Chapter 241
Chapter 241
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Academy Deployment (3)
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The imperial academy's public arena.
A place where all students on campus could use freely.
Most noble children used private arenas set up by their parents within the academy.
So they had no reason to come here.
Yet, when the specially invited guest headed there, they had no choice but to follow.
Pushing through the crowd that had gathered to meet him.
"Damn it, why do we have to share space with these nobodies...!"
Ignoring those in the same uniforms, they lined up and arrived at the arena.
Then they stared at him, standing alone in the center.
"Nice to meet you all. I'm Veil Mikhail, in charge of today's special lecture."
Applause poured in.
However, most were ordinary students.
The five prestigious heirs, having failed their private audience, glared at him discontentedly from afar.
It was understandable.
He was supposed to teach just them, but now he had to share with other students.
Still, he paid no mind to their stares.
His eyes were drawn instead to Senior Miya, who gazed at him fondly.
Educational opportunities should be equal.
Just as Miya had grown by meeting a good senior, he wanted to give these students the same fair chance.
"So, how old are all the students here?"
"Between 14 and 16."
Miya answered calmly.
He nodded and picked up a wooden sword from the arena floor.
"Then this is the perfect time to build your fundamentals."
Fundamentals.
The mere word bored the prestigious heirs, who scowled in unison.
"Ugh... What fundamentals?"
"You didn't call us just to learn that crap, did you?"
"What did you learn first when you entered the academy?"
"Manifesting mana."
Cynthia answered with a blank expression.
He nodded again.
"That's right. Concentrating the mana in the center of your chest and manifesting it prepares you for body reinforcement or casting spells."
He focused the intense energy in the center of his chest.
A perfectly spherical mana orb formed, clear enough for them to see.
"A perfect sphere..."
"Incredible..."
The young students stared blankly at his mana's shape.
But the prestigious heirs just smirked.
"What's so great about that? The mana orb's only the size of an olive."
"These days, the trend is expanding mana scale for explosive power..."
They had already trained through private tutoring.
Dissatisfaction leaked out at his old-school teaching.
Watching them, he narrowed his fox-like eyes slyly.
Then he grinned and spoke.
"So for our first lesson, we'll maintain 'mana manifestation' in any situation."
At his signal, Miya stepped forward.
The boys focused on her in her secretary outfit that accentuated her beautiful figure.
The girls concentrated on the round, intense mana core within themselves.
"While performing the basics of swordsmanship: slashes, downward strikes, and upward strikes."
Miya gripped her sword straight and swung it diagonally with full force.
A menacing whoosh of wind struck the arena surrounded by students.
―――――.
Yet even after swinging, the mana in her chest center showed no tremor.
Like a heartbeat.
"If you can perform these three motions without shaking the sphere, your power will double."
Considering her uncomfortable outfit, he decided to demonstrate the downward and upward strikes himself.
Gripping the wooden sword, he focused his mind and took the proper stance.
In that moment.
――――――!!
"...!!"
Even a light downward strike made the heavy gravel on the floor react.
As if fleeing from faint killing intent, it scattered and rolled away.
"What was that...? Wasn't it just a swing?"
"What was that typhoon sound...?"
A simple upward strike rippled the vast sky like a stone thrown into water.
The students gulped at the eerie echo.
――――――.
"I know the current swordsmanship trend favors expanding scale over refining the mana core."
He looked at the prestigious heirs as he spoke.
They averted their eyes and pretended otherwise.
"Overwhelming firepower for an instant win is advantageous in spars."
He stroked the arena tiles with his military boot—about thirty paces across.
"But that's only relevant in arenas."
With his dark eyes, he gazed at the inexperienced youths who had never killed.
And he warned them coldly this time.
"In real war, battles last from an hour short to over a day long."
His serious tone wiped the smiles from the students' faces.
They began worrying about the front lines they might face after graduation.
But the prestigious heirs remained relaxed.
They believed they would never be sent to the battlefield.
"Even if you stylishly cut down hordes of enemies in that time..."
He stood side by side with Miya in the arena's center.
And with unfocused eyes that had seen death, they stared at them.
"...exhaustion leaves you open to the final blow."
End.
That short, distant word silenced the students.
But one of the five in the distance.
"Everyone here will be assigned as officers or higher anyway, right?"
Alfonso, son of the academy headmaster, raised his hand casually.
"Ah, maybe the marquis doesn't know since he was a commoner before his restoration?"
He shrugged and snickered.
Northern archduke's son Duncan smirked in agreement.
"We don't need such inefficient training anymore. We just lead the vanguard briefly, show off firepower, and boost soldier morale."
As the headmaster's son, he had pre-studied tactics and command structures.
He looked down on him for not being academy alumni.
"So, how about teaching that overwhelming sky-slashing firepower today—"
Sky slash.
Mentioning the technique from the First Sword selection tournament reignited the students' eyes.
He was trying to derail the atmosphere like an eel.
"Hm. Valid point. Commanders do need to boost morale."
He nodded solemnly as if agreeing.
Alfonso closed his eyes proudly, thinking he had won.
"So, does Cadet Alfonso have flashy techniques to inspire soldiers?"
"Of course. House Damon has led from the vanguard since ancient times."
No wonder he strutted; his family had a former imperial first sword.
That's why he stayed composed facing him.
"Then come demonstrate it yourself."
"Gladly."
One of the five standing side by side rose.
In his white uniform adorned with flashy gold epaulets.
――――――.
As he entered the arena, all students looked up at him.
Alfonso savored their gazes, smiling the whole way.
"What technique will you show?"
"Thunderstorm."
Quite a grandiose name.
Not in his memory from ten years ago, so probably nothing special.
He drew his one-handed sword.
And pointed to the wooden dummy at the arena's edge.
"From this distance, swinging at a target sends lightning-fast sword aura at the opponent."
So just thunder, then.
Why storm?
"Now, presenting Cadet Alfonso Damon's technique demonstration."
He sealed his smirking lips and stepped back slightly.
With elegant gestures, he prompted applause from the students.
For the stage of our talented young Alfonso.
――――――.
Amid the pouring applause, he raised his sword.
And activated the lightning-flickering mana in his chest.
Powerful mana surged, lifting his hair into the air.
Crackling blue currents like lightning.
"Haaah—!!"
Alfonso swung with all his might before everyone.
In that instant.
KABOOM!!
Lightning-fast sword aura flew to the dummy, severing one arm.
The arm tumbled across the floor with a racket.
"Ooh..."
"Slicing an arm from that distance... Truly House Damon."
At 15, firing sword aura and cleanly severing an arm.
His peers admired it.
"Hoo..."
He closed his eyes, feeding on the cheers.
And basked in the adulation.
"..."
But among the praising peers, Cynthia remained expressionless.
As if she couldn't comprehend the situation.
And so did he.
"Is that it?"
He asked with a pitiful expression.
Alfonso's lips parted in shock at the unexpected response.
"Pardon?"
"Is this meager display supposed to be the flashy strike that moves soldiers?"
"Ah, of course it's small-scale now... But soon with elixirs, it'll get stronger..."
"So you're saying that at your age, even this power is impressive—by your own mouth?"
His blunt words, delivered innocently, flushed Alfonso's face.
He glanced nervously at his murmuring peers.
"O-Of course. You think this skill is easy for my age?"
As if waiting, he smiled with his eyes.
Then extended a hand to call his briefly instructed disciple.
"Cynthia Freyja. Come forward."
The blue bob-cut knight rose at the call.
And ascended the arena leisurely.
Usually quiet and stoic, almost invisible.
Despite her beauty, low recognition made students whisper at her entrance.
"You called?"
"Show us a 'slash'?"
Slash.
Her blue eyes sparkled, recalling the technique from her Emerald Knight Order days.
The one he used teaching the immature Captain Allen back then.
"With mana mixed in?"
"Yes. Swing freely as you like."
Cynthia, who learned slashing from him but never boasted.
She finally wanted to show her growth, picking up a wooden sword.
'Hm... She didn't draw her real sword.'
Using the same wooden one from learning days.
"..."
Cynthia stared at the distant dummy with its severed arm.
Sharpened her blank eyes fiercely...
And as she raised her sword to the sky.
She swung cleanly, maintaining a perfect spherical mana.
――――――.
No flashiness or explosion.
Just a thin sword aura from focused spirit.
That single strike bisected the dummy's torso, several times thicker than the arm.
KABOOOM!!!
Moreover, a massive sword mark scarred the wall beyond.
He couldn't help but smile genuinely.
"Wah..."
"W-What was that...?"
Now the other students were expressionless.
They couldn't speak, mouths agape in disbelief.
Cynthia's strike rivaled their instructors' demonstrations.
"Cadet Cynthia. What is the name of that technique?"
"A slash, Master."
Master.
The students' eyes flashed at the word.
A simple slash outdid flashy prestigious techniques.
"Thunderstorm earlier? This is just a bit better."
He offered small praise for his disciple.
Cynthia bowed humbly, satisfied.
"Thank you, Master."
Arms behind his back, he surveyed the surrounding students.
Their expressions had changed markedly.
To them, he asked calmly.
"Those who want to join training, come to the arena."
With that, he slowly turned his head.
Soon.
――――――!!
The military boots of countless students rushed in.
Like a stampeding herd.
Thus began the lecture.
Academy cadets aligned in orderly rows and practiced basic sword motions.
Even Cynthia, praised by him, returned to basics with fervor.
He personally adjusted stances and taught tips to the enthusiastic students.
The kids even asked questions, showing their passion.
"First Sword, if we work hard, can we become like Cynthia?"
"Of course. Steady fundamentals practice unlocks that realm in four years."
Though Cynthia's talent let her master it in one...
Keep that secret for the kids.
"..."
Miya watched the heated arena joyfully.
Imagining how great it would have been to have such chances.
"Good times."
But she soon spotted the five heirs with sour faces.
She shook her head with a smirk at the suspicious, arrogant kids.
"Gonna call their parents?"
Of course, they joined training, repeating slashes.
But soulless motions showed wandering minds.
"Damn... Does repeating this really improve skill?"
"Yeah? This is just grunt work."
As the young lords and ladies muttered, the northern archduke's son slowly shook his head.
"You think so? She's his disciple. Bet he has secret techniques just for her."
"Right, how else surpass House Damon's arts?"
A lady chimed in, eyeing Alfonso.
But the shamed lord stayed silent.
"..."
Having closely seen Cynthia's callused fingers and honed motions.
He finally recognized her effort and talent, admitting the training's value.
Focused solely on training.
But the heirs thought Alfonso was just quiet from shame.
"Gonna take this lying down?"
They looked to Duncan, leader of their social club.
He scowled coldly.
"Of course not."
He left the arena briefly for the faculty office with peers.
And openly used the emergency communication orb.
"Hey, connect me to Father. Our uncle was former imperial first sword, right?"
"Yes, Mother. Really? This instructor's teaching slashes all day!"
Their social club had one ultimate weapon.
Calling their lofty parents.
They called it "dragon summoning" for short.
"Oh no... Emergency...!!"
"What do we do...?"
The terrified faculty office professors.
Chills ran down their spines at the impending imperial dragons.
Like dragons ravaging a human kingdom.
When club parents arrived, disaster began.
――――――
Unaware, he leisurely guided kids in the arena.
Then during a break, descended the steps to a bench.
"Hm. Good they're following well."
"Yeah, your disciple's skill was impressive."
Sitting beside, Shia bowed her head shyly.
Her blue crown sparkled.
Miya watched the young girl fondly, then remembered something.
"Oh right, Veil. The princesses might visit later."
"All three?"
"Yeah. They have a meeting nearby and said 'briefly' stopping by."