The Seven Nations Magical Friendship Tournament has adopted a slightly different combination system.
　A total of 70 contestants from each school year are divided into four blocks and they fight one on one. This tournament is unique in that the contestants can be decided at the last minute. The only thing that is decided by lottery is the allocation of each block and the opposing academy. Since this tournament is supposed to be a real battle, it does not take into account combinations based on lineage, but this is something that the management of the tournament simply does not care about, and in fact it is the basis of the strategy.
　This means that Alpha's second magical academy first year students will have ten, ten holding slots. The only thing we know at this stage is the opposing academy.

　The winners of the four blocks will be able to participate in the main tournament, so each academy will be scheming to carry more slots than players to the main tournament. Of course, the losers are not allowed to participate as losers, and their turn is over. Therefore, there is no need to think hard about it, just think of it as a way to move the winners to other blocks. Therefore, it is only in the tournament that each academy takes measures to obtain information about the leading players from other countries in advance. This is also similar to a real battle in terms of intelligence.

　It wasn't an exaggeration to say that the tournament has already begun since the leader Felinella is already working as a countermeasure.
　In this kind of situation, the higher the name recognition of the nobles, the easier it is to find out their aptitude lineage.

　After dinner, all the contestants had gathered at the specially set up headquarters.

''As for the combination, it's as written here, so please check it out. Also, please refrain from making any notes, etc., so you can remember it here. On the day of the event, there is an anteroom provided to the second magic academy in the stadium, so you can use that as the headquarters to confirm again.

　Three screens displayed each block, from left to right: third year, second year, and first year, with the second wizard academy's holding quota shown in the screen. The names of the contestants were clearly marked on the slots.
　This choice was already agreed upon when Felinella was made leader. None of them would complain about it now.
　Although they can choose the contestants, it's the same for their opponents, so it's kind of random at this stage. However, it was obvious that the higher up the ranks, the worse the choice would be.
　Still, no player would complain about it. Because no one would represent the academy and put an individual first.

　Ars made sure his name was in the middle of the three blocks. It was probably the third game.

'The first day is set up for all grades. It's after the opening ceremony, so one game should be played.

　So a male student, probably a first year, raises his hand and Felinella allows him to speak.

''How will the points be allocated to add up?''
'The winner gets five points. The winner, runner-up, third and fourth place, in that order, has a cumulative total of 100p, 75p, 50p and 35p. So it's important to win as many rounds as possible.

　Ferrinella doesn't stop talking there and continues.

'Only players are allowed in the venue, so if you have lost, that doesn't mean it's over. As I said beforehand, you will go around to each block and gather information. By doing so, let's all bring the championship to the 2nd Magic Academy.

　Yes, even in Ferrinella, only the nobles and other players will be able to gather information in advance. The actual information comes into play after the tournament begins. The number of players is also limited as you progress through the competition, so it is part of your strategy to systematically choose the best players depending on the academy you are competing against.

　It's a very good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for. It's a good thing that you're not going to be able to do it alone.
　The problem would be the first game. How you pick up a win in the first round will determine a lot of points; if ten people get past the first round, that alone will account for half of the points awarded to the winner of the year's division.

''With that said, the immediate threat is the First Magic Academy of Lusarka, which has won the championship three years in a row. When gathering information, I'll ask you to focus on the students of the 1st Magic Academy. Also.........I have received a uniform from our school for you all, so please accept it before leaving.

　Ferrinella added that the size should not be a problem, as he refers to the time of admission and the beginning of the semester when the body measurements are taken. If they still don't fit, he said he has a spare one available.
　Ars should not be a problem, either, as she just feels a little taller. Perhaps the words were referring to a certain part of the woman, and those that could tell would know.

　Ars told Alice, who was looking straight down, to take care of business. I have a general idea of what he's worried about, so I ignore it.

'Alice, come to my room later.
...

　It wasn't just Alice and the nearby Tesfia that widened their eyes in astonishment. Naturally, so did Loki, who was beside them. Although this one is on the verge of collapsing at any moment.

'If you don't want to, I'll go, but you'll have to explain the AWR to me.
'What!　Yeah, yeah, right.
So, come on, Al.

　Is it a pretty big room for three people? Ars had no objection.

''All right. Then let's just head on.

　So I step into the women's floor on the third floor. It's not off-limits and it's not late at night, so there's no problem. Well, it's not a good trend.
　What was it?　Should we be disciplined, clean and exemplary students, or did the life guidance teacher say that before we left?

''Then again, this really is a competition for the entire academy, isn't it?
'It's more like an academy, or in a way, a strong national showpiece.
'We'll have us for a year, so I think we'll get the main competition slot.　And it's fun if you can fight among your friends without worrying about it.

　Tesfia, with a fearless look on her face, shows off her roominess, but the difference in ability is not everything in the game.
　But it is true that Tesfia and Alice's level will be greatly surpassed, not just by Alpha. However, Ars knew that wholesalers wouldn't wholesale it like that.

'I hope so. 'I heard there's one triple-digit one in Rusalka a year. And, as the Governor said, there's quite a bit of grain in this one, too.
'Lie!　Triple digits means it's as good as Loki!
'Yeah, the actual rankings seem to be lower than that, but I'm pretty sure that's about as strong as it gets.
That's no way to win.

　With a little bit of exasperation in her grief, Tesfia prayed, "I hope it doesn't hit you early on," etc.

'But I can't believe there's a girl like Loki somewhere else.
The only thing that matters is that you can get a win if you have the right tactics. It all depends on how you fight. You'll find that Alice has an advantage when it comes to playing against people, so you'll have to try it to find out for yourself.

　And if Jean is involved in the blasting, is it possible that he is not a simple opponent who is drowning in power?
　Either way, you'd better be a little careful.
　You want to win easily, but you can't say that if you want to win, or you think Loki can win, but you can't know anything about that person in the current situation, having never seen him in battle or even know his face.

''I suppose it's best to have everything ready to go, no matter when it hits you.
That's just the way it is.

　Tesfia gets a good fistful, but as Ars, he just wants the championship trophy. Even though he is competing to bring the academy's championship, I want to take what I can get.

''I will take down anyone who prevents Ars-sama from winning the championship in advance.
'You don't know if it's going to hit you when you say that, so I'm telling you, don't strike in the dark.

　Alice scratched her cheek in dismay, though.

'It's a matter of enthusiasm. We'll obliterate them in a blink of an eye!''

　Loki assured him with a cool face. I have no doubt that this is a natural and deserved result.
　He doesn't seem to be overconfident in his own power. That's the enthusiasm, I suppose.
　Loki said it was for Ars. Then defeat is unthinkable. A little bit of insanity resided in his thin, open eyes.

'For now, that's Felinella's job. You guys just need to be prepared to lose to whoever you're up against. That's why it's essential to explain AWR to you.
Yes!

　This is the voice's response, sensing the subtlety of Ars glancing at Alice.
　He arrives in the girls' room and quickly goes into an explanation.
　The AWR, which is still wrapped in cloth again, returns to Ars, and when the stopper, which is probably the butt of the hilt, is removed, the cloth is untied at the halt.
　A golden spear appears with an iron coloration. It's a good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you're looking for. It's not dull, but the shine that seems to reflect the light as it is is has been muted.
　Tesfia and Alice were mesmerized when they saw the full scene and forgot to be surprised.
　Ars chalked up that reaction to the fact that it was the second time, he was aware that they had been watching the two of them in the magic car to hide. He didn't want to complain about it since he had given it to Alice, so he just ignored it.

'It still stands out, after all.'
Yes. It's a lot less than it was at first, though.

　Als and the others casually expressed their impressions of the two who were letting go.
　Alice's AWR, if I had to describe it, it would be similar to a tin cane. However, because it is only a spear, the tip has both blades, and conversely, there are three bracelet-like circles at the butt of the handle. There is no gap between them so much as a jangling sound, but they are firmly attached so that they overlap.

'Here, try using it lightly first. It was steep, but it shouldn't be unusable.

　When she received it, Alice felt the heavy weight of it smeared on her face. The weight of metal. And it was also the moment when she finally felt that it was her AWR that she had dreamed of.
　Both blades have the same magic formula engraved on the back and front. And the circle is also engraved with a different magic formula, although it is as small as a grain of rice.

I'm not sure if it's the same as the existing light system, but I've messed with the foundation a bit. I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but I think it's a good idea. The current magic control should be enough to use it.

　Even if it was said to have been tossed around, it was outside the scope of Alice's understanding, but if it was said to be for advanced users, it was unlikely that her cheeks would lift.

It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're going to be doing.

　Ars smiles as if he's eating people, but he doesn't raise his voice in protest. Naturally, the person in question, Alice, was even itching to try it out as soon as possible.

　Tesfia, who had been listening to such talk in silence, was thinking about something else. As a matter of fact, there was almost no difference in ability between her and Alice. If I were to talk about my battle history, I would say that I'm only slightly ahead of him. Winning and losing were the norm.

(Could it be that they made a difference?)

　The slightest bit of anxiety had turned into something stronger. In general, AWR only serves as an auxiliary weapon, and in the end, it depends on the competence of the magician who handles it, and changing AWR does not significantly improve one's ability. It is said by the world that this is the case, but if the one who created it is Ars, common sense is easily overturned. It can be imagined that this is a common phrase directed at ordinary wizards - wizards who seek commercial products - and that's what it is.

　But that was all Tesfia felt. Jealousy fit, but not envy. It's simply a genuine feeling of pleasantly saying "Good for you" to a good friend who got his own personal AWR, simply because they were on the same playing field.
　We are friends who share our joy from the bottom of our hearts.

And there's one more secret to that. That's why I decided to go all the way to AWR.

　I don't know what he's talking about, but anticipation and excitement leaks out of his expression even as he tilts his head in question.
　Ars walks up to the AWR and unclasps the circular clasp on the hilt end of the AWR, making a jerky metallic sound.

'Actually, this is an AWR too.'
...

　I knew it wasn't a decoration as long as the magic formula was engraved on it, but I didn't understand what it meant until it was a standalone AWR and not part of the AWR.
　Alice wasn't the only one to have the natural question stuck on her face, Tesfia.......and Loki made a similar expression. This is what Ars calls meteometal by virtue of being a meteometal.
　It has properties that are unique to it.
　For example, Ars's AWR would eliminate the contradiction of inscribing countless systematic magic formulas into a single AWR. In the first place, the magic formula that is inscribed on the AWR is a lineage specification magic formula that is the structural foundation of the lineage, with an emphasis on versatility. In order to build a process, it is constructed on the premise that it is based on the foundation process of the lineage. However, when we carve multiple magical formulae in the same AWR, they interfere with each other and cause conflicts. Of course, some of the magic formulae that form the foundation of the structure are contained in single magic formulae.
　It's the nature of the meteoric metal used in Ars's AWR that resolved this problem.

　Ars smiles fearlessly. It's already more than adequate to be called a prototype. I'm even proud to say that it is definitely a masterpiece.
　The reason I call this an experiment is because there is a mineral that is similar to the properties of the meteometal used in AWR, and it has the potential to spread. In that sense, this tournament, which is attracting a lot of attention, is also convenient for widespread dissemination.
　However, as I said to Alice, it's also true that this is an aspect of the game that is strongly geared towards advanced users. However, as I told Alice, it's also true that this game is strongly geared towards advanced players.


　♢ ♢ ♢


　It was held every year in the domed stadium at the venue of the Seven Nations Magical Friendship Tournament. The athletes of each academy stood in an orderly line in the center of the arena.
　Yes, it is the hosting ceremony. The players, whoever they may be, say the oath. It's a very good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.
　Ars is at the tail end of the second magical academy and bites off a lack of boredom that doesn't even come out.
　If you look around, they are arranged in order from right to left, first to seventh. The uniforms are different for each academy, and there is no rule that they are the same every year. It's a good idea to have a number that indicates the academy somewhere on the clothing.
　The second wizarding academy is quite rough, with both men and women wearing dark gray slacks with loose hems and black tops that stick to the body. If you want to wear it over that, there is also a thin fabric, stretchy jacket, but considering the academy is also coming with a uniform, it may be a bit floaty.
　If you look up further, the bleachers are packed. It's not possible to identify the faces from this distance, but I can only imagine that place.
　The walls on either side of the building protrude from the top floor as if they were protruding forward. I'm not sure if it's magic tempered glass, but it looks thick. The seats near it are vacant as if they were partitioned, and a few security men are standing there.
　There are about seven such tightly packed rooms, front and back, left and right, and of course there is no one inside. It wouldn't be the heavyweights of each country, but the security is unusually high for that.

(That's like asking me to notice something.)

　Glancing to the right, Ars hid his eyebrows at the magic that leaked out of that spectator's room. It's not hostility or anything like that, it's to let you know where you are, and I can even feel that kind of intention.
　Looking inside the room, Ars turns forward.
　I couldn't make out his face, but he waved his hand at me, and I recognized his upside-down blond hair.

(I knew it was Jean.)

　Knowing that that magic power is just to make me aware of myself, I push it out of the corner of my thoughts as if it's troublesome.

(Then there's a head of the head, if Rusarka's place is coming..........................our princess is here too?

　Good job, though I have no intention of responding to a boss with a work ethic.

(I hope it doesn't cause you any trouble, anyway.)

　I know that such fears come at the cost of my own participation in no small measure. It's also probably because of the recruitment that came up in question at the meeting.
　I'm not sure if the heads of states as well as the governor's class will be there. I'm sure the single wizard is indeed not here. It's not an existence that can easily be sent out to other countries. What's a single for if they can't deal with it when something goes wrong, Ars tried to think to himself.
　Therefore, having two single mages, Alpha and Lusarka, would reduce that problem.
　It was a conservative idea, though, as long as they had one in their own country.

　It seems that the feeling of bleakness and tension was not limited to Ars. Aren't there a lot of security people whispering and coming out of nowhere?　I can hear the voices of the people.

　The atmosphere is solemn, but the excitement and enthusiasm of the spectators has reached this point. It doesn't seem to be limited to Ars that there is nothing more boring than a great man's exhortation.
　At last, I thought. The 40th annual Seven Nations Magical Friendship Tournament is announced on a high note, and I remove my mouth from in front of the loudspeaker and resign.
　A huge screen came down behind the players as they began to leave the stage. Four sides with no blind spots.
　It shows the tournament table, then the first-round match-up schools, which expands to flow.



　The room prepared in the second magic academy as a waiting room and headquarters for countermeasures is inside the stadium, and of course all the players were there with unbelievable enthusiasm on their faces.
　It's not so much a spirited effort as it is forcibly aroused. It's not hard to understand why millions of people will be watching the game if you include the relay.

''We'll start with the freshman division, so the freshmen should get ready ... and the second and third years should do some reconnaissance.

　He listened to Felinella's instructions as if coming back to himself. It's not just a matter of time before you get to the point where you'll be able to get your hands on a new one. It's a good idea to be able to have the presence of a leader, even when performing the missions of the outside world with your troops. It's a good idea to be able to have a good idea of how many people are killed as long as the captain remains in charge. This is the reason why some units protect their leaders, even if it means risking their lives, but perhaps this requires no small amount of charisma from the leader. It is not uncommon for a squad to fail to function well when ruled by fear. Therefore, it is not uncommon to see them fleeing before the enemy to take on a demon that has no chance of winning.
　Of course, if they are exposed, they will be put under interrogation.

　You'll be able to get a good idea of what you're looking for. Eventually, he should be able to lead a squad and make enough achievements. He is an excellent person who can be expected to work well enough to subordinate him as a subordinate.
　That's why I wanted to avoid the possibility of such an excellent person being assigned to a deku unit - a unit that looks like it has limbs growing out of its head - and being used up, but if that parent is going to be in the unlikely event I cut off the thought that it's impossible.
　I'll have to get ready right away, but before I do, I'll have to give you a word of advice. Of course, this is to those whom I have instructed.
　It is obvious that if Ars, a first-year student, speaks out on this occasion, he will cause unnecessary animosity. Even if it's just something that's easy to draw attention to.

　Tesfia, beckoning Ciel and Alice to Ciel. Loki is already by Ars's side, so there's no need to call him over.

'You guys, I know you know what I'm talking about, but think and fight. It's going to take you four days to get to the top.
Think?　You mean resourcefulness?

　This counter-question is definitely Tesfia. It's an idea because it's a step above the rest in terms of the amount of magic power.

''Fool!　That's only natural. I mean that you should be careful not to waste your energy by wasting it on a lower-ranked opponent. The magic itself will recover in a day or so, but the magic will fatigue your mind, so remember that it doesn't take long for the fatigue to wear off. It goes without saying that you should do everything you can against a strong enemy, but if you're against small fry, you should decide quickly. Don't get me wrong, I'm not careless.

　This was truly the advice of someone who had been in a real battle.
　However, it wasn't as if the girls were so lowly as a small fry. Although these words of advice were not immediately convincing, in the end, the reason why there were no objections was because they had hit the bull's eye in the long run.

''First round players, please head to the match venue.''

　The announcement comes in and you can feel the tension running through the waiting room. It's the same for the three men in front of me. From Ars and Loki's point of view, this tournament is nothing more than a spectacle, but I don't expect them to share that kind of sensitivity.

''Then each of you should head to your posts. Don't forget to report back to the match matter for scouting.

　The sound of a supercilious voice comes from Ferrinella. Inspired by this, the players' faces change to look like fighting spirits. The battle of the second magical academy has begun.