Chapter 45
Chapter 45
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: EP.13 – The Fair Instructor (3)
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After that, Lee Han continued to demonstrate repeatedly.
"A mage's magic generally incorporates telekinetic force. And as you just saw, the mass that telekinetic force can handle is enormous. It's a threatening power. To ordinary soldiers, it's no different from a disaster. However, knights must be able to resist that disaster. So as not to tarnish the name of knight."
Lee Han gave a glance, and Irene quickly used her telekinetic force.
For an instant.
Bang!
"Did you see it?"
"......"
They saw it.
The intangible air current exploding like a balloon in midair.
"There are three main ways for warriors to counter telekinetic force. One is the Fighting Technique. You strongly emit fighting energy to disrupt the flow of mana. The other is to counter the telekinetic force itself. Well, doing that risks your entire body exploding under the pressure, so it's best avoided."
"Th-then the third is...?"
"For you all, who don't have Fighting Technique, the third is your only option."
Bang!
Another intangible air current exploding.
"It's the 'explosion' of power. It's based on the principle of the Hundred Steps Divine Fist I showed earlier. Think of it as 'shooting down' the telekinetic force. Of course, you can't do this against telekinetic force bursting out from all directions. Your body could turn to dust."
"Uh... doing that would turn the mage's body to dust instead?"
Mana was a power close to omnipotence, but not truly omnipotent.
To wield that omnipotent energy required capacity, effort, composure, and more.
Thus, emitting telekinetic force in all directions was suicidal thrashing.
It was like firing cannons bare-handed repeatedly—you'd soon cough up blood and die.
"Ah, so that's how that guy died? You've figured it out."
"......"
...He must have experience dealing with it already.
"Anyway, as you saw, if you want to counter telekinetic force, you must be able to do what I just did. Well, it's only two things, so it'll be easy to learn."
The manifestation and explosion of jing.
To them, it would seem like a task easy enough to yawn over.
"...Where?"
But for those who had only seen power bursting in midair, it was absolutely not easy.
Why the massive log split in half, how to shoot down telekinetic force.
They still didn't grasp the 'principle'.
"Hmm, hands up if you understand."
He had explained it.
It was just sensory, so it was hard.
But surely someone understood?
With that faint hope, he looked at them.
"Kunta still doesn't get it. Kunta is idiot."
"I'm not an idiot, Kunta. No one understood."
"Too abstract, Instructor."
They only gave awkward smiles.
He thought Kunta, the most similar to him, would get it...
Hmm, should he have explained more kindly?
Then.
"Um, excuse me..."
A girl he never expected raised her hand.
"Is what the Instructor is saying perhaps like this? We've been learning to squeeze out every ounce of power from our bodies. The reason you emphasized that training isn't just for building physical strength, but also to feel how the body's muscles move, right? You always stressed it."
Levi Polt.
A delicate and beautiful girl reminiscent of lush hydrangeas, yet she had proven she wasn't just fragile by completing the training without fleeing for twenty days.
That commendable girl now shone with intellectual irises as she unpacked her insight.
"You always emphasized 'feel the power.' It's abstract, but we did gymnastics and climbed cliffs, experiencing how muscles are used, and how we could keep training even when stamina was exhausted. Thanks to that, we realized strength isn't just from muscles. It's all thanks to your classes, Instructor."
Her eloquence was quite refined.
Perhaps because she was a noble lady, she didn't speak crudely but praised the other party.
It made people feel good.
But Lee Han preferred her explanation over her elegant speech.
"You explained it perfectly, Chick One. Thanks. I'm the type who just swings by feel, so I couldn't explain properly, but you made everyone get it."
"N-no. You know it all, Instructor. I just expanded on it a bit."
"...Instructor will give you candy later."
"Pardon?"
What a good, sweet kid.
How could her words be so pretty and commendable?
Her pure tone enriched the heart in a way rough, prideful men couldn't.
'I want a daughter just like her.'
Like looking at a much younger sister or daughter.
Lee Han gave her a warm gaze, and Levi Polt's cheeks flushed pink.
Probably not used to praise.
'M-me? I did well too, why no praise?'
Conversely, the magic girl, who had never received such praise, felt wronged.
[Arina, you lost. You're prettier, but we lost in dignity, boo-hoo.]
'...Dignity can go freeze.'
The girl, top as a siege weapon but F in dignity, grew sulky.
Lee Han, unaware of the girl's delicate feelings, focused on Levi Polt.
'Commendable indeed.'
A different kind of commendability from before.
Over the past twenty days.
Everyone had pushed fiercely, but few matched Levi Polt's intensity.
'Woke earliest, trained most precariously.'
She had mental fortitude, no, sheer grit.
She looked frail and delicate, but her hidden nature was resolute.
Knowing she started furthest behind, she never slacked, giving her all.
Through relentless effort, she finally started running from the line.
At quite a fast pace.
Even if Vulcan's mystery helped, her effort shouldn't be diminished.
'Can't treat her like a chick anymore.'
The girl was no longer just a noble lady; she had become a martial artist.
Whatever her reasons, Lee Han valued only her resolve and results.
Effort always deserves commendation.
So.
"Levi Polt."
"Y-yes? Yes?!"
"What's wrong?"
"N-nothing..."
She was called by her proper name for the first time.
Just that made her heart tremble.
As if recognized not as Polt family's lady, but as herself.
"Levi Polt. Listening to your explanation, I can tell you have the highest understanding of jing among everyone here."
"B-but compared to others, my body is still..."
"You're sorely lacking. But that's unavoidable. The others have trained over ten years, unlike you."
"Yes..."
"However."
"?"
"What's important isn't the 'duration.' Sometimes, density and intensity matter more than time. In that sense, Cadet Levi Polt started late but cut a proper start. You can be proud of that."
"...Instructor."
His words made her throat tighten.
He acknowledged her effort, and furthermore.
"So, this instructor wants to help Cadet Levi Polt directly."
"What..."
"Instructors like treating everyone fairly. So, I'll give you a special kind lesson."
"??"
Still incomprehensible.
Instructors, no, adults really explained in convoluted ways.
As she blinked, Lee Han approached suddenly, and he said.
"From now on, this instructor will place a hand on the cadet's back briefly. Is that okay?"
"P-pardon?!"
"If permitted, I will. Note there's no impure intent. I'd appreciate you knowing that."
"Uh, y-yes. It's, it's fine."
A bit embarrassing, but after rolling in Vulcan, she'd shown everything.
Being shy now would be silly.
Above all, she knew the instructor wasn't that type.
So she permitted it readily, and Levi Polt...
"Hup!"
Swallowed reflexively.
"-All an instructor can do is guide the way. But this experience will greatly close the gap with other cadets. I hope it helps, Cadet."
"......"
...The girl's mind was hazy now.
Embarrassment had vanished long ago.
She was experiencing something astonishing—no, a 'miracle'.
'Th-this is...'
Rooooar—!
The palm lightly on her back.
An incredibly firm palm, evoking iron.
But more shocking was the intense 'pulsation' flowing through the palm.
The pulsation of power.
Intense throbs overflowing from muscles, bones, tendons fully transmitted to her, making sweat pour wildly from her body.
'Compared to this, I'm truly worthless.'
A colossal, unrestrained, majestic wave's ferocity.
Feeling the wave's passion throughout her body was miraculous, like humanity's awe at discovering nature's grandeur.
And as this pulsation touched her, she sensed her own pitiful flow inside.
An infinitely feeble pulsation.
If he was the ocean's tsunami, she was mere ripples on a puddle.
As disappointment spread...
"Is that all you felt?"
"Pardon?"
"Focus more wholly, deeply. You'll feel something even more fascinating."
"......"
She followed.
Now, he seemed an superhuman she couldn't defy.
Obeying reflexively, delving deeper into her flow, at some point...
"...Huh?"
She realized.
Her body's power wasn't just muscles, bones, tendons.
Thump thump—!
Like the heart.
Did the heart beat so dynamically, powerfully?
Strong.
The organ supplying blood to her frail self was neither pitiful nor weak.
Endlessly intense and admirable.
Whoosh—!
And the blood flow riding the heartbeat—tremendous!
Vessels were like this: so swift, aggressive, valiant.
"Do you get it?"
"...Yes."
"Get what?"
"That everything making up me... is not insignificant at all."
She thought herself weak.
But no.
Every element of her body was so mighty and vast.
Levi Polt—no, humans were this amazing.
"Even if minuscule dust compared to the shining sun and stars, I too can become a star!"
"Noble lady—such lofty words."
"I-I can't express it any other way!"
She was excited.
Unashamed, she boldly asserted.
Anyone realizing their inner power's ferocity would feel this.
"Then show it."
"Pardon?"
"The power you called a star."
"......"
"No confidence?"
"Th-that's..."
"Have confidence. I'm helping now."
"!!"
"Try. Connect the pulsation, the power, from shoulder to elbow, wrist to fist."
"......"
"You can. Right now."
"...!"
His assured words made Levi Polt gamble for the first time.
Uncertain outcome.
Unknown effect on her body.
But she was intoxicated now.
By her unknown inner pulsation.
Thus, the girl.
Whoosh!
Clenched and thrust her fist by her own will.
Still clumsily amateurish.
But that punch.
Bang!
"...Ah!"
Wasn't weak.
She exploded power.
The grip's 'power explosion.'
Confirming her first success, her eyes widened.
Her fist hurt.
Forcing power from an immature body caused strain.
But now, she ignored the pain.
Because.
"I-I did it! I...!!"
"Yes. With your power alone."
"Yes!!"
This感動, this joy made pain nothing.
"Don't forget. That's the path you'll pursue lifelong."
"Never, never will I forget...!"
The 'awakening' of new sensation.
An unforgettable感動 and encounter.
The girl would never forget this moment's joy.
Even at life's end.
'Don't they know what they just accomplished?!'
Roan was stunned.
Probably the first shock of his life.
What Lee Han and Levi Polt did wasn't mere power explosion!
'It can replace Fighting Technique.'
A miracle from a frail noble lady not even a month into proper training.
Still weak, but surely to grow.
Though arduous, it was power gained purely by effort, ignoring bloodlines.
And replacing Fighting Technique meant.
It would shatter knights'—no, nobles'—privileges.
'That's it. That's what I wanted!'
First time.
Desiring something so fervently.
'I was arrogant.'
He finally admitted.
Before enrollment, he was arrogantly foolish.
Thought he knew all, academy just for recruiting talent—no need to learn, no one worthy to teach him.
...But wrong.
Look ahead now.
Wasn't there one teaching a way to superhumanity, sans Fighting Technique, shaking him?
'Funny for a cadet to say, but.'
Roan wondered.
Across past and present lives, perhaps.
'Could you be my first true master?'
His first respectable teacher.
Arrogant, yet qualified, the young lion held that hope, and simultaneously.
'You might become the protagonist of my [hidden ambition].'
His hidden ambition.
The protagonist of revolution.