"The first wave is here, and student Adrian seems to really intend to face them by himself," the woman announcer exclaimed, her voice filled with a mix of shock and excitement.

"Right, we also checked the rules but there was no mention of the contestants not being allowed to fight themselves. So, student Adrian hasn't broken any rules..."

"The monsters are here. Let's see what student Adrian will do!"

Everyone's attention landed on Adrian. Meanwhile, Adrian chuckled inwardly, the sound carrying a confident edge. Without another word, he suddenly dashed toward the monsters with a burst of speed, closing the distance between himself and the goblins in the blink of an eye.

Just as he arrived in front of the goblin fighters, he shouted, "NOW!" and disappeared from his spot, leaving the goblins momentarily bewildered.

The next moment, a rain of arrows descended upon the goblin fighters, each arrow piercing through their bodies with pinpoint accuracy. The goblins fell one by one, their surprised shouts drowned out by the barrage of arrows. Adrian's command had been executed flawlessly, and the archers on the walls started reloading, ready for the next order.

The trolls, seeing their goblin allies decimated, roared in anger and charged forward with renewed fury. However, before they could take any steps, two bolts of lightning landed on their heads, paralyzing them instantly. The trolls, vulnerable to lightning, convulsed violently as the electric current coursed through their massive bodies, leaving them seriously injured and immobile.

"FIRE!" Adrian's voice rang out again, and the archers responded with precision. Five archers focused their shots on the two trolls, while the rest targeted the remaining goblin guards. The trolls, already weakened by the lightning strikes, couldn't withstand the barrage of arrows and collapsed to the ground with thunderous crashes.

Sensing the imminent danger, the goblin mage quickly chanted a protective spell, forming a shimmering barrier around itself and the two surviving goblin guards. The magical shield deflected most of the arrows, but the goblin mage suddenly felt a chilling sensation and a predatory presence behind it.

Before the mage could react, Adrian appeared like a phantom, his dagger slashing through the air with lethal precision. The goblin mage's head rolled to the ground, the protective spell dissipating instantly. In a blur of motion, Adrian dispatched the remaining two goblin guards in just three seconds, their lifeless bodies hitting the ground.

[The first wave has been cleared!]

[The ranking list is updating...]

A notification appeared in the air, confirming the wave had been cleared. Adrian straightened, breathing steadily, and turned his attention to the live ranking list.

[1. Lina Frost: 00:13]

Adrian raised an eyebrow, impressed by the close timing. But he shook his head wondering what they did to finish this fast. His guess was they probably bombarded the monsters using all the mages and archers.

[2. Adrian Lightaven: 00:20]

Adrian noted his time, satisfied with his swift performance. He watched the list intently, waiting for the next name to appear.

However, about five seconds later, another message showed up causing his focus to shift.

[Congratulations, Adrian Lighthaven! For securing the second place in the first wave, you have been awarded the following rewards:]

50 units of Wood

50 units of Stone

30 Mana Crystals

Adrian smiled, pleased with the rewards. These resources would be crucial for fortifying his defenses and preparing for the subsequent waves.

"Alright, let's get to work," he muttered to himself, moving towards the fortress. As soon as he entered the fortress a new message appeared.

[The second wave will arrive in three minutes. Prepare yourself!]

A countdown timer appeared, ticking down from three minutes. Adrian immediately sprang into action, issuing commands to his soldiers.

"You two, do the thing you did just I told last time."

The two swordsmen nodded and quickly left.

"Five of you go and retrieve the arrows." He ordered another five swordsmen. They also quickly left.

He then allocated 10 of the mana crystals to the mages, ensuring they had enough power for the next wave of attacks.

As he finished giving orders, he took a moment to check the craftsmen's work. He wanted to know how much time it would take to build the things he wanted after all.

___ ___ _

Meanwhile, outside the simulation...

"Let's congratulate Adrian Lighthaven for securing second place in the first wave," the woman announcer declared. "Unfortunately, he was a bit late compared to Lina Frost's impressive time of thirteen seconds."

"Yes, but let's not overlook the brilliance in Adrian's strategy," the man announcer added. "While Lina Frost and her team used an overwhelming force of mages and archers to quickly dispatch the wave, Adrian's approach was more measured, showcasing both his combat skills and tactical acumen."

"Exactly," the woman announcer agreed. "Using all your mages and archers in the first wave might secure a fast win, but it could leave you vulnerable in subsequent waves. Adrian's method, while slightly slower, conserved his resources and ensured a more balanced defense. Even then he finished the wave pretty fast."

Just then, the third and fourth names popped up on the list.

[3. Ceil Skyborn: 00:27]

[4. Ella Highwind: 00:28]

"And there we have our third and fourth place contestants, Ceil Skyborn and Ella Highwind," the woman announcer continued. "Both showed commendable performances, though not as fast as our top two they were still brilliant."

"Indeed," the man announcer said. "This first wave has already shown us the diverse strategies our contestants are employing. It's going to be fascinating to see how these tactics evolve in the upcoming waves."

"Let's see who will get the fifth place..."

About two minutes later, another announcement came through.

[All contestants have successfully cleared the first wave!]

The screen showed the full list of contestants and their times, with Lina Frost still in first place and Adrian in second. The fifth place was taken by the third year with 34 seconds. The audience buzzed with excitement, eager to see how the next wave would unfold.

"Look at the screens, Lina Frost is starting her second wave. Student Adrian is also about to start his own. Let's observe them..."