Monster
Meanwhile, Gawin Greta stared at Ludenberg Lavante. An inexplicable fear suddenly washed over him. But Gawin dismissed it as his imagination. He was clever enough to know that all the rumors about Ludenberg were just nonsense. Besides, there was no way he could lose to this cursed guy who hadn't even awakened his divine power. He had absolute faith in the Terra divine power he had awakened.
Gawin reflected on the past once more. There had been a time when he trailed after Ludenberg like a shadow, fawning over him desperately. The Greta count family was little more than a count in name only—a house on the brink of ruin. Whispers were already circulating that they might have to downgrade to viscount or even baron status. To survive in noble society, Gawin had chased after Ludenberg and his followers, pulling out every trick to befriend them. Ludenberg's followers mostly came from powerful families, after all.
He didn't care if he looked servile or pathetic. Somehow, he had to claw his way into noble society. Young as he was, Gawin had understood his family's dire straits all too well. He cast aside every shred of pride left in him and buried his surging inferiority complex deep inside. Through relentless effort, he finally managed to make connections with heirs from some of the strongest families among Ludenberg's followers. That became his foundation, allowing him to slowly rebuild, step by step.
Even after Ludenberg's position crumbled later on, the network he'd built didn't vanish easily. That was enough. Whether Ludenberg fell or his followers jumped ship to other powers—it had nothing to do with Gawin. As long as he squeezed what benefits he could from them, he was satisfied. Layer by layer, he forged ties with other nobles and began aiming higher. The Greta family might have been impoverished, but Gawin had connections he'd earned by shedding all his dignity, connections that funded his enrollment in Solemnute Adem.
This spar was his chance to prove his skills and value in front of everyone. The groveling Gawin Greta was gone. Now was the time to crush the once-prodigy Ludenberg and show the world his true self. Gawin anticipated how he'd take him down. Losing to Ludenberg? That thought didn't even exist in his head.
"Begin."
The moment Hainkel Hereis signaled the start of the spar, Ludenberg fixed Gawin with a piercing glare. Gawin glared right back. Ludenberg moved first. Gawin had yielded the initiative. No point in going all out against someone without divine power—it would just make him a laughingstock. And that turned out to be the worst decision Gawin Greta had made in years.
Ludenberg closed in on Gawin with blinding speed. Despite lacking divine power, he approached at an unbelievable pace and swung his sword down from above like lightning.
"...Hah."
Caught off guard, Gawin instinctively sensed something was wrong. He snapped to attention and immediately drew on the divine power of the earth god, Terra. His body hardened, the power flowing into his sword. He felt the blade in his hand grow heavier, more solid in real time.
But then—
Claaang!
The clash between a sword infused with divine power and one without produced a deafening ring. Gawin's wrist throbbed with pain.
'Impossible. How can a guy without divine power hit like this...!'
Moreover, Terra's divine power was second to none in durability, yet even wrapped in it, Gawin was being pushed back. He couldn't accept it. Gritting his teeth, he shoved Ludenberg's sword away. But the impact left his arm trembling faintly. The crowd erupted at the sight.
"Did you see that?"
"...No, I missed it."
"How's he that fast? He really has no divine power, right?"
Ignoring the commotion, Ludenberg silently glared at Gawin. It was just as he'd expected. No matter how superhuman divine power made people, it was still wielded by humans. If the human was too frail, even the strongest divine power couldn't be sustained. And most first-year students at Solemnute Adem, fresh from enrollment, were in that exact state—vessels unprepared for the power they wielded.
That was why Gawin's strength fell far short of Ludenberg, who had endured five years of grueling, inhuman training. But divine power was still divine power. It hadn't scratched Ludenberg, but the sword in his hand had taken serious damage. A single clash had cracked the center ever so slightly and nicked the blade. Three or four more, and it would shatter.
Ludenberg didn't care. When he sparred with his father, Leonard, it had been far worse. Three or four? Leonard's casual swing had once shattered Ludenberg's named sword to pieces. Compared to that, this was practically pristine. At least it hadn't broken on the first strike—just a crack and some blade damage. It wouldn't cut effectively anymore, but this was just a skill demonstration. The goal wasn't to kill or maim, but to showcase prowess and subdue the opponent.
Even so, Ludenberg gripped his sword tighter and pressed Gawin even harder. A sword was just a disposable tool, after all. His swordsmanship shifted into a chilling intensity, his assault growing fiercer. Professors, led by Hainkel, watched in stunned horror.
"What sword style is that?"
"First time I've seen it. Imperial swordsmanship, maybe? No, not quite. Probably his own modification... Incredible."
"It's downright eerie. Like it was made to mercilessly butcher enemies on the battlefield."
"That's true, but the fundamentals are perfectly flawless. Not a single wasted motion in his strikes."
Modifying a sword style required profound understanding—meaning Ludenberg had already mastered imperial swordsmanship to a high degree. The professors noted that keenly. Even basic techniques like imperial swordsmanship tripped up many knights who neglected their foundations. Ludenberg's display was shocking in itself, far beyond what a first-year should produce.
For Gawin, facing it head-on, it was hell.
'Damn it...!'
He could barely block Ludenberg's strikes. Kagak! Teeth gritted, he parried the onslaught. Without Terra's divine power, his sword would have snapped already, he thought.
"Urgh...!"
Everything was unfolding contrary to his expectations. In his sweet fantasy, he should have been overwhelming Ludenberg and basking in victory. Reality was the opposite. Gawin was on the defensive, and Ludenberg was hammering him mercilessly.
'Too easy.'
Ludenberg was surprised at how effortlessly the spar was going. Even the pre-dream version of himself might have beaten Gawin, but not this handily. It confirmed his growth far exceeded his hopes. As Ludenberg marveled inwardly, Gawin was losing his grip on sanity. What kind of monstrous swordsmanship was this? One lapse in focus, and those eerie strikes would cleave him apart.
Gawin was already resigning himself.
'Can't win. He's a monster. Wait... that sword...'
But just as he teetered on surrender, he noticed Ludenberg's sword wasn't normal.
'It's cracked. Just endure. An opening will come.'
That tiny flaw sparked hope. He'd hold out until it broke. That was his plan as he endured, and endured. With Ludenberg's clear dominance, he judged his sword wouldn't last much longer.
'Not long now. Then... I'll use it.'
He decided to exploit its destruction aggressively. Pouring maximum force into his blade, he aimed to shatter it outright on Gawin's right shoulder. Gawin maxed out his divine power, barely blocking. The swords clashed. Ludenberg's cracked blade finally shattered.
Caaaang!
Shards flew amid the explosive sound. Protected by Terra's power, Gawin took no real damage.
'Now!'
Gawin sensed his long-awaited moment. He pushed forward with all his might, certain Ludenberg couldn't dodge. It was his hope, a ray of light. But that hope crumbled in an instant.
As if he'd foreseen it all, Ludenberg bent his left knee, slipping past the thrust with exquisite timing. A simple move, perfectly executed—Gawin's strike sliced empty air. Before Gawin could recover, Ludenberg balled his free left fist, twisting from the ankle into a textbook imperial martial arts straight punch.
"What the—!"
Gawin's shocked cry was drowned by the loud clang of steel gauntlet against armor. He tumbled backward unceremoniously. Even fortified by Terra, the punch delivered massive shock. Gawin writhed on the ground.
Ludenberg glanced at the pathetic sight, then turned to Hainkel. The professor's eyes widened briefly before he marked the scoresheet.
"Ludenberg Lavante, victory. Score: Excellent. Gawin Greta, defeat. Score: Average. Good work."
Ludenberg couldn't hide his surprise at his elevated prowess. He'd expected growth, but not enough to toy with a fully empowered divine power user. He also noticed his senses had sharpened, grown more precise. The spar ended, plunging the surroundings into silence. No one had predicted this. Everyone had bet on Gawin. Yet Ludenberg, without divine power, had won.
In that moment, someone muttered,
"Monster..."