episode_0017

“Are you going to accept the children’s help? Good. After all preparations are complete, let’s collide with full force. However, it would be good to keep in mind that my satisfaction threshold will also rise accordingly.”

The woman, nodding her head, seemed to be silently watching with her arms crossed as if to say, “Go ahead and give it a try.” At first glance, she seemed defenseless, making one consider launching a surprise attack. However, upon closer inspection, even amidst this, she kept her hand near the sword handle, ready to fight at any moment.

“Rike, can you help me, Duke?”

“Yes!”

“Yeah! Brother!”

The two placed their small palms on my back, and gradually, warmth began to emanate from the center of my waist, filling my entire body with vitality. At this rate, it seemed like they could contain the power they had poured out earlier into precise amounts.

“Kidney! I’ll join in too!”

“I don’t want to overdo it… but given the circumstances, we have no choice. Let’s do what we can.”

“Yes!”

Selina, who had exhausted her strength, seemed somewhat recovered, and behind her, Frillyoungae also appeared to have regained her health after receiving mana from Duke.

“Now, entering Phase 2.”

She raised her hand to the sword handle. The senses had become several to tens of times more sensitive than before, allowing her to feel even the faintest residue left on the handle.

A change in the battlefield’s atmosphere was noticeable. Simultaneously, the mana of the woman, which had not been visible until then, began to appear.

“This monster-like kid…”

Not only the amount of mana, but even the residual mana unintentionally released by anyone with mana was being collected and wrapped around the entire body in a uniform thickness.

“So this is what they mean by ‘you see what you know’…”

Suddenly, it was a night when the words of someone teaching online math classes came to mind.

Drip. Drop, drop!

“Hmm.”

Raindrops began to fall slowly from the sky. The heightened senses even transmitted the shape of the water droplets falling from the air as a single image to the mind. As a large raindrop fell on her palm, she drew her sword and slashed horizontally.

Thud!!

“The power is higher than expected. Is she exceptionally adept at accepting buffs physiologically? But at this level, I cannot give a passing grade.”

The strike delivered with this sword, holding high levels of mana, was unexpectedly powerful, slicing through even the tree behind the woman. However, she easily blocked it. No, it was slightly different this time; the mana infused into the sword seemed thicker.

“Not yet! It’s not over!!”

“Fine, if this is the end, even I would be disappointed!”

The swords clashed. Countless rapid strikes accumulated to create a shape resembling a flower. Even the rain falling from the sky could only disperse into thousands of droplets, unable to stop this clash.

“Kidney! Duck!”

“You! Dodge!”

Upon hearing the sound of rapidly approaching fireballs and water dragons from behind, they immediately ducked. However, the woman effortlessly split the fireball like a child’s toy, then shouted with a slightly annoyed expression.

“Hah! Are you trying to play childish pranks here? This is why bookworms like you are filled with rat droppings in your heads!”

“What did you say!? Have you finished speaking?”

“That statement just now could hurt someone, you know?”

Before the argument escalated into a battle between sword and magic, she quickly intervened and continued the fight. Despite her anger, the sword did not waver; instead, its power seemed to increase. However, with her heightened senses, she noticed a slight unease in the mana of the sword, which had previously felt evenly distributed.

One strike, deflected. Another strike with the same force at the same spot. Blocked as if it were meaningless. Again, and again, relentlessly targeting the same spot with the same force, the woman looked puzzled, as if something was amiss, while staring back.

“The attack seems more monotonous than before. Have you already given up? You won’t pass the test like this, will you?”

“No way!”

As if piercing through the defenses of a woman who had been enduring the same attacks with the same strength, she pushed the sword away with the weakest force possible, seemingly expecting the power she extended to overpower her, causing her to stagger a step forward in defeat.

“Celina, Frill Youngae! Now!”

“You said it was just a joke!!”

“Cancel it…! Ugh… that word just now!”

“I can’t believe you used that move just to show off. Maybe I overestimated you.”

Similarly to before, fireballs and water dragons flew towards the unbalanced woman, but she effortlessly blocked them with an annoyed expression. The blocked fireballs and water dragons met again, creating a steamy mist before disappearing.

And I seized the moment. Utilizing my senses ahead of the woman, I took advantage of the obscured view.

“One point red.”

Clang!!!

“!!”

“Is this really a monster..”

I aimed to exploit the mana’s vulnerable spot, but even though my vision was obstructed, due to the woman instinctively pushing the sword away, I could not break it completely, leaving a significant scar and dent on the sword.

Glaring at the sword in her hand, the woman broke it and retrieved the largest and most precious of the three swords hanging from her waist.

“Hmm.”

“Is this enough to pass? Please say yes.”

Continuously staring at me, the woman smiled slightly and turned towards me.

“The more I look, the more charming you seem.”

“Eek, are you targeting someone ten years younger than yourself? This person is insane!”

“That’s right! After reaching that age, aren’t you ashamed?”

Celina and Frill Youngae, who had been silent, stepped forward to intervene. Frill Youngae seemed particularly averse to touching children, while Celina appeared reluctant to have her friend taken away. And upon hearing this, the woman said,

“I didn’t mean it that way, but these kids are getting too cocky. If after entering the academy you reconsider your path back to the sword, I might forgive you. But now you’ve crossed the line.”

“Hey, calm down!”

“Hey, boy. Did you say your name is Kidney? I am Flanka Rose, the interim swordsmanship professor at the academy. You have passed. I can pass only you right now. Personally, I hope you don’t make another reckless decision.”

“If I choose to pass now, what about the others?”

“Well, they might be listed as failing due to inadequate skills in handling natural disasters.”

Thud. Thud thud!

I regulate my rough breathing, disrupted by wielding the sword. Raindrops seem to urge me to make a quick decision as they patter against my cheeks. I cautiously glance at the two watching me and then back at Professor Rose, regaining my composure.

“I’m not the type to abandon friends in the face of natural disasters.”

I grip the sword handle one by one. My clenched fingers and the familiar sword handle have become a means of expressing my decision.

“You’re foolish. Make sure to write in your reasons for failing to distinguish between work and personal matters.”

“Well, we’ll see. I still don’t know if the reason for failure will come up.”

Lifting the sword that descended towards my chest, I exhale and bend vertically. In a world where everything slows down, only I and the sword accelerate downwards. The two behind me were also preparing to cast spells through the accumulated energy from previous battles.

Clang!!

“That sword..”

“Now that you’ve made that choice, things will be different from now on. Give it your all, no matter what move you use. If you withstand it, I’ll acknowledge you once again.”

Previously seeming like a joke, the power contained in the woman’s sword far surpassed my full strength. If I hadn’t attacked first, it might have ended in a single blow.

A strange atmosphere hung between the two. Who will make the first move? Who will strike back?

“Swoosh—”

As the rain intensified, I took another step forward. Right after that, the woman also took a step forward.

One step, then another. Slowly, the distance between us was narrowing. And as we were about to clash within striking distance, we collided as if acknowledging an agreement.

With a relatively short sword in hand, I thrust inward towards the woman.

Thunk!!

Effortlessly blocking my sword, she pushed it aside with her foot and thrust her own sword.

Ping!

I too exerted all my strength, continuously clashing. Straining with all my might, I barely managed to keep up the fight.

“Die!”

“!”

Without realizing it, we had reached Erin and David, who were lying on the ground. Erin, who had fallen, suddenly grabbed the woman from behind, attempting to strike her with a greatsword.

Thud!!

The woman calmly blocked the sword, but seizing the opportunity, I once again swung horizontally from behind. Anticipating this, she swiftly redirected the attack with her leg, using a technique called “Mangosuro.”

“It’s a joint attack. If you target both of us at once, that’s enough.”

Pushing us back, the woman sheathed her sword and adjusted her stance.

“Flanca Style. Second Form.”

“Azirangi!”

“Tsk! I’ve seen that already!!!”

Similarly, David, who was still on the ground, used his relatively unharmed left arm not just to block but to counter the attack.

“Erin, Kidney! Now!”

“Okay!”

Absorbing the attack, David rushed forward, assuming a stance and continuing the assault. Although he wanted to deliver a powerful blow like before, unfortunately, the effects of the buff were gradually diminishing. However,

“This is not child’s play!”

“If you tried to divide us, consider it a failure!”

Their magic flew once again, making it harder than ever to fend off me and Erin’s sword strikes.

“Brother! Sister!”

“Sister! Brother!!”

Even the children seemed to have sensed the arrival of the climax of the test and appeared, granting buffs to everyone, though not as effective as before.

Everyone’s full-powered attacks flew towards the woman from all directions. And she…

“Hmph, quite impressive. Prospects! No, Academy students!”

With a smile that seemed to say she was enjoying herself, she expelled mana that enveloped her body, blowing everyone away.

“You youngsters. You pass.”

Due to the sudden high concentration of mana, one by one fell, and even I, who had the overlapping buffs, slowly closed my eyes.

“Kid, see you at the Academy. Come find me. No, I’ll come find you.”