I was just wondering how I would get rid of him… to think he would come running straight to me.

Well then, don't blame me for this, Xu Lian.

*****

- The Next Day -

"… They're here," Ming Hao said, glancing through his telescope.

"They're here!" Long Lu yelled, transmitting his message to everyone. "Battle stations!"

Immediately, the students all got into the formation they had practiced last night in preparation for this. Those who specialized in long-range, precision spells and weapons were placed on top of the temple's walls, while those with melee/close-range weapons or specialized in physical combat with their magic were stationed behind the entrance of the temple, ready to charge out at any minute. Behind them were the area-of-effect mages, who specialized in using highly-destructive magic that could affect a group of enemies at once.

Meanwhile, assassin-types like Feng Mian were placed around where the flags were, but hidden. This way, any flying troops may get past our defenses and think that there's no one guarding the flags, but they'll be caught off guard and slain with ease by our assassins.

Lastly, proficient Sky Magic users would be our aerial combat force to rain down hell from above.

I was placed into the melee combat group, but I wouldn't actually be doing any fighting unless it was absolutely necessary. I didn't think that would happen though, since the girls alone were more than capable enough of defending against this army, since they are now able to use Legendary-Tier spells.

In this final battle, I had one goal and one goal only — finding Xu Lian's real body and turning him into one of my chess pieces.

*****

"OPEN UP!" Lei Pao demanded loudly, taking the lead in front of the fifty-student army.

"So noisy…" Ming Hao smirked from atop the temple walls and glanced out at the enemy forces laid out ahead. "Oh, Si Si, you're here too?"

Lei Pao frowned in confusion. "Si Si…?"

Si Ye narrowed her eyes at Ming Hao and clenched her fists tightly. "You… don't deserve… to call me that…!"

"Huh, I see you're wearing that necklace I bought you all those years ago as well," Ming Hao chuckled. "It still fits?"

"It's adjustable, you dimwit…"

"Oh, didn't know that. But what's the meaning of this? You want a round two after I clapped you so hard all those years ago?"

"Don't bring that up!" Si Ye yelled in fury. "You knew full well I was weaker than you at the time… which was exactly why you challenged me to that fight. And you said if you won, you would… ugh!"

As I listened to this exchange from behind the temple's doors, I couldn't help but wonder… what's Ming Hao's history with this girl? They seem to have a sort of… love-hate relationship? Kind of like Lin Luo and I at the moment.

"Man… you're still mad about that?" Ming Hao chuckled. "Listen, I had no choice at the time. You were getting too attached to me, and my family kinda maybe perhaps possibly didn't like that. And since you were so competitive, I figured beating you in a fight was the best way to break you off from me."

What is this? A tragic love story? I thought he said he didn't like her…

"Shut up! Who's attached to you?!" Si Ye snarled as everyone around her watched in shock. The Ice Princess they knew had broken said ice and was lashing out in fury at this boy in front of them with no care of her image.

"Well…" Ming Hao shrugged. "If you want to do this, go ahead. Just know I won't show any mercy, and I have help of my own."

As if on cue, Long Lu stepped forward. "Classes B and C against Classes D and A… what a show indeed. We're ready. Are you?"

Si Ye pointed at Ming Hao arrogantly. "Ming Hao! If I succeed in this attack, you are obliged to talk to me whenever I wish. Is that clear?"

Ming Hao picked his ear. "Huh? What was that? Sorry, gettin' old."

"…" Si Ye gritted her teeth and clenched her fists tightly in anger. "I know full well you heard it, so I won't repeat it again. But if I lose, I won't bother you for the rest of my life. How's that for a deal?"

Ming Hao smirked. "Sure. Let's get this show on the road. My guys are itching for some punching bags."

Si Ye lifted her hand up into the air in preparation. "Everyone… go!"

The horde of fifty students immediately charged forward as our precision shooters went to work, picking off the easy targets. Meanwhile, the temple's gates were opened as well, letting our own forces meet theirs. As soon as this happened, however, I turned invisible and went off to one side to spectate the fight.

I saw Xu Lian's body laying unconscious on the dirt with a poisoned arrow stabbed into his shoulder, but that obviously wasn't his real body. This was confirmed by it disappearing shortly after.

Xu Lian… where the hell are you?

And then, as I glanced in the direction of Class C's Base, I instinctively knew.

Of course… he's the type to backstab his own allies.

As fiery explosions went off everywhere and more students fell unconscious by the second, I flew towards Class C's base in search of Xu Lian. He should be there, grabbing their flags right now.

As for back at the temple… I wasn't particularly worried about Class A's defenses.

After all, even if they did break down, my preparations were already set in place last night.

*****

- The Night Before -

While everyone was sound asleep, I had secretly woke up Ming Hao.

"Hm…? Xuan Kai? What's up?"

"… Come with me."

"What…? Dude, it's, like, 2 AM…"

"That's the point. Get up."

"Ugh, fine…"

After forcing him to wake up, I took him to where the flags were stored in Class A.

"Why did you bring me here for?" He asked, rubbing his eyes in confusion.

I snorted. "There's a traitor in your class who seems to disagree with your plans."

At this, he stopped. "… What?"

"Try opening it."

Ming Hao placed his hands on the doors and tried to push it open, but it wouldn't budge.

"Ngh…! What the hell…?"

"It's been locked by an array — no simple one, either," I replied. Mei Gui had told me about that. "Think, Ming Hao. Who in your class is good at setting up magic arrays?"

"Uh… I've only met them for like a week, I don't know everything about them…"

"Well, if you ever find out who it was in the future, just bear this exam," I said nonchalantly, before walking away.

"W-Wait! What about the flags inside? If it's like this, you won't be able to make them Class Ds-"

"Relax," I cut him off. "I knew this was going to happen a long time ago. This array was made fairly recently, just earlier tonight — otherwise, no one would be able to put the 5 flags from Class D in. Before this happened, I already transferred all the flags inside to Class D. The ones in there right now are just illusions conjured by me."

The spell I had used was, of course, Infinite Illusions, the Legendary-Tier Shadow Element spell. But when I said I transferred them to Class D, that was only half-truth. The reality was, they were all stored in my Space Locket, safe and sound. They still belonged to Class D now since I touched them last, but I purposely didn't tell Ming Hao the full truth here because of a certain someone.

I noticed said someone's figure disappearing, then leaned in close to Ming Hao's ear.

"Go to Class D's Base right now. You'll catch the culprit."

His eyes widened as he realized all of this was planned by me. Calling him out here tonight, purposely not setting up a sound barrier, and saying only half the truth to mislead the eavesdropper… all of that was planned.

Leaving these words behind, I left to go back to sleep. Ming Hao stared at my disappearing figure, shaking his head in awe.

"Xuan Kai… I'm not sure to call you a genius or a monster."

*****

- Present Time -

After arriving at Class C's Base, I immediately headed for the meeting room — that's where the flags were last time. And as expected, when I opened the door, I saw Xu Lian's figure, who had just picked up the flags.

"Ah… you again."

"I predicted you to be here."

"I can see that. So? What now? Are you going to try and knock me unconscious again, like last time?"

I nodded blatantly. "Yeah. This is the real you, since your copy already disappeared back there in the battlefield. Witnessed it myself."

"I see. Well… what can I say? You caught me."

Xu Lian turned around and lifted his hands up into the air as a symbol of surrender, but his creepy smile never once left his face. I calmly strode closer to him and prepared to strike his neck with my hand, but-

"Heh… too bad… I predicted you to predict me coming here."

I heard his voice overlap and the presence of another figure assaulting me from behind. But instead of panicking like he thought I would, the corners of my lips curved up into a devious smirk.

"… Heh."

I sent a swift elbow behind me, striking the real Xu Lian directly in the chest, as if I had known he would be there all along.

"Ngh-!" He fell to the floor, wooden rod falling out of his hand. He had been planning on bashing me in the head with that thing, but unfortunately…

As his copy disappeared, I walked closer to his figure, crawling away in fear.

"W-Wha… H-How did you…"

"Shh shh shh. Too bad…" I made a shushing gesture and stepped on his foot as hard as I could.

"GAH!"

"… I predicted you predicting me predicting you coming here."

His body seized up in fear as I smiled like a devil.

Before he knew it, everything around him went black.