Chapter 181

As I was staring blankly at the arena, Iris arrived beside me and began explaining the third competition.

“The final match is called ‘Eye Ball Finding,’ a selection by Class 1. It’s a sport that requires quite a bit of teamwork.”

“Eye Ball Finding?”

“Yes, it might sound creepy, but it’s just a competition to find orbs. Also, there are a few conditions for this round.”

Participants will pair up in teams of two.

Each class will have five teams, and the unusual part is that the teams must consist of a male-female pair.

“The male students will have the role of the runner. There’s a rule that they must keep their eyes blindfolded throughout the match.”

That’s a pretty peculiar rule.

Meanwhile, Ulan, who had been listening attentively, nodded as if he finally understood something.

“I see. So that’s why it’s called Eye Ball Finding?”

“Exactly. But there’s no need to worry because the female students paired with the runners will take on the role of ‘eyes.’”

After taking a brief breath, she continued with her explanation.

“The girls assigned as eyes will have their hands and feet bound, and they won’t be able to touch the ground for the duration of the match. If they do, they’ll be disqualified.”

“So, that means they’ll have to be carried or held by the runner until the match ends?”

“That’s correct.”

Iris smiled sweetly.

At that moment, someone suddenly interrupted the conversation.

“I’ll participate.”

It was Ivella Elea’ad, a girl with bright golden hair, shining with determination as she declared her intention to join.

“With Ulan.”

“Let’s finish the explanation first.”

Iris, managing an awkward smile, gently nudged Ivella aside.

“First, the runners will perform thirty spins in place. Keep in mind that if they spin too slowly, they’ll lose points.”

“Spinning in place? What’s that for?”

“It’s to check if they can maintain balance and center in any situation.”

Once she wrapped up her calm response, Iris pointed to the arena.

“Next, following the girl’s instructions, they’ll dash to where the orbs are located. The distance is 300 meters, and once they retrieve an orb, the match ends.”

“Does it matter which orb they grab?”

“No, it must be a Magic Orb.”

Iris shook her head.

Her explanation continued.

“Teams can only bring back a maximum of two orbs, and points will be scored based on the amount of magic contained within the orbs and the time it took to retrieve them.”

“So, they have to select orbs holding the most magic?”

“Yes, exactly.”

After nodding again, Iris added some clarification.

“For your reference, there are hundreds of orbs at the destination. Out of these, only twenty are Magic Orbs, and they all look identical, making it hard to distinguish them by appearance.”

“Then how do we find them?”

“That’s something Ulan should not worry about. For this match only, the ‘eyes’ of each team can use magic.”

Of course, she added that it must be used solely for finding the orbs, and using it to attack or hinder others would lead to disqualification.

As all the explanations wrapped up, a look of confusion spread across Ivella’s face.

“Wait a second! So we have to use magic to find the Magic Orbs…?”

“Yes, it seems you aren’t suited for this.”

Iris stated succinctly.

Ivella’s expression fell, and Iris, ignoring her, continued to speak.

“So I recommend you team up with Kamila from the Magic Department. She’s the most skilled mage in Class 3.”

“Thanks for the recommendation, but I’m good.”

“Huh? You’re good?”

“Because there’s someone much more suited for this.”

Ulan, who had been silent, glanced at a girl sitting a distance away, yawning as if bored—a black-haired girl.

Noa Darshen.

Meanwhile, at that same time, the representative of Class 1, Kalbein Wirogg, was staring at the silver-haired girl sitting across from him.

The Genius Mage, Delia Arpen.

One of the most recognized figures in Arsen Academy, she possessed a blessed talent.

‘The one loved by mana.’

This blessed being, who appears only once in a thousand years, can observe all the magical flows in the world with her eyes.

Meaning she can tell just by looking which orbs contain the most magic.

‘I will win this match, no matter what.’

Kalbein was fired up with motivation.

But he overlooked one thing.

There was another being, blessed and appearing once in a thousand years, right here.

“What’s that…?”

Upon spotting Noa being carried by Ulan, Delia let out a short sigh. Then in a resigned tone, she muttered.

“…This really sucks.”

“What?”

Kalbein asked, looking puzzled, but no answer came.

Moments later, as the preparations for the match concluded, the judges’ shouts echoed through the arena.

“All teams to the starting line!”

“The match will begin soon!”

Ten teams lined up at the starting line, waiting for the signal. During the wait, Noa whispered nervously as she sat on Ulan’s back.

“Um, are we really going to be okay?”

“What do you mean?”

“I tend to get dizzy easily.”

That was true. Just the day before, she had experienced motion sickness multiple times while riding the carriage back to the academy from the Arpen Duchy.

In contrast, Ulan remained calm.

“It’s fine. I have a plan.”

“Ugh, I feel uneasy about this…”

Given that Ulan’s plans tended to defy common sense, she had a point to be anxious. Just as she shrank back, the signal was given.

“Match start!”

The booming shout had barely finished when each team began spinning in place.

But Ulan was different.

Because the moment the signal was done, he hurled Noa into the air with all his might.

“…!?”

As she shot quickly into the sky, Ulan began spinning furiously in place. The speed was so intense that dust flew up like mad.

Having completed thirty spins in no time, Ulan caught Noa as she was falling and then took off running. Noa, looking very flustered, shouted in protest.

“Wh, what are you doing!?”

“This way, you won’t get dizzy.”

“No, that’s not the point…!”

“Focus. We’ll be there soon.”

In just a blink, their destination appeared right in front of them.

Quickly regaining her senses, Noa leaped into action and identified the two orbs with the highest amounts of magic.

“That one and that one!”

“It’s hard to see them, though.”

“Then just move as I say.”

Noa instructed the direction with her voice.

Ulan utilized his beast-like sense, choosing exactly the orbs Noa desired.

Meanwhile, at that moment.

“Phew, alright! This is it!”

Kalbein completed his spins right after Ulan. Just as he was waiting for Delia’s directions, a sigh suddenly emerged.

“Ugh, I knew it would end like this.”

“What do you mean?”

Kalbein questioned in surprise.

It felt like the outcome had already been decided. Shortly after, participating teams returned with the orbs, and the final results were announced.

“The first competition has concluded!”

“Class 3 is the winner!”

It was a truly overwhelming victory.

There was no room for disputes; it was a perfect win.

Thus, the match between Class 1 and Class 3 went down in history as the quickest event in the history of the academy’s sports festival.

After Class 3’s dominating victory, competitions continued in succession.

However, the students showed signs of boredom.

Compared to Ulan’s earlier feats, everything else seemed quite mediocre. In other words, it was like they had grown accustomed to stronger stimuli than usual.

And the next day.

The morning of the second day of the festival dawned, and the four classes that won the previous day conducted a draw. Thus, Class 3’s next battle opponent was announced.

“Class 6”

At that moment, joy and despair clashed.

Classes 2 and 5 breathed sighs of relief, while students of Class 6 wore expressions of despair.

“Why did Class 3 have to be drawn against us?”

“Ugh, is this where it ends?”

“What a shame. I thought we would make it to the finals.”

Everyone sensed defeat approaching.

Yet, some students remained motivated.

“We can’t just give up like this!”

“Right! We need to fight until the end.”

“Let’s show our pride as upperclassmen!”

“Isn’t that right, President?”

The eyes of the students focused on one place.

There stood a strong-looking man with dark brown hair—the representative of Class 6 and the Student Council President of Arsen Academy, Cliff Anton.

However, his reaction was strange.

“President?”

Right after their opposing team was confirmed, Cliff shook like a leaf, and his complexion was paler than usual.

Once the match-up card was completed, the second day of the sports festival commenced with the showdown between Class 3 and Class 6.

“The first match is tug of war.”

Iris continued her explanation, and about five minutes into the match, it ended.

To be exact, as soon as the match began, Ulan pulled the rope, and students from Class 6 soared through the air like birds before crashing to the ground.

It was now a scene that suited trials rather than a sports festival, yet the watching students erupted in cheers.

“Now this is worth watching!”

“Yeah, this is what a sports festival is about!”

“Go for it, barbarian!”

Cheers erupted from the students, filled with excitement due to the exhilarating scenes that contrasted sharply with the earlier boring matches.

Encouraged by that, the commentators excitedly narrated the events, and Iris relayed information about the next match to Ulan.

“The second match is a race called ‘Combat Swimming,’ selected by Class 6.”

The reason it was labeled ‘combat’ swimming was that it differed slightly from ordinary swimming.

“The winning condition is to remain in the circle drawn at the center of the swimming pool for as long as possible.”

The total time for the match is 30 minutes.

If anyone goes outside the circle or out of the pool during this period, they will automatically be disqualified.

“As it’s combat swimming, players can interfere with their opponents during the game. However, direct attacks will lead to disqualification; only indirect attacks through water splashes or waves are allowed.”

Ulan silently nodded, seeming to have a plan in mind.

After finishing the preparations, he entered the pool, and the referee, having confirmed all participants, shouted loudly.

“Match start!”

Thirty students participated.

As soon as it started, students faced off against each other in a standoff.

Among them was a particularly skilled swimmer—a young man with deep blue hair that resembled the sea.

Class 6’s dark horse, Kurman Pellis.

‘Master’s strong guy, Ulan Bator.’

Kurman’s blue eyes gleamed.

He hailed from the famous Lacerta Kingdom, known for its maritime prowess, and having grown up alongside the sea, he was unmatched in swimming.

‘No matter how strong a master he is, I have the upper hand in the water.’

Especially since both aura and mana had been limited, he felt undeniable advantage was in his favor. Waiting for the chance to disrupt Ulan, he observed intently.

Suddenly—

The surface of the water trembled slightly.

At first, it seemed trivial, but as time passed, the vibrations intensified.

“Huh? That seems strange.”

“There’s no wind, so why are the waves rolling?”

Other students tilted their heads in confusion.

Kurman sensed the unease and began searching for the source of the waves. It didn’t take long to realize the source was the center of the swimming pool.

“That’s where….”

Ulan was.

Instinctively, Kurman dove underwater to observe the scene. He needed to figure out what was going on.

‘…!’

His eyes widened in shock.

He discovered the cause of the vibrations.

And because the reason was so absurd, he internally shouted in panic.

‘Wh-what the heck is that?!’

The source of the vibrations was Ulan’s kicking of the water.

More precisely, he was generating violent waves by thrashing his legs fiercely.

Waves rolled furiously.

As the intensity of the vibrations disabled any chance of maintaining balance, Ulan released all the power he had been holding back.

And the result?

A disaster ensued.

“Wh-what’s happening?!”

“What the…? What’s going on…? Gah!”

“Waves! No, it’s a tsunami!”

Panic-stricken screams erupted.

But the screams didn’t last long. The force unleashed by Ulan transformed into gigantic waves that swallowed all the students.

Crash!

The swimming pool quickly overflowed.

After a short while, most of the water was gone, and the students were swept out of the pool by the waves.

Only one remained.

Ulan.

“The water’s gone.”

What happens in this case?

As if asking that question, everyone fell silent. But just for a moment, the referee regained focus and shouted with all his strength.

“Ulan Bator wins!”

A heavy silence filled the arena.

On the other hand, the spectator seats erupted in cheers. It was as if they were amazed at Ulan’s performance, who had created a natural disaster with nothing but his bare body without using aura or mana.

While he was leading with consecutive victories, the third competition finally approached.

The organizers conducted a draw, and soon after, the items for the final match were announced.

“Mock Battle”

Along with the revealed item, Cliff’s complexion turned pale.

It was a reminder of the terrifying nightmare he had experienced last semester. Meanwhile, Ulan looked puzzled at the announcement.

“Hmm? A mock battle?”

“It’s a scaled-down version of the friendly mock battle we did last time. The objective is to capture the flag of the opposing side using only physical strength without weapons.”

Additionally, Iris explained that only the representatives could hold the flags.

“Oh, you don’t need to worry about me. I’m not weak enough to be robbed from someone else. So feel free to unleash your full potential.”

“Understood. I’ll do just that.”

As Ulan finished replying, a loud sound erupted from his stomach. Noticing this, Iris couldn’t help but chuckle lightly.

“Seems like you’re hungry.”

“Well, I didn’t have breakfast.”

“Huh? But you had a sandwich earlier…”

“That wasn’t a meal.”

Surely he had eaten more than five sandwiches, so if that wasn’t a meal, what on earth was?

Just as he awkwardly laughed, familiar voices reached his ears. It was Ivella and Noa.

“Just hang in there.”

“Yeah, lunch time is coming soon.”

“Let’s finish this quickly and go eat.”

Then came another voice.

Noa gasped in surprise.

“D-Delia?!”

“What? Why are you here?”

Ivella frowned deeply.

It seemed her very presence was uncomfortable.

However, Delia responded with a perfectly expressionless face.

“I’m here because I was already eliminated.”

“What does that have to do with anything? This is Class 3’s territory, so go back to your class!”

“Nah, I don’t feel like it.”

Delia replied brightly, provoking Ivella’s frown further. Just as the two girls were bickering, the preparations for the mock battle concluded.

“Match start!”

With the referee’s shout as the signal, the students from Class 6 moved in unison, forming their formation. Ulan, who watched the scene, shouted loudly.

“Surrender immediately!”

The thunderous shout echoed throughout the arena.

As soon as the match began, he suggested surrendering, causing the students of Class 6 to wrinkle their faces. They felt they were being looked down upon.

On the other hand, Ulan continued confidently, unfazed by their reactions.

“If you refuse, I’ll turn you all into totems!”

The reason he urged surrender was simple.

He wanted to finish the game quickly so he could go to the dining hall. However, the opposing students, unaware of this, began to express their displeasure one by one.

“What? You’ll turn us into totems?”

“Hmph! Who does that barbarian think he is?”

“Sounds like meaningless rambling.”

After smirking, the students began to prepare for battle.

“All units, defensive formation!”

“We are upperclassmen of the Military Department!”

“Even if we lose, we will show that arrogant barbarian our seniors’ pride!”

“Let’s fight, president!”

“Just give us the orders, and we’ll be ready at any time…”

But at that moment, they were left speechless.

“President?”

Because Cliff Anton, the representative and student council president of Class 6, was absent.

What? Where did he go?

As they looked around in confusion, a sight caught their attention.

“…?”

A figure dashing away from the battlefield.

It was Cliff, making a hasty exit in panic. The judges noticed this and immediately announced the result.

“Class 6’s representative is disqualified!”

“The match goes to Class 3!”

The match began and ended in an instant.

The students of Class 6 stared blankly, having faced a hollow defeat.

A short while later, the draw for the championship match was revealed.

“Class 3” vs “Class 2”

With the championship match approaching, they realized they had never faced Class 3 until now. As everyone thought this, someone suddenly approached Ulan.

It was Fertisha, the vice president of Class 2.