Chapter 38
After the death match ended, we quickly went our separate ways.
Arin had passed out after using up all her strength throwing her shield, and Ian had gone off to rest, too.
Then, the next morning. As usual, I ran into Ian on my way to school.
“Are you okay?”
“I'm feeling a bit better. That hurt.”
“You should've been more careful.”
That's what I said, though I never would've expected her to send the shield flying like that.
“Arin was stronger than I expected. Both her actual fighting ability and her ability to adapt on the fly.”
“I never would've thought she'd throw her shield.”
“Speaking of which, where's Arin?”
“Who knows? I saw them carrying her to the infirmary, but…”
“Ta-da! I'm here!”
Speak of the devil.
“Welcome back, Arin. Are you feeling okay?”
“Of course! Is Ian's head okay?”
“No, I'm still dizzy. Where'd you get the idea to throw your shield?”
“Hehe! So, how did you like the taste of my Flying Shield No. 1?”
“Flying Shield…”
For some reason, it kind of suits her, which is annoying.
“Ian. You took care of yourself, though, right? I won't go easy on you just because you're hurt.”
“I wouldn't expect you to. I won't lose easily, so be ready.”
“I look forward to it.”
That's what I was looking forward to most since entering the academy.
At last! The time had come to repay him for the humiliation of the entrance exam!
“Come to think of it, this is our first time going up against each other since the entrance exam, isn't it?”
“Yeah. This'll be our first proper fight.”
I'd been avoiding fighting him as much as possible on purpose.
A revenge match like this should be as flashy as possible. It wouldn't be any fun if we exposed each other's skills through regular sparring, right?
“So, I'm counting on you, Ian.”
“Of course. No holding back, okay?”
“Of course.”
…
“At last, it's the final day of midterms! And today, we have the ranking challenge! Who will steal a rank, and who will have theirs stolen?”
“That guy's a pretty good announcer.”
“Yeah.”
I wonder if his throat gets sore after talking like that. I guess he can shout like that because he's used to it.
“Now, any contestants who want to steal a rank, come on up and choose your opponent! Lose, and you'll be demoted without mercy!”
As soon as I heard that, I ran up to the arena.
“Up comes Cadet El of Class A before I've even finished speaking! After demonstrating overwhelming skill in the first two events, expectations are high for her once again!”
The day had finally come.
I was excited.
I was so excited I could hardly stand it.
“I am El, ranked 30th overall! I challenge Ian, the top student, to a duel!”
“And there you have it! The moment I mentioned it, Cadet El chose Cadet Ian! Cadet Ian, please come to the dueling arena…”
“I'm already here.”
Before the announcer had even finished, Ian had already stepped into the arena.
He must've been ready the moment he saw me going up.
“Ooh! Cadet Ian! He looks absolutely certain he'd be called!”
I could feel a powerful aura from Ian standing before me.
He looked several times stronger than he had during the entrance exam.
The Manarian Hot Springs may have helped, but what is with that rate of growth?
That's not the kind of strength you can gain in just a few months.
I hadn't even gotten stronger that quickly.
“I've been waiting a long time, El. Are you ready?”
“Of course.”
I wouldn't bring out my Aura Blade. I had no intention of openly revealing my identity yet. But…
“Aah! A pure white aura, white as snow, is blooming from Cadet El's sword! She's fully established a color of her own!”
Aside from that, I'd fight at full strength.
Not many people knew the color of my aura, so there was little chance they'd figure out who I was.
“As expected. You're strong, El.”
“Aah! Cadet Ian has also drawn forth a brilliant golden aura! This is truly a clash between the academy's strongest!”
The inexperience he'd shown when we first met had long since disappeared. Through all kinds of real combat experience and lucky encounters, Ian had grown incredibly strong.
So show me, Ian. Everything you've got!
“Then, the match~ begins!”
“Haaah!”
As soon as the match began, Ian charged at me.
His speed and power had both become as strong as could be.
And the density of his aura was extraordinary.
…No, at that level, it's basically a weaker version of an Aura Blade?!
“Tch!”
Even though I dodged in a hurry, Ian's sword followed me all the way.
“First Form!”
I swung my sword to meet it, but instead of pushing him back, I was gradually being forced back.
Why is he so strong?!
He probably had the advantage in pure strength.
And the density of his aura surpassed mine.
That's… a fragment of the Spirit Throne.
The Spirit Throne, which one attained upon reaching the Master realm—that power, almost like a divine authority—was slowly awakening within Ian.
Since when?
“After we went to the hot springs, I had an epiphany. What do you think?”
“Haha…”
What do I think? That's freaking amazing.
-Clang!
“Seventh Form.”
After hurriedly putting some distance between us, I sent a V-shaped sword wave at Ian.
-Kclang!
“This much is…!”
“I figured you'd block it.”
“…! When did you…!”
While Ian was blocking the Seventh Form, I closed in behind him in an instant.
“Eighth Form.”
-Kagagagagang!
“Phew… That was close.”
“You blocked that…”
I had tried to draw a snowflake crystal on Ian's back, but he'd blocked it quickly.
His reaction speed was even faster than I'd expected.
“It's my turn now!”
“Tch!”
As I hurriedly blocked the sword aimed straight at my neck, I saw mana gathering in Ian's hand.
That's…!
“Light!”
-Bang!
Ian's signature move, Light.
There aren't many people who can handle basic magic this well.
But I'd already seen this spell countless times.
I'd prepared a countermeasure.
“Hah!”
“Tch. I knew it wouldn't work.”
I wrapped mana around my eyes and ears to block the flash and the blast.
I attacked without stopping.
-Clang clang clang clang clang clang!
“Tch! That's not fair! You should at least give me a chance to attack!”
“Hmph! Would you do that if you were me?”
He had the advantage in pure strength.
But I didn't feel like I was going to lose.
Even if Ian was stronger than me, it was only by a small margin, and our skill levels were far too different.
The fact that he couldn't properly react to my flurry of attacks was proof of that.
Just then, I felt an enormous amount of mana gather in Ian's sword.
He's going all out. This must be his ultimate attack.
But his opening was far too obvious to me.
He was strong, but that was all.
“Haaaah!”
“Hup!”
-Kaaaang!
With a deafening crash, Ian's sword was stopped by mine.
My arm was trembling a little, but what mattered was that I'd blocked it.
“Phew… You're pretty good.”
“Haha…”
I was genuinely amazed. I couldn't believe he'd gotten this strong already.
Give him about five years, and he'd become a Swordmaster.
Ah. For the record, there are plenty of swordsmen on the verge of becoming Swordmasters. Actually, they're everywhere.
But there's a reason there are so few Swordmasters: they can't overcome the final wall.
Unless something extraordinary happens, that wall is incredibly hard to break through.
Me? …I got beaten up by Plien until I did.
Anyway.
I kicked Ian in the chest while he was out of strength, sending him flying.
“Keurgh!”
Ian went flying far away.
Judging by how he couldn't defend himself properly, he'd probably run out of strength.
“Was that your full power just now? Impressive.”
I wasn't teasing him. I meant it.
It was so impressive I wanted to ask how he'd gotten strong so quickly.
If Ian had been in the original story, I would've recruited him by any means necessary.
“Not… yet!”
But after hearing what I said, Ian trembled and managed to get back up.
Of course, he might've taken that the wrong way. Still, he shouldn't push himself that har…
-Vwoooom!
…What was that?
Mana was gathering in Ian's sword.
But Ian's mana should've been completely depleted.
“…No way?”
Was he gathering the mana spread throughout nature raw?
“Keurgh!”
As if to confirm my guess, Ian began coughing up blood.
You idiot! What if you die doing that?!
Just as I was about to rush over and stop him—
Something strange happened.
“…Huh?”
The mana of nature began to follow Ian.
It didn't resist his power, instead gathering in one place and beginning to form a sword.
No way. That couldn't be.
Really?
“He's awakening?! At this timing?”
No, what the…
While I stood there in shock, Ian wiped the blood from his lips and said,
“One more time, El. It'll be different from before.”
With a brilliant golden Aura Blade wrapped around his sword.
…
Ever since I was little, I'd been the subject of great expectations as the Hero's son.
I'd shown considerable talent, too, and lived up to those expectations.
But no one ever approached me.
Well, plenty of people did, but none of them were genuine.
They were all just trying to use me.
But I couldn't just reject them, so I got along with them, at least on the surface.
Always smiling and cheerful.
But even so, I never had anyone I could truly call a friend.
I was a little lonely.
Then, one day, my father asked if I wanted to attend the academy.
-The academy?
-That's right. You'll have a lot to learn there.
I didn't understand what he meant at the time.
My father had taught me swordsmanship, and I could learn most of what I needed from tutors.
But on the day I went to the capital to take the academy entrance exam, I understood what my father meant.
-That was still so cool.
-Right? It was really cool!
That day, I absentmindedly replied to a girl who was watching a play.
The moment I saw the girl with the strangely vivid blue hair, my heart began to pound.
What was this pounding in my chest? Why couldn't I take my eyes off that girl?
The day I toured the capital with her was one of the most fun days of my life.
That's when I understood.
What my father had wanted me to learn was how to make friends.
He wanted me to make a true friend.
Even though she knew I was the Hero's son, she didn't care.
If anything, she just seemed to take it as, “Oh, I see~”
I still remember how delighted she was when I handed her that huge teddy bear.
She was so cute… No, that's not the point.
When I later said I was going to the academy, I was truly relieved.
I'd be able to keep seeing her at the academy.
I never imagined we'd meet at the entrance exam, let alone that El would be so strong.
Honestly, wasn't it a miracle that I won back then?
Later, when I realized El hadn't been serious at all, I blamed myself for going all-out against someone who'd held back, and then El gave me a thorough scolding.
Looking back, that's a dark chapter in my life. What was I even thinking…
And then there was the declaration of war El made to me that day.
Since hearing that declaration, time has passed—long if you call it long, short if you call it short—and now I'm facing you like this.
-Clang!
I barely managed to knock aside El's relentless sword strikes, one after another.
Whenever I finally found an opening to counterattack, she would dodge.
Why is she so strong?!
I knew El was strong.
But I never imagined she was this strong.
I'd thought I'd gotten pretty strong, but apparently I still had a long way to go.
Still, I couldn't give up.
I gathered as much mana into my sword as I could.
I was at a huge disadvantage in both speed and technique. My only option was to overwhelm her with strength.
‘More, more, even more. This isn't enough.’
My mana had increased tremendously since visiting the Manarian Hot Springs.
The method I'd chosen to use it efficiently was…
Gather as much mana as possible, and cram it into the smallest area possible.
Maximize its cutting power!
“Haaaah!”
“Hup!”
-Kaaaang!
My ultimate attack, powered by all my strength.
It was the most powerful strike I'd ever delivered in my life, but…
“Phew… You're pretty good.”
“Haha…”
El blocked it without a single scratch.
It hadn't been ineffective. Judging by her trembling arm, she'd had to push herself quite a bit.
But that was all.
My strength couldn't break through El's technique.
-Thud!
“Keurgh!”
To make matters worse, I'd used up almost all my mana, so I couldn't even defend against El's attack.
My body went flying an absurd distance.
After rolling across the ground several times, I finally managed to stop at the edge of the dueling arena.
“Was that your full power just now? Impressive.”
Just as El said, that had been my full strength.
I didn't have the strength to do anything else.
But… if I just give up like this, I wouldn't be a man!
“Not… yet!”
I gathered mana.
My specialty, Focus. I had to take it to the absolute limit!
“…No way?”
I ignored El's mutter and gathered mana.
My internal mana had run out a long time ago.
Then I'd forcibly draw in the mana of nature.
“Keurgh…!“
Maybe it was because I was forcibly taking in the mana of nature without filtering it, but I could feel my body turning to mush.
It didn't matter. As long as I could win right now.
-Vwoooom!
The sword rang out in a long, resonant tone.
A sword infused with a terrifying amount of mana.
But this still wasn't enough.
It hadn't worked before. Gathering mana normally wasn't going to do any good.
In that case, I'd do it differently.
Reforge the sword.
Gather mana, and gather it, and gather it again. Focus it to the absolute limit.
Reforge the sword within me.
A sword that could cut through anything. A sword that could defeat anything!
“He's awakening?! At this timing?”
-KWA-BOOOOM!!
Along with El's shocked voice, the sword was born.
A vivid Aura Blade made of brilliant golden light.
So much had changed.
My senses, the density of my muscles—everything.
This was… the realm of a Swordmaster.
Haha… I can't believe it came to this.
I didn't really understand what was happening, but one thing was certain.
“One more time, El. It'll be different from before.”
I now had the power to defeat you.