NEXT DAY: AT AZURE TEMPEST(FOREST)

At the edge of the forest, all the first-year students gathered, arranged in rows akin to Class-A~Class-B~Class-C formations.

Despite the structured arrangement, all eyes were inevitably drawn to Asta, who stood clad in the same clothes he had purchased the day before, but his blindfold replacing his purple glasses.

'I used to be one of them, admiring pretty girls. So, I can kinda relate,' she remarked, acknowledging the gaze directed towards her.

Considering his audience, Scarlett's pondered, 'Perhaps, as a fellow man, I should cater to their desires.'

With a mischievous grin, Scarlett turned to face the assembled boys, striking an enticing erotic pose before playfully blowing a flying kiss in their direction.

The sight left every heart in the vicinity aflutter, Scarlett's actions eliciting an undeniable. 'Hahaha! How was that? I don't even need to ask; their eyes tell me everything,' she chuckled confidently.

'But I won't be doing that again,' she added, with a hint of finality.

Surveying the landscape ahead, Scarlett's attention shifted. "They said the competition would take place in a mid-large forest, but what the hell is this?, It's fucking big as Amazon."

As the anticipation swirled among the students, Professor Peneer Breathwate's voice cut through the air, commanding attention.

"Now, each team will enter the forest individually, with a three-minute gap between each entry, heading in different directions. Once all teams have entered, the competition will commence," he declared, setting the stage for the challenge ahead.

"And one final note," he continued, "the competition period will last two and a half hours. So, give it your all in your quest to find the ruin stone."

Scarlett's expression was a mix of curiosity and excitement as she absorbed the instructions. "So, there will be monsters inside the forest too," she thinked aloud, her excitement palpable. "They've never taken me monster hunting before, so this will be my first time. Finally, I'll get to see monsters in real life."

With determined resolve, each team began to enter the forest one by one, their determination to emerge victorious evident in their every step.

As Scarlett and her team ventured into the forest, Aoto proposed a strategic suggestion. "How about we split up and go in different directions? It'll help us cover more ground faster."

Princess readily agreed, adding, "Yes, let's do that. But who will go where?"

Aoto, asserting his rationale, replied, "Since Nova and I are the strongest ones here, I'll head left, and Nova will go straight. The three of you can go right as a group."

However, Princess interjected with a touch of aggression, "Why can't I go alone? I'm stronger than Nova-san."

Aoto, puzzled, questioned her assertion. "How so?"

Confidently, Princess explained, "Nova-san, you have a talent for fire magic, right? Try burning me with fire."

Their confusion turned to shock as Scarlett attempted to ignite Princess with her fire magic, only to find that nothing happened. Scarlett, visibly surprised, questioned, "How?"

Princess elaborated, revealing her protection bracelet's ability to resist intermediate-level magic from every element. "I have a bracelet with intermediate-level magic protection from every element.

"You have a lot of mana but no talent, without affinity the tempreture of your fire will not go up. Someone with even a little protection from fire can't be harmed by you."

"Just like you can't kill someone who knows how to swim by drowning them in water. That's why In terms of magic I'm stronger."

But instead of panic, Scarlett's face broke into a grin. With a heavy voice, she responded, "You're too overconfident in your talent, Princess."

"Ignite"

Scarlett's again casted the same spell but this time princess's hand started burning despite having protection bracelet. Princess screamed in pain as her hand burned but Aoto quickly intervened, using his healing magic to alleviate her injuries.

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As Princess's heart raced and sweat dotted her forehead, she stammered, "How did you do that?"

Scarlett replied nonchalantly, "You asked me to increase the temperature, so I did. This world is full of idiots; just combine fire with temperature and a combustible material like petrol or sodium or sulfur and boom... easy-peasy."

Even after Scarlett's explanation, Except Aoto, no one understood what she wanted to say, but the main thing was that the princess's debate was over so everyone went on the same path as Aoto had said.

30 MINUTES LATER

As Princess Ingrassia, Elminia, and Richard ventured deeper into the forest, their path devoid of both students and monsters, Richard's keen eye caught sight of a treasure box nestled in the foliage ahead.

"Hey, everyone, look at that box. It must contain the ruin stone," he exclaimed, excitement tingling in his voice.

Princess, ever cautious, responded, "Yes, it's possible. But let's proceed with caution. There may be traps or other teams nearby."

As they cautiously approached the box, the sound of approaching footsteps disrupted their focus. Suddenly, a student from another team leaped from the trees, landing squarely in front of them, mirroring their position in relation to the treasure box.

Princess's eyes widened in recognition. "Irish Heartfilia?"

A collective gasp escaped their lips as they realized the identity of the intruder.

Richard, also recognizing her, chimed in, "You were the one who went shopping with us that day, weren't you?"

Irish responded with a simple smile tinged with anxiety, "Y-yeah, I didn't know it was you. You guys can keep this one. I'm going to find another one."

As she turned to leave in search of another stone, Richard's voice cut through the air with aggression. "Wait a minute. Are you looking down on us?"

Irish, puzzled, turned back to face them. "W-w-what?"

Richard's anger flared as he accused, "Are you looking down on us? You said it as if you were giving it to us as charity."

Despite Princess and Elminia's attempts to intervene, Richard pressed on. "Let's fight one on one. The winner will take the ruin stone."

Irish's patience wore thin, and she let out a sigh filled with sorrow. "Sigh... If you want to fight that much, then all three of you have to come together."

'Sorry, Nova-san, they were your friends, so I let them take the ruin stone. But now, I don't think they're worthy of being your friends."

Princess and Elminia bristled at Irish's bold response.

Princess, with a hint of aggression, retorted, "Irish, are you really looking down on us? My light magic is a grave weakness to your dark magic."

Irish replied with cool indifference, "Do you want to fight or not?"

All three of them assumed their stances, readying themselves for the impending confrontation. Princess's voice cut through the tension, her determination evident. "I didn't wanted to, but now I want to crush your overconfidence."

However, instead of coordinating their efforts as a team, Richard impulsively charged at Irish, utilizing his wind magic to enhance his speed. Closing the distance swiftly, he aimed a vicious strike at her neck with his sword, his words dripping with contempt. "Who will care if a low-class noble dies here?"

To his astonishment, a black aura coalesced around Irish's palms as she effortlessly caught his sword as if it were a mere trinket

"Dark magic: Rust"

she intoned, casting her spell upon the blade clasped in her hand. In an instant, Richard's once formidable sword crumbled into rust, disintegrating under her power.

His heart pounding with fear, sweat glistening on his forehead, Richard was overcome with disbelief. "Impossible... My strongest sword broke like it was nothing."

The confrontation escalated as Irish seized Richard by the neck, effortlessly hoisting him into the air with her sheer physical might.

A menacing grin twisted her features, fueled by burning aggression as she addressed him. "It was you, wasn't it? The one who always looked at Nova-san lustfully. It's time for punishment."

Richard struggled desperately against her iron grip, but Irish's strength proved insurmountable.

Meanwhile, Elminia and Princess, panicked by the dire situation, unleashed their spells in a frantic attempt to free Richard.

Princess summoned forth her water magic with a cry. "Aqua dragon!" A towering dragon comprised of water materialized and surged toward Irish, while Elminia invoked her intermediate-level magic. "Fire bolt: Barrett!" A searing bolt of crimson fire hurtled towards the assailant.

However, before their spells could make contact, Irish moved with lightning speed, landing a barrage of punches on Richard in a fraction of a second. He didn't even have a chance to scream as his face was battered beyond recognition, blood painting his features in a gruesome tableau.

With a final, devastating kick to Richard's belly, Irish sent him hurtling through the forest, crashing into trees with bone-crunching force until he lay unconscious amidst the foliage.

Without wasting a moment, Irish unleashed her magic once more. "Dark magic: Nullification!" A black wormhole materialized, sucking in Princess's and Elminia's magic with a sinister pull, nullifying their spells in an instant...

Irish unsheathed her sword, its sinister aura enveloping her like a demonic spirit, causing Princess and Elminia to shiver in its presence.

With a chilling grin, Irish taunted, her voice dripping with malice. "You wanted to crush my overconfidence? Then why are you shivering? The overconfident ones here are you royals. I bet you've never bled a day in your pampered lives."

Ignoring her words, Elminia turned to Princess with a plan. "Ingrassia-san, I'll cast physical strengthening magic on you. You go defeat her."

Princess nodded in agreement, but before Elminia could even begin her spell, Irish struck with her own dark magic. "Soul magic: soul binding." Elminia's body tensed, as if an invisible force threatened to crush her heart if she moved even a fraction.

"Now, you're the only one left, Princess," Irish remarked, her voice dripping with confidence.

With her sword imbued with light magic, Princess charged towards her adversary. Their movements were swift and precise as they exchanged blows, the clash of swords echoing through the forest.

As the fight raged on, Princess began to tire, but she noticed something peculiar: each time her sword clashed with Irish's, the black magic surrounding her weakened slightly, for light was the bane of dark magic.

With a voice filled with confidence, Princess declared, "Light cannot be stopped, Irish. You can't win."

To her surprise, Irish showed no signs of exhaustion; she had been toying with Princess all along. With a chilling grin and a voice laced with malice, she retorted, "You're right. Light cannot be stopped, but it can be devoured."

Irish intensified the flow of her mana, her aura swelling around her like that of a death knight. With a final, decisive swing of her sword, she unleashed an attack that seemed like her ultimate strike. Exhausted and struggling to defend herself, Princess attempted to block the assault with her sword, only for it to shatter into two pieces upon impact.

Before Princess could react, Irish delivered a devastating rear hook punch to her abdomen. The force of the blow was so overwhelming that Princess coughed up blood, her golden armor crumbling under the force.

Brought to her knees, Princess grappled with her thoughts, bewildered by Irish's sudden display of power. 'How is she so powerful? We only met yesterday because of Nova-san. I wouldn't have even known she was in our class.'

Reflecting on their previous encounter, Princess couldn't reconcile the introverted shy girl she had met with the malevolent force standing before her now.

'Was she acting yesterday? If so, then why? Girls only hide their true personalities when they have a crush on someone. Does she love Aoto? Because other than Richard, only Aoto was there."

Despite racking her brain, Princess couldn't grasp Irish's intentions. With her strength depleted, Princess collapsed to the ground, her fist clenched in anger but her voice tinged with sadness and self-doubt. "I lost to a low-class noble, a nobody. Was I always this weak?"

Irish chuckled mockingly, her words dripping with scorn. "You're not weak. It's just that your opponent is too strong."

With a final taunt, Irish claimed the ruin stone and departed, leaving Princess and her companions with a few healing potions to tend to their wounds.