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“I expected no less from Mr. Card’s idea. It’s impressive indeed,” remarked Ballmer, dressed in black, as he deftly blocked his opponent’s advance. He floated back, putting a distance between them.

“Although we’re fighting so openly, the supervisors couldn’t stop us,” he added.

“Come on now, this is hardly a fight, more like a chance encounter. In a duel like this, where our strengths are evenly matched, it’s normal to spar for hours without a clear victor.” Ness, the man dressed in white, chuckled as he smoothly countered Ballmer’s move.

“You have a point. We’re adversaries destined to clash upon meeting. It’s hardly a planned rendezvous.”

Ballmer and Ness exchanged a series of palm strikes, then separated lightly, each complimenting the other.

“Your dominance and strength are unparalleled. What an impressive palm technique!”
“Likewise. Your internal energy is formidable and resilient.”
“Hahaha, color me impressed!”
“Hahaha, likewise, likewise!”

After flattering each other, they resumed their “intense battle”.

“Did Mr. Card mention how we should handle Princess Estelle and Luna?” Ballmer’s tone grew serious as he steered the conversation back to their primary objective.

“No specifics. Just to maintain our strength, covertly gather our allies, and amass enough force to ensure a ten percent chance of success before we besiege the princesses,” Ness explained.

“But I believe sheer numbers will suffice. In a mass confrontation, sheer force can overwhelm even those two,” he added.

“I don’t think it’s that simple,” Ballmer replied, shaking his head. “The more people involved, the more complex it becomes. Everyone has their own agendas and little schemes. I fear many won’t commit wholeheartedly when the time comes.”

Ness sighed in resignation. “Blame it on their extraordinary abilities. This plan offers the best odds we’ve got, considering their prowess. In a one-on-one scenario, I doubt anyone can match them.”

“Indeed. We can only blame our misfortune for participating in the tournament alongside such formidable opponents. In previous years, our combined strength would have spared us the humiliation of resorting to outnumbering the few.”

“It can’t be helped, times are tough. This time, all we can do is rely on Mr. Card. I hope he succeeds in rallying support to eliminate the two princesses and set this match back on its rightful course. That’s why our Anti-Princess Alliance exists.”

“True.”

Ballmer nodded solemnly. “Speaking of which, not long ago, Mr. Card received word that Princess Luna’s whereabouts have been uncovered.”

“Where?” Ness’ eyes lit up with interest.

“Near the primitive forest to the west.”

“Primitive Forest…” Ness motioned for Ballmer to pause so that he could retrieve a folded vellum from his chest pocket. Unfolding it carefully, he examined it closely. “That’s quite close to here.”

“It is indeed.”

Ballmer seemed aware already, having collaborated on the map with the other members of the Anti-Princess Alliance. It had taken nearly a day of exploration to sketch out the landscape of this small world.

“With Luna so close, what if we’re spotted?” Ness asked, a hint of concern in his voice. He wasn’t keen on being the first to fall victim to Princess Luna’s hand.

“No matter. According to our scouts, Princess Luna seems to have stumbled upon some ancient ruins there.”

“Ancient ruins?” Ness raised an eyebrow. “That sounds promising. If we uncover any treasures, we won’t need to worry about supplies for years.”

“Do you dare to snatch them from Princess Luna?” Ballmer asked, mercilessly shattering Ness’ fantasy.

“Well… perhaps it’s best to focus on the tournament,” Ness conceded, shaking off the temptation.

“Don’t dwell on it. This small world is royal territory. Previous tournaments have been held here; any valuables would have been discovered long ago. There’s probably nothing left for us to scavenge.”

“True. Princess Luna’s distraction with the ruins might work in our favor,” Ness mused. “What about Estelle? Any sightings of her?”

“No,” Ballmer’s expression hardened. “It’s been a day, and there’s been no trace of her.”

“No sightings at all? Could Princess Estelle have found our scouts and taken them out, leaving us completely in the dark?” Ness speculated, surprised.

Ballmer shook his head and replied, “All of our scouts are still here. We’ve asked the other participants too. No one has seen Princess Estelle.”

“Could she have been eliminated?” Ness rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

Ballmer looked at him speechlessly. “Who do you think could eliminate Princess Estelle? Or should I say, who could eliminate her so silently?”

“You’re right, that does seem unlikely, haha…”

The two fell silent for a few seconds. They were going to end the conversation there, but someone suddenly rushed toward them from the distance with surprising speed.

The two exchanged a quick glance before pulling away from each other.

In just a few breaths, the figure arrived before them.

“Brady?”

Ballmer recognized the person. “What are you doing here? Weren’t you eliminated? Everyone heard that icy female voice announce it. I thought someone named Erica had personally sent you out.”

“Mr. Ballmer, where’s Mr. Card?” Brady asked eagerly.

“Mr. Card? He’s nowhere to be found, so I can’t help you there,” Ballmer replied, studying Brady’s pale face closely.

Sensing his urgency, Ballmer asked, “Is something wrong? As a temporary ally of the Anti-Princess Alliance, maybe I can assist.”

“In that case…” Brady hesitated, then gritted his teeth. “I guess I’ll inform both of you first.”

Brady recounted his encounter with Lilith and Erica but did not forget the task he received from Lilith, ending his report with Lady Erica’s extremely arrogant statement.

“She called everyone here trash? Ha! How arrogant and ignorant.” Ballmer scoffed, his anger evident.

“And claiming to have eliminated Princess Estelle? If she’s so formidable, why didn’t she defeat both Estelle and Luna to claim the top spot then?”

“Erica is indeed strong, and her lackey packs a serious punch,” Brady cautioned, rubbing his face as he recalled the terror of those tiny yet delicate fists.

Ballmer responded with a skeptical smile, secretly thinking that Brady’s survival on the first day, despite being the bounty target, was fortunate considering his strength.

The alliance only pretended to value him because he was made a good errand boy for delivering intel swiftly due to his speed.

However, as members of the alliance, they must still consider matters of reputation.

“Ness, would you be interested in accompanying me to confront that arrogant Lady Erica?” Ballmer asked.

“Huh? But…” Ness hesitated, “Didn’t Mr. Card advise us to avoid unnecessary conflict?”

Ballmer shook his head. “This is different. Ignoring Lady Erica could destabilize the alliance.”

“You have a point.” After pondering for a moment, a cruel smile played on Ness’ face. “After all this acting, it might be refreshing to do something real.”