Chapter 183

The second day was filled with light activities like observing classes at the Knight Academy and touring the facilities.

The students’ minds were already focused on the exchange competition the next day.

It was even more so because the academy’s pride was at stake.

After discussing with the class, representatives were selected based on their final condition check.

Riviera, Elaine, and I were naturally included, and Allen was also chosen.

It seemed that his clear progress in just half a year was being recognized among his classmates.

All preparations were completed, and the next day dawned.

* * *

The venue for the exchange competition was the central training ground.

As befitting a renowned academy, the size and quality of the training ground were grand and impressive.

However.

It felt more like a military training ground than an academy’s training ground.

It had a dry and desolate feeling rather than a vibrant youthful one.

It looked like the perfect place to mercilessly train someone.

‘I’m really glad it’s not Lepheria.’

While I was appreciating the happiness I hadn’t even realized I had, the instructor from the other side shouted loudly.

“Take your positions and line up!”

“Yes, sir!”

The Schwarzfeltz students responded in unison with loud voices and moved in perfect order.

Snap, snap, snap!

Their movements were precise, not a single hand or foot out of sync.

Flawless rows and columns.

Their formation was a work of art.

If discipline were to be scored, they would easily get 95 points.

“…Are we sure we’re at an academy?”

“It feels like we’re on a field trip to the military…”

“Are they actually soldiers disguised as students?”

The Lepheria students murmured amongst themselves.

They seemed a bit intimidated by the opponent’s discipline.

“Th-They look strong, Team Leader.”

Allen also seemed nervous.

I understood.

There’s no way those guys who showed that level of discipline would be weak.

And in reality, we did suffer a crushing defeat.

However.

“I don’t think organizational strength and individual strength are necessarily related.”

I said in a loud voice, intentionally letting my classmates hear.

It was to relieve their unnecessary tension.

My nonchalant attitude seemed to work, as the expressions of my classmates began to relax.

“That’s right. That’s true.”

“Well… it shouldn’t matter much in individual matches.”

The atmosphere calmed down again.

Professor Karen, our instructor, clapped her hands and said,

“Alright, everyone, gather over there. We can’t do that kind of thing anyway, so let’s just gather casually.”

Professor Karen’s lighthearted words once again eased the tense atmosphere before the exchange competition.

As expected, except for being a bit too much of a free spirit, she’s a good professor.

We lined up opposite our opponents.

Soon, the opposing instructor spoke.

“We’re ready whenever you are.”

“We’re ready too.”

Professor Karen smiled with her eyes.

“Then shall we begin?”

“Yes, of course.”

And so, the curtain finally rose on the exchange competition.

* * *

The Common Class.

The very class where Allen, Riviera, and I had been until last year.

A cesspool class full of students who had lost their motivation.

They were the ones who should have suffered a one-sided defeat originally.

1 vs 9?

No, even that would be generous, it was obvious they would have lost completely.

But today was different.

First of all, their fighting spirit was different.

Even though they lacked ability, they had a look in their eyes that said they would try their best.

A look that said they would give it their all.

‘They must have been stimulated.’

I chuckled.

The three of us from the Common Class, who had jumped straight to the Royal Class.

It’s like three friends who were playing in the mud together suddenly succeeded and left for the glamorous Royal Road.

If you’re human, you can’t help but be stimulated.

That effect was now showing.

“Gi-Give up already, you stubborn bastard!”

His body was a mess, having been stabbed and beaten dozens of times with a wooden spear.

He had rolled on the ground several times too.

But he was getting up again.

“Ugh, I can’t! I have nowhere left to retreat!”

He roared with all his might, despite his battered appearance.

I knew him.

The blonde delinquent.

He was part of Max’s gang, but he became a nobody after I cut ties with him.

But it seemed like even he was stimulated after seeing me, who was in the same mess as him, rising to the top.

Well, there were signs of it.

Originally, he should have been beaten like a dog during the festival after harassing Kamian and Annette at the tavern, but he didn’t even show up.

‘But I guess a Golden spoon boy is still a Golden spoon boy.’

It seemed like he had at least the last bit of tenacity, knowing he couldn’t fall any lower.

Well, that doesn’t mean I’m going to hang out with him again.

In a harem (?) story, Golden spoon boys are the ones you need to stay away from the most.

“Here I come!”

“Ugh, you stubborn bastard! Just faint already!”

It was a battle between the bottom-ranked classes, but the atmosphere was like a fierce battle between two proud geniuses.

And the tenacious fight…

“Gah!”

“Ugh!”

Both of them struck each other’s vital points simultaneously.

As if they had promised beforehand, they both fainted with their eyes rolled back.

Thud!

Thump!

Silence fell over the training ground for a moment at the absurd situation.

“I-It’s a draw.”

The referee, after checking their condition, finally made a judgment.

With this, the score was exactly 4 wins, 5 losses, and 1 draw.

A very narrow defeat for Lepheria.

The atmosphere was starkly divided.

“Da-Damn it… They’re not bad, are they?”

“Tsk, those 3rd Class guys are useless.”

“What the hell are those guys doing, losing to the worst generation?”

The Schwarzfeltz side seemed to have a gloomy atmosphere.

It was because their expectations of an overwhelming victory were shattered.

On the other hand…

“The Common Class won four matches?”

“What, are they not that great after all?”

“No, maybe we’re the ones who are strong.”

The Lepheria side’s morale was boosted.

The fact that the Common Class fought so closely was an unexpected achievement.

But.

‘This is just the beginning.’

If there were any third-years who were particularly fired up, it was the Noble Class.

It’s because they were the class that suffered the humiliation of being passed over for promotion by three people from the Common Class, something unprecedented in Lepheria’s history.

I could roughly imagine how desperately the Noble Class students must have worked.

Today was the day their achievements would be revealed to the world for the first time.

‘Let’s enjoy the show.’

I smiled faintly.

* * *

Wham!

“Ugh!”

“Stop, stop!”

The referee quickly stopped the match.

The Schwarzfeltz 2nd Class president was sprawled on the ground like a frog, his limbs spread out.

On the other hand…

“How’s that! This is the Lepheria Noble Class!”

The spirited female student, unable to contain her excitement from victory, even performed a passionate celebration.

It was Fabiola, the class president of the Noble Class.

As if to vent her frustration from the humiliation she suffered at the hands of the Common Three, she achieved a clear and overwhelming victory.

With this, the score was 7 wins and 3 losses.

This could be considered a complete victory.

On the surface, it might seem like each class had exchanged victories, but no one thought that way.

If the previous victory was a narrow one, this one was a landslide.

The result was clear just by adding up the number of wins and losses.

“Ugh, h-how could this happen…”

“N-No way…”

“The poor generation is this strong… Just what is Lepheria…?”

The Schwarzfeltz side seemed to have fully grasped the seriousness of the situation.

They seemed to have realized how naive their pre-match thoughts had been.

But even so.

Their eyes were burning.

The remaining 1st Class was radiating a burning passion from their faces.

Their expressions were full of venom.

‘This is definitely going to get heated.’

I predicted the flow.

No, everyone must have known.

How fierce and heated the remaining exchange competition would be.

But even so.

Neither the professors from their side nor ours showed any particular words or actions.

‘Both sides are determined to raise them strong.’

I chuckled.

Well, you can’t produce strong individuals by raising them softly.

“Allen.”

“Huh? What is it, Team Leader?”

“Don’t be soft-hearted. You’ll lose if you’re in that state of mind.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, Team Leader.”

Allen responded calmly, for once.

Maybe he was also getting fired up by this atmosphere.

“Then next!”

The referee shouted.

It was finally our turn.

* * *

3 wins, 3 losses.

As expected of the 1st Class, they weren’t easy.

It’s the top class where only those with both talent and effort can rise.

Of course, the same goes for us.

“Sorry… I-I’ll leave the rest to you.”

Brett, who had been the Royal Class president since the first year, was nicknamed ‘President’.

But having leadership doesn’t necessarily mean being strong.

Brett, who fought to the end, unfortunately lost.

Perhaps due to the intensity of the match, the loser’s injuries weren’t light.

But they weren’t serious either.

Not yet.

‘Finally, it’s those guys.’

Raquel, who had picked a fight in the dining hall, and his gang.

They must be the strongest among the Schwarzfeltz students.

That’s why the Schwarzfeltz side had momentum.

An atmosphere of certain victory.

But.

‘They’re so mistaken.’

I smiled.

The four of us remaining on our side were Riviera, Elaine, Allen, and me.

Only the best elite members remained… Ah, except for Allen.

Anyway, even if Allen loses, it would be 6 wins and 4 losses.

Our victory.

‘I hope I get to fight that bastard.’

My gaze turned to Raquel.

The guy who had picked a fight in the dining hall.

He was such an unpleasant guy that I wanted to humiliate him thoroughly.

That’s the only way I’d feel better.

Anyway.

My turn was next, seventh.

With the score tied at 3 wins and 3 losses, it was a very important turn.

It could decide the momentum of the match.

“Next!”

I stepped forward at the referee’s call.

And from the other side…

‘What, this development?’

A smile appeared on my lips.

Because Raquel was walking out.

Well, there’s no rule that the class president has to go last.

In fact, the last, tenth turn, was likely to be meaningless, with the outcome already decided.

It must mean he wants to secure victory in a more important turn.

Good thinking.

That’s why I signed up for the 7th turn too.

My gaze met Raquel’s.

Intensely.

* * *

“Hmph, you. How disappointing.”

Raquel scoffed.

“I’m happy. I can’t rest until I’ve beaten down an arrogant bastard.”

I sneered.

“Pfft, what an absurd bastard.”

“Isn’t that a hundred times better than an arrogant bastard?”

“Wow, look at this guy?”

The trash talk alone was enough to ignite the fire.

Raquel had a contemptuous expression.

I knew that anger was boiling inside him.

“You’re asking for it. I was going to let you off easy if you knew your place.”

Raquel smiled, baring his teeth.

“You’re so funny. As if you ever had any intention of doing that.”

I clicked my tongue.

“Haha, what? You’re saying this even though you know? I like you.”

“Stop blabbering and come at me.”

I beckoned with my finger.

It was a good stage.

A perfect stage for my grand external debut.

I didn’t need a narrow victory.

I would show everyone clearly.

Who Max Celtrine is.

With an overwhelming victory.

“Maybe I should break your mouth first so you can understand your place? No, that’s too merciful.”

Raquel scanned my entire body with a nasty look.

He seemed to be thinking about how to inflict the most damage before the referee intervened.

“Come on, bastard.”

I provoked him once more.

But Raquel shook his head.

“No, no. Naturally, you should come first. That way…”

While he was speaking,

Raquel suddenly dashed forward.

A surprise attack.

It seemed like he had planned to do this from the beginning.

“Hahaha, if you let your guard down on the battlefield, you’ll get beaten like a dog!”

He’s right.

It’s the fault of the one who gets caught off guard by a surprise attack.

That’s why I was keeping my mind sharp.

Whoosh!

The wooden sword cut through the air.

It was fast.

And filled with power.

He definitely had the skills befitting the class president of the 1st Class.

But.

It felt slow to my eyes.

Because I had practiced and practiced against Old man Baker’s swordsmanship.

That technique.

-The Rotating Slash form.

My eyes gleamed sharply.

And at the last possible moment, I rotated once.

“Wh-What?!”

Raquel saw it, but it was too late.

His center of gravity was already committed to the attack, he couldn’t stop it.

Whoosh!

The wooden sword fiercely ripped through the air.

But my body was no longer there.

Whoosh!

The wind blew.

The wind of my rotation.

Carrying that speed and power.

My wooden sword mercilessly struck Raquel’s side.

Wham!

“Uwaaaaaah!”

With a scream of pain, Raquel’s body was lifted and thrown far away.