Earlier when Arthur met Arlo, he knew this man will find something odd about them. That's why he decided to use the reinforcements at the right time. He texted Alice directly and told her that it was the best time to attack.
Since Alice knew of his involvement with Jonah's plan, she did as she was told. That's why, as he was trying to figure out Arthur's identity, an explosion rang from the eastern direction engulfing more than a few students, eliminating them.
"Hahaha!" A man walked out of the flames followed by Alice and the Daybreak team. Their weapons were drawn out and their hair fluttering under the expanding air surrounding the flames. "Nightfall, it's your deathtime!"
'Did he mean time to die? There's no such word as deathtime…' Arthur raised his brows at the anticlimactic appearance. 'Wait, wasn't this person one of the four leaders like Jonah?'
"Formation!" Arlo unsheathed his sword and shouted. The Nightfall team started dividing as they blocked the path of the approaching people.
Arthur looked around in confusion as he had yet to spot Rae, who was supposed to be here after she left him. Her team didn't know that she left her position and the enemy has already used that chance to launch a sneak attack.
He felt and ill-forbidding about her disappearance. As his mind raced with possible outcomes, he tried to think the same way as Rae would.
"We're surrounded!"
Another shout made Arlo grit his teeth as he issued an order. Just like Arthur had expected, Arlo was a prideful one that thought he could overcome any difficulties.
"Break into the fortress at full force! Split in two! Defenders, protect the rear! Attackers, use every mean to break into the fortress!"
The battlefield felt like it lasted forever as the magic rained and people screamed. Arthur pulled Beran to the back and used the Stealth rune without him noticing Arthur's actions.
As they followed after the team, Arthur tried to think of ways from Rae's perspective. What was Rae like? Prideful, competitive, and a sore loser. She was also a glutton who was crazily powerful. What does power bring? Confidence.
If Arthur was Rae, he would try to make up for his screw-up. To do that, she would probably try something conceited but would retain her pride.
She would go after the flag on her own. Arthur realized with dawning horror. He remembered how she stealthily sneaked up to him even though he had a high perception.
They then followed after Arlo into the fortress as he breached inside. The fortress consisted of walls with no roof. It had five compartments with several entrances from the maze. Four in each direction and a central one.
As they entered the southern compartment, they found the defending nobles who have all been eliminated except for the guy with the red hair.
He seemed exhausted and was panting heavily. He gathered his mana again as he used his ability but Arlo was already in front of him. With steps as light and precise as a machine, Arlo was able to cut across the fields in an instant. He then unfolded his palms as a rod of steel shot out from it striking the red hair noble in the stomach, eliminating him.
Light surrounded his body separating him from the rest as a voice told him he was disqualified. With a warning not to participate and leave the area immediately, the nobleman was out.
"Those with ranks lower than thirty should block their advancement!" Arlo gave his command, which was quite offensive in a way for Arthur. "The rest should come with me to get the flag!"
Arthur stealthily used the chaos to follow after Arlo to confirm his thoughts about Rae. As they entered the central plaza, Arthur heard the whistling wind as something passed from above them.
His eyes widened when he saw the state of the plaza. As if a meteor has struck this place, the ground has caved in with many students from their team lying around groaning.
Arthur looked behind him and managed to see a white flash pass through the sky. His heart was filled with fear as he realized that Rae had found about their plan of changing the fortress.
"What's going on?!" Arlo roared in shock. He looked around but he was surrounded by the Daybreak team. Yet, there was no flag to capture. "You've cheated!"
"It's not cheating. We are defending the flag." Alice came up from behind them with a smirk. "It's all about teamwork, you see."
"You think you have cornered me?" Arlo laughed. "My team and I are more than enough for us to take you down. We'll look for the flag afterward."
Arthur knew that his words were right. Being the first ranker out of fifty thousand students made Arlo have enough to take them down. However, they needed to stall for time.
That was why he had infiltrated their team. As they were getting surrounded, the Nightfall team gathered together and formed a giant circle around Arlo.
"You have chosen the wrong foe to take down, Alice Rogvo." Arlo's body started getting covered in steal that was an extension of his armor. "You'll need a canon to strike my vitals."
"Well, your face is one of them." Before his face was covered up, Arthur was already beside him. He saw Arlo's face change but Arthur's fist was already connecting with his chin.
It was a light punch, but the bracelet dazzled the crowd as the voice told Arlo he was eliminated. There was a stifling silence following the event that Arthur doubted these people were breathing.
His uniform began to change color to silver and the Daybreak team began cheering for him. As he stood there, Arthur saw Arlo turn down to look at him as he touched his chin in shock.
The punch that Arthur punched him was nowhere near enough to cause any damage. It didn't even make him dizzy but he was stunned speechless by the unexpectedness of it.
"You…" Arlo's hand trembled. "You're the one who challenged Rae yesterday. Why are you…"
"I'm sorry, sir. But I think the person you've just mentioned has already found out about our plan. So, I'll have to leave."
It was then that rage clouded Arlo's face as he punched in Arthur's direction. However, Alice was already between them as she blocked the punch with both of her hands covered in water. The water began turning to ice as Alice smirked.
"First violation. Your ranking is going to take a hit for that." She smugly announced making Arlo's face turn livid. He glared at Arthur with such intensity as if he wanted to rip him apart.
"I may be eliminated, but they aren't. One hundred points for anyone who beats that bastard!" Arlo shouted and the Nightfall team's eyes turned into those of hungry wolves.
Without delay, they all bounced on Arthur but he simply slipped into his shadow and appeared beside the Daybreak team. He then waved his hand to Arlo and began running from the southern area.
If Arthur's hunch was right, it means that the real threat was Rae. She had figured out their plan and she was already searching for the new fortress that had the flag.
As much as he hated that he would have more encounters against her, he couldn't ditch Jonah at this point. Even though he had a plan of his own, Rae was sure to figure it out eventually.
They were already past the thirty minutes mark and nearing forty. There wasn't a lot of time left for them to defend the flag. However, it would be more than enough time for Rae. Unless he stopped her.
The reason that Arthur was keen on showing his potential while he hid his strength had to do with the list that Reece has given him about the students.
They all had several things in common. First, they were first years. Second, they showed some potential. Third, they were poor: either a commoner or from a rural noble family. Lastly, they had some conflicts with the nobles of their year.
These factors combined made the situation dire at the academy. The nobles were accused of underhanded methods while the nobles retaliated for these accusations calling them baseless.
That's why Arthur decided to show these traits for him to be bait for the reason these students went missing. It was worth mentioning that every disappearance of these students made the position of Jerano in jeopardy.
That's why, from what Arthur heard from Reece, investigations were ongoing about the matter. Arthur believed that Yurirl was involved, thus he warned him and suspected him. It would also explain the words of the disciplinary officer, Zoya.
His train of thoughts was cut off when he heard loud sounds coming from the direction of the fortress. With a frown, he bolted into it to find Rae standing in the middle of his fallen teammates.
All of them were groaning with lights shining from their bracelets. All of them had been eliminated except for one, Jonah. He was standing in front of Rae while holding the flag.
As soon as Arthur arrived, Rae turned to look at him. She smiled a thick and smug smile that suggested she knew what was going on.
"Ah, Alexie. You keep surprising me. Yet, this is going to be my win now."