Chapter 106: It’ll Be Even More Fun Starting Tomorrow (1)
Chapter 106: It’ll Be Even More Fun Starting Tomorrow (1)
After easily suppressing the "rebellion," Patrick gathered the four representatives and spoke.
“The fact that I am training you is something I have already received the professor's permission for. Therefore, I expect no further objections.”
You could have said that first.
Did you really have to beat us to a pulp before telling us?
Son of a bitch…
A demon. A literal demon.
Under the gaze of four pairs of eyes filled with resentment and distrust, Patrick continued.
“My role is to make sure you chicks are at least halfway useful by the day of the tournament. To that end, I intend to use any means necessary.”
The four tensed up at Patrick’s words, but a flicker of anticipation rose in a corner of their hearts.
They knew it too.
Patrick was a master on a level incomparable to their own.
The opportunity to receive instruction from such a master was more precious than gold.
Until now, however, Patrick had rejected every request for a spar, claiming it was too much trouble while he sipped from his wine bottle.
They had been disappointed by his behavior more than once, so hearing that he would finally provide proper guidance was almost a welcome relief.
“Now, let me ask you this. What constitutes good instruction?”
“……”
“……”
“……”
“What? Are you mute? Brain-dead? Or are you actually trying to give me attitude? Why aren't you answering?”
At Patrick’s bark, the four hurriedly shouted out.
“Improving our Aura Blessing is the most necessary.”
“No, more than that, we need to focus on swordsmanship.”
“The basics. Lower body strength.”
Patrick smirked at their answers.
“Aura, swordsmanship, basics… Yes, you’re all right. You’re right, but…”
Patrick looked at them and added curtly.
“And how long do you think that will take?”
“Huh?”
“Ah… well…”
“Umm…”
“You expect kids who have to fight in a tournament in forty days to master Aura? Swordsmanship? The baaaaasics? If it were that quick, there wouldn't be a single person in this world who isn't a master, you idiots. Do you even have brains? Is that round thing on your shoulders just for show? Huh?”
“……”
“……”
“……”
They were indignant.
He was the one who asked, and they had answered to the best of their ability, only to be berated like this.
What was most infuriating, however, was that he was right.
With the match against Arcana looming, such obvious training wouldn't yield results in time for those needing an immediate boost in combat power.
Then Alex spoke up.
“Then what should we do? Are you planning to just make us swing our swords mindlessly?”
“Oho, you’re getting warmer. That’s the correct answer.”
“Right. There’s no way… Wait, what?”
“If you can’t immediately strengthen what you have, you need to learn how to use what you currently possess properly. For that, nothing beats the constant repetition of real combat.”
“Real combat? Are you saying you’re going to keep sparring with us?”
“No. No matter how realistically I beat you down, a spar is just a spar. As long as there’s a sense of relief—the thought that ‘I won’t actually die’—while you’re getting thrashed, it’s not real combat. I’ve tried it, and it doesn't work.”
Just how rotten is this guy’s personality…
Alex asked again.
“Then what do you propose we do?”
“I’ll show you with your own bodies starting now. Everyone, follow me.”
Patrick led them off the path and began to climb the mountain.
“What are you doing? Hurry up! Run!”
The four hesitated, but at Patrick’s roar, they scrambled to follow him.
After moving through the mountains at a running pace, the place they arrived at was…
“Ta-da! Welcome to the Practical Training Ground.”
In a secluded spot, a wooden palisade had been erected to form a wall, and atop the palisade stood watchtowers for sentries.
What would one usually call a place like this?
“No matter how you look at it, that’s a bandit camp.”
Indeed. This was the hideout of some nameless bandit group.
“How did he know this was here?”
“Then, by real combat training, he means…”
“Real combat against bandits?”
“Ah… I thought it was going to be something serious.”
Relieved smiles spread across their faces.
Everyone here was a swordsman who had reached at least the 3-Star Level.
The bandit group didn't look particularly large, so they didn't think they would have much trouble dealing with them.
Seeing them breathe sighs of relief, Patrick spoke.
“You’re smiling? You must be confident.”
“We may still be lacking, but we can subjugate a small bandit group like this whenever we want.”
“Hooo… Is that so?”
“Of course.”
“Let’s just get started already.”
“……”
Seeing them draw their swords with overflowing motivation, Patrick grinned.
“Kuuu. Good. Very good. Shall we begin then? Ah, before that…”
Patrick’s eyes narrowed for a split second, and his hands moved like a flash of lightning. Then…
“Gah!”
“Cough…”
“Ugh…”
“Urgh… What are you doing?”
The moment Patrick’s hands moved, they felt a sharp sting followed by the sensation of all strength draining from their bodies.
Patrick spoke with a sly grin.
“It’s nothing. I just sealed your Dantian—no, your Aura Hall.”
“…What?”
“It’d be too easy if you used Aura against bandits, wouldn't it? You need a handicap like this for it to be fair for them. Don't you agree?”
“Wait… Just a second, wait.”
“Shall we begin, then?”
As he spoke, Patrick swung his sword.
The Aura that flew from the tip of his blade obliterated the main gate of the bandit camp without a trace.
BOOM!
“What was that?”
“Enemy! It’s an enemy raid!”
“Emergency! Everyone out!”
Patrick’s strike stirred the bandits like a poked hornet’s nest.
And Patrick, the one who had actually provoked them, stepped back and spoke to his seniors.
“Well then, fighting!”
Alex and the other three could only stare blankly as Patrick made a quick exit.
They tried to snap out of it a beat too late, but…
“Enemy! There are enemies over there!”
“There are only four of them!”
“Get everyone out here!”
Seeing the bandits surrounding them with various weapons, the four, whose Aura had been sealed, swallowed hard.
“Wait… Just wait a moment.”
“Wait for what?!”
“No, seriously, just wait, this is, I mean…”
“Attack! Kill them all!”
“Woooooah!”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake!”
If they were people who could be reasoned with, why would they be living as bandits in the first place?
Ultimately, to face the charging bandits, Alex and the other three drew their swords.
“Dammit, fight back!”
“Yes!”
“Don’t back down!”
“……”
Even with their Aura sealed, they were men who had trained with the sword their entire lives.
They had no intention of going down without a fight.
“Die!”
“Try it if you can!”
The bandit group of about thirty and the four swordsmen began to clash fiercely.
*
“Tsk, tsk. Look at them go, even though they complained.”
On a tree a short distance away.
Patrick was watching the scene while sipping wine and snacking on beef jerky.
Beside him, Professor Late was watching the chaotic scene with a restless expression.
“Is it really okay to do this?”
“You told me to make them strong, didn't you?”
“I… I did say that. I did, but…”
“Then just leave them be. If you want to pull them up in a limited amount of time, real combat is the best.”
There is no other way for a martial artist to become strong. The only answer is to strive day by day to overcome the self of yesterday.
But that’s only when you have plenty of time.
To get even a little stronger in a short period, a bit of drastic medicine is required.
Practical swordsmanship.
Actually, this is more of an Unorthodox Faction method than an Orthodox one.
Unlike those of the Orthodox Faction who grow through systematic training within a sect, those of the Unorthodox Faction are mostly tempered through real combat.
If you cross the line between life and death with the poisonous determination to do whatever it takes to survive, regardless of face or honor, you are bound to become strong whether you like it or not.
Or rather, it would be more accurate to say that if you aren't strong, you’d have died long ago.
Patrick didn't completely dismiss this method.
Because, regardless of the means, there were bound to be some decent swordsmen among the Unorthodox bastards raised this way.
Though they all ended up dead when they ran into me. Still, it’s certain that this method brings about definite growth in a short time.
It’s not that you survive because you are strong.
You become strong if you survive.
Sometimes, crossing the line between life and death once could surpass a hundred days of training.
“What if they die?”
“I’ll make sure they don't.”
“How… Gasp! The Princess was hit by a sword!”
“It’s just a scratch on her side. Don't make a fuss.”
“How is this not something to make a fuss about?!”
“Aiyee, they won’t die. They won’t. If we assume a person gets shanked about 5,000 times in their life, she still has 4,999 more to go.”
“……”
Is this guy a demon?
“Tsk, tsk. Getting hit again because you’re distracted? Look at that. Is he going to die? Oh, Alex is saving him. Kuuu… Now that’s camaraderie. How touching.”
No. Even a demon would look at this guy and say, “Even I wouldn't go that far.”
*
“Huff… huff…”
“We… we won.”
“Gasp… We won. We actually won.”
“We survived.”
For Alex and the other 4th and 5th years, this wasn't their first real combat.
They had done plenty of bandit subjugations and experienced real combat with monsters during their knight training.
But at this moment, they were feeling a sense of victory more intense than ever before.
The victories they had achieved until now were from battles against opponents they could easily defeat as long as they demonstrated their skills.
But today’s battle was truly dangerous.
Since they fought with only pure swordsmanship and physical ability while their Aura was sealed, even the axes and spears of ordinary bandits were incredibly dangerous.
There were countless moments where they almost died.
In a battle where the relief of survival was felt more strongly than the joy of victory, they didn't even have the energy left to cheer.
Patrick approached them as they lay sprawled out blankly.
“What are you doing? If you won, you should snap to your feet. Why are you all spacing out?”
“Patrick… You son of a…?”
“Huh? Why? What?”
The anger that had soared to the heavens instantly withered away into the depths of the earth.
Are you giving me attitude? Is that it?
The moment Alex met Patrick’s eyes, he realized something.
Dealing with dozens of bandits with his Aura sealed was easier than fighting that demonic bastard.
The others seemed to have similar thoughts, as they avoided Patrick’s gaze and ground their teeth.
Patrick laughed at them.
“Good job, everyone. Since it’s the first day, we kept it light. Starting tomorrow, I’m really going to put you through the wringer, so be prepared.”
What? This was the first day?
We have to keep doing this madness starting tomorrow?
That day, they seriously contemplated whether they should just throw everything away—Arcana be damned—and run for it.
* * *
Late at night, when everyone was asleep.
A woman wearing skin-tight black clothes and a mask covering her face appeared before Patrick.
“You’re here, April?”
“Yes, Young Master.”
The mysterious masked person was April.
She was supposed to have remained in the capital, but after stubbornly insisting on assisting Patrick, she was accompanying him at a distance while disguised.
Lately, April had been busy following Patrick’s instructions.
And what were those instructions?
“Young Master. As you ordered, I have found a few more bandit groups that can be used as practice targets.”
“Good. Well done.”
It was scouting for bandit camps.
She had entered the Magellan Kingdom ahead of time to look for bandit groups that the greenhorns could use for practice.
“Hmm, this one’s a bit small in scale.”
“The scale is small, but the leader is a former 2-Star mercenary.”
“Oho, that’s good. It’ll be thrilling.”
“Including the schedule to reach the capital, I believe we can move while clearing out this place, then this place, and then this place first.”
“Good work. Keep looking for suitable ones.”
“Yes, I understand.”
After sending April back, Patrick grinned.
“It’ll be even more fun starting tomorrow.”
A Great Demon, one that would make even actual demons weep, was right here.