On My First Day Undercover, the Organization Collapsed - Chapter 45

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Organization Collapsed on My First Day of Infiltration Episode 045

 

 

Call Me Leader

 

 

Quantus Hopel.

The eldest son of the Hopel Family and a talent evaluated as having inherited the essence of Hopel Family Swordsmanship.

His swordsmanship skills and strength were solid enough to be selected as an Exchange Tournament member, but there was a slight problem.

 

“Quantus! You can’t just charge in recklessly!”

“Follow me! Hahaha!”

 

Namely, his simple-mindedness that was serious enough to be concerning.

 

“He seems too excited.”

“This is trouble.”

 

And a personality that became reckless at the slightest excitement.

Indeed, he wasn’t easy to control.

But it wasn’t like there was no way.

 

“Ann. Please.”

“Leave it to me.”

 

Ann, who had somehow become closest to Quantus.

She shouted with an expression of having no choice.

 

“Leader!”

 

Quantus’s steps came to an abrupt halt.

 

“D-did you call me?”

 

As expected.

The title Teacher Ziel had used to address Quantus earlier had properly taken effect.

 

“Yeah, Leader. You.”

“Me, why?”

“Leader, you’re leading us really well right now, but I think we could go a bit slower.”

“But we should get to the summit as quickly as possible…”

“Being eager and going bravely ahead is really good. But I think it would be even better if we surveyed the situation as we go. You’re the leader, right? You need to lead everyone well.”

“Leader… Yeah. You’re right!”

 

Indeed, he was easy to handle.

But it also worked because it was Ann.

Quantus tended to agree with whatever Ann said.

 

‘Now we’re set.’

 

Meanwhile.

Delev and Celia.

While Quantus took the lead, the two with the highest actual combat power were carefully surveying their surroundings.

 

“Celia. Over there.”

“Where?”

“There, see those bushes right ahead? There. In front.”

 

Delev discovered traps one after another.

Good eye.

Celia, who was usually busy teasing Delev whenever she got the chance, had no choice but to acknowledge this.

 

‘Talent is talent, after all.’

 

Click!

 

Delev disarmed the trap.

 

“Leader! I’ve disarmed a trap here!”

“Oh! Well done!”

“It’s thanks to you leading the way, Leader.”

“Haha. Such praise!”

 

Delev seemed to be gradually learning how to handle Quantus too.

Not to be outdone, Celia found more traps.

 

“There’s one here too, Leader!”

“Oh, disarm it!”

 

Click, click.

 

Trap disarmament wasn’t difficult.

It was thanks to Ziel’s theory classes.

 

“Just like Teacher said?”

“Did he know in advance that there would be traps like this?”

“The types are a bit different though…”

 

Even during the match, they felt Ziel’s greatness.

There were many traps they never would have discovered without Ziel.

It was thanks to learning not just how to disarm them, but also exactly how traps were camouflaged.

 

Click!

 

“Ugh!”

“Leader!”

“I’m fine. I endured it with my muscles!”

 

Of course, there were people like Quantus who still got caught even when warned.

Though he wasn’t hurt thanks to his muscles being as powerful as he was simple.

 

“How do they not get hurt by traps like these…?”

 

Was it the mystery of muscles, or the mystery of Quantus?

In any case, the first years’ initial pace wasn’t bad. They were advancing smoothly while disarming traps, and there wasn’t a single dropout yet.

In past Exchange Tournaments, early dropouts among first years happened almost every time, but this time was a bit different.

 

‘At this rate, it might turn out better than expected?’

‘Teacher was right!’

 

And there was one more fact they hadn’t realized themselves.

Physical strength!

All the first years here were students who had taken Ziel’s liberal arts class.

Their improved stamina from running with sandbags for months while even having their mana restricted.

Despite climbing steep mountain paths while maintaining tension, they weren’t getting that out of breath.

 

“Let’s push just a little harder!”

 

Of course, the first match didn’t only require trap disarmament skills and stamina.

 

“Leader! Right in front!”

“Ugh!”

 

There was also this.

Dolls made with magical engineering!

Attackers that carry out predetermined commands.

If this had been a match that simply ended with mountain climbing, the first years wouldn’t have always come in last place.

 

“Are you okay, Quantus?”

“Grrrgh…”

 

Ann rushed over urgently.

Was the injury serious?

 

“Quantus, are you alri…”

“Call… call me Leader…”

“…”

 

There were a full five dolls specially made by Arcane School.

Each one possessed strong physical power and swift movements.

The essence of magical engineering!

But they lacked self-awareness and couldn’t engage in higher-level thinking.

Also, they were very expensive.

 

“I heard each one costs at least 3 million cel…”

 

Karen’s muttering.

If she secretly stole one during the match and sold it, she could pay off the family debt and not worry about tuition…

 

“Karen, snap out of it.”

“Oh, ah. Yeah.”

 

Five in total.

First years usually had some dropouts here.

Some years, everyone would drop out.

That’s why the leader’s capability was important.

The match ranking condition was ‘more than half reach the summit’.

In other words, they could strategically leave three or four behind as decoys while the rest climbed up.

 

“Leader, what should we do?”

“Of course we all go together!”

 

However, this year’s first-year leader Quantus thought simply.

 

“We all worked hard together, so we should all go together!”

 

In the past, they might have criticized Quantus for such a decision.

If they hadn’t met Teacher Ziel and received training, they would have definitely taken the strategy of having some become decoys while others climbed up.

But now, the first years were full of confidence.

Even in front of those magic dolls that had caused countless first years to drop out, without backing down—

 

Shing!

 

Everyone drew their swords simultaneously.

 

“Quantus, no, Leader. Give us orders.”

 

At Ann’s words, Quantus shouted as if he’d been waiting for this.

 

“We break through and all climb up together!”

 

Then Celia and Delev, recalling the lessons they’d received from Ziel, spoke to their other friends.

 

“You remember when we sparred in groups of two, right?”

 

There were five magic dolls.

They had ten people.

Split into pairs to face one each.

They had enough experience and training.

Now it was time to show results.

 

 

The family heads from various noble families who had arrived at the summit, along with others who came to observe today’s matches, sat comfortably watching magic screens floating in the air.

 

“Oh ho, as expected of fifth years. They’re unstoppable.”

“There, that kid at the very front is my son. Hahaha.”

“I’m envious, Family Head. Raising him so splendidly.”

 

Along with magic dolls, truly the essence of magical engineering!

So expensive that only places overflowing with donations like the Academy, or the Imperial Palace, or certain families could operate them.

Though not quite perfect, it was sufficient to check the current state of each grade climbing Black Peak.

 

‘As expected, overwhelming.’

 

Berhal nodded while watching the fifth-year screen.

Overwhelming breakthrough power.

Experience, skill, strategy – all perfect.

A strategy where three handled the five dolls while the remaining seven climbed the mountain.

Fourth and third years used the same strategy, but weren’t as fast as the fifth years.

The fifth-year team had already reached the mid-slope.

Of course, the dolls weren’t the only obstacle.

On the other hand…

 

‘The second years are struggling.’

 

The second-year screen was quite disastrous.

Students in complete disarray.

Two had already dropped out to the unexpectedly powerful magic dolls.

They should have made a quick decision to leave some behind while the rest continued, but failed to do so.

Whether it was a leadership problem or student division was unclear, but one thing was certain – it didn’t look easy.

 

‘Professor Elcanto must be breaking out in cold sweat.’

 

Though his back was turned so it wasn’t visible, Elcanto’s expression was obvious.

Amid all this, there was one screen that caught the eye.

The first-year screen.

 

“The first years are doing better than expected this time?”

“Haha, isn’t that child in front the young lady of Rihart?”

“Oh, her heavy sword technique is proper. The Family Head of Kundel must be very proud.”

 

Unexpected performance that drew admiration from the observers.

Instead of the characteristic inexperience first years showed in past exchange tournaments, what was visible was considerable teamwork.

 

“Did they know about the traps beforehand? How are they so fast…”

“Hmm. That’s my son. His name is Yurio Harmatan.”

“Oh my, I didn’t realize the Family Head was right here.”

 

The ability to detect and dismantle traps.

 

“They’re not leaving anyone behind and having everyone face the dolls?”

“It seems like a strategy to handle them faster and move on.”

“Hmm. I don’t know who he is, but that big fellow in front has tremendous strength?”

“Hahaha. That’s my son! The pride of the Hofel family!”

 

Two people executing flexible coordinated attacks against a single magic doll.

 

“How did you all train them? Their stamina seems incredible for first years.”

“I heard the teacher in charge of first years is quite skilled.”

“You mean Teacher Ziel Steelheart?”

 

And the physical strength to support all of this.

 

“But where is that teacher?”

“Well, we weren’t introduced separately. Maybe he’ll come later?”

 

Everyone was curious about where Ziel had gone.

Especially Amos and Daren had been looking for Ziel since they climbed to the summit.

But that was only momentary.

When the Celia and Yurio duo defeated one doll, cheers erupted.

 

“As expected of Rihart’s young lady!”

“Her sword is too fast to see!”

 

Flattery-laden cheers burst forth.

Thanks to this, Daren was all smiles.

 

‘Just a little more, youngest!’

 

Then when the Delev and Ann duo defeated their doll, more cheers erupted.

 

“As expected of the Empire’s greatest family!”

“Kyaaaaa. Heavy sword technique is the best! What’s the point of being fast!”

 

A war of nerves gradually beginning to unfold.

Anyway.

Ziel, who was the beginning of all these achievements, was now…

 

“Where did Teacher Ziel go?”

“Ah. Teacher Ziel and the teaching assistants should have started from the bottom of the peak by now.”

 

Berhal finally realized his mistake.

Ziel and the teaching assistants were currently deployed to the peak to check on dropouts and prepare for any possible situations.

 

“It would have been better to call Teacher Ziel here.”

“Should we call him now?”

“No. If one person is missing, the rest will suffer, so leave it as is.”

 

It would have been nice if Teacher Ziel could hear all that admiration and praise too.

 

‘He really trained them properly.’

 

Maybe he should observe the training later.

He felt like throwing away all dignity and telling the professors to learn from him.

Even with Kundel and Rihart’s children present, to raise first years who lacked everything to this level.

The students’ strategy was excellent too.

Magic dolls never let go of their target until they’re destroyed.

If you half-heartedly throw out bait, that bait gets smashed and you end up being pursued instead.

In that sense, attacking together to quickly defeat them and advance is a very good strategy.

 

‘That big guy at the front is the leader, right?’

 

Berhal tilted his head while looking at Quantus.

He’d heard the guy was quite simple-minded.

 

‘Was it a disguise?’

 

There really was a reason they made him leader.

 

“With results like this…”

 

Berhal started to speak but stopped and just shrugged his shoulders.

The first match wasn’t over yet.

Magic Dolls.

There’s no way all the obstacles would end with just those.

 

“I wonder how this will go.”

 

Traps.

Moderately treacherous mountain terrain.

Magic Dolls.

These three obstacles are fixed,

but the final obstacle changes every year.

The reason the first match maintains its tension.

 

“Security Captain.”

“Yes, Department Head.”

“Please release them now.”

“Understood.”

 

The Blade Mountain Range where Black Peak is located.

Quite dangerous creatures that live only there.

Beasts that ambush from shadows and darkness, as fast as arrows.

 

‘Even the upperclassmen will have trouble with this.’

 

The current rankings are 5th Year, 4th Year, 3rd Year, then 1st Year and 2nd Year.

Would this situation be maintained?

Or would there be an upset?

However, there was one variable Berhal hadn’t anticipated.

 

“Department Head!”

 

Someone rushed urgently to the Security Captain.

A Mage dispatched from Arcane School to support today’s Exchange Tournament.

In other words, one of the Mages in charge of Puppet Control.

 

“What’s the matter?”

“Well, Department Head.”

 

The Mage glanced around at the nearby Gallery members, then whispered quietly.

 

“You need to come with me for a moment to see something.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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