As soon as the Ravenstein youth descended from the top of the hill, they all split up into their respective groups, each heading towards different directions through the forest.
Initially, since the map of the forest was displayed on the table, Atticus had wondered how each group would navigate through the forest to reach where each of the terminals was located.
But after a single question to the oracle on his artifact, he was able to find out how to transfer the map from the table towards each of the Ravenstein youths' artifacts.
As each of the groups moved through the forest while following the maps on their artifacts, they noticed that the forest was completely devoid of any magical beasts.
It was clear that the academy wanted each of the divisions to focus solely on the battle.
With no beasts in the forest, each group marched quickly through the forest. The terminals were located at varying distances from each other, some closer to their camp, others to the opposing camp.
Eventually, each of them got to their destinations after some time.
Coming out of the foliage of trees, Lucas, who was walking at the fore front of the group, was met with about a 500 meters wide expanse.
In the middle of this expanse was a 10 meter tall black terminal. It was completely incomparable to the imposing form of the terminal at their camp.
Undeterred, Lucas kept walking forward towards the middle with the small army of youths following behind.
He had already instructed the scouts in their team to check around the area before he led the youths here.
Despite this, Lucas was still incredibly careful and alert. Just behind the group, about 15 of the rangers were spread out, all of them watching their backs.
The rangers obviously had better eyesight than the armored and the dealers, which was exactly why they were given this role.
Many of the rangers were even going as far as hiding in the trees, ready to respond to anything.
Given his intelligence, he knew well enough that being careful and alert was obviously important.
But the reason he was being even more cautious than usual was because of the warning Atticus had given each of the Ravenstein youths before they left: don't let anyone die.
Those words might have sounded like a request to some, but to the Ravenstein youths who had been with Atticus for a long time, they all knew it was far from a request. He wasn't joking.
'I wonder what that penalty is,' he pondered.
Lucas still hadn't been able to find out how the students 'dying' affected him. He had come up with multiple reasons, but he wouldn't know for sure which was which.
Deciding on leaving that for later, he kept moving while also keeping his guard on high alert.
As Lucas cautiously stepped within the 10 meter radius of the black terminal, a sudden eruption of blinding green light enveloped the ground, shooting upward into the skies with an intensity that pierced through the clouds.
The brilliance of the light was so profound that it acted as a massive, blinding beacon, exposing their location to anyone within the expansive forest.
Simultaneously, a digital countdown clock materialized on top of the black terminal, starkly displaying the ticking minutes. The clock had already begun its countdown from 10 minutes.
Turning his gaze around, Lucas could also see multiple green lights erupting from the ground at different locations in the forest.
'How troublesome. Looks like the academy truly wants us to fight at all costs,' Lucas pondered while gazing at the green lights shooting out of the terminal.
What would the opposition do when they see their enemies winning? It's very obvious; they would try to take action and react faster. And this was what the academy obviously aims to do—make them fight.
"Form up and stay alert at all costs," Lucas swiftly instructed the students who all listened and started getting into formation around the terminal.
With the armored at the forefront, their forms imposing, every single one of their gazes forward.
The rest also got alert, the dealers positioning themselves behind the armored, and the rangers behind them both.
While was true that many of them didn't completely acknowledge Lucas, assuming he wasn't as strong as the rest of the Ravenstein youths.
And many of them honestly shouldn't be blamed; the only thing the guy had done was throw out slates.
A lot of them, upon seeing this, of course, would assume that he was a weak link. But despite this, every single one of them knew better than to disrespect a Ravenstein, especially when that monster was involved.
Just as usual, Lucas stood at the back, just behind the dealers. Each one of them standing and completely alert and ready for anything.
All over the forest, the other Ravenstein youths experienced the same thing as Lucas's group, with the same blinding light serving as a huge beacon to their enemies.
But they hadn't gone through a month of hellish training for nothing; each of them stood their ground, simply waiting for orders.
...
The control room back at Atticus's camp was partially filled up with people, each one of them staring at the large obsidian surface table in the middle of the room.
The non-combatants that entered the room with Atticus were all standing at a respectable distance away from the table. Although Atticus had invited them in, many still didn't dare push their luck.
The only two standing the closest to the table were Zara and Hen, with the latter standing behind Zara.
Everyone stood looking at the glowing blue orbs that were displayed on the screen, each one at different locations in the forest.
After each of the youths left the camp to head to their respective terminals in the forest, as soon as Atticus entered the control room, he noticed something new displayed on the screen: the tiny blue orbs they were all currently watching.
Atticus didn't even need to think to understand what it was; its function was even more glaring when he saw the numerous orbs split into 8 different clusters and 2 orbs, all moving in different directions.
They were the live locations of each of his division members.
'Good, at least I'd be able to observe the battle more effectively,' Atticus thought. Before this, he had initially wondered how he would know what was going on at each terminal in real-time.
His plan had been to use their artifact communication function for that, just call each of the leaders of the groups and set it to video.
But even he had to admit that this additional feature would make everything easier. Although he couldn't visually see what was going on, he would at least be able to keep track of the position of his division members at all times.
'Hm?'
Atticus noticed Zara's subtle gestures, holding her fingers together while stealing glances at him. Her eyes met his for a moment, and then, as if caught off guard, she quickly averted her gaze, bowing her head.
It was obvious she wanted to ask something.
Ignoring her antics, Atticus suddenly spoke, "If you have something you want to ask me, ask. I'm not a monster."
Hearing Atticus's words, the students' lips couldn't help but twitch in response.
Does he take them as fools?
If he wasn't a monster, then they weren't human!
Zara seemed to gain a little more confidence after hearing Atticus.
She slowly pointed her hands towards the screen, "Y-young master, I'm just curious. Why not wait for a while before acting? I mean, with the way they're currently spread out…" she trailed off, not finishing what she was saying.
But one didn't have to be a genius to understand what she was trying to convey. Atticus immediately understood what she meant.
Each terminal was located at least a few kilometers away from each other. With the way the division members were currently spread out, it was very predictable what strategy anyone with at least a few functioning neurons would choose.
And Atticus had, of course, predicted that this might happen, which was exactly why he had his 'backup.'
"I understand what you mean, and I've taken that into consideration already. You see each of those dots?" Atticus said, pointing to two locations where there were currently just a single dot each.
Zara nodded. Some of the other non-combatants also looked and confirmed. Although most of them hadn't even thought that far, now that Zara mentioned it, they all couldn't help but agree with her.
"Those two would solve the situation if it ever arises," Atticus explained.
Most of them didn't really understand what he meant by that, but they all still nodded regardless.
Seeing Atticus answer Zara's question without kicking up any fuss, Hen was slightly shocked.
If it was most of the other young masters he was used to meeting, none of them would bother trying to answer Zara's question, deeming it a waste of time.
But Atticus had answered the question without any hesitation.
'Maybe Zara's right. He's different,' he thought.
...
Back at the opposition control room, Emeric had finally gotten a report from the scouts he sent.
Cutting the call and bringing his hand down, Emeric's initial smile widened as he turned his gaze back at the map with giddy anticipation.
"The Ravensteins, huh."
