Surviving as a Mage in a Magic Academy - Chapter 522
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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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Chapter 522
“Please put me in the vanguard! I’ll bring victory!”
Angrago shouted energetically.
Lee Han, suffering from muscle pain, looked at Angrago like he was looking at a madman.
‘What kind of confidence makes him say such nonsense?’
From what he heard, their opponents were polo fanatics who only ate and played polo all day, while the students here were mages who prioritized magic above all else.
He couldn’t understand where such confidence came from.
“Angrago. How do you plan to win in this situation?”
“Wardanaz. I’ve played polo every single day without rest. Sometimes I even played over ten matches.”
“…”
Lee Han looked at Angrago with contemptuous eyes.
‘No wonder this bastard was dozing off during studies…’
No matter how he thought about it, sports like polo should be banned by school rules.
If that happened, the average scores of White Tiger Tower students would easily rise by 20 points.
“Professor! Please put me in the vanguard…”
“Wait. Alpha. Didn’t you fall off your horse during the last race?”
“Huh? Yes. That’s true, but that was a mistake…”
“Then you’re a substitute.”
“…No, no! Professor! This isn’t right! This isn’t right!!”
Angrago protested violently, unlike his usual indifferent attitude toward academics, but Professor Lightningstep was cold.
They were already at a disadvantage, so he couldn’t trust someone who was all talk.
What was needed was skill alone.
“Wardanaz. Richmond. The other guys are important too, but you two are especially crucial. Got it?”
“Professor. I haven’t fully recovered yet because of this week’s stone-throwing festival.”
“Stone-throwing festival? Ah. The St. Iactus festival? Wait. Why on earth did you go there… Never mind. Professor Verdus must have taken you.”
‘That’s not right.’
Lee Han was about to say it was Professor Lagrindes but stopped.
He didn’t feel the need to point it out.
“Is the muscle pain severe?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm.”
Professor Lightningstep rummaged through his luggage and pulled out a potion.
“This should be fine. It’s a potion that’s not covered by regulations. Drink it.”
“Thank you… Hmm. Is this a recovery potion?”
Lee Han opened the cap and drank the potion, feeling puzzled.
The pain throughout his body was rapidly disappearing.
This was much more effective than the acceleration potion he’d received at the infirmary.
“No. It’s a potion that makes you unable to feel pain.”
“…”
While Lee Han was shocked, Professor Lightningstep gathered the high-performing students and gave instructions.
“You guys lack both team tactics and individual skills. Even your mounts are somewhat inferior.”
Nilia raised her hand with an incredulous expression and asked.
“Couldn’t you at least change our mounts?”
The other side had brought ostriches, goats, wolves, turtles, and such, while they just had horses.
However, Professor Lightningstep slowly shook his head.
“Actually, those are more advantageous for you guys. Unusual mounts have their advantages, but they’re more difficult to handle and violent. In comparison, your horses are loyal and steadfast. Even more so if you’ve taken good care of them throughout this year.”
The students unconsciously showed expressions full of pride.
They remembered going back and forth to the stables throughout the year, devoting care to their horses.
The sweat and time they’d invested would never betray them.
Gainando grumbled as he removed the remaining straw from his hair.
“What do you mean loyal and steadfast… It bites my head whenever it sees me.”
Professor Lightningstep ignored him and continued.
“The only tactic you guys can use is a war of attrition. If it goes long, the other side’s stamina will give out first.”
Shailes, a Black Turtle Tower student, asked with confusion.
Since his family was in the carriage transport business, he knew well about the characteristics of various mounts.
“The opponents’ mounts aren’t particularly lacking in stamina compared to horses, are they?”
“Ah. The horses you guys ride have much better endurance because I raised them somewhat specially. Don’t let the other side find out.”
“…”
“…”
“Now. Lower your defensive line, don’t let go of the reins at all costs, don’t cry just because you got hit once… Wardanaz. Come here.”
“?”
Lee Han was puzzled when Professor Lightningstep called him aside.
“Are you going to give me another potion? I know it’s against the rules, but if there’s a way not to get caught…”
“What? No. That would be cheating. I’m not thinking of making you do something like that.”
‘It wouldn’t be strange if you did.’
“Actually, one of the reasons I’m expecting victory in this friendly match is you.”
“Huh?”
Lee Han hesitated.
In a situation where he couldn’t use magic or attacks using mana, there were limits to what Lee Han could do.
No matter how well he rode horses or how skilled he was at swordsmanship, could he really beat experienced polo players?
“What are you riding out on?”
“Ponrig?”
“Right. And Ponrig is…”
“Ah.”
Lee Han realized what the professor was aiming for.
‘Aha!’
“Should I release Ponrig’s transformation and sweep away all the other players’ mounts?”
“…Do you happen to have any complaints about me forcing you to participate? If you do, please tell me now.”
* * *
Having finished preparations, Professor Lightningstep stood with his arms crossed, frowning as he looked at the playing field.
Unfard, the captain from a city noble family standing beside him, smiled and said.
“Thank you for giving us this opportunity.”
“Not at all.”
“What greater honor could there be than competing against the renowned Einroguard students? By the way, I heard the Einroguard polo club students achieved good results this time?”
“Unless they won, it’s meaningless…”
“What are you saying? Isn’t the process what’s important?”
“Hmm.”
Professor Lightningstep frowned even more at the rising anger.
Actually, the opponents weren’t really at fault.
They were innocent opponents who came because they thought it was a good proposal when they received the offer, but…
When you’re in a bad mood, being tactless just makes you more annoying.
Moreover, the fact that several main players including the captain were missing from the polo club team also made Professor Lightningstep angry.
Of course, the opponents had arranged it that way to be considerate of the new students who had no polo experience yet, but people naturally become very narrow-minded when it comes to sports they like.
With the insufficient results recently achieved by Einroguard students, Professor Lightningstep was very thirsty for victory.
“I hope many people will feel the charm of polo in today’s friendly match and join the polo club next year.”
“I’ll join!”
Angrago shouted loudly from the spectator seats. At those words, Unfard nodded with a bright face.
“Maybe we can meet up sometime and play polo together! But Professor, why is that student sitting down? He looks like he enjoys polo.”
“His leg is broken.”
“Oh my…”
He looked fine but had a broken leg. Unfard looked at Angrago with pity.
Meanwhile, the students and players faced each other and exchanged greetings.
“Please take care of us.”
“It’s an honor to have a friendly match with Einroguard’s students.”
The Granden City players spoke with sincerity.
Lee Han, suddenly curious, asked a question.
“But among you seniors, there must be some who belong to the school polo club. Haven’t there been any friendly matches until now?”
“Ah. Einroguard students usually play with other magic school students.”
“That’s… no.”
Lee Han was dumbfounded.
‘Then why are we…’
If other magic school students were busy, they could just wait for them. Why bring such high-difficulty opponents?
“I see…”
Seeing Lee Han show interest, the excited opposing player enthusiastically talked about polo’s appeal.
“The Einroguard polo club is truly a historic club. The Empire prize record they set long ago still hasn’t been broken.”
“Prize money?”
“Yes.”
“There’s prize money in polo?”
“Of course there is.”
Lee Han was surprised.
Shailes beside him was also surprised.
‘Why doesn’t he know that…?’
From money put up by spectators to prize money wagered by various celebrities staking their names.
If you could win, you could earn as much as you wanted in polo.
And most of all, he couldn’t understand why Wardanaz didn’t know this.
“Magic school students use their prize money for magical research.”
“Ah. Yes. Well, that’s right.”
Lee Han imagined joining the polo club and embezzling his share of prize money for business funds, then snapped back to reality.
Anyway, no money would come out of this friendly match.
‘Let’s focus.’
“Oh. Are you perhaps from the Richmond family?”
“Ah. Yes.”
The players also spoke to Shailes who was nearby.
The previously friendly players’ eyes turned sharp as they whispered among themselves.
“Mark that student first…”
“Just in case, never let your guard down.”
“…”
* * *
Tweet!
As soon as it started, dust rose up in the vast arena.
Two players on an ostrich and wolf fiercely dribbled the ball with their poles as they charged.
Shailes, who took the right side, urgently shouted.
“Everyone maintain formation and don’t fall back… Cough cough cough!?”
The wolf immobilized Shailes’ horse, then the ostrich quickly delivered a kick.
Shailes was sent flying and rolled around.
Seeing this, the White Tiger Tower students unconsciously cheered.
“What an advanced technique!”
“Perfect 【Player Knockdown】!”
‘What kind of technique name is that…’
“Everyone hold on! I’m coming!”
Lee Han realized the skill gap between his friends and the players was more severe than expected.
At this rate, far from holding out, they would be broken through and concede a goal.
The only one who could buy time right now was Lee Han riding the griffin.
“Ponrig. I’m counting on you.”
Ponrig’s eyes blazed red and rough breath flowed from his mouth after hearing affectionate words from his master for the first time in truly ages.
Bang!
“Watch out! Right side!”
“Block him!”
When Lee Han on the left suddenly maneuvered to the right, other players blocked his path to protect the player carrying the ball.
Lee Han gritted his teeth and prepared for collision.
Even if direct attacks above the shoulders were too much, as he’d seen earlier, situations varied from attacks using mounts to attacks below the shoulders.
Since he couldn’t cut down experienced players in one stroke, he had no choice but to trust Ponrig’s mass and break through.
-Bleat bleat bleat!!!!
“?”
When the goat blocking his path suddenly screamed and changed direction, the player on top was also flustered.
His longtime partner showing such a reaction?
The wolf beside him was the same.
As Ponrig approached, it panicked and increased the distance.
When a breakthrough opened up instantly, Lee Han charged ahead. Seeing this, Professor Lightningstep punched the air with his fist.
“That’s it!”
“H-how?!”
Unfard shouted in confusion.
What on earth had just happened?
‘The effect is much better than expected!’
Professor Lightningstep suppressed a smile and rejoiced inwardly.
It was performance worthy of shouting perfect score right now.
“That horse was originally a griffin.”
“What? But…”
When the opponent was flustered and speechless, Professor Lightningstep struck first.
“Of course, it might feel dangerous for a first-year student to handle a griffin. But with proper preparation, handling a griffin isn’t that dangerous.”
Professor Lightningstep spun lies without even wetting his lips.
In fact, objectively speaking, no matter what preparations were made, handling a griffin was indeed very, very dangerous.
“No… that’s not it.”
“?”
“We trained in preparation for meeting a griffin as an opponent in matches. But why are they so scared…”
“…?!”
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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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