episode_0108

It’s a mistake.

Showing Eve the original Muyeong Sword back then was a mistake.

Her white mana, though slightly turbid, was of a high level of completion, beyond simply observing and imitating my Aether.

She probably tried mixing the four attributes of mana haphazardly.

Combining them in a specific ratio and sublimating them into one is no easy feat… As expected, even a questionable genius is still a genius.

Thump-

A sudden thought struck me, and I hastily stopped approaching Eve, hiding behind a pillar.

‘Is it really okay for me to approach her now…?’

She hungers for powerful strength, just as much as I did when I first started my revenge.

If I show my face here, that ‘pseudo-Aether’ will surely become a topic of conversation.

Then I’ll definitely have to reveal its source, origin, and usage method.

Honestly, I feel like I could tell Eve everything without any problems.

But not yet.

Especially at this point, right before the big stage of the final exams, I didn’t want to create any variables.

Once again hiding my presence, I was slowly trying to leave, when…

“…Why did you stop?”

A chilling voice brushed against my ear.

Carefully turning my head, I saw Eve pointing the blade of her magic sword at me.

“If you noticed me, you should’ve at least pretended to acknowledge it.”

In this case, taking a brazen attitude is advantageous.

The fact that we were both aware of each other’s presence but didn’t outwardly reveal it is proof that we intended to hide it.

“That’s why I spoke to you.”

Ah.

That’s right.

You spoke to me first?

This is my complete defeat.

Shrugging as if there’s nothing I can do, I walked into the center of the training ground where Eve was standing.

“Was it because of this?”

“…You know it well.”

She now openly created a sword by emitting pure white mana in front of me.

It’s probably my feeling, but the flow of mana felt clearer and more transparent than before.

“…Don’t worry. I don’t intend to pry into anything.”

“Really…?”

“Yes. It’s the unspoken rule and manner among adventurers not to ask about detailed abilities.”

…That’s true.

From the Akastos days, user-to-user spec sharing should only be voluntary; forcing it can even lead to game usage restrictions.

Of course, reading it with detection magic was within the permissible range.

That’s why there were also those inconsiderate trash who didn’t cultivate their own strength but only studied detection magic, spreading the specs of high-ranking users.

The strong recognize the strong, but those even stronger know how to hide their strength.

Information advantage increases the odds of winning any battle.

What I lack is… the ability to hide that strength?

“Thank you anyway.”

“…It’s nothing. It’s only natural.”

Eve roughly wiped the sweat from her forehead with her rolled-up sleeve.

The frayed and worn sleeves of her shirt clearly showed how much training she had been doing alone.

And… her slightly lonely, drooping gaze.

Eve Istar, as felt through her expression, habits, and movements, those small details…

kept bringing back memories of my childhood.

…It can’t be helped.

“I hope you don’t get too caught up in trying to imitate me. This is… something close to an innate ability.”

“…”

It was a face filled with anger, which is of course natural.

If someone makes a remark that seems to judge one’s limits, I too would be infuriated and challenge them to a duel.

However, I didn’t have that intention, I only looked at her with sincerity.

“…Understood.”

“The path of magic is one that only you can forge. I’m looking forward to this final exam.”

I extended my hand to her, her expression softening.

Since I couldn’t perfectly control Aether yet, I only placed a little bit in my palm.

Eve hesitated for a moment, then boldly grasped my hand.

Crackle- Fizz- Whoosh—!

We exchanged a short, intense greeting.

“And… lighten up a bit. I’m not trying to ostracize you. Are you lonely?”

“I didn’t say anything like that—”

It doesn’t matter what you say.

It shows all over your face.

Pop-

To cut off her excuse, I let go of her hand and turned away.

And I peeked back, giving her a smile.

“I’ll tell you everything after the finals.”

…

…

…

After that… ordinary academy life continued.

The only change was perhaps the significant increase in practical classes.

As the final exams approached, our class cadets were losing their minds trying to adapt to the changed curriculum.

For example.

“Wow- Woah- Jane, look- My arm is floating up into the sky—”

Someone lost feeling in their arm from overdoing strength training they’d never done before and went crazy.

“Number 16… the flow of mana… gulp- the equation… the answer is A… Number 16… mana… the correct control method… the answer is A… Number 16… the flow of mana…”

Someone fell into an endless loop between dreams and reality, solving only one problem in two hours due to exhaustion.

“Hey, that fried chicken business seems to be doing well these days.” “Then I’ll run the store, and you handle the distribution—”

There were also kids who gave up early and decided to open a chicken shop.

It was utter chaos. Having watched these suffering beings for over two weeks…

It was I who achieved enlightenment.

A problem that gradually became apparent with the passage of time.

And that is…

These recruits lack spirit.

“Everyone, attention.”

Clunk- Clunk-

“Uuuuurgh- What’s today’s lunch menu—?” “Beep- Lamb chops- Lamb chops.” “One sheep… two sheep… and rub until the Arctic disappears—” “Ugh—”

The easiest way to bring these mentally unstable people back to their senses is…

shock therapy.

“SHOUT—!!!!”

I roared, almost shattering all the windows. Filled with Aether useful for exorcising demons.

My thundering voice grabbed the souls leaking from their bodies by the scruff of the neck and beat them.

“Souls, return to your places.”

After slapping each and every one of them across the face…

They all regained their energy. As expected, beating someone is the best medicine when something’s broken.

“Ugh…!!” “I just had a nightmare… a dream where I became a lamb chops…” “Ugh!!” “Ugh—” “Kyaaaak- Heretic brat—”

Thwack- Bam-

Those who were still half-asleep were apparently hitting each other with fists.

Once the light returned to everyone’s eyes…

I slowly opened my mouth.

“You are all caught in delusion. Do you know why?” “I-I don’t know…”

Unknowingly, my grip on the lectern tightened. Veins bulged on my hand, and the wooden lectern slightly dented, creating unexpected fear.

“It’s because you lack spirit.” “Spi… rit…?”

My long speech began.

Spirit is willpower.

As the saying goes, a healthy mind in a healthy body. But I think a little differently.

Even creating a healthy body requires willpower. That was true when I, after a two-year hiatus, picked up my sword again.

Everything starts the moment you make up your mind, the moment you decide to make up your mind to start. In other words, a healthy body is created under a healthy mind.

Of course, if you talk about hormones and stuff… I would just say, ‘I’m an arts student,’ then say ‘Brat… spirit!!’, so. I don’t particularly want to say which comes first, body or mind.

Which came first, the egg or the chicken? I just want to say that the mind is slightly more important than ‘first.’

“In short, what you must train from now on is not your bodies but your minds.” “Mental… training…!!” “Kueek, mental reconstruction personally given by Lord Narias! I’m so excited—!” “Brain-wash-Gooood—”

The meaning was becoming distorted with each word, but since I’ve started, there’s no time to be joking around.

I clapped twice.

Clap- Clap-

“Everyone, assemble in the training ground.”

…

…

…

“It’s mind training, so why the training ground…?” “Ah, I get it! This is undoubtedly group meditation training—”

Whoosh-

I rolled up my sleeves.

“No, you’re wrong. I’ll imbue you with healthy minds, starting now.” “Huh…?”

I stretched by raising and lowering my shoulders, appropriate warm-ups and stretches because the intensive beating will be starting soon. I, too, need preparation.

“Did you think mental training is just sitting still? That would be a grave misunderstanding.”

As soon as they saw me preparing, the cadets’ faces turned to terror.

“No way…!!” “Yes, no way indeed.”

The method of strengthening the mind is simply to forge it.

It means to chop, slice, and thoroughly pound meat.

“Everyone prepare for combat.” “Kyaaaaaak—!!” “Save me, Mom—!!” “I don’t want to die—!!”

The legendary 17 vs. 1 is not a legend. Why.

Because I’m going to make it happen, right now.