Ch.42Promotion Exam

“It’s going to snow.”

A mid-rank member passing by Se-eorin after finishing the day’s training spoke up.

Se-eorin looked up at the sky. The blue sky was higher and clearer than usual. The white wind carried a biting chill.

This place had seasons, unlike her homeland. Unlike the snowy fields where it always snowed, winter came here in a set cycle.

Even after the failed mission to eliminate Hayato, Cheong-ik’s daily routine hadn’t changed much. After completing training, members would be dispatched if assigned missions. Other members became busier due to the absence of two high-rank members, but that was all.

They said mission failures were common. Death, too, was like an everyday occurrence. The people of Cheong-ik quickly moved on from the deaths of fellow members.

Se-eorin headed straight to the training grounds. As the weather grew colder, her physical condition was improving. If the environment became similar to her homeland, she felt she could display swordsmanship beyond her usual skill level.

There was already someone at the training grounds.

Whoosh-!

A long blade moved elegantly, cutting through the air. The movement resembled a pure white snake. Normally, a short sword would have followed that strike, diving in to exploit openings.

But that didn’t happen. The swordsman using the training grounds was missing one arm.

After the failed mission, Reynard had been excluded from all assignments. Partly because his recovery period was lengthy, but more precisely because he was missing an arm.

A dual-wielding swordsman had lost one arm. It meant more than half of his fighting power was gone. The current Reynard was weaker than even the low-rank members.

Nevertheless, Reynard hadn’t given up. He remained until the end, swinging his sword.

“Oh, Se-eorin?”

Feeling her gaze, Reynard withdrew his sword and waved his right hand. Se-eorin returned the greeting and approached him.

“Are you alright?”

“Hmm. More or less.”

He was someone who didn’t even participate in training routines due to his injury. Se-eorin asked the question as a formality. The two naturally sat down on the steps of the training grounds.

“It’s been almost a year since you joined Cheong-ik, hasn’t it?”

“Not quite that long yet.”

To be precise, it had been about nine months. As Se-eorin counted on her fingers, Reynard continued.

“Your junior batch will be coming in soon.”

“Oh…”

Now that he mentioned it, it was true. The Imperial Knight selection event was held once a year. It meant that in a few months, new faces would arrive at Cheong-ik.

“Are you preparing for the promotion exam?”

“I’m always prepared.”

Cheong-ik held major promotion exams before welcoming new members. Low-rank to mid-rank, mid-rank to high-rank, high-rank to vice-captain.

Of course, high-rank promotion exams were only held when there was a vacancy for vice-captain. Usually, high-rank members didn’t take promotion exams.

***

It was snowing on the day of the promotion exam. White snowflakes melted as they landed on skin. While others grumbled about the cold, Se-eorin felt more comfortable than ever.

“Se-eorin, are you sure you’re okay dressed so lightly? Aren’t you cold?”

“No.”

White breath flowed from Flora’s mouth as she exhaled. Her gaze worriedly scanned Se-eorin’s body. While others wore winter jackets over their uniforms, Se-eorin was only in her regular uniform.

Since she said she was fine, Flora wouldn’t press further…

Flora carefully brushed the snow off Se-eorin’s shoulders. The two joined Theo and headed to the training grounds where the promotion exam would be held.

The promotion exam didn’t involve complicated procedures. Low-rank members sparred with mid-rank members, and mid-rank members sparred with high-rank members. Those who performed well and received approval from the vice-captains would be promoted.

“I’m so nervous…”

“I hope I’m not the only one who fails…”

Theo and Flora anxiously glanced around the training grounds. They blew on their hands and rubbed them together to warm them up. Only Se-eorin remained calm.

‘I will be promoted.’

A strange sensation predicted the future. It was a feeling she always had when roaming the snowy fields. The wolf god resided in her body. Her brothers used to say that’s what it felt like when she had groundless confidence.

Cheong-ik didn’t have many members, despite being the group responsible for handling reincarnator incidents throughout the Empire. Therefore, preparing for the promotion exam didn’t require any special procedures.

“Let’s begin.”

Karnok was in charge of the promotion exam. His gaze swept over the members standing below the training grounds. His eyes lingered longest on Se-eorin’s group.

“We’ll start with the low-rank members’ promotions. Michelle!”

The first person called was a tall woman. Michelle had been a low-rank member before Se-eorin’s group joined.

‘She helped me a lot…’

Se-eorin’s gaze turned to Michelle. As a fellow woman, she had provided much assistance. After Flora, she had been the most helpful. She had helped make her sister’s beauty stand out even more.

‘I hope she gets promoted.’

Michelle’s opponent was a mid-rank member named Persis. Due to living in different quarters, Se-eorin hadn’t spoken with him much. He was said to wield a heavy greatsword and overwhelm opponents with pure strength.

“Begin!”

As soon as the promotion exam started, a fierce wind blew. Through the scattering white snow, the two swordsmen clashed.

Clang-!

Neither gave an inch. They put their all into every attack.

“Her skills have improved since last year.”

“She might get promoted this time.”

Cheong-ik was a group that devoted more than half their lives to martial arts. Watching the two swordsmen duel, evaluations naturally flowed.

Some were gesturing with empty hands, looking quite serious. They seemed to be putting themselves in the place of one of the fighters on the training grounds.

“Her lower body is weak. She’s losing in terms of strength.”

The mid-rank members’ predictions were like prophecies. When they said something would happen, it invariably did.

Se-eorin watched and tried to envision the future of the two combatants in her mind.

‘I can’t tell.’

She couldn’t see it. Se-eorin felt her own inadequacy. She had learned exceptional swordsmanship by reading the memories engraved in swords, but she couldn’t acquire the insight of those swordsmen.

‘I lack experience.’

She needed to gain more experience and broaden her knowledge. Se-eorin crossed her arms and gazed at the training grounds.

The result of the duel was revealed. The winner was Persis. However, the atmosphere was positive. The mid-rank members who had been watching nodded as they looked at Michelle.

“That was a good match, Michelle. You’ve worked hard.”

Michelle’s face flushed red at Karnok’s praise. Se-eorin stared at the scene. Karnok was popular among the female members.

‘I don’t understand why.’

She thought she was better than him.

“Next! Se-eorin!”

Her name was called. Se-eorin stepped forward. She could feel the gazes following her from behind.

“She’s already qualified for the promotion exam?”

“She’s been on missions non-stop. She hasn’t failed any, so it’s about time.”

“Her skills have improved, but not her height. Her peers who joined with her have grown quite a bit…”

Step- Step-

White snow scattered behind her light footsteps. The gently falling snow swirled once around Se-eorin’s body before dispersing.

With each step, her energy changed. She had reached a level where the White Dragon Heart Sutra operated continuously without conscious effort. The cold winter wind was responding to Se-eorin’s mana.

“Huh…”

“Impressive…”

The looks in the members’ eyes changed from viewing her as a cute junior to acknowledging her as a fellow swordsman.

“Your opponent will be—”

“I’ll do it.”

Before Karnok could name an opponent, someone stepped forward. A narrow-eyed man with an empty left sleeve walked out. It was Reynard.

“You…”

Everyone was surprised by Reynard’s action. No one was unaware of what had happened to his arm. They also knew his current skill level.

“He’s missing an arm…”

“His life as a swordsman seems over… he doesn’t seem suitable as an opponent for a promotion exam.”

“But he doesn’t look like he’s here to lose… his spirit isn’t broken.”

Murmurs of doubt spread among the members. Despite this, Reynard’s expression remained unchanged. He walked lightly onto the training grounds.

His narrow eyes curved gently.

“Reynard.”

“Vice-Captain Karnok. It arrived.”

“What do you mean… surely not?”

“Yes. I decided to use my family’s influence. With my arm in this state, I had no choice.”

As Reynard spoke, he lightly shook his remaining right hand. Thin blue threads flowed from his hand.

‘A ring…?’

Se-eorin’s gaze scanned Reynard’s right hand. There were unfamiliar items on it. A half-glove covering part of his hand and five rings fitted around the middle of his fingers. The blue threads were connected to the rings.

She could sense a faint flow of mana. The blue threads were mana in fluid form.

“Then there’s no problem.”

Karnok declared. The current Reynard was suitable as an opponent for Se-eorin’s promotion exam. It was the judgment of the strongest person present. There were no objections.

Se-eorin was still uncertain. Despite Karnok’s declaration, she didn’t think the current Reynard could defeat her.

“Se-eorin.”

“Yes…”

“You should be tense.”

A cold winter wind blew between Se-eorin and Reynard. As the snow accumulated on the training ground floor scattered, Karnok announced the start of the duel.

“Begin!”

She drew her sword the moment it began. Her small feet stamped hard on the training ground floor, generating fierce recoil.

Shing-!

A chilling cold permeated her straightforward, magnificent strike. The snow, responding to Se-eorin’s mana, gathered at the tip of her sword instead of scattering.

At that moment, Reynard stepped forward with a light smile and drew his sword in response.

Clang-!

Sword met sword. Bright sparks flew amidst the white snowfall. She hadn’t put much force into it, expecting the block. Se-eorin immediately prepared her next attack.

With the opponent’s stance broken, he would have difficulty responding. Or so she thought.

Swish-!

As her half-rotated body prepared for the next attack, Se-eorin detected an attack coming from outside her field of vision.

‘This is…’

She quickly glanced at her opponent’s hand. She saw his widely spread torso and his right hand pushed back. He had no arm to attempt an attack, and his sword couldn’t target her.

Then what was it? What was trying to attack her? In that brief moment, Se-eorin had to make a choice.

‘I’ll retreat.’

She immediately stopped her attack and stamped the ground. Her legs, enhanced with mana, hit the training ground floor hard, halting her movement.

At the same time, a short sword passed right in front of Se-eorin’s forehead. A few strands of her front hair were cut and scattered like snow.

“A sword…?”

Reynard’s sword had moved on its own.