Conquering The Novel

Livia's voice echoed across the battlefield like thunder as she shouted, "Absolute Zero!" Her hand came down with a force that could shake the very foundation of the earth.

The blue magic circles in the sky above the mansion glowed with an intensity that made the students gasp. The air around them grew heavy as if something massive was about to happen.

Suddenly, the magic circles erupted with blinding light, causing everyone to shield their eyes.

Boom--

A deafening explosion rocked the battlefield as powerful blasts of icy energy tore through the air, obliterating everything in its path. The mansion's roof was hit with the force of a thousand storms, sending debris flying in every direction.

The blast tore through the barriers around the mansion, shattering them into a million pieces. Shockwaves rippled through the ground, causing the teams inside to lose their footing and stumble.

The temperature plummeted instantly as a massive wave of cold energy blasted outwards. A blizzard engulfed the entire area, and frost began to spread across the ground, freezing everything in its path.

Ava's eyes widened as she watched in amazement as the spell's power unfolded before her. The entire mansion was now covered in a thick layer of ice, and she could see several frozen bodies of opponents trapped in the ice.

"Amazing," Eva whispered in disbelief.

Livia took a step back, panting heavily as her mana visibly depleted. "I did it, Ares," she gasped, looking over at him with a sense of accomplishment. Ares grinned proudly at her.

"Well done, Livia," he said, patting her on the back. "You can rest now and leave everything to us!" he added, giving her a reassuring smile.

Livia smiled and nodded slightly, feeling a sense of satisfaction that she had helped her team gain an upper hand. But at the same time, she knew she would lose her bet with Diana.

Her mana was depleted, and she had no energy left to continue the battle. If this were the real world, she would have pushed herself harder and rushed to fight with her sword, but in the VR world, as soon as her MP reached zero, her movements were restricted, just like in a game.

Despite her disappointment about losing the bet, Livia knew that following Ares' lead was more important than her pride. "You're right, Ares. I'll leave everything to you," she said, giving him a small smile before retreating to the backlines.

"...."

Diana's eyes widened in shock as she watched Livia sacrifice their bet and obediently follow Ares' command. It was clear to her that Livia valued Ares' words more than anything else. 'Would I have done the same?' she wondered.

She was brought out of her thoughts when she heard Ares' voice coming through their team's voice chat.

Now, with the barriers destroyed, Ares signaled the team to move forward. The plan was in motion, and they were ready to take on whatever the other teams had in store for them.

"Now that we have their attention, we move in!" Ares said, his voice barely audible over the still howling winds. "Let's go!"

He said and turned to Diana, who nodded and fired an arrow high in the air toward the mansion.

Swish--

And when the arrow was on its way toward the mansion, Ares muttered.

Swap--

In a flash, he switched places with Diana's arrow mid-air, his Ice katana crackling with electric aura from his Static Electricity skill.

Shreeeik-- Shreeik

"FELL-CRESCENT!" he then shouted, unleashing a massive blue electric crescent that tore through the already frozen mansion.

Boom--

The mansion was ripped in half with a deafening boom, leaving the opposing teams vulnerable to attacks.

And the impact of Ares' attack was devastating as some students were caught off guard and immediately eliminated.

[Your teammate Ares had eliminated a member of Team Iron Fortress Academy!]

[Your teammate Ares had eliminated a member of Team Shadow Academy!]

However, the Cherry Blossom Academy team didn't waste any time and seized the opportunity presented to them. With shields raised and spells at the ready, they charged forward into the icy tempest.

As the teams continued through the blizzard, Diana's sharp eyesight spotted some opponents struggling to move through the snow and ice in the distance. Her focus sharpened as she reached for an arrow from her quiver, carefully notching it onto her bowstring with precision.

The wind howled and snow swirled around her, but Diana stood firm, her eyes fixed on her targets. With practiced ease, she pulled back the string, and released it in a smooth, fluid motion.

Swish--

The arrow sailed through the air, leaving a trail of shimmering silver light behind it. It found its mark with deadly accuracy, piercing through the armor of an opponent and sending them tumbling to the ground.

Thwack!

[Your teammate Diana had eliminated a member of Team Iron Fortress Academy!]

One opponent went down, and Diana quickly notched another arrow onto her bowstring, pulling back and aiming at her next target. She let the arrow fly, and it too found its mark.

Thwack!

[Your teammate Diana had eliminated a member of Team Iron Fortress Academy!]

Another opponent fell to the ground, taken down by Diana's precise aim.

As the team pushed forward, Emi's hands moved in intricate patterns, casting powerful defensive spells to protect the team from the enemy's incoming attacks. Her magic glowed bright, illuminating the surrounding area as she weaved her protective enchantments.

And with Hiro's shield leading the charge, he charged toward the enemy's front line with great force. He held it steady in front of him, deflecting arrows and spells alike as they carved a path through the enemy's front line. His muscles bulged as he pushed forward, his feet stomping through the snow and ice as he led the charge.

In the end, it was Livia's spell that gave them the advantage they needed to gain the upper hand in the battle. The frozen bodies of their opponents trapped in ice were a testament to her spell's destructive power.

Most of the students were struggling to move through the snow and ice, making it impossible to dodge the incoming spells and arrows from Soreh and Cherry Blossom Academy. The already-destroyed mansion left them with no cover, and they were caught off guard by the sudden turn of events.

But the team Glacier Peak remained unaffected by the Ice as they were used to this type of environment, and they quickly realized that their current alliance was no longer useful. Soreh and Cherry Blossom Academy were sure to come out on top, and the other teams would only serve as free points for them.

And so, without warning, Glacier Peak Academy switched sides and began attacking the team Shadow Academy, who was in the second spot of the table.

Slash-- Slash --

!?

With a special sword, Blade Of Champion in their possession, the Glacier Peak student easily eliminated members of the Shadow Academy with one swift swing.

"W-What are you doing? We have to work together and take down Soreh Academy first!" The student leading the team Shadow Academy exclaimed in rage.

"We were playing along because our goals aligned, but it's clear that your team is just using us to eliminate Soreh Academy and climb to the top," the Glacier Peak representative retorted. "We knew all along that you planned to do the same to us once Soreh Academy was eliminated. But don't worry, we were thinking the same thing."

The truth hit the Shadow Academy hard, and they were left stunned as the Glacier Peak student continued their onslaught.

"We've realized that Soreh Academy will likely qualify no matter what we do now, so our best option now is to stop your team from qualifying," the Glacier Peak student declared.

The Shadow Academy students tried to defend themselves with their own weapons, but the special sword was too powerful. It cut through their defenses like a hot knife through butter.

Splash--

[Team Shadow Academy Has Been Eliminated!]

The announcement echoed throughout the battlefield, leaving the remaining teams in shock and disbelief.

!?

[Team Iron Fortress Academy Has Been Eliminated!]

However, as another notification for the elimination of the Iron Fortress team echoed through the battlefield, the situation only grew more intense.

The Glacier Peak Academy had revealed their true intentions and turned against their former allies, the Shadow Academy. However, they weren't the only ones to do so, as the Martial Star Academy had also decided to betray their partnership and took down the remaining frozen members of Iron Fortress Academy before some other teams could.

With a special shield, The Shield Of Defender in their possession, they were able to effortlessly move through the battlefield, protected from Ares' attacks and the icy terrain. The shield had the ability to protect the user and their teammates from elemental attacks, such as ice, fire, and electricity.

***

The frigid wind howled through the icy wasteland as the remaining four teams in the match - Soreh Academy, Cherry Blossom, Glacier Peak, and Martial Star Academy - faced off against each other. The tension between them was real, with each student's heart pounding with adrenaline as they prepared for the final battle.

The students tightened their grip on their weapons, determined to emerge victorious. As the sky darkened, they steeled themselves for the ultimate showdown.

With only one team able to claim the title of winner, the battle was sure to be fierce and unforgiving.

The fate of the tournament now rested on their shoulders, and the anticipation was almost unbearable. Who would emerge as the victor and move directly to the semifinals? The answer lay just ahead, shrouded in the blinding snow and piercing winds.

The stage was set for an epic clash of wills and skills, and the students knew that only their best efforts would suffice. The final battle had begun.

To be continued...