chapter_0254

Mesugaki Tank Enters the Academy –
254

Mesugaki Tank Enters the Academy –
254

Karl remembered the time when he first met his lady—the person he
had sworn to serve for the rest of his life.

Back then, Lady Lucy had still been weak. She was only about a week
into her training, no longer in a state of utter disarray as she once
was, but still, just barely better than that.

The only thing noteworthy about her was her strange aptitude for
wielding a shield. Other than that, she was merely ordinary.

At that time, Karl didn’t hold high expectations for Lucy’s talent.

He knew how outstanding the ones who made their names across the
continent in this generation were.

No matter how gifted she was, Karl was convinced there was no way she
could catch up at this point.

Karl’s judgment had been logical. He had witnessed countless talents
come and go in his time, seen them rise and fall.

But there was one thing Karl hadn’t accounted for. Common sense only
applies to those who remain within its boundaries.

To someone like Lucy, who was already standing outside the boundaries
of common sense, that word meant nothing at all.

Within just one year, Lucy Allen had proven to the world what it
meant to carry the blood of House Allen. She made it known that the
heroic saga of Benedict Allen had a successor.

And even now, it was the same.

The one standing before Lucy wasn’t some ordinary being. That
skeleton, who claimed to be Garad, a fragment of a hero, undoubtedly
possessed power befitting that name.

The overwhelming magic gathered around those seemingly fragile bones.

The sheer presence, undiminished even after centuries of death.

The mastery apparent in every motion.

All of it proved who he was.

The moment Karl faced the skeleton, he assessed his odds of defeating
it.

And quickly concluded that it was impossible. Even if he put his life
on the line, he could only buy a little time. Even if he cooperated
with Professor Luca, the outcome wouldn’t change.

Even now, Karl didn’t believe his judgment was wrong. The strikes
aimed at his lady were overwhelming.

Even if the skeleton seemed to be holding back its strength out of
consideration, the level displayed in every swing of that sword—in
the hands that held it, the arms that swung it, the entire body—was
leagues above Karl’s own.

If Karl were to try and take on those strikes, he’d end up toyed
with and sprawled on the ground.

It was that kind of swordsmanship. One truly worthy of a hero.

Yet Lucy parried those strikes with such ease.

The first strike.

It appeared deceptively light, but, imbued with the extreme precision
of true swordsmanship, it would have cleaved her shield apart had she
blocked improperly. Lucy deflected it.

The second strike.

Karl had assumed it would be a horizontal slash, but it turned into a
rising strike from below, as if ascending to the heavens. Lucy pinned
it to the ground.

The third strike.

A blow meant to send her flying, shield and all—instead, she pushed
it back.

The fourth strike.

A swift attack, one that Karl could barely follow even with his
eyes—Lucy caught it effortlessly.

If the skeleton’s strikes were those of a hero, then Lucy’s
shield skills were no less heroic, evoking a sense of awe.

Despite having blocked four flawless attacks, each one worthy of the
title of heroic swordsmanship, Lucy’s expression remained relaxed.

“…You parried that too?”

Ignoring the skeleton’s murmurs of admiration, Lucy glanced at her
shield. Despite weathering four of the attacks, her shield remained
pristine.

To anyone who might have seen it, they would have thought she had
only just entered the trial.

“That’s strange? ♡ Did I hear you wrong? ♡ This heap of
bones said it was going to teach me the weight of a hero~ ♡”

Lucy thrust her shield forward, her voice laced with her
characteristic giggles.

Words that could make anyone, no matter who they were, unable to hold
back their fury. It was one of Lucy’s peculiar blessings.

The skeleton tightened its bony fingers so hard that a creaking noise
emanated from them, but Lucy didn’t stop.

“Hey ♡ So, is this what the weight of a hero feels like? ♡
Kyahaha ♡ It’s sooo heavy ♡ It’d make a good paperweight! ♡”

“…Enough.”

If this were the old Lucy, it might be understandable. But the
current Lucy knew how to discern situations. She knew well enough
that taunting him would shatter whatever consideration the skeleton
was giving her.

And yet, she didn’t stop.

“Aww— ♡ I’m sooo sorry~ ♡ Sir Useless Bag of Bones
Knight couldn’t even pierce a little girl’s shield~ ♡ So weak
that he forgot he was a hero! ♡ Oh, if only you were a bit
stronger, how wonderful that would be! ♡ Kup ♡ Khuup ♡”

It was because she wasn’t satisfied with the previous attacks.

Because she couldn’t acknowledge such pathetic attacks as part of a
real trial.

“Ha.”

Karl couldn’t help but sigh as he realized Lucy’s intentions.

It had only been a year.

Only a year since the young lady had begun her training in earnest!

And yet she was already stepping beyond her peers, casually
surpassing even the continent’s revered ones, walking toward the
place of heroes.

This wasn’t because she bore the blood of House Allen. It wasn’t
because she received some divine blessing.

It was simply because the raw talent possessed by Lucy Allen was
beyond anything the world could hold.

Ah, it was too fast. Her growth was far too fast.

The young lady who used to trip and sprawl on the ground during her
runs had grown this much in such a short time.

If this kept up, she would soon reach a point where a mere knight
like him wouldn’t even be able to stand beside her.

That couldn’t happen.

He wouldn’t allow it.

This knight had sworn his life to his lady.

Even if everything else failed, he couldn’t accept being discarded
due to his own inadequacy!

Training. He needed more training.

He had to become stronger.

Strong enough to stay by her side.

No matter what.

“Sir Sloppy Senior?”

Just as Karl was reaffirming his resolve, Luca spoke up beside him.

“Didn’t you tell me not to be amazed by trivial things? I
might not know much, but…”

Karl found himself unable to respond.

He had indeed been petty and territorial, jealous over someone else
being there when one loyal dog should have been enough.

Perhaps Luca thought he’d caught Karl in a moment of weakness,
because he grinned, about to dig into him further.

But then a massive force erupted from the skeleton.

The moment he felt it, Karl moved before he could even think.

That—that energy was not something his lady could handle.

No matter how adept she was at wielding her shield, there were
limits.

How could she possibly block an attack from an entirely different
realm of power?

But Karl’s charge was interrupted by Luca grabbing his wrist.

“Let go! I must—”

“Karl. You’re a knight. Do you not trust your master?”

“This isn’t about trust! This is—”

“I trust her. Are you saying your loyalty is less than mine?”

At Luca’s question, Karl froze.

“You…”

“Just watch. Watch as the young lady performs a miracle. Because
watching her do that is incredibly enjoyable, you see.”

Luca’s smile as he spoke that way made Karl make up his mind.

“…Fine.”

Once this was all over, he would formally request a duel with Luca.

‘Hmm. It does look that way.’

I ignored Grandpa’s fretting voice as I looked ahead.

A radiant aura began to coat the skeleton’s sword.

Maybe he wasn’t fully committed to smashing me, seeing as he hadn’t
imbued it with his full essence. But that didn’t mean it wasn’t
dangerous.

No matter how well I knew the strategy for handling this skeleton,
his raw power was far above my own.

If this wasn’t a trial, I wouldn’t last a second before getting
obliterated by him.

And now that same skeleton was swinging his sword, enveloped in an
aura. If I slipped up even a bit, it wouldn’t just break my
shield—it’d split me clean in half, turning Lucy into Lu/cy.

‘Oh, are we really doing this now? Weren’t you the one who got all
excited and egged him on halfway through?’

Who was it that went on and on about things that would irritate
Garad?

‘I remember you laughing, saying we should just see what happens, you
know?’

It’s too late to change your tune now, Grandpa. We’re in this
together.

Maybe it was guilt, but Grandpa was suddenly at a loss for words.

Ah, Grandpa can be funny sometimes. What’s the point of bringing up
past mistakes when there’s nothing we can do to change them?

Right now, we should be focusing on how to deal with the danger in
front of us.

‘What?’

Grandpa, did you just now notice? You must be feeling pretty guilty
for it to have taken you this long.

I chuckled, channeling divine power into my shield.

‘Because I’m confident.’

Why am I calm? Isn’t it obvious?

I’m confident I can block it.

No matter how strong the opponent’s attacks may be, they’re still
part of the trial.

It’s a hero’s trial, after all.

A hero, even if they’re fighting absolute trash, will never unleash
an attack that can’t be overcome.

It’s the same now.

Even though the attack the skeleton was preparing was strong, he was
giving me plenty of clues.

Where the attack would come from. How it would come. When it would
come.

With all those hints in hand, why wouldn’t I be able to block it?

‘It’s fine, Grandpa.’

‘I don’t even need your recreation for this.’

How many times do you think I’ve faced this skeleton?

I’ve fought him over and over, all to complete just one
achievement.

Out of all those attempts, do you think there’s any chance I
haven’t dealt with this exact attack?

In the end, the key to this trial is timing.

If I can identify the exact moment the strike will come.

If I can move my shield precisely at that moment.

There’s no need for any fancy technique to clear this trial.

I thrust my shield forward.

Taking a deep breath.

Focusing my eyes.

I surveyed the skeleton’s entire body.

Soon, I saw the skeleton’s jaw shift.

The signal that his sword was about to swing.

Catching that signal, I quickly calculated, tightening my grip on the
shield.

And then, I let out a chuckle.

Ha. Stupid skeleton.

What’s the point of pouring so much aura into your sword?

If your intentions are so obvious, it’s just like begging me to
parry it.

Honestly, the attacks earlier—the ones that were almost too fast to
react to—were way more dangerous.

There was no need to rush.

No reason to be tense.

No need to give it my all.

All I had to do was bring my shield up at the perfect moment.

The aura-drenched sword clashed with the shield that only had a layer
of divine energy.

A sharp, resounding impact pierced my ears.

The skeleton’s sword bounced back.

And beyond the rippling aura, I saw the empty sockets of the
skeleton’s eyes.

‘Told you, Gramps.’

I’ve got this.

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