"What the fuck do you want?" Grace asked the silver-haired boy, unable to hide her bitterness.
"I just came here to take a selfie," Lucas closed the terrace door behind him and waved. "It would be a shame if I don't take one with this view in the background."
"Selfie?" Grace frowned as Lucas came beside her by the railing. "Can you even take that back in the real world?"
"Well, yeah," the silver-haired boy nodded while tapping on his smart bracelet and opening a holographic camera app. "If you take a rock from here and store it in your smart bracelet, it won't manifest in the real world since it's just a bunch of codes. But a selfie is data which you can easily take back with you."
"Understandable," Grace calmed down her temper as she watched Lucas click picture after picture.
"Oh, pardon my manners. Do you wanna join?"
"Please no."
When he asked her to join, she politely declined the offer and the silver-haired boy resumed his photo session.
"By the way," while posing for one of his pictures, Lucas initiated a conversation. "Do you personally know Kai Wiseman?"
At that question, Grace took a long pause before answering finally:
"Why do you ask?"
"It's just I've seen you talking to Alberto. He is Kai Wiseman's lackey. It wouldn't take a genius to guess that you probably know him."
"I do know him but that's none of your business," Grace answered curtly. "I can sense you're getting somewhere here, so I'll ask again, what the fuck do you want?"
"Ha," the atmosphere grew tense as Lucas revealed his true intentions. "I'm here to ask you to switch sides."
Grace was taken aback by the request Lucas made and didn't know how to respond.
Lucas continued, "I know you're the traitor. And before you deny it, I have a picture of you and Alberto talking in front of our apartment complex and I've recorded your communication with someone from class 1-C-8 today."
Earlier today, Grace had contacted someone from class 1-C-8, revealing to them the theme of this mock war.
That's what helped them to move so fast and discover the shopping district.
However, before doing that, she had made sure that no one was eavesdropping.
So of course when Lucas revealed that he not only listened to her but also recorded her conversation, she was in disbelief,
"That's a lie! You're bluffing!" she barked.
But Lucas' challenging expression made her doubt her own thoughts.
"You can take it as a bluff," he said. "But there's always a chance that it's not. What will you do then?"
Grace was torn between the credibility of Lucas' claims and her own convictions. She couldn't help but grind her teeth in frustration.
However…
"Ha… Hahaha…. Ahahahaha!"
Suddenly, she burst out in a fit of erratic laughter, catching Lucas off guard.
"What are you laughing about?" he asked, trying to remain calm.
After a brief moment of composure, Grace spoke up. "You caught me off guard, Lucas. For the first time in years, I saw glimpses of the brilliant mind you were once known for in your childhood. But you were one step behind me this time."
Lucas looked bewildered, "I don't understand what you're saying."
"Do you remember the unit test? How did you save me from tripping and falling?" Grace clarified.
"Yes, I remember," Lucas replied, now more curious.
"Well, I have your fingerprints on my jersey from where you caught me," Grace continued.
Lucas still appeared confused, "How does that pose a threat?" he asked, seeking further explanation.
"Don't you get it? If I give that jersey to the cadet council and claim that you tried to sexually assault me, what will happen to you?"
"You'll be lying. They will investigate the matter–"
"Investigate? You already have the title of a sex offender. Do you think they'll really waste their time investigating such a crystal clear case when the evidence is against you? Your reputation will be enough to close the case!"
A blood-curdling grin formed on Grace's face, her beautiful face turning frightening as she uttered:
"I will rip your social standing to shreds, make your life a living hell, and be sure to make them post you on the front lines at the northern border after your graduation. The best part is your family wouldn't lift a finger to save you. So ponder over this carefully Lucas Morningstar. Do you really wish to stand in my way?"
Lucas was left staggered. Did she plan that much ahead? Did he really underestimate her? Did he blunder?
Taking Lucas' shocked silence for his submission, Grace let out a victorious scoff.
"Good, now listen closely. If a single word about me being the traitor escapes from your lips, then the consequences will be dire."
Lucas felt a wave of despair wash over him as he helplessly nodded his head, unable to articulate a single word in response.
Seeing him resigning, Grace's lips pursed up into a mocking smirk before she turned around and left the terrace, leaving the silver-haired boy alone to wallow in self-pity.
He had been truly and utterly defeated.
Victory demands a mind that is always one step ahead of the enemy – a wise man once said.
But that's easier said than done.
And when Lucas stood amidst the ruins of defeat, he realized that all too well. For he had failed to outwit his adversary, and the cost was steep.
He had lost.
"Hehe~"
Or has he yet?
As Lucas started at the back of the blonde girl, a mischievous smile formed on his face.
"This world is so fun~!"
†
Meanwhile,
As the sun set upon the land, marking the end of the first day of the mock war, a group of armed cadets stood guard at the entrance of Class 1-C-8's makeshift base.
An abandoned structure had been commandeered by the class, and within its walls, a scene of tense anticipation unfolded.
In the base hall, a huddle of cadets had gathered, their eyes fixed upon a towering figure of rippling muscles and commanding presence.
This was no ordinary cadet, but a symbol of monstrosity and strength.
"Lord Commander Alberto, our situation presents us with two options," spoke the strategist, his voice ringing clear through the hall as he continued:
"We either engage in battle with Class 1-A-1 for control of the Shopping District, or we allow them to take it."
"Why on earth would we simply hand them the shopping district?" interjected a cadet, a note of disbelief in his tone. "Our supplies depend on it."
The strategist fixed his glasses, a gesture that only served to accentuate the intelligence sparkling in his eyes as he said:
"Because, when they enter the shopping district, we can simply encircle them and trap them inside. They will have no means of escape. They'll just be sitting ducks and we can gradually wear down their defenses until victory is ours."
"Ah, I see your point. You're asking us to create a siege," the cadet nodded while considering the plan. "But what of our own troops? They'll be too famished to fight effectively."
The strategist's lips curled in a sly smile. "And so will theirs. We will keep on striking them, giving them no time to rest and recover."
"That's good," the cadet gave a meaningful smirk before continuing. "And god forbids if something goes wrong we have our 'secret weapon' ready."
"Yes. I've contacted him and asked him to stay on standby," the strategist responded with the same mischievous smirk on his face. "If we can't defeat them then we can just ask him to sabotage our enemy. We're going to win this either way."
The two of them nodded after finishing their conversation and instantly turned their attention to Alberto, the towering figure of authority in the hall.
"So what do you say, Lord Commander?" they asked in unison.
Alberto scowled as if the answer was obvious. "We will modify that strategy of yours. Instead of wearing down their defenses gradually, we'll hit them all at once."
The strategist was taken aback. "But why, sir? If we stay on the defensive, we can assure our victory."
The cadet from earlier nodded in agreement. "Yes, if we go all in at once, we will risk the chance of us winning. If we stay back and keep hitting them with long-distance magic spells and artillery, we'll win. They won't be able to sustain their defenses forever."
Alberto remained silent for a moment. His brow furrowed in frustration. Then, with a deep sigh, he spoke. "There are two reasons for my decision. Firstly, have you ever fought on an empty stomach? If we follow your strategy as you've presented it, the battle could drag on for days. We may be able to sustain ourselves with mana, but food is necessary for our bodies to function.
"You don't know what it's like to fight while hungry. Your hands shake, your throat burns, and your body screams for you to stop. But you keep fighting, because if you stop, you lose. And if you lose, you die."
Alberto spoke from experience, having grown up in the slums where hunger was a constant companion. He had seen people die from starvation, and he knew the weight of hunger all too well.
His words hung heavy in the air as the other cadets considered the gravity of his words. A moment of contemplative silence passed until a young cadet raised her hand.
"What is the secon d reason, Lord Commander?" she asked.
Alberto's eyes lit up, and he raised his eyebrows in surprise. "The second reason? It's that I am clearly the strongest, so there is no need for any other tactics."
After a brief pause, he instructed, "Here's what we will do: We'll let them enter the shopping district, then encircle them.
"But we won't create a siege. Instead, we'll attack them from all sides at once." Alberto stretched his hand forward and closed his palm into a fist. "We'll crush them in one swift move."