Sword Dance Against the 5th Rank Saber
Ferma and Zien's swordplay was lightning-fast. Their shifts between offense and defense were so swift that it was hard to follow with the naked eye.
Some strikes were attacks.
Others were defenses.
Zien's swordsmanship, in particular, possessed a free-flowing yet restrained beauty.
It was like a sword dance—so captivating that it drew in anyone who watched.
Ferma feigned surprise.
'This... this is a student's swordsmanship?'
Ferma was a full-fledged 5th rank Saber, a master whose skill was acknowledged even among active hunters. Yet Zien's ever-changing techniques were proving difficult to counter.
'If my mana were even slightly depleted against this guy...'
The mere thought made Ferma dizzy.
From the mana he could sense, Zien seemed to be around 4th rank. The gap between them was enormous—worlds apart from a 5th rank like himself.
But the real problem was that Ferma's swordsmanship and Zien's were on entirely different levels.
Ferma's mana might be superior, but Zien's sword skills had reached a far higher realm.
In the end, Ferma fell into the trap laid by Zien's blade.
"Grr!"
A thin trickle of blood ran down Ferma's face. It was clearly a mercy strike—anyone could see that. Humiliation burned in his cheeks, turning them red.
"You little student! You think you can go easy on a 5th rank like me?"
His expression twisted at the fact that he'd let a student land a hit. Being dragged out here for some rookies' test had irked Ferma from the start. If not for the overseer Metis, he would've refused outright.
"I'll show you the real difference between active hunters and students."
Ferma's Stigma glowed as mana gathered around his sword. With the activation of his Magic Art, dense mana pressed down on the room like a physical weight. In the end, Marceline hurriedly tried to intervene.
"Magic Arts against students?!"
But Ferma shot her a pitiful glance before laying out his twisted logic.
"If they can't even block something like this, what good are they in a 5th rank Gate? That easy performance failed, so quit interfering and just watch."
Marceline clamped her mouth shut.
It galled her, but Ferma—the 5th rank—was the leader of this operation.
'Why go this far against students...'
Though Marceline was just a hired examiner for Metis, she was rooting for Zien. It was all because of that debt. He'd handled the Hyperus incident and even negotiated with Broom of Extermination on her behalf.
'That mess got resolved smoothly because of Zien. If there's even a hint of real danger...'
Marceline tensed, ready to rush to Zien's side at any moment—even if it meant crossing Ferma.
But Zien wasn't so weak that he needed help with this level of threat.
"You're right. If they can't block even a basic Magic Art like that, clearing a 5th rank Gate would be impossible."
Zien's mocking words made Ferma's upper lip tremble with rage.
"Kids these days sure have mouths on them."
Zien answered not with words, but by pointing his sword.
The power of his Anti-Magic Magic Art enveloped the blade, forming a misty black mana around Black Fragrance.
Crackle!
The clash of swords.
Ferma's Magic Art imbued his blade with repulsive force—a power that shoved away anything it touched. He expected Zien to be flung back.
But...
Like water extinguishing fire, Black Fragrance devoured the opponent's Magic Art.
"Th-the sword! It's eating mana!"
Ferma panicked.
Using Magic Arts now would just drain their mana pointlessly with no effect. All that remained for the swordsmen was pure swordsmanship.
The two tangled in a frenzy, positions flipping wildly.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang clang clang!
The lightning-fast exchange resumed.
But the advantage was clear. Ferma was steadily being pushed back by Zien's strikes.
"Kuh!"
"You don't look so good there, senior."
Zien's relaxed smile.
Ferma ground his teeth.
"That cocky mouth of yours..."
"Wasn't talking about me."
"Huh?"
"I've got teammates over there."
Ferma whipped around, finally noticing. But it was far too late.
He'd dismissed Isabel and Kua, whose mana was sealed, as non-threats. But they'd poured all their special training time into Zone 1 martial arts.
Snap.
Kua twisted Ferma's sword-wielding right hand in an instant. Caught off guard by the unexpected technique, Ferma dropped his sword—and Isabel's crisp high kick slammed into his face.
Crack!
Blood gushed gruesomely from his nose.
Ferma glared at Marceline with murderous eyes—a silent plea for help. But after that treatment, she had no intention of aiding him.
Slurp.
Marceline sipped her tea pointedly, right in his view.
"Oops? I forgot you're the idiot who flubbed the performance and chugged it down! What now?"
She stuck out her pink tongue in a taunt. Ferma's face flushed, but he quickly regained composure.
Thwack!
Thanks to Zien's flat-of-the-blade strike to the back of his head.
"You must be tired. Get some rest."
That was Zien's brand of courtesy.
Rudeness deserved an equal response.
"Pfft! Still as fiery as ever?"
Marceline laughed heartily, while Kua pumped her fist at their first fruit from martial arts training.
"We did it!"
"Saw my kick, right?"
Isabel beamed with pride too.
Unlike innate genius Mana, Isabel had been hopelessly uncoordinated. Her current skill was pure effort. That made her especially proud of her martial prowess.
"Yes! You were amazing!"
Kua grinned and clapped along.
Thud.
Zien sat across from Marceline and said,
"So, senior—we pass the test, right?"
As Zien entered the room with Group B, Chris let out a long, joyful shout.
"Zien—!"
The burly man and woman, who appeared to be examiners, looked stunned.
"Group A succeeded?"
"They beat Ferma?"
"Hmm, maybe he went easy since they're students."
"With that personality? Hard to imagine."
The active Sabers headed to the next room. A woman's surprised voice rang out, apparently upon discovering the knocked-out Ferma and his subordinate. Kua's eyes widened at the sight of Group B bound with ropes.
"Guh! Is everyone okay?!"
"Nah, circulation's already cut off."
Chris shot a narrowed glare at Lucia.
"Hey. Why'd you chug that tea so quick over there?"
It seemed Lucia had ordered the tea for Group B.
"You guys too..."
She started to retort but turned away, too embarrassed to continue. Chris kept glaring.
"What? Can't hear you. Same school and you're turning into Demona?"
Even as Chris picked a fight, Demona remained expressionless. Utterly serene.
Kua hurried to untie her teammates before the mood soured further.
"I'll get you loose!"
"Thanks. My hands were going numb anyway. Whew, good thing. If you'd failed too, we'd be heading back to the academy."
Kua grinned sheepishly at Chris's praise.
"Hehe, no biggie. Our group passed thanks to the party leader."
"Right? Party leaders are just on another level."
Chris said it loud enough for Lucia to hear. Just months ago, Lucia had been untouchable to him—but now Chris was closing the gap.
"If I'd had my mana, I'd have handled it solo."
"And did you?"
"...W-well."
Lucia flinched and backed away.
Chris smirked confidently, parroting what Zien had told him to pressure her.
"Gates are unpredictable~ shit happens. Variables like this are part of real skill."
"You sure talk a big game."
"My mouth's my strongest weapon."
Chris's relentless barrage.
Even the ever-composed Lucia lost her rhythm, her lips twitching. Chris had always been sharp-tongued.
"Fine. I'll be watching how useless you are in the Gate."
"Bring it."
Chris and Lucia bickered, pride clashing. Even as Sabers, they were still 17-year-old students at heart.
Meanwhile, back in Group A's room, three hunters remained—excluding the two unconscious ones.
The score was pathetic, but Kella, the female Saber examiner, was fuming.
"Letting brats who can't even graduate get a shot at a 5th rank Gate? We wrapped Group B in three minutes flat."
"Yeah. Metis must be losing it over politics. Virtual Gates can't kill 'em anyway—might as well throw the kids to the wolves."
As the burly one kept trash-talking Zien,
Marceline finally cut in.
"There's still a chance the students could clear a 5th rank, right?"
"Pfft! You really believe that? Sure, there's a possibility."
Kella picked up a strand of Marceline's hair from the table and dangled it mockingly.
"This much? But how'd Ferma lose to a student?"
Marceline hesitated at the burly man's question.
Explain her betrayal? Zien's strength? In the end, she brushed it off curtly.
"He got careless and paid for it."
"Figures. Lucky hit with a Magic Art. Even a blind swing's dangerous."
Kella kept cutting Zien down.
Marceline smoothly changed the subject.
"What's it matter now? It's over."
"How about that news? Desire straight-up declared war on Central."
Kella chuckled at the burly man's words.
"Doesn't that put us in danger too~?"
"Haha, not now. Security's insane with this event."
"True. Rumor has it even Dennis is coming."
Dennis.
The only existing 7th rank Saber.
Still active, he was called a living legend—the idol of every Saber. At his name, the shadow over Marceline's weary eyes lifted, vitality returning.
"Whoa! Why? Why's he coming?!"
"To see those hotshot students. It's a show, right?"
Marceline didn't care about Kella's snark.
'Zien meeting Dennis in Central?'
The Saber who'd helped her most and the one she admired most—colliding. Marceline's heart raced.
'Came to Central for the best! Oh yeah, they mentioned a broadcast too?'
The unique name ensured she never confused it with the streamer.
'Amy, right? Should I search for it now?'
And just like that, Amy gained a viewer before the stream even started.