"What's the status?"
"At present, there are no casualties on either side. However, many of our troops are completely exhausted, and several have sustained injuries. As for the enemy, they too have taken some damage, though their condition is undeniably better than ours."
Nero and the lieutenants listened in silence, their expressions darkening as the report sank in. Though they had anticipated such an outcome, hearing it voiced aloud weighed heavily on their hearts.
"Amelia, Grace, what do you think our next move should be?" Nero asked, his eyes flicking toward the smart bracelet resting in the center of the table.
"I recommend breaking through the encirclement at a single point," Amelia replied firmly. "Yes, we will sacrifice our defensive advantage, but if we plan the strike precisely, we can escape with minimal casualties by catching them off guard."
"But if we withdraw from the border, won't the enemy realize what we're doing?"
His question earned him looks of pity and exasperation from every direction, as if he had just spoken nonsense.
"What is it?" Nero asked, frowning at their reactions.
"Even if the enemy suspects our intentions, they cannot possibly know which route we will take to flee," Grace explained, her tone edged with impatience. "We're certainly not walking out the main entrance."
"Oh, right."
When Nero clapped his hands in sudden realization, Anastasia exhaled a long, weary sigh.
The others weren't much better, their faces twisted with complicated expressions. Were it not for Nero's overwhelming strength and his current position as commander, they might have openly cursed him for his foolishness.
For a fleeting moment, they all wished Lucas were present—the only one who dared chastise Nero without hesitation. But that thought vanished as quickly as it came.
"I suggest, Lord Commander," Amelia said carefully, "that the lieutenants scout for potential exits tonight. Then we attempt our escape tomorrow morning. As for the supplies, we can recover them only after we're free of this district."
"Understood." Nero nodded, accepting Amelia's proposal.
The lieutenants dispersed in different directions to search for weak points in the enemy's perimeter. Yet because the district was a shopping hub, most of its boundaries were identical, offering little advantage regardless of where they chose to break through. In the end, Nero decided they would flee along the route nearest their base.
"Send a message to everyone. Tell them to be prepared at dawn. They are to assemble at this location the moment we give the signal."
Without delay, the lieutenants obeyed, transmitting the order through their smart bracelets. Preparations were now complete. All that remained was to wait for the first light of morning.
******
At dawn—
The instant the signal arrived, the cadets withdrew from the walls enclosing the shopping district. Within moments, they had gathered at the designated spot, where Nero stood tall at the forefront.
"All of you, prepare yourselves! The moment I tear down this wall, we charge through and escape before the enemy can react!"
After confirming that every soldier was present, Nero raised his sword. Mana surged along its edge as he unleashed a devastating slash against the makeshift wall.
All the rubble shattered instantly, collapsing in a roar as dust and debris erupted in a choking cloud.
"Now!"
At his command, the cadets surged forward, sprinting through the breach.
Once outside the district, they were met by open fields—and no sign of their opponents. Relief washed over them as they believed they had caught the enemy unprepared. They quickened their pace, racing toward their base.
But relief swiftly curdled into horror. Without warning, enemy troops materialized, surrounding them on all sides.
Nero stepped forward, preparing to carve a path through the encirclement. But before he could strike, a single figure blocked his way.
It was Alberto, the opposing commander.
"NEROOOOO!!"
With a thunderous roar, Alberto met Nero's sword with his bare fist. To Nero's astonishment, his blade failed to injure, let alone sever Alberto's arm. Instead, the impact drove him backward.
Alberto's body—hardened by his blessing—possessed strength rivaling that of the academy's elite. Caught off guard, Nero staggered, his balance broken.
Alberto immediately retaliated, launching a crushing punch toward Nero's torso.
"Haaap!"
Nero twisted sharply, dodging just in time, and widened the distance between them.
Yet Alberto appeared unfazed by the miss. A thin smile played across his lips—he had already achieved his purpose.
"AAAGHHHH!"
"Fuck—my hand! My hand!!"
"Where are the archers?! What the hell are they doing?!"
Chaos erupted. Class 1-A-1, utterly unprepared for the ambush, fell into disarray. Though the lieutenants and a few other strong cadets held their ground, the majority were overwhelmed, injured, or even killed before they could rally.
Confusion reigned. Allies clashed in panic, unable to tell friend from foe in the melee.
From the rear, the archers of Class 1-C-8 rained arrows down relentlessly, their volleys cutting off any hope of regrouping.
Nero longed to aid his troops, but Alberto pressed him mercilessly, his blows leaving no room for distraction.
One exchange had already told Nero enough: Alberto was far stronger than he had anticipated.
[Commander! Can you hear me?!]
"Yes, Amelia, I hear you."
[What's going on?! The map is overflowing with red signals!]
"It's exactly as you think. The other cla—"
Whoosh!
A fist shot toward Nero's head mid-sentence. He barely managed to dodge aside.
"Sorry, Amelia. We've been trapped. The enemy has us completely surrounded, and Alberto is keeping me occupied."
Nero locked eyes with Alberto, now standing just inches away, his fists clenched with unyielding determination. He unleashed a flurry of strikes, forcing Nero to focus solely on survival.
[...]
Amelia's face paled as she assessed the unfolding disaster. With no time to spare, she steeled her resolve.
[Commander! Please—transfer your authority to me immediately.]