Lomio stood before the anti-magic wall of the training grounds and snapped his fingers.
Immediately, Mark I swiveled its pointed head. The large spotlight on its crown flared to maximum intensity with a *whoosh*. A testing target 100 meters away was instantly engulfed in white light, and even the Level 3 defense enchantment on the target began to *sizzle* from the glare.
“Hmm, nice modifications.”
Lomio nodded with satisfaction.
Over the last seven days, he had mastered all of Mark I’s skills. The control range of its taunt, its maximum collision speed, and the limits of its self-repair were all etched into his mind. He had even made a few offensive adjustments with his own hands to make it stronger and more efficient.
As for the contracts, the situation was even better.
He had over 300 students bound under him. For the entire first year, nearly 80% of the resource circulation was held in his grasp. There was no helping it; there was truly strength in numbers.
He had originally thought that for the next two weeks, he would only need to wait for Beatrice’s small clique to fall apart from internal strife. Once that happened, he could completely control the internal resource circulation for the first-year students, and upgrading the Dragon Sword would be just around the corner. However, the intelligence Annie provided shattered his plans.
“You mean to say that group of young masters hasn’t disbanded yet?”
Lomio took the small notebook Annie handed him and flipped through a few pages, feeling somewhat surprised.
Annie stood at his side, her voice carrying an unavoidable hint of fatigue. “Not only have they not disbanded, but they have also gathered the remaining seventeen core noble teams from the Capital. Three days ago, they even absorbed three fringe noble teams from the second year. Their total number exceeds 120.”
‘The tables have turned?’
Lomio’s hand paused as he flipped through the intel.
Annie nodded slightly. “Furthermore, her personality has undergone a massive change.”
“What’s the deal?”
Rather than the superficial gains, it was this change that piqued Lomio’s interest.
Beatrice’s personality changed? With her character, she was a rock-solid villain, officially designated by the game. What could possibly change? Had she actually developed a split personality from the beating?
Before he could think further, a figure pushed open the doors to the training grounds, holding a stack of gold-trimmed invitations.
“Notice of the Academy’s Social Banquet. It will be held next week, and all members of the First-Place Team must attend.”
Karenina walked over and sat down beside Lomio. Her fingertips, still stained with traces of ink from writing out plan drafts, handed over an invitation.
“This is the first opportunity for the first-year students to have official contact with the upperclassmen. Many seniors will select juniors to mentor at the banquet.”
“It is also our official debut.”
“Speaking of which, it is about time.”
Lomio took the invitation. The moment his fingertips touched the gold-embossed cover, memories of the game from his past life came rushing back.
The Social Banquet.
They called it a gathering for friendship and equality. In the end, no matter what they said, the heirs of the great noble houses were never willing to play with the poor.
But who said the poor couldn’t produce masters?
In the game, the first year’s Social Banquet was the best time to grind favor with SSR-tier seniors! Those powerful upperclassmen were all top-tier units for the late-game plot!
However, Lomio cared more about utility than raw power. After all, who could compete with the “Dragon Shinobi” class that only appeared during April Fools’ events? No matter who came, it would likely be a 30/70 split. Specifically, three strikes from Lomio would split the opponent into seven pieces.
Therefore, his goal was clear. Seniors who could help save credits and provide auxiliary skills were what the First-Place Team needed most!
After all… looking at the current setup of an Assassin, a Mage, a Martial Artist, and Lomio’s own Dragon Shinobi class, their team skills — especially in the support category — were quite lacking.
Particularly that Level 4 Mage known as the “Shadow of a Thousand Changes,” Epicolis. She was a must-have SSR support! Not only was her design that of a top-tier beauty among beauties, but her heritage magic, **[Teleportation]**, was unique within the game’s story!
All he needed to do was grind some favor with her! If he could get her to help create a few alchemy cards… they would be incredibly useful, whether for long-distance missions or for making a quick escape when outmatched.
Back when he played the game in his previous life, he had to grind daily quests for one month just to get teleportation permissions from Epicolis. Now, an opportunity was right in front of him!
“The Academy is being very hospitable; as students, we must naturally comply.” Lomio stuffed the invitation into his pocket.
Seeing Lomio’s stance, Karenina nodded. “I have already arranged for magic crystals, a specialty of the border, to be prepared. We will present them together when the time comes.”
“…”
Ibuki Rei walked in from outside, holding an envelope. She remained sullen and silent.
“What’s wrong?”
Having withdrawn money from her for several consecutive days, Lomio tried to offer her some human concern. ‘I’ve been a bit harsh on the plucking, but surely she shouldn’t shut down upon seeing me?’
“I… I just passed by your door and found this.”
With a hint of reluctance, Ibuki Rei pulled a letter from her wide sleeve.
Lomio took the envelope, thinking it was a supplementary notice from the Academy. Upon opening it, he saw it was actually a private invitation.
On the gold-trimmed cover, elegant handwriting read: *I specially invite Senior Lomio to a tea party at my dormitory on the afternoon before the banquet to discuss cooperation for our academic year.*
The signature was — Beatrice Cromwell.
“Oh, a 99% rarity. That’s a find.”
Lomio was actually quite amused now. Beatrice was inviting him for tea? Had the sun risen in the west? Had she not had enough of being thrashed in the two exams, or had her personality truly changed as Annie said?
He reached into the envelope and pulled out a freezing cold fragment.
“This aura?”
Karenina immediately sensed something was wrong.
“Hmm… a Black Mage model?”
Lomio’s fingers tightened slightly. But in just an instant, the fragment dissipated, completely vanishing into nothingness.
The air in the training grounds turned heavy for two seconds.
Annie spoke first, her voice as flat as someone reading a grocery list. “Beatrice’s tea party is 99% a trap. That black magic fragment is a show of force. Either she wants to pressure us into giving up our credit channels, or she wants to frame us for conspiring with Black Mages.” She paused, then added, “However, if there is a chance to extort credits from her or swallow her alchemy inventory, Master likely won’t let it go.”
“My Lord, this is definitely a trap!” Ibuki Rei took a large step forward, her hand hitting the hilt of her sword with a *clack*. “Someone looking for legitimate cooperation wouldn’t bring such filthy things! Please allow me to act as your guard!”
She only realized how impulsive she was being after she finished speaking. The tips of her ears turned red instantly. Her hand tightened on the hilt, and she turned her face away, not daring to look at Lomio.
“It’s fine, it’s fine. This is a banquet, not an exam.” Lomio looked perfectly at ease.
Was someone really going to make a move right under Altemis’s nose? That continent-class powerhouse was likely already frustrated about being unable to catch the pests in the Academy. At a time like this, who would dare to act recklessly? They probably didn’t want to experience why she was called the “Elemental Empress.”
“Beatrice choosing to meet before the Social Banquet… is equivalent to exposing our cards to the upperclassmen.” Karenina tapped the cover of the gold-trimmed invitation with her finger. She cleared her throat, deliberately lowering her voice to sound more serious as she began to philosophize. “The herd is blind. Once we fall into a disadvantage, those students who believe in the title of the First-Place Team will inevitably waver.”
“Correct. They will only follow the winner.”
Lomio nodded, but then let out a chuckle. “Fortunately, I won’t lose.”
‘I don’t care what your personality is. Once I let a bit of my Charisma Halo leak out, this social event is going to need a flood warning!’
‘How terrible, a gold digger! What, I’m the gold digger, and I only dig from the villains who jump in my face? What else can I say?’
‘I’m truly righteous, Lomio Arkadi!’