"I'll deal with Lucas, as my last fight with him was interrupted by a certain someone, and I've always been curious about his strength," Ziona said.
"I'll take care of that Elf princess and her bodyguards," Livia stated.
"I guess I'll just have to deal with Kevin and Claude," Ares grinned as he gazed at them.
But before we could make our move, Kevin spoke up.
"I surrender," Kevin declared, lifting his hand.
"...."
When everyone heard Kevin, they immediately stared at him.
"What? Do you really think you can outperform this year's Top 3? If you think you can accomplish it, go ahead, since I don't.
Either we accept it now, or we accept it after being battered to a pulp, much like the students who are dropping all over the training field.
I don't want to get beaten up again." Kevin remarked.
Lucas, who had been silent and bewildered the entire time, had a distorted face as he saw the events play out in front of him.
He was going to speak up, but Ayla stopped him since what Kevin said was true and she didn't want Lucas to behave rashly.
"Even if you beat us, do you believe everyone else will easily follow you?" Ayla stated.
"So, all we have to do is beat you until you agree to compile," Livia said as she yawned.
"To be honest, I don't want to use violence as well; I just want you guys to work with me; it's more like a partnership than obeying my commands, and I will respect your status as princes and princesses and treat you appropriately, as you all know I detest violence," Ares added.
"What a bastard," Ayla muttered
"...."
"If it's a partnership, it'll be beneficial to join hands and collaborate with you.
As a magnificent Elven Princess, I am confident that if I assist you, we would easily win this competition," Diana stated.
"Hmm? So you agree to join me?" Ares questioned.
"Yes, I agree with this collaboration, and I have no objections to you folks working with a benevolent me," Diana remarked puffing her chest and pointing at herself with a smile.
"...."
"But, princess, we will be working for him, not the other way around-," Diana's female bodyguard said, but her comments were cut off by her twin.
"Oh, she's still thinking of helping others, as one would expect from our compassionate princess," With a courteous smile, the male bodyguard stated.
"...."
'You Dumbasses,'
The female bodyguard was left dumbfounded, and she didn't know what to do in this scenario because everything here seemed wrong to her,...as if they were playing in someone's hand the way they wanted and everything was premeditated.
"W-What? How does she fit in as the future Empress? You don't have a brain, do you? What are you thinking? This is exactly what he desired from the beginning," Claude exclaimed angrily.
"It's better to work with a forthright lion with clear intents than a treacherous hyena," Diana said, glancing at Claude.
"Y-You," Claude was taken aback when he heard her, but he came to a standstill when he heard Ayla.
"...Yeah, I agree that we should collaborate with Ares if we truly want to win this tournament," Ayla remarked abruptly.
"Ayla?" Lucas was shocked to hear her, as he had believed Ayla would also have a solution to this dilemma.
Because she always has solutions to any problems they face.
And He didn't imagine she'd agree to cooperate with Ares as well.
"Do you trust me, Brother?" Ayla addressed Lucas.
"...O-Of course, I trust you with my life, sister," Lucas replied.
"So, believe me just this once, okay?" Ayla stated.
Lucas lowered his head and kept quiet hearing Ayla.
"...."
"T-this is crazy," Claude murmured, uneasily laughing at the current scenario.
"So? What are you going to do now, Claude? Do you want to keep fighting?" Ares queried with a broad grin on his face.
"...This is so fucked up, I've been duped," Claude grumbled.
"He doesn't seem to understand the easy way, Should I take care of him?" Livia stated and began casting her ice magic.
"...."
"W-Wait, I accept," Claude said quickly, looking at Livia since he didn't want to be beaten by her.
"Tch, then there are no more opponents to contend with?" Ziona expressed her displeasure.
"...."
"Isn't she still satisfied? She was enjoying beating up all those students earlier." Irethiel muttered to himself.
"Let's work well together from now on, shall we?" Ares said while smiling brightly and removing the blood stains from his face.
'Why does it appear as though everything went so smoothly? as if it were pre-written.' Irethiel was perplexed.
"Yeah, now that the show's finished, let's get going, Ares, I'm hungry," Livia said as she dragged Ares away from the training grounds.
Similarly, Ziona followed behind them, dissatisfied.
They all just gazed at them as they walked by the unconscious students as if they didn't care about them and weren't the ones to blame.
"...."
"...Contact the infirmary," Ayla said before leaving, followed by Lucas.
"Yeah, notify the infirmary," Diana said, looking at the unconscious students one last time before leaving with her bodyguards.
Claude simply shook his head and walked away as well leaving Kevin alone.
"...."
"What the fuck is wrong with you people, and why am I the one to inform the infirmary and take care of them till they arrive?" Kevin yelled, but no one listened.
***
With the sun already setting, Ares was waiting for someone while he sat by himself in a cafe and drank his coffee.
After a short period of time, the person he was anticipating arrived and sat down next to him.
He saw the person was wearing a hooded jacket and glasses.
"Did I make the great Ares wait too long for me?" the person sarcastically asked.
"No, I just arrived, but what's up with you wearing a hood and glasses?" Ares inquired as he sipped his coffee.
"Of course, it's because I don't want to be seen with you," the individual explained.
"But you seem much more suspicious in that," Ares responded.
"Agh, did you just call me for commenting on my clothes? Why can't you just shut up and speak business?" the individual said frustratedly as she removed her hood.
"...."
"...There's no fucking way," Irethiel exclaimed as she saw the face of the person who orchestrated everything with Ares.
"This is much better, you look cute with those spectacles, <strong>Ayla,"</strong> Ares said, smiling.
Yes, Ayla Eugene... The true mastermind behind everything that occurred today.
It was all her plan from the very beginning.
***
"I'm curious how you pulled everything off; I never believed they'd join an alliance given how prideful they are," Ares inquired.
Ayla sipped her orange juice with a straw before replying.
"It was all because of Livia that everything became easy."
"Livia?" Ares queried, perplexed.
"Her hugging you in front of the entire class played a significant role in all of this," Ayla replied, her gaze fixed on her drink.
"Do you mean Claude's feelings for Livia? But how did you persuade Diana? "Ares inquired.
"You are partially accurate, it was also because Claude wanted to beat the shit out of you, but Diana felt the same way toward Livia," Ayla replied casually.
"...."
'I don't like where this is going,' Ares reflected inwardly.
When Ayla saw Ares' expression, she laughed before explaining.
"Yeah, it's what you think, she seems to like you as well," Ayla stated and sipped her drink.
"Isn't it quite easy for teenagers to fall in love? When someone is pleasant to them or they discover something in common with someone, they believe they have discovered their soul mate," As she cast a glance towards Ares, Ayla stated.
"...."
"So they joined the alliance only out of jealousy, is that what you're saying?" Ares inquired, completely disregarding her prior statement.
"No, that was just the first phase; it wouldn't have persuaded my brother, so I have to show them how powerful you are now that Livia has joined you.
And show them how defeating you alone is impossible without teamwork.
So I turned you into a Final Boss that cannot be vanquished without cooperation." Ayla stated.
"The enemy of my enemy is my friend, is this what she meant?" Irethiel muttered.
"So you even kept your ideas hidden from your brother? And I'm wondering as to why you didn't help your brother and instead helped me," Ares was curious.
"Hmm, my brother can be foolish at times, and this would not have worked if it had been my brother;
it only worked because you are a prince,"
"No one would appreciate my brother, who isn't even a prince, ordering around the royals, therefore I never wanted him to take the lead to keep him out of trouble."
"And Don't you think the public will be glad to see princes and princesses from other kingdoms working together? Who knows, it might even strengthen the relationship between kingdoms." Ayla stated in a mocking manner and chuckled.
"So she formed a phony alliance to assemble all of your adversaries and deal with them all at once?" Irethiel got shivers thinking about Ayla's plan.
"She also delayed the faction leaders in the classroom in the guise of strategizing the plan and giving you guys time to deal with their poor faction members?"
"Are you really teenagers or a Devil Incarnate?" Irethiel wondered.
"They were merely the sacrifices required to frighten them and weaken their fighting spirit," Ares explained.
"...."
***