Chapter 68
Chapter 68
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: The First Ranking Announcement
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If you gathered experts from every field and had them debate for three days and nights on how to most efficiently use twenty-four hours, would you end up with the schedule for this training camp?
The training camp's schedule was so packed that such a ridiculous thought came to mind.
If it weren't for the occasional rest periods in the evening, several cadets would have already collapsed from exhaustion.
“Another day is finally over…”
Evan muttered in a weary voice, and Caris flopped onto the table, adding.
“…Man, time is crawling by so damn slowly.”
“Can you believe it hasn't even been a week?”
“Tell me about it. I’m craving snacks.”
“I want meat… The really unhealthy kind, with lots of fat and loaded with spices.”
“I'd give anything for just one glass of beer.”
“…I think I’m gonna die. For real.”
Without looking up from my book, I replied.
“But you’re not dead, are you?”
“Huh?”
At that, the gazes of the guys around me turned to me.
“What are you talking about?”
“There he goes again, saying weird stuff.”
“Evan, aren’t you going to control your roommate?”
These bastards.
Just because we’ve gotten a little closer these past few days, they’ve completely lost their filters.
I had no choice but to close my book and kindly explain it to these ignorant fools.
“What do you mean, ‘what am I talking about?’ It just means the instructors here are that competent.”
The guys nearby blinked at me, so I elaborated.
“They push us to the brink of death, but not a single person has actually collapsed. It’s proof that they have a precise grasp of our levels. It means they know exactly how much to push and how much to let up.”
“…You think so?”
“Well, it’s just a guess.”
“It was just a guess?”
It’s a guess, but I’m almost certain. Probably because I went through something similar on Spirit Mountain, I can pretty much read the instructors’ minds.
As I was about to go back to my book, Evan asked.
“Is the book interesting?”
“It’s alright. Want to read it?”
“What’s it about?”
“A history book. It’s about the twenty-one heroes who became the ancestors of the Great Families.”
“Hmm… I’m good.”
Evan said with a faint smile.
That figured.
If you’re a descendant of a Great Family, you’ve probably read about the twenty-one heroes until the books fell apart since you were a child.
It was the same for me, but my memories have faded a bit because of my time on Spirit Mountain, so it feels like a refresher.
“Oh, there goes Skull.”
Skull, of course, wasn’t his real name.
The guy just passing through the lounge was gaunt, with unusually sunken eyes, making him look just like a skull. Someone started calling him that…
And after that, everyone did.
I heard he was from some noble family, but I can’t even remember his last name.
“Hey! Skull!”
Caris shouted, waving his hand, and Skull flinched in surprise.
He glanced around as if searching for something, then bolted for the stairs like he was escaping.
“What’s with him?”
“Leave him be. He got demerits again today. He might not say it, but he’s probably feeling down.”
“Shouldn’t he be angry instead of down?”
“If he were a simpleton like you, maybe.”
“What, you bastard?”
I briefly looked away from my book and glanced at Skull’s retreating back.
The way he disappeared upstairs, as if being chased, seemed odd.
No, it was more than just odd…
“……”
Something smelled fishy.
* * *
Smack!
I felt the impact on my shoulder and staggered.
For a moment, I lost my balance and the world spun, but I had no time to stand around gawking.
I forced my upper body down to dodge the next attack. *Woosh*. A sharp kick grazed past me by a hair’s breadth.
My hair stood on end.
This guy is starting to stop holding back.
If that last attack had landed properly, I’d be a goner.
Of course, I couldn’t show any fear or hesitation.
I pretended to stumble, then switched to the offensive the moment I regained my balance.
The Combat Master Teacher's self-imposed penalty for today was sealing his right leg.
So, the natural place for me to attack was his right side—.
‘…is what one would normally think.’
So, let’s add a little twist here.
I deliberately drove into his left side, where his defense was strongest.
The Combat Master Teacher wasn’t surprised, but his reaction to the unexpected development was a tad slow.
In that opening, I swung my arm like a sword, striking his neck with the edge of my hand.
*Thwack*.
“……”
Did I actually hit him?
It felt less like striking a neck and more like hitting a log.
Immediately after, I tensed my abdomen, bracing for the pain to come.
*Wham—.*
Whoosh, I'm flying so gracefully—.
I levitated for a moment, gazing at the clear night sky of the Butterfly Forest.
The instant I hit the ground, I shot back up and bowed my head.
“I’ve lost.”
The Combat Master Teacher looked at me as I declared my defeat and slowly opened his mouth.
“Your technique is still excellent. You also see through your opponent’s openings well.”
“Thank you.”
“However, your stamina always holds you back. Your movements slowed down considerably at the end.”
I know.
“The importance of basic stamina cannot be overstated. But endurance isn’t built overnight. Don’t get conceited, and continue to train steadily.”
“Yes, sir.”
It might not be overnight, but in about a month, this body should reach a decent level.
The Flame Arts of the Greatest has that much potential.
The Combat Master Teacher nodded and said.
“You lost today’s spar, so that’s two demerits, but…”
I had a pretty good idea of what was coming next.
“…you showed the tenacity to continue the spar for ten minutes despite your lack of stamina. That’s excellent mental fortitude. On top of that, your final psychological gambit was quite impressive, so you get two bonus points.”
“Thank you.”
As expected, my score for today was a net zero.
It was the same routine in every sparring class, so it wasn’t surprising anymore.
After the Combat Master Teacher left, Caris came over and commented.
“Looks like the instructor really has a high opinion of you.”
I brushed the dirt off my clothes and corrected his misconception.
“Not a chance. That man is just being a Bednicker.”
“What do you mean, ‘being a Bednicker’?”
“Dark, taciturn, sinister… It has many meanings, but in this case, it means meritocratic.”
“Uh, umm.”
Caris looked unsure whether I was joking or not, but I was serious.
“You don’t remember what happened to Hans yesterday?”
“I remember.”
The incident from yesterday.
Seeing that I wasn’t really losing anything from my spars with the Combat Master Teacher, Hans had suddenly shouted.
- I’ll be your opponent today, Instructor!
…And what was the result?
That fool Hans was rolling on the ground the moment the spar began, and he even broke his arm.
Watching it, I realized this was what a one-hit defeat looked like.
It’s not that the Combat Master Teacher was particularly cruel.
And it’s certainly not because he thinks highly of me, like Caris said.
From my perspective, the Combat Master Teacher was an extremely rational and stern person.
A guy with no skill was acting cocky and asking for a fight, so he taught him a proper lesson—.
Seeing that, some people seem to think the Combat Master Teacher is showing me favoritism.
‘Pathetic bastards…’
If they don’t like it, they should try lasting longer themselves.
I’m sure of one thing: among the cadets, I’m the only one who can continue sparring with the Combat Master Teacher like this.
Never mind Hector or Seren; even Caron would be utterly defeated by the Combat Master Teacher.
There are two reasons for this.
First, most of these guys aren’t used to sparring bare-handed, without using mana or Blessings…
Second, I have a lot of experience sparring with stronger opponents.
Or rather, I should say.
I have far more experience fighting those stronger than me than those weaker.
‘Caron must know this, which is why he isn’t stepping up.’
Especially since that guy is obsessed with points.
It was then.
A cheer erupted from somewhere.
“Whoa. What was that?”
“That’s definitely… where Evan was fighting.”
Caris and I exchanged glances and headed in that direction.
Just as Caris said, Evan was there.
His opponent… Caron Woodjack.
The two of them were a study in contrasts.
Caron was pristine, without a single scratch, while Evan was a complete mess, as if he had rolled on the ground several times.
“What’s the situation?”
“It’s just as it looks. Evan can’t even put up a fight.”
The talkative Pam replied.
“Honestly, I didn’t think the skill gap would be this big. I thought Evan’s skills would put him in the upper ranks among the cadets.”
“……”
He is in the upper ranks.
It’s just that Caron isn’t at a cadet’s level.
Just then, Caron spoke.
“Evan Helvin. Why do you not follow the instructor’s words?”
“…What?”
“The swordsmanship you insist on is too crude. With that, you won’t be able to defeat me, let alone…”
At that moment, Caron’s gaze turned to me.
“…any of the others.”
“……”
“A piece of advice. If you continue like this, you will never make it into the top three.”
Evan’s expression hardened at the proclamation-like words.
I quietly watched the scene unfold.
The spar, of course, ended in Evan’s defeat—.
And in that spar, Evan’s sword never even grazed Caron.
* * *
Finally, Saturday afternoon arrived.
The cadets' atmosphere was brighter today than on other days.
Even I, who usually paid no mind to my surroundings, could sense the shift in the air. It was only natural.
Because for the next two days, it was the weekend.
Of course, that was the general concept, and the weekend at this training camp might not necessarily mean a holiday, but—
In this morning’s class, the Martial Arts Master Teacher, Juan, had said.
“Weekend classes are only in the morning. In the afternoon, we have the rank announcement and elective course selection, but that shouldn’t take long.”
“So after that…”
“It’s free time, of course.”
“Ooh…!”
Free time!
At the sweet sound of those words, the cadets erupted in cheers.
Evan, who remained relatively calm and wasn't swept up in the excitement, asked a question.
“What are the rank announcement and elective courses?”
“First, the rank announcement is a notice of the cadets’ current point totals. From first place to last, everyone’s current points will be posted for all to see.”
*Murmur—.*
The area instantly became noisy.
It was a reaction they could only show in front of the relatively lenient Martial Arts Master Teacher.
If the Combat Master Teacher, Tanko, had said it, they wouldn’t have dared to make a peep.
Anyway, the intention behind announcing the ranks was obvious.
It was to stir up their competitive spirit.
“And starting from the second week, elective courses will be added based on aptitude. Simply put, you cadets will be taking different classes at the same time.”
‘Aha.’
The thirty-nine cadets gathered here all have different aptitudes.
Their upbringings, the martial arts they’ve learned, and even their races are different, so it’s only natural.
Basic classes were one thing, but once they moved on to advanced courses, it meant their focuses would have to diverge.
“The rankings have been posted in the first-floor lounge of the cadet dormitory. Please check them for yourselves. Elective course selection will be held after lunch.”
Having said his piece, the Martial Arts Master Teacher left.
The cadets glanced at each other, then simultaneously rushed toward the dormitory.
I brushed the dust off my hands and said.
“Such impatient fools. I don’t know why they’re in such a hurry. Don’t you think?”
“…Huh? Oh, yeah.”
Evan, who had been spacing out, replied.
This guy had been looking dazed more often since his spar with Caron.
As I stared at him quietly, Evan spoke as if to brush it off.
“Aren’t you curious?”
“I am, but it’s not like I won’t be able to check if I’m late.”
“They probably just want to see it quickly. I get it.”
“You seem pretty calm about it yourself.”
“Yeah… I already know all the cadets’ points.”
“What? How?”
Evan replied with a slight smile.
“The instructors announce it openly in every class, right? ‘So-and-so gets one bonus point, so-and-so gets one demerit…’ and so on. I’ve been calculating it all.”
“The class points, maybe, but what about the spars?”
The Combat Master Teacher’s spars were held daily unless there was a special event, and there were three this week.
Those spars had a rule where the winner gained one point and the loser lost two…
No matter how smart you are, you couldn’t possibly keep track of everyone else’s wins and losses while you’re fighting.
“After the spars, if you sit in the lounge, you can overhear most of the information about who won and lost. For anything that was still unclear, I just asked directly, and most people answered.”
“……”
In that moment, looking at Evan, I felt a chill for the first time.
And I thought I could vaguely understand why this guy’s fall was called [Humanity’s Most Painful Betrayal].
To sum it up, Evan Helvin was the most troublesome type of person to have as an enemy.
“That’s impressive. Or should I say, cunning?”
“I’ll take that as a compliment. For your information, your current rank is tied for sixteenth.”
“I see.”
“Your reaction is a little dry.”
“I figured it would be somewhere around there. No, actually, is that a little higher than I expected?”
My performance at the training camp could hardly be called outstanding.
My stamina was always holding me back.
Even in classes where I could use mana, I deliberately stuck to using only my physical strength, because it was far more beneficial for my training.
Still, the reason I managed to secure a spot in the upper ranks was likely thanks to steadily accumulating points in the Combat Master Teacher’s spars.
As we were talking, we arrived at the dormitory.
Just as the Martial Arts Master Teacher had said, the cadets were gathered around the bulletin board in the lounge—.
“What is this?”
“…No way.”
“Isn’t something wrong…?”
The dazed voices of the cadets could be heard.
A quick glance showed faces that looked as if their souls had left their bodies.
“What’s with them?”
“I don’t know… Were the ranks unexpected?”
Their reactions were too extreme for it to be just unexpected.
“Excuse me, pardon me, coming through.”
I forced my way through the crowd of cadets and finally stood in front of the bulletin board…
The moment I saw the ranking list.
“…Huh?”
Even I couldn’t help but be surprised.