Chapter 182

The next day dawned pale and cold, the kind of morning that felt like the air itself was holding its breath in anticipation of the annual tournament. With classes suspended, the academy grounds had transformed. A few adventurers were hired to patrol the walkways in pairs, their cloaks brushing the cobblestones, lanterns flickering against armor etched with guild mark. The trio left the academy ground excited. 

Suri walked a few steps ahead, humming. The nobility district’s polished stone streets gleamed in the morning light, lined with trimmed hedges and intricate balconies. The duke’s mansion stood at the end of the road, towering like a monument to generations of power.

They reached the courtyard to find Adam and Toby already there — both munching on food prepared by the Stark household. Toby held a skewer of roasted meat in each hand.

Suri’s eyes sharpened instantly.

“I knew it. Those gluttons came early for snacks.”

She sprinted toward the trays.

Kana and Boris just shook their heads, the way one responds to a familiar scene.

Rin and Yuri arrived next, still rubbing sleep from their eyes. Andel appeared last, posture perfect, hair immaculate as if dawn itself respected him too much to disturb him.

Leo faced Kana, crossing his arms. “We're all here. So—leader—what now?”

Kana drew in a steadying breath. The formations she finalized last night still swirled in her mind, patterns of movements and formations. They must win without her and win the ring.

“We’re focusing on three formations. Listen carefully.”

She stepped onto the center of the training area, the others formed a loose circle around her.

“Let’s just call this the First.. It’s for rapid engagement,” Kana explained. “We curve around the opponent with overlapping fields. Think of it like…”

She raised her hand. 

“…three blades swinging from different angles. Never meeting—but always pressing. Suri at the center with her new offensive skill, Boris, Andel and Roy’s summon on the side. It should be enough for the weaker groups.”

Boris nodded. Adam muttered something about it being needlessly poetic, but he looked impressed anyway.

“The Second. Play defensive. Especially for groups known to have strong destructive skills. Two up front, while the rest will look for any signs of weakpoint," Kana continued. “

“This will depend on how long our tank can hold. Leo and Adam. While they hold, everyone must be on the offensive. Look for a good opportunity to attack.”

“The Third.”

This one made them all quiet.

Even Kana felt uneasy describing it. The formation wasn’t complete yet — only a concept, a theory stitched together from instinct and memories she didn’t completely understand yet.

“It’s… a collapsing pattern,” she said slowly. “We move in a spiral inward, each person covering a blind spot. The enemy gets pushed into the center—whether they want to be there or not.”

Roy whistled under his breath.

“That sounds like a formation meant for killing.”

“Or forcing a surrender,” Kana corrected.

“And remember this,” Kana said, voice firm. “Once we secure third place—we surrender. Don’t argue.”

Rin stretched her arms and snorted. “You really don’t watch the tournament, do you?”

Kana blinked. “This will be my first time.”

Rin sighed dramatically. “They reveal the matchups at the opening ceremony. Since we’re the main event, they announce ours on the third day.”

Yuri nodded sharply. “It prevents teams from building countermeasures. Adaptability is the academy’s highest virtue.”

“Why is this tournament different from what I have remembered?” Kana muttered.

They began practicing, and the courtyard filled with motion.

Skills flaring.

Voices calling out adjustments.

Suri occasionally laughed whenever she tried to show off her new skill.

The First. Kana watched them shift positions, their paths weaving like threads of different colors crossing but never knotting. Rin though had a separate talk with Kana about her skill.

The Second. Leo’s reliability as a tank was proven from the recent dungeon raids while Adam.. Adam was such a mystery. He might be even better than Leo. Not to mention his HP was higher than Leo even though Leo was now a bit higher level than him. 

The third.

Even Kana wasn’t sure what it wanted to become.

But formations always evolved in the middle of true motion.

In the heart of chaos.

They were sweaty, breathless, and more or less confident—until Kana stepped forward.

“I have something to tell you.” 

……

“What?” they all said in unison.

Their voices echoed faintly in the Stark’s backyard—winter wind rattling the tall windows, scattering snow-dusted branches against the glass like skeletal fingers. The cold draft only deepened the silence that followed.

Rin stepped forward, her brows furrowing with worry. “Kana, if you back out now… we won’t be able to participate. Remember—at least ten members must be present to qualify. If we’re short, even one, they won’t let us step into the arena.”

Her voice trembled—not with fear of losing, but with the fear of being dismissed before even fighting.

“That’s why most groups always have backups,” Yuri added. “One or two, just in case something unexpected happens.”

“You don’t need to worry about that,” Kana replied.

“We only need to fill the gap,” Kana continued. “Recruit someone who chose not to participate. The king told me we can add an additional member at the last minute. Principal Light is already aware of this. They will make an exception this time.”

A murmur rippled through the group.

“But what if we encounter Ryle’s group in the first round?” Rin pressed. “Without you… we might lose.”

Kana hesitated for half a heartbeat. Snowflakes drifted, blurring the world into pale gray.

“About that,” she said. “Ryle and Shaun are also not participating. They’re in the same situation as me.”

That drew more than just surprise—Toby nearly bent his spectacles from pushing them too high up his nose.

“I’m now really curious,” he said, eyes gleaming. “This is the first time the king has intervened directly. The king and I are the same.”

Leo and Andel both choked on their own breath.

“You—what?” Leo whispered.

But Toby only straightened, staring into the middle distance with a scholar’s misplaced confidence.

“We want to watch the best in the tournament,” he said with a perfectly serious face.

Then Toby muttered, pacing in a small circle as his thoughts spun faster.

“Is there something dangerous?” he speculated, voice dropping low. “Something that might be present in the tournament?”

He tapped his chin with increasing intensity.

“A revolution?”

He shook his head.

“Additional security for the royalty?”

Another shake.

“…Or perhaps something the king fears?”

The group shifted uneasily.

“Can you stop?” Kana swayed her head,”You’re not even close.”

“Forget about it. The king told me it may or it might not happen. That’s why they didn’t want to announce it. I can imagine the chaos.”

Kana exhaled slowly. The weight of the king’s words lingered in her mind—the empire’s arrival, the chosen representatives, the consequences of failure. And beneath all of it, about her father and the king’s promise. Didn’t matter if they decided not to come. 

She looked at her friends, their confusion swirling like winter fog.

Toby blinked behind his spectacles. Still murmuring in detective mode.

…..

The next morning of preparation arrived with a sky washed in pale gold, the kind of cold dawn that sharpened every sound. Kana, Boris, and Suri arrived early as planned — but the moment they stepped into the Stark’s backyard training grounds, they froze.

People.

Dozens of them.

Moving like a bustling marketplace rather than a private mansion.

Some faces were familiar. But many were strangers. Broad-shouldered men and women wore mismatched armor pieces, blades slung across their backs, carrying crates or assembling crude wooden dummies. Their movements were efficient, almost military.

Boris tensed. “Did… did something happen?”

Kana pushed her senses outward, humming at the edges of her perception as she activated [High Awareness]. Threads of life glimmered around her — steady, unhurried. No panic. No tension that suggested danger. In fact, most people carried themselves with casual confidence, even boredom.

“Not emergency,” Kana murmured. “This feels more like… a gathering. Celebration? Or an event.”

Suri didn’t answer — she simply yawned so aggressively Kana thought her jaw might pop. Still half-asleep, she held onto Kana’s shoulder to steady herself, eyes stubbornly closed as she continued walking like a drifting ghost.

The rest of their team was already gathered at the usual corner, checking straps, inspecting blade edges, testing skills.

Kana’s eyes narrowed. “Those people…”

She leaned into the circle. “Who are they? They’re not nobles. Not academy staff either.”

Leo stepped forward, hands behind his back in a posture he probably practiced since childhood. “You need an explanation, I suppose.”

He cleared his throat dramatically.

“Since Professor Wor-en contacted my father a few days ago about our group’s potential, Father decided to give us his full support.” Leo gestured grandly toward the mercenaries. “So… he hired more than fifty capable swords-for-hire to assist with our training.”

Boris choked. “Fifty?!”

Leo continued unfazed, “We’re not the only ones. Other groups hired copper-class adventurers to help prepare. The competition is more intense than you can imagine.”

Kana crossed her arms. “They’re more competitive than I expected. Leo, we’ll gladly take your father’s offer. This will help us to use the formation with real battle experience.”

Her expression hardened. “But someone might get injured.”

“Already handled.” Leo pointed toward the pathway. “My family hired two healers from the Church. They should be here any—”

He didn’t finish.

Because Kana felt it first — a warmth rolling toward them like sunlight passing through thick cloud. Gentle, careful, but unmistakably divine mana.

Two figures walked through the gate.

White cloaks trimmed in gold. A cross embroidered on the back. Their steps were soft, yet every mercenary turned slightly as they passed — an instinctive reaction to the presence of divine practitioners.

Their aura wasn’t as overwhelming as Elle York’s — but it resonated with the same purity, like being near the source of clean water after days in dry heat.

Kana grinned, feeling a spark of excitement. “Then let’s start.”

After the incident with the guildmaster, a doubt lingered at the corner of her mind. Would she even win against the best of the empire? 

Post note:

Hope you the chap! 🙂