Overwhelming Power -3-
“Next.”
“Uwoooo!!!”
Noah Frozenheart's next opponent was Gilbert Carniat stepping forward.
Now that they'd been given permission to use their personal weapons, Gilbert transformed the bracelet on his wrist into a massive shield.
What an absurd guy.
Rohan had only just learned today that this guy's main weapon was a huge shield.
He'd always swung around standard-issue bludgeons during practical classes because he'd just felt like it that day, apparently.
Thanks to that, Gilbert got an earful from Juyeon even before things got started.
“Kraaaah!!! Shield Bash!”
“Your spirited shout is commendable. But do you really need to call out the motion itself, when it's not even a skill incantation?”
“Down with the gorilla!!! Golden spirit!!!”
“···?”
Gilbert wrapped himself in mana and charged at Juyeon like a raging bull, but the result was no surprise.
Even when he slammed his shield and massive bulk into her in perfect harmony, Juyeon didn't budge an inch from her spot, delivering her sharp critiques all the while.
Two minutes later.
Gilbert, who'd burned through his mana at full throttle, collapsed in exhaustion, twitching on the ground.
And Rohan was the one who had to drag him off to end it.
“Next.”
“Instructor. Next is me.”
Up next was a character from Abyss City who'd earned decent reviews as an A-rank tanker.
Pavel Harris, a male beastkin from Tigrova.
Pavel seemed fired up by Gilbert's shouts and reckless charge.
Rohan had never raised him, but this cadet had gotten community props as “decent for a second party in a pinch if you max Transcendence.”
And he got hit with basically the same critiques from Juyeon for two minutes straight.
A few more cadets came and went like that, until Dick Wikitree slotted into an awkward spot in the lineup.
“Stabbing with a spear doesn't mean it'll hurt. Act more decisively, without hesitation.”
“Yep···.”
“If hesitation creeps into your attacks and you can't show your true skill, then critiques are pointless.”
Dick trudged back to his spot with his spear in hand after the harsh words from Juyeon.
That's when Ichinose Yui rose from her meditation.
“I'll go.”
The girl gripped her beloved sword Yoru and stepped forward.
The cadets of Class 1, Noah included, watched the front with eyes full of keen interest.
Click. Click.
Ichinose took graceful steps to stand right in front of Juyeon.
Juyeon gave her the same instructions as the others.
“Attack right away, and you've got two minutes, same as always.”
“Understood.”
Clack! Ichinose gripped the hilt and lowered into stance.
The girl mobilized all her honed senses. They spread out, desperately searching for a valid sword path.
“···.”
About ten seconds of stillness, maybe.
Ichinose stood frozen, sword undrawn, as if time itself had stopped.
···No path.
No openings in her opponent. No attacks incoming to parry or counter.
No path to thrust her blade.
Nothing like Father.
How do you even swing at a powerhouse who just stands there waiting?
She couldn't even imagine landing a scratch, let alone a proper cut.
“Ichinose Yui. Unlike Noah, you're overthinking it.”
Juyeon smiled faintly at the girl's telltale signs of trying to read her voids.
What dazzling talent.
She was a brilliant girl, really.
But in this case, it was poison.
Her gift for reading made her sense the unbreakable wall more clearly than anyone.
Now that she knew for sure that drawing and swinging her sword wouldn't reach the target.
Could a girl who pursued flawless efficiency really draw for something so pointless?
That was the key.
“I said the instructor won't attack—so why hesitate?”
“···.”
Off-beat, sudden as could be, Ichinose drew.
Peeeng──!!!
Her blade halted at Juyeon's fingertip.
Even caught mid-draw, it left a deep gash in the gym wall.
Smart girl.
Rohan just admired Ichinose as he watched.
The instant she attempted her first draw, she'd opened her closed eyes.
She'd severed her own over-sensitive nerves and turned away from the wall squeezing her whole body.
If Juyeon knew the details of her unique skill, she'd probably be genuinely impressed.
“Your speed and mana control are exemplary. You far surpass the average academy cadet.”
Ichinose didn't thank her for the praise.
She thrust the empty scabbard at Juyeon's throat after spitting out the blade.
Juyeon smiled in satisfaction, lowering her grip on the blade to block the scabbard.
“Hup!”
A compact taijutsu move to reclaim her sword, despite her slender build.
Unlike Noah Frozenheart's attacks, Ichinose's had a clear systematic structure.
“This is enough—you can have it back.”
Having wrested her blade back through sheer desperation, Ichinose clack! resheathed it.
Then, into a unique stance.
She held the sword straight out in front like a ritual form, eyes closing.
“Hoo.”
Juyeon, who'd served as a grand general in Samhwa Nation, knew exactly what that sword was.
Dream Illusion Slash Shadow Flow?
The sword style used by Ichinose Yui's father, Ichinose Jun, chairman of Cheonoecheon conglomerate.
Juyeon wanted to praise her just for wielding that finicky style.
Her future looks promising.
A mental sword style that was a nightmare to face.
But.
The gap between Ichinose and Juyeon couldn't be bridged by an incomplete style.
Swing this way or that.
Pour mana into the illusions all you want.
Ichinose's skill couldn't shake Juyeon's ironclad mind.
Maybe the pressure of utter futility weighed heavy.
A bead of sweat trickled down the girl's jawline.
“You look frustrated. When using that lineage of sword, feign serenity. Don't let impatience show on your face.”
“Eut!”
Ichinose let out her first sigh, having stayed silent till now.
Juyeon smiled warmly at the glimpse of the girl's raw inexperience.
“Part of my ease came from knowing that sword, so don't feel too bad. You did splendidly.”
Ding ding ding!!!
The alarm blared—the two minutes up, right with the praise.
“···Thank you for your guidance.”
“Good. Go rest.”
Ichinose returned with a regretful expression as the next turn began.
Rohan still hadn't risen from his seat.
“Next.”
“Yes!”
“Attack starts the clock—two minutes.”
“Got it!”
Rohan watched Juyeon handle the next cadet.
Hmm.
He observed with eyes practically bulging, laser-focused.
But no payoff.
She's a real monster.
Rohan watched Juyeon right up to the final moment.
Yet no exploitable habits or gaps appeared.
“Next.”
His turn arrived with no gains.
Rohan shot to his feet, longsword in hand.
“Rohan last, huh.”
“That's right.”
“Attack starts the two minutes.”
“Yep!”
Rohan answered loudly and drew his sword.
Shring─!
A sharp ring.
Rohan didn't use a scabbard. He tossed the empty sheath coolly to the floor.
“Fuuu···.”
He settled into stance and exhaled long.
With time to spare, he circulated mana smoothly as she'd taught, reinforcing his body.
Scorching Blade.
His mana flowed over the cold steel.
Tzzzzzzt──!
The sound of heat boiling up the blade.
The sword glowed red, radiating fierce warmth.
“···!”
Juyeon's eyes widened as she watched Rohan prepare.
A blatantly emotional reaction. Beyond surprise—it bordered on shock.
Rohan was thrown off too; it was a face he'd never seen.
What's that about? Same attribute?
But there were crossbow users who handled fire too.
And Scorching Blade wasn't some high-rank unique skill to shock her.
Anyway, maybe an opening.
Rohan kicked off the floor, thrusting his sword.
Thud!
Caught, as expected.
Juyeon showed no sign of being affected by the blooming heat.
Won't budge.
Everyone must've felt this frustration. The sword wedged between her fingers wouldn't yield.
Like a massive beast baring its fangs.
Rohan instantly drew the standard-issue pistol hidden at his waist.
Aimed right at Juyeon's face and pulled the trigger.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Thick gunpowder stung his nose.
Juyeon blocked every bullet with her fingers, staring at Rohan with an enigmatic expression.
Rohan kept moving without pause, questions aside.
He jabbed at her eyes, tried stomping her instep.
Grabbed at her blocking fingers to wrench them back—but they wouldn't move, like rebar.
Only now did Juyeon speak, watching Rohan's desperate flailing.
“···Practical, aren't you.”
A voice thick like she'd just woken from a dream.
Juyeon snapped back to the lesson, shaking off sticky memories.
“I'll praise your versatility. But everything but the sword lacks depth.”
Rohan unleashed a barrage of hidden standard-issue weapons.
Twisted his body, pulling every trick from his past life.
But nothing touched Juyeon.
“Bullets without mana are no threat to the instructor. You know I didn't even need to block them.”
The critique he'd expected.
Rohan's eyes flicked to the clock.
Just shy of two minutes.
He'd pondered this while waiting his turn.
What if he used Weakness Infliction on Juyeon?
Mana shortage for sure.
Considering the proportional cost, the answer was simple.
Not enough mana in reserve—might fail outright.
But it was just a hypothesis.
He had to test it for real at least once.
Especially against someone this overwhelmingly superior—what happened when you used a skill?
I thought contact itself would be the issue.
But Juyeon was willingly closing for taijutsu, surprisingly permissive.
Was there a safer, better chance to test the skill?
Rohan feinted another wrench at her fingers, grabbing them again.
Weakness Infliction.
He poured in his mana.