READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 26: The Game Plan
Unfortunately, it wouldn’t have made a difference if Turtle and his teammate had respawned. Their teammates formed a tower to climb together since they were running short of time and breaking the wall took too long. But right when one of them was about to reach the top of the wall, Frost announced the end of the match, receiving a collective sigh from the audience as they were let down by such an anticlimactic end. The attackers immediately gave up, and to add insult to injury, the defenders caught them off guard as they fired arrows from above after they had already won, causing them to tumble and fall to the ground in defeat.
–Time's up! Good attempt, but you were just too slow to make it work, so that nickname still suits you…– Frost said to the losing team contemptuously as he walked into the field. Despite him showing a bit of support, the attackers didn’t really care anymore about the game; they were depressed and tired from their loss and just walked back to the bleachers without saying a word. Their classmates consoled them as they had shown genuine effort at the end of the match, but the ones that got cheered the most were the winners as they celebrated for a good minute while the field was cleaned up.
Panda and some soldiers had to tear down everything to prepare for the next match, as well as retrieve the weapons used before Frost could assign the next teams. He first had to return to his table to take some notes before checking the list again to call the next players. Turtle and his team took their seats and got to relax as they were now the ones watching the other fights, unlike literally everyone else, as the anxiety and dread of being called returned. Scott concentrated on elaborating a plan in his head, but as Zoey got excited about the next match, he couldn’t focus any longer and soon gave in to the collective suspense as they waited for Frost to pick the next players.
–Ahh! I can’t wait! I just want to get out there and fight someone! This is so exciting!– Zoey exclaimed in delight, though a little nervous to be seen, as she couldn’t contain her excitement to play. She grabbed Scott’s hand to calm herself down, but as she squeezed him too hard, she got him to pull away and distance himself a little from her. He didn’t know how to react to her enthusiasm and turned shy because he couldn’t match it. On one hand, it gave him a bit more confidence to play, but at the same time, he seemed worried about all the possible outcomes the next match could bring. Luckily, he didn’t have to wait much longer since the field was now clear, and Frost was ready to resume the game.
–So, now onto the next match…– Frost announced casually, pulling out the list as he turned to his students, who were too scared to even look at each other. Most just closed their eyes and prayed they would be paired with a good partner, though the recruits near Shane’s group seemed to be wishing not to be matched against them. Frost had already chosen the first group, though he took a moment to identify the students, amping the anxiety of everyone his gaze lingered over until he found his picks.
–The first group on the defense side will be… Grant, Lenny, Cody, Bryan, and… Shane. Step forward and hurry up setting your base– Frost revealed, and while his picks brought shock amongst the audience, it seemed clear that he picked them deliberately as they were all part of Shane’s group. They all shared high fives, fist bumps, and dapped themselves up before running into the field and not wasting time giving Panda orders to create their base.
But as the stakes were high for the rest of the students, Frost allowed the suspense to build as he enjoyed watching their already frightened faces become mortified in anticipation of the next group. Total silence took over the scene, with some students literally holding their breath to hear which names Frost would call next. And as his sadist urges persuaded him into intentionally leaving them in doubt, he waited until they couldn’t breathe anymore to reveal the next set of players.
–Charlie, Alex… Jumbo, Zoey, and…– Frost called as he read the list once again, now picking randomly despite choosing some well-known students. All, except Zoey, looked so nervous to step forward that they just stayed seated to process the moment, already accepting their fate, while the ones that weren’t picked began celebrating. However, there was still one last player that Frost hadn’t named, so while the students weren’t fully relieved until they heard the last pick, Scott was actually the only one eager to be named, freezing as he stared at Zoey in the same hopeful manner as her. But just before Frost resumed, Scott noticed that his eyes were trying to find the last player in the bleachers before finally landing on him.
–And… Our friend Sissy as well…– Frost added scornfully after an intentional long pause, giving Scott a devious grin that both annoyed and relieved him. On one hand, he was happy to be paired with Zoey and what looked like competent teammates, but on the other, he now had to face Shane and his friends, who looked too into the game for some reason. The rest of the students deflated as all their worries were washed away, but Scott immediately stood up with excitement before cheering silently with Zoey, who seemed more thrilled than their other teammates.
While they had Jumbo, who wasn’t in the best shape for combat, they did have Alex. He was the short, blonde, and slightly feminine guy who completed the obstacle course the fastest yesterday. He really showed off his speed and incredible agility, which Zoey and Scott seemed to appreciate already from the way they stared keenly. They also had Charlie, a somewhat fit guy with curly black hair, though it was cut so short that he almost looked bald on the sides. He seemed acquainted with Alex since they had already started discussing a strategy on their way to the field.
But as Zoey, Jumbo, and Scott were left a little excluded from their conversation, they awkwardly had to approach them. Jumbo stuck close to Zoey and Scott, who just greeted him with a nervous smile before completely ignoring him and catching up to Alex and Charlie. The rest of the students were now able to relax once again and enjoy what would be either an unfairly fast match or a very engaging one. Either way, they couldn’t wait for the ten minutes of preparation to be over.
Shane’s team was helping Panda build up their base, but Scott’s team was pressured into coming up with an excellent offensive strategy to defeat their much stronger and bigger enemies. Scott watched their opponents as they built their base, analyzing each of their decisions thoroughly to come up with a direct counter for all of their techniques. But as he, Zoey, and Jumbo joined Alex and Charlie’s conversation, he found out that they were already ahead of him with a plan.
–Okay, we already have a couple of ideas of what to actually do to beat those meatheads… I mean, I doubt we could beat them in hand-to-hand combat, so maybe you guys can distract them while I sneak into their base and steal their bows to use against them at a safe distance. Just protect me at all costs, and I’ll make sure to take them all down. What do you think?– Alex started suggesting after seeing his other teammates join in the discussion. He had assumed command already, even though Scott seemed to disagree with his initial idea.
However, he couldn’t speak up against him as he kept thinking of his own plan before sharing, allowing Alex to take the lead and ask for suggestions. He looked relieved to have more input from Zoey, Jumbo, and Scott, as apparently Charlie didn’t understand much of what they were talking about earlier. But while Zoey made sure to greet each one of them properly with a bright smile, her optimism was properly ignored as Jumbo began suspecting everything immediately.
–Can’t we just ask for bows and try to shoot them together?– Jumbo asked timidly as he glanced at Tricky, who had approached the group not long ago with a portable weapon rack for them to pick up, though they failed to see her as they were focused on their discussion. Jumbo seemed a little scared to talk out loud and sound stupid, but he was made to appear exactly that way as Alex just ignored him with a scoff and turned to Charlie and the others to elaborate on his plan. They had all become deaf to whatever Jumbo said, except Scott, who took it in mind and seemed to have sparked an idea. However, since he remained quiet, Zoey had to step in to contribute something.
–Well, we could beat them if we used good weapons, not just bows, but we just have to see what choices we have…– Zoey mentioned thoughtfully, trying to hide her nervousness through an overly optimistic smile that did little to inspire hope in the others. Alex and Charlie almost considered her idea, but they quickly dismissed it when they glanced at Jumbo and Scott, staring at both judgmentally, especially the latter.
–I’m not sure, I mean… Sissy couldn’t even defeat you; he doesn’t stand a chance against Shane and those brutes– Alex replied with a rather playful but unintentionally scornful tone that annoyed Zoey. Scott didn’t even pay attention to his comment, and while he noticed her sudden change in demeanor, he did little to stop her from arguing with Alex.
–Just because I beat him doesn’t mean he is useless. It actually means I could be stronger than you, so maybe think twice before saying dumb stuff like that…– Zoey responded assertively, stepping up to Alex with a hostile stare, containing her resentment while he just laughed her threat off. He did seem remorseful for provoking her, though he refrained from any comment, something that Charlie couldn’t replicate as he cracked up.
–Then we’ll just leave it to you and your boyfriend if you are so sure…– Charlie added teasingly, laughing mockingly for a brief second before stopping awkwardly as no one else joined him. He seemed to instantly regret his joke, but as he had earned a similar reaction from Zoey, he panicked, trying to apologize. However, right as they could start fighting, Jumbo and Scott noticed that the enemy team was about to finish building their base.
Shane’s team apparently drew some inspiration from the previous match, as they had set up a large, sturdy wooden wall that covered the entire width of the field. But instead of creating a box and adding more layers of protection, they just modified their one wall to make it as hard as possible for the attackers to invade them. They set up some platforms right behind the top of the wall to be able to freely roam and defend their base while also still being able to take cover behind the safety of all the barriers set up in front.
They had learned from the last seconds of the other match as well, and to prevent their opponents from climbing or even touching their wall, they added a layer of barbed wire at the base of the wall, some metal bits that stuck out on top to ensure they couldn’t grab the ledge of the wall just in case, and even poke holes in the wall to either shoot arrows through or have a better view of the field. All in all, they had set up an impenetrable wall that even Panda looked proud of building, though he also seemed concerned by the amount of effort it would take to bring it down, risking the chance of hurting himself by merely touching it, which of course didn’t sit well with the attackers.
–That looks like an actual fortress…– Jumbo muttered in both awe and fright, sharing the sentiment with his teammates as their already low expectations came crashing down. However, Alex tried to keep his composure, remaining self-assured and resolved, as well as being fairly arrogant since he kept regarding his teammates as inferiors, despite them not agreeing on him being the captain.
–It’s all show, they are just trying to look tough. I’m sure if we studied each of their combat styles, we could create some countermoves to take them out individually… Which I already did, so I just need a good distraction, a bow, and it’s al-…– Alex claimed with relative confidence, at least being promising enough to convince his teammates they actually had a chance to overcome their opponent’s intimidating base. He didn’t bother to explain his plan further though; he just assumed everyone was on board already, but since Tricky had become impatient with waiting for them to choose their weapons, she interrupted him before the rest of the team got to share their opinion.
–Only five minutes remain. Do you want to choose your weapons or not?– Tricky asked in an irritated manner as she offered a large selection of weapons. Panda had finished helping the other team and was now moving on to help them set up their starting positions. But as they both waited for orders, Scott’s team hesitated for a moment before reaching for the coolest-looking weapons they could find. But before they could choose them, Zoey stopped them and pulled them aside to change their minds.
–Wait, no. We need to be completely sure that we can use these weapons. We have to be comfortable and efficient with them, or else we will fail like the other group, so choose wisely!– Zoey warned the team apprehensively, and even though she had said the obvious to her teammates, they did take a moment to think hard about which weapon each of them would use. They thought about it so much that Zoey was the first to make her choice, picking up a short axe that seemed to weigh enough for her to hold without issue. But as Scott finally broke free from his studious and contemplative state, he stopped her from grabbing the axe and now seemed inspired and determined enough to share his plan with the group.
–Hold on for a second, I think I have an idea…– Scott interjected with a pensive expression as he tried putting the last pieces of his plan together. His expression alone was enough to catch his teammates’ attention immediately, although not all of them seemed willing to hear him out since they were running out of time.
–Well, whatever you say, I’m choosing my weapon…– Charlie replied indifferently before casually reaching for a mace, but again, Scott stopped him by grabbing his wrist forcefully, which almost turned Charlie hostile. But before he could say anything, Scott turned to Tricky and Panda and dismissed them as he asserted control and incentive, catching his teammates off guard.
–Give us a couple more minutes please…– Scott told Tricky and Panda politely, who were just as surprised as his teammates to hear his request, though they accepted it without question. In response, Alex tried to grab a weapon before they left, but Panda and Tricky did as ordered and walked back to the middle of the field to wait until they were called, prompting some intense reactions from both Alex and Charlie.
–What are you doing?!– Alex asked in a panic, losing his composure as his unhinged and obsessive side surfaced, approaching Scott rapidly with the intention of more than confronting him. But as Zoey got in his way to defend Scott, Alex restrained himself, with Charlie staying back as well, though waiting for an explanation from Scott, who was taken aback by their strong and violent reactions but seemed glad to share what he had come up with.
–Trust me, I know exactly what we must do…– Scott replied with so much resolve and fortitude that he was able to ease each one of his teammates’ worries with a mere glance. His conviction bought him some time to explain the plan he had formed in his head during the past few minutes. And while he struggled to describe it at first, with everyone listening patiently to what he had to say, once he actually spoke, it all began making sense to his team.
With Shane’s team setting up a few last things for their base, they ran out of materials to use for their wall, though since they were pleased with the amount of defense they had, they were ready to select their weapons. Tricky walked over to their side to show them their options, but as they picked up without much thought, she immediately returned to the middle to wait for the opposite team to do the same. The defense was confident; four of Shane’s friends picked up bows and lots of arrows like the previous team, with only Shane himself picking a different weapon. He saw himself fit to use the biggest and most lethal weapon of them all, a large mace with an actual spiky rock on its head, which seemed to be stained with dry blood from an earlier use.
After picking up their weapons, they quickly assumed their positions around their base as time ran out. They all played it safe and stayed behind the wall, standing on the platforms they had set up on top before practicing with their bows. However, only Grant, Bryan, Cody, and Lenny stayed above; Shane preferred to stay low on the ground, completely safe from any harm. He had even brought a chair for him to sit on and relax while talking and joking around with his friends.
Shane’s team was just waiting for the match to begin, but on the opposite side, Scott was still explaining his plan to his team. Panda and Tricky approached them again before the time ran out, forcing him to wrap up his explanation quickly. Even though he seemed to skip some details, once he finished talking, his teammates were left with a clear idea of what to do now, and surprisingly, they all seemed pretty excited and confident about his plan. They did have to take a moment to process and remember all the information, but with all the instructions done, they began psyching themselves up to begin the match.
–Alright, sounds good…– Alex said with an approving grin but looking at all of his teammates to make sure they were fully on board with the plan. To his surprise, everyone was nodding in agreement, even praising Scott for his plan, which did seem to cause some envy in Alex, though he seemed just as positive as everyone else.
–Yeah, good plan, Sissy, hope it works…– Charlie added more optimistically, turning affable towards Scott, who shared a bit of his nervousness but remained determined to have his plan come to fruition. But right as they all agreed on the plan, Tricky stepped in and offered them some weapons for the second time. They couldn’t choose bows anymore as their opponents had already picked them, as well as the mace that Shane chose. But as it looked like it wouldn’t impact their plan and they were now clear about what they were going to pick, they didn’t even hesitate to grab their weapons.
Alex grabbed a long spear, which seemed too large compared to his rather small body, but it was still light enough for him to hold and swing with relative ease. Charlie picked up a large war hammer, which did seem very heavy, and while he wasn’t as comfortable as Alex, he still was able to raise his weapon to the sky with both and waive it in the air in excitement. He did tire himself out with that one move, but it looked like it wouldn’t be an issue as Scott cracked up at his antics.
Zoey got to use two daggers, which combined weren’t even the size of a normal-sized sword, so Tricky allowed her to use both to make up for it. Scott did something similar, picking up a normal sword, though it was short and thin enough to be able to holster in one of the straps of his regular shorts. And last, but not least, Jumbo made a choice that Tricky found unusual but granted anyway. He asked for two regular bags, which were so small that he couldn’t fit his chunky hands in them. Tricky was perplexed by such weapons, knowing that they couldn’t be used to fight, but was surprised to see that they were apparently going to be useful to the team, according to Scott’s plan.
With their choices made, Tricky was about to leave until Scott reminded her of the shield they were entitled to. He became concerned when she didn’t understand him at first, but as she realized she was missing something, she handed him the shield that was required, soothing his mind, and sparking courage in him as he thrust the shield in the air like Charlie did with his hammer. The team rejoiced as they were now properly armed for their anticipated battle. However, they still weren’t done with their preparation, even though they only had one minute left.
–Is that all?– Tricky asked confusedly, still staring at Jumbo as he toyed around with the two small bags that she handed him. He began filling them with dirt until they were brimming with it. She distracted herself for a moment, but as the rest of the team responded with nods and smiles to dismiss her, she was too weirded out to make any comments and just left the field with the weapon cart. And as she returned to Frost and the audience, Panda approached for the second time to help them set up their starting positions, which Scott made sure to explain to him thoroughly.