Chapter 142
Chapter 142
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: EP.35 – The Instructor's Flex (3)
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The knight picked up a wooden sword and a one-handed shield.
"-Let me say this upfront: I've never received proper swordsmanship training or teachings. In other words, I have no foundation."
No aura emanated from him as he limply loosened his body.
The worn wooden sword and wooden shield looked so shabby, but it felt like he was deliberately suppressing his presence to make it possible.
"So, I have no school or style. Just means I've honed in real combat. Therefore..."
Whoooosh!!
"The only swordsmanship I can teach you is 'something like this.'"
The limp wooden sword shot toward the straw dummy like a hornet's venomous stinger in an instant.
It was a split-second motion, a thrust too fast to follow with the eye.
Kwuduk!
The wooden sword pierced the straw dummy's eye precisely.
A perfectly clean strike.
A brutal, bold, and impeccably accurate technique.
"That's about the best I can teach you. How to strike an enemy's weakness. How to lure out their carelessness and survive, even if it means playing dirty. Honestly, it's not knightly at all."
He downplayed the skills he had mastered.
But he didn't seem disappointed or ashamed of what he did.
"When I learned this stuff, I wasn't a knight yet. To survive, I had to master something like this. No choice."
Paat!
This time, it was a shield bash.
The way he handled the shield so freely was impressive, and he demonstrated versatile ways to use the wooden sword in tandem.
Like using the hilt or smashing the skull with the flat of the blade...
Utterly ruthless techniques.
"Hoo."
...At some point, the straw dummy had become a tattered rag.
It was utterly wrecked. If that had been a person instead of a dummy, it would've been a gruesome sight.
Chills ran down their spines.
"Of course, I'm not telling you cadets to learn these dirty tricks. I'm just showing you that there are guys who fight like this. Training you to handle even these卑鄙 methods."
"...Handle?"
"What I showed is ultimately a cheat. It preys on carelessness and works well on the weak. But plenty of people can't even counter it. Even those who've learned Fighting Techniques don't survive a knife to the gut. So, it's good to train against these cheats in advance. That's the idea."
Drip.
"From now on, you'll be the straw dummies. Just block the cheats I throw at you. This will be your essential task for the second semester. The exam will be based on this too."
"......"
"I know, too easy, right? Don't worry. There are other special trainings planned to make up for it. No need to be disappointed. Your instructor has endless plans for your growth already mapped out, haha!"
"...Might as well lock us in with beasts, what is this-."
"Huh? How'd you know? That's in the plans too."
"......"
"As expected of young brains. Predicting your instructor's exams already. Excellent!"
"......"
......The cadets weren't thrilled by his praise at all.
Even if they had predicted it.
'Whoa, is he trying to kill us all?'
The cadets glanced at the pitifully shredded straw dummy again, gaining a near-prophetic certainty that it would soon be their fate.
Truly...
"I-it's too fast-paced, sir?"
They wanted to live.
That said, they weren't unaware of the risks in this training.
No matter how much he restrained his power, one wrong hit could mean death or at least a vegetative state.
And the knight had no intention of turning his students into vegetables.
"Don't worry. I've got countermeasures."
Would he really devise such a reckless training plan without precautions?
"Interns, front and center."
"......"
"Move your bodies and respond verbally. Or I might decide that mouth is useless and yank your tongue out."
"S-sorry, sir."
"Why apologize for nothing?"
"......"
"Sigh, whatever. My mouth hurts just talking. Now, deploy what we discussed yesterday."
"Th-that's..."
"Won't do it? Fine, skip it. Marrow-Severing Tendon-Ripping course for a week instead..."
"We'll do it right now!!"
"...Should've done that from the start."
Even these heretic inquisitors trained in torture couldn't get used to the pain of marrow-severing tendon-ripping.
He'd toned it down, but it was still traumatic for them.
The compliant interns—formerly heretic inquisitors—followed the knight's orders and activated their holy rite.
Even rotten, these elite heretic inquisitors pulled off a feat normally requiring a hundred priests, enveloping the swordsmanship department's training ground in the holy rite.
Gradually.
"Huh? Why's it suddenly so refreshing?"
"It was so muggy just now..."
"Oh? My skin suddenly looks better?"
"No way-!"
After a brief shock at the interns Lee Han had brought—radiating holy power—the cadets were stunned for a different reason as a cozy, sacred energy filled the space.
Minor wounds, muscle aches, and accumulated fatigue vanished in an instant.
"N-no way, the B-Barrier of Sacrifice?!"
Several scions from prestigious families, like Arno, gaped in realization.
They never expected to witness the legendary holy rite from mere rumors.
"Arno? What's that?"
"......[Barrier of Sacrifice]. Everyone inside it avoids injury no matter what. They stay in peak condition without food or water issues."
"Kunta, I don't get it all, but sounds amazing!"
"It's more than amazing. It's one of the top three barrier holy rites from the temples. Legend says holy knights fought demons for a thousand days without rest thanks to it."
"Whoa! If it's that good, why not use it more?"
"...The priests maintaining it bear all the risks."
"...Huh?"
"The priests take on everyone's fatigue and wounds. Hence '[Sacrifice]'. It's premised on their sacrifice."
"...Kunta, suddenly this barrier doesn't feel so great..."
The kind-hearted barbarian boy revoked his praise.
He didn't want to use it at others' expense.
However.
"Don't worry, big guy. What he said is an extreme case. Holding it for a day is fine, and the pain is less than 5% depending on the priest's capacity."
Lee Han explained, dispelling the noisy concerns.
"Then...?"
"Our interns are fortunately excellent. They barely feel any pain or fatigue. And we'll only use it during class, so no big issues."
"Ooh!"
"See? Feel better now?"
"Much better, Instructor! This barrier's great again!"
"Good, glad you're motivated. Train hard then, got it?"
"Yeah, got it!"
"...'Yeah'? Watch your tongue, kid!"
"Aaaah! I-Instructor, stay back! Your knuckle-flicks crack even Kunta's skull!"
Kunta fled, but the unusually swift instructor landed a perfect knuckle-flick.
"Ow! It hurts... Huh? ...It doesn't hurt?"
Kunta personally proved the Barrier of Sacrifice was working.
"Heh, neat effect."
"As expected of the Instructor. What a preparation."
"...Good, no need for my will."
Relief spread among the cadets, but Arno still had doubts.
'Even 5% damage from 80 people would accumulate to deadly levels, right?'
Hmm...
"Whatever, not my concern."
Arno shook off the worry.
He was curious about these priests, but...
"Best to make good use of this chance now."
Missing the perfect opportunity to practice techniques he'd avoided due to injury risk would be foolish.
Though he worried about the priests' aftermath...
"Urk!"
"Hurts? Say so now if it does. We can stop. But doubt the Instructor would let you quit mid-way."
"Urgh!"
"Why glare? Got a grudge against me?"
"N-no, sir."
"Liar, kehheh, wanna hit me? Bet you can't."
"!!?!"
With Damian Pollet's sacrificial spirit(?) drawing all grudges to himself, living only in the moment without fearing backlash, it should be fine.
'...As the Instructor said, that might be a talent too.'
The talent to enjoy the present without fearing the future.
'They say those who live in the now are the scariest... That guy's gonna get strong.'
"I said hit me if you've got complaints!"
......Assuming he survives, that is.
"...These brats are totally hyped."
Was it because the holy rite was a power even the upper crust rarely experienced?
Even the noble cadets couldn't hide their excitement, captivated by it.
Watching made him feel oddly proud.
"This is what flexing is."
"...Where's the flex?"
"I ground up guys who'd kill me to make top-tier facilities, right? Royals can't even do this. Total flex."
"I-is that so?"
Derek hesitated but nodded, oddly convinced.
Then.
"Instructor, can I have a moment? Need to talk."
"......"
Roan—a regressor who knew the future, unlike Derek—approached them.
"What's up? Acting familiar inside the Academy."
"My heart's racing right now. Instructor, I have a request."
"Request?"
"Yes, a request."
"Hm, related to that redhead?"
"...You noticed. Then I'll be blunt. Instructor, please... her to..."
────Give her to me!
"........."
...A moment of heavy silence.
Even Lee Han was speechless, blanking for 5 seconds before snapping back.
"...Darkie. Don't you think something's off with what you just said?"
"What's off?"
"Reflect on your lines."
"......What was weird."
"This is insane too...?"
His eyes were completely rolled back now.
The look of someone about to cause trouble.
Had he lost his reason?
Roan didn't realize how bizarre his words were.
'...Sweet-talking murder threats is a talent, I guess...'
But Lee Han, sensing the deep grudge in those lines, was at a loss.
Handing her over like this would mean real bloodshed.
'Sigh, adults don't meddle in lovers' quarrels...'
Lee Han was in a bind.