Chapter 46
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: Imperial Swordsmanship (1)
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After heading to the Magic Tower at Bella's summons and going through various ordeals, then abruptly facing the Magic Tower Lord's emergency event, a few weeks had passed since, but no notable events or quests had cropped up.
"Time's flown by already..."
The days had slipped away faster than expected. It felt like just yesterday that I'd taken the entrance exam right after possessing this body for the first time, yet here we were, midterms looming just around the corner. The season of midterm prep had arrived.
Lost in such scattered thoughts, I was making my way to the S-Class lecture hall when I noticed the academy exuding an unnaturally hushed atmosphere.
'This time of year never gets easier...'
Midterm preparations had kicked off last week, so everyone was implicitly keeping things quiet to buckle down and study.
'And...'
Midterms offered a chance to close score gaps in a flash. Isabel and Libia were grinding through studies and training harder than anyone, gunning to snatch even my top spot this time around.
This midterm season left me spending it in pretty lonely fashion.
Slide—
Finally reaching the S-Class lecture hall, I eased the door open carefully—unlike my usual self—to avoid shattering the silence.
'Whoa...'
The classroom thrummed with a murderous tension. Unlike other classes, S-Class cranked it up to a suffocating, eerily quiet extreme.
I pushed through that choking air, settled into my seat gingerly, and waited for the professor.
Libia and Isabel traded quick greetings before plunging back into their ferocious studies, determination etched in their faces—not willing to yield even a single point.
Slide—
We'd been holding our breaths in that oppressive vibe for ages when the door finally creaked open. In strode my savior, come to rescue me from the tension.
"Hey, kids."
Elina's voice rippled through the room, and with it, the suffocating pressure eased just a touch.
'Phew...'
A bit longer in there, and I might've choked out in the classroom before ever facing that god-swallowing Giant Evil.
Sighing in relief amid the loosened mood, I tuned into Elina's words.
"Alright, soak up today's elective. Catch you later in Practical Combat Studies."
Just like that, Elina wrapped up and slipped out. The cadets resumed eyeing each other warily, but with classroom changes ahead, the tension didn't clamp down as hard as before.
'Still rough, though...'
If this dragged on through the whole midterm stretch, it'd wear anyone down.
'It'll lighten up eventually...'
Clinging to hope that the venomous edge would dull over time, I headed off to the required course lecture hall.
But...
"The fundamentals of magic theory and the basics of double casting are...—"
It started with the next basic magic class...
"Swordsmanship basics, the flow of nerves in the body, and the direction of blood flow and muscle movement...—"
And carried into the basic swordsmanship session after.
No matter how much time ticked by, the poisonous chill never faded—in fact, it only sharpened with the prodding.
At least...
Boom—
Practical Combat Studies shone like a lifeline, with Elina drilling us so hard the venom evaporated entirely. We caught our breath without that stranglehold.
"That's it for today's Practical Combat Studies. Hit those electives hard, see you tomorrow."
Even after Practical Combat wrapped, the cadets' cutthroat vibe never reignited.
'Everyone's wiped...'
Elina's Sparta regimen—rolling on since she'd witnessed my Life and Death Resolve—had everyone flattened. No surprise there.
That brutal lecture tested even me, who'd kept stacking stamina stats through steady training post-Magic Tower visit. I sprawled on the floor for a breather, then hauled myself up, approached Libia, and suggested we move.
"C'mon, Libia. Let's head out."
"Aadeen... Sooo tired..."
Libia drawled it out uncharacteristically, like death warmed over.
'Makes sense...'
Since Elina's Sparta drills began, Libia—as the swordswoman—had been frontline fodder. Post-Sparta Practical Combat, she ended up more wrecked than Isabel.
I pulled her up as she reached out like she wanted a hand, then chided her gently.
"You've been pushing too hard lately. Effort's great, but pace yourself with some rest."
Truth was, she'd ramped up the overkill training for midterms again last week. Scolding her out of worry she'd burn out like before, but she waved it off casually.
"I'm good. Just... play with me after midterms?"
"Yeah, no problem."
Not a tough ask, especially since she'd floated it now and then after that last emergency event. I accepted without hesitation.
Her drained act vanished on cue, replaced by a beaming Libia. I chuckled briefly before we headed together to the Imperial Swordsmanship lecture hall.
Slide—
Opening the door to Imperial Swordsmanship brought the chill wafting back.
Compared to S-Class, though? More students here, sure—but worlds more relaxed. Couldn't hold a candle to S-Class intensity.
'This? Piece of cake...'
After toughing out S-Class hell, this barely registered as tense. Almost comfy.
We settled in amid the faint edge, and soon enough, Cael pushed through the door into the Imperial Swordsmanship hall.
At the podium, he dove into explaining the midterm format.
Like comprehensive eval week, it'd be sparring—against him.
Classes for the foreseeable? Straight sparring with him.
Explanation done, Cael led the way to the sparring grounds.
The cadets trailed after, one by one.
Following Cael there, I clocked it wasn't our usual spot.
'This place...?'
No array of mini-arenas like normal. Just one massive sparring ground.
First time Cael had dragged the entire Imperial Swordsmanship roster here.
"Listen up—until midterms, skip the classroom. Come straight here for Imperial Swordsmanship!"
With orders to report here instead henceforth, Cael laid out the lesson plan.
Boiled down simple:
Cael versus every last Imperial Swordsmanship cadet.
All at once.
"I'll go full throttle too. Come at me like you mean to kill!"
That capped it. Cael surged with mana.
Overwhelming, feral yet razor-precise power flooded his training sword—like a beast unleashed.
'Insane...'
One look, and dread stuck: these Imperial Swordsmanship classes ahead? Anything but easy.
"Charge, you sprouts!"
Cadets swarmed him, unleashing hell—but...
Boom—!!
Not one landed. They cratered amid roars.
Libia watched, channeled mana into her training blade, and charged proud... but...
"Gah—"
She held a tad longer than most. Still, down she went.
"Urgh..."
"M-monster..."
"Mercy..."
Cadets writhed across the floor, moaning agony. All in the first few minutes.
"Anyone who can stand—get up and fight!"
With everyone but me floored, Cael scanned the room, bellowing the order.
Not a soul stirred. His eyes locked on me—the lone man standing.
"Cadet Aden—no exceptions! On me!"
Imperial Swordsmanship professor Cael lunged.
A savage, mana-charged slash—pure rampage—arced my way.
Clang—!
"Nngh...!"
I poured mana in, barely parried, and backflipped for space.
'This is gonna suck...'
Way beyond cadet-level force.
Full power, no doubt. He was hitting us full-tilt.
Thus, the figure before me shed his professor skin.
Madel Empire's monster.
Battlefield berserker.
Legendary Knight Commander Cael.
That's who stood there now.