episode_0016

“Are we still far away?”

“Sure, it’s a familiar path! We’ll be out soon if we keep going a little further!”

“The smell of blood. I feel like I know this place. I’ll go ahead, follow me.”

With those words, Erin firmly gripped her sword and ran ahead.

“Let’s hurry too! David and Yeong-ae must be holding on for us…”

“David is strong, so he’ll be fine for sure… Yeah..!”

Despite their usual banter, Erin seemed genuinely worried, which made me worry even more. David was particularly robust among his peers, but he wasn’t someone who would easily fall… This might be a much bigger crisis than I thought.

“…Ha!”

“Die…”

“There it is!”

“Yeah, just a moment.”

Exhausted from running back and forth, Selina, who already had poor stamina, decided to carry on despite her exhaustion.

“Wait! I can do this alone!”

“This is much more efficient!”

“No, I didn’t want to be carried like this in the first place…”

“I’m sorry.”

Setting aside complaints, they prioritized reaching their destination, where an overwhelming sight awaited them.

“Ugh…”

“It’s no use.”

David, who had been fighting first, was completely battered, especially his right arm, which was almost bare to the bone.

Clang!!

“No, even I…”

Even Erin, who excelled in speed and ambushes, couldn’t respond perfectly, falling behind in combat skills when engaging with her sword. They had to act before it was too late, but even by acting, there was no guarantee they could endure.

“Don’t just stand there staring, come in.”

“Why did you attack first without provocation from the boss mob?”

If only complaints could solve everything, but the train was already coming towards me.

“Come in! Why attack first?”

“Do enemies tell you when they’re about to attack?”

Thwack!!

She barely deflected the sword coming down from the left diagonal.

“Just because you parried once doesn’t mean the sword…”

Though she had diligently maintained her sword, even a single successful parry caused some damage. It was unreasonable to have to constantly manage the sword’s durability while fighting, as if playing a hardcore mode in a soul game.

“This is so unfair, I might die!! All my tag match partners are down!”

“Enough noise. While your swordsmanship seems basic, is that all you have?”

Suddenly stopping her relentless attacks, the woman stared at me as if assessing me.

“You! Wait!”

A warm and cold energy enveloped me from behind, slightly enhancing my speed and strength.

“Healing isn’t my forte. I can only do this much, but if you hold on a bit longer, I’ll bring the kids!”

“Oh, right.”

I couldn’t grab the child in my rush, but with the legal boost arriving, things would undoubtedly be much easier than they were now.

“Is this break time enough? It’s time to start again.”

“Teacher, you finished the lesson late, please give me a little more time!”

Adjusting her stance, she tightened her grip on the sword handle and adjusted her footing. Here it comes…

Flanca Style, Second Form.

Azirangi.

Crash!!

The jaw cracked.

“Damn, was this bald guy serious..”

“Ho… You matched it..”

The sword that had barely held up against the end was now shattered beyond repair.

“You’re not supposed to fight someone without a weapon, are you..?”

“Lift your sword. I’ll cut you even without one. If you lift it, it will only be worse.”

Her tone had suddenly changed as she threw one of her swords hanging from her waist towards me.

“Here. Get up again. You don’t seem injured.”

“No. I want to leave. Our kids too. Can’t we give up on this?”

“Hmph. It’s already too late. Defense has been confirmed, now it’s time to see your offense. I’ll concede the initiative. Try attacking.”

Seizing this opportunity, I glanced at the side to take care of the kids.

“I’ll take advantage of this opportunity to escape. I don’t recommend having such thoughts.”

“You catch on quickly…”

“But… What’s your name? At least your level seems far beyond a novice… Even the face value…”

“Face value… Your courage is virtual…”

“Well, you’re courteous… But you don’t look 16. That’s what I mean…”

Literally, the woman in front of me seemed young with long black hair and crimson eyes close to the color of pumpkins, but there was no sense of being a novice in her facial expressions, attire, etc.

“Indeed, it’s unrealistic to think you’re a novice based on age. If you earn my recognition, I’ll tell you my name.”

“Recognition granted, and that star is somewhat necessary for us…”

“Alright. I’ll give you the star as a bonus. Impress me.”

In fact, I’m more interested in the star than the name, but regardless, the current situation demanded a fight.

“Whoosh!”

Taking a deep breath, the world began to slow down again. Upon closer inspection, the mana flowing through the woman’s sword was even more refined and stable than any knight I had seen before, even surpassing those of noble lineage.

Seeing that, targeting her weaknesses as before seemed futile, and the best course of action now was to go all-in on a point where she had toppled Calceus.

Infusing mana into the sword, unlike before, the feeling of mana cleanly and decisively enveloping the sword was different. Although it was just handed over casually, it was incomparable to any sword I had seen so far, even surpassing the sharpness of a blade.

Regardless, it was actually a good thing. Infusing mana at the tip of the sword, continuing to compress it, recalling memories from the past. The mana gathered more neatly than before, compressed to the size of an almond.

I shoot this almond-like mana towards the elderly-looking woman. Straightforwardly, but not simply. With a firm and steady sword.

One-point strike.

The woman’s forehead drew closer. Everything the sword contained was about to collide.

Clang!!

“It took quite some time, but the power is considerable. However, it’s still insufficient. I should have compressed it a bit more.”

“Hah, really… There’s no way.”

Effortlessly, as if shooing away a fly. She deflected my sword.

“How can I win against this…”

“Hmph, I didn’t even expect you to win. This might be disappointing for you, but you still haven’t passed. Use whatever means to surprise me.”

After being impressed and then surprised, am I hoping to become an academy director? I came here to become an academy novice…

“But are other groups finding it as difficult to pass as we are?”

“Of course not. You guys chose the difficult path.”

“What?”

“What?”

It turns out the star David was chasing symbolized danger. Sigh… I was thankful until a moment ago, but now those thoughts have completely washed away.

“David, damn it…”

“Now that the mana seems adequately replenished, let’s go again.”

“Really, there’s no hope… How do I…”

Swish, swish!

Continuing to deflect or bounce off the attacking sword, focusing entirely, I felt it becoming easier to evade compared to before.

“Is this… getting familiar?”

“It is, but by constantly blocking fast swords, you naturally progress towards more efficient swordsmanship.”

Fighting with the woman was proving to be more helpful than training alone or sparring with peers, as my swordsmanship was improving significantly.

“You seem to be progressing rapidly. Let’s increase the speed. But you’re still far from surprising me!”

“Seriously, isn’t the threshold for impressing you too high…”

However, even now, much more grown than before, in pursuit of the black deer, it is urgent, but most are missed. If it were a sword like before, it would have broken in just ten strikes. We must find another way somehow.

“You! Oh, oh… The kids are here!!”

“Here comes my treasure!”

“Now, this side is also the second phase.”