The Martial Unity

Had Rui been there, he would have made deeper insights into the second round of the entrance exam. He would have immediately mentally plotted distribution graphs with classes of badge number, with a certain range, and the proportion of badges that fell within each of those classes, based on his observations, allowing him to figure out exactly how many applicants would need to be disqualified for the winners to win.

And he would have more or less correctly come to the conclusion that only twenty percent of the applicants could possibly pass the second round of the entrance exam. That was why the number 1500 was chosen when the average was 1026.

Max and Mana immediately had each other's back as the applicants around them increasingly began getting broiled in more intense conflict.

They were cognizant of the fact that their badge numbers were decisively below the required net number to pass the second round.

"What should we do?" Max asked urgently.

"We should target one applicant together," Mana responded.

Max nodded. "You're right! Big brother said that we should work together, just like we do in training!"

The two of them scoured their surroundings as they looked for a suitable target. They did not have any foolish thoughts of chivalry or honor, they knew that they were the underdogs and that were disadvantaged individually against pretty much all the applicants. Rui had drilled teamwork into their heads.

"There." Max pointed at a girl. "She looks about our age and although her badge number 538 isn't enough by itself, it's our best shot."

Mana followed his gaze, before nodding. "Good thinking."

The two of them watched their target, Crea.

She had been laying low as she herself had been looking for a target, yet suddenly she felt something approaching her. She turned, just barely in time to react to Max and Mana rushing towards her.

POW POW POW!

Crea gritted her teeth as she just barely managed to square

had surrounded her as they began circling her, throwing attacks in

managed to partially evade or block almost all of their attacks despite them leveraging their numeric advantage against her.

POW!

a right kick to her thigh, retreating his leg that she almost managed to catch and would have no doubt kneed

THWACK

her shin,

her leg towards Mana swiftly, yet Mana

POW!

BAM!

THWACK!

defending against the external attacks, yet the light of determination never once faded from her eyes. A faint memory resurfaced even as

can't avoid getting hit?" Crea asked

chaos, the sheer numbers, not to mention your disadvantages, it is impossible to avoid taking a lot of punishment unless you're extremely

I just defend against all of

as hard, I'm afraid," Rui replied, shaking his head. "At most, you can guard, but

I do?" She scratched her

you can do... is make it

count?" She tilted her head

the opportunity created by you not wasting your physical resources into futile defense and the opening created by an attack to launch a counterattack. If you're going to get hit, then make sure every strike

I just have to

POW!

a painful impact assailed

BAM!