Chapter 23: The Swiss System and a Sinister Match-Up

The tournament followed a Swiss System format, pitting participants in a series of confrontation matches.

Simply put, the first round was randomly and fairly arranged.

After each subsequent round, the total points of all contestants were tallied.

Based on these cumulative scores, participants were ranked from highest to lowest.

High-scoring players then faced other high-scoring players, and low-scoring players matched against low-scoring ones.

Crucially, contestants who had already competed against each other in a previous round would not meet again in the next.

This cycle continued until all rounds were concluded.

The advantage of this format was its clear ranking system, making upsets difficult.

It proved particularly fair for students of moderate strength, alleviating concerns about early elimination by a superior opponent and thus ensuring a more accurate assessment of their abilities.

This also streamlined the grading process for the magic academy.

For truly formidable contestants, victory meant a straightforward path to the championship.

An undefeated record naturally identified the strongest among them.

Given the sheer number of students enrolled, it was impractical to have them all compete in a single bracket.

Thus, around twenty groups were typically formed each year, though this year’s higher enrollment necessitated even more.

Fortunately, the academy’s expansive grounds allowed for simultaneous matches, ensuring a relatively swift progression.

However, this also demanded a significant number of personnel, which was precisely why Lulu had been recruited as a judge.

Beyond mere rankings, judges were also tasked with assigning performance scores for each match.

This allowed for a more nuanced differentiation in student achievements.

Lulu scanned the grouping charts, searching for Alexius.

The ‘Little Demon King’ stood nearby, observing the previous round of matches.

After searching for a moment, Lulu finally looked up, realizing Alexius was standing right in front of her, in the very team she was assigned to judge.

‘[Oh? So Alexius is in the group I’m judging?]’

Alexius turned, casting a slightly helpless glance at Lulu.

The young woman met her disciple’s gaze, momentarily bewildered. ‘Hm? What’s that look for?’

‘[Ahem, are you perhaps expecting me to give you a high score? Hehe, don’t worry, that’s absolutely impossible!]’

‘[I am, as always, an exceptionally fair and impartial person. How could I ever commit such an act of favoritism or pervert justice? I will absolutely not make an exception for my own disciple, especially not for Alexius!]’

‘[Zero points. Straight zero points!]’

Alexius simply stared.

‘Your main goal is clearly to sabotage Alexius, isn’t it!’

Alexius felt a significant amount of pressure.

Already, his preparation time had been insufficient due to looking after Lulu, and now his own teacher was seeking to settle a personal score during official duties.

This was… unexpected.

He stifled a sigh.

‘Endure!’

‘Retribution. He would settle this score fiercely later!’

Lulu observed her disciple clenching his fists, mistakenly believing it was a surge of fighting spirit.

She nodded with a sense of gratification.

‘Oh well, if he performs exceptionally, a few extra points wouldn’t hurt. After all, this whole scoring business largely depends on my mood.’

****

A short while later, it was Alexius’s turn to enter the arena.

Lulu watched with a touch of anticipation as her disciple slowly ascended the platform, his steps firm and imbued with a certain presence.

Despite his attire being somewhat plainer compared to the spectators around him, his confident demeanor was enough to overshadow many anxious contestants worried about their own elimination.

Standing opposite him, however, was…

Kassius!

This was the same individual who had only enrolled at seventeen during the recent test, whose 1.3-tier strength had garnered quite a few admirers.

‘Hmm…’

Lulu thoughtfully rubbed her chin. ‘His luck isn’t great. To encounter someone of this caliber in the very first round… the 0.5-tier difference is quite significant.’

On the stage, Kassius’s gaze was laced with disdain; he seemed unwilling to even look directly at Alexius.

It wasn’t until a teacher below the ring tugged at Kassius’s foot that he turned his head.

There, he saw Teacher Josen, responsible for student admissions, smiling at him before speaking in a low voice:

“That boy isn’t strong. His magic tier was probably faked using some unknown method. The item I gave you will definitely work, so don’t worry. Give him a good lesson, Kassius. You are a student I have high hopes for.”

With that, Josen turned his head, his gaze fixed ominously on Lulu’s direction, a hint of sinister amusement playing on his lips.

‘Luxstina, I’d like to see just how talented your student truly is.’

Lulu turned her head, a flicker of curiosity in her eyes.

Seeing Josen, the very person who had mocked Alexius earlier, now huddled with Alexius’s opponent, a sudden ominous feeling settled in her heart.

Sure enough, moments later, Kassius turned and ascended the ring.

He then looked at Alexius and smirked:

“You’re Alexius, right? The commoner who just humiliated the Lord’s nephew? Heh, quite bold, I must say. I rather admire you.”

“You should consider yourself fortunate to have encountered me in the first round, as it would be far less likely to find me in the winner’s bracket later on.”

“It’s an honor to face me, hmph, but meeting me also means your luck has run out! Prepare to join the loser’s bracket, or perhaps pack up and withdraw from the exam now; I’d hate to deal too great a blow to your confidence.”

“So you’re the Kassius they speak of, the one most likely to enter the academy as the top-ranked student this year?”

Listening to the opponent’s arrogant declaration, Alexius scoffed, speaking dismissively.

Kassius’s heart swelled with fury upon hearing this, and he bellowed:

“That’s right, 1.3-tier! Kid, there’s always someone stronger out there. Don’t think just because you’ve diligently raised your magic tier that you’re impressive.”

“Let me tell you, when you face nobles like us, you should still show some humility. After all, bloodline determines one’s potential ceiling. Your limit might only be three or four tiers, while I possess the strength to become a seventh-tier Archmage!”

“Mm… everything you say is correct.”

Alexius chuckled dismissively, then shook his head.

Before him, Kassius’s brow furrowed tightly, his eyes flaring with a mixture of anger and killing intent.

Even Lulu found herself struggling to contain her amusement.

‘[This guy is a complete clown, pfft~ Alexius was a tenth-tier powerhouse in his last life! He could resolve my most powerful super-tier spells with a single finger!]’

‘[Big brother, you really should speak less. I’m afraid if I can’t control Alexius in the end, he’ll utterly devastate you!]’

‘[Thank you, Lulu, my inner voice!]’

‘[Ah, but if there’s any settling of scores, you’ll definitely be first in line. No need to worry about this ‘big brother.’]’

On the stage, the referee raised a flag.

With a sharp whistle, the match officially began.

Lulu excitedly prepared to watch a fierce battle.

A 0.8-tier against a 1.3-tier was indeed challenging, yet the gap wasn’t insurmountable.

The key would be to observe both combatants’ practical fighting abilities.

Oh, right, weapons were permitted in the match, but lethal blows or malicious maiming were strictly forbidden.

Should any injuries occur, priests capable of healing magic were on standby, so it wasn’t a significant concern.

Kassius suddenly drew a dagger.

Against Alexius’s longsword, it seemed to put him at a slight disadvantage.

However, Kassius cast his gaze down at his dagger, where a thin layer of hallucinogenic liquid coated the blade.

This secret weapon instilled considerable confidence in the top-seeded contestant.

‘[This dagger of mine is coated with potent poison. *Image of a dagger dripping with venom.*]’

If that fellow were to take even a single stab, the item Teacher Josen provided would not only easily incapacitate the boy but also inflict damage upon his magic meridians.

Forget today’s match; he wouldn’t be able to participate in any future competitions, even in his next life.

With this thought, Kassius’s lips curled into a triumphant smirk.

Then, he swiftly charged towards Alexius!

📚 Also on NHV Novels

Enemies on a Single-Log Bridge

AcademyBattleBL

Read Now →
Not interested