The Flame
A distance of one hundred meters was nothing to superhumans whose abilities far surpassed those of ordinary people. For students specializing in physical reinforcement or acceleration, it was a distance they could cross in the blink of an eye. Yet, to the students currently watching, the circle with a hundred-meter radius drawn on the ground looked dauntingly massive.
"Defense is well and good, but in real combat, you will often have to fight multiple enemies at once, and not every attack that comes your way can be blocked. Try to focus on evading whenever possible."
"Ugh...!"
Natalia pointed out their shortcomings in a gentle voice. Just as she spoke, a male student who had been doggedly pushing forward while blocking the onslaught with his shield crossed the fifty-meter mark. Before he could react, a barrage of water jets struck him from behind, and he collapsed.
Another male student stepped up to the edge of the circle, and soon after, another scream echoed through the training ground.
"Aaargh!"
At around the fifty-two-meter mark, a boy who had leaped into the air using his spear to vault over the attacks was shot down midair, coughing up blood as he crashed back to earth.
"Using the space three-dimensionally is a decent idea, but unless you can freely maneuver your body in midair, such grand gestures are a critical mistake. Keep your evasive maneuvers compact so they don't hinder your next move. Next~"
"...She really is merciless."
A bespectacled girl, who had finished her preparations, muttered in a tense voice from outside the circle as she watched Natalia offer her critique. Natalia smiled faintly at her words. Of course she was merciless. Reality was far more unforgiving than any training exercise.
"In reality, a single mistake will cost you your life. That is why you have no choice but to push yourselves to the absolute limit to prevent that from happening. If you find that too difficult, I suggest you give up on becoming a Hero right now."
"...Unfortunately, I can't do that."
Steeling her resolve, the girl nodded, drew her sword, and dashed forward. Utilizing her ability, she moved faster than the others, dodging the water jets with agility. However, as the torrent grew increasingly fierce, she decided that evasion was impossible and opted to defend instead. It proved to be a poor decision. The moment she paused to block, her momentum halted, and the subsequent barrage instantly pinned her down.
A decent effort, but a bit of a shame. Sixty meters, is it? Natalia mused internally before addressing the girl, who had finally succumbed to the attacks and collapsed.
"Not a bad result, but I believe you could have gone a bit further. Since your ability seems to be wind-based, focusing on mobility rather than defense would suit you much better. Think carefully about how to best utilize your unique strengths."
As the girl was ejected from the magical space along with her advice, Natalia quietly assessed the class. The overall level of these students was much higher than she had anticipated. Although she had previously set the benchmark at the level of active-duty Heroes, her true standard was whether they could hold their own alongside veterans fighting monsters on the front lines. Consequently, she hadn't expected much from them. This training was not so easy that just anyone could reach the finish line on their first try like Marin.
Marin had undergone rigorous training since childhood and possessed a level of talent that made the label of "genius" entirely fitting, so it was only natural that she couldn't be compared to ordinary children. In truth, for a typical Academy first-year, reaching thirty meters in this exercise was considered average.
Contrary to her expectations, however, most of the students easily surpassed thirty meters to reach nearly forty, and a select few even broke past the fifty-meter mark. Perhaps the emergence of the Witches had ignited a fierce sense of urgency within them, raising the average performance significantly close to her high standards. Whatever the reason, as both a senior and a Hero, Natalia found no reason to complain. She was delighted, thinking that this year's crop of freshmen was exceptionally promising.
And it did not take long for her evaluation to soar even higher. Soon, the first successful challenger emerged.
The protagonist of this feat was a boy with disheveled blonde hair—Dwaye Nineheart. With hollow, exhaustion-laden eyes, he calmly walked forward, instantly manifesting magic to neutralize any incoming attacks the moment he sensed them, casually crossing the finish line. He was indeed a descendant of the great mage Nineheart, who had erected the city's Barrier. While Natalia was still marveling at his magical prowess, which surpassed even Martina's during her student days, she was astonished a second time by Silvia Astra, the renowned heiress of the Astra family.
Silvia was the sole contractor of the star spirits in this generation. Because of this, no one could teach her how to train or utilize her power, yet she navigated the course with remarkable skill, using her abilities for both movement and defense to reach the end. Before Natalia could even finish admiring her talent and effort, another successful challenger emerged. It was a face familiar to Natalia—Flone Dolos, the young lady of the Dolos family, who had been close friends with her daughter since childhood.
True to her lineage, a family renowned for their monstrous strength and indomitable physiques, Flone relied on no petty tricks. As if declaring that only the weak-bodied resorted to intellect, she simply charged straight ahead. She absorbed every single attack—blows that should have crushed and shattered any normal body—with her bare flesh.
Watching the pink-haired girl whine about the pain as she crossed the finish line, Natalia realized something. The time had come for the so-called "Golden Generation"—which included herself, her husband Lucas, Martina, and their senior Leon—to pass on the torch. With children like these, alongside her own daughter and Yoon Siwoo, perhaps they could finally stop worrying about the future.
Amidst her satisfaction, the final student stepped forward. Natalia's eyes gleamed. The last challenger was the red-haired girl whom Marin had protectively shielded earlier—the girl Yoon Siwoo was said to love. Ever since she heard that her daughter had been rejected, she had been burning with curiosity. She wanted to see exactly what kind of girl could make him reject Marin, who lacked absolutely nothing in terms of looks, ability, or family background.
...At first glance, she wasn't entirely sure. The girl was certainly pretty, but she felt slightly lacking compared to Marin. Then, Natalia's gaze fell upon the prosthetic limb attached to the girl's left arm. Come to think of it, Marin had mentioned a student who had sacrificed her own arm to protect citizens from a monster that had invaded the city. Was this the girl? Perhaps that selfless nature was what had drawn Yoon Siwoo to her.
"I look forward to working with you."
"Yes, do your best."
Natalia smiled at the girl, who bowed after finishing her warm-ups. Internally, she hoped the girl's skills would back up her reputation. Frankly, as a parent, her pride would be slightly wounded if this girl couldn't at least match her daughter's level. As she waited with these thoughts, she watched the girl leap into the circle.
What caught Natalia's attention was that the girl was completely unarmed. Bare-handed combat. It was an incredibly rare fighting style among Heroes, who constantly had to face monstrous beasts, but the girl demonstrated exceptional physical capabilities as if to prove she had a reason for going empty-handed.
Ducking, weaving, and springing off the ground. Unburdened by weapons, her limbs were entirely free, allowing her to evade the water jets with fluid ease. Yet, relying solely on physical prowess to close the distance was far from easy. Before long, a torrent of water rushed directly toward her face. Realizing that evasion was impossible, a flame erupted from her hand.
With a loud bang, a massive amount of water instantly vaporized, sending up a thick cloud of steam. It was a flame of immense heat, capable of evaporating the torrent in an instant. However, Natalia's expression turned slightly disappointed. Perhaps disoriented by the sudden explosion and the blinding steam, the girl failed to react to the subsequent attack and was swept off her feet.
Sixty meters. Compared to the other students, it was near the very top. Her physical potential was clear, and with proper refinement, she could undoubtedly aim higher... But perhaps because Natalia had just witnessed such dazzling geniuses, or because she had secretly hoped the girl would match her daughter, she couldn't entirely hide her disappointment. Well, it's not as if you only fall in love with someone because of their combat ability. Still, sixty meters was an excellent result, so Natalia smiled and offered some constructive advice.
"...As I mentioned earlier, it is crucial to keep your senses open at all times. There will always be situations where your sight or hearing is restricted, so you must rely on all five senses, and even your sixth sense. Your physical abilities are outstanding, so if you focus on that, you will do much better."
Having said her piece, Natalia waved to Eve, who was watching from afar, signaling that she would take a brief break. It wasn't because she was tired, but rather to give the students a moment to recover now that the first round was complete. Even though it was only a simulated experience, they had just faced "death." Having experienced it several times during her own student days, she knew all too well the immense psychological toll it took.
The stress born of physical pain and the sheer terror of facing the unknown void of death was not something one could easily shake off. Her daughter vomiting was actually a mild reaction. Many would faint, and others would burst into tears. Yet, they had to overcome it to grow mentally. After all, being a Hero meant having to smile even the day after watching a comrade die before your very eyes.
Lost in these thoughts, Natalia stepped out of the illusion and was immediately taken aback. While most of the other students were still struggling to gather their wits, the red-haired girl—who had gone last—was sitting perfectly fine, with only a slight grimace on her face. Does she possess an exceptionally resilient mind? As Natalia watched with curiosity, the girl lightly tapped her own temples to clear her head, and their eyes met. The girl suddenly scrambled to her feet, approached her, and bowed. The words that followed left Natalia utterly stunned.
"Excuse me... but would it be alright if I tried one more time? I feel like I can do much better if I go again."
"...You can try as many times as you like, but are you sure you're ready to go again right away? It's best not to overexert yourself."
"This is nothing. Please, let me try."
"...Admirable. I like your determination."
She is incredibly strong mentally, Natalia thought, her estimation of the girl rising. She had always favored those who worked hard over those who merely relied on raw talent.
"I'm ready."
"Remember what I just told you. Focus on your senses."
Natalia offered the reminder, genuinely wishing for the bowing girl's success. And the girl proved immediately that she had taken the advice to heart. Reacting to the attacks with heightened sensitivity, as if her senses had truly opened, she managed to reach the seventy-meter mark before falling—a staggering ten-meter improvement from her previous attempt. Although her momentum faltered at the very end, preventing further progress, it was an undeniably superb result.
Impressed by the girl's sheer grit—identifying her weaknesses and immediately diving back into the fray before the sensation could fade—Natalia warmly applauded her.
"Excellent work. You seemed to trip slightly near the end, but if you always think one step ahead and minimize the gap between thought and action, you will improve even further."
After delivering her feedback, the girl vanished, and Natalia exited the illusion. She let out a sharp breath. Once again, the girl was already pushing herself up, her expression merely tightening as she gave her head a quick tap. Standing up, she approached Natalia once more and bowed.
"Um... I'm really sorry to keep asking, but could I try just one more time?"
"...Without any rest? Even if your body can handle it, your mind..."
No matter how mentally resilient she was, recovering this quickly should have been impossible. Natalia scrutinized the girl's face, but she merely muttered with an nonchalant expression.
"I'm perfectly fine..."
At those words, Natalia glanced at the other students. Every single one of them looked as if they were witnessing something utterly incomprehensible. She suspected her own face wore a similar expression.
"...If no other student wishes to go right now, then yes."
Natalia asked the class, but no one raised a hand. Naturally, the girl's training resumed. With a quick "I'm ready," she charged toward the center of the circle once more. The result:
"Seventy-five meters... Your movements have definitely improved. However, there are still a few wasted motions here and there, so if you iron those out, you will get even better. It is incredibly rare to see someone adapt this quickly. You have real talent. With a bit more time, you will grow rapidly."
Natalia shook her head in genuine admiration. While the girl certainly possessed a talent for rapidly correcting her mistakes, her true genius lay elsewhere. It was the ability to keep going, no matter how painful. People called it effort, and because everyone knew just how difficult that truly was, they could only watch her in awe. But then—
"Excuse me... just one more time..."
Seeing the girl already standing and waiting for her, Natalia's admiration crossed the line into sheer bewilderment.
"I'm ready."
The girl bowed and ran again. Eighty meters.
"...If you take a bit more risk and evade at the very last second, you will buy yourself more time."
The moment she exited, the girl was already bowing.
"Again, just once more..."
Natalia let out a hollow laugh.
"I'm ready."
Perhaps something had gone wrong, as her record slipped. Seventy-two meters. But to the girl, such setbacks meant nothing.
"Once more."
As if regression simply meant she had to push forward again, the girl bowed. Everyone could only stare at her blankly. To them, she felt like an incomprehensible entity. And only then did Natalia begin to understand this girl, even if just a little. Ah, this child will never stop.
"I'm ready."
Seventy-eight meters. Out.
"Just once more."
In.
"I'm ready."
Eighty-one meters.
From a certain point, Natalia didn't even need to exit the illusion. If she simply waited, the girl would reappear in a matter of moments. The girl's bow had now become a rhythmic, singular motion.
"I'm ready."
Eighty-one, eighty-two, seventy-nine, eighty-four, eighty-six meters. As the attempts piled up, Natalia's advice eventually ceased. She could see that the girl was finding the answers herself through countless trials. A realization earned on one's own was far more precious than any piece of advice.
"I'm ready."
Eighty-five, eighty-seven, eighty-eight, eighty-eight, eighty-six, eighty-nine, ninety. In a world where only the girl's greeting echoed like a repeating refrain, she was steadily closing the distance. As the spot where the girl collapsed drew closer and closer, Natalia was able to look directly into her eyes.
There was something missing from those eyes. Or perhaps she had simply grown too accustomed to it, her senses numbed. The girl accepted death as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Because of that, she looked incredibly precarious; because of that, she seemed fleeting; yet because of that, it was impossible to look away.
"I'm ready."
Ninety, ninety-one, ninety-one, ninety-one, ninety-one, ninety-one, ninety-one. She stalled at the same threshold. Yet, she was not stagnant. Little by little, inch by inch, she was creeping forward.
"I'm ready."
Ninety-three. Natalia had lost count of how many times she had heard those words. But with every repetition, the girl drew closer, allowing Natalia to feel the searing heat of the flames she unleashed. Natalia stared at the fire radiating that intense heat.
"I'm ready."
Ninety-five. Even as her arm was severed, her leg snapped, and she collapsed coughing up blood, the girl kept her eyes fixed forward, pushing ahead. In her, Natalia saw a flame.
"I'm ready."
Ninety-seven. If asked why she went to such extremes, she looked as though she would simply reply with an indifferent face, 'Because I still have things left to burn.' She was a flame that refused to stop blazing.
"I'm ready."
Ninety-nine. Natalia thought to herself: flickering precariously as if buffeted by the wind, fleeting because she knew it would eventually burn out, yet shining all the more brilliantly for it, and so dazzlingly beautiful—
"I'm ready."
This girl was just like a flame.
The endless cycle of sound rang out one last time. One hundred. And then, it finally stopped.
Resting her hand on Natalia's arm, the girl stared blankly at her own palm. Then, a soft smile spread across her face. Having reached the end through such grueling trials, she would have been entirely justified in jumping for joy. Yet, she merely offered a quiet smile, bowed to Natalia, and said, "Thank you."
At that sight, Natalia let out a helpless laugh and whispered to herself, My daughter... it's no wonder you lost.