The Sovereign System.

Zack arrived at the blue army's starting point and was immediately greeted by a scene of disarray. His troops lounged about, chatting idly, while the flags they were supposed to wield lay discarded on the ground like forgotten scraps.

At a glance, Zack knew he had his work cut out for him. Yet, despite the dismal state of his troops, a sly smirk crept across his face.

"Do you want revenge on Luke Drakon?" he called out, his voice loud enough to command the attention of every soldier present.

The name struck a chord. Conversations ceased as heads turned toward him. Some soldiers' eyes gleamed with a strange light, while others radiated outright hatred.

Sensing he had struck the right nerve, Zack pressed on. "My opponent in this test is none other than Luke Drakon—the same man who's wronged you all. If we crush him today, I'll personally ensure he's thrown out of the Military Academy. Once he loses the King's protection, you'll be free to do with him as you please."

His words brimmed with confidence, though skepticism lingered in some faces.

"What power do you have in the Academy? How do we know you're not bluffing?" a soldier asked, his scarred face set in a skeptical frown.

Zack's grin widened, laced with both pride and malice. "I am Zack Brussel, of the Brussel family. My father is a direct cousin of General Colt."

The soldier's expression faltered. General Colt's name carried weight—a man famed for breaching fortresses without fail throughout his illustrious career.

A murmur rippled through the ranks as the soldiers exchanged glances. After a brief discussion, they began falling into formation. What had moments ago been a chaotic mob of lazy troops transformed into a disciplined and organized army.

Zack's grin stretched further. His gamble had paid off. By exploiting their hatred for Luke and his tenuous connection to General Colt, he had turned the tide.

Of course, he had omitted one small detail: his family's relationship with the General was superficial at best. But as long as he emerged victorious, the embellishment wouldn't matter. If Luke were expelled from the Academy, these soldiers wouldn't care about the means.

The blare of a horn echoed through the forest, signaling the start of the mock battle.

Zack turned to address his units. "Infantry and spearmen, take the lead along the main path. Engage the enemy only if their numbers are fewer than yours."

He paused, letting the words sink in before continuing. "If their main force is larger, retreat immediately. We'll have an ambush waiting for them."

One soldier chuckled, his voice dripping with amusement. "Hah! No need to worry. I bet our guys won't even follow his orders."

"Yeah," another chimed in with a grin. "They'll probably just pretend to listen and throw the match."

The comments bolstered Zack's confidence, though a seed of doubt lingered. Over the past three months, Luke had beaten him at nearly everything—physical combat, strategy, even academics. It was infuriating. Despite being a commoner, Luke excelled in areas Zack prided himself on, and his rapid progress only deepened Zack's grudge.

This test was his chance. His only chance.

'This has to work,' Zack thought, his sense of urgency mounting.

"Good. March forward," he ordered, his voice sharp. "And don't get complacent."

Once his two units began marching, Zack turned his attention to the remaining cavalry and archer units. He crossed his arms, thinking for a moment before issuing his next set of orders.

"Archers, spread out along either side of the main path," he said, gesturing forward. "Hold your position and remain idle until I give the signal to open fire."

Though he doubted Luke's army would even reach this point, Zack wasn't one to underestimate his opponent. Setting up an ambush was a simple precaution—one that might tip the scales if things didn't go as planned.

Satisfied, Zack collected the General's flag and positioned himself behind the cavalry unit. A smug expression crossed his face as he surveyed the field.

If all went according to plan, victory would be his. Once his forward units returned with news of the enemy's retreat, he would regroup and lead the remaining forces in a final charge, capturing Luke and securing his removal from the Academy.

Ten minutes passed in tense silence. Then, the distant sound of clinking armor and shuffling feet broke the stillness. Zack's eyes snapped to the edge of the clearing, his hand tightening on the flagpole as he prepared to give the signal.

The first to appear were the blue flags of his spearmen, followed closely by the infantry. Zack exhaled in relief. A quick count revealed that his units had no losses. It was clear they had encountered Luke's main force and were retreating as planned, drawing the enemy into the ambush zone.

"Enemies in pursuit!" shouted the soldier at the forefront, his voice calm and measured despite the situation.

Zack shifted his focus beyond his retreating troops, straining to catch a glimpse of Luke's forces. The noise of their approach grew louder—a cacophony of shouting and pounding footsteps. Judging by the racket, Luke's main force were giving chase.

"Infantry, spread out along the west side of the clearing! Spearmen to the east!" Zack barked, his voice sharp and commanding. "We'll draw their attention to the center before engaging!"

His orders were clear, concise, and strategically sound. But instead of following his commands, his troops continued charging toward him, ignoring his directives entirely.

Zack's brow furrowed. Perhaps they hadn't heard him?

"Infantry! West side—spread out!" he repeated, his tone tinged with irritation.

Before he could finish, a voice from the cavalry unit interrupted him.

"Vincent? What are you doing here?"

Zack's eyes widened in confusion as the spearmen, rather than taking their assigned positions, brandished their weapons and charged—straight at his cavalry.

"What—?!" Zack froze, the scene unfolding before him like a nightmare. His own soldiers were attacking his units. Was this even allowed in a mock battle?

"What is the meaning of this?!" he shouted, his voice cracking with panic.

No one answered. The spearmen swiftly overwhelmed the cavalry, who were defeated according to the rules of the exercise. Within moments, Zack stood exposed, alone and vulnerable.

One of the spearmen strode forward, his posture casual, as if the scene was nothing out of the ordinary. He placed a firm hand on Zack's shoulder.

"The battle is over," the soldier said flatly.

Before Zack could process the words, the horn blared, signaling the end of the mock battle.

The sound hit Zack like a death knell. Moments ago, he had been certain of his victory, confident in his strategy and manipulation. Now, he stood defeated, his dreams of ousting Luke Drakon crumbling into dust.

"What the hell, Vincent? Why did you listen to that brat?" one of the soldiers demanded, his anger and confusion evident in his voice.

Vincent shook his head, his expression unreadable. "I'll explain later, somewhere away from prying eyes and ears."

Before the conversation could continue, a gloating voice rang out from the entrance of the clearing.

"Looks like this battle ends in my victory."

Luke strode forward, one hand casually holding the red General's flag, the other resting behind his back. A satisfied smile graced his face as he basked in the aftermath of his triumph.

"One might even call it an overwhelming victory," he added, as if to himself. Yet inwardly, Luke was celebrating like a gambler who had just hit 21 on a desperate all-or-nothing bet.

A translucent window floated before him, unseen by anyone else.

[Auxiliary Quest: Mock Battle has been completed]

[Please claim rewards from the Quest window]

Luke stole a glance at Zack, who stood frozen, still grappling with the shock of his defeat.

'Ah, poor guy's going through the five stages of grief,' Luke mused, though any sympathy he felt was fleeting. 'Emotions like that don't belong on the battlefield, mock or otherwise.'

"You cheated!" Zack suddenly exploded, his face flushed a deep red as he jabbed an accusing finger at Luke. "It's against the rules to switch flags!"

Luke raised an eyebrow and shrugged. "All warfare is based on deception. Don't blame me for your failure to recognize your own soldiers."

"Ridiculous!" Zack spat, trembling with rage. "I'll have Master Gale disqualify you for this. Just you wait!" He stormed off, his indignation leaving a trail of tension in his wake.

Luke chuckled softly. "Ah, kids, am I right?" he said, glancing at Vincent, who stood closest.

Vincent shot him a cold glare before turning away without a word.

'Right, almost forgot—these guys hate me,' Luke thought, sighing inwardly. 'Well, no time to fix that now. There's a good show about to start.'

Handing the flag to a nearby soldier, Luke jogged into the forest, following Zack's path. He wanted to witness what was bound to be an entertaining scene.

A few minutes later, Luke reached the clearing where Zack was already storming toward Master Gale, his frustration palpable. Luke slipped into the shadows, careful to remain silent.

"Master Gale!" Zack shouted, his voice brimming with righteous indignation. "I've come to report an act of cheating in the mock battle. Luke went so far as to—"

"Silence!" Master Gale's voice thundered, cutting Zack off mid-sentence. His face turned a bright shade of red as he glared at both boys. "You two, back in line! I'll hear the full report shortly."

The Master's stern gaze lingered on Luke for a moment longer than Zack, making Luke pause. But as he fell into line with the others, a smug smile crept onto his face.

As he passed Zack, he couldn't resist a taunting glance, his victory written all over his expression.

"What happened?" asked Kayson, his voice urgent for details.

Luke shrugged. "Zack was outmatched. What more can I say?" he replied with an air of haughtiness, mirroring the nonchalance Kayson had shown him earlier.

"How about you start from the beginning?" Kayson shifted uncomfortably. "Come on… tell me." He sounded like a child whining to their parents about going to Disneyland.

Luke ignored him, his eyes fixed on Master Gale, who was reviewing the battle on the cowhide map. At some point, the City Lord's soldiers emerged from the forest and got into position.

'Looks like they're still pissed at me,' Luke thought, feeling the intense gazes from both teams. 'But at least I know they won't make a move while I'm in the Academy.'

When the soldier finished relaying the battle, Master Gale's eyes locked onto Luke's for a brief moment. Apart from the usual disdain, something else lingered beneath his old gaze. Was it surprise? Approval? Luke couldn't tell and doubted he ever would.

Without a word, the old Master pulled out a parchment and made a mark with his fingernail. He then tucked it into his pack and addressed the students.

"There are a few more hours of daylight left. Let's head back to the Academy," he said.

"M-Master Gale! Please secure justice for me. The underhanded tactics used by Luke are a stain upon our glorious Marxx Kingdom. I suggest he be removed from the Military Academy at once!" Zack stepped forward, his tone filled with righteous indignation.

The group halted, all attention turning to the disruption. Luke felt countless gazes land on him, many filled with joy at the mention of his potential removal from the Academy.

While he expected the soldiers to relish the idea, seeing so many students sharing the same sentiment caught him off guard.

Still, Luke ignored them. He raised an eyebrow and let out a muffled scoff.

'Underhanded tactics? This kid doesn't understand warfare…' he mused, amused. 'I guess he's just signed his own death warrant.'

"Tell me, Zack," Master Gale said calmly, stepping toward the impassioned student. Despite his soft tone, the old man's face darkened, a clear sign of his displeasure. "What is an 'underhanded' tactic?"

Zack's entire body tensed under the pressure of the old Master's gaze. He backed up slightly, fear etched across his features. After a moment, he stammered a response.

"H-He removed the red flag and took up my blue flag. Surely this is against the rules of the mock battle?" Zack said, his voice faltering.

Master Gale pinched the bridge of his nose, as though hearing such nonsense caused him physical pain. Luke had to bite back a laugh to avoid becoming the focus of the old man's anger.

"Rules of the mock battle?" Master Gale echoed, his voice dripping with exasperation. "By definition, a mock battle is meant to simulate an actual battle. Tell me, what rules exist on the battlefield?"

"I…" Zack stammered, slowly retreating.

"Should enemy generals adhere to a set of rules and a code of honor while their men die by the thousands? This isn't some bullshit game played on a chessboard. THIS IS WAR!"

Master Gale's shout startled birds from their perches, sending them flying into the sky. His now-purple face was mere inches from Zack's, who could no longer form a coherent response.

"Your negligence and attitude make it clear you're unfit to remain in the Military Academy. When we return, pack your things and head back to the Brussel family estate. If your father has a problem with this, he can contact me directly."

Having delivered his verdict, Master Gale strode past Zack, who collapsed to his knees in shock. Without looking back, the old man took the lead and beckoned the students to follow.

Luke shot a smug glance at Zack before falling into step behind the group.