The Eclipsed Order

Chapter 80: Chapter 80: The Race for the Top

Everyone stopped.

A Blood Wolf stepped out from the darkness ahead, standing nearly two meters tall as it stared directly at the group.

"There it is," Abel said, drawing his sword.

Lyra calmly raised her hand.

"Abel, Lea. Take the front."

The two immediately moved forward, positioning themselves between the Blood Wolf and the rest of the group.

"Ron, circle around its right. Ferdin, stay behind them."

Her gaze then shifted toward Ares and Charlie.

"Wait for my signal."

"Understood."

The Blood Wolf suddenly charged.

BOOM!

Its claws struck the stone floor as Abel and Lea moved apart, allowing the monster to pass between them.

"Now."

Abel swung his sword, a concentrated burst of magic following the blade as it struck the Blood Wolf’s side.

SHING!

The monster twisted its body, but Lea was already moving from the opposite direction. Her sword struck its hind leg, forcing it to turn once again.

Ron immediately took advantage of the opening and attacked from the side before retreating before the Blood Wolf could respond.

Ares watched the exchange quietly.

They’re not trying to overpower it. They’re controlling its movements and gradually taking away its openings.

Lyra’s commands were simple, but every one of them had a purpose. She wasn’t trying to control every single movement of the group; she was simply directing the fight where it needed to go.

She’s quite good at this.

The Blood Wolf suddenly turned toward Ron and charged again.

"Move."

Ron immediately stepped aside.

The monster’s claws struck the stone where he had been standing, but Abel was already moving.

"Abel."

"I’ve got it."

He stepped forward and attacked the Blood Wolf’s shoulder, forcing it to shift its weight.

"Charlie, now."

Charlie immediately understood.

He rushed forward and released a slash that struck the exposed side of the monster.

Ares moved at the same time.

Their attacks landed almost together, forcing the Blood Wolf several steps backward.

The creature growled and prepared to charge again.

Lyra raised her hand.

"Don’t let it."

Abel and Lea moved first, attacking from opposite sides and preventing the Blood Wolf from gaining enough space to accelerate.

Ron followed from the right while Ferdin stepped in from behind, forcing the monster to turn repeatedly as it tried to find an opening.

Ares watched its movements for another moment.

There.

The Blood Wolf exposed its neck for only an instant.

"Lyra."

She understood immediately.

"Everyone, finish it."

The group moved together.

Abel attacked from the front, drawing the Blood Wolf’s attention while Lea struck from the side. Ron followed immediately afterward, cutting into its exposed flank, while Charlie’s attack forced its head upward.

Ares stepped forward.

His sword flashed with concentrated magic as he struck the opening beneath its neck.

SHING!

The Blood Wolf staggered.

Charlie delivered the final blow.

The massive creature collapsed onto the stone floor with a heavy THUD.

For a moment, nobody spoke.

Then Lea lowered her sword.

"That went smoothly."

Abel nodded as he looked at the fallen monster.

"Yeah. We didn’t give it much of a chance."

Lyra lowered her hand and looked at the Blood Wolf.

"Collect the core. We don’t have all day."

Ferdin stepped forward to handle it while the others relaxed slightly.

Ares sheathed his sword and quietly looked at the group.

Not bad.

They were stronger than ordinary academy students, but that wasn’t what stood out the most. Their coordination was what made the difference, and Lyra had managed to bring all of them together without constantly interfering with the fight.

She’s definitely earned her position.

Certainly, they were strong, but...

Why did we need an entire group just to deal with one monster?

Ares almost laughed at the thought.

Even the lowest-ranked Seeker could probably defeat a horde of these things without much trouble.

He glanced at the others as they continued deeper into the dungeon.

Well, I suppose this is simply how a group is supposed to operate. We’re here as a team, after all, so working together is probably normal.

Besides, everyone here is a Magic Swordsman. If I use even a little too much of my actual strength, they’ll start wondering what I’m hiding.

A thought suddenly crossed his mind.

That’s right.

Maybe I can just make myself look like a support-type.

That way, I can contribute without having to show what I can actually do.

"Excuse me."

Everyone looked toward him.

"Is it possible for me to make a suggestion?"

"Of course. What is it?" Lyra asked.

"The truth is, I’m not particularly good at direct combat," Ares said, keeping his expression calm. "However, I can use support-type spells. If you’d like, I can strengthen everyone’s physical abilities and magic while we’re fighting."

Abel immediately nodded.

"That’s pretty useful. Leave the fighting to us, and we’ll make sure nothing reaches you."

"Thank you."

With that settled, they continued deeper into the dungeon.

When another monster appeared, Ares remained slightly behind the others and quietly activated his support magic.

A small increase in their speed.

A little reinforcement to their strength.

A slight improvement to their magic control.

Nothing excessive.

The difference was immediate.

The monsters were dealt with much faster, allowing the group to continue without wasting much time.

Of course, they could have done this even without his assistance if they actually fought seriously.

But that would only make things troublesome for him.

They’re not weak.

The reason they’re fighting together is probably because they’re giving everyone a chance to contribute.

I see.

Still, if points and winning are the goal, why not simply use their full strength?

They’re all Magic Swordsmen, after all.

Ares kept the thought to himself as the hunt continued.

For now, this arrangement was convenient.

He could support them, collect monster cores, and, most importantly, avoid attracting unnecessary attention.

Elsewhere in the dungeon, another team had just finished defeating a monster.

The creature collapsed onto the stone floor, and one of the students stepped forward to retrieve its core.

"That’s another one."

He held the core up briefly before placing it inside their storage pouch.

"How many now?"

"Twenty-seven."

"Not bad."

The group continued down the passage, their pace remaining steady as they discussed their progress.

After a while, one of the students spoke.

"Have you heard how the other teams are doing?"

"I heard the princess’s team has already started clearing monsters."

Another student gave a quiet laugh.

"Of course they have. With that lineup, I’d expect them to be one of the fastest."

"Which also means they’re our competition."

The conversation became slightly more serious.

Everyone understood what this practical examination was really about.

The dungeon itself was only part of the challenge.

Six teams had entered, including students from other kingdoms, and every one of them wanted the same thing—the highest score.

The team that reached the deepest floor while collecting the most monster cores would take the top position, along with the rewards that came with it.

"We’re not losing to them."

The student carrying the cores smiled confidently.

"We didn’t come all the way here just to watch another team take first place."

"Agreed."

Another student tightened his grip around his sword.

"Then don’t waste time talking about them. If we want to win, we simply need to move faster."

The fourth-year student leading the group nodded.

"Exactly. Don’t let the other teams dictate our pace."

He looked toward the passage ahead.

"Clear every room efficiently, collect every core we can, and keep moving deeper."

"What about the students from the other kingdoms?"

"They’re competitors too, obviously."

He smiled slightly.

"Which means we shouldn’t underestimate them either."

The others nodded.

Nobody wanted to fall behind.

They continued forward, leaving the defeated monster behind as their footsteps gradually disappeared into the depths of the dungeon.

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