Chapter 65
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: Black Hawk vs. White Swan
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Marygold visited his room an hour later.
“The Count is calling for you.”
“Got it. I’ll get ready and head out right away.”
Abel replied simply, changed clothes in short order, and stepped out of the room.
The place he arrived at following Marygold wasn’t the usual office, but the hall on the first floor.
“You’re here.”
Scarlett had been chatting with the knights, but she gave Abel a light greeting when she spotted him.
Abel bowed before speaking.
“Yes. You called for me.”
“Yeah. Guests have arrived, you see. How about heading to the training grounds first to loosen up? Oh, the Gigant’s prepared there too.”
“Understood.”
“Then, follow Sir Dillon here.”
Abel moved along with Dillon right away, surveying the training grounds with a nostalgic gaze.
‘It’s been a while here too.’
He’d used the place every single day before enrolling, so the fondness welled up strong.
“Abel! Long time no see!”
“Been a while!”
Familiar knights soon called out greetings.
Abel exchanged warm words with them as he walked toward the inner section of the training grounds.
Several Gigants had been brought out inside, and Dillon pointed to one unit.
“This is the machine you’ll be using today.”
It was a Miles-grade Gigant, its black plating emblazoned with a sharp hawk emblem on the shoulders.
Abel stared up at it blankly for a moment before asking Dillon.
“Doesn’t look like your run-of-the-mill machine.”
“It’s the one our liege used back in her youth.”
“Ah……!”
Abel let out a quiet gasp at Dillon’s answer.
Of course he knew it—it was Scarlett’s machine from her younger days.
‘Black Hawk.’
One of the Klein Count’s personal Gigants. Not her main ride, but a standout masterpiece among Miles-grades.
‘I figured they’d just lend me some spare from the family stores.’
But thinking it over, it made sense.
The whole event centered on ‘camaraderie’ from the start.
In other words, even the Gigant duel was part of entertaining the guests.
Pulling out some no-account machine for a match like that would be rude, wouldn’t it?
‘Or maybe it’s just a matter of pride.’
Either way, the key point was that he’d been assigned a top-tier machine.
‘Lucky break.’
Even aside from winning, piloting a quality Gigant was valuable experience for Abel.
‘I can see what to improve and take notes on.’
Of course, forget all that—just the thrill of riding the Black Hawk was enough to get his blood pumping.
“Alright, I’ll warm up first.”
“Very good, sir.”
“Yes.”
Abel nodded with a resolute expression.
They’d loaned him the Black Hawk of all things—he couldn’t afford to botch the fight.
Dillon nodded back, looking pleased with Abel’s response.
“Understood. If you need a sparring partner, just say the word.”
“Thank you.”
With his permission granted, Abel began warming up in earnest.
Dillon even stepped in midway to serve as a light opponent.
By the time he’d fully loosened up.
“They’re coming.”
Dillon pointed to one side.
Scarlett was approaching with the others.
Abel spotted the girl he’d glimpsed from the window earlier among them.
The distance closed quickly, and Abel was the first to bow politely in greeting.
“Hello. I’m Abel.”
“This is Abel. A cadet from the academy I’m sponsoring.”
Scarlett introduced him in a matter-of-fact tone. Then a golden-haired girl stepped forward from the other side.
“I’m Ruel Blaine. Pleasure to meet you.”
Ruel said, offering Abel a polite bow.
Caught off guard by her demeanor, Abel hid his surprise and replied.
“Yes. Pleasure’s mine.”
A few brief exchanges followed, after which Scarlett addressed Abel and Ruel.
“Shall we have you board the Gigants now?”
“Yes.”
“Understood.”
Abel bowed and headed for the Black Hawk, stealing a glance at Ruel.
‘Wonder what machine she’ll get.’
Naturally, she wouldn’t have brought her own.
Or more precisely, she couldn’t have.
Gigants weren’t cars—you couldn’t just haul one across borders for a casual duel.
His question was answered soon enough.
‘White Swan.’
An elegant white Gigant stood where Ruel headed.
Not quite on Black Hawk’s level, but still renowned.
It wasn’t Scarlett’s personal unit, but the finest in the Klein family’s communal stock.
Pitting raw specs without custom gear, it matched the Black Hawk.
‘No gear on it either, so specs should be about even.’
He paid attention to such details to cover his bases.
Unlikely as it was, she might gripe about machine differences after the duel.
‘Doesn’t strike me as the type, though.’
Abel mulled it over as he carefully climbed aboard.
The lock must’ve been released ahead of time—the hatch slid open at his touch.
Settling into the cockpit gave him an odd sensation.
‘Comfortable.’
Even though it wasn’t tailored to him, it felt perfectly accommodating.
He wanted to inspect it closer, but now wasn’t the time, so Abel placed his hand on the core right away.
Woooong-!
Mana flowed through the core, spreading across the Gigant.
In the process, Abel marveled once more.
‘The mana circuits are insanely refined.’
Injecting mana as usual, but the flow speed was incomparable.
Like going from a dirt road to a smooth highway.
Thanks to that, he could activate the machine far quicker than normal.
-Hmm. Feels different from usual.
Just as he was about to stand it up, a familiar voice chimed in.
It was Lupus.
Since it wasn’t his own machine, Abel replied inwardly.
‘Different machine, after all.’
-Is that so? Feels good. Real comfortable.
Abel smirked at Lupus’s words and answered.
‘Yeah. It’s a good one.’
Kuuung-!
With a heavy roar, the Black Hawk stood tall on the ground. Far off, Ruel’s White Swan rose at almost the same moment.
Seeing it, Abel told Lupus.
‘We’ve got a big fight coming up. Count on you.’
-You bet. I was itching to test this new body’s performance anyway.
‘Same here.’
Abel replied and slowly tested the Gigant’s movements.
Kuuung-!
Taking one step forward sent a thrilling jolt from the foot up.
‘Smooth.’
Just one step, but the difference was night and day.
He couldn’t tell what material the joints were made of, but the motion was buttery.
Next, Abel thrust the arm forward at speed.
Fwoooosh-!
The Gigant’s massive fist cleaved the air with a whoosh.
He didn’t stop there—punching repeatedly, raising a leg, running diagnostics through various motions.
After checking them all, Abel gave his verdict.
‘So this is the Black Hawk.’
Pure awe. Nothing else.
He’d known the rough specs, but riding it hit different.
Glancing across, Ruel was inspecting her Gigant similarly.
Watching her, Abel thought.
‘Not a pushover.’
Her skill was clear even from basic moves.
By the time they’d both finished checking their machines.
[We’ll begin shortly!]
One of the knights shouted through a voice-amplifying magic tool.
Abel and Ruel halted, standing at attention.
Then the wizards on standby for the event activated the training ground’s inscribed spells.
Woooooong-!
A fierce mana surge enveloped the grounds in a blue barrier.
A powerful shield.
Just from the mana flow, you could tell it’d withstand a full-power Gigant punch.
The wizards layered on more spells too.
All for safety.
‘Thorough.’
The space was cramped, but with that sturdy barrier, he felt at ease.
No risk of collateral even if someone slipped up.
[Both sides, select your weapons and prepare for the exchange match!]
The knight bellowed next.
Abel headed to the armed side, picking up the largest sword.
Compared to his recent acquisition, it was normal-sized, but still solid.
‘Easier to handle on the fly, actually.’
Abel swung it a few times before returning to position.
Conveniently, the other side had finished selecting too.
Naturally, Ruel’s weapon was a spear.
‘How good is she, really.’
Abel eyed Ruel.
He’d never seen her in the game, but she was no amateur, that much was sure.
Sole heir to a prestigious martial house.
‘Wouldn’t be here if she sucked.’
-Not an easy fight.
‘Nope.’
Lupus sounded excited in his own way, his voice laced with thrill.
Abel kept his tension up, watching his opponent.
Then, moments later.
[Exchange match begins!]
The knight announced the start loud and clear.
But neither side rushed in.
They just circled slowly, observing.
Kuuung, kung-!
Of course, the distance narrowed bit by bit.
Abel measured it carefully.
His sword was larger than standard—not short—but still shorter than a spear.
If closing in, he had to do it in a flash.
Worst case was getting poked from awkward range.
‘Tough to spot an opening.’
Problem was, Ruel wasn’t the type to let anyone close easily.
Her Gigant stared him down like an iron wall.
Rush in recklessly, and that spear would skewer him clean.
Kuuung-!
Then, in an instant.
Ruel suddenly closed the gap hard.
The thrust screamed probe, and Abel’s eyes sharpened.
The spear targeted his left shoulder.
Kuuung!
Abel shifted right, raising his sword to shoulder height in one motion.
Whish!
Ruel snapped the spear back, twisting left in a hurry.
Abel’s blade grazed empty air by a hair.
Kuuung-!
In the end, both reset to stance with no gains.
“Both playing it safe.”
“Means neither falls for basic feints. Solid skill for their age.”
The onlookers murmured, tones even but laced with quiet admiration.
Both had shown prowess beyond their years.
With all eyes on them.
Kung-!
Abel lunged in a surprise advance.
Sword aimed straight for the opponent’s neck.