Chapter 322

Noble's stronghold.

Carl, tasked with overseeing its defense, looked utterly appalled. "What? All the Glory guys are just defending?"

As the one responsible for gathering intelligence and formulating strategy, this news threw him off.

"Did Chloe catch on?"

If it was Chloe, it was entirely possible she had anticipated their intel leaks and changed plans accordingly. Carl frowned, feeling an unsettling sense of unease.

"Hey, what if we send siege weapons to reinforce the assault team?"

"Good idea. If Glory is going full defense, our current force might not be enough to break through."

Those stationed at Noble's stronghold were mostly magic-department students, more specialized in support and base defense than direct combat. They were still discussing how to shore up their defenses when…

Thunk—!

"Huh?"

A sharp whistle cut through the air, and a projectile lodged itself in a student's back. The light on their life-display bracelet flickered out instantly. Deemed "dead," they vanished, forcibly revived at the spawn point.

For a brief moment, silence fell over the stronghold.

"W-What just happened?"

The magic-class students exchanged nervous glances.

Then, a voice as smooth as silk rang out. "Hello there."

Carl stiffened. "Chen Xia?! How did you get in here?!"

"I sneaked in." Chen Xia smiled sweetly, but that smile felt like Death's own grin.

Swoosh—!

Her hand flicked up, revealing a throwing dagger.

"Run!"

"Kyaaah!"

"Stay away from me!"

For mages specializing in support and defense, close-range combat against a knight was a nightmare—especially against this knight. Chen Xia wasn't just any ordinary combatant. She was shadow-born, trained in hunting Hero Hunters.

Watching the Noble students scatter in terror, she gave another bright smile before locking onto Carl.

"Why chase after the weakest one?!" Carl shouted, his voice cracking.

"Do you know the basics of hunting?"

"How would I know that?!"

"You take down the weakest target first!"

"Where's your chivalry?! Aren't you from the knight department?!"

"I'm from the Shadows."

"Aaaaargh!" Carl's screams rang through the stronghold.

The sight of Chen Xia sprinting after him was nothing short of pure horror. Just as she closed in…

Fwoosh—! Rumble—!

A massive sphere of fire shot toward her.

Chen Xia leaped aside, dodging effortlessly. She cocked her head. "Charging into enemy territory all alone, are you?"

"Emio!"

"Emio's back!"

The Noble students brightened, relief washing over them. Emio wasn't ranked among the top elites of the second year, but he was strong enough to keep Chen Xia in check.

"You insolent fool," Emio said coldly.

The ground beneath Chen Xia trembled.

"Bind of the Earth."

A towering earthen hand shot up, grabbing hold of her.

Emio clenched his fist, and the ground tightened its grip, pressing down with immense force.

Crunch—!

A nasty sound echoed through the stronghold.

Emio smirked. It looked like he'd cast the spell on the spot, but in truth, he'd been preparing it ever since he sensed Chen Xia's presence.

Chen Xia isn't like Celia or Duran with overwhelming destructive power.

Within the knight department, she was ranked on par with them, but their specializations were vastly different.

In close combat, a knight has the upper hand against a mage. But at a distance? A mage dominates every time.

Celia and Duran were especially dangerous because they combined knightly prowess with devastating firepower, making them unpredictable threats. But Chen Xia? She relied entirely on close combat. As long as she couldn't get near, she was at a disadvantage.

Leo Plov…

Emio clenched his teeth. The humiliation of his last battle still burned in his mind. The memory of being effortlessly defeated, humiliated in front of a global audience, all because he was unprepared.

Damn you! That cowardly ambush…

Muttering curses at Leo, Emio gathered his mana again.

Thud—!

The earthen bind gripping Chen Xia turned to muddy slush. Emio's face froze.

Boom—!

The solid prison burst apart in an explosion of force.

Emerging with her fist extended, Chen Xia locked eyes with Emio. Stepping out with a relaxed gait, she lightly brushed the dust off her clothes and smiled. "You're short on finishing power, Emio."

Emio's expression twisted, but he quickly forced a grin. "Escaping that spell was impressive, but the situation still favors me."

Emio considered himself no weaker than the top students in direct combat. Hailing from a military family, he'd mastered an extensive array of offensive spells, making him a formidable all-rounder. Now, in a controlled battlefield, fully prepared, he had no intention of losing.

For a mage, the stronghold is where they fight at their best.

Indeed, each dorm's stronghold was layered with magical arrays that enhanced defensive and offensive spells for its defenders.

And at this distance, I hold the advantage.

A palm-sized mana orb circled him as he spoke.

Besides, my family has always disposed of worthless nobodies like you.

His lineage belonged to a long-standing military house that had survived countless wars, earning its fair share of grudges—particularly from Shadows, whose livelihoods were built on assassination.

"I'm long accustomed to dealing with shadow tactics." He spat out the words, his voice laced with contempt.

Chen Xia's eyes widened. "So what?"

"What?"

"You say the situation favors Emio, I get that. But…" She cocked her head as if she genuinely couldn't understand. "Is there really a problem? I'm going to win anyway."

Emio's face darkened. "You think you're Leo Plov?"

"Even if I'm not Sir Leo, I feel like I can take you down pretty easily, Emio."

"Ridiculous." Mana surged around Emio. "I'll smash you to pieces!"

His power flared, raw and unstable.

I never liked it in the first place—a lowly Shadow who can't even get recognition from the gods, acting like a hero candidate.

Disgust flickered in his gaze.

Chen Xia simply smiled. By now, rumors about her had already spread among upper and lowerclassmen alike. Many harbored resentment toward the Shadows, some out of prejudice, others from personal loss. She was used to those looks.

But… Chen Xia didn't mind.

Someone she considered the most heroic had acknowledged her.

"You'll definitely become a hero beloved by everyone."

The moment she grasped the hand that extended to her with that mature, unwavering smile, she had sworn never to stop reaching for heroism. Leo's radiance was so blinding that it overshadowed any concerns about others' opinions. Thinking of the boy who held the Shadow's Tome and affirmed her, Chen Xia roused her aura.

Whoooom—!

She dashed toward Emio with an aura step. He sneered, effortlessly evading with a flight spell.

"What a crude attack."

She kept pushing forward, but Emio dodged each time, hurling spells back at her.

My mobility is better than yours, Chen Xia!

He smirked, already seeing his victory.

No prey is simpler to hunt than a bullheaded knight.

So he continued his barrage.

"Fire Bolt."

Fwoosh—!

"Wind Cutter."

Swoosh—!

"Magic Missile."

He combined the three, layering their trajectories, adjusting their power, then released them.

Boom—!

Dozens of fiery, explosive blades converged on her.

Yet she moved with effortless grace, weaving through them as though dancing. She didn't just dodge, she flowed.

Emio's smirk faltered. "You little…!"

He began chanting for a larger spell when Chen Xia leaped into the air and flung a dagger.

"Tch, like I'd get hit by such a cheap…"

Prick—!

He felt a sharp sting on his cheek.

Meanwhile, Chen Xia, instead of dropping to the ground, seemed to land in midair as if stepping on invisible footholds.

Emio's eyes narrowed. He hastily chanted. "Search."

Mana flared in his eyes. A web of near-invisible threads stretched in every direction. His expression froze.

"When did you…?!"

"I told you, even if this stage favors you, Emio, the outcome won't change." Standing atop her threads, Chen Xia smiled. "Celia or Duran might charge straight in to crush you, but that's not my style. So I set a trap."

"Cowardly…"

"Strange choice of words, Emio. I'm the one who infiltrated enemy territory alone. Isn't that about as brave and honorable as it gets?"

Beaming, Chen Xia extended her hand.

Snap!

"Urgh!"

Invisible threads coiled around Emio's neck.

"Abad or Chelsea wouldn't have fallen for this."

"Ridiculous. You think flimsy strings like these can restrain…" Emio's voice trailed off as a wave of dizziness suddenly overtook him.

"Spiders," Chen Xia whispered, "inject venom into their prey before devouring them. Scary, right?"

She mimed biting into the air with an exaggerated chomp and winked playfully. Her expression was sweet, innocent even, yet at this moment, she was the most terrifying person in the room.

"Ggh…!"

As Emio's vision blurred, Chen Xia gave the threads a sharp tug.

Flicker—!

Like a snuffed-out flame, his bracelet light vanished.

In the blink of an eye, Chen Xia had taken him down.

The watching magic students erupted in alarm.

"We're ready to fight too!"

Rumble—!

Guardian golems emerged from all around.

"Brace yourself!"

"We don't know why you came here, but no matter how strong you are, you won't leave unscathed if we all attack at once, Chen Xia!"

The air filled with battle cries.

Chen Xia swept her gaze over them before flashing a dazzling smile.

"Chloe predicted that Noble and Harmony would team up against us. That's why Sir Leo was assigned to intercept attacks from the rear."

She withdrew her aura.

"I was tasked with infiltrating enemy bases and gathering intel."

A strategy made possible only because she was a Shadow.

"So then…" Her eyes sharpened. "Where's Carl?"

The Noble students stiffened.

Chen Xia's gaze grew piercing. "Seems Abad came up with something interesting."

A Noble girl panicked. "N-no! It's not what you're thinking…!"

You idiot!

Why would you say that out loud?!

Noble students clutched their heads, despairing.

sep

Celia gripped her sword and charged toward Glory's fortress walls.

Fwooosh—!

Scarlet flames flared from her blade.

Boom—!

A searing arc of fire struck the wall.

"Is that even a knight?!"

"She's basically a siege weapon!"

"She's not a mage, right?!"

Glory's defenders shrieked in panic. The defensive stronghold gave them an advantage, but right now, only Chloe was leading the defense. Each time Celia or Abad led an attack, the walls trembled dangerously.

Why hasn't Warden returned? And according to Chelsea, Noble's Duran and Eliza haven't come back either?

Celia furrowed her brow.

Are they all up against Leo?

She was deep in thought when…

Fwoosh—!

The flames enveloping her scattered in all directions.

Celia instantly tensed.

Tap, tap—

Through the parted flames, someone walked toward her, completely at ease.

She narrowed her eyes.

"…Leo?"

Leo's cousin studied him warily. He gazed back and murmured, almost to himself.