The Forsaken Heir's Ascension
Chapter 90: When Attackers Clash with Defenders

Chapter 90: When Attackers Clash with Defenders

Selene, calm and poised, stepped forward.

"Captain, if I may?"

Tina gave a curt nod.

Selene continued, "How about we move in two smaller squads? One Shield Breaker, two Dashers, and a Blaster per group. That way, we have balanced attack units. We attack from the two different fronts"

Tina’s eyes narrowed, then slowly she nodded.

"A good strategy... for a newbie. We’ll go with it. But if this works or fails—you take half the responsibility. Do you agree?"

Selene hesitated, blinking.

"Captain... this is just a mock battle, right? We’re still learning..."

Tina’s aura flared like a bursting furnace. Crimson light flared from her eyes as her voice boomed—sharp and fiery like a dragon’s roar.

"This is not a game."

Her gaze swept over every member of Team A, like molten lava threatening to consume weakness.

"If we lose, we lose everything. Respect. Our place. Our rights. And worst of all—we get sent to the frontlines as disposables."

Selene’s jaw clenched.

"For me and Darian, this tournament is life and death—our last chance."

Tina continued, her voice thick with conviction, "And for those of you not born into the Ten Great Clans, this is your one shot. Prove yourselves here, and you might get scouted. You might earn a title. A future. A better rank on the battlefield."

She paused. Her voice dropped to a fierce whisper that echoed like prophecy.

"Fight with everything you have. Your very being is at stake."

On the other side, the atmosphere was far more relaxed.

Captain Darian threw his head back and laughed.

"Don’t be so serious, little rookies."

Then, he turned serious just as fast.

"Here’s the plan. We stick to the basics. I’ll anchor the front column and stomp down any attacker who tries to rush us. Our second column will be ready to intercept whoever gets past me."

"We will go with the basic formation. Stand in a zig-zag pattern—maximize space coverage. Your job is to block and waste the attacker’s time. Be annoying. Be smart. Don’t waste energy."

His tone sharpened as he added:

"Only use your firepower when they leap to cross the column. Not before. Make every shot count."

He took a breath, then nodded.

"If somehow they break through me... I’ll drop to the vertical column. But until then, Team A’s captain is mine."

A murmur of confidence passed through the group.

Darian cracked a grin, then shouted:

"We’ve got thirty minutes. Stay sharp—every second counts. That’s all. Now let’s win this!"

"YES, CAPTAIN!" the defenders roared in unison.

The battlefield was simple... yet brutal in design.

Ten parallel pairs of horizontal lines were etched cleanly into the ground—forming a narrow corridor system. Each pair was spaced just enough to fit a person in between, with slightly wider gaps between every pair to allow for movement and redirection.

It looked like a giant grid drawn across the training field.

And slicing through all ten horizontal sets was a single vertical pair of lines, stretching from one end of the field to the other, like a spine cutting through a ribcage. It divided the battlefield and gave the defenders a strong central axis to position around.

This setup wasn’t for show.

It was designed to mimic real battlefield chokepoints and urban corridor fights—tight spaces, limited room, and absolute demand for control, speed, and coordination.

Team A, now completely fired up, stood in front of Team B with fierce energy.

Their eyes burned with determination, glaring at their opponents like hungry wolves ready to rip flesh from bone.

A thin boy wearing glasses stepped between the two teams. He wore a white shirt tucked into black pants and a black cap with "UMPIRE" printed in bold white letters.

The umpire looked like a twig caught between two trees. On one side stood the fiery Captain Tina, her aura blazing. On the other, the smiling mountain of muscle—Captain Darian. The difference in their arm size alone made the umpire look even smaller.

He brought the whistle around his neck to his lips and blew sharply.

After a brief pause, his voice rang out:

"Thirty-minute match. Follow the rules. If a defender lands an attack on you during a jump—you’re out. My eyes are sharp, so don’t waste time lying. Take your positions. The moment the whistle blows, the timer starts."

The umpire stepped away, climbing onto a raised platform for a full view of the arena. The countdown began: 30:00

Alex crouched down, daggers in hand, knees bent and muscles coiled.

Crackling sparks of black lightning danced around his feet.

Selene’s voice came from beside him, calm and commanding.

"Alex, you’re with us. One shield breaker—me. Two dashers—you and Rina. One blaster behind. We move together."

Alex frowned. He wasn’t used to moving with a group. But if he wanted access to the restricted library and free meals, he had no choice.

He gave a small nod.

The whistle blew.

Everyone surged forward.

Team A crashed against the first column—Captain Darian, the Earth Dragon himself.

His body was a living wall. Not one person could cross him.

Then—

Boom!

Captain Tina’s katana clashed against Darian’s shield.

The force cracked the air, shaking the ground. Fire met stone.

Alex saw the briefest gap.

And then he moved.

Black lightning exploded behind him as he shot forward like a thunderbolt.

He passed the first column. Then the second.

Gasps echoed behind him. No one expected it.

But just as he reached the third...

His body suddenly felt ten times heavier.

He dropped to one knee, sweat breaking out on his forehead.

"Hahahaha," came a voice. "Caught a mouse."

From the side, a boy stepped forward—one of the defenders.

He cleaned his ear nonchalantly, then smirked at Alex.

"You’re fast, I’ll give you that. Passed the captain and even our second-best anchor. But you’re still a newbie. Never even heard of a gravity trap?"

Alex gritted his teeth, darkness coating his body. He forced himself upright, breaking the trap’s hold.

Before him stood the defender—a whip in one hand, a dagger in the other.

Alex blinked. "What kind of weapon combination is that?"

The boy grinned. "This? It’s my signature setup. As a trapper, I catch prey with the whip—

The defender grinned as he brought his dagger to his lips and licked the blade.

"This is for finishing the prey."

Alex’s face scrunched in disgust. He instinctively stepped back—but stopped just before the boundary line.

From the front, a familiar voice called out:

"He’s wasting your time."

It was Selene. Alex looked back—she and Rina were still struggling at the second column, locked in battle.

Captain Darian was still holding his ground like an immovable wall.

Alex narrowed his eyes and crouched.

I’ll give him a feint. Run to the far end, cross from there. Controlling my direction won’t be easy... but it’s my only chance.

He crouched deeper, lightning crackling black and wild around his body.

The defender readied himself, whip coiled and dagger gleaming. He opened his arms, expecting a direct dash.

Boom!

Alex burst sideways, running parallel to the column.

In a blur of speed, he appeared at the far edge.

He pivoted, then leapt.

Success—he crossed the column.

But just as his feet touched down—

Squelch!

The ground swallowed his legs up to the knees.

His upper body jerked from the sudden stop, and—

Smack!

He slammed face-first into the stone floor.

"Arghh!"

Blood trickled from his forehead. His nose was smashed, and one of his teeth was broken.

He groaned, trying to push himself up.

Behind him, the defender from the last column was still frozen in his original position—he hadn’t even noticed Alex had passed.

Another boy approached with a creepy grin on his face.

"Looking beautiful, newbie!"

"Still, gotta say—you’re pretty good to make it this far."

Alex glared at him. He healed his face quickly, ignoring the taste of blood. Then he turned to check behind him.

Selene and Rina had now crossed the second column.

Captain Darian still stood firm at the first, holding off nearly the entire opposing team. He truly lived up to his reputation.

"You’re thinking it, right?" the cheeky brat said, grinning.

"Our captain’s called the Earth Dragon. The Academy awarded him that title for his unbeatable defence."

Alex gave a small nod, his mind working fast.

I don’t know enough about this game... That’s my biggest weakness.

The cheeky brat sat down cross-legged in front of him like it was teatime.

"Why not take a break? I’ll tell you all about WW. Since you were, y’know, dead and all, you missed a lot."

Alex rolled his eyes.

"Are all defenders this annoying?"

The boy laughed.

"You don’t know the A of defenders, my friend. Our main job? Waste your time. And if chatting helps you burn the clock—we’re happy to play along."

Alex’s expression darkened. He began circulating his elemental aura—dark tendrils wrapping around his legs like coiling shadows.

Suddenly—

WHISTLE!

A voice echoed over the field:

"Fifteen minutes remaining!"