When the fiery magic approached Andrew and the rest, their faces fell. From that point onwards, they knew they didn't have the capacity to fight any longer.

That was why, Note and Rinca, without even a hint of fear, stood their ground.

They ran to their friends in time, standing before the mage just as she began to send her flames against them.

"Let me take care of this cousin!" Said Note who knew Rinca was not that far off from being depleted of aura. She did fight in the arena as well afterall.

Yet with a soft smile, Rinca, upon adjusting her posture clenched her trusty rapier with her hand, then boldly said,

"The lineage of swordsmen, never back down."

Note's bewilderment was fastly followed by his laughter. He then repeated her words resolutely,

"The lineage of swordsmen, never back down!"

In response, Rinca braced herself, covering her rapier with all the aura she could muster.

When Note saw what Rinca did, he still wanted to stop her. Yet he knew that was the only way.

"Don't regret your decision later on!" Note said while distributing his aura equally. It then formed a radiant shield, opposite to his cousin's compacted aura.

"Thank you cousin."

Rinca Arigare, the only heir of the Northern Duke of the Autumn Kingdom.

Her beauty even as a child was comparable to the most expensive of gems, and her talent like her father's, was unlike any other.

Because of that, she grew in both arrogance and caution as she believed nobles should take pride in their dignity.

That was why when Naell Beryldot changed, she was troubled and couldn't truly accept his attitude.

How he loathed the nobility and how the gentle kid she knew turned into an enigma filled with hatred in his heart.

'The only regrets I have... is that I should have been more understanding.'

.

.

.

Immediately as their swords and Awthra's magic collided, the pinkish and silver aura seemingly merged their hues.

In that moment, their translucent aura under all the destruction was the only calming presence anyone would see.

As the smoke subsided from Awthra's explosive magic, the scene then came into view.

The building that was designed to withstand accidental magic or aura attacks from students, had been incapable of resisting its demise.

As it also managed to blast the roof that was said to be made from reinforced ores, the strengthened walls in each corner were wrecked to a fault.

[ Rinca! Note! ]

Screams of the protagonist party then followed as they saw their friend fall unconscious on the ground.

While the other one was sent flying from the collision of aura and mana.

Yet that did not stop them from rushing to their friend even with the little strength they had left.

"Note..."

They heard the almost unconscious Rinca say in hitched breaths. She was the one who actually took the full blow of Awthra's magic.

While her cousin, Note fortified their auras and made sure nothing would reach their other friends.

From the corner of her eye, there she saw her cousin's taffy hair, far more rugged than ever as he laid underneath the rubble.

She imagined his pain as he was thrown against a fortified pillar at full force, and felt the urge to run and help him.

Yet alas, she could not and meekly groaned in pain.

Contrary to the protagonist' party, their pathetic state was a joy for the vicious trio.

Just seeing them helplessly trying to help one another, earned them a ridiculing laugh from Sult,

"Well done being a warm up exercise, kids."

Followed by an even stronger emission of killing intent from Awthra,

"Suffer until your last breath."

Their sneers were aggravating to Andrew and Namiku, yet no matter how angry they were, their animosity was useless with no power to back it up.

Still, they tried and even successfully stood up with their sore weak legs.

Yet it was treated as nothing when they were easily thrown aback by the mere wave of Pierd's aura.

That made him sigh as he said,

"Let's end this."

Sult and Awthra nodded at his words, and instantly they shortened their distance between the protagonist party.

They then combined their aura and magic together, causing a spark of destructive power.

Yet before they could launch it on the protagonist's party, out of the rubble, Note appeared and interrupted them.

With the throw of his sword, Awthra was sent flying by his aura, while Sult was pushed back by Note using the borrowed rapier of Rinca.

Finally, upon grabbing his sword, the young master of Raal, followed up his attack with a kick. That sent a pure silver force towards Pierd.

Distracted, this interrupted Pierd from supporting the duo.

When Sult was about to counter-attack using a fast jab, Note used the momentum of his kick to pivot and deliver a downward slash that managed to blow him away.

"You guys alright?" Note said with a grin on his face. His taffy hair was dirtied by being buried, and his back had hints of blood from all the damage he had taken.

Nonetheless, he was still the carefree Note they all knew. The one who replied to him was Namiku who was clearly crying as she held Rinca.

"Rinca! It's Rinca, she needs---"

Viola then interrupted Namiku with a soft hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her friend down.

"Rinca will be fine, but Note..." She then slightly glanced at the trio, fearfully seeing them standing up.

The knight smiled once more as he firmly held both swords.

"I know."

His gaze was then averted from Viola and directed at the trio. By then they seemed to be talking nonchalantly even after his attacks became serious.

'Man... these three are strong.'

Deep inside, Note was actually furious. Even though they had decided on that outcome, seeing Rinca lying unconscious due to his inability was something he regretted.

Yet it was the time to keep his head cool. At the moment, he was the only one who could fight.

'I need to separate them.'

As if they heard his thoughts, the trio then began their offense altogether with the intent to kill.

While Sult ran towards Note, Pierd and Awthra shot long range projectiles of aura and mana.

The young master of Raal then parried the hurling aura and magic while keeping Sult in check.

Andrew and the rest of them were in anguish as well, seeing the hardship of their friend. It was apparent how hard it was to keep the trio at bay.

That was why they defended with all their might from the residues of the incoming projectiles, while Viola tried her best to heal Rinca.

Yet as all that was happening, Note was struck and blown away once more.

"Note!" Cried Namiku who could only shout at her friend. Only then did they notice his bruised and bleeding arm.

Likewise, Andrew, Rizaul and Viola were grinding their teeth.

Their worried faces reached Note, and in reassurance, what they got was his usual grin.

He then stood up once more and removed his torn shoulder blade off his armor.

"Haha-! I expected nothing less from you, the so-called young genius of the East!" Said Sult estatically while appraching him more slowly.

Their actions brought Note relief as the trio was still underestimating them. He knew, had they continued their onslaught while he was down, their struggles would have already ended in a cruel manner.

"Ha--- why don't you each fight me 1v1 and see just how much of a genius I am?" Replied Note as he swung his sword playfully.

'Come on...Where in Aurora are the reinforcements?'

He knew now that the more time he could take to prolong the fight, the chances of them surviving would be much higher.

"Ugh... I know but a job is a job kid." Sult replied with a voice filled with dissatisfaction.

"From that weird light magician huh? So he's your boss." Asked Note which caused the trio to collectively smirk.

Awthra then began casting her spells and replied with ridicule in her voice.

"Can it, brat. You're about to be a corpse in shining armor."

Immediately, Sult offered a powerful kick towards his abdomen. In which, Note being himself accepted it with his blade parrying the force.

He then deflected the aura of Sult's kicks towards the surprised Awthra whose casting was interrupted.

If it weren't for Pierd blocking it with his sword, that attack would have injured or more, disabled her to fight.

"You!"

Because of that, all of her attention was all on Note, which also meant all of power was now directed at him.

Even then, Note welcomed all the deadly magic with open arms, amplifying his aura of intent with what left he could spare.

On the other hand, Pierd didn't waste that moment as he fastly approached the wounded protagonist's party, only to be blocked by Note's rushing blade.

Somehow he had managed to cause a stalemate for the trio who a while ago were determining the fight.

Andrew and the rest could only admire their friend. Yet, it was then when a drill of fire charged at Note, and with ease the young knight neutralized it with his aura.

"Got ya'."

However, upon hearing Awthra as she let out a grin, he felt an untimely presence appear with no warning from the shadows.

The mysterious source of light magic that appeared several times throughout their battle, sent an array of light daggers towards Note's blindside.

It was so fast that even when he was wary of the unknown attack, Note barely managed to deflect them.

Note knew, if it weren't for the aura covering his body, he would have taken substantial damage.

"Huff..."

After everything, he still stood his ground. The weight of protecting his friends behind him as he continued to wield both he and his cousin's blades, made him stronger.

'Haah... It won't be all for naught, Rinca.'

Note thought to himself as he staggered before raising an arm and wiping the sweat off his forehead.

"Heh--- Seriously, what's with the rush?" He forced a laugh with every ragged breath he took.

As to not make him speak any longer, Several more light attacks bombarded Note from every direction. That forced him to parry against millisecond gaps.

Continuously his aura and strength was being drained for every hit he neutralized, until finally he was backed into a corner.

"Hahh...Damn it, you cheats! You call yourselves martial artists and mages with your cheap attacks!" He glanced for a moment at his friends who were too weak to even move a muscle.

"Note!!!" Yelled Andrew in anger. His golden eyes shook with rage towards the trio and the fourth mysterious light wielder.

"Please stop!" Cried Namiku as she tried to go to him, yet she could only grit her teeth in pain.

The whole party yelled pleas towards the trio, who only stood and watched Note struggling to watch for the next attack.

Viola's hands trembled as they hovered over Rinca, immense frustration for her weak output continued to grow. She then turned to Note and called out,

"Note, just wait I'll---!

"Viola, focus on my cousin!"

In that instant, scorching light appeared before Note, only this time it was far larger and brighter.

Note then turned to the sky and closed his eyes, dropping his cousin's blade as he summoned all the remaining neutral aura he could muster onto his own.

'Corpse in shining armor, huh.' He thought while taking a deep breath.

He then laughed genuinely, with his taffy hair being illuminated by the light before him as he aimed his blade at the trio.

[ Note! ]

Screamed everyone including Rinca who could feel the diminishing aura of her cousin.

• Don't do it, stupid! •

Namiku's woe in their telepathic conversation made Note chuckle. It had only further strengthened his resolve.

'That's right, if it's for them, it's not such a bad way to go.'

As he was about to cast what seemed to be his last strike, the wall from his left side rumbled and what entered their vision was a monster, an A-rank Mammoth being hurled at the opposite wall.

"..."

All of them were bewildered, especially when they heard two voices arguing from behind the creature as they entered the area.

"Oop, killed another one, HOOT!"

"It fainted, THEY ONLY FAINTED!"