Ch.115Chapter 115: I’ll Become Strong Like a Red-Hot Iron

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The final stop to wrap up my day is the private accommodation assigned for the convenience of Cradle students participating in the Subjugation Festival.

Am I going to bed because I’ve done enough physical training, including sparring, during the day?

I don’t know about other Subjugation Festival participants, but not me.

For others like Shizu, their day would end by comfortably lying in bed as soon as they entered their room.

Unfortunately, in my case, as soon as I enter my accommodation, I have to complete one final task before sleep.

What is it, you ask?

[Let’s begin.]

What else could it be? It’s the hell training I mentioned earlier when I left the training grounds.

[Pick up your sword.]

As Fafnir’s voice echoes in my head, I draw the dragon sword from my waist.

Kiiiing-!!

As the clear metallic sound settles in my ears.

All the space within my sight, including the accommodation, begins to twist strangely.

Though I say it like this, the accommodation itself isn’t actually twisting.

It’s merely the discomfort I feel as all my sensory organs, including vision, are suddenly transferred to an unfamiliar space.

I should be used to this by now, having experienced it countless times since obtaining this pitch-black bastard sword in my right hand.

“…Mmm.”

Yet the strange sensation of all my sensory organs twisting remains unfamiliar enough that I can’t help but let out a faint groan.

An ordinary person might feel nauseous if this discomfort persisted.

But no matter how long this sensation of twisted senses continues.

Compared to what awaits me at the end of this distortion and the training I’ll undergo, this could almost be called comfortable.

Indeed, compared to being subjected to violence disguised as training from an ancient dragon who has lived for a thousand years—a timespan I can’t even begin to imagine—this discomfort is nothing.

“…This is no time to smile.”

Just as I try to compose my expression to prevent my lips from twisting into a strange smile at that thought.

The distorted scenery causing the discomfort suddenly clears.

My body completes its transfer to the place where I can undergo hell training with Fafnir.

As always, it was a strange space covered in pale fog that enveloped my vision.

Despite the thick fog that obscured everything in front of me, it was truly a bizarre space where breathing wasn’t hindered at all.

If I had enough time, I might have meditated to resolve my doubts about this space.

“Now!”

A booming voice echoed in my ears, preventing me from continuing that thought.

Unlike usual, where Fafnir’s voice only resonated in my head, here it settled directly in my ears.

I turned my head toward the sound to confirm the presence of Fafnir who had called me to this place.

Naturally, the space remained thick with fog, completely blocking any visual tracking, so his silhouette wasn’t clearly visible.

“Today’s rules are the same. Either leave a sword mark on my armor, or knock off the helmet I’m wearing. One of the two.”

Fafnir, who was explaining the training rules while continuously emitting his booming voice, was making his presence clearly known through his voice alone.

Well then, let’s begin.

The trial that approaches me, as always, just short of killing me.

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This “hell training” isn’t much to speak of.

Really, it’s nothing special.

As Fafnir stated before starting the training, listing the conditions for completion.

All I have to do is give my best to achieve them.

…Though I’ve been trying for about 10 days straight without success, always ending with me collapsing pathetically and losing consciousness, but that’s beside the point.

Today is no different.

In this mysterious space where pale fog obscures my vision.

“Hah… Hah…”

While barely dodging the earth-shattering fist techniques that Fafnir unleashes relentlessly, I have no time to steady my ragged breathing.

“You’re still far from it!!”

As Fafnir leaps into the air with a spirited shout, aiming a kick technique to strike down on my head.

I hastily channel my fighting spirit and raise my flame-engulfed dragon sword to block it, but.

The moment Fafnir’s right foot, imbued with a red energy far more vivid than what emanates from my sword, makes contact with my blade.

KWAAANG-!!

A spirited shock wave reverberates throughout this fog-filled space.

The shock wave, testing the durability of my eardrums, not only created sound but also transferred the impact from Fafnir’s kick directly to me.

KUUUNG-!!

“…Urrrgh.”

Having barely blocked this with one knee on the ground, I couldn’t help but let out a groan suppressing the pain.

Unable to even properly defend, let alone counterattack, the result inflicts such pain on my body.

Yet compared to ten days ago when I resumed training with Fafnir, this is quite an improvement.

At first, I couldn’t even manage defensive moves like this and was beaten all over my head and body by his fists and kicks.

The accumulated impact, which even my super-regeneration ability couldn’t handle, would make me collapse on the spot, only for Fafnir to pick me up and beat me again—that was my daily routine.

Even this much could be called a remarkable achievement.

As my super-regeneration ability activated and the shock received from Fafnir gradually subsided, a feeling akin to pride began to rise in my mind.

“Hey! If you’re going to call that defense, you might as well dodge and then counterattack to leave a scratch on my armor!”

My opponent, who had forced me to one knee, was clearly unsatisfied and demanded better movement from me.

“Otherwise.”

Crunch

Fafnir’s right foot, still pressing down on my sword, gradually applies more force.

To top it off, bright red eye-light reminiscent of flames flashed from the helmet part of his mysterious armor that completely covered his body, resembling dragon scales.

This is a sight Fafnir often shows when demanding something from me here.

It seemed like he was trying to instill an irresistible pressure in me.

But thinking about it now, there wasn’t such a grand reason behind it.

It was just a characteristic this ancient dragon showed when he couldn’t contain the excitement building up during a fight.

“I’ll drive you into the ground like a stake, you little brat.”

The emotion felt in his voice as he declared his intention to render me incapacitated and win again today was far from killing intent—it was closer to intense pleasure.

It was quite fortunate that no killing intent could be felt in that voice declaring victory.

But that wasn’t the problem.

If I didn’t do something.

Tremble

My right hand holding the dragon sword that had blocked Fafnir’s violent trajectory would no longer be able to withstand his right foot.

If that happened, literally my entire body except my face would be driven into the ground like a stake.

“…Hup!”

Feeling the crisis, I took a deep breath and activated Fricasa to strengthen my entire body as much as possible, but.

“That won’t be enough.”

Crunch-!!

Sensing the strength entering my body, Fafnir applied even more force to his right foot with the leisure of someone dealing with a child, pressing down on me.

KUUUNG-!!

This time, my other knee, which hadn’t been on the ground before, collided directly with the floor.

Though the impact sent a shock through my suddenly bent knee.

Right now, more than the pain from the impact.

I couldn’t help but feel dumbfounded by Fafnir’s godlike strength, which could exert physical force on me so effortlessly despite my enhanced physical abilities.

“Heh….”

A faint laugh involuntarily escaped my lips.

Having experienced ten days of hell training, I felt a sense of accomplishment knowing that my swordsmanship and movements were gradually improving.

But I was daunted by Fafnir’s endless potential, who kept raising his own strength to pressure me in accordance with my growth.

Is there even an end to Fafnir’s skill, which pressures me in all sorts of creative ways during this hell training?

And even if there is an end, could I ever draw out Fafnir’s true sincerity?

Such doubts complicated my mind while enduring the pressure Fafnir applied to my body.

“You’re laughing in this situation? I guess your skills have improved after all?”

“No….”

“I was planning to end it here today, but it seems I need to change my plans.”

Fafnir, misunderstanding the intent behind my laughter, released the pressure on my body, preventing any further doubts from continuing.

There’s a saying that one shouldn’t spit on a smiling face.

But at this moment, I could only regret the helpless laugh that had escaped earlier.

You might think it’s fine since Fafnir released the pressure on my body?

No, no.

Didn’t you hear him say he needs to change his plans?

From my experience over the past few days.

Fafnir has a remarkably keen sense for when I’m somewhat enduring the pain from training.

He notices it with an uncanny sensitivity.

Anyway, once he senses that I’m enduring this training, Fafnir immediately subjects me to a different type of trial.

Having already created distance between us.

“How about this?”

Simultaneously with his confident voice declaring his next move.

BUUUNG-!!

His right leg flew toward my side with a loud cutting sound through the air, aiming to strike my flank.

The curve formed as his right leg swung was elegant.

Though it contained no killing intent.

That curve was truly a curve of death.

If it connected, it carried enough force to reduce even a body with super-regeneration abilities like mine to mere chunks of meat.

“…Tsk.”

Clicking my tongue, I tried somehow to block Fafnir’s kick flying toward my side, but my reaction was dulled due to my mind being momentarily preoccupied with doubts.

PUEOK-!!

Fafnir’s right leg, which had flown toward my side in an elegant trajectory, struck my flank without giving me a chance to block.

As a result of the instantaneous impact exceeding my limits.

“…!!”

Without even being able to scream, with my eyes wide open.

KUUNG-!

Both my knees buckled involuntarily.

“Your reaction is slow, too slow. Tsk tsk, when will you ever lay a hand on my armor?”

Fafnir’s voice tickled my ears, seemingly quite disappointed by my inability to properly block.

“…Someday.”

From my mouth, barely avoiding losing consciousness, came words that were ambiguously directed either at myself as a pledge or at Fafnir.

“Hehe. I look forward to it. Combat seems impossible now, so we’ll end here for today.”

From Fafnir’s mouth came the verdict announcing the end of the painful training, having perceived that I was completely exhausted.

When I first started this training forced by Fafnir.

I would lose consciousness on the spot without even hearing Fafnir’s voice declaring the end of training when my combat ability was completely lost.

The fact that I can now clearly hear Fafnir’s voice announcing the end of training could also be considered evidence of growth.

As pain and consciousness faded together and my body tried to slump down, many thoughts crossed my mind.

The awareness that the pain inflicted by Fafnir’s fierce attacks was becoming less intense over time.

And the satisfaction of steadily growing step by step, despite seemingly being one-sidedly beaten.

These two thoughts predominantly occupied my mind.

“Someday I’ll definitely…”

As my consciousness was about to completely fade, I uttered these incomplete words while looking at Fafnir, who had extinguished the eye-light flickering in his eyes, and my consciousness was buried in darkness named silence and sleep.