Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Initiation Ceremony
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The boys and girls stood in a neat row alongside Kang Geohan.
Hundreds of eyes watched them.
Suddenly, the girl to Kang Geohan’s right spoke in a low voice.
“Feeling overwhelmed?”
He glanced over to see a pretty girl wearing glasses, her hair tied back tightly.
‘Glasses.’
Kang Geohan had never seen anyone among the serfs wearing glasses before. That meant one thing.
‘She’s from the freefolk.’
There were two kinds of people in this world.
Nobles and non-nobles.
Nobles were otherworldly beings from the start, so setting them aside, the rest of humanity divided into two groups.
Freefolk and serfs.
They were both Yellow Knights now, but the lives Kang Geohan the serf and this freefolk girl had lived were as different as heaven and earth.
“I’m Roen Yellow. You?”
“……Kang Geohan Yellow.”
“Got it. You’re a serf, right?”
“…….”
“No need to be surprised. It’s obvious from those grubby trainee clothes. If you’re a serf, this situation must be even more overwhelming. But don’t get down on yourself. Times like this, you need to keep your eyes wide open and observe everything around you.”
Roen, the freefolk girl, spoke without any hesitation.
‘What’s her deal? Nosy type?’
Kang Geohan was a bit flustered, but the situation was so sudden that he listened to what she had to say.
“First off, check out the competition. In my opinion, there are about four people here worth watching. Including you and me.”
Kang Geohan wanted to ask what her basis was, but Roen spoke so quickly he had no chance to interrupt.
“See that big guy over there? He looks like strength personified. Impossible not to notice him.”
The boy Roen nodded toward had a face that looked far older than his under-twenty years, nearly two meters tall, packed with solid muscle. He definitely stood out.
“Name’s…… Kurolld, I think? Even his name sounds tough. But he’s too obvious, so let’s move on. The real deal’s next. See that pretty boy over there with the sharp eyes?”
Kang Geohan glanced that way and saw a boy with red hair and pale skin. He had delicate features overall, but his sharp eyes gave him a spirited look.
“Harkrux Yellow. For a serf, he’s got a decent amount of mana built up, and his focus looks sharp. He’ll definitely pass the entry test.”
Kang Geohan looked at Roen in slight surprise. She grinned.
“Why? Shocked? My family wasn’t rich, but my parents were really invested in educating their only daughter. I’ve been handling mana stones since I was fourteen. I can sense how much mana others have accumulated.”
In other words, early education and advanced learning.
‘Damn this unequal world.’
While Kang Geohan grumbled inwardly, Roen poked his side and offered some comfort.
“Well, they say the training camp evaluates potential for growth a lot too, so don’t lose heart. And honestly, you’ve got a fair bit of mana yourself. I almost thought you weren’t a serf at first. Some kind of genius?”
She really had no filter.
“But is that guy your squire?”
Davis stood where Roen pointed. When Kang Geohan nodded, she furrowed her brow.
“What about the other one? You’re supposed to have two squires.”
“Don’t have one yet.”
“Huh…….”
Roen turned to him with a look that said, how could you?
“That’s not okay!”
Her voice rose without thinking, so she glanced around and lowered it again.
“Squires are your personal guard in wartime! You need at least one with actual combat ability……! Even as a serf, you could’ve brought along some estate soldier……!”
Hearing that, Kang Geohan realized that was an option, but it still didn’t sit right with him.
He wanted to choose someone he knew well and trusted for the long haul.
But Roen clearly didn’t approve of his choice.
“Looks like that guy’s like family to you…… but it’s not good for him either. He’s alone, and old too…… This place is a jungle. He could get ignored or even bullied.”
That gave Kang Geohan pause for concern. He looked at Davis. Sure enough, he seemed intimidated among the younger, sturdy squires.
‘I need to find another squire soon.’
Ideally someone who could fight well and hold his own anywhere.
Roen let out a deep sigh.
“Fine, after the entry test, I’ll ask my trainer-slash-bodyguard-slash-squire to watch his back for a bit. You need to figure something out quick.”
Kang Geohan stared at her. He was grateful, but…… was she just a really nice person?
At that moment, Roen’s eyes sparkled.
“Oh, it’s starting!”
The first boy in line began climbing onto the Gigant.
* * *
There’s a thing called the ‘L1 Breathing Method’ that fighter pilots use.
A fighter jet’s acceleration is terrifying—sometimes over nine or ten times gravity presses down on the pilot, so they have to counter it with a sharp inhale that squeezes every blood vessel in their body.
Fail the breathing, and blood doesn’t reach the brain properly—they black out.
That’s what it means to wield power far beyond human limits.
Speeds breaking the sound barrier come back as crushing force every time you turn or accelerate, and just flying burdens the pilot with weights no ordinary person could bear.
But boarding a Gigant was even more extreme.
Raphael White said,
“The Gigant is a weapon that imulates the gods. It gathers the bodies and knowledge of ancient gods, moving and fighting in ways similar to how they did. Today, you’ll learn what it means for a human to wield a god’s power.”
Raphael White waved his hand, and a projector-like device on one side of the clearing activated.
Light from the projector hit a white sheet, and a black-and-white screen showed the face of the boy who had just boarded the Gigant.
He stared straight ahead, face tense.
Raphael White commanded,
“Then let’s begin liftoff. Plant both hands on the ground.”
[Yes, sir!]
The moment the boy on screen squatted and touched the ground,
Complex magic circles glowed on the floor, and gears began turning with a whir.
Then liftoff started.
Boom!
Screeech-!
The Gigant, standing like a massive bronze statue, shook with intense vibrations. Steel armor plates shifted with clangs, grinding with screeches.
[Hngh! Grh……!]
The boy’s face on screen twisted. Veins bulged on his forehead. His eyes shook. You could see the raw panic: ‘What is this?’ ‘Already this heavy……?’
Hiss-!
The Gigant began venting steam from its whole body. The boy’s mouth gaped, saliva drooling.
[Urk! Graaah! Hic……!]
He was definitely talented enough to lift a mana stone, but his face contorted in agony, eyes rolling upward.
Thump! Thump!
Hiss! Ssss!
Like a massive drum, the Gigant’s heart pounded, steam pulsing rhythmically like breath—and just as the boy’s eyes rolled back white, they snapped back to focus.
In a voice drained of color, the boy screamed.
[Agh?! Stop! Stoooop……!]
Then, like he’d been electrocuted, he yanked his hands off the ground, leaped up, and crashed back down with a boom!
[Guh! Gack……!]
The screen only showed the boy writhing on the ground in pain.
Clap clap clap.
Raphael White applauded.
“Well done. If you’re not cut out for it, quitting in time like that is best. Even if you fail, you’re still a knight. Your lives are valuable.”
Those who looked like squires quickly climbed ladders, opened the hatch on the Gigant’s chest, and dragged out the writhing boy.
Watching impassively, Raphael said flatly,
“Next.”
* * *
Failed.
Failed again.
One even suffered an injury where blood burst from his eyes.
Even gathered from the toughest boys and girls who could lift mana stones, failures kept piling up.
‘Not easy…….’
Kang Geohan clenched his fist, watching the fourth climber—a massive boy—mount the Gigant.
Kurolld.
‘Can he make it?’
Nearly two meters tall, built like a rugged barbarian warrior. Even without Roen’s say-so, he was impossible to ignore.
Kurolld planted both hands on the ground with a confident smile.
[Grh! Graaaah! Hngh!]
Veins popping on his forehead, he grunted for a long time until suddenly.
[Kraaaah!]
Sweat streaming, he pushed off the ground, stood tall, and roared triumphantly.
Liftoff success.
Thud! Thud! Boom!
Hiss! Ssss! Hiss!
The Gigant’s heart beat, steel plates heaved, and steam vented rhythmically like breath.
On screen, Kurolld clenched his fist and roared.
The Gigant mimicked him, looking skyward and roaring.
‘Once liftoff succeeds, the Gigant copies the rider’s movements exactly? Looks like he’s enjoying it…… Not just success—his face is like he’s high on something.’
Kang Geohan examined Kurolld’s face closely.
Ecstasy.
Kurolld looked like he’d tasted heavenly food, his face full of satisfaction and bliss.
And then.
“Nice!”
Raphael White, who’d only been watching till now, grinned excitedly, leaped onto another Gigant, and boarded.
Rumble! Thud! Thud!
Screeeeech!
He lifted off immediately. Where Kurolld had struggled for two minutes, Raphael White did it in under ten seconds.
“Vertical liftoff……!”
“As expected of Raphael…….”
Even among the official candidates, gasps of admiration rose at his skill.
Raphael White’s thrilled voice boomed from the Gigant’s external speakers.
-Congratulations, trainee! Now, I’m gonna hit you—try blocking!
[Hah?!]
Kurolld, lost in ecstasy, looked dumbfounded.
Ignoring him, Raphael charged and smashed the chest of Kurolld’s machine.
Bang!
KABOOM!
Dust exploded from the Gigant’s footing, sparks rained from above. Ears rang, wind blasted the chest.
Kang Geohan instinctively stepped back.
‘What the hell…… Initiation ceremony?’
This was no attack for someone who’d just succeeded at liftoff. Unless the intent was to crush their spirit from the start……
Sure enough.
[Guuh……. ]
Kurolld’s eyes on screen glazed over. His face, full of pride moments ago, went slack and stupid.
But Raphael White didn’t stop.
-One more!
Boom!
A punch piercing the solar plexus. The cockpit shook, and Kurolld flopped to the ground.
Thud!
His massive Gigant knelt and collapsed.
[Blugh! Blargh! Grh…….]
On screen, Kurolld rolled on the ground vomiting before passing out. A humiliating moment for his two-meter frame. Squires rushed in again to drag the unconscious Kurolld from the cockpit.
Meanwhile, Raphael White shouted cheerfully.
-At least one made it in! Next!
Nine left.
Tension rippled through the line of boys and girls.