The Return of The Mythical Archmage [EN]: Chapter 90

Five minutes before the start of the second round, first match of the Territory Scramble.

Dahlia was waiting in the VIP spectator seats, where she could watch the match directly.

“How lucky. For Britain and Korea to be matched up like this in the second round.”

While Britain and Korea were grouped into the same team, the United States was scheduled to play separately in the third match of the second round.

This was an immeasurable advantage for the United States.

“Yeah. It seems like we can get some pretty good information.”

Sarah, who had come to watch the match with Dahlia, replied with a glint in her eyes.

Her intense gaze showed her determination not to miss a single detail of the upcoming match.

“I wish one of Korea or Britain would get eliminated… but that’s unlikely, right?”

“Since only two teams pass in the second round, Britain and Korea will most likely pass.”

Sarah replied as if it were obvious that the two countries would pass.

“Still, if the other six teams cooperate, you never know? Since there are only two qualifying teams this time. And they won’t be fooled by Shin Ha-yul’s wordplay like in the first round.”

Everyone thought that the qualifiers for the first match of the second round would be Korea and Britain.

In other words, the other six teams participating in the first match of the second round had no choice but to unite.

If those six teams cooperated properly and eliminated either Korea or Britain…

“No. That won’t happen.”

Sarah shook her head firmly.

“Even if the six teams form a proper alliance, the probability of Korea and Britain being eliminated approaches 0%.”

“Why?”

“If the six teams form an alliance, it will only increase the win rate of Korea and Britain.”

Dahlia tilted her head, puzzled. How could their win rate increase when the opponents formed an alliance?

“It’s not just the weak who join forces when facing a powerful enemy.”

“Ah.”

Dahlia’s eyes widened as if she finally understood, and she exclaimed.

“Britain and Korea will also join hands?”

“Probably.”

If Sarah were in Britain’s or Korea’s position, she would have done the same.

“There’s nothing better than forming an alliance to keep us in check.”

“So they can give us less information?”

“Exactly.”

If Britain and Korea were to fight properly, some information would inevitably be exposed.

Kyle’s hidden skills, as well as Shin Ha-yul’s veiled information, would have to be revealed to some extent.

The leakage of information from both sides would only benefit the United States.

“Then it’ll be hard to get any useful information from this match?”

“Not really. Even if Britain and Korea join hands, they’ll be facing a grand alliance of six teams. We’ll be able to get some information.”

This time, they might be able to see Shin Ha-yul’s true intentions.

Sarah had such expectations.

“But Sarah, I still don’t understand. Why did Shin Ha-yul even enter the Territory Scramble?”

“…Well, I have a few guesses. But I’m not sure yet.”

Sarah had expected Shin Ha-yul to participate in the [Magic Quiz Battle], [Open Raid], [Battle Survival], and [1:1 Duel].

If she were in the Korean team’s situation, that’s what she would have done.

“From Shin Ha-yul’s perspective, he didn’t have to take the gamble of participating in the Territory Scramble…”

Moreover, Shin Ha-yul continued to use strategies that concealed information.

In the siege battles, except for the match against Italy, he only used strategies that used himself as bait.

He didn’t even participate in the subsequent matches.

He only participated in matches with a tie-breaker rule.

It was clear to anyone that he wanted to hide his strength.

That’s why Sarah thought that Shin Ha-yul wouldn’t participate in this Territory Scramble either.

For strategic consistency.

To keep his skills a mystery.

“But it’s a good thing for us, isn’t it?”

“Yeah. We can get information, and we’ll be able to win the quiz.”

Shin Ha-yul’s participation in the Territory Scramble meant that he wouldn’t participate in the quiz battle later.

And unless Shin Ha-yul steps up, no one can surpass Sarah.

Myia of Britain was a bit of a nuisance, but Sarah had never been outsmarted by Myia.

“That’s why it’s bothering me.”

Sarah’s eyes grew even colder.

“There’s no way that Shin Ha-yul would do something that would benefit us.”

Sarah Ceylon.

A genius who had won several junior academic competitions, which were only open to those under 17, at the age of 8.

However, she had only won in competitions where Shin Ha-yul did not participate.

In competitions where she competed against Shin Ha-yul, Sarah had never won.

The man who made Sarah feel like she was hitting a wall. That was Shin Ha-yul.

Would such a Shin Ha-yul do something that would benefit the United States?

There was no way.

“Aren’t you overthinking it? Shin Ha-yul is still a person…”

“You can’t treat Shin Ha-yul like an ordinary person. He definitely has some intention.”

Since the opponent was Shin Ha-yul, he definitely had something else in mind.

He must have used the clever move of participating in the Territory Scramble for a definite reason.

Sarah was inwardly convinced of that.

“Hmm. I don’t know much, but if you say so, Sarah, then it must be true.”

Dahlia nodded, looking a little surprised.

For the proud Sarah Ceylon to say that much.

What did Sarah see and feel about Shin Ha-yul in the past?

It was a little, no, very concerning.

“Well, we’ll be able to figure it out to some extent if we watch this match, right?”

“I hope so…”

Sarah’s eyes narrowed even further as she looked at the stadium.

* * *

Three minutes before the start of the match.

I finished coordinating with my teammates for the last time.

“Then, please do your best according to the plan.”

“Okay.”

“Leave it to us.”

Ma Jin-seok replied with a smile, and Kang Shin-woo nodded slightly.

“Hoo. I’m getting nervous.”

Ma Jin-seok took a deep breath.

No matter how strong-hearted one was, it was rare not to be nervous in such a big match.

“Calm down.”

“Just relax.”

Of course, it was strange to be nervous in the Korean team.

“…Are you guys really not feeling any tension?”

“I’ve forgotten what tension is since I entered the path of the void.”

Kang Shin-woo, the embodiment of a blank expression, was clearly far removed from tension.

“I do feel it. Just not in this match.”

And I was no different.

Jin Hee-yoon, the embodiment of confidence, seemed to have forgotten what tension was.

Adela, the strangely naive yet sharp genius, didn’t seem to have any worries or concerns, let alone tension.

Ji Soon-chan, who had been with the geniuses Adela and Shin Ha-yul, seemed to have grown in courage and heart, and was always strangely calm.

The Korean team was full of people who were far removed from tension.

“Sigh. That’s how geniuses are.”

Ma Jin-seok shook his head. He had read in some book that geniuses were insensitive to certain emotions. Perhaps they were of that type.

“By the way, Ha-yul, can we really trust the British team? What if they betray us from behind after saying we’re allies?”

“That won’t happen, so you don’t have to worry.”

This morning, Kyle came to our team’s waiting room and abruptly proposed an alliance.

‘Let’s form an alliance.’

Looking straight into Kyle’s eyes as he said that with a bright smile, I replied like this.

‘Okay.’

After that, we shook hands lightly.

That was the end of the conversation and negotiation.

“To decide on an alliance for such an important match with just those two words…”

This was why Ma Jin-seok had a look of disbelief.

They should have probed each other’s intentions, tested each other, and made sure their interests aligned before forming an alliance.

But it just ended with ‘Let’s form an alliance.’ ‘Okay.’ How absurd was that?

“You don’t have to worry. I would be a little worried if it were the American team. But since it’s the British team, they won’t betray us first.”

“Because of Kyle’s personality?”

“That’s one reason.”

The British team is a team that revolves entirely around Kyle Bentia.

Myia Nerontia, the brain, only offers opinions. Kyle Bentia makes the decisions.

That’s why Britain won’t betray us. As Kyle is called the ‘Knight of Trust’ in addition to the ‘Knight of the Storm’, betrayal is impossible.

“There’s no reason to betray us in the first place. Since the opponent is a coalition of six teams, if they betray us carelessly, it will only lead to infighting.”

Betrayal must be done well.

If they do it half-heartedly, they could face a backlash and end up being eliminated together with Korea and Britain.

“We also have to be mindful of the United States. No one will do anything unnecessary.”

Both Britain and us have more to lose than to gain from betrayal.

Therefore, the possibility of betrayal was almost ruled out.

“Is it because I’m naturally pessimistic…? I still think there’s a good chance of betrayal. But well, I guess you’re right.”

“Just follow along quietly. From the moment we handed over command to Shin Ha-yul, these questions are essentially meaningless.”

Kang Shin-woo glared at Ma Jin-seok with his arms crossed.

As Kang Shin-woo had repeatedly said before, ‘Opinions are opinions, and orders are orders. Kill your own opinions and follow the orders. That’s what a team is,’ it was a statement he could make.

“I know. I was just curious since we had time to spare. It’s not like I wasn’t going to follow the orders.”

Ma Jin-seok chuckled and punched Kang Shin-woo’s arm.

Kang Shin-woo chuckled.

I couldn’t understand the relationship between these two.

―The match will begin in 30 seconds. Each team, please move to your designated locations.

30 seconds before the start of the match.

“Then I’ll go to my territory.”

“See you later.”

Ma Jin-seok and Kang Shin-woo moved to their initial territories.

I also moved to the altar of my territory.

10 seconds before the start of the match, the territory occupation was completed, and a total of three territories turned red.

Looking around, I could see the personal colors of the other teams.

On the opposite side of us, I could see the blue color of the British team.

As if sensing my gaze, Kyle smiled brightly and waved his hand.

Even though it was quite a distance, it seemed like he could see me properly.

As expected of a battle mage, his eyesight was good.

―Starting the countdown! 5, 4, 3!

With the referee’s countdown, the atmosphere of the stadium instantly became heavy.

The heavy air of the stadium was filled with the wishes, resolutions, and wills of each team.

That air was quite delicious.

―2, 1, Start!

At the start, the six teams, excluding us and the British team, moved simultaneously.

Perhaps because they had seen the first round match.

As if determined not to make a mistake this time, all three members started running to attack without even putting up shields.

Our team didn’t feel any sense of crisis at that sight, which should have been threatening.

“…Hmm.”

It wasn’t because they were weak, or because we were going to win anyway, or for any such reason.

It was literally because there was no reason for us to feel a sense of crisis.

―Ha-yul, this is…

Ma Jin-seok’s flustered voice came through the in-ear.

“Yes. Well, they’ve prepared an unexpected strategy.”

17 out of the 18 members of the six teams, excluding our team and the British team, were all running towards the British team.

In other words, our Korean team had become a sitting duck.

―What should we do?

―What do we do? It seems like all the plans we prepared in advance have gone down the drain.

I hadn’t expected the alliance to completely ignore our team.

Therefore, all the plans were back to square one.

Then what should we do?

“…Just a moment. Please wait for now.”

As I was trying to quickly organize my thoughts.

I snapped out of my reverie at the sight of a woman approaching me.

“What brings the Russian representative here?”

It was the representative of the Russian team.

“…Your Russian is very fluent.”

I asked the Russian in Russian, and the Russian answered me in Korean.

In that strange scene, the woman stepped into my territory.

Then, she stood about 10 meters away from me and looked at me with trembling eyes.

“Korean representative. I have a proposal for you.”

“A proposal?”

“Yes. A proposal. It will definitely be a great benefit for you, Korea.”

The Russian team representative glanced at the place where the fierce battle between the British team and the 17 members was taking place.

“Let’s form an alliance. The conditions we propose are the unconditional passage of the Korean team and the elimination of the British team, whom you see as a thorn in your side.”

My eyes flashed sharply.