In front of dozens of instructors, Aspen, a respected middle hall instructor, was challenged by Klea to a 20,000 contribution points bet. This amount was equivalent to two months' worth of Academy points for a lower hall, and it was a significant amount even for a middle hall like Aspen's. Unwilling to be humiliated by a re female assistant, he brazenly escalated the wager to 50,000 contribution points.
Klea, exuding confidence, swiftly accepted.
"It's your loss, dude!"
No sooner was the bet sealed than Hall 120's team suddenly leaped two ranks, rely for destroying a goblin camp. The updated ranking showed:
[Team rank: 29th place]
Aspen scoffed. "Huh, just a little goblin camp. What's so great about it? ..Wait!! Why does it give that many points?"
The unusual points allocation piqued the curiosity of many instructors, who turned their attention to the screen displaying Hall 120's progress. To their astonishnt, they noticed sothing unusual about Hall 120's team composition.
"What! How is that possible?!!" one instructor exclaid.
The screen clearly showed that Hall 120 had 10 extra mbers within their group. This unexpected developnt intrigued the instructors, who leaned in to scrutinize the screen more closely.
These extra mbers were not fellow acolytes but rescued soldiers, barely Earth-rank, yet stronger than goblins. Under Damo's powerful supporting spells, these soldiers transford into a formidable addition to Hall 120's force. Their arrival bolstered the team's strength and morale, adding a tactical advantage.
With a clear plan in mind, Hall 120 rushed towards a larger goblin camp. Their coordinated effort resulted in the rescue of another group of 20 soldiers. The team, now stronger and more confident, quickly moved to a third location: an Orc outpost. With the combined force of 30 additional soldiers, the quest was completed without much difficulty, showcasing their strategic acun and teamwork.
[Team rank: 18th place]
The truth was, Hall 120 had spent their first few hours ticulously gathering information and learning the map while completing multiple smaller quests. This initial phase of reconnaissance and minor achievents allowed them to form a solid understanding of their environnt and the objectives they needed to pursue.
Hardy, who was reluctantly thrust into the leadership role, found the optimal ways to gain points without expending excessive effort.
He scrutinized the point system and noticed that rescuing captives yielded a re 100 points per soldier. Charging into goblin caves for such a paltry reward seed impractical, which explained why other teams avoided these missions. However, Hardy's sharp intuition told him that the system wouldn't be designed to offer such an insignificant return for such risky endeavors.
His suspicion proved correct. Hardy realized that the true reward of rescuing captives was not rely the points but the soldiers themselves. With this insight, Hardy directed the team to focus on these seemingly low-reward missions. This approach quickly showed a snowball effect. With each successful rescue mission, their strength and point-gaining potential increased exponentially. Klea, who had discerned the team's strategy, was a bit annoyed that it had taken so much ti to fully manifest. Thus, when the brainless instructor tried to cause trouble, she lured him into a bet. She knew her team's potential.
[Team rank: 19th place]
"Huh, don't be happy too soon!" Aspen sneered.
Halfway into the ga, Hall 120 had beco one of the top teams on their server. Their additional soldiers made them stand out more than the other teams. So other teams attempted to mimic their tactic by completing the rescue quests, but the only available ones were too far away to be useful within the remaining ti.
Hall 120's rapid ascent up the ranks began to breed jealousy among the other teams. The fact that they were known as a "wannabe lower realm team" only further fueled the resolve of their competitors. Two teams that had already given up on reaching the top rankings decided to ss with Hall 120, blocking their path and preparing to fight them.
This was, however, a natural human response, especially in a competition. Hence, not many instructors found much problem with the situation. Aspen, however, gave a wicked smile, knowing his prediction had co true.
Klea stayed calm. With 20 years of history being bullied by the higher realm factions, she had predicted such outcos and had trained these kids to be ntally prepared for such situations.
Within the ga, Kat was cursing loudly. "I knew you bitches would finally show up!"
Hardy swiftly made the call, and their group of 50 shifted into a defensive position.
"Hahaha, look at that! They cower in fear! Let's go!" one of the opposing team leaders shouted, misinterpreting the maneuver.
The two opposing teams, confident in their numbers and the initial retreat of Hall 120, advanced aggressively. 40 acolytes, charged hand in hand from the left and right.
Hall 120 was ready. Two selected sub-leaders, Titus and Arnius, both with real battle experience, led one group each, creating a fortified defense using the soldiers and selected acolytes.
"HOLD THEM! DO NOT LET THEM PASS!" Titus's voice bood, rallying his team.
Damo, with the assistance of Bellana, swiftly cast supporting spells. Defensive barriers shimred into existence, and healing spells nded wounds, reinforcing the defense line and successfully holding back the advance.
"Urghh! I will break them apart!" shouted a bronze insignia acolyte, the strongest among the attackers. He leaped forward fiercely, aiming to breach the line. However, he was surprised to be stopped by a chubby figure.
"Haha, you fatso will be my first victim!" he sneered.
His smile quickly faded when Ulong activated his [Bronze Palace] transformation. His body shimred and solidified, turning into an indestructible fortress. Ulong's objective was clear: hold the young man down until the powerhouse team entered the battle.
Kingrig leaped into the center of the enemy formation, his body crackling with energy. With a roar, he unleashed a powerful blast of black thunder, the electrifying force scattering the enemy in all directions. Before they could recover, Kat and Blaine, the strongest trackers from Hall 120, charged in from either side. Their brozne insignias shone brightly, sending tremors of fear through the enemy lines.
Blaine's fists were like hamrs, each explosive punch sending foes flying. His raw power tore through the enemy ranks, creating chaos and confusion. Kat, with her swift wind blades, moved with lethal grace. Her attacks were precise, slicing through the enemy's defenses and leaving a trail of devastation in her wake.
In the midst of the turmoil, Ha Ron erged from the shadows. His years of experience as an assassin made him a ghostly presence on the battlefield. He moved silently, and unleashed his sword strike, striking decisively at key targets. One by one, the enemy acolytes fell to his sudden attack, their formation crumbling under the relentless assault.
Seeing the enemy lines break apart, Hardy, who had been orchestrating the defense from the rear, allowed himself a mont of respite. Leaning against a tree, he smirked, thinking,
"This leadership role isn't too bad after all."
The aftermath of the battle elicited a mix of reactions among the instructors. So observed with annoyance, while others couldn't help but be impressed by the sheer display of skill and strategy.
Magus Aspen, in particular, was in a state of shock. He still clung to the hope that the clashes would at least inflict casualties and waste ti. However, he could only watch in disbelief as Hall 120's confidence soared to new heights. Despite losing more than half of their soldiers in the fierce clash, the resounding triumph only served to bolster their fighting spirit, especially among the first-year acolytes.
With renewed determination, they pressed on with their missions, their ranks steadily climbing as they completed objectives with precision and skill. Each victory further solidified their position, propelling them towards the upper echelons of the competition.
As the final monts of the Magus Gas approached, instructors and spectators watched, eager to see which teams would erge triumphant. When the results were finally announced, Hall 120's performance exceeded all expectations. The scoreboard displayed their success for all to see:
[Hall 120: 180,520 points]
[Team rank: 4th place]
Klea observed the results with a mixture of pride and satisfaction.
Seeing the once-arrogant Magus Aspen bow his head in defeat and negotiate a three-month installnt for the contribution points added to her imnse delight.
She accepted his offer, securing a substantial 25,000 contributions upfront, which would serve as a significant bonus for the acolytes, adding to the already impressive points they gain from the gas.
Returning to the hall, they were t with jubilation and celebration. The victory had not only earned them recognition but also a coveted ticket for advancent. All they needed to do now was await the conclusion of the middle halls' Magus Gas and the unveiling of their ten-bottom list, which would be their next challenge.
Klea couldn't help but wonder about Ery. It had been days since she last heard from him, and she couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the back of her mind.
"One week, until the instructor battles, will you be returning then?"
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