Chapter 257
Chapter 257
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 257
Chapter Title: Wow! Double the Nightmare! (3)
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Thirty minutes had passed since the start of class.
On the wide-open training field, half the students were sprawled out on the ground. The other half weren't faring much better—most were propped up on their hands, gasping for breath.
Even in the chilly early winter air, thick beads of sweat dotted their foreheads. The sweat trickling down their necks felt unbearably sticky.
Basic Physical Training.
It was supposed to be a class teaching physical techniques, but for the past thirty minutes, they'd only done strength exercises. The survivors stared at the ground, reflecting on the ordeal.
Fundamental stamina building.
Training to build muscle and develop the body to handle stress. It was something Combat Magic Department students had done countless times.
'But...'
Could this really be called basic? They had to shake their heads at the thought. Their bodies screamed from the relentless, high-intensity drills that left no room to breathe.
The students who had entered with light hearts had long since collapsed or left on their own.
Looking around now, only the familiar faces from the Combat Magic Department remained. These were the ones who had endured Aphria's nightmare.
"Shall we wrap up the warm-up here?"
The students, exchanging bitter smiles, snapped their heads up at the voice from the podium. There stood the hero they had always admired.
"Sorry about that. You all followed so well that I pushed a bit too hard. I'll shorten the warm-up next time."
Galrahal gave a wry smile as he stepped down from the podium.
The students' gazes toward him had already shifted slightly. The Combat Magic students felt an inexplicable sense of foreboding.
'This feels like...'
It was intensely familiar.
A familiar nightmare wafted from this unfamiliar hero. As the students eyed him suspiciously...
"Professor Lania?"
"Oh, yeah."
Galrahal called a name, and a familiar voice responded from somewhere. There stood Lania in light attire.
Dragggg...
She was dragging something across the training field. The students' eyes naturally followed to the object.
"...Restraint magic tool?"
Someone recognized it.
A restraint magic tool—one that imposed load on the body. Common in physical training rooms, but this one was different from what Lania dragged.
Not the sleek, well-designed ones in the training rooms. It looked like a crude lump of metal studded with magic stones, built solely for function.
"Oh."
Rak, who had been eyeing it, spoke up.
"That's the kind warriors use. For knight training, they say. Oyakal bragged about buying them in bulk."
The students flinched.
"Rak...? For knight training? What does that mean?"
"Heard it from the warriors. Civilian restraint tools don't tear muscles properly—they're too tame. So they bought ones for knights."
Restraint tools for knights.
"Hearing that scraping metal sound, it must be those."
"Oh, you recognize it?"
Galrahal nodded as he approached Rak.
"These are the ones I used on the battlefield. Thought they might be useful, so I brought them. Seems they'll help with your training."
Galrahal smiled brightly.
His pure smile radiated genuine goodwill. No malice could exist in the kind smile of the most heroic hero.
Thud!
"Brought it here."
"Thank you, Professor Lania."
Galrahal opened the bag Lania brought and laid out the restraint tools on the ground. Even after distributing one to each student, a dozen remained.
"Let me demonstrate."
Clink.
Galrahal began equipping the bracelet-like restraints. With over a dozen on, he extended his hand into the air.
"Holy Spear."
Platinum light gathered in his grasp.
The starlight coalesced into a single line, soon forming a spear.
Galrahal's signature great spear.
The students' eyes sparkled at the divine armament. It was their first time seeing a holy sword or spear up close. But their excitement was short-lived.
Twirl.
Galrahal lightly spun the spear into position.
He began swinging it. The platinum blade cut through the air.
Whoosh.
The motions were crisp.
Vertical chops, horizontal sweeps. Thrusts with spins, upward strikes. Basic spear techniques.
No waver in the fundamentals.
Like the man himself, Galrahal's movements wasted nothing. Even laden with over ten restraints, his spear traced perfect arcs.
"Hoo."
Galrahal exhaled shortly, spun the spear, and slammed it down. Boom—the ground shook. The watching students began clapping one by one.
Amid the applause, Galrahal smiled sheepishly, spear in hand, looking at them.
"I know the physical techniques you've learned. The basics knights use."
Galrahal demonstrated each motion in turn.
Precise, disciplined movements. Not the result of one or two tries.
"I trained in basic physical techniques like you. Wearing these restraint tools, repeating strength exercises."
The students looked at the tools in their hands.
The iron was heavy.
"Now I wear them all over, but at first, even one was overwhelming."
"...Pardon?"
Questioning gazes poured onto Galrahal.
He was the hero, blessed with a star-forged body. For him to struggle with this? Hard to believe.
Familiar with such looks, Galrahal smiled wryly and continued.
"Hard to believe, but true. As an apprentice hero, I couldn't even stand against Instructor Sir Trinitan. Embarrassing for a hero."
Des tel of the Vulgar shone from apprenticeship.
He beat Sir Trinitan in a week and was deployed.
Kyle, called the strongest hero, racked up feats on the battlefield as an apprentice.
Sir Trinitan couldn't last one exchange against apprentice Kyle.
But not Galrahal.
"Lost, trained, lost again. It took half a year to beat Sir Trinitan, my instructor."
He received the least starlight.
No talent for weapons.
No innate gifts or martial prowess.
"The weakest hero in history."
Galrahal said.
"That was my apprentice nickname. A hero worse than knights. A hero wasting starlight. A dullard unfit for the title."
Amid mockery, Galrahal trained with knights.
Sacrificing sleep to swing his spear, drilling with restraints. Lacking compared to others, he worked harder.
"Started with one, then two, building up gradually. Effort doesn't betray."
"......"
"Well, maybe heroes grow fast."
His joking remark drew no laughs.
Students stared in disbelief. They'd never heard this story.
Galrahal wasn't strong from the start.
He earned strength through effort.
Everyone knew that.
But not to this extent. They knew what this man was called now.
The most heroic hero.
No one mocked Galrahal now.
Even philosophers decrying heroes' ephemerality fell silent before his achievements. He had accomplished the impossible.
'This hero started like us.'
Or worse.
Hard to accept. But he didn't seem to lie.
"Truth is, I've observed you these past days."
Under their gazes, Galrahal spoke.
"Impressive."
You impress me.
"Shining at your age. Understanding your talents, honing them. While many waste brilliance, you cultivate yours."
Galrahal smiled softly.
"Truly admirable."
Sincere words.
That's why they resonated.
"Worried I'm wasting talented students' time. All I can teach is this crude training."
The rough restraints caught their eyes.
"Hope it helps you."
As Galrahal finished...
Clink.
The students silently equipped them.
No one questioned the class after such words from their idol. One by one, they looked to Galrahal, restraints on.
"Thank you for understanding."
Galrahal smiled satisfied.
"First class today, so let's go easy."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 2.
It was anything but easy.
The collapsed students' eyes were glazed. Only two survived the training that wrecked their bodies.
"Ooh..."
Rak admired the muscles on his arm, savoring the rare sweat.
And...
"Hoo."
Belnoa wiped sweat with a short exhale.
The other Combat Magic students felt like crawling worms. They heaved ragged breaths, staring at the sky.
The winter sky was vividly blue.
Bathed in cool wind, they let out hollow laughs. Bodies ached, but it felt good. What used to be mere stretching in 'Basic Physical Training' felt truly rewarding.
A sense of accomplishment. And euphoria from praise by their admired hero.
Galrahal had checked and advised their form throughout. Being taught by the hero thrilled them.
"Morning class feels great."
"Yeah, but..."
Their eyes rapidly dulled.
Their gazes fixed on Professor Lania chatting with Galrahal.
'The class right after morning.'
Taught by Aphria's nightmare. With battered bodies on the verge of sleep, facing her class.
At the looming despair, they sighed deeply.
Whether sensing their mood or not, Lania smiled brightly in conversation. Students stole glances at her and Galrahal.
What are those two?
No way...
Come on, Professor Lania?
The hero might survive her strikes, though.
The hero, Galrahal.
Aphria's nightmare, Lania van Trias.
Two with compelling backgrounds and looks to draw eyes. Frequent sightings of them talking naturally sparked rumors.
Even Combat Magic students weren't immune.
The striking pair made a picturesque scene. Curious students edged closer.
"......"
And eavesdropped.
"Hey, you teach well."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Learned a lot. That should do it."
Lania said casually.
"But too lenient."
"...Pardon?"
"Could ramp it up more? They kept up fine."
"Well, gradual increase is proper..."
...Ramp it up more?
A chilling phrase.
Students glared wide-eyed at Lania. Naturally, the nightmare ignored them.
"Nah, no need."
Lania shook her head.
"They follow the harder you push. Talented, like you said."
"Indeed... I judged by my standards. Mistake. Noted."
Galrahal nodded deeply, impressed.
Lania beamed proudly at him.
Gleaming green eyes.
Not sweet romance. Far from Aphria rumors.
That was...
'The gaze of kin.'
Chills ran through them.
The nightmare whispered to the hero. He fell for it. Here, a new nightmare was born.
"Oh... So ramp it up like that?"
"Yeah. Need stages? Crush 'em overwhelming first, scramble their minds..."
"Indeed... Aphria has its ways. Another revelation."
The students knew instinctively.
A new nightmare had dawned on Aphria.
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