"Really? And he just grabbed you by your neck out of nowhere for merely saying hello?! What a total nutjob!" Kent commented, his face contorting in dissatisfaction.
"Right?" I shamelessly lied. "I was so frightened that I thought I was going to die!"
"Oh, poor you," Kent patted my back before a fierce look appeared in his eyes. "Call me if something like this happens next time!"
I arched my eyebrows in a frown, "You don't really think you can take on Quinn, right?"
"Of course not!" Kent puffed his chest as if he was proud of something. "But we both can get our asses whooped together!" he said with a stupid smile.
"....."
"....?"
"....." I couldn't help but facepalm while letting out a sigh.
This guy. I swear to god I will kill this guy someday
I don't want his stupidity to rub off on me now, do I?
We were currently taking a stroll around the makeshift base right now. Cadets were still getting ready, arming themselves and drinking all kinds of buff potions and stuff.
Kent must've heard all the commotion about Quinn grabbing my neck, so he quickly came down to check on me.
I, to get him off my back, told him what happened. Not everything, of course. I left the little 'story' I told Quinn a secret.
-"Kent, come on! The squad is waiting!"
Anyway, after a few minutes of small talk, an elven boy in the distance called out to Kent. Since he was now the leader of Squad 6, he had field responsibilities.
The first and most basic of those responsibilities were that he had to check up on all the members of his squad and revise the battle plan for them before going out to war.
"Ahh," Kent groaned. "It's time. I should go."
"Mhmm," I nodded. But right then, as if I had remembered something important, I quickly stopped him, "Oh, wait, Kent."
"Hmm?" he halted his steps and turned around. "Yeah, what's up?"
"Do you have all your battle gear on you?" I asked.
Upon hearing my question, Kent cast his gaze downwards and assessed his own attire. In addition to sporting a nanometal armor, he had stowed some pain relievers in the waist bag attached to his belt. A smoke bomb was also affixed to his belt, and he also had a few throwing knives in his possession too.
After confirming he had everything, Kent nodded, "Yeah. I think everything I bought is on me."
"So there's nothing in the dimensional storage of your bracelet?" I inquired.
"My smart bracelet?" He frowned. "Aside from a toy whip and a pair of pink furry handcuffs, yeah it's empty."
"...."
…Believe me. A part of me wanted to ask SO many questions. But the other part of me said knowing the answers would be more disturbing than anything I could ever imagine.
So, like a wise man, I pretended as if I didn't hear that statement and continued the conversation normally.
"Okay, give me that." I demanded.
"My toy whip and furry handcuffs?!" Kent took a step back, putting a hand over his smart bracelet.
"No you idiot! Give me your smart bracelet!" I replied, denying whatever ideas might be running into that dumb little brain of his.
"Wait, my smart bracelet? Why?" he asked with a tone laced with curiosity.
"I will tell you the reason after the war ends," I replied.
A troubling expression washed up on Kent's face as he thought of something. After all, giving someone your smart bracelet was a big deal.
Not only does one's smart bracelet contain their every academy-related detail, but also a potential Gift they might possess that they are trying to hide and private stuff like that.
After a moment or two, he replied:
"I mean, sure. You can take it. But how will I contact my soldiers on the battlefield or how will I receive their radio transmission?"
I shook my head.
"You won't need it," I said. "Since you're in the vanguard, your squad will closely work together to break through the enemy formation. Since that's all your job, you won't be relying on communication with the rest of the troops."
Plus, since his position is in the front, he'll die first. But I don't need to tell him that.
"Hmmm," Kent touched his chin for a moment before finally agreeing. "Okay, I mean, if you want it, then there must be a reason."
"Mhmm," I hummed.
"But!" right when I was about to stretch my hand, Kent added. "There's a favor I ask in return for this."
Arghh! I knew it. I was thinking why he didn't use this chance to ask for something stupid in return.
Barely stopping myself from rolling my eyes, I forced a friendly smile and asked, "What is it that you want?"
"Nothing big," he replied. "After this is over, let's go do some clubbing!"
I frowned. "You do know that clubs and bars and stuff like that aren't free for us anymore? We'll have to use our Merits to get into them."
"I know," he responded with a happy nod. "But what're a few Merits for some moments of bliss."
What the fuck does that even mean?!
Sighing, I decided to agree to his condition. I didn't want to waste any more time on this stupid conversation.
"Fine, I agree."
"Not like this. Give me your word."
Letting out a deep, irritated breath, I spoke through gritted teeth. "I give you my word that after this is over, we'll go clubbing."
"Nice," he said as he unstrapped his smart bracelet and handed it over to me. "Okay, I should go now. Bye!" he said and hurriedly walked over to the rest of Squad 6.
"Fuuuu," looking at the smart bracelet in my hand, I nodded.
All the preparations have been completed.
Now all that's left is beating the ever-living fuck out of Quinn Darkstar.
†
In the heart of an abandoned metropolis, the landscape was dominated by ruined buildings, fractured roads, and the remnants of automobiles all around.
Amidst this eerie scenery, a group of approximately sixty individuals made their way through the desolate concrete jungle.
Some traveled along the cracked roads while others leaped from one dilapidated building to another, providing cover to their companions below and keeping a cautious lookout for any potential dangers that lay ahead.
One of the scouts, while jumping from one of the ruined buildings, spotted a crowd moving their way.
"I can see them! 900 meters at 12 o'clock! They're heading for us!" he quickly alerted the rest of his comrades.
In the middle of their formation was Nero. He immediately ordered, "We will do as planned. I will move out along with two squads. We will lure the enemy back while you guys set up an ambush here. As soon as the enemy steps into your range, fire. When they're in disarray, our vanguard will move out and break through their formation so that we can start picking them apart one by one. Got it?!"
In response to Nero's question, everyone present there nodded their heads.
A battle in the middle of a city is more complex than a battle on an open field. There are many complex variables to consider in the case of the former.
Can the enemy use the buildings as cover to flank them? Can they themselves take advantage of the cover somehow? Will the enemy climb onto roofs and attack from higher ground?
And many more things like that.
However, to counter all those problems, an army just needs two things:
A capable commander capable of taking charge and leading their soldiers into the battle and a brilliant tactician capable of turning the tides of the battle at any given moment.
And fortunately, Class 1-A-1 had both of those things. They had a good commander like Nero and, even though some of them might not admit it in public, a brilliant strategist like Lucas.
With that, their confidence was through the sky and their victory was all but certain.
But right then…
"I'm going back."
Quinn spoke those words.
"...What?" Nero, thinking he had heard wrong, turned around to look at Quinn and asked. "What did you say?"
"I said, I'm going back."
"....."
No, he didn't hear wrong. Quinn definitely said he wanted to go back. But why?
Before Nero could ask, Amelia, who was marching right behind Quinn, spat:
"What? What do you mean by you want to go back? This is a war, Quinn! A virtual one at that! Haven't you already been to one of the real ones? Why—"
Before Amelia could continue to run off her mouth, Quinn turned his head around and gave her a death stare.
Matching her gaze, Amelia instantly felt immense pressure crushing her down. In response, she circulated mana inside her body and regained strength to stay on her feet.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" she yelled. "If you got this much rage in you, then take it out on the enemy!"
"Amelia, stop," right then, Nero waved his hand and gestured to them to stop fighting. "Quinn, what's the matter?"
"I want to go back to base for personal reasons," Quinn replied.
"I see," Nero nodded. " But I won't allow you. I order you to stay here with us and fight."
"And I refuse to obey those orders," Quinn responded while putting his hands over the twin daggers on his waist belt.
Seeing this, Nero asked, "You're ready to fight for it?"
With a resolute expression, Quinn nodded.
Nero couldn't help but massage his eyebrows at the turn of events. After a few moments, he nodded, "Fine, go back. But know this; you'll receive punishment for abandoning your post when we get back."
"Whatever," Quinn didn't even bother to spare Nero another glance and turned to leave.
"Wait, we can't let him go like this!" Amelia confronted Nero. "He is, after all, one of our top fighters!"
"It's fine," Nero waved his hands again before a thoughtful expression took over his face. After a brief pause, he continued, "Actually, Lucas already altered me about the possibility of something like this happening."
Amelia couldn't help but frown as she exclaimed, "What?! He did?!"
"Yes. He said he'll explain everything after getting back, and we should follow through with the plan without Quinn," Nero nodded before turning back and looking up ahead. "Anyway, let's focus on the war up ahead. Since Quinn is not present with us now, I'll take Anastasia with me while you take her place. Set up an ambush here and wait for my signal."
Amelia, with her mind someplace else, nodded thoughtlessly.
In truth, she couldn't help but keep a certain silver-haired boy out of her thoughts.
She couldn't help but think, just what game was he trying to play here?!
