Reader Mage 158-Plan D, It Is

Sand glowing with an otherworldly blue luster surrounded Maxim as though carried up by light wind. His light brown hair swayed gently, and his steel-grey eyes went even further distant than they usually were.

“Anything yet?” Ivan asked, impatient. And his impatience was only further enhanced when his smartwatch beeped. His brows furrowed and a flash of annoyance of frustration and annoyance crossed his face. “Crown Academy just took their castle,” he noted. “And the Instructor they faced was Professor Sergei. They defeated him. We have to hurry up, Maxim.”

“I’m trying,” the boy replied, his voice tremulous. “Just give a second. One that doesn’t require my focus to be disturbed, if you will?”

Ivan sighed. “Got it. A second.”

The rest of the team were seated on the ground, catching their breath, but the information of their professor being defeated soured their mood. This was also proof as to why their next action had to be planned carefully, to ensure that they made it to the second stage of the tournant and won the whole thing.

They couldn’t dare lose. For Professor Sergei Ivanov.

“I like you lot,” said Dr. Elias Namgoong as he walked forward, brandishing his cane with every step he took. “I’d wish you well, but that would be at the detrint of my own academy.”

Ivan raised a brow. “It doesn’t have to be.”

Dr. Elias Namgoong smiled and placed a hand on Ivan’s shoulder.

“You’re a smart kid,” he said. “Crown Academy has already taken their castle. The probability that they’ll be dethroned is basically impossible, for it is easier to sit upon an empty throne than successfully complete a siege. In other words, it’s between Nikita Academy and Prestige Academy.” He smiled. “And my students are a very stubborn bunch. Don’t take this as being sentintal. But you guys will have to tap into a more ferocious pool than you did with to win.”

“You’re hyping them up for a professor who lost,” Anastasia retorted, rolling her eyes.

Dr. Elias glanced at her and smiled. “Your temper befits you. A Fire Mage should have a fiery temper.” She snorted. “But do know that we instructors were told to hold back considerably. It would be sad if we ended up killing prospective Mages, wouldn't it?”

Anastasia shot a glare at Dr. Elias but didn’t refute his words.

“With that said,” Dr. Elias began as he turned towards the bushes to the side of the path they were on. “My work here is done. Good luck.”

He vanished.

At that mont, Maxim finally concluded his scouting and the sand surrounding him fell to the ground.

“Seven incoming,” he said. “Straight down the path. No one is hiding in the bushes.”

Ivan caressed his chin. “So they left three behind. I suppose to take on their assigned professor.”

“Which is evidently the professor of Crown Academy. Brazen,” Anastasia noted. “It seems they overestimate their strength. Not only are they going to not be able to retrieve the key, but they’ll also not be getting past us. They split their strength too much.”

Ivan tilted his head, visibly disagreeing with his teammate.

“If I recall correctly, they have two S-Class Mages with them and about five A-Class Mages. It depends on how they split their strength,” he said, then turned to Maxim. “What’s the mana signature you read?”

“Two of them have significantly more mana than Anastasia; so I suspect that they’re the S-Class Mages. One is on par with Anastasia, but far more ferocious. An A-Class Mage to fear, I assu. Three others are also similar, but not too fierce. Also A-Class Mages, I assu. Then the last one gives off the sa mana signature as you do.”

“A B-Class Mage then,” Ivan noted.

“In other words, they left an A-Class Mage, a D-Class Mage, and a Deficient Mage to battle an instructor from Crown Academy?” Anastasia asked.

“Yes,” replied Maxim.

“Rubbish,” she hissed. “That’s utterly foolish.”

“They’re planning to go all out against us,” Yelena noted, the bangs of her dark auburn hair almost completely hiding her green eyes.

“And with two S-Class Mages on their side, it’ll be almost impossible for us to win. Their professor was right,” Maxim said.

“Shut up,” Anastasia growled. “Mana levels is one thing, it’s another to fight. Battles aren’t all about who hits harder. Just take a look at that Deficient Mage. Even though he has such a shitty mana output, didn’t you see how he fought against those Ice Wyverns? Exactly. There are many things to take note of in a fight.” She turned to Ivan. “So? What do we do?”

Ivan took a deep breath and cleared his throat. “We’ll also split up.”

Everyone gasped, but they didn’t argue. Ivan wasn’t the strongest in their team based on his Class as a Mage, but combining his Hex and his smarts, he was the one who beca their leader not only for this competition but also for their year in Nikita Academy. It was his plan that ensured their victory over a professor, and every student present was certain it would do the sa for their incoming opponents.

“But our splitting up will be a little different.” He glanced around their faces and they all stood up. “Like Dr. Elias said, it’s easier to take an empty throne than win a siege. We cannot all stay here and hold them back. Which is why one of us will head to the castle and take their rightful place on the throne. The rest will serve as pawns—knights. They will stand their ground right here and ensure no one gets past. As Anastasia said; mana levels are one thing, a fight another. We cannot lose. You all know what is at stake. I’ll be honest, I don’t give a damn about the academy rankings. But if we lose here, Professor Sergei will be fired. And that will all be our fault. Our fault, no one else’s. We put him in this position, and we must get him out of it. Do you all understand?”

They nodded.

“Good. Now, who’ll head to the castle? Before you raise your hand, do know that a slip might occur. One or two of those we hold back might get past. Ensure you have the fire burning in you to also defend your throne in case such a thing happens. A king should be willing to defend his throne just as much as his knights.”

“In that case,” Anastasia started. “Why don’t you do it?”

Ivan raised a brow.

Maxim nodded. “I agree. Your Hex makes for the perfect defense against anyone rushing in blindly. One or two Mages of our caliber should pose little to no problems for you.”

Ivan glanced around, and every one of his teammates was in approval. There was no ti to waste and so he nodded.

“Understood. Be safe.”

“Definitely.”

Ivan flexed his injured arm and took one last glance behind him towards the path. With a deep breath, he received the key from Irina and dashed forward towards the castle.

Anastasia stepped forward and her Grimoire took flight.

“Ready?” she asked.

“Always are,” they all said in unison, channeling their mana. Grimoires hovered in the air as figures approached, seven of them, and in the lead was a girl with black, silky hair, blue feline eyes, and an expression of absolute disgust.

“Fucking twats!” she swore. “I was hoping we would be the first to take our castle, but it seems I overestimated the professors.”

“I knew we should have all just hit hard against whoever was on our path,” said another girl with black hair and black eyes, but far more feminine than the prior one.

Anastasia narrowed her eyes.

“Nora Tyrrell and Kim Yiseo, I assu,” she said. “Forgive , I’m not good with faces.”

Nora Tyrrell raised a brow, and as if she was just noticing the students of Nikita Academy blocking the advance of her team, she flayed her eyes over them and scoffed.

“I’m not always this irritable, but I’m very angry right now for so reason.” She waved her hand about as though shooing them away. “Can you lot move aside and let through?”

The air around Anastasia’s palms warped and burned. In the next instant, flas appeared over her hands.

“No,” she replied curtly.

Nora sighed and turned to Kim Yiseo. “So plan D then?”

“It seems only one of them went to take the castle. This works.” Kim Yiseo shrugged. “Plan D, it is.”

The rest of Prestige Academy’s team present stepped forward and their Grimoires took flight, ready for battle just like Nikita Academy’s students.

There was so overlap in the Hexes present, and that only made Anastasia even more excited. The other Fire Mage in her year back in Moscow was a D-Class Mage. The one she was looking at now, a boy she recalled by the na Ken, was an A-Class Mage, solidified by the color of his Grimoire. She knew the mission here was to keep these guys at bay, but Ivan had not told her not to have fun.

A grin pushed her lips apart and the flas around her hands shook, excited.

“Fuck yeah. Let’s do this!”