episode_0004

“!”

Rohan’s longsword cleanly cuts down the test golem.

A look of shock flashed in the instructor’s loosely opened eyes.

The hand that had been scratching his head stopped and the yawn that had been lingering in his mouth also stopped.

The same goes for the cadets watching from behind.

Having experienced the horrific hardness of the test golems in my home country’s education at least once, I found the current situation difficult to accept even after seeing it with my own eyes.

If it was a scene shown by someone everyone knows, it would be more than understandable, and I would at least admire it.

I’m just confused because I’ve never heard of that man’s appearance or the name ‘Rohan’.

“···.”

The person who has the hardest time enduring this silence and stillness is the person concerned.

Rohan turned his longsword around and put it back into its scabbard, ignoring the gaze of the cadets rushing towards him.

I looked at the instructor who was frozen still and asked.

“Instructor, may I come down?”

“Oh, right. The number 99 is···.”

“This is Rohan.”

“Okay. Go down.”

The instructor underlined the name Rohan, drew a star, and stroked his bushy beard.

From the moment the exam started, I felt completely exhausted.

‘This first year is going to be more productive than expected. It’s going to be hard to control.’

There are only one or two promising players that we are aware of right now.

This year, there are an unusual number of rising stars who would be surprising even if there were only one in a grade.

‘Among them, there are two cadets who can be said to be of the highest caliber. Those two cadets are inside the gymnasium···.’

There is no need to see the faces of the biggest names.

Just looking at the information listed in the documents makes my head spin and I feel tired.

‘Oh my… It’s a goal.’

The instructor sighed deeply as he looked at the names and ID photos of the cadets waiting next in line.

A northern kingdom where 90% of the population are Suin. Tigrova, a country with vast snowfields and wide coniferous forests.

Noah Frozenheart, the princess of Tigrova and the youngest daughter of Emperor Snow Tiger.

The Samhwa Kingdom, known as the Federation of the East.

There is even Ichinose Yui, the successor to the largest company in that powerful country, Tenkaiten.

‘I’m already feeling sick. Should I take a leave of absence?’

As an instructor, there is only one thing I wish for from them.

Although the possibility of this happening is extremely low, we sincerely hope that these cadets will quietly spend two years and graduate without any trouble.

‘···.’

In any case, the reality is that a storm has arrived right before our eyes.

Knowing that there was no way to avoid it, even though it was annoying enough, the instructor called out the next person in line in a weary voice.

“Next 252.”

“Here!”

Noah, who had been sitting next to Ichinose, raised his hand and stood up.

Instead of heading towards the wall where the weapons were hanging, she strode forward with her bare fists.

He waited for a procedural question in front of the newly prepared golem, moving his round ears.

“Ahem··· Name.”

“Noah Frozen Heart!”

A name that echoes cheerfully through the gym.

Upon hearing your precious name, the cadets began to roar like the waves of the night sea.

The instructor quickly sorted out the situation, which was not at all unexpected.

“Students who disrupt the test by chatting will be penalized.”

The instructor’s gaze, which had been alert to the waiting personnel, returned to Noah Frozenheart.

Whether or not her story was being told from behind, she had the air of raising the corners of her lips and quickly giving off the impression that she was asking for a signal.

The instructor gave her a formal warning, even though she was holding nothing in her hand.

“Not using a weapon does not give you any bonus points or a second chance. Are you aware that you cannot use artifacts that you personally own?”

Nod nod.

She nodded briskly, saying it was a matter of course. Her tail also swished up and down.

“Then··· let’s start in 1 minute.”

The moment the instructor gave Rohan the starting signal.

“Whew!”

Noah threw away his clenched fist without hesitation, as if he had been holding it in for a long time.

The moment the fist made contact with the golem, a loud noise and cold air erupted.

Kuuuung───!!!

A cloud of pure white cold air gushed out, obscuring vision and filling the gymnasium.

A picture of a huge piece of dry ice sinking down.

After finishing the test, Rohan, who was watching, let out a burst of admiration like a firecracker and shook off the frost that was accumulating on his uniform.

─ Oh my, this is a surprise!

─ W, what is this!?

─ This is Tigrova’s···.

As the startled students murmured, the instructor used his magical powers to speak.

“Quiet.”

The cold air that had spread out condensed on the instructor’s palm, creating a pure white lump of ice that fell to the floor with a thud.

At the same time, the location of Noah Frozenheart and the test golem was revealed.

In front of her, there was only something that seemed to be the lower part of the golem, and the unidentified powder scattered on the floor gave a rough idea of the situation.

“Are you going down now?”

“Okay. Go down.”

This time, I expected it. That’s why the instructor’s outward reaction was indifferent.

I just kept poking the stars drawn above the names with a pen while reconsidering the scene.

‘As expected, blood is thicker than water.’

The explosive release shown by Noah Frozenheart is different from the immaturity of not being able to control the overflowing magical power.

It’s as if being able to channel magical power into projectiles like bullets, arrows, and magic weapons is a form of talent.

She is in the process of refining her innate talents and strengths into their ideal form.

“Next 253.”

“Yes.”

Ichinose Yui stood up, holding her sword, and headed toward the wall.

Close your eyes and walk briskly.

The girl stopped in front of the wall, put down her sword gently, and stepped forward, holding a familiar-looking sword.

“Name.”

“This is Ichinose Yui.”

The cadets once again start to commotion at the softly heard name.

But unlike before, it quickly died down after observing the instructor’s expression.

◦Start in 1 minute.”

“Okay.”

With a small hesitation, Ichinose took his left foot back.

Then I tilted my upper body slightly forward.

With a flick of the white thumb, the blade emerged from the scabbard with a snap!

“···.”

Without a single sound of protest.

The sword flowed like water from the girl’s hand.

Peing──!

The blade swung diagonally and passed cleanly through the golem.

A neat cut that runs completely counter to Noah Frozenheart’s style.

The sword, which had finished its swing with a sharp sound, had already returned to its scabbard and was asleep.

The upper part of the golem, with its seams broken, slid down and fell to the floor.

“I will go down.”

“···Yeah.”

The instructor kicked away the golem fragments and scratched his head with a pen.

How did these people end up in the front row?

Afterwards, the students taking the exam looked pitiful.

“Next 103.”

“Ah, yes···!”

From then on, everything was as the instructor had expected.

From the next turn of Ichinose Yui, there was no cadet who had cut down or damaged more than half of the golem, and there were even cadets who had not even managed to scratch it.

Some cadets already had a look of despair on their faces due to the overwhelming difference in skill level.

The instructor knows very well.

Their skills are rather the average of Orion Academy, and a normal picture.

*****

The practical exam ended without a hitch.

There were no students who raised objections to the test.

Still, there was one customer who didn’t leave the gym.

Noah Frozenheart couldn’t stand his hunger and went out to eat, but Ichinose Yui still hadn’t left the gym where she took her exam.

“···.”

The girl finished her exam and walked towards the golems she had piled up to deal with.

Looking at the practical test reviews posted on the Orion Academy community, only two freshmen were able to cut down the test golem with a sword.

If we include all weapons other than swords, there are probably about five people who have split or destroyed a golem.

Didn’t Noah turn the golem into dust with his fists, which weren’t even his main weapon?

But there are two black ones.

Ichinose Yui and a man she’s meeting for the first time.

‘···Number 99.’

At first, I felt like he was sending me and Noah a stare.

I was used to being the center of attention so I didn’t mind, but strangely enough, the gaze was clear and warm, not too much to be called lecherous, so it didn’t bother me.

‘Noah must have felt it too.’

I don’t know why you gave me that look.

I vividly remember the moment the man swung his sword.

The complete opposite of the gaze I had been sending you.

The act of cutting itself was a sensation that symbolized life.

He seemed like a person who was obsessed with ending lives.

‘Whether it’s a skill or not.’

It didn’t matter.

After all, offensive skills only shine when the fundamentals are solid.

“···.”

Knock, knock, knock, with my eyes closed.

Standing before the golem that had been split by the 99 swords, she touched the cut section with her hand.

The vein cross-section is smooth.

An emotion resembling impatience makes me bite my lower lip.

Again.

The girl took a step back and slowly placed her weapon on the ground.

Without hesitation, I grabbed the sword hanging on the wall.

He swung his blade without hesitation.

Peeing!

The sharp slash cut the golem in half once again.

The girl immediately touched the cross-section of the golem she had cut down.

“Ah···.”

It wasn’t as smooth as the 99 cut.

The screams of being forcibly cut off were clear.