Parallel Memory

"Now, what shall we do?"

After students recover, we can choose whether to stay where it is less likely to be dangerous or go out and search for tokens.

Though I think that the majority will choose to go with the second option. There would not be many people that will pose a threat to us after we recover, not to mention that those with insufficient tokens will be dissatisfied if we choose the first approach.

We also had to find other students from our school and honestly, as this is the tournament, many will want to show off their strength until the last moment.

Anyway, it was better to discuss this matter with others and see which options they liked.

After the students had recovered, we started to move. The majority has chosen to go with the second option as expected.

We separated from Britelts Academy since we only worked together to face the common enemy. Now that the common enemy had been defeated, we were back to being opponents. Though we would not fight each other in this round, that will change in the next round.

With around 12 students we set out to search for other students from Ace Academy as well as other students who have tokens.

Well, honestly it was a boring trip. We would go around searching for other students and even if we spotted one, any one of the students in our group could easily take care of them.

There was a vast difference between Top-5 Academies students and other school students. Even our weakest Rank-D - was more than enough to annihilate other school groups.

However, the disappointing thing was that they had very few tokens or sometimes no tokens at all. Most of the students who have enough tokens are either hiding or in another location. Most tokens from this area are already in our hands, so I guess it would be difficult to get more tokens.

Zero's group was leisurely strolling around. With Arcane Academy defeated and Zero in the picture, they were not worried about getting their tokens stolen.

"I think we should now proceed to find the exit. With one hour left, the portal should be opened. What do you think?"

Lisanna asked.

"Ummm… We have all the tokens that are needed for all of them to advance. And it does not seem that we will find other participants from Ace Academy. I think it will be okay for us to leave early!"

I said it after thinking carefully.

After all, the sooner we leave, the less chance of any mishap happening. Getting more tokens is not going to give us anything. But in any event that we lost the tokens, it would make all our previous effort go to waste.

I can't confidently say that Arcane Academy or any other academy doesn't have any other trump cards. Arcane Academy had shown more than enough trump cards to defeat most of the students even if they worked against them.

It was lucky that their trump cards weren't strong enough to defeat me. But who knows what else they have. I would rather stay on the safe side even if others call me a coward.

Since most decisions lie in my and Lisanna's hands, once we have decided something, the other students have to follow them whether they like it or not.

We then proceed to search for the portal. To find a portal, all one needs to do is detect the huge mana aura that is generated by a portal. Moreover, there will be strong Heroes near the portal so that monsters do not get in.

So, you can either detect the mana aura of the portal or the heroes. Both would release a mana aura strong enough to be felt from a distance.

After a while, we detected an unusual mana aura and followed that direction.

Finding the portal was not difficult. However, the journey toward the portal was not easy.

As soon as we were near the portal, a group of students attacked us.

It didn't matter that they were weaker than us or that we were Ace Academy students. They were focused on getting the tokens from us.

They were the students who didn't have enough tokens and they would do anything to obtain them.

So the most certain way to get those tokens in the last part of this round was to wait for other students who will leave. They set up an ambush for those students.

Since it was their last chance, they did everything they could to get the tokens from our hands.

Though with so many strong fighters on our side, they never had the chance.

It was a matter of time before we defeated all of them. While we had students like Hiro Ernest who was seriously injured and was barely able to walk, Rank-C was necessary for these ambushers.

They were usually the students that had failed to obtain the tokens and were weak. The only thing that they have an advantage over us is their number which accounts for 20 to 25. They were made of low-rank students who didn't have any tokens.

Like previously, I just stood there while other students attacked and fought them. It was not that I was thinking like their level is too low for me to raise my hand. Rather it was to protect those students who were injured.

In the case that the ambusher made their way toward those injured students, they would be able to steal their tokens. The only way to guarantee that it would not end this situation was for me to protect them.

Just like I predicted, some students made their way toward this area knowing that the injured students were there. Though it didn't take more than one move to take them out. I just froze them when they got close enough.

Other ambushes were not much better as people like Misha and Sylvia could take out 3 to 4 students at the same time. The battle ended in an instant.

"We have arrived!"

The portal was right in front of us.

This round was finally coming to an end. After a stroke of bad luck and luck and worrying about not getting the tokens, I have finally made it here with all these students of Ace Academy. While my first few hours in this tournament were not good, the final result turned out better than expected.

Not only did I see the trump card of Arcane Academy who is probably the most dangerous opponent for Ace Academy but also managed to get 12 of Ace Academy students to advance to the next round.

I don't know how the other 8 students from Ace Academy are faring but they should be doing well unless they meet with people like Omar Noel and that Rank-B girl.

Anyway, I think I have done more than enough for Ace Academy in this round. For the next round, they would have to depend on their own strength.

"Get in!"

One by one the Ace Academy students got in. I stay as the last person. You never know when other people will attack them and I was the most reliable person to stay behind.

The last person, Lisanna, stepped inside the portal.

*SIGH!

This round had made me show most of my trump cards. If not for that Rank-B girl, I would not have to do anything, and we would have won.

Anyway, it was finished and I think I have done an excellent job. I also entered the portal.

-FUUSSSH!