While Ray headed toward Lucas, Amelia and Ariane made for the third floor, following Ray’s instructions.
However, the fact that Evi and Albert were on the third floor didn’t necessarily mean the Flag was there. In matches past, teams had often used such placements as decoys to buy time.
Keeping these variables in mind, the two girls sprinted straight for the third-floor landing.
They had already discussed the matter with Ray; when on the offensive, they were in a race against the clock. While it was vital to consider every possibility, they couldn't afford to let those possibilities consume precious time.
After racing up the stairs and sprinting for a short distance, they arrived.
The landing on the third floor was an expansive area, once used as a venue for parties and other grand events. Now, however, not a trace of its former elegance remained.
"There they are."
"Indeed. It seems they were waiting for us."
Evi and Albert stood waiting at the far end of their line of sight. Yet, Amelia and Ariane couldn't help but feel a sense of doubt. They found it strange that no Delay Magic had been set at any point on their way here.
"Amelia, what do you make of this? The lack of any Delay Magic up to this point?"
"I don't know... I can't guess their true intentions. For now, it looks like our only option is a head-on collision."
"Yes. Quite right."
In every match they had played until now, Delay Magic had always been utilized. It was the undisputed standard for a Siege Battle. To ignore it suggested either a different strategy altogether, or perhaps...
They considered the implications for a moment but immediately shifted their focus.
Be flexible; adapt to the situation. Recalling Ray’s teachings, they dropped into their combat stances.
"Hraaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!!"
Evi was the first to move. Clad in Inside Code, he charged forward and swung his fist with all his might.
On the surface, the roles were clear: Evi and Ariane on the front lines, with Albert and Amelia providing support from the rear. To a casual observer, it would seem impossible for the boys to stand against two members of the Three Great Noble Families—but the reality was quite different.
"Nngh...!!"
Ariane caught Evi’s fist head-on rather than dodging. She had originally intended to evade, but realized that doing so might leave Amelia open to attack behind her.
She braced herself to take the blow, yet even then, the weight of it was staggering.
Evi wasn't as proficient with Inside Code as Ariane. While his technical skill as a sorcerer placed him among the academy's elite, he was still naturally outmatched by the pedigree of the Three Great Noble Families.
However, he possessed a body trained to its absolute limit. Utilizing his overwhelming muscle mass to the fullest, the power behind his punches rivaled even Ariane’s own.
"Amelia! Let's go with that plan!"
"Got it!"
Ariane immediately deployed her Glacis Field. A layer of ice instantly coated the surroundings. In that same breath, Ariane accelerated, sliding across the ground.
Trained in ice-bound combat, she moved with fluid grace, circling around to Evi’s rear.
Unable to keep up with her speed, Evi instinctively tried to shift into a defensive posture. Ariane moved to bypass his guard and drive a heavy blow home, but a sudden gust of wind slammed into them.
"Tch...! I missed my chance!"
She had aimed a full-power strike at his solar plexus, intended to punch right through his guard, but she was thwarted by Albert’s magic: Storm.
A preemptive strike. At her current speed, Ariane’s attack should have landed without fail. Against a common sorcerer using Quick Magic, she would have been well within her guaranteed hit range. Evi should have taken the blow.
And yet, Albert had made it in time.
The exchange served a secondary purpose: gauging the enemy's strength. Ariane had watched all of their previous matches, but the sensation of facing them in actual combat was entirely different.
She realized then that this would be no simple affair.
"Albert... you’ve certainly improved."
"Yes. That was only Quick Magic, but the power behind it was impeccable."
It wasn't that they had underestimated Albert. Both girls had known him since childhood and had a fair grasp of his capabilities.
In the past, Albert had been a bloodline elitist, obsessed with innate talent. He was someone who neglected effort, choosing to lean entirely on his pedigree.
That was the Albert of old.
To see him now, standing before them as a genuine threat... human growth was truly an unpredictable thing.
But it wasn't just Albert. Everyone present had been profoundly influenced by Ray. That was an unalterable fact.
"Now then, what shall we do? Should we try to force our way through?"
"Can we?"
"Yes. It's not impossible."
"Don't tell me... Origin Magic?"
"No. I won't use that just yet."
Albert didn't wait for them to finish their conversation. He unleashed magic from a distance.
He cast Icicle Pierce, weaving the Code through Chain Magic. The icicles descended upon the two girls like a torrential rain, but Amelia swept them aside with a single gesture.
She countered with Flame Wall.
Simultaneously, Ariane bolted across the ground. She sped through the frozen domain as if gliding on a skating rink. With the added acceleration of her Inside Code, her speed was immeasurable.
She expected some form of interference, but as if they didn't care about her passage at all, Albert and Evi simply watched her go.
What are they thinking? Is there Delay Magic further ahead after all?
The thought crossed her mind, but all she found before her was the Flag. Ariane snatched it up and raced back to the landing.
There, she found Amelia standing alone, looking bewildered.
"Amelia? Where did those two go?"
"They vanished."
"What...?"
"The moment you sped past, a cloud of water vapor burst forth... and by the time it cleared, they were gone."
"Could they have gone ahead to defend the goal?"
"That’s the most logical conclusion. Regardless, we have to move. Ray is likely still fighting."
"You’re right."
The two girls retreated the way they had come, but they couldn't shake the sense of unease.
The atmosphere was eerily vacant. In any other match, the moment the Flag was taken would have signaled the start of a fierce magical melee. Instead, there was only this silence—a stillness so profound it felt as though no one else existed. No sounds of battle drifted up from the first floor where Ray was supposed to be, nor were there any signs of the Prima Materia fluctuating.
Anyone would have realized something was wrong.
"We’ve finally made it back."
"No use overthinking it. Let's just end this."
Without encountering a single obstacle, Amelia and Ariane reached the first-floor landing and placed the Flag in its designated position outside the castle.
At that moment, a loud siren blared throughout the arena.
"Round 1. The winner is Team Algren."
As the announcement echoed, Ray walked slowly out of the castle.
"Ray! How did it go?!"
"Are you all right?!"
At a glance, he had no injuries. His gait was normal, and there wasn't a speck of dirt on his clothes. However, his expression was sour, as if he had just chewed on something bitter.
"My opponent simply vanished mid-combat. I was about to go find you two when the victory was announced... that’s essentially it."
"It was the same for you, Ray?"
"So it was the same on your end too. I thought the match ended far too quickly, but..."
Team Algren had secured the win for Round 1.
Yet, a sense of uneess lingered in the hearts of all three. And before they had a chance to process what had happened, Round 2 was already about to begin.