves. The dull, older dolls and their operators can’t handle the rapid attacks. They can only hide behind their shields and wait for the storm to pass.
But that’s fine. It’s the only thing they can do, and it allows them to focus on a simple strategy.
They endure, endure, and endure. The one-sided beating is pitiful, but as long as they don’t receive a decisive blow, they won’t give up. Let them have their fun.
The enemy moves freely, attacking repeatedly. The situation is so one-sided that defense is almost unnecessary. It’s more like they’re toying with us.
"Don’t break the formation, we can still do this!"
"Yes, ma’am!"
When the pressure of the attacks starts to affect the formation, the president quickly restores order. The shields form a solid, unbroken circle, deflecting slashes and thrusts.
The two-generation-old dolls are heavier and harder to move, requiring more magic power to operate, but they are also harder to push back.
The attackers, feeling good about their one-sided attacks, start to get impatient.
Our side, with the older dolls, consumes a lot of magic power, especially with fewer numbers and the constant defensive stance. Despite this, they hold their ground. Normally, the formation would have been shattered and overrun long ago. This battle would have ended without any surprises.
But they can’t break through. The solid defense leaves them flustered.
Even with high mobility and frequent attacks, the newer dolls consume a lot of magic power. The attackers start to panic as they realize they might run out of magic before they can break through.
For the Saint Emeralda Girls' Academy, which knows they can’t win, focusing on defense is simple and effective. They have no intention of attacking.
The chosen equipment is the largest shield and a short, light spear. The shield is the priority, and the spear is just for show. Even if they launch a heavy attack, it won’t hit. A few lucky hits won’t change the outcome. It’s a waste of effort.
This strategy is possible thanks to my guidance as the advisor.
While the magic power has increased, the gap between the two schools is still significant. Intensive training in magic perception and control has created this situation. We can hold out a bit longer in a battle that would normally be over in an instant.
Efficient magic use keeps the dolls in a defensive stance. They don’t need to move or swing weapons. They just need to hold their shields.
The intensive training has significantly reduced unnecessary magic consumption, making this kind of endurance strategy possible.
A very passive and pitiful strategy, targeting the enemy’s complacency and magic depletion. But if we can win, this is the only way.
"Retreat, reorganize the formation, and then go for a frontal assault!"
Of course, this isn’t the end for the favorites. They’re shifting from a mobility-based encirclement to a decisive attack.
Well, that’s to be expected. We’re going to lose. No one thought it would end so easily. The members already have a sense of defeat, but they also wear defiant smiles. All the better.
A concentrated charge from one direction is different from the scattered attacks in the encirclement. The numerical advantage and the pressure after the charge make it impossible to hold the formation. Changing to a different formation would leave them vulnerable to attacks from the sides and rear. This is how the battle was always meant to end.
The final charge, with the outcome already clear, begins.
Our side changes from a circular to a square formation and successfully deflects the first attack. But the center is gradually pushed back and the formation starts to crumble. When the enemy flanks them, the formation completely collapses.
The result was predictable. No matter how much determination they show, it’s futile.
The referee declares the winner, and the presidents shake hands before returning to their sides.
Despite knowing they would lose, the members look dejected and regretful. They should have known they would lose.
The members line up in front of me, waiting for my words of encouragement.
"Stand tall. It was a great match, and you didn’t give up until the last doll fell."
"...In the end, it was a one-sided battle."
"That might be true. But you were too polite. If you had taunted them more in the early stages, you could have made them waste even more magic power."
A strategy that might seem unsportsmanlike but is still within the rules.
The polite members chuckle, and the other side’s president approaches.
"May I offer some feedback?"
Feedback? I glance at the president, who whispers something to me.
Apparently, both presidents will go to the other side to discuss the match. It’s a time to get advice from the opposing captain. This is a common practice in practice matches. Our president heads over.
I have no choice. I don’t want to give advice to the enemy, but this is part of the club’s mutual improvement.
"...Ahem, your control skills were impressive. If I have to nitpick, it was your decision to fight our strategy. Using mobility against a less mobile opponent might have seemed like a good idea, but in the end, it was a poor choice."
"Yes, we were caught off guard."
"You’re strong, so you don’t need to adapt to your opponents. Regardless of who you face, impose your own style of fighting. Of course, this is just my opinion. Listen to your advisor’s advice. That’s my feedback."
"Thank you. It was helpful."
It’s a very brief and vague feedback. There are no questions, and I doubt it was very helpful.
The formation was set before the match, so the strategy should have been predictable. They chose to engage us, which might have been unexpected for them.
"Was that strategy your idea?"
My super-sensitive ears catch the feedback from the other side.
I might as well listen. Their advisor was a top player a few years ago and is known to be a good instructor.
"The circular formation was Evilbanshee-sensei’s suggestion. It was the best choice for our current level."
"Do you understand why we chose to engage you?"
"Yes, given the caliber of Glams Academy, I expected you to take the bait. Thank you for the opportunity to test our skills."
The president is remarkably composed, despite the loss.
Yes, she’s a lady who can hold her own in any situation.
"It’s a pleasure to have been of service to the prestigious Saint Emeralda Girls' Academy. However, this is a one-time exception. We would prefer not to practice with you again. Ah, by the way, what about the next match? Is one enough? What does Rains, the vice president, think?"
"Well, Parker-sensei, we have six matches with strong schools tomorrow. I think it’s time to focus on that preparation."
"That’s settled then. In the future, please practice with opponents more suited to your level."
The polite words are a thinly veiled insult. Even more frustrating, they’re laughing at us.
The president, who has been polite and composed, seems to be losing her cool. I can see the irritation in her eyes from a distance.
Our president maintained her dignity and propriety, despite the provocation. Given the circumstances, they all behaved admirably. But the other side is getting too full of themselves.
Noble ladies should be able to handle sarcasm and insults with grace, but there’s a clear difference in status. This isn’t a public setting, but it’s still a club match. I wonder if their former top player and their students feel entitled to act superior. They probably think they deserve respect from a lower-ranked club.
They might be right. In a student club match, status doesn’t matter. They are the higher-ranked team, and we are the lower-ranked team. Acting superior is their privilege. But it’s still annoying.
No, if we’re talking about status, I am the highest-ranked person here. I’m the strongest, and they shouldn’t be allowed to belittle the Saint Emeralda Girls' Academy just because they don’t know my true strength.
This is the time for the advisor to step in. We represent the Saint Emeralda Girls' Academy, and we can’t let such disrespectful behavior go unchallenged.
I hate being underestimated. Insulting my students is the same as insulting me. I’ll give them a taste of their own medicine. A little payback is in order.
"Hermira, that’s enough. Come back!"
I call back the president, who was about to respond assertively, in a no-nonsense tone.
The president, a well-mannered lady, doesn’t need to deal with such fools. I’ll handle them.
"...Parker-sama, excuse me."
The president, a well-mannered lady, politely withdraws.
Facing the members, I speak loudly enough for the other side to hear.
"There’s no point in listening to the half-hearted feedback from those people. We’ll train harder and come back stronger!"
"Yes, indeed. Fighting Evilbanshee-sensei alone is a much tougher challenge."
"True. When we calm down, we realize it wasn’t as impressive as we thought."
"Two-generation-old dolls can do that much, so one match is enough. Since they want us to leave, let’s go."
I smirk, and the members, understanding the situation, immediately agree.
"By the way, Sensei, how long would it take you to win the previous match?"
I confidently answer the president, who looks at me with hopeful anticipation.
"Well, if they were as cocky as before, I’d take about three seconds per doll. For twenty-five dolls, maybe a minute. Easy win."
"Of course, Evilbanshee-sensei!"
"Indeed, that sounds about right!"
I’ll rile them up, and they’ll come at me.
This is a challenge I can’t ignore. I’ll accept it.
I am Hermira Carrington, the president of the Saint Emeralda Girls' Academy. A lady who can hold her own in any situation.
Next time, in "Restraint is Key... Or Was It?", the advisor steps in.