Due to the Night Party's sequential battle format, tonight's match features the two lowest-ranked students out of the one hundred who have qualified for the Night Party.
In other words, it's the 99th versus the 100th match tonight.
Rozen sat in the audience and watched this match because one of the participants was someone he knew and had been keeping an eye on.
"I remember that Frey improved her ranking in the last regular assessment, moving up from 100th to 99th, right?" Rozen mentioned.
Although her ranking improved, tonight was still Frey's time to participate.
Beside him, Yaya was sulking.
It was clear that Rozen's interest in Frey was making the envious Moon doll rather displeased.
However, Yaya still spoke up. "As long as one side grabs the other's glove, the battle will be declared over, right?"
"Yeah," Rozen continued to watch the scene and replied, "As long as the glove isn't snatched away, the competition will keep going until it's forcibly terminated at midnight. The next night, the battle continues."
"But there won't be just two participants," Rozen added.
"According to the rules of the Night Party, regardless of the results from the previous night, the 98th participant must fight on the following night, and then the 97th on the night after that. Every night, a new participant appears on the battlefield."
Rozen explained, "If the participants keep not determining a winner, by the final night, all 100 participants will be on the field for a massive free-for-all."
That's the uniqueness of the Night Party. As the number of surviving participants increases, the battle becomes more chaotic.
Under these rules, lower-ranked participants can even form alliances to take down higher-ranked ones, or higher-ranked participants might join forces to eliminate lower-ranked opponents for an assured one-on-one battle. Various scenarios are possible.
There are only three situations that the Night Party does not allow.
One: Puppeteers must not be treated as targets for attack. Violating this rule will result in immediate disqualification.
Two: Any act that leads to the death of puppeteers will result in immediate disqualification.
Three: When a participant with a higher ranking enters the arena, lower-ranked participants must wait on the battlefield for a minimum of one hour. The intentions of the higher-ranked participants take precedence over those of the lower-ranked. Only after waiting for a full hour can lower-ranked participants leave voluntarily.
Yes, participants can choose to leave the battlefield voluntarily.
This is one of the features of the sequential battle system. By waiting for one hour, they can exit, even if there's no clear winner, and the match will continue the following night.
"Furthermore, high-ranking participants can even voluntarily lower their ranking and enter early," Rozen told Yaya.
"For instance, I could lower my rank to 99 before the competition starts, allowing me to attend tonight's event."
This is also one of the privileges of higher-ranking participants. This shows just how important rankings are in this academy.
They determine not only the treatment but also the privileges and advantages.
The higher the rank, the better the treatment, the more privileges, and the greater the advantage – these are all the benefits.
"So, it's possible that Miss Frey may not participate tonight?" Yaya said as if she suddenly realized. Given that Frey is ranked 99th, she could choose not to participate when her opponent is ranked 100th. However,
"Today is the first night of the Night Party. Regardless of whether she can or can't do it, even if she could, it wouldn't be possible, right?"
Rozen surveyed the surroundings.
"Because today is the opening night, and nearly a thousand people are gathered here. Various individuals are watching, including some military officials and corporate giants. If she withdraws and doesn't participate on the first night of the Night Party, even if Frey herself doesn't care about others' judgments and opinions, the powerful forces behind her won't allow it. Such damage to her reputation often affects actual gains. Leaving this aside, just for the secret betting taking place on the Night Party, negative rumors could have an impact."
So, tonight she has to participate.
The problem is,
"If Frey participates tonight, it's really dangerous," Rozen said in a low voice.
With Rozen's words, a female student from the Night Party's executive department stepped forward and made an announcement with a voice as melodious and graceful as an opera singer.
"The 100th ranked participant, [ Last One ] please take the stage!"
Last one.
When this registration code appeared, there was an instant silence throughout the arena. Then, a male student slowly ascended the stage.
He had a strong physique, a tall figure, and broad shoulders. His graceful and developed muscles resembled a wild animal, yet he possessed deep features and a well-proportioned face.
No matter how you looked at him, he appeared to be a handsome young man. He had a lazy expression, and there was no hint of charisma emanating from his entire body. Instead, he gave off an air of apathy and lack of enthusiasm, even more so than Rozen.
And behind this male student, there followed a suit of armor.
It was indeed an armor, with no trace of exposed skin on its entire body. It looked like a medieval armored humanoid walking silently, quietly following its master.
This was the male student's automaton.
"So he's the 'Last One'?" Rozen squinted his eyes.
August Veyron.
That was his full name.
The reason he had the Last One registration code wasn't that he was the lowest among all the participants in the Night Party, but because his performance ranked last among all the students in the entire academy.
His academic performance was the worst in the academy. He left all the regular tests blank, never submitted reports, and sometimes even skipped mandatory courses. He was clearly someone who shouldn't even be in this academy, just a waste of expensive tuition fees.
However, he wasn't expelled from the academy, and no objections were raised by any of the sponsors. The reason was simple.
"It is said that Mr. August Veyron possesses abilities beyond ordinary people, and if he shows his true skills, he might even be able to rival the Marshal. That's the rumor that's been circulating," Yaya said with her head tilted.
Rozen didn't deny it; he simply smiled slightly. "I don't know if he can rival Marshal. All I know is that if I hadn't taken away the position of one of the remaining thirteen after Felix was expelled, he might have been the one to replace Felix as one of the thirteen."
In other words, the person known as August Veyron, who held the last place, was only in the 100th position because of Rozen's appearance. Due to his lack of effort in the regular examinations, he was placed in the 100th position by the Night Party's executive department.
"This is also why today is so lively. Everyone has high expectations for the so-called Last One person rumored to have abilities to rival Marshal," Rozen sighed. "Frey is probably going to have a hard time."
That's the current situation.
"Rank 99th, Silent Roar, please take the stage!"
Just as the audience was discussing August Veyron's appearance, the Night Party executive committee made another announcement, and the second-place participant slowly appeared.
That person was none other than Frey.
After some time had passed, Frey remained the same as before. She had a timid expression, a lovely figure, and a somewhat unhealthy complexion. It seemed like she was even hunched over, showing a distinct lack of confidence.
On the other hand, Frey's automaton, Rabbi, looked quite spirited, stepping onto the Night Party's combat stage with powerful strides, alongside Frey.
Frey appeared before August Veyron, visibly nervous yet with a resolute expression, standing her ground without any signs of backing down.
Looking at Frey in this state, it wasn't just Rozen; probably everyone else could feel her determination.
"It seems that Frey really wants to win," Rozen mused.
However, this had nothing to do with August Veyron.
"I don't like meaningless fights," the dispassionate Last One with no motivation remarked.
"Perhaps you should surrender now; otherwise, I can't guarantee your safety," August Veyron said.
Despite the ranking, nobody thought that August Veyron was merely putting on a show. In this academy, the top 50 participants were ranked based on their abilities, and the bottom 50 based on academic performance. August Veyron had the lowest academic scores, but his abilities were considered equivalent to Magnus's, which is how he obtained a Night Party participation slot. For Frey, he wasn't an opponent she could likely defeat.
At least, that's what everyone believed.
Perhaps even Frey herself felt the same way?
However, Frey chose not to surrender.
"I can't afford to lose," Frey's voice was very faint but clear enough for everyone to hear. "If I lose, I'll lose something important."
Frey spoke these determined words and looked resolute.
"Is that so?" August Veyron fell silent for a moment, then said somewhat impatiently, "In that case, don't blame me for not holding back."
With that, August Veyron extended his hand.
"Sleipnir, take care of her."
August Veyron released his magical power, and his humanoid automaton, Sleipnir, moved accordingly.
"Rabbi!" Frey immediately went on high alert and also released her magical power toward the large wolfhound at her side.
But, the next moment, something incredible happened. With a swift motion, Sleipnir, Frey's automaton, disappeared into thin air, reappearing right in front of Rabbi as if it had instantaneously moved.
"Bang!"
A loud, muffled impact suddenly echoed.
Even while receiving Frey's magical power, not even activating her magic circuits, and barely having a chance to make a move, Rabbi was struck hard by Sleipnir's fist, sending Rabbi tumbling through the air like a ball. Rabbi let out a cry of pain as he rolled on the ground, all the way down.
"Rabbi!"
Frey hadn't anticipated this outcome at all. She widened her eyes and let out a scream while looking on in dismay.
Frey didn't realize that, right in front of her, a person had appeared without a sound.
"Hand over the glove," August Veyron demanded, seemingly annoyed.
"?!?"
Frey was startled and took a few steps back in a somewhat disheveled state.
Not only Frey, but everyone in the audience was also in an uproar.
"So fast!"
"I can't see their movements at all!?"
"Is this the effect of magic?"
"Their attack power seems really strong!"
"No wonder they're said to be on par with the Marshal!"
The students in the audience were getting excited.
Even Yaya, who usually showed no interest, was displaying her shock.
"Yaya can't see their movements either!"
Yaya shivered in response.
Indeed, not even Yaya, despite her abilities, could perceive how August Veyron and his automaton moved to instantly appear in front of their opponents.
It was as if they were truly teleporting, or else, with such incredible speed, there should have been a strong gust of wind, and they should have trampled the grass underfoot.
"Could it be something like Magnus's Kamakiri, spatial transfer?"
Rozen thought, focusing his Mind's Eye to monitor the situation in the field.
However, he hadn't yet observed Veyron's actions, while Frey's actions had already been sensed by Rozen.
"Roar!"
Rabbi, knocked to the ground, immediately saw Frey being forced back by Veyron, so he let out a roar and leaped into the air.
"Rabbi!"
Seeing this, Frey, seemingly relieved, and with newfound courage, spoke up.
"Let's try once more, Rabbi!"
Frey concentrated her magical power, sending it into Rabbi's body.
This time, Rabbi's magic circuits were successfully activated.
Rozen's Mind's Eye immediately sensed an unusual change in the surroundings around Rabbi.
It was a phenomenon caused by the concentration of sound waves.
With the power of his Mind's Eye, Rozen could observe the changes in sound pressure in the area. Considering the situation he witnessed when he first encountered Frey, he deduced the nature of Rabbi's magic circuits.
"Rabbi's magic circuits seem to be related to 'Sound Pressure Manipulation,' right?"
"Sound Pressure Manipulation."
As the name suggested, it was a form of magic used to manipulate sound pressure. With this magic, Rabbi could launch sonic attacks, eliminate sound, serving a cloaking effect, and even use it for echolocation, similar to a bat, to detect everything around him.
Initially, the reason Rozen was discovered by Rabbi when he left the barrier and the effect of "Invisibility Jutsu" had not disappeared was precisely because of this.
While inside the barrier, sound waves would be shielded. However, once outside the barrier, even with "Invisibility Jutsu," it would trigger a sound wave reaction.
Now, Frey activated this magic circuit, allowing Rabbi to concentrate all the sound pressure in his mouth.
In the next second, with Rabbi's roar, the sound pressure formed a projectile, tearing up the grass, tossing the ground, carrying dust, and heading towards Sleipnir next to August Veyron.
The power of this strike might truly rival that of a cannonball, capable of blasting a large pit even in a city wall, right?
However, this attack actually passed through Sleipnir.
"This!?"
Frey was stunned.
"It went through!?"
The audience was even more surprised.
Only Rozen...
"The wave from just now..."
Rozen's Mind's Eye sensed the microscopic phenomena that occurred in that moment, first in astonishment, and then in realization.
"So, it's that kind of magic, huh?"
Clearly, Rozen had seen through the true nature of Veyron's magic.
And after seeing through it, Rozen sighed.
"It looks like Frey is going to lose."
That was the only thing Rozen was sure of.
Unfortunately, unexpected events always catch people off guard.
"Hmm?"
Rozen gazed at Frey, whose eyes had suddenly become focused.
"Not good!"
The next moment, Rozen stood up.
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