The blind villain of the academy - Chapter 168: Team Competition [3]

Although I didn’t know the main objective of this exam, not even in my memories.

There was a possibility that the purpose of this exam was to evaluate the strength of all the cadets.

As well as their leadership, decision-making, and many other qualities.

But putting that aside, there was also the possibility that other teams would join forces to confront the teams led by the main characters.

Naturally, since they were the strongest, the weaker cadets would band together.

Generally speaking, the commoners, who so far had not stood out much in terms of grades or strength.

’But just how large can an illusion be?’

We had been walking in a straight line for two hours at a relatively fast pace.

By this point, we should have traveled several kilometers, yet the forest around me seemed to have no end.

Or at least no barrier indicating the edge of the map.

’Could this also be a mixture of illusion and deception?’

But regardless, the real issue was the other cadets.

’Could almost all the teams be joining forces?’

Perhaps that was the case, and they had gathered in a single location, which was why we had not encountered anyone.

As we walked as usual, I suddenly felt a strange sensation behind me and turned around.

"...."

"Is something wrong, Adel?"

Rinna asked while looking at me.

I used my senses, extending them as far as I could, while slowly feeling a strong wave of fatigue.

I raised my hand to stop anyone from speaking, and just as I extended my senses, I was able to feel it.

"It seems we finally have company."

About a hundred meters away, hidden behind the enormous trees and using mana to conceal their presence as much as possible,

There were a dozen cadets, and among them I recognized four.

’Aren’t those Julian, Leon, Clementine, and Charlotte?’

And from what my senses detected, those four were leading ten cadets.

There were only thirty cadets in the classroom in total, so more than half of them had their eyes on us.

’Then Clana, Diana, and Lumina could be attacking the rest of the cadets.’

In short, if I defeat everyone in front of me, I’ll eventually run into the other three and their teams.

"It looks like Julian, Leon, Clementine, and Charlotte are leading ten cadets. I’ll take care of those four, and you two handle the rest of the cadets."

Veronica has the advantage in numbers, and Rinna could support her from a distance.

So they could finish off the ten cadets fairly quickly while I deal with those four.

Of course, it won’t be that easy, but in my current state, it’s not impossible.

"What? Are those four together? Isn’t that cheating?"

Rinna said incredulously.

"Professor Rein never said we couldn’t form an alliance."

I replied to her words as I drew my sword.

"That’s unfair. Then why don’t we try to gather other cadets?"

"They aren’t trustworthy, and besides, this exam is still team-based, so if either of you dies, the final grade will be lower."

"Alright, older brother. I’ll handle it, and you, Santa, support me from a distance."

"Of course."

Once I finished saying everything I needed to, I used the Twenty-Four Steps of Space, and my figure blurred.

***

Four individuals were talking among themselves, and not far from them, ten cadets were engaged in discussion.

Each of them seemed to be reviewing different strategies or plans.

"So, who knows more about Rank 1’s overall strength?"

Clementine asked as she alternated her gaze between Julian and Charlotte.

As far as she knew, those two were the ones who spent the most time with Adel.

At her question, Charlotte was the one who spoke.

"I was in a Memory Gate with him, remember?"

Julian struck his fist into his palm as if recalling something.

"Ah, right, that’s true. That was two months ago, wasn’t it?"

Clementine nodded.

"Yes, that’s right. Then you, Charlotte, know how strong he is without his..."

Clementine suddenly stopped. Then she remembered something Adel had told her about his Unique Trait.

Once he used it, he usually suffered a side effect.

However, aside from that, when he had used his Unique Trait, Clementine remembered how Adel had fought against a Class 6 villain and surpassed her.

’But he himself told me that it’s not convenient for him to use his Unique Trait unless the enemy is too strong and forces him to.’

So she discarded the possibility of Adel using his Unique Trait.

At her sudden silence, all heads turned toward her.

"What were you going to say, Clementine?"

"Ah, nothing. So, what do you know?"

Finally, Charlotte began to speak.

"First of all, his senses are no joke. He’ll probably realize we’re spying on him, so when he turns around, it’ll mean he already knows our position."

"Second, his sword art is very difficult—or at best impossible—to block."

"Also, the number of Attribute Skills he has mastered can be counted on one hand; however, they are very powerful skills."

At her last words, Leon interjected.

"But a skill with high destructive power, or simply a lot of power, usually has excessive Mana consumption, so he can probably only use most of his skills once or twice."

"Well, you’re right, brother."

Minutes passed, and they finally started moving.

"Let’s go. The target was spotted one kilometer away."

They had sent a reconnaissance team to locate not only Adel’s team’s position but also Lumina’s.

Both were targets of two different factions.

Julian, Leon, Clementine, and Charlotte’s faction were after Adel.

Clana and Diana’s faction was after Lumina.

The larger faction had ten cadets, and including its four leaders, there were fourteen in total, because Adel’s team consisted of Rinna and Veronica.

Meanwhile, the other faction had only eight cadets, and including its two leaders, there were ten in total.

Minutes passed, and they finally came to a stop. In the distance, everyone could clearly see a trio.

"Enemy in sight..."

But then Adel turned around as if he had noticed them.

Instantly, Charlotte shouted:

"We’ve been discovered! Now, charge at them!!!"

And with that, the Adel Extermination Raid began.