Chapter 439 - One Day, the Academy Will Be Called the Eternal Champions
"The Edith Squad, fall back a bit, you're pushing too far!"
"The Sigurdnaught Squad is spreading out too much! The Chelsea Squad isn't attacking enough!"
On the noisy watchtower, the voices of Club President Hermira and Vice-President Mildree stood out, commanding the entire force. Hermira's voice, graceful yet commanding, and Mildree's, cute yet powerful, were clear and easy to hear. In more ways than one, they seemed well-suited to be leaders.
Despite their usual ladylike behavior, they showed a fierce side once in battle. Glancing at the overwhelmingly unfavorable conditions, it was clear they were holding their own better than expected. They were doing a great job.
The Magic Dolls of the three opposing schools worked together seamlessly, focusing their attacks solely on Saint Emeralda Girls' Academy. Their cooperation was blatant, but such a scenario was certainly possible in a real match.
That's why they had been prepared for this kind of fight against overwhelming odds. To achieve their high goals, they needed the strength to turn back any disadvantage. This strength wasn't just about magical abilities but also about flexible tactics, mental resilience, and intelligence. Only a group possessing all these qualities could become the undisputed champions.
Saint Emeralda Girls' Academy had decided early on not to engage in joint operations with other schools. Forming alliances was difficult and required constant vigilance against betrayal, making it a complex endeavor even when successful.
Under the new rules, the Magic Doll battles were in a Battle Royale format, with only the top school advancing. Friendly cooperation wasn't an option.
They had to be wary of betrayal, no matter how nicely it was framed. In battle, the one who struck first often had the upper hand. Even with detailed agreements, the situation could change, and actions had to be taken to win.
Sticking to agreements when the odds of losing were high was foolish. Trust was fundamentally impossible in such high-stakes matches.
If I were them, I would betray at the moment they least expected it, striking when they were most confident. That would be the perfect opportunity for a decisive victory.
Strong schools might want to team up to increase their chances of winning. I understand that feeling.
But in a Battle Royale where only the first place advances, the ruthless and determined were more likely to win. The spirit of total commitment to victory was what the goddess of victory smiled upon.
If another school wanted to ally with Saint Emeralda Girls' Academy, they needed to be prepared. Our school, known for its penchant for betrayal, would never complain when betrayed but would always strike back.
At the most inopportune moment, they would always betray. They wouldn't rely on anyone else, always aiming to win with their own strength.
Their goal was only to be first.
This attitude was refreshingly befitting of champions.
Eventually, no one would want to team up with them. So, they could afford to exclude such alliances from the start. They didn't need to propose alliances.
Instead, they could meet any challenge head-on, and it would make no difference. They needed to mentally outmaneuver their opponents, ensuring they never fell behind in a one-on-one confrontation. Mental advantages in battle were crucial.
They could also pressure enemies planning alliances to be wary of their backs.
They could turn their opponents' advantages into disadvantages.
It wasn't easy, but to reach the top, such skills were essential. Being able to handle such complexities was what made someone a champion.
They might not be able to do it now, but under my guidance, they would. They were surrounded by a threefold enemy, yet they were far from defeated.
In fact, they were holding their own quite well.
"Don't try to finish them off recklessly; maintain your formation!"
"Their desperation is showing! They rely on numbers and move carelessly. Just hitting them back will do. Also, try to conserve your mana!"
The president and vice-president made a great team. They had a clear overview of the battle.
They waited in a strategic location surrounded by stone walls to prevent the enemy from charging in. Being surrounded wasn't as scary when the enemy lacked momentum.
The absence of the deceptive bird-type magical devices probably played a role, along with their unexpected resilience, causing the enemy to become frustrated and flustered.
Objectively speaking, their basic Magic Doll operation skills were on par with top schools. Their endurance and persistence were even better.
Still, about a quarter of their dolls had fallen, and the beginners had dropped out. But they had also taken out a significant number of enemies.
Without counting, it was clear they had taken out more than they had lost.
The fallen dolls created obstacles for the attackers, making it harder for them to advance. It almost seemed like the enemy was aiding Saint Emeralda Girls' Academy in their defense.
While the sturdy dolls wouldn't break from being stepped on, it must be psychologically distressing to see one's own or allies' dolls being trampled.
The curly-haired girl was adept at exploiting this. She casually stepped on the faces of enemy dolls, provoking them into attacking, making them easier targets.
Among their defensive tactics, her squad had taken down the most enemies.
"Pah, only fools fall for such simple tricks. Sigurdnaught and Chelsea, feel free to come this way!"
Indeed. Disrupt the enemy's focus.
Even in a battle where the operators don't physically engage, the mental state of the handlers matters. Fear and anger can influence their control, and provocations can work. A distracted enemy is easily trapped.
The battle had reached a stalemate. The concentration required was commendable for the first match, but in a timed event, one mustn't get too caught up.
Without calculating the remaining time and the number of surviving dolls, victory would be elusive. The three other schools were clearly losing their composure.
The forty-five-minute match ended with a signal of light magic.
The order of the surviving dolls would determine the ranking. The magical device monitoring the battlefield instantly revealed the numbers.
All communication was done via light magic. The start and end of the match, and even the defeat of a school, were signaled this way.
The winning team's bib color was displayed at the end. The sky lit up with a bright blue light, indicating the victor.
Blue represented the eastern watchtower, and thus our Saint Emeralda Girls' Academy.
"Alright!"
I couldn't help but voice my excitement. Victory always felt good.
But I hadn't expected them to win first place in this initial match.
"We did it! We won, Teacher!"
The members rejoiced on the watchtower. I nodded in agreement but reminded them to stay focused.
"You did well. But it's just the first match, and you have at least five more. They'll regroup for the next one."
"Understood. Everyone, the second match starts soon. Return your dolls to their positions and share any concerns."
"We don't have much time, hurry up!"
"I'm just noticing, but the break between matches is awfully short, isn't it?"
"It's part of the harassment, designed to keep us from regrouping and to force continuous losses. But we countered that pretty quickly."
The three schools probably weren't planning to regroup or reflect. They had likely intended to overwhelm us unilaterally. What would they do after losing?
I hadn't expected them to use the same tactic, but neither did I expect them to fight normally. I had told Hermira they would regroup, but who knew what would happen.
I thought the next match might be delayed, but the signal for the start came soon after.
The external referees, managing the magical devices, ensured a smooth flow.
Our unexpected victory, while likely to be demoralizing for the three schools, meant they were grappling with a significant mental blow.
Usually, they would need time to regroup. The members who were supposed to win couldn't help but be shaken, and even the advisors might struggle to stay calm.
That's what made unexpected victories so exciting.
However, despite this, the strong schools should be able to regroup. One-sided victories, while satisfying, weren't good for practice. I looked forward to the next match.
But then,
"The three schools show no movement."
"Worse, they can't even form their ranks. Do they have any spirit left?"
My sister and the curly-haired girl pointed out the obvious.
The second match had already started, yet the enemy was unprepared.
My expectations were quickly dashed. I had hoped to see something worthy of top schools.
"Mildree, it doesn't feel like a trap, does it?"
"If it were a ruse, it would be impressive. But it doesn't seem like it."
"Then let's strike. We'll take the initiative this time."
"Sounds good. Let's attack from the west?"
"Agreed. But once we move, they'll react. They might regroup."
"True, but we'll take them down before they can. This time, we'll show our speed!"
The members, already forming their ranks, were waiting for the command. They were ready to move west.
"Everyone, commence the attack!"
The dolls moved swiftly.
"Observe the enemy's movements and aim for their Flagship Machine if possible. Once down, head for the southern watchtower immediately."
"We'll take them all out before they can regroup!"
We would turn the tables on the schools that had conspired to crush us, even aiming to break their spirits.
The damage from such a reversal would be severe. And they would suffer it thoroughly. That's the way champions fight.
From there, it was quick.
The route to the west, with fewer obstacles, was visible from all watchtowers, but the shaken enemy was slow to respond.
Saint Emeralda Girls' Academy, superior in speed, capitalized on this, increasing the enemy's disarray.
"This is just as bad as using allies as shields to escape! Edith, keep pushing them and finish them off!"
"Got it, Edith."
"The two squads, take them down. Sigurdnaught, disrupt the remaining enemies!"
"Once done, head for the southern watchtower. No time to rest, everyone!"
There was no break in a Battle Royale. Whether attacking or defending, one must always be vigilant against opportunistic opponents and prepare for the next fight.
The western watchtower was almost certain to fall, and the forces at the southern and northern watchtowers had yet to act.
Based on this, it seemed possible to defeat them sequentially.
The three schools, despite their initial confidence, had faltered, likely due to the poor leadership or the early defeat of key members.
Still, the second match would be a dominant victory for us, and there would be more matches to come.
This would likely break their spirits. If so, it would be good to weaken our rivals before the main event.
The next phase unfolded quickly.
Edith's squad chased and Chelsea's squad ambushed the Flagship Machine, taking down the western watchtower swiftly.
The southern watchtower, seeing this, tried to defend but was overwhelmed by our dispersed and overwhelming attack from three sides. The broken Flagship Machine in the center was easily targeted and destroyed.
The northern watchtower, advancing halfway, was caught off guard by a flanking attack from the Sigurdnaught squad, and their Flagship Machine was eliminated. They had been completely unaware of their surroundings.
We had exploited their confusion and lack of coordination to take them down one by one.
These so-called top schools were laughable in this state.
In the first match, despite the three schools' combined efforts, they had lost, and we won due to our higher number of surviving dolls.
In the second match, the three schools were so disoriented that we dominated the fight and claimed victory.
We hadn't even needed to use our secret magical device, which could have been a game-changer.
This wasn't the kind of practice I had hoped for. The third match would need to be better. I almost wanted to cheer them on, though it was unseemly.
Winning against weak opponents wouldn't yield much. Getting too complacent would weaken their training resolve. Truly.
The practice matches would continue a bit longer.