Chapter 94: I Want Something Other Than These Greenhorns (3)
Chapter 94: I Want Something Other Than These Greenhorns (3)
The other professors took a step back for the time being.
Now that this man—who was acting like a wild boar that had taken a stray shot—had stepped forward, there was no choice but to either yield or collide.
And they certainly wanted to avoid the latter.
However…
“Professor Baroque. Do you intend to fight with that instead of a wooden sword?”
“Of course.”
Professor Baroque was stepping onto the training ground holding his signature weapon, a halberd, rather than a wooden sword.
At that, another professor spoke up hurriedly.
“Your opponent is a student.”
“But he is far stronger than I am.”
“No, I mean, that’s…”
Professor Baroque gave a smirk toward the dumbfounded professor and said, “Do I look like the type who could face that monster with a wooden sword?”
“……”
There was nothing left to say.
Hadn’t seven professors already been smashed to pieces while using wooden swords?
And it had been completely one-sided, at that.
Professor Baroque told him, “I intend to give this my all. To do that, I need this fellow here.”
Then, before the other professors could stop him, he strode into the center of the training ground.
He looked at Patrick and spoke.
“Patrick Schneider. I request a lesson from you.”
“Hooo… with that thing?”
When Patrick pointed at the heavy halberd, Baroque replied without changing his expression.
“I ask this of you, please.”
There was no hint of shame.
There was no sense of rudeness, either.
There was only the pure desire of a challenger who wanted to do whatever he could by giving his absolute everything.
Patrick gave a short laugh.
“Well, that’s not bad.”
Then, Patrick called out to the servants waiting at the edge of the training ground.
“Ace!”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“Bring me my sword.”
“Yes. Understood.”
From the group of waiting servants, April, dressed in butler’s attire, came forward carrying a sword.
Normally, servants were not allowed to approach the training ground during class, but an exception was made for exam days like today.
Since their masters might get injured during the test, they were all waiting with simple first-aid kits.
From among the huddle of servants, a man(?) of exceptionally radiant beauty stepped forward. In that instant…
“Whoa… who is that?”
“I’ve never seen a man that pretty before.”
“There’s been a lot of talk among the servants. They said there was a butler as beautiful as an angel.”
“Wow… that face is… it’s insane. Just insane.”
“He’s a man, right? He’s definitely a man? Dammit, why is he a man? Why?!”
Everyone’s attention shifted there.
The spectators, who until a moment ago had been captivated by Patrick’s miraculous winning streak, were now losing their minds over April’s beauty alone.
“Here it is, Young Master.”
“Yeah, good work.”
“Is there anything else you require?”
“Nothing. Go back quickly.”
“Yes. Understood.”
At Patrick’s blunt command, April quietly returned to her spot.
The people couldn’t take their eyes off her until she returned to the group of servants—and even after she had.
“Wow, I didn’t know a human could be that beautiful.”
“Why was someone who looks like that born a man?”
“I know, right?”
“Honestly, with a face like that, he should be the noble and that Patrick kid should be the servant.”
“Hmm, this is definitely not right.”
“It’s highly unjust.”
“He’s a man without a conscience.”
“He’s got skill, but no conscience.”
Hearing the spectators whispering, Patrick frowned and stomped his foot firmly.
Boom!
The ground shook slightly, and everyone’s gaze snapped back to Patrick.
Patrick then spoke to Professor Baroque.
“Well then, shall we begin?”
“Let’s. However, may I say one thing before we start?”
“Go ahead.”
“Does that butler friend have an older sister, a younger sister, or perhaps an unmarried aunt?”
“…Professor.”
“No, it’s not that I have ulterior motives, I’m just curious… Can’t a man be curious?”
“Do you want to die?”
“Ahem, cough… hmph…”
A student had just threatened a professor, but no one took issue with it.
Professor Baroque feigned innocence with a dry cough, then suddenly bowed his head deeply toward Patrick. He then said:
“It is an honor to receive a lesson from one who has reached such a high realm.”
“Now of all times?”
“I was a bit flustered because I saw something so surprising, but this is my sincere feeling.”
“…….”
Patrick wore a grumpy expression.
But on the other hand, he understood.
‘Yeah. The beauty of the Nine Yin Blocked Meridians is basically a cheat.’
In the Martial World, people had actually killed each other over women with the Nine Yin Blocked Meridians.
So, he decided to be broad-minded and overlook it just this once.
He spoke to Professor Baroque.
“Raise your head. How can a professor bow so recklessly to a student?”
“At this moment, I am not a professor, but a single knight who wishes to seek guidance from someone stronger than myself.”
“…….”
“In fact, considering the realm you have achieved, this is arguably not enough.”
“Well, fine. Being polite is good. It’s a good thing.”
If he knows that, why does he live like such a boar?
Patrick took his stance with his twin swords and said, “Patrick Schneider, first year at the Academy.”
“I am Marox Baroque, a professor at the Academy. In the world, I am known as ‘Baroque the Crusher.’”
“That’s a fierce nickname. Doesn’t sound very knightly, does it?”
“…Do you not know?”
“Know what?”
“The origin of my nickname. I thought it was quite famous.”
“Well, do I really need to know that?”
At that, Professor Baroque laughed and said, “Hahaha. True. There is no need to know. A knight ultimately speaks through his skill, does he not?”
“Exactly. Then, shall we end the conversation…”
“Right… now!”
The moment he finished his sentence, Baroque’s massive frame lunged forward.
Reaching Patrick’s immediate vicinity in a single stride, he swung down the heavy blade of his halberd.
KABOOM!
The hard-packed ground of the training area exploded.
‘He’s fiery.’
Patrick dodged the attack but was still slightly surprised.
It was definitely a heavy weapon.
In terms of pure destructive power, it was far superior to a sword.
And that wasn’t the end of it.
As soon as the first strike missed, the follow-up attack was a thrust.
Following the downward strike with the axe blade came a sharp thrust using the spear tip.
The sound of the wind being sliced by the thrust that followed the heavy blow was quite sharp.
Patrick tilted his head to the side, narrowly dodging the attack. Then…
“Hup!”
Professor Baroque’s wrist rotated halfway, readjusting his grip on the halberd.
Then, his halberd was pulled back rapidly.
The hook on the opposite side of the axe blade aimed precisely to snag Patrick’s nape, but…
Swish!
The decisive strike Professor Baroque attempted unfortunately only cut through the air.
Patrick was already some distance away, bouncing lightly on the balls of his feet.
And Patrick’s face held a look of genuine interest.
“This is a bit different.”
It wasn’t that Professor Baroque’s martial prowess was particularly special.
He was a liiiiittle better than the other professors, but he wasn’t overwhelming.
He seemed to be at the very peak of the 5-Star realm, but to Patrick, it was just a minor difference in height.
However, what piqued Patrick’s interest was…
“Hyaaaaaap!”
Whoosh! Bang! Shiiik!
It was Baroque’s proficiency in handling the weapon known as the halberd.
Thrusting, slashing, hooking, crushing…
It was his first time facing someone who used a single weapon to deliver such a variety of different types of attacks.
‘Come to think of it, this is the first time I’ve ever fought against a halberd.’
The soldiers of the Schneider Territory, where Patrick had been reborn, did not use halberds.
Why? Because they were expensive.
They were harder to make than ordinary spears or swords, and they required more iron.
The halberd was a quite costly weapon.
Only wealthy territories could afford to arm their soldiers with such weapons.
He had seen soldiers or knights from other territories equipped with them a few times.
Back then, Patrick had thought:
‘Why would they use that?’
To Patrick, the halberd seemed too cluttered.
A spear, an axe, and a hook.
A weapon that contained all three characteristics in a single pole?
He had never even imagined such a thing in his past life.
There was said to be a weapon called the Sky-Piercing Halberd used by Lu Bu, but he had never seen a martial artist actually use it.
‘There were even rumors that it was a fictional weapon.’
Originally, if a weapon had too many functions, its durability would drop and it would become difficult to handle.
One had to focus on one thing.
The sword, delicately.
The saber, powerfully.
The spear, sharply.
A weapon had to have a clear direction so that the user could focus on it.
In the Jianghu, such cluttered weapons were used by the Unorthodox Faction—specifically, second-rate hacks who tried to use cheap tricks because their realm was low.
But…
“Hyaaaaaap!”
Right now, before Patrick’s eyes, was a knight who had spent his entire life mastering that halberd and carving out his own realm.
Marox Baroque.
He was certainly a very unique case.
‘Incredible. Not one… not a single strike is landing.’
Professor Baroque’s body trembled with a thrill.
How long had it been?
He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had the chance to attack an opponent with everything he had.
He mobilized every technique he had learned throughout his life to attack Patrick.
Of course, his attacks never reached Patrick.
However, the fact that he could unleash his attacks with his full sincerity was a joy in itself.
Yes. He was simply enjoying it.
Facing an opponent against whom he could pour out his everything without any distractions.
The fact that the opponent was a student didn't matter at this moment.
He just loved this moment where he could fight to his heart's content.
As they passed thirty exchanges, Patrick, who had been receiving Baroque’s attacks, began his counterattack.
CLANG!
“Ugh…”
It was just a lightly swung attack.
Professor Baroque raised the shaft of his halberd at a perfect angle to block it, but he couldn't help being pushed back by the aftereffects of the blow.
Patrick slowly cracked his neck and spoke.
“For a self-taught style, this is quite impressive.”
“What…?”
“You taught yourself, didn’t you?”
“……?”
Upon hearing Patrick’s words, a look of shock appeared on Professor Baroque’s face.
The opponent didn't even know his nickname, "The Crusher."
‘A person of his realm wouldn't tell a shallow lie. He really didn't know.’
This was a misunderstanding.
Skill and character do not necessarily go hand in hand.
However, it was true that Patrick did not know his past.
He had grasped Professor Baroque’s roots just by exchanging a few blows.
‘Is this even possible? No matter how much of a genius he is? How is that possible? Isn't insight something that can't be developed without rich experience?’
Professor Baroque couldn't understand it, but Patrick just smirked.
‘Look at this kid trying to use his head. My experience is more than ten times yours. If we’re talking about actual combat experience, it’s probably over a hundred times.’