Chapter 321: Team Battle

A tall man from the group, with a cold expression, turned his head slightly. His sharp eyes hinted at impatience. He then snorted softly before waving his hand dismissively.

"I don't know. Just go!" the man said curtly, as if William's presence was nothing more than an unwanted distraction.

William fell silent, slightly taken aback by the short and harsh response. Scratching his head awkwardly, he felt a wave of disappointment creeping in his chest. Without saying anything further, William turned and walked back toward his friends who were waiting near the stone steps of the stadium.

"It seems Senior Haruto isn't here," William said with a slightly gloomy expression.

"Hmph, let it be," Annie replied firmly. Her eyes shone with determination. "After all, we will prove that we can achieve first place in the team battle."

Harl, with a relaxed expression, nodded in agreement. "That's right. So don't worry too much if we can't meet Senior Haruto right now."

William sighed for a moment, pushing aside the lingering doubts in his mind. After a few seconds, he finally nodded resolutely. "Alright then, let's show our abilities."

...

...

...

Around them, the atmosphere grew increasingly lively. Students continued to pour into the massive stadium, and the sound of enthusiasm filled the air.

As the sun rose higher, the grand Academy City stadium vibrated with the roar of the audience. Hundreds of students and citizens from outside filled the stands, cheering and chatting excitedly, waiting for the start of the event they had been looking forward to the most—the team battle.

In the midst of the commotion, a man dressed entirely in black stood on the main stage. His face was serious, and his eyes swept across the entire arena before he finally raised a microphone. His deep and authoritative voice echoed throughout the stadium through the speakers installed in various corners.

"Today is the day the team battles will take place!"

The crowd immediately erupted in cheers and applause.

"A total of 64 teams from various classes will compete! Within one hour, 32 teams will be eliminated, and only half of them will survive to continue to the next match! Alright, without further ado... the battle begins!"

The shouts and cheers grew louder as the bell signaling the start of the match rang out.

Inside the vast stadium, there was a large field. All the teams that had gathered there were then divided into several groups. Each group consisted of two teams that would face each other in the match.

Each group was separated by special barriers that defined their areas. Additionally, the field inside the stadium would be expanded using certain Mystic Arts, creating a fighting space much larger than the size of the stadium itself. Not only did this Mystic Art expand the field, but it also had several other functions that supported the course of the match.

In one section of the stadium, Annie's Team was preparing in their battle zone. They consisted of Annie, Yuna, Harl, Oliv, Jae Hyun, Cynthia, and William.

Right in front of them stood their opponents—a second-year team that appeared larger, more experienced, and more confident. The spectators began to whisper, some chuckling softly while pointing at Annie's Team.

"First-year team against a second-year team? Hah, this match will be over quickly."

"I bet they won't last more than five minutes."

However, Annie's Team stood confidently. Annie, as the team leader, stared intently at their opponents, reading their movements and positions.

"Be careful, they will definitely underestimate us," Annie whispered to her team. "Use that to our advantage."