Chapter 38
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: Did You Make a Friend? (4)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Rud Fran, a researcher affiliated with the Magic Tower, was watching the students' exam in the training grounds. Or more precisely, he was observing the movements of the golems that served as their opponents.
‘Should I add a motion to prioritize protecting the mana core...’
He had thought it was a perfect creation, but now he saw there were more than a few areas that needed improvement. He was glad he had asked the Academy for help.
It was while the experimental data was steadily accumulating like this.
A black-haired man stepped onto the training grounds. He had an aura sharpened like a blade.
In front of him stood a golem that had already been shattered six times today.
It wasn't exactly the same since it was a new one, but it shared the same structure and design, so it was no different.
Judging by the man's presence, this would be its seventh demise.
Great endeavors come with sacrifices, don't they? It would be a lie to say it didn't feel like a waste, but for the sake of developing better magic tools, it was something that had to be accepted.
‘Wait, something's off...?’
Rud Fran, who had been staring at the golem, sensed something heterogeneous. The amount of mana emanating from the golem was unusual.
He wasn't the only one who felt it. A fellow Magic Tower researcher observing the golem spoke up.
“Rud, the golem's acting weird. Its mana is double the normal amount.”
“I sensed the same thing.”
“Shouldn't we stop the exam? If what we're sensing is real, that student is in big trouble.”
“Just wait a moment. I'll go talk to Professor Shavel.”
Rud Fran headed straight for Shavel.
She was scribbling something on a piece of paper when she spotted Rud and tilted her head.
“Is something the matter?”
“Could you pause the exam for a bit? It seems there's a problem with the golem, so we need to replace it with another one.”
“What exactly is the problem?”
“It looks like an issue with the circuits related to mana efficiency. In simple terms, the golem is currently emitting nearly twice the normal amount of mana.”
Stronger emitted mana meant it was that much stronger. Its attack power and movement speed would be incomparable to before.
That was the reason for halting the exam. A normal golem might be fine, but this one was no longer something a student could handle.
Shavel furrowed her brow in thought before slowly nodding.
“Then we'll replace it with another golem. Exams must be conducted under the same conditions, after all.”
“A wise decision. We'll get right to the replacement.”
Rud Fran gave a light bow and left Shavel's side.
Shavel watched his retreating figure for a moment before shifting her gaze to Luke.
‘If he handles it well, he might even awaken his aura for sure...’
But proceeding with the exam just for that was far too reckless a gamble.
There would be plenty of other opportunities without going this far.
Tap, tap.
Shavel's fingers habitually drummed on the hilt of her sword.
“Please wait a moment. There's a minor issue with the golem, so we're replacing it.”
“Understood.”
The Magic Tower researchers reverted the golem to its cube form and brought out a new one. Its eyes glowed blue, just like the one described earlier.
I knew something like this would happen. Its eyes had that impure glint to them.
Of course, that didn't change the overwhelming pressure it exuded. The rocks forming its massive body looked utterly impervious to scratches.
This was the thing that had turned Yurbe and Ibi into wrecks, after all. It was no opponent to take lightly.
Hoo...
I steadied my mind with a long exhale and gripped my sword tighter. The stray thoughts cleared from my head, and my pounding heart settled calmly.
‘The first strike is mine.’
First punch wins, right? Being able to attack first was a huge advantage.
Sip...
I took a deep breath and kicked off the ground. My body shot forward as the air exploded behind me.
My target was the sphere at the center of its body. The one thing that stood out as different felt like it held something crucial.
Of course, I couldn't be sure...
But I'd know soon enough.
I reached it in moments and thrust my sword forward. It was a stab carrying considerable power from my charging momentum.
Clang!
The instant I thought it connected, its arm moved to block the sword.
I'd noticed it moving, but I hadn't expected this speed.
If all its movements were this fast, then the next attack would probably...
Thud!
A heavy impact rocked my body.
I was launched into the air, crashed to the ground, and tumbled several times.
I twisted mid-air to avoid a blow to my side, but my left arm ended up a mangled mess instead.
The silver lining was that the pain wasn't too bad. My brain must have been pumping out endorphins.
I shook off the daze, got back up, and tasted the metallic tang of blood in my mouth.
‘Everyone fought something like this...’
Immense speed that belied its massive frame. And its body was made of solid rock, making it the worst possible opponent for a swordsman.
I swallowed the blood pooling in my mouth and let out a long breath.
‘If I hold back, I'll be the one collapsing...’
Didn't I promise Elena I'd give it my all? At the very least, I had to keep that promise.
Though I wasn't sure if I could actually beat this thing.
I kicked off the ground and charged. It grew closer.
I swung my sword as I closed in, but it didn't act rashly like before.
The priority was grasping its movements. Even if it meant taking a few hits, that came first.
Clang! Boom!
I swung my sword and narrowly dodged its attacks.
After repeating this a few times, I started to see its patterns.
It was fast and powerful, but its movements were monotonous. Like someone wielding a sword for the first time, it tried to brute-force everything.
I only got hit once at the start. There were a few close calls after, but I dodged them all.
‘Too early to claim victory.’
I'd grown somewhat accustomed to evading its attacks, but landing my own was still a massive wall.
I needed to shatter that central sphere, but its speed made it no easy task.
If only I could break through its tough exterior...
During the entrance exam against Yurbe, and when I severed the beast's forepaw, my whole body had burned hot. Power had surged through me, and a sensation that I could do anything had dominated my mind.
If I could recall that feeling, slicing through its rocky body wouldn't be impossible.
But that wasn't easy. I'd tried countless times since then and failed every single one.
Even asking Shavel only got me vague answers.
Will and sensation, she'd said.
I let out a long breath and stared at it. Its blue eyes tracked my every move in real time.
‘I can do this.’
I steeled myself and kicked off again. My muscles were already quite fatigued, but my body pressed forward on willpower alone.
I swung horizontally as I closed in, but it blocked effortlessly. The sword bounced back, sending a numb jolt through my hand.
No time to dwell on it. It swung its rock-hard fist right after.
Having been through this many times, I retreated and dodged lightly. The stone grazed my nose, whipping up a fierce wind.
Chops and thrusts followed. I evaded, retreated, then attacked again.
Several exchanges flew by in seconds.
The situation hadn't changed much. We traded blows, but neither had taken real damage.
No—precisely speaking, even in these clashes, it was gaining the edge bit by bit. No matter my stamina, I was human, while it drew endless energy from mana as a magic tool.
If we kept clashing like this, I didn't need to check to know who would collapse first.
‘I need to come up with something.’
I pondered relentlessly amid the exchanges and soon arrived at an answer.
Give flesh to take bone.
In other words, take a hit to land one. To settle it quickly, there was no other way.
The moment it swung its fist, I thrust forward instead. The complete opposite of my consistent retreats until now.
Boom!
An intense shock hit my left shoulder. My body staggered.
But I didn't fall. I held my balance and lifted my head.
There, right before my eyes, was the sphere at its center.
The sword in my right hand shot forward like an arrow.
‘Got it...!’
The moment that thought crossed my mind, the sword hit an invisible wall.
I'd burrowed into its embrace. If I couldn't end it now, the outcome was obvious.
I had to. No, I must.
As that resolve filled my head, my body began to heat up slowly.
Will and sensation, was it? Now, I felt like I understood a little.