Chapter 73
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: The Incident Erupts
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This practical exam had a strong showmanship vibe, meant to impress the crowd.
By the time cadets hit their fourth year, they spent more time out on long-term missions than battling in controlled exam arenas like this.
That was why so many people had shown up to spectate what was just a routine practical.
‘Normally, it’d be a laid-back event—watch and head home.’
But the event that should have been peaceful turned into the scene of a horrific incident due to one problem.
Abel knew that better than anyone.
If he’d had enough power, he could have prevented the whole thing outright.
But he was just a single cadet.
Even if he raised the alarm about a problem, the odds of anyone listening were slim.
‘And even if they did, dealing with the fallout would be impossible.’
Abel ran a hand over his face.
Of course, he’d considered every possible angle.
One idea had been to keep Hena out of the spectator seats since she was the root of the issue.
But that came with its own problems.
Even if they got past this incident unscathed, it wouldn’t solve the underlying cause.
‘It might even be more dangerous that way. No telling when it’d blow up.’
He’d concluded that meddling could make things worse.
So despite his unease, Abel held back from rash action.
‘I’ve already done everything I can right now.’
As Abel mulled this over.
Thud, thud—!
The cages holding the Gigadeus Fragments were hauled into place, and one by one, the Gigants made their appearance.
The fourth-year cadets’ machines looked extraordinary even at a glance.
Not a single standard-issue model among them—every one had been specially customized.
‘Impressive.’
Abel couldn’t help but admire the sight.
Gigants tailored perfectly to their Riders were works of art in their own right.
You could tell the level of meticulous craftsmanship just from how smoothly they walked.
Thud, thud, thud!
The Gigants took up positions on one side.
Exactly four of them.
Four against a hundred Gigadeus Fragments.
“Amazing. Just four of them.”
Daniel murmured in quiet awe.
Abel nodded.
“Fourth-years are basically reserve Gigant Riders.”
“Think we’ll handle that easily when we’re seniors?”
“If we don’t have that level of skill by then, we’ll flunk out before.”
“Fair point.”
While they talked, preparations for the practical continued steadily.
The Gigants lined up in formation on one side, and the handlers slipped out from between them.
‘Still some time left.’
Abel noted as he watched.
Today’s practical was divided into three rounds.
The problem would hit early in the third—about two hours of buffer still.
-Commencing the exam shortly!
As he ran the numbers in his head, an announcement echoed, signaling the start was imminent.
Five minutes later.
-Releasing the restraint bars!
Thud, thud!
The cages confining the Gigadeus Fragments sprang open.
With the barriers suddenly gone, the Fragments paused in confusion before baring their aggression.
Naturally, that hostility zeroed in on the Gigants lined up nearby.
-Grraaar.
None charged the instant the bars opened, but everyone swallowed hard as they watched.
Thud!
The lead Gigant moved first.
It gripped a massive spear in both hands and charged forward.
Thud, thud, thud!
The nearby Fragments reacted differently, caught off guard by the preemptive rush—some charged back, others retreated.
A ragtag bunch, but their sheer numbers made them threatening enough.
If these had been first-year cadets, they’d have panicked and fallen back at the sight of twenty Fragments swarming at once.
But the Riders up front didn’t flinch.
Kwaaaaang—!
The moment the Fragments entered spear range, the giant weapon swept through them at blinding speed.
Three failed to dodge and took the full hit, sent flying and unable to rise.
But far more Fragments remained unscathed, and the distance was closing fast.
That was when it happened.
Kuuuung!
The Gigant stomped the ground with one foot.
The instant its raised foot hit, a deafening boom rang out, and the earth rippled like liquid.
Every Fragment standing on the ground lost balance without exception, staggering wildly.
Thud!
The other Riders, holding position, sprang into action right then.
They dashed forward with agile precision, unaffected by the quaking ground, and struck the stumbling Fragments.
Despite their numerical advantage, the Fragments couldn’t capitalize and were pushed back relentlessly.
Abel watched up to that point and muttered.
“It’s over.”
“Yeah.”
Daniel nodded in agreement.
The power gap was already massive, and the Fragments’ numbers were dwindling in real time.
No need to watch any further.
“Feels like watching adults fight kids…….”
“Same if we fought them now, right?”
“Probably. No comparison in any aspect.”
He’d felt a chill watching the chief instructor and faculty spar before, but seeing fellow cadets in action hit harder.
They were only three or four years ahead of first-years like them.
The fight stayed one-sided, just as they’d said.
The Riders didn’t allow a single solid hit, sweeping away the hundred-plus Fragments.
And so the first practical wrapped up.
* * *
The second round unfolded much like the first.
Overwhelming Rider skill. One-sided slaughter.
By the time the third round began, the tension had eased for everyone else.
Abel, on the other hand, had maxed out his alertness long ago.
All his focus was locked on Hena.
Daniel shot him odd looks now and then, but he had no time for that.
‘Could blow any second.’
Better to look a little weird than miss a single sign.
Otherwise, all his efforts so far would go to waste.
Thud—!
The Gigants lined up in a row.
The cages holding the Gigadeus Fragments slowly opened.
Right before the third practical kicked off.
Hena, peering down at the arena with the other cadets’ intrigued expressions, suddenly scowled.
Abel spotted her body trembling.
A nearby cadet noticed something off and tried to say something.
And then……
Wuuuuuuung—!
A colossal mana surge swept through the area.
“Ugh.”
Abel hunched over from the intense headache.
Srrrk—.
Red powder trickled from his hand.
One of the artifacts he’d prepped for this moment, designed to minimize high-density mana interference.
It shattered on the spot, but luckily he had two more.
‘A mess.’
The scene around him was beyond salvage, by any stretch.
Most cadets and staff lay fainted, bodies limp.
Exposed raw to the dense mana wave, it was inevitable.
No life-threatening risk or lasting damage, but they wouldn’t wake for at least an hour.
One key reason the incident had escalated into a major crisis.
“Hoo.”
Abel drew a deep breath and forced himself up.
His body felt drained, every movement a Herculean effort, but this was the time to move.
Hena’s rampage hadn’t even truly begun.
“Huuh…….”
Pushing past the unconscious, he reached her side and heard her voice.
Hena curled up, letting out pained groans. Just before he got closer.
Wuuuuuuung!
Another mana wave crashed through.
Stronger than before, it nearly blasted Abel’s mind into oblivion.
He staggered badly but caught himself and reflexively glanced aside.
The spectator stands were chaos, but the arena below was worse.
The Fragments, already freed from their cages, clustered together, assessing the situation.
But the real issue was elsewhere.
‘The Gigants…….’
Every Gigant moved like it had malfunctioned.
‘Mana interference.’
Abel grimaced as he pieced it together.
Hena’s rampage unleashed powerful ‘interference’ waves.
On people, it just caused fainting.
But Gigants suffered far worse.
They shut down completely.
‘Not at that level yet, though.’
If it could wreck them outright, Abel wouldn’t have even tried intervening.
Block it in time, and the Gigants would recover fast enough to handle the riled-up monsters.
“Hoo.”
So Abel willed strength into his shaking legs and pressed on.
His vision blurred the closer he got to Hena, but he gritted his teeth and endured.
Clang—.
Another artifact shattered into fragments.
Yet Abel reached her side at last.
Crunch—.
He bit his lip hard and pulled another artifact from his pocket.
One processed from Azelkior’s core.
He pressed it straight to Hena’s neck.
But then, signs of another mana burst welled up from her body.
Wung……!
The mana scattered, blocked by something.
Abel exhaled in relief while inspecting the artifact.
‘Cracked.’
A fissure ran through the one at her neck.
By his initial calculations, this artifact could handle about three bursts from Hena.
Meaning it couldn’t resolve the crisis on its own.
‘Good.’
But buying time was enough.
The Gigants were slowly regaining mobility, and the Fragments were still holding back, warily observing.
Now Abel had one task left.
Calm Hena’s rampage.
“Hooo.”
He let out a long breath and gripped her shoulder firmly, resolve in his eyes.
Over the past few weeks alone with Hena, he’d prepared one safeguard.
The rampage stemmed from her unstable psyche triggering an imprint.
He’d tried addressing the psychological issue during their time together but failed.
Whenever he asked what was wrong, she’d just smile it off.
‘But.’
Once the psychological block fully erupted, things changed.
‘I can do it now.’
Abel pulled red powder from the pouch at his waist and made her inhale it, then took some himself.
This powder, used by outer-realm shamans in rituals, was called ‘Daydream.’
It would open the path to solving this crisis.
Convinced of that, Abel slowly closed his eyes.
Soon, his mind went fully blank.