The time flew by and two weeks had passed since Kevin Springer's death; a month since the Obelisk Tracking Field Scandal.

A few days after Kevin's death, the information rumored by some 'anonymous' students was that he 'dropped out' and left the Obelisk Academy for some reason.

Students who didn't know anything that happened during that time believed that the rumors were true.

There were various reactions or guesses to Kevin's dropout, but most students say that he left the academy because he couldn't bear the humiliation he suffered last month when he 'got caught' sleeping in the middle of the Obelisk Tracking Field, with pillows and blanket, at the same time naked.

During that moment when the rumors about Kevin Springer spread, Freya Moon who heard it first felt myriads of emotions as numerous thoughts flowed in her mind.

Although she knew that her older brother and Amelie Rose were behind the Obelisk Tracking Field Incident and Kevin's Death, the way the Obelisk Academy handled the matter somewhat exceeded her expectations.

She realized that her older brother was right... That no one would look for Kevin's dead body.

Freya almost views the Obelisk Academy in a bad light, but Russell Moon, her older brother told her that wasn't a good thing to generalize the situation or her perception of others because not everyone inside the Academy has malicious intent or goals, and some were genuinely taking their path to be a 'License Player' after they graduated in the Obelisk Academy.

A graduated Obelisk Academy student was guaranteed an offer or offers from various guilds, especially for those who were unaffiliated.

Be it a 'Profession' specialized in melee and range combat, or a support-type and production class specialized and necessary for a Guild.

Freya also realized the true nature of the Student Council President Arthur Wolfson based on his older brother's words... At first, she felt apprehensive about interacting with the Student Council President in the future, but her older brother told her that she shouldn't panic and just act the usual she was.

Although Freya didn't ask why; she felt comfortable and relieved for some reason.

On the one hand, her older brother wouldn't say such a thing without a basis; on the other hand, her older brother told her such a thing because he has the ability to protect her at critical moments.

And Freya believed in her older brother, especially when he told her about the Skill: Mark of Night (EX) with its activation condition of 'patting someone's head', she recalled how he patted her just before the Disciplinary Trial Exam.

Her older brother explained the details of the skill or at least the most important one which he could detect her if she was in danger and teleport to her location instantly.

That time, she also asked her older brother about another realistic question aside from if they were going to get caught.

She asked about Kevin's family outside the Obelisk Academy, she then heard his reply...

'He has no family.'

It was said in a serious manner, but at that moment, Freya managed to glance at her older brother's eyes, there she saw a different, inexplicable emotion.

After some thinking, she made inferences from that words...

First, Kevin Springer was an orphan.

Second, Kevin Springer's faction only recruits people with no ties.

Lastly, her older brother wouldn't act that way if Kevin had a family!

...

At the Obelisk of Virtual Technology Building

"Line up!"

"Hey, you! Focus or leave my class right now!"

"I'll pluck your eyes out if you look at me like that one more time!"

'Scary...'

The only word to describe the person in front of them.

'Murak Hart'

The A-1 Class Player Physical Education (PPE) Professor of the first-year students.

He has untidy brown hair that looked like he just woke up, and brownish eyes that were like sands from a vast desert.

He has a bulky body that one might think that he was a 'tanker-type' class, but he was a famous Assassin-type class who's a SS- rank player that was contracted with the Constellation whose Cosmic Title was [One Who Owns the Meteor Dagger].

He came from Southern Orion's major country called 'Bhaskara' and has Bhaskan origins.

And he was publicly known as 'The Berserker', for his fighting style wasn't like that of the usual assassin.

...

During a month and a half of his classes, all they were told was to polish their control over their weapons and develop their fighting style.historical

And right now...

"You will be divided into 8 groups with 5 members each..."

Without being able to finish his words, Professor 'Murak Hart' heard a whisper even though his distance from his students was at least 10 meters.

"I wonder what group I am at."

Whispered by one of the students at almost back line while everyone stood in their lines, a meter distance away from each other.

"Hey, you! Come here right now!"

Professor Murak's gaze landed on the whispering student, prompting other students to follow his gaze.

The student who whispered had a look of wonder as she pointed a finger at herself, completely confused.

The female student who has green hair, green eyes, and a height of at least 166 cm went in the front where Professor Murak was standing as everyone heard his voice.

"What's your name?" he asked in a serious manner.

"C-Celine Cello-ana, Sir."

Celine said in a hoarse voice, not knowing what was going on.

"You are in group 6."

Professor Murak said plainly, but his voice felt like a shout to others' ears.

"H-huh?"

Celine replied, while momentarily dazed.

"I said you are in group 6!"

"Y-yes!"

She bowed reflexively before going back to her line.

"Next time, please be reminded that future activities or groupings will be posted in advance in your Obelisk Personal Account.

"Now, go to your groups!"

...

After a minute or two, everyone's group was formed because it was posted in advance in their Obelisk Personal Accounts at their 'chat group' with their professor.

Group 1 Leader: Elizabeth von Etherion

Group 2 Leader: Rumia Flora

Group 3 Leader: Anya Amasawa

Group 4 Leader: Leon von Obreyon

Group 5 Leader: Han Jiho

Group 6 Leader: Samantha Hall

Group 7 Leader: Amelie Rose Merveil

Group 8 Leader: Bailey Clarkson

After some time of organizing and introducing each other, Professor Murak's voice resounded, prompting everyone to stop their chatters as they looked at him.

"I'm sure you're wondering what activity you are going to do. For almost a month and a half, all you did was polish your fighting style, and your control over your weapon. How you did it was based on your judgment or instinct..."

Freya listened to Professor Murak's words as she thought...

'It's the first time we'll be using VR technology!'

She felt happy, remembering her older brother's attitude towards VR games.

She looked around to see the Virtual Reality Capsules from both left and right, numbering 40 from either side with a total of 80.

She was snapped of her reverie as soon as she heard Professor Murak's voice.

"Now, this is the general information and rules regarding today's activity!"

After fidgeting with his tablet, the general information and rules written on the holographic screen appeared in front of everyone.

Activity Name: Virtual Small War

Aim: Promotes the importance of fighting style and weapon control.

Virtual Battlegrounds:

1. Forest of the Dark Mist

2. Plains of Unending Lava

3. Cemetery of Oblivion

4. Jellyfish Island

5. Planeswalker Territory of Glass

6. Desert of the Luminous Scorpion

7. Translucent Illusory Fishdom

8. Ice Walker White Land

General Rules:

1. Groups will be divided into 8 with 5 members each.

2. Two groups will be assigned against each other.

3. Each leader of the group will be provided with an 'Obelisk Token'; this is a token with Obelisk Academy's logo that should be protected.

This item cannot be transferred to groupmates.

4. The leader's death equals losing the activity, in the same way, if the Obelisk Token was stolen and held by enemies hands for 10 minutes.

5. If the group wins by stealing the enemies' Obelisk Token, the opposing group will have a 'group grade' deduction of 50.

6. The group leader's death will guarantee a win, but the losing team will not receive the 'group grade' deduction of 50.

7. Grading will be divided into 'Group Grade' and 'Individual Grade' which will be judged by the presiding Professor.

8. Group Grade for winning is 100 while 80 for losing.

9. Time Allotment in Virtual Battlegrounds is 1 and a half days which is equal to 1 hour and 30 minutes per matchup.

Geographic Information:

1. Each Virtual Battleground has its own distinct theme and generated monsters that each group might encounter.

These monsters will generate points that will be another basis to win if the groups failed to meet each other during the time allotment.

2. Each Virtual Battleground will have an area of at least 5 kilometers across.

3. Group participants will be at least 3 kilometers away from each other at the start of the match.

4. Group participants will be transferred to a random Virtual Battleground based on the list above.

Strict Rule:

1. You cannot directly use Skills against the enemy group.

Matchups:

Group 1 vs. Group 2

Group 3 vs. Group 4

Group 5 vs. Group 6

Group 7 vs. Group 8

...

Upon reading the information regarding the Virtual Small War, the students cannot hide their obvious reactions to the last part which served as a bombshell.

Expecting these kinds of reactions, Professor Murak spoke in his casual intimidating tone...

"Remember what you did in a month and a half in my class?

"You polished your fighting style and control of your weapon.

"Now, this is just the application of everything you did."

The students couldn't retort to what Professor Murak said.

Freya, knowing that nothing would change even if someone complained about the situation began to absorb the rules and came up with various inferences.

'Killing directly the leader is almost impossible, especially stealing the Obelisk Token... but with Group Grade deduction... I'm certain that almost everyone would aim for Obelisk Token then run for 10 minutes...'

With unknown criteria of how students were ranked... Achieving the deduction of group grade for the opposing team would give the winning team the assumption that their ranks would be affected in the future.

'Using Skills against monsters is possible...'

After some time of thinking, Freya sighed as Professor Murak's voice resounded in everyone's ears.

"Alright, Group 1 and Group 2! Please proceed to the VR Capsules.

"For other spectating groups, you are encouraged to observe."

...

The meeting started at 8 in the morning of Sunday according to the agreed extra schedule for the particular activity between Professor Murak and A-1 students, or more like they couldn't complain about it.

Freya looked at the two holographic screens projected in front of everyone.

One was about the Matchup lineup.

[Group 1 vs. Group 2]

Win:

Lose:

[Group 3 vs. Group 4]

Win:

Lose:

[Group 5 vs. Group 6]

Win:

Lose:

[Group 7 vs. Group 8]

Win:

Lose:

And two was about the Virtual Battleground where the first group of participants arrived.

...

At Chancellor Alexander's Office

Scarlet Netherdawn, the General Overall System Theories Professor of Han Jiho and Russell Moon, was sitting on a single-person couch while looking at the back of Chancellor Alexander who was looking by the window.

After a few seconds of silence, she asked in a casual tone with disregard for her position as a professor.

"Do you want me to investigate Kevin Springer's matter?"

Heaving a sigh, Chancellor Alexander shook his head and said...

"No, leave it be."

Without waiting for Scarlet to say anything, he added...

"Scarlet, do you remember the 'Unwritten Obelisk Academy Mantra' that every staff here knows?"

Scarlet nodded silently, waiting for Chancellor Alexander's next words.

"If you cannot protect yourself inside the Obelisk Academy, do not expect to survive longer outside.

"That said if one is scared of pain...

"The more likely one is prone to die."

"The more likely one is prone to die."

Chancellor Alexander and Scarlet Netherdawn said the same last sentence at almost the same time while tacitly coming to an agreement of not pursuing the matter about the third year who faked dropping out.

...

Meanwhile, both princesses of two Queendoms arrived at the Virtual Battleground.

[You have arrived at Jellyfish Island]

[Warning: Pain Reduction is not applicable]

[There will be no Pain Tolerance]