They had made plans for the foreseeable future, but it is limited what they could do against Orcs when their empire’s unity is called into question.

It made Kairos concerned about the current situation with the Snowdrifts. They could no longer take their time and establish their organisation. The past one year of progress is far too slow considering that their old foe, the Devilheart family, now has the reins of the armies of the Third and Fifth Prince.

Right now, the Snowdrifts’ utmost objective is to become renowned. To become so well-known that their enemy cannot remove them directly. And to achieve this, what they do from now on needs to be high-profile.

It could be said that Saint Empire is already in the palm of the Devilheart. To even have a fighting chance, the Snowdrifts must become associated with big names. The relationship they had established with Grand Elder Feng of the Trade Federate and Von Cixton of the Steel Rose family need to be brought to light. Leaf and Snow of the Autumn Blossom family, Alucard and his Angelheart family, Lan Lei and the Resounding Thunder, Lugh and Light Rose house, Flora of the Blue Frost, Fauna of the Northern Cross, Luciette and the White Snow family, and George, Small, Smaller and the Mountain Cat Clan, those that joined the Snowdrifts also need to officiate their relationships.

Most of all, Kairos wants to find means and ways to push his friends to become the next family head or second-in-command, that way, even their backing will increase and the Snowdrifts would have close allies.

Calculus, on the other hand, was quite surprised to find out the movements his family had made. He had not expected that his father telling him that he was destined to be a ruler is about to come true.

However, raised in a family that always told him that he is superior to his fellows, Calculus quickly calmed down. Indeed, in his heart, he felt that finally, his time has come.

…..

Back in school, Kairos was called by the principal to receive the second years’ resource bundle. As the second years’ student president, it is his job to hand out training materials according to each person’s ranking.

However, as the tradition of Saint Cadets Academy, the resources are given in the form of spirit stones, where the student president must use to purchase proper cultivation pills, elemental stones and other supplies.

The leftover spirit stones will be split up and used to draw out Heavenly Energies for cultivation. With the Snowdrifts’ resources trading network, Kairos was far more equipped than any other student president in history.

After getting Xuan Xian to help purchase getting the resources, the class for War tactics & Commander Course had begun, and it also announced the scramble for the next batch of resources.

This time around, Kairos, Calculus, Luciette, and George, were the four leaders chosen for their year. Alan, Jim, and Edward had also enrolled thanks to the special treatment from Principal Gai. Likewise in the class registry is Tommy, but he was forced to defer a year due to his injuries. Of course, if he could perform well at that time, he is still able to catch up.

The seven of them had to lead their own teams by recruiting follow classmates; the charisma they have are part of the test.

Additionally, to simulate the capture of enemy units, when a commander defeats another, all the units can be converted, including the defeated commander. However, it will be up to each individual if they are willing for if they chose to accept they lose all the points gathered so far.

Everyone had to join, be it as foot soldiers, team leaders, or those enrolled in the commander course. The entire second years had merely two hundred students, and Kairos, Alan, Jim and Edward, each had nearly twenty members, Luciette and George had thirty, while the rest joined Calculus.

With the Devilheart family moving out of the shadows to flaunt their power and establish their strength, many had defected to their side despite the news of the Third and Fifth Princes’ military forces are in their control was kept under wraps.

In an instant, Calculus’ group became the largest, however, this is only regarding the second years.

On the great plains of Training Ground One, the competition between them started swiftly.

Right at the outset, with Long tutting a trumpet around and riding on the shoulders of John and Silvers, Kairos declared loudly to all other teams, “If anyone manages to break past my guards and come to me face-to-face, I will instantly admit defeat!”

Having said so, he led his men straight into battle, attacking every small group along his way. From then on, all across the battlefield, there were unbridled roars of anguish.

…..

Somewhere along a muddy riverbank, a lone ranger scrambled downstream with hasty steps. His team had been picked off one by one, leaving him who was the swiftest of his group to carry the news back to his commander Luciette.

However, he quickly comes to a realisation that he had not fled. No, the truth is, he was let off so the ones hunting him could find the position of Luciette’s main group. The boy immediately changed course, trying to camouflage himself and throw those trackers off his back.

Unfortunately, his attempts to hide were futile against those with Soul Perception.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! You found me, I get it… Stop appearing out of nowhere…. AHHH! How did you pop out from overhead? This tree is a hundred meters tall!”

“Behind you too.”

“What… THE HELL! You… you’ve been following me?”

“Under your leg too…”

“This isn’t a rock?”

“Kindly remove it before I do.”

“Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Stop shooting me, can’t you see I already raised the white flag? Wait, you shot my white flag too? Ow. Ow. Ow. Oie! I surrendered. Ow. I’m really sorry for stepping on your head Sasha.”

…..

At a nearby river. A small team of scouts were sent by George to track down Kairos’ group. As a previous comrade in the same group, he was wary of this Earl who wasn’t inferior in terms of experience and skill.

The scouts set off in high spirits for no reason other than they had never faced Kairos in battle before. They were George’s followers all along, but the previous exam they had been assigned under Luciette. Out of good fortune, they never had to fight directly with Kairos the previous times.

Unfortunately…

“Heh, those bastards think they are good? Well, we will show them won’t we, Luke? … Luke, where are you?”

“Down here.”

“Ah damn, you got caught in a snare already? Hold on, Jake and I will get you out… Jake?”

“Over here.”

“Freaking hell, how’d you get dragged up a tree? Never mind, don’t answer me. I’ll have Fred climb up and cut you down. Wait… don’t tell me, Fred? FRED!?”

“Don’t scream, my head is stuck in a hollow log and I’m stuck in the ground. Your voice is ringing in my ears dude.”

“How the heck that you got your head stuck!?”

“Don’t ask…”

“Well okay. Hold on… did the sky turn black?"

“You gotten a log on your head as well?”

"Maybeeeee? AH! W... who... who's touching me? Why are you tying my hands up?"

The person screamed and struggled, but the grip on him was firm. Unexpectedly, the one who did this to their team replied, “Uhhh, It's me, Kairos. Sorry, I kinda missed out on you back there. Fortunately, I prepared an extra set. Hold on, I’m finishing.”

“Did you jam a hollow log on my head? Ah, no wonder the skin of my face suddenly felt so raw... Wait, now is not the time to say this. Damnit! SOMEONE HELP! Ah screw it, even my own scream is ringing in my head. Someone help?”

"Leader, you know, there are oftentimes when I think you're an idiot."

"But you still follow after me?"

"Okay, nevermind. I'm the bigger idiot all along."

…..

The same thing is happening to those in Calculus’ group.

“Warriors! Charge!”

“Wait, hold on, those are from Kai… Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Everyone flee! It’s too late for me. Hey! Damnit, you guys really ran without me?! Ow. Ow. Ow!”

“Team leader! We will bring news back to the commander, don’t worry!”

“You traitors! Wait for me. OW! HUH? Who the heck left this slime on the ground for me to slip on?!”

“Team leader, we will remember your sacrifice!”

…..

Those that bumped into Kairos or his teammate were… tragic.

They faced fearsome traps and ceaseless ambushes. The improvement of those from the Snowdrifts after the six months of holidays was not to be underestimated. These children craved for even the slightest chance to move ahead in life. Now that they had the same training resources as the nobles, they trained so hard they risked their lives to become stronger.

Kairos’ group quickly rounded up those they defeat, and the other groups became smaller in size while plenty captured units joined him, instantly their group numbered over forty.

Most of them chose to do so because of his prestige, or else, they were converted after being sorely defeated.

At the same time, Jim, Edward, and Tommy, each gained invaluable experiences while leading their own group. Of course, they had no mercy when they met Kairos and were forced to retreat each time.

“Damnit, even though our group have Soul Perception as well?”

While Kairos had both experience and talent in warfare, his friends did not nor did they have proper tutors since young like the nobles. For them to survive in the arena wasn’t easy. In fact, even though Kairos had been winning his battles so far, he had been taking notes the entire time. Then after bulldozing over his opponents, his team mysteriously disappeared.

Meanwhile, the six groups that were left clashed repeatedly, and the strength of each commander were tested.

Luciette, George, and Calculus found themselves in a three-way deadlock.

Calculus displayed his confidence and had the ability to back it up, therefore, his team’s strategy was to charge straight at their opponents. Their superior equipment allowed them to excel in fighting openly, and Calculus’ sealing arts allowed him to suppress an opposing team as he beats them into the ground.

But his group often suffered when the opponents viciously counterattacked when pushed to a corner, making him take unnecessary losses.

Luciette team became his worst counter. She had made plenty of improvements, becoming even more adept at guerrilla warfare than before. Her team strike when it was unexpected and their retreat was unfathomable. When not engaged in battle, they were moved like phantoms unseen. When attacking they were like cold steel struck for maximum damage.

On the other hand, George also learned much from the previous year’s final exam. He was tenacious and cautious and it became extremely difficult to capture even a single of his unit but at the same time, his progress was slow, defeating few opponents and made no significant victories. The morale in his group was likewise, lukewarm. However, his strategy of total-defence was evidently more matured than before. He could make a dozen skirmishes and the enemy could never truly wound his team; then before they realised, his opponents had been worn down and defeated.

It was a powerful tactic against Luciette, but his team found Calculus a hard opponent to fight against.

The other commanders appeared less capable.

Jim’s team scurry away at every battle.

No matter what kind of combat style his group was terrible at it, but the speed they travel across the place on foot was top-notch.

Every once a while in Training Ground One, they will hear him scream, “Hah! Try and catch me!”

This became so repetitive that after a while, no one even bothered to try chasing his team down.

…..

“Sir Calculus, we can’t catch up…”

“Fools. Well, stop chasing Jim. That damned Luciette is flanking us again! Damnit, those pesky cherry boys sure run fast!”

…..

“George, I have got a report.”

“Speak.”

“Jim’s team are found patrolling outside our perimeters.”

“Ignore them,” George said with a darken expression, then muttered softly, “Those pests.”

…..

“Luciette, our third team accidentally bumped into Jim’s group. What should we do?”

“Ack… them again. Don’t waste your time on them. It’s impossible anyway.”

“But… but… we caught them snapping a picture of you!”

“Say what?! AHHH! I’ll get back at him!”

“Shall we send chasers at him?”

“No, I already said it’s no use. Tell me Edward’s coordinates.”

“Oh, right! I’m on it!”

…..

On the battlefield, the saboteur picked the fleetest-footed among the Snowdrifts and using Origin Infusion only for movement, they were even swifter than all the other teams. Though comparing to Luciette’s group, their hiding techniques and escape routes are still rough between the ears, there is few that could catch them.

However, Jim was not only focused on running away the entire time. His group had been gathering information on the different parties. By the end of two hours, there were no movements on the battlefield that escaped his eyes, and it was then that he made his first strike.

While he was fleeing no one thought much of him, but when he took action, it was like a quagmire had erupted.

Suddenly, Calculus found himself ambushed by Luciette. He led his group in swift retaliation but this time around, Luciette was unable to extract her group. At every turn when they should’ve successfully made their escape, their pursuers were somehow found their tracks again.

Now with the chance to retaliate, Calculus was filled with determination to root out this hindrance, “Follow them! This time, we will get them all!”

“Damnit,” Luciette hissed, “I’ll break their charge. The rest of you find a path to safety! Quickly!”

“But, commander…”

“Shut it. I’m the strongest in our group. Listen to me and search for a way to retreat.”

As the battles turn heated, Luciette herself had to hold Calculus back. They didn’t dare to clash upfront with their better-equipped opponents.

As her group was forced to the edge of the field, they unknowingly stepped near a giant rend in the ground.

“Commander! I've got an urgent report!”

“Speak!”

“Sir, Calculus and Luciette are right outside. They are only ten minutes away.”

“Hoh? Is that so? Tell everyone to prepare. We will force them into a siege. Let’s go!”

George’s team had been hiding there, and they formed a decisive strike from the back, attacking Luciette and Calculus viciously.

With their secret base nearby, they could fearlessly retreat without danger.

However, these three talented commanders with superior experience and firepower did not realise that they stumbled into a devious plot. Students fainted left and right from the chaotic battle, while Jim almost laughed himself to death as he admired his work.

He had splendidly screwed up their battle plans with a strategy well-suited for saboteurs. His intensive training during Combat Class was displayed and the talent Jim had for his role is undeniable.

“EVERYONE DIE DIE DIE! …. Ops. I mean, FAINT FAINT FAINT! Bwahahaha… I’m such a genius. Vote Jim for the commander of the year!”

His men stared at him both impressed and embarrassed.