Chapter 103
Chapter 103
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 103
Chapter Title: 46. Academy (2)
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Yuri took a seat on an empty chair near the waiting room.
Whispers reached his ears.
"Isn't that Yuri Brioll?"
"Whoa, the famous third prince is here..."
"Did he come to give a lecture?"
"He showed up without any notice."
"He's so cool."
"His hair really is black..."
A mage was up on the podium, but Yuri was drawing even more attention.
Some students in the back even stood up to get a better look at him.
The mage's face twisted in annoyance.
The artifact attached to the podium amplified his voice massively.
Once the students settled down, the mage resumed his lecture.
His voice rang out clear and crisp, making it easy to hear, but the content was utterly boring.
Yuri began to regret coming out here.
"Hmm..."
Anyway, he decided to handle what needed doing first.
Yuri instructed Rolang and Jared to secure Edran, who was sitting in the corner. The guy looked lost at first, but when he saw Rolang and Jared standing beside him, he slumped in defeat.
Now, there was no way that kid could leave the hall even if he wanted to.
The mage's voice continued.
Each lecturer had an hour, so the mage's talk was only just getting started.
He droned on about his magical achievements, but there was nothing the students could really learn from it. It even felt like he was deliberately using terms they wouldn't understand.
By the time students started dozing off...
The mage's amplified voice boomed through the hall.
The dozing student barely lifted his head.
"Huh?"
The still-groggy student scratched his head as he finally grasped the situation and stood up.
"Swordsmanship Department, sir."
The student hesitated in confusion for a moment before heading up to the stage.
The mage raised his staff.
A translucent barrier formed.
The mage tapped it with his staff, producing a dull thud.
The mage chanted once more, and a blue glow flowed over the translucent film. The shield now shimmered with a pale blue light.
As he spoke, the mage glanced at Yuri.
Yuri could guess his intent and let out a snort.
Just as the rumors said, the guy loved showing off, and it seemed he wanted to provoke Yuri to elevate his own status.
But Yuri had no intention of playing along.
When Yuri didn't react, the mage spoke irritably.
Looking pissed, the student immediately raised his sword. The sword aura was sharp and clear. He had decent skill.
But his full-force strike was blocked by the shield. The rebound sent him tumbling backward onto his butt.
The mage burst into laughter.
Purely in terms of magical effect, it was impressive.
A spell that enhanced other spells—it had incredible potential. For instance, layering it on Fireball would create an even more massive and powerful fireball.
Yuri wanted to call Hernando over right then and there to learn it.
The mage continued calling up students to test the shield.
Not a single one could break it.
Given his age and experience, it was only natural.
With the shield holding firm, the mage openly turned his sights on Yuri.
The guy had a real narrow mind.
All eyes turned to him. Yuri sighed and stood up.
Yuri had become hugely popular among the Empire's younger generation.
When he rose from his seat, a small cheer erupted from the academy students.
Yuri even waved to encourage their cheers.
Jealousy flickered in the mage's eyes.
Yuri spoke up.
"I told you to keep going, so get on with it."
Assuming equal skill levels, it was natural for a knight not to break a shield a mage had time to prepare.
In real combat, a knight could behead the mage before the chant finished—just like how their strengths and weaknesses differed.
But he seemed determined to pick a fight with Yuri specifically.
Yuri snorted again.
"Impressive. Well-made spell."
Ignoring the mage, Yuri calmly examined the shield. Compared to typical shields, its mana was densely woven.
"Hmm..."
Even as he did, the academy students watched him with fervent eyes.
Backing down now might disappoint them.
Yuri made a proposal.
"Since it's come to this, how about a little bet?"
"From down there, your lecture looked pretty boring..."
The students started chuckling at that.
As giggles spread, the mage's face flushed red.
"If I break it, end your lecture and step down. You're putting everyone to sleep."
The students cheered at Yuri's suggestion.
This time, it wasn't restrained—the whole hall began cheering for Yuri. The mage's face contorted.
The mage's lips twitched before he continued.
The hall buzzed at his words.
It was practically a declaration of torture.
But Yuri nodded.
"Deal."
The students knew full well that, at Yuri's age, breaking that shield was nearly impossible, so murmurs spread.
The mage chuckled lowly.
He had good reason for his confidence.
He'd already run countless tests and knew the durability of his enhanced shield.
Even seasoned knights couldn't shatter it.
Knights and mages operated in different realms.
Given time to cast, a mage's raw power surpassed a knight's.
No matter how talented the third prince was, at his current age—barely in his twenties—it was impossible. Maybe in ten years.
The mage smirked triumphantly.
Hero of the Allied Forces or whatever, he was still young. Poke his pride, and he walked right into the trap.
The mage urged the motionless Yuri.
Yuri didn't respond.
He had already entered his own world, invisible to others.
His vision desaturated, rendering everything in shades of black and white. The mage's shield appeared as a hazy gray weave. Yuri could dissect its structure down to the finest detail.
Yuri understood what he needed to do.
His vision returned to normal, and he drew Guilty.
A chilling sword gleam flashed, making the watching students gulp.
The Mana Circulation Method stirred within Yuri.
The slow ripples gradually built into larger waves, surging along his energy pathways.
Eventually, those waves reached Guilty.
It traced an infinitely repeating fractal spiral pattern.
"Uh..."
"The sword..."
Everyone sensed something happening.
At first, it looked like faint cracks along the blade, but soon the vortex expanded beyond the sword's edge.
Yuri's First Form.
The Sword of the Rotating Whirlwind.
It was being unleashed right there in the academy hall.
Through relentless training, Yuri had refined it further. No longer just blasting power outward, he condensed the rotation inward, harnessing even greater destructive force.
To the casual eye, it merely looked like a faint sword aura along the blade, but its power was incomparable.
Yuri literally held a storm in his hand.
The whirlwind energy tingled at his fingertips.
Preparation complete.
"Here goes."
Yuri slashed at the shield with full force.
A heavy rupture echoed through the hall.
And then...
"Ah..."
Something unbelievable happened.
The shield didn't just crack or collapse—it was shredded to pieces in every direction.
As if countless directionless whirlwinds had torn through it.
"Wha..."
In the end, only a mangled skeleton remained, like a carcass mauled by a wolf pack. But it hadn't fully shattered yet.
The mage, frozen like a statue, brightened and spoke.
But before he could finish, the shield collapsed.
He could've held out a bit longer, but blabbing too soon just made him look even more foolish.
The shield shattered completely, fragments raining to the floor.
The mage clamped his mouth shut.
Silence fell.
The shield shards evaporated back into mana.
Yuri raised his hand.
"My win."
At his declaration, everyone erupted in applause and cheers.
Yuri bowed repeatedly, acknowledging their ovation.
While he basked in the cheers, the mage gripped the artifact on the podium, biting his lip and swallowing his humiliation.
Yuri turned to him.
"Thanks for the lecture. You can go now."
He extended his hand and clapped, as if shooing him off.
The students joined in with applause.
The mage glared at Yuri before fleeing the podium like a coward. He didn't head to the waiting room—instead, he left the hall entirely.
Shrugging at the mage's retreating back, Yuri muttered.
"Why pick a fight for no reason..."
Anyway, since he'd won, his lecture time now included the mage's slot, turning it into a marathon session.
Yuri ascended to the podium where the mage had stood.
Countless eyes followed him.
As a higher education institution, most academy students were around Yuri's age or older. Some still eyed him skeptically.
His battlefield exploits are probably just exaggerated tales.
That was the vibe he got.
Facing the sea of varied expressions, Yuri gripped the voice-amplifying artifact.
After a few tests, he got the feel for it and spoke at a moderate volume.
Some students burst out laughing.
Yuri paused for a moment after introducing himself.
The students laughed.
Yuri addressed the red-haired swordsmanship student the mage had singled out earlier.
Laughter rippled through the students again.
"Y-Yes?"
"Uh..."
He thought for a moment before answering.
"Um, stories and lessons from your Allied Forces days? Or maybe life advice?"
Sharp kid. If Yuri had followed Rolang's advice, he'd have been spot on.
But Yuri had changed the direction of his lecture.
He didn't think himself qualified to give grand advice to others.
Pretending to know things would only yield personal anecdotes, not universally applicable wisdom.
So he prepared something more practical.
Yuri drew Guilty from his waist and held it high.
Mana swirled fiercely.