Team G vs Team B.

Immediately, the call was heard. All gears were thrust to full power. No time to waste.

The scales instantly tipped in Team B’s favor.

"I’m barely doing anything," Edward said.

"Well, neither am I," Finna added.

"Modred?"

"Well, no. I was thinking of leaving it to you guys mostly."

"I can’t believe we’re still in the lead," Kathra said after realizing the others weren’t putting in any effort.

Their hands may have been connected to the mana meter, but they were obviously not expending mana.

"So who’s?" Edward asked.

"You guys mean it’s just me?" Sigman responded.

’Figured,’ Modred thought.

Sigman was single-handedly taking them all on.

"It’s not just you, Sigman. I’m giving it my all as well," Zach said.

No one commented.

Modred disconnected his hand.

The other team noticed and decided to go full throttle.

"Hey, look. Now’s our chance. They just disconnected."

"They could lose, you know what I mean. There’s one person down," one of them said.

Misconception.

That’s really all it was.

They had thought Modred was bottomed out already. He wasn’t. He just disconnected because he saw he wasn’t needed.

Finna and the others followed his lead.

Team G continued to interpret it as them bottoming out and growing weaker.

"It’s just two remaining," one said. "We can make it. There’s still 30 seconds to spare."

"Guys... em... guys," he said.

He directed his colleagues to look towards the scale.

Fear immediately struck.

They were making no progress.

Despite all six mages dropping out, the scale still tipped in Team B’s favor.

"I don’t get it. What’s going on?" one asked.

"Don’t ask me. How would I know?" another responded.

"Just shut up and give it all you’ve got. We’ll keep powering till the very end," another added.

"Guys, I haven’t been giving it my all. I wanted to do something similar to what Team F did. I’ll pull out the stops now," another said.

"Appreciate you holding back, but do it. Dump it all."

He agreed.

20 seconds left.

The scale tipped.

Only slightly.

It continued.

Slowly but surely.

Sigman was looking up, but he didn’t notice.

15 seconds.

He didn’t notice at first.

"No way. You guys are taking the slow route, hoping I wouldn’t notice, huh?" He laughed.

"Okay, here it comes."

Sigman powered it even more.

"Do you need help?" Finna asked.

"I’ve got this," he replied.

The scale went back even further than it was initially.

2 seconds.

Ding.

"The victor is Team B."

None of the members of Team G collapsed.

They all just fell from defeat.

It wasn’t exhaustion.

Victor was impressed. Only two people were required.

He asked for their names.

They replied with Sigman and Zach.

Ursula was getting even more paranoid.

’So Team B made it. With a splash, no less. I guess that’s just how they do things,’ she thought.

"The next match."

"Team H vs Team D."

"So tricks are useless when the opponent is leagues ahead," one of the students from Team H noted.

"Well, they aren’t leagues ahead, so we should be fine," another responded.

All sixteen students took their places.

The stage was clear, the clock ready.

"Begin."

The students released their mana at full speed.

No stops.

"There’s no point to tricks. Let’s have a clean brawl," one shouted.

The teachers couldn’t quite place the origin of the shout. All they knew was that the person sounded committed.

It began.

This time, it seemed different.

Team D wasn’t in the lead.

Team H was winning.

They might have thought they had it in the bag, but in truth, the winner was decided before the match began.

"What’s the hold-up?" one member of Team D asked.

"I’m coming," another responded.

Something was definitely happening.

Lot noticed.

He found it strange the team was losing to a weaker team.

He felt their intentions were pure.

There were really no tricks.

The scale tipped slightly in favor of Team D.

There was no pressure, though.

Team H was still in the lead.

It tipped slightly again.

Then again.

Then again.

Roe smiled.

He was the first, besides Solomon, to crack it.

John asked him to share.

20 seconds.

"You guys, there’s probably someone with vast mana on Team D. It’s just that he has to jumpstart himself before he can output vast quantities. They’re only starting to win now because the jumpstart session is over."

"It’s about to all be over."

11 seconds.

The scale did a massive swing in the other direction.

Team D was now suddenly in the lead.

Team H noticed.

They tried to push even more.

It made no difference.

It didn’t matter.

5 seconds.

Roe smiled.

The mage wasn’t yet done.

Even now, the scale tipped even further in their favor.

"The winner is Team D," Victor announced.

"Please return to the stand."

He told the losing team.

They did as instructed, and Team D proceeded to the next hall.

"The final match of this round. Team A vs Team C."

Lot waited.

He was sure he’d be more hyped about this match than even that of his own students.

"Take your places."

They did.

Roe was sluggish.

He was deliberate, though.

"Begin."

The struggle was on.

Both teams.

Top teams.

So far, the higher-ranked team had always emerged victorious.

Was this going to be any different?

Team C was initially in the lead.

Lot was grinning so wildly.

He thought he was finally going to show Solomon up.

Roe placed his hand on the counter.

Lot noticed nothing changed.

He smiled.

The counter immediately went ablaze.

The scale tipped the sharpest it had ever in history.

The others from Team C were shocked.

Victor didn’t even know how to proceed.

He went to Solomon.

"There’s nothing to ask. There’s nothing to confirm. We have our winners, don’t we, Vic?" he said.

"I guess you’re right then."

"The final winner will be Team A, spearheaded by Solomon himself."

"Please proceed to the next hall."

Modred hissed.

Sigman smiled from the next hall.

Jaws on the floor.

Lot exclaimed.

"What?"