Ch.114114. Things I Cannot Yield

Gilbert couldn’t help but sigh when he saw the place Camilla had led him to.

The place she guided him to wasn’t an ordinary training ground.

Gilbert had arrived at a hangar used for maintaining the giant mechs at Demeia Academy. It was also equipped with an arena specifically designed for giant mech duels.

That little brat Edel…

Gilbert could immediately tell that Edel had stirred up something big just by looking at the crowd that had gathered.

Somehow, she had claimed to be keeping a low profile since that day, but he should have been suspicious earlier. It was strange for someone with such a severe case of attention-seeking to stay quiet.

Moreover, Gilbert’s “Hundred-Man Challenge” had been the biggest event of the exchange meeting, even featuring Maium, one of the Four Seasons Martial Arts’ successor candidates, the Spring Shield.

This was just Gilbert’s guess, but Edel had likely believed that she would be his final opponent in that duel.

And she had probably been waiting for him to call her up. Anyone would have seen it as the final showdown between rivals, and she must have thought this was the “proper stage” Gilbert had mentioned before.

But then suddenly, out of nowhere, another successor candidate had taken her place, and it was obvious she would have been furious without even having to see it.

Could that prideful little brat have possibly accepted such a situation?

Gilbert shook his head.

The Edel he knew would never have tolerated it.

But this seemed a bit excessive.

The cost of operating a giant mech was astronomical. And for a duel where damage had to be considered, it would have been impossible without the professors’ approval.

Even if the professors had approved, giant mech duels could never take place without the final authorization from the academy’s headmaster.

Yet the fact that so many people had gathered here meant that the headmaster had given permission.

Gilbert quickly looked around to assess the situation.

Diara Reeves…!

Gilbert spotted Diara giving some advice to Edel and realized his oversight.

The Four Seasons Martial Arts successors were individuals with considerable influence across the continent. Not only did they possess legitimacy, but the techniques they held were martial arts with deep symbolic significance that even nations tried to prevent from leaking outside.

That was precisely why the Four Seasons Martial Arts successors had been invited to this exchange meeting despite not being affiliated with the academy. It was a gesture asking them to become mediators for continental peace, treating them as national guests of honor.

So if Diara had directly requested the headmaster Lucas to approve a giant mech duel, it would have been approved without any special reason to refuse. The headmaster might have even gladly accepted, considering it an opportunity for the martial arts successor candidates to develop together.

Like master, like disciple, causing headaches… Gilbert knew he was caught up in a troublesome affair, but he had no grounds to refuse. Since he was the one who had started the flashy display in the first place, backing down now would result in more than just a damaged reputation.

However, acting without any benefit wasn’t Gilbert’s style.

Unless it cleared the main scenario or achieved a helpful accomplishment, it wouldn’t be worth the effort.

[Main Scenario: Exchange Meeting is in progress.]

[Clear conditions have been updated.]

[Hidden Route: The Peak of the Four Seasons is now in progress.]

With the system’s notification, the tables had turned.

Didn’t he just say it wouldn’t be worth the effort?

Time to recalculate.

***

Diara didn’t refuse her disciple Edel’s request. Instead, she had met with the headmaster privately to create a stage for Edel’s giant mech duel.

Diara herself couldn’t understand why she had gone to such lengths. Something deep in her heart had urged her to do so.

Or more accurately, she was turning a blind eye to it. She found the feeling too ugly to face directly, so she was simply pretending not to notice it.

“Master, Gilbert has arrived.”

“I see.”

Diara watched Gilbert approaching from a distance. He looked no different from when she had seen him in Briana’s office before.

Rigid and without openings.

Diara clicked her tongue.

He was still a monster.

“This time, I’ll prove that the Summer Spear is the greatest among the Four Seasons Martial Arts.”

“Don’t push yourself too hard. He’s strong.”

“I know. I can feel the pressure just by looking at him.”

Edel’s eyes began to burn with fighting spirit. Her shoulders twitched as if she wanted to charge at him right away.

Diara gently admonished her.

“Your fighting spirit is leaking out. I’ve always told you, you must also control your fighting spirit. It can be used as a weapon at any time.”

“I understand.”

Edel seemed to recognize that she was overly excited. Following Diara’s advice, she closed her eyes and began to calm her mind.

Inhale and exhale.

She didn’t completely relax but loosened her body enough.

So that her body wouldn’t stiffen if combat began immediately.

Meanwhile, Gilbert approached and stood before the master and disciple.

“You seem to have arranged quite a spectacle.”

“Though unintended, it’s only natural, isn’t it? With the Four Seasons successor candidates gathered, there’s much to gain through dueling.”

Diara gave a hollow laugh.

Of course, Gilbert wasn’t fooled by that laugh. He could tell she had ulterior motives without even seeing her reaction.

“I doubt that’s all there is to it.”

“Duels also determine winners and losers. Perhaps it’s due to my lack of mental discipline, but I’m still bothered by not being able to settle things with your master.”

When Diara brought up Briana, Gilbert understood her purpose.

Since she couldn’t defeat the Sword Saint who was now far away, she intended to turn this into a proxy battle between disciples.

But Gilbert ignored the surface reason.

Something deeper in Diara’s eyes spoke of reasons beyond what she had just stated.

Gilbert could vaguely guess what that reason might be. Knowing her narrative and recalling their encounter in Briana’s office recently, it wasn’t difficult to deduce.

In summary: she wanted to remove an obstacle to her love.

That seemed to be her intention.

She might not have clearly defined what that emotion was even to herself, but Gilbert could tell.

Diara Reeves had classified Gilbert as an interference and was trying to eliminate him.

Since it would appear intimidating if she confronted him directly, she was planning to use her disciple instead.

Of course, Gilbert didn’t particularly care what her intentions were.

It was natural that he had no intention of losing, and the main scenario’s clear condition had been adjusted to becoming the best among the Four Seasons Martial Arts successor candidates.

For Gilbert, he simply needed to win this duel, as he now had a compelling reason to do so.

Diara’s intentions were irrelevant to that.

“Interesting.”

This has turned into quite an event.

Gilbert looked at Briana, who had appeared out of nowhere.

The fact that Briana, who hadn’t shown up even during his Hundred-Man Challenge, had appeared this time suggested that this matter had grown considerably.

She hadn’t appeared when he faced the Spring Shield’s successor candidate before, so had there been a change in her attitude this time?

Gilbert looked around. In truth, the Spring Shield’s successor candidate’s duel had happened so suddenly that by the time she heard about it, the duel might have already ended.

But this time, it was an official duel with the headmaster’s approval, so she could arrive before it began.

“I wanted to see what all this disciple-boasting was about.”

“I see. Now I’m curious too. Just how good is the Summer Spear’s successor candidate?”

Briana’s ice-blue eyes scanned Edel.

This is the Sword Saint…!

Edel trembled slightly under her cold gaze.

While Edel deeply respected her master Diara, she also admired Briana, known as the Empire’s greatest sword despite being a woman. If Diara was the master she revered from the depths of her heart, Briana was the goal she aspired to reach.

A shared aim to reach the pinnacle.

Edel steeled her resolve.

“My, all the interesting events are happening here.”

“Indeed they are.”

Four individuals walked through the gathered students.

An elderly man with tightly bound white hair followed by a brown-haired woman formed one team.

A middle-aged man with short black hair and Maium formed another.

The Autumn Bow and the Spring Shield.

The other Four Seasons Martial Arts successors and their disciples had arrived.

Now all the Four Seasons Martial Arts successors and their successor candidates were gathered in one place.

Gilbert looked at each of them in turn and inwardly smiled.

It seemed he wouldn’t need to seek them out to clear the main scenario.

***

[This situation has turned quite amusing.]

“Indeed.”

Ian exchanged words with Fresia as he observed the situation.

He wanted to join that gathering right away, but he lacked a proper justification.

The individuals gathered there were people he knew well.

The Four Seasons Martial Arts.

They were the inheritors of those ancient martial arts. To stand there, he too should have inherited one of the Four Seasons Martial Arts, but unfortunately, he had not.

Though he was satisfied with having gained Fresia instead, he wasn’t without regrets.

He had hoped to make a name for himself through this exchange meeting with Fresia. After lying low for so long, he wanted to spread his wings gloriously, but things had become complicated in this way.

[The Four Seasons Martial Arts are quite troublesome. They were prestigious martial arts even in Atlantica’s time. I never expected them to maintain their lineage for such a long time.]

“Were they that ancient?”

[Yes. The Four Seasons Martial Arts weren’t originally designed for infantry combat. They were devised for more efficient fighting while piloting giant mechs. That’s how similar Atlantica was to the present day.]

Ian felt a bit bitter at Fresia’s explanation.

Aiming for the top, Ian felt somewhat diminished for not having inherited the Four Seasons Martial Arts. It also stung that Gilbert, his life’s greatest rival, was standing there.

Thanks to Fresia, he didn’t feel inferior to the point of developing a complex, but the bitterness was unavoidable as a human. People naturally coveted what they couldn’t have.

[Want me to teach you?]

“What?”

[The Four Seasons Martial Arts. I told you, they existed even in Atlantica’s time. And I’m an artificial spirit that embodies all of Atlantica’s technological prowess. That means I know more about the Four Seasons Martial Arts than they do.]

“Really?!”

Ian’s eyes widened in surprise.

He was shocked by the unexpected statement.

[Of course! No, Ian, just trust me. I’ll teach you something even more amazing. I know martial arts that surpass the Four Seasons Martial Arts!]

“Such a thing exists…?”

[Silly. I’m Fresia. The greatest discovery of Atlantica is me. I’ve been analyzing the Four Seasons Martial Arts since they were inputted into me. And how much time do you think has passed since I was created?]

Ian’s heart began to race at Fresia’s words.

To obtain martial arts superior to theirs.

Just that thought alone made his previously diminished self-esteem surge back.

“Of course. Fresia is the best, so you must know the best martial arts.”

[Absolutely. Even the Lion King you all praise so much received my support. And what happened? Although the end was unfortunate, he became a great king who made his mark in history. So, what do you think will happen to you, who currently receives my support?]

Ian’s eyes began to burn with desire.

She said that the great conqueror Terodamas had received Fresia’s support.

If her words were true, there was no reason Ian couldn’t become like him.

The Lion King reborn in this era.

Ian clenched his fist.

“Tell me, Fresia. Help me surpass Gilbert.”

[As you wish, my master. I will fulfill your desire.]

Ian realized once again that obtaining Fresia was a stroke of luck that would never come again in his life.

With her support, he could do anything.

Ian glared at Gilbert and made a vow.

He would definitely surpass him.