Thud! What Just Happened?
Thud! What the hell just happened?
Mion felt a dull pain crashing through her helmet. She gripped her crumbling consciousness and swung her sword fiercely. But had the blow to her head thrown her off? The strike she thought was powerful flailed pathetically in the air.
When she came to, Mion realized she was on her knees on the ground.
“What the…!”
This blow wasn’t some grand secret technique from Gawin. Even as her skull rattled, Mion accurately judged the situation.
Nadan. It’s Nadan.
Why was Nadan here? Had Eden fallen?
Still on her knees, Mion steadied her dazed mind as best she could and looked toward Eden. He was fine. Eden stood perfectly steady, staring at her and Nadan in bewilderment.
He ignored Eden? Nadan ignored him?
That realization struck Mion like lightning. Nadan had dismissed Eden entirely.
Before the match began, spectators had watched the students pick their opponents and thought: the moment one side’s balance broke, the flow of the match would shift.
As expected, when Nadan’s saint law was broken, most in the arena predicted his defeat. No matter how skilled Nadan was, Eden’s display made it seem like he could crush him in an instant.
But at the very moment everyone anticipated Nadan’s loss, his position became uncertain. Was the Nadan extending his fist from a distance away from Eden the real one? Or was the true Nadan lurking somewhere, ready to strike Eden?
His unique saint law was one thing, but no one in the arena— not even Mion or Gawin—had predicted Nadan would ignore Eden and move on.
They’d all assumed Nadan and Eden would clash while providing support. But Nadan shattered every expectation, striking where they least anticipated.
While Mion and Gawin tied each other up, Eden and Nadan couldn’t recklessly intervene in their fight. A clumsy entry would only tangle their own allies and expose openings.
The problem was that Nadan had a move to pierce right through those blind spots.
Past Recreation. What had once overlaid just 1 to 3 seconds of the past now poured in his full divine power, summoning even further back.
As a result, 10 seconds prior overlaid Nadan’s surface, and his illusion confronted Eden in a state rewound by those 10 seconds.
In other words, when Nadan’s fist from 10 seconds ago targeted Eden again, Eden had to discern its authenticity. He had to pinpoint Nadan’s real position.
But in that brief moment as Eden approached the illusion to verify it, Nadan—whose eyes Eden’s were fooled by the phantom—spotted the gap in Mion, distracted by her fight with Gawin. He closed in swiftly and thwacked her on the head.
Her helmet shattered by the brutal punch, she collapsed as anyone would.
Nadan’s fists could smash the hide of a mid-rank erosion beast. Taking such a blow to the head—even if he’d held back—naturally left her combat-incapable.
Mion struggled to regain her senses, but she was already in no shape to continue fighting.
“Ha, haha.”
Eden couldn’t help but let out an incredulous laugh.
“There’s no rule saying I have to fight you, right? Anyway, did I hit her too hard?”
The arena’s cheers cut off abruptly as Nadan spoke casually, eyeing him. Everyone froze, unsure what to say.
“Isn’t that a bit cowardly? Running off when your opponent’s right there.”
Eden suppressed his rising anger. This was a match enjoyed by guests from various nations. He couldn’t afford to make a scene.
“Cowardly? That hurts. It’s just strategy. If you’re mad, use it yourself. Come to think of it, didn’t you pull something sneaky too?”
His mocking jab made Eden want to explode with rage.
“I see.”
“You seem pretty pissed.”
“How could I not be?”
“That’s a shame. But what can you do? The best strategies are the ones that piss off your opponent the most.”
“It’s effective, alright.”
Veins bulged on Eden’s forehead as he spoke. Of course, with his helmet on, no one could see.
“Whoa, such high praise leaves me speechless… Hey, snap out of it. The match isn’t over.”
Nadan warned the stunned Gawin, then turned back to Eden.
Alright, how’ll you react now? After I cracked your girlfriend’s skull, you should be losing your cool any second.
Even in this advantageous spot, he didn’t drop his guard. He’d clashed with Eden directly before— the guy was strong. Even teaming with Gawin, victory wasn’t guaranteed.
Well, if it doesn’t work, we lose. Simple as that.
Gawin, too, shook off the absurdity and refocused. Before him stood Eden Asta. Before Ludenberg Lavante rose to prominence, he’d been an untouchable existence.
The humiliation from facing Eden before gripped him, but he shook it off. He raised his sword and shield.
When the chance comes, grab it right.
Terra’s divine power dwelt in his gear once more.
As Gawin and Nadan resumed battle stances, Eden—perhaps resolved to go all out—began activating all three of his divine powers.
“He’s coming. Stay sharp, you sloppy bastard.”
“……”
Then, the three collided.
* * *
“Close one.”
That was Ludenberg Lavante’s assessment as he watched the match.
“What was?”
“Gawin and Nadan. If Eden’s stamina had drained just a bit more, those two would’ve won.”
As he said, the match ended in Nadan and Gawin’s defeat.
“True. I thought they had it when Mion went down.”
“Means Eden’s skills have grown a lot.”
Ludenberg spoke flatly of Eden’s improvement.
Definitely. Since the last skill check, his prowess exploded again. Guess the rumors of him obsessing over training lately aren’t wrong.
He’d thought Eden was no longer a match for him, but this sudden pursuit piqued his interest.
I figured he’d just keep scheming, but he ditched that early and poured it all into training, huh.
For some reason, the fact thrilled him. Eden, relentlessly chasing him.
It was a scenario he couldn’t have imagined before enrolling at Solemnute Adem. Not bad at all. No— it was the best.
What would Eden think when he realized all that effort still fell short? Ludenberg wasn’t one to easily forget grudges. He couldn’t afford to.
He’d grown up in Lavante, where Terra Church influence ran deep, so their ways were second nature.
Terra Church’s first principle: Never forget grace or grudges.
That made it all the more exciting. If he could plant the same rage and frustration in Eden that he’d felt, wouldn’t that be the perfect revenge?
Stealing all the glorious paths ahead of Eden—it’d be quite rewarding. Before Solemnute Adem, everyone had predicted a dazzling road of glory for him.
I’ll take it all from you. Just like you shattered my five years.
Ashytara snapped Ludenberg from his reverie.
“Hey, Rud.”
“Yeah?”
“Wait, doesn’t that mean Eden and Mion advance to the quarterfinals?”
“Yeah.”
“So they’re our next opponents?”
“……Ah.”
Only then did he recall the bracket: this match’s winners faced them next.
Ludenberg realized he’d cross swords with Eden again soon.
“Perfect.”
“Right?”
“Yeah. Knocking them down in midterms isn’t enough to satisfy.”
“Same here. They’ve mellowed lately, but I can’t forget what they did. Let’s beat the crap out of them, Rud.”
“Yeah.”
The two smiled darkly, ready to vent their pent-up grudges.
* * *
“Man, so close.”
Nadan grumbled to Gawin, who nodded in agreement. A little more pressure on Eden, and they might’ve won.
The lingering tension from the match still had Gawin’s hands trembling faintly.
But it’s fine.
Still, Gawin didn’t mind the loss. He’d expected it anyway. On the contrary, the unexpected results satisfied him.
Eden aside, he hadn’t been overwhelmed by Mion in their clash. He saw potential— a glimpse of his own latent possibilities. Just that made joining the friendly match worthwhile.
“Not disappointed?”
“I’d be lying if I said no. But I’m satisfied.”
“Fair enough. That’s what matters. I’m off.”
“……Thanks.”
Gawin meant it. Without Nadan, he wouldn’t have even entered, let alone reached this far.
Paired with some mediocre guy, he’d have slipped out in the qualifiers.
“Thanks? Treat me to a meal later then. Heard you hit the shops with Rev and Marvin— you must know some good spots.”
Knowing that let Nadan boast casually.
“Of course. Gotta thank Professor Nah too.”
“Good call. Oh, and by the way…”
“Yeah?”
“You got any cute girls you’re close with? Or even if not, someone decent from the Knight Faculty…”
“Want an intro?”
Nadan nodded vigorously at Gawin’s question— more earnestly than when facing Eden.
“I’ll try, but… you know my rep with the Knight Faculty girls isn’t great.”
“Still better than me with zero connections. Come on, help a guy out.”
“……Fine.”
“Thanks, man! Was gonna ask Ludenberg, but that jerk’s too damn punchable. No way I’d ask him for an intro— the girl’d fall for him instead.”
“He is punchable. Poor girls get mesmerized… But honestly, he probably doesn’t know any girls to introduce anyway. Ashytara’s the only one he’s tight with in the faculty. Maybe Evelyn and Cletta at best, since he knows them.”
“True. With Ashytara glaring daggers beside him, how many girls have the guts? Damn, I’m jealous. That bastard.”
“But why ask me specifically…”
“You’re approachable, right? Yeah.”
In other words, he was second-rate. Gawin’s reaction was inevitable.
“You little shit.”
“Hey, a deal’s a deal?”
As veins popped on Gawin’s face, Nadan backed away and bolted like a rabbit.
Watching him go, Gawin sighed.
“How’d I end up tangled with that idiot…”