October 2, 3108

We had all gathered at the Knights' training field—a wide, flat expanse of grass divided into two main sections. One side was open and free of obstructions, while the other had about fifty duel platforms spaced roughly five meters apart.

At the moment, we stood on the open side, waiting for the professor to explain how everything would proceed. Mr. George, the instructor, looked exactly as I remembered—an older man, slightly hunched, with a short white beard and a bald head. Despite his appearance, not for a second did he seem frail. His very presence radiated authority and demanded respect.

“Khm, khm. Today’s lesson will not differ much from our usual activities. Simply form teams with two scouts in each, and you may begin,” he said in his low, gravelly voice.

Even though he spoke softly, his words carried clearly, and everyone understood the instructions. Immediately, a flurry of activity erupted as students scrambled to approach their acquaintances and secure places on teams.

Unsurprisingly, Astrel and Nero became the center of attention. Both were surrounded by scouts eager to join their teams. Nero handled the situation calmly, listening to and considering each request. Astrel, on the other hand, grew increasingly irritated, his annoyance evident with each new person.

Meanwhile, other teams actively sought out scouts to fill their ranks, but no one approached me. Even though I had gained some popularity among my fellow scouts, it never extended beyond our lessons together.

“SHUT YOUR MOUTH!”

The sudden, grating shout rang out like metal being torn apart. It was Astrel, who, in a fit of frustration, physically shoved away those crowding around him.

“I don’t need a bunch of cockroaches! If you want a place on my team, step onto the platform and earn it!”

Well, that’s unexpected, I thought, slightly surprised by his rational proposal.

Initially, I had assumed Astrel would begrudgingly accept the scouts to silence them, but instead, he took a logical approach.

“The proposal is reasonable,” Nero agreed. “I also don’t want to offend anyone. Let the most skilled among you earn a spot on my team.”

His calm response managed to soothe the overly excited group of scouts.

This has nothing to do with me, I thought, turning my back on the chaotic spectacle and heading toward the quieter groups still forming teams.

“Kail, have you chosen a team yet?”

The calm, steady voice with a hint of military sharpness cut through the noise. I glanced to my right and found Elysia approaching me, her usual composed demeanor intact.

“Not yet,” I replied.

“Good. Join my team if you’re interested,” she said, her tone confident, her gaze fixed on me as if my answer was already decided.

I assumed she’d have a line of candidates, or at least a few competing for spots, I thought, slightly puzzled.

“Won’t it be a problem for other candidates who want to join your team?” I asked, hesitating.

“No,” she said matter-of-factly. “Most of the people from both my clan and the families that support me went straight to Nero. So there won’t be any issues.”

I hadn’t realized her clan’s position was that precarious,

If the Duskthorn clan's struggles stemmed from a single mistake, the Angel Warriors clan was infamous for a history of poor decisions that plagued its existence. Their repeated failures escalated to the formation of a commission that nearly stripped them of their status as one of the major clans. Only the intervention of the GlacierDominion clan’s head allowed them to retain their title.

“Then I will gladly join your team,” I replied to Elysia.

“Great. Let me introduce you to the rest of the team.”

Elysia led me toward the edge of the crowd, where five individuals were gathered—three girls and two boys.

“Did you find anyone?” a girl asked as she approached. She stood around 170 cm tall, with short blonde hair that was darker than Elysia’s and piercing black eyes.

“Yes,” Elysia replied, gesturing toward me. “This is Kail. We attend the same course, so I can vouch for his abilities.”

She turned to introduce the others, pointing them out one by one.

“From left to right, this is Dain.”

Dain was a boy slightly taller than me, around 183 cm, with golden-brown hair and dark red eyes. His broad shoulders and tired expression gave the impression he carried a heavy burden—or simply hadn’t slept well.

“Next is Avelyn.”

Avelyn was a girl about 175 cm tall, with long fluffy brown hair and brown eyes. Her posture resembled Elysia’s, but she moved with an almost ethereal grace, as if constantly stretching her body to its fullest potential.

“The boy leaning against the tree is Tarian.”

Tarian was massive, likely around 2 meters tall, with a muscular and well-defined physique. His eyes were closed, and he seemed completely uninterested, possibly trying to catch some sleep amidst the noise.

“And finally, Lyra and Serena.”

Lyra was the girl who had first greeted us. She bore some resemblance to Elysia, sharing her sharp features and composed demeanor. Serena, on the other hand, was the shortest of the group, standing at about 160 cm. She had striking blue eyes and a commanding presence that made it hard to ignore her. Despite her stature, she exuded a sense of authority that seemed to demand obedience.

“Are we not taking another scout?” Serena asked, her tone direct.

“I asked people I knew, but they all refused,” Elysia explained. “We’ll have to wait until the duels are over and choose from the remaining ones.”

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“Tsk. Useless,” Serena scoffed, turning her back to us and walking toward another team.

She either has strong backing or she’s plain reckless, I thought to myself, watching her go.

“Is there a problem?” I asked Elysia.

“Nothing serious,” she replied. “The teams were formed somewhat randomly, and Serena didn’t end up with the team she wanted.”

When I looked at Serena again, she was already next to Nero, seemingly very intent on forcing a conversation. From Nero’s strained expression, it was clear the dialogue wasn’t pleasant to him.

Nero is resisting, but I’m not going to help you.

“Can you explain to me what we’re supposed to do?” I asked Elysia.

“Yes—”

“I’ll explain it to you!” Lyra interrupted, her tone brimming with enthusiasm and a dramatic flair. Without waiting for approval, she launched into an explanation.

“Two armies are formed, and the captains are chosen through duels. Each captain then picks the teams that will make up their army. Once each captain has chosen 25 teams, the objective is simple: the army that eliminates 70% of the opposing army, defeats the enemy captain, or destroys the opposing base wins. Each opponent you take down earns points that contribute to your score.”

“What, besides weapons, can be used?” I asked.

“Everything you’ve got—armor, elemental control, or even bombs. But the catch is, whatever you use must be created by you,” Lyra answered with a grin.

“Isn’t there a risk of someone getting killed?” I followed up.

“And what if there is? Are you scared?” Lyra asked mockingly, her grin now tinged with mischief as she leaned in slightly, waiting for my reaction.

“Do you want to test that?” I shot back, mirroring her smile.

“Haha, calm down! We have safeguards,” Lyra said, still laughing. “We wear jackets equipped with barriers. When your barrier is destroyed, the jacket turns completely red, signaling that you’ve been eliminated. At that point, you’re out and must leave the battlefield.”

“Does that mean this field is where everything takes place?”

“Mmm... yes, but not entirely. You’ll see when it starts,” Lyra said cryptically, glancing toward the area where the sound of duels still echoed. “It seems they’re almost done.”

Following her gaze, I noticed that Elysia had already moved away, likely in search of another member for the team.

I stayed with Lyra, using the time to learn more about the previous matches. Unsurprisingly, the captains were always Nero and Astrel. At first, a few others had attempted to challenge for the position, but none had succeeded. These battles were only organized once a week, and so far, the score was tied at 1:1, with one draw.

Nero’s victory had been attributed to his clever strategy, which allowed him to outmaneuver Astrel’s overwhelming force. On the other hand, Astrel’s win came from sheer dominance—he led the vanguard himself, and his raw power shattered formations, securing a decisive victory. The draw occurred when Nero managed to hold his ground against Astrel in direct combat, causing a stalemate. The confrontation devolved into a slow grind, and the lesson ended before any significant losses could determine a winner.

“He’s a true monster,” came a deep, calm voice from behind me. I turned to see Tarian, his imposing figure now standing nearby.

“Astrel?” I asked.

Tarian nodded. “I tried to stop him when he made his first strike. The moment my mace made contact with his sword, my jacket turned red instantly. He knocked me to the ground before I even realized what had happened.”

It seems Astrel has become even stronger, I thought to myself, feeling the weight of Tarian’s words.

Since childhood, in my confrontations with Astrel, I always lost when it came to brute strength. However, I compensated with technique and greater endurance, managing to hold my own. But now, facing him had become a nightmare.

“Nero is the real monster,” Dain said, his voice calm yet resolute. “Despite having weaker physical capabilities than Astrel, he still manages to constantly throw him off rhythm. And lately, Nero’s been manifesting his element more frequently.”

He had now joined our discussion, which had until this point been a quiet observation of the surrounding events.

“What do you think the result will be today?” Avelyn asked, stepping closer. She had been occupied with a hologram until now but seemed genuinely curious.

Everyone in our team—except for two absent members and one still undecided—was now engaged in a conversation about the two monsters who dominated the Knights’ lessons. The group was clearly in awe of their abilities and successes.

It’s a good thing I’m not popular.

I thought this to myself, blissfully unaware of the whispers circulating about me in the Scouts’ lessons. In reality, I already had both fans and rivals—some of whom were obsessively scheming to take me down.

From the crowd of students, I noticed Elysia returning to us. It wasn’t hard to spot her among the others; her blonde hair stood out vividly. What was harder to discern was the person walking beside her. I realized much later that she wasn’t alone.

Why is Luna coming toward us?

As they approached, I noticed bruises on Luna’s hands, which she seemed to be trying to hide, and her face bore heavier makeup than usual.

Astrel is going too far.

Lyra, following my gaze, also noticed Elysia

“Oh, Elysia, you found a per—” Lyra’s cheerful tone cut off mid-sentence when she noticed who was with her.

“You may already know her, but for those who don’t, this is Lunaris,” Elysia introduced calmly, though the tension in the air was palpable. “She’s the Scout who will be joining our team.”

“Elysia,” Lyra began sharply.

“Yes?”

“I’m sure you heard—because everyone in the Knights group heard—what Astrel said during the last lesson.”

“Yes, I heard him,” Elysia replied, her voice unshaken.

“Then why is she on our team?”

“I don’t see why I should listen to Astrel,” Elysia said simply.

“Ely!” Lyra exclaimed, her frustration evident. “You’re not strong enough to face him!”

“That doesn’t mean I have to do everything he says,” Elysia countered, her calm demeanor unwavering.

The sudden tension left me confused. Everyone except Elysia seemed to have their gaze locked on Luna, their expressions tinged with hostility.

“Excuse me,” I finally interjected, breaking the silence. “But what happened?”

I asked, wanting to understand the situation I had inadvertently stepped into.

”Teacher told us during the previous lesson that we’d have to include Scouts in our teams,” Lyra explained, her tone laced with frustration. “Scouts who don’t find a team will receive insufficient grades until they manage to convince someone to take them.”

“If any of you take Luna into your team, know that you won’t see all your limbs intact the next day.”

Luna’s sudden interjection silenced everyone for a moment.

“That’s what he said, when she came to meet him after lessons” Tarian added, his deep voice calm but serious.

“Don’t be angry, Lunaris,” Dain said, breaking his earlier silence, “but I don’t want to stir up any unnecessary conflicts with him. I’m against her joining our team.”

“It’s fine,” Luna said, her voice low and weary. “Thanks for trying, Ely.” She turned to leave, but Elysia reached out and firmly stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

“I’ll take full responsibility,” Elysia declared, her voice steady. “If anyone tries to cause trouble for you, tell them this was entirely my initiative.”

A hush fell over the group, even the usual noises from the other teams seeming distant for a moment.

“Are you serious?” Avelyn asked, narrowing her eyes at Elysia. “Do you really think you can stop him?”

“Yes.” Elysia’s reply was simple but unwavering.

Avelyn sighed and crossed her arms. “Fine, then. I’m not against it.”

“I agree that Luna should be on the team,” I added,

That’s the most I can do for you

“You should know that if anything happens, it’ll be your responsibility,” Dain muttered, still hesitant but reluctantly accepting the situation.

“Okay,” Tarian said, his calm demeanor unchanged. “I’m not against it either.”

“I still think this is a crazy choice,” Lyra commented, glancing between Elysia and Luna. But despite her reservations, she too gave a slight nod.

And just like that, our team was finalized.