A True Man

I headed to the training grounds at the time I had promised Lykan-nim. I didn’t realize it when I was taking classes at the training grounds, but being there alone, it was quite spacious.

Just as I checked the clock high up in the training grounds, Lykan-nim appeared, carrying a large box whose contents were unknown. As always, the impressive size of his muscles was clearly visible beneath his clothes.

“Hmm, were you waiting?”

Lykan-nim arrived at exactly 9:30, the time we had promised. If you arrive on time for an appointment, it’s hard to say you were waiting.

“No.”

At my answer, Lykan-nim gave a hideous smile and placed the box on the floor.

“The content of the bet was that if you came in first in the survival exam, I would train you. Right?”

To Lykan-nim, who started with those words, I nodded. He narrowed his eyes as if he didn’t like that action, so I answered, “Yes.”

“Since you, a mediocre student, took first place in the survival exam as promised, I also intend to diligently train you for a month as promised.”

I was puzzled by the word “month.” Summer vacation is about two months long. The training period Lykan-nim initially told me was the summer vacation, so I was puzzled, but I didn’t bother to say it out loud.

Lykan-nim opened the box he had placed on the ground as if tearing it apart. Inside was a full suit of armor worn by knights. It looked quite heavy on the outside.

“The first training will be to use this to check your skills.”

I didn’t describe in detail the training Roel received from Lykan-nim. What my readers wanted was Flavia’s night skills, who was the first heroine, not Lykan-nim’s skills.

So, I didn’t know in detail what kind of training Roel received.

“The test is simple. Wear this armor and run around the training grounds.”

“That’s it?”

As if waiting for my question, Lykan-nim gave a sly smile.

“Yes, but to explain a little more. Dozens of rune letters and magic are engraved inside this armor. It’s annoying to explain, so I’ll put it simply. It makes the wearer incredibly painful. That’s the end of the explanation.”

Is it like cursed armor? The simple explanation that it’s incredibly painful was actually easier to understand.

As I took the armor out of the box and put it on, Lykan-nim asked.

“Do you know what is most important to build stamina?”

“…Grit, perseverance. Isn’t it something like that?”

I answered gruffly and put on the iron shoes. My whole body felt heavy. So much so that I reflexively had to shrug my shoulders.

“Yes, those all come from mental strength. My training is not about building stamina. It’s about building mental strength, and stamina is a secondary thing that comes along during training.”

Lykan-nim’s voice was serious, but I couldn’t help but smile.

Mental strength. I was the one with the talent of indomitable courage, able to persevere and strive towards my set goals despite any adversity, temptation, or difficulty.

I was confident in my mental strength.

Lykan-nim must have interpreted my smile in a different way, as a vein popped out on his forehead.

I was afraid of being misunderstood, so I hurriedly said.

“I am confident in my mental strength.”

“Yes, you’re confident in your mental strength in front of me? Hehe, good. Then wear this armor and run around the training grounds as much as you can. If you’re a man, you’ll prove what you said, right?”

To Lykan-nim, who twisted his lips as if sneering, I deliberately provoked him.

“Please set a clear goal. I’ve seen many people change their minds later. How many laps do I have to do for you to acknowledge it?”

Lykan-nim was strong in pride and weak against provocation. As expected, after hearing my words, Lykan-nim emitted something like fighting spirit from his whole body and laughed like a madman.

“Hehe, good. Since it’s the first time, about 15 times? If you run around the training grounds 30 times, I won’t do this training in the future.”

Lykan-nim glared at me with fierce eyes, as if he would make me regret it for the rest of my life if I couldn’t run 15 times.

I pretended not to notice and turned my gaze to the helmet. The reason I deliberately provoked Lykan-nim to set a goal was because of my indomitable courage.

I could only utilize my indomitable courage if there was a clear goal of ‘running around the training grounds 30 times’.

“30 laps around the training grounds. I will make that my goal.”

Saying that, I put on the helmet that was last left in the box. The moment I looked at Lykan-nim through the eyeholes of the helmet, I felt a pain as if the armor I was wearing suddenly constricted my whole body.

“Kuh…!”

Some kind of magic flowed from inside the armor. The magic that spread through my blood vessels and into my body forcibly awakened all my senses.

The weight of the armor I was wearing felt like it had increased dozens of times, as if my whole body was being crushed by a boulder.

Just the act of lifting my feet made me feel like the cartilage in my knees was bursting and the tops of my feet were being smashed with a hammer.

Even just breathing to endure the pain made my chest feel like it was being pressed by the armor, and my lungs felt like they were being stabbed by countless needles.

The excruciating pain made me unable to distinguish whether this was a hallucination or actually happening to me.

Thanks to the helmet that gave me a headache, my mind was filled only with the thought that it was painful.

“If you want to give up, take off the armor at any time.”

Lykan-nim made a sweet offer, but I bit my lip until it bled and desperately repeated 30 laps around the training grounds without giving up.

In the vision blurred by pain, the message I had been waiting for finally appeared.

[Indomitable Courage is activated.]

The pain I felt all over my body disappeared in an instant. I am aware that pain exists, but it is buried by my will to move my feet no matter what.

I don’t know if this is true courage. However, I crave, rage, and endlessly covet the goal I have set.

I move my feet. The pain that was moving away tries to come closer to that action, but even that cannot stop my greed now.

***

Lykan-nim’s face hardened as he watched Ross running around the training grounds. At first, he couldn’t keep his balance and hesitated greatly to take a step.

Lykan-nim, who had changed from expectation to disappointment in just 10 seconds, had to change the emotion of disappointment back to surprise before long.

Ross’s momentum changed as he took a step. Like a knight who had made a deathly resolve, there was nothing outwardly changed, but he noticed that his inner self had changed.

It was a very slow pace compared to the average. Even the stride is short. But thanks to that, Lykan-nim felt a strange feeling that tickled his chest.

There was no fear or hesitation anywhere in that slow pace, and he instinctively knew that only indomitable will remained, somehow moving his feet through the hallucination magic that gave dozens of times the pain.

“What kind of mental strength is that….”

Lykan-nim, who had been watching Ross move his feet for several hours, muttered to himself with a face full of admiration.

Even Roel, Ross’s brother and the only one he had recognized at the academy, had a hard time with the training. He honestly didn’t expect Ross to be able to do it.

Lykan-nim also acknowledged that Ross had grown the most among the first graders. However, objectively speaking, he thought that Ross was far behind Roel in almost every aspect.

But Ross moved his feet. Slower than anyone else, but moving forward without stopping or hesitating.

Even the top student in the 4th grade faints after running around the training grounds 5 times because they can’t stand the pain, but Ross is doing it.

Lykan-nim stared at Ross, who was running around the training grounds with a dumbfounded face. A word he had said sometime suddenly came to his mind.

“Did he get special admission thanks to Roel? What is the headmaster thinking….”

Lykan-nim thought that Ross didn’t have the talent to be able to enter the academy.

It’s true that he has grown surprisingly, but if you ask if Ross has a shining talent like Roel, you would tilt your head.

Unlike Roel, whose skills improved visibly as if he had gained enlightenment every time he participated in a class, Ross’s swordsmanship was still below average compared to his efforts.

He was so sure that if he gave a spear to another student, he would be caught up with quickly.

Ross has no talent to the point of despair. But he has grown more than anyone else. Lykan-nim sighed at that contradiction.

While Lykan-nim was lost in thought, Ross finally finished his last lap around the training grounds and stood in front of Lykan-nim.

Ross, covered in dirt and dust from falling several times, said while breathing heavily as if shaking his whole body.

“…I, I did it.”

Lykan-nim supported Ross, who was collapsing, leaving those words with a voice full of accomplishment.

When he took off the helmet so he could breathe comfortably, Ross’s face, stained with saliva and blood, was revealed. His lips were completely torn from how much he had bitten them.

At that sight, Lykan-nim felt as if someone was squeezing his heart.

He was able to belatedly realize that the emotion he felt was the pride and affection he felt when he saw his lovely nephew.

Lykan-nim, who felt awkward that he had felt such an emotion, scratched his forehead and stared at the unconscious Ross, when suddenly, a flash of lightning struck his mind.

The reason why Ross, who had no talent, was able to grow. It was simple. He worked harder than anyone else, until his lips were completely torn like now.

Ross’s mental strength was so great that it could be compared to Roel’s. With that mental strength, he did not succumb to trials, but overcame them and grew.

“I, I was wrong again. Your determination to overcome your hopeless talent…! I didn’t understand your sincerity in asking me for training.”

Lykan-nim shed hot tears. He finally found it. The only student who wanted him, who everyone avoided…!

No, he could now be called a disciple. Lykan-nim was going to pass on everything he had to Ross.

Thick tears fell down Ross’s face, but Lykan-nim, who was moved by Ross, didn’t know.

“I acknowledge it. That you are a true man…!!!”

He let out a huge shout of joy with all his might so that everyone at the academy could know his joy.

“Roooosssss~!!!!!”

***

“Ah, shit.”

I cursed without realizing it because I was so dumbfounded. It was good to use Indomitable Courage, but it seemed that my body, which was forcibly moved by willpower, couldn’t withstand the limit.

Looking at the small beads falling like hail, I realized that the combat continuation penalty had been activated. No wonder my body felt lighter in the middle… it must have been because of the combat continuation.

Fortunately, there were fewer beads than last time, and I had learned the knack of picking up the beads.

Just as I was seriously considering whether to stop the training and was about to pick up the beads, for some reason, something like rain suddenly fell in a space without clouds.

“What is it?”

When I licked the rain on my lips, it tasted salty like tears for some reason.

I frowned without realizing it at the unpleasant feeling. It was a creepy feeling.

For some reason, I felt like running away.