Chapter 238
Chapter 238
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 239
Chapter Title: Exam (1)
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On the day of the grade exam.
As Demian walked through the academy, he ran into an unwelcome group.
Dean Altman Bedefurite and the other instructors were all gathered together, heading somewhere.
"Hmm?"
Altman spotted Demian and raised one eyebrow.
"Sir Demian, the grade exam is about to start soon. What are you doing here?"
"I was on my way to stop by somewhere briefly."
The instructors around the dean burst into laughter at Demian's words.
"Sir Demian, you seem awfully relaxed."
"Or have you already given up?"
"Even if it's temporary, a teacher shouldn't act like that."
Demian's eyes grew icy for a moment despite the instructors' mockery.
"Sir Demian, you haven't forgotten our agreement, have you?"
"How could I? If Class 13 doesn't achieve excellent results in the grade exam, I'll leave the academy of my own accord."
"I'm glad you remember. I was worried you might pretend otherwise."
A strange smile appeared on the dean's face.
"I'm looking forward to it. To see what results Class 13 will get."
The dean and instructors passed by Demian as they spoke. Once Demian was out of sight, the instructors said to Altman.
"Dean, the day we finally kick that guy out has arrived."
"I've been furious watching that rootless bastard strut around the academy."
The instructors rejoiced as if a thorn in their side had been pulled out. The dean smiled as well.
But there was one person among the instructors who wasn't smiling.
It was Dulong Mueller.
The dean glanced at Dulong Mueller and said.
"Sir Mueller, why the dark expression?"
"Oh, it's nothing."
"Are you still hung up on your defeat to Demian Haksen? Shake it off. He may be rootless, but he's the winner of the Helian Tournament. He must have some skill."
Dulong Mueller's expression didn't change even at the dean's words.
"Dean, what if Class 13 really does achieve excellent results in the exam...?"
"Hahaha!"
The dean burst out laughing without realizing it.
"Worrying like that is something else. What kind of place is Class 13? As if that could happen."
"But since Demian Haksen arrived, Class 13 has..."
"They're training rigorously. But even so, how much could they change in just a week?"
The dean spoke with mockery.
"Besides, it's all training forced by Demian Haksen, isn't it? That won't yield proper results."
The dean spoke firmly without a shred of concern.
"Don't worry about useless things and prepare to send Demian Haksen packing."
* * *
"They sure know how to talk behind backs deliciously."
Demian muttered as he stared at the dean and instructors' backs.
The distance was far, but Demian's advanced senses caught every word of their conversation.
"If it weren't for Slra, I'd turn everything upside down."
He couldn't cause a commotion when he had to find Slra. Demian suppressed his anger and quickened his pace.
As the dean said, the grade exam was about to begin. He had to finish preparations beforehand.
Demian kicked open the training ground door and shouted.
"I'm here. Everyone training hard?"
As he entered, he saw students collapsed on the floor.
"Ughhh..."
"Kuhhh..."
The students had collapsed from training more than once or twice. But today, their condition was even worse.
They were all exhausted, their faces pale as if they might faint any moment.
"Oh, you're here."
Blanca Roshe greeted Demian with a pleased face from among the students.
"Wasn't it tough overseeing training all night?"
"What do you take me for? One night is a breeze."
Demian hadn't let Class 13 sleep for the two days before the exam, drilling them through the night. It was to raise the entire class to the target level.
"Ugh, uuuugh..."
Oliver made a grotesque noise at Demian's feet. Dark circles under his eyes made him look like a zombie.
"Whining after just two days of hardship."
Of course, Demian brushed off the students' suffering as no big deal.
"You're too much... Do you know how hard we've worked?"
"Y-Yeah...!"
The other Class 13 students finally couldn't hold back and began protesting to Demian.
Demian glared at them with fierce eyes, and they all shut their mouths.
"The grade exam is about to start soon. Everyone, get ready."
The entire Class 13 jumped in surprise and lifted their heads. Take the exam in this near-death state?
"First, I need to recover your bodies."
Demian approached Yeomyeong, embedded in the center of the training ground, and gripped the hilt.
He used the Authority of Envy to convert mana into holy power, then infused it into Yeomyeong.
Ziiing.
Yeomyeong let out a satisfied sword cry as it received even more holy power than usual.
Absorbing the holy power, Yeomyeong emitted a dazzling light. As the light spread and seeped into the students' bodies, their complexions recovered in an instant.
"Hoo."
Blanca let out a short exclamation at the sight.
"Amazing no matter how many times I see it. What a holy sword."
This wasn't the first time Blanca had helped with training.
Thanks to Blanca supervising the training in his place, Demian had been able to search for traces of Slra.
"This should recover the students before the exam."
"This much is a bit short."
"What else is there?"
Demian shouted toward the Haksens.
"Come to me one by one starting now."
The students approached Demian in bewilderment.
Demian jabbed his fingers into various spots on the student standing before him.
"Gah!"
"Endure it."
Soon, the muscles throughout their body began to twist. Creak, an eerie sound rang out.
"Ugh, aaaah! Wh-what's happening to my body!"
"S-save me!"
"Mommy!"
Class 13 students screamed in horror at the terrifying sight.
But the person experiencing it had a relaxed expression. They even looked refreshed.
"What scaredy-cats."
Just now, Demian had used meridian acupuncture to infuse mana into the student's body.
The infused mana neatly loosened the muscles that had bunched up and hardened from training.
"Next."
Demian worked over every Class 13 student's body. By the time the treatment ended, the students' skin glowed as if they had slept deeply.
"Now you're ready for the exam."
Demian spoke satisfied and said to the students.
"You've all worked hard."
At Demian's words, the students' faces welled up with emotion. The hardships they'd endured flashed before their eyes like a panorama.
"Thanks for following my training well."
Hearing praise for the first time, the Class 13 students couldn't help but be flustered. Some even suspected Demian had gone mad.
"The training you endured for a week was harsh enough to call it abuse. You deserve praise for overcoming it."
The students' emotions surged. They all held back tears.
"I don't have many words for you."
Demian looked at each Class 13 student one by one as he spoke.
"Anyone who doesn't make it into the top 60 overall dies by my hand."
Class 13 students all wore blank expressions. Wait, isn't this different from what we expected?
The students didn't know, but Demian was quite heated from running into the dean just moments ago.
And if Class 13 fell short in results and got expelled from the academy in that state? Just imagining it made his blood boil.
"Let me emphasize again. Top 60... If you don't make it, you all die. Got it?"
Murderous intent exploded from Demian's eyes. Class 13 could only nod frantically, breaking out in cold sweat.
* * *
After that, all of Class 13 headed to the exam hall.
Stamina, Imperial Standard Swordsmanship, sparring.
Of the three events in the swordsmanship exam, the first was stamina.
The stamina test had several items. The first one the students faced was the long-distance run.
Ten laps around the central field—a simple exam. Points were awarded based on finishing order, fastest first.
The central field was large, but it couldn't hold all first-year students at once.
So the exam was conducted in groups. Five students from each class lined up at the track.
Five Class 13 students stood side by side at the starting line. Other classes' students were on either side.
"Hey, Class 13."
Then, a male student from the side smirked. He was from Class 3.
"Last year, you didn't even show up for the exam. Got some confidence this time?"
"Demian Haksen? You like that rootless bastard?"
"I heard he just made you run like idiots without any system?"
Class 13 students ground their teeth at Class 3's mockery.
"Idiots? Watch your mouth."
"Oh, defending your teacher?"
"That guy's not an idiot—he's a lunatic!"
At the Class 13 student's shout, Class 3 students looked dumbfounded.
"That guy's a madman!"
"If you displease him even a little, he beats you with a club!"
"You think that's all? He works people to near death!"
Class 13 students vented their pent-up complaints. Class 3 students looked at them awkwardly.
"All of you, to the starting line!"
At that moment, the instructor shouted at the students. They stopped talking and prepared to run.
"Go!"
With the instructor's shout, the students started running all at once.
Class 13 students surged forward, passing other students. It meant their training hadn't been in vain.
But Class 13 couldn't take the lead. There were students running faster than them.
'Damn.'
Class 13 students' expressions darkened.
The condition Demian Haksen set was top 60 overall.
If they didn't secure the top spots in this group, they couldn't make top 60.
'As expected, a week wasn't enough time.'
Then, Demian Haksen entered the Class 13 students' view. He was watching them from outside the track.
Demian Haksen slowly raised his thumb.
At Demian Haksen's action, Class 13 students couldn't help but be moved.
'He means we're the best after all.'
'Yeah. We worked hard.'
'Even if the results aren't great, the effort is...'
Suddenly, he slashed his thumb across his throat. The meaning was clear.
-Die.
At that moment, Class 13 students felt their hearts sink.
In the terror of death, an obsession with life welled up. Class 13 students gritted their teeth.
"Uwaaaah!"
"Kraaaah!"
Class 13 students charged forward with gritted teeth. They shot ahead, completely overtaking the leading students.
"Wh-what the hell, these guys?"
"Why are they suddenly like this?"
The leading students shouted in panic. But Class 13 had no time to care about them.
"Get out of the way!"
"I can't die like this!"
Class 13 students sprinted as if foaming at the mouth.
As a result, all five crossed the finish line in the top ranks.