This coaching is not right.

The students from Class A and Class B stood at their respective stairwells, preparing for the assessment.

As the loudspeaker announced the start of the competition, the students from both classes quickly sprang into action, disappearing around the corner of the stairs to begin their contest.

Watanabe, Ichinose, and Itosawa formed the first echelon of the defense line, their sharp eyes scanning the surroundings warily.

They were responsible for guarding against a sudden attack from two teachers. They didn't know which two teachers would be dealing with them, so they had one physical defense and two mental defenses to ensure they were foolproof.

Watanabe was positioned slightly forward, his body tense, ready to respond to any sudden attack at any moment.

He was not only part of the defense line, but also the protector of Ichinose and Itosawa, ensuring their safe execution of their mission.

The second echelon consists of more aggressive members, their eyes gleaming with determination, ready to retaliate swiftly the moment the first echelon is attacked.

They are agile and ready to strike at any time, serving as the spearhead of the team, aiming to suppress the enemy's offensive at the first opportunity.

Kanzaki led the relatively weaker members to form the third echelon, positioned slightly further back to secure the rear. Their gazes were resolute; though less powerful than the first two echelons, their duty was equally important—to guard against attacks that might bypass the front lines.

They acted like a solid shield, protecting the rear of the entire team and ensuring no gaps in their defenses.

The team was meticulously organized, with each member clearly understanding their responsibilities and position. Their tacit understanding and cooperation formed a solid defensive line, ready to meet any challenge.

Ito Sawa remained highly vigilant, knowing that Majima and Hoshinomiya-sensei wouldn't easily let them get close to the energy stone. As Class B ventured deeper, the surroundings remained calm, causing some students to lower their guard, but Ito Sawa became even more alert—this tranquility inevitably concealed a crisis.

His chessboard abilities were fully activated; his mental power spread like a vast net, covering every corner and carefully sensing any possible anomalies. Suddenly, he felt a strong sense of crisis, as if an invisible net was quietly approaching them.

"Watch out!" Ito Sawa shouted, reaching back to pull Ichinose away from the danger zone.

At this critical moment, with a "click," the ground where Watanabe stood suddenly changed. A complex array of light emerged from the floor, quickly trapping Watanabe in its center. This array was meticulously set up by Majima-sensei, specifically designed to capture careless intruders.

The moment the trapping formation was activated, Watanabe felt as if the space around him had frozen. His body was firmly locked in place by an invisible force, unable to move. The energy fluctuations within the radiant formation clashed violently with his special ability, making it impossible for him to concentrate his mental energy to resist.

"Watanabe!" Ichinose exclaimed, trying to rush forward to help Watanabe, but Itosawa held her tightly.

"Don't be impulsive. This formation is very complex. We can't act rashly." Ito Sawa's voice was calm and firm. His eyes were fixed on the trapping formation, searching for a way to break it.

Trapped within the array, Watanabe's body was bound by beams of light that seemed to possess a life of their own, constantly coiling around him to form a sturdy cage. His body began to gradually lose sensation, and his consciousness began to blur.

"Everyone, retreat and stay alert!" Ito Sawa commanded the troops. He knew that this trap was just the beginning, and his teacher definitely had more tricks up his sleeve.

The students of Class B quickly retreated and reorganized their formation, their eyes filled with tension and worry. Itosawa and Ichinose began discussing how to rescue Watanabe while simultaneously preparing for possible further attacks.

Kanzaki frowned, quickly analyzing the situation. He recognized the formation trapping Watanabe; it was a meticulously designed combined trapping formation that not only utilized the advantages of space but was also cleverly placed at the corner of the staircase, making it impossible for the students of Class B to easily bypass it.

"The teacher chose a really good spot; it's right in the path we have to take," Kanzaki said in a low voice, a hint of dissatisfaction in his tone.

He knew that breaking this trap wouldn't be possible with his own strength alone. This combined trap required the coordinated mental power of at least five people to break. Kanzaki glanced around, a resolute glint in his eyes.

“However, only I know how to break this trap among us, and my mental strength alone is simply not enough,” Kanzaki continued, his gaze falling on Ito Sawa, who had retreated.

Although Ito Sawa's chessboard ability is powerful, he has not specifically studied the techniques for breaking formations.

Kanzaki realized that they needed Itosawa's strength, and he believed that Itosawa was capable of quickly learning how to break the combined trap.

Kanzaki quickly walked to Ito Sawa's side and whispered to him, "Ito Sawa, we need your help. I'll teach you how to break the combined trap. You have a strong learning ability, so you should be able to master it quickly."

Ito Sawa nodded; he knew this was the only way to rescue Watanabe. He concentrated, listening intently to Kanzaki's explanation. Kanzaki quickly and clearly taught Ito Sawa the techniques for breaking the combined trap formation, including how to mobilize mental energy, how to cooperate with others, and how to find the formation's weaknesses.

Itō Sawa's learning ability was indeed extraordinary; he quickly grasped the key to breaking the formation. A hint of determination flashed in his eyes; he knew they had to act quickly, or Watanabe might be harmed by the trapping formation.

“Okay, I understand,” Ito Sawa said to Kanzaki. “Let’s begin.”

Kanzaki nodded and began to gather the other students with strong mental abilities to work together to break the combined trapping formation. They formed a circle, placed their hands on the edge of the formation, and began to mobilize their mental energy.

As their spiritual powers gradually merged, the light within the trapping formation began to fluctuate. Ito Sawa and the others, following Kanzaki's guidance, located the formation's weakness and began to concentrate their power to attack.

Kanzaki stood at the edge of the formation, his gaze focused and profound, as if he could see through every detail of it. His voice was deep and powerful as he explained the formation's structure and weaknesses to Ito Sawa and the other team members.

“The essence of the formation lies in the flow of its energy,” Kanzaki said slowly, his fingers lightly tracing the energy path of the formation. “You must feel the flow of this energy and find the places where it converges and transforms.”

Ito Sawa listened intently, his mental energy like tentacles exploring every corner of the array. He could clearly sense the flow of energy, like rays of light weaving through his mind.

“Look here,” Kanzaki pointed to a node in the array, where the energy seemed to be more concentrated than anywhere else.

This is the core of the formation; all energy will ultimately converge here. But the core is also the most vulnerable point; once it is destroyed, the entire formation will collapse.