Chapter 41: The Academy Exchange Meet – Turn (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 41: The Academy Exchange Meet – Turn (5)
Not only the crowd, but even Association President Seong Yu-chang could not hide his admiration.
It was because no one had ever imagined such an approach. "Skoll and Hati" was an event originally conceived to foster mutual power adjustment between master and disciple.
'When I first heard about it... I wondered if Saintess Yoo Se-in, the organizer, came up with the idea just to openly tease the Heavenly Sword.'
And yet, what was this?
The chariot carrying the Heavenly Sword and Victoria was actually moving. One couldn't say it was speeding along smoothly, but the two beasts were straining with all their might, whimpering as they dragged the chariot forward. The creatures, which had looked like bears, were gradually growing gaunt, regaining the lean look of desperate wolves.
To survive.
To avoid being slaughtered by the Heavenly Sword.
Skoll and Hati moved their legs frantically, mustering every last drop of strength they possessed. It looked as though their legs might snap at any moment.
A hush fell over the crowd at the sacrilegious sight. Of course, it didn't last very long.
Episode. The Academy Exchange Meet
"Daaamnnn! I knew it, Heavenly Sword! I trusted that you'd show us something different!"
"Yeah! Just running fast doesn't make it exciting! That's what I wanted! That's what I came to seeeee!"
The air vibrated with their roars. Looking around at the fervid atmosphere, Seong Yu-chang naturally turned to Weapon, who was sitting next to him. Seeing Weapon smiling softly, Seong Yu-chang spoke up.
"Did you know the Heavenly Sword would do something like this?"
"How could I? Discussing the event privately beforehand would be clear cheating. As you know, Association President, I'm not the kind of person to pull something like that."
"Hmm... that's true. It's just... you seemed so calm, so I had to ask."
"Hahaha."
Weapon snickered, his shoulders shaking.
"I guess a difference in perspective is unavoidable. Even though you've known the Director for a pretty long time, Association President, your reaction is completely different from mine."
"Can't be helped. A civil servant like me can't be buddy-buddy with the Heavenly Sword like you are, Weapon."
"I didn't mean it like that."
Weapon shook his head, his expression instantly stiffening. The laughter vanished. Turning his solemn gaze toward the chariot carrying Kang Geomma, he continued.
"...Everyone calls the Director a transcendent powerhouse, a being beyond human limits. But he himself isn't like that. In fact, he's quite down-to-earth. If I were like him—or if I were the kind of entity everyone makes him out to be—I would have just done whatever I wanted without a second thought. Because there'd be nothing to hold me back."
...Isn't the Heavenly Sword already doing pretty much whatever he wants?
Still, Seong Yu-chang understood what Weapon was trying to say. He listened quietly.
"The Director—Kang Geomma—doesn't just look straight ahead and charge forward. Despite being the strongest person in the world, his awareness of his surroundings is excessively broad. He pretends not to care, but in the end, he always looks out for the people around him."
"I agree."
Seong Yu-chang unconsciously fidgeted with the fingers of his prosthetic hand. The cost of saving his life on the day of the Joaquin Disaster had merely been one arm and one leg. That was thanks to the Heavenly Sword saving him.
"To be outrageously strong while also taking care of everyone around you, you have to come up with methods normal people wouldn't even dream of. What's happening right now is a prime example."
"Abusing dogs—err, wolves...?"
"Hahaha, you really are simple-minded, Association President."
Weapon smiled gently. Refocusing on the match, he muttered under his breath.
"I hope the day comes when I can stand alongside you, too. Damn it, right now I actually envy the Princess standing by your side."
Ten years ago, the day the Mermaid appeared. Kang Geomma turned his back to his teammates.
Turning his back—not as a negative metaphor, but in the most literal sense. In that moment of crisis, Kang Geomma stepped forward. Yet he didn't focus first on defeating the enemy. He only thought about how to protect his teammates. He was a foolish guy like that.
That was why no one suited the title of "hero" better than Kang Geomma.
'He's different from you, too.'
At that moment, the blonde seated in the VIP section across the stadium caught his eye. Glowing as if sprinkled with gold dust, he stood out even amidst the massive crowd.
'Isn't that right, Leon?'
Leon disarmed people with his character and warmth. But his perspective wouldn't be much different from Weapon's.
Leon was someone who tried to choose the best option in an emergency. He was the complete opposite of Kang Geomma, who strove to prevent the worst.
'Back then, Director... or maybe even before that, you might have been looking in a completely different direction from the rest of us.'
Like someone from another world... Like a person fashioned by a being who favored this world out of the countless threads of the universe.
The Director was different.
Even so, Weapon wanted to share Kang Geomma's vision.
Weapon clenched his back teeth. To him, Kang Geomma was an irreplaceable friend and the ideal hero he had admired for a very long time.
* * *
We barely managed to catch up to Parsi's chariot. A twenty-meter gap was a distance we could definitely overtake.
If only the wolves tried a little harder...
"Yiiiiiip!"
"Gurrllll... "
Their wailing jabbed at my eardrums like toothpicks.
It might sound shameless coming from me, but the wolves were giving it everything they had. They probably didn't have a single drop of strength left to squeeze out.
'The gap between me and Victoria is...'
In case the Princess possessed a Blessing that could read minds, I'd keep my mouth shut so I wouldn't hurt her feelings.
(Save us!)
(We're going to die at this rate!)
The two iron spheres, Sun and Moon, weighed tens of tons at a conservative estimate. Judging by eye, these wolves were beasts brought from Gehenna. Even so, completing the race while dragging tens of tons was impossible.
If they actually pulled it off, I'd feed them Churu until their bellies burst, but...
Wait, was Churu for cats? It's not like I've ever raised a pet before.
Anyway.
We had to accept our current situation as it was. This temporary fix would only last for one lap at most.
In the end, to win, either Victoria or I—or both of us—had to bridge the gap in our power.
Just to be clear, I was trying my best in my own way. Compressing power inward wasn't as easy as it sounded.
'If it were that easy, my personal worries would have been solved long ago!'
It felt like I was pressing down from above, only for juice to splatter everywhere. It was like attempting to clean up a mess only to make it dirtier. Leaving it alone meant losing, but gathering it back up felt daunting. I couldn't see an immediate answer.
I must have pulled the reins without realizing it. Skoll and Hati slammed into an invisible wall—my grip—and our bodies jolted heavily as if the chariot had hit a bump.
Feeling guilty, I glanced over at her. Victoria waved her hand as if to say she was fine. Soaking in sweat, she kept her eyes fixed straight ahead. It seemed she was trying to think of a breakthrough in her own way.
"Parsi's chariot has completed the first lap!"
"However, Joaquin's chariot is not far behind! Oh, oh! At this very moment, Joaquin has also finished their first lap!"
"Mmm, but the wolves look severely exhausted."
"Ladies and gentlemen! The real battle begins now, so keep your channels tuned and keep your eyes glued to the track!"
I brushed off the horribly outdated commentary. I only focused on our current situation.
The billowing clouds of dust obscured our vision, adding to the chaotic mess, but it was actually quite helpful.
'Cool your head down.'
The two of us were each trying to find our own solution. But it suddenly occurred to me that we shouldn't be doing that.
Contract worker or not, I was Victoria's teacher. The problem was, I was terrible at teaching.
'What can someone like me do?'
Think, Kang Geomma.
Rumble rumble rumble.
The thunderous roar of the wheels distracted us. Annoying as it was, there was nothing to be done. Excuses. This inconvenience was something Parsi had to endure as well.
"Princess Victoria."
She snapped her head up to look at me.
I briefly chose my words before speaking. Even if grains of sand blew into my mouth, I had to do what needed to be done.
'What I, a failure of a master, can do.'
Encouragement.
"In my opinion, what we need to do right now isn't bridging the power gap between us immediately. The creator—Yoo Se-in—wouldn't have designed it in such a one-dimensional way."
Yoo Se-in had hidden a riddle inside every event of this Academy Exchange Meet. Winning or losing simply wasn't the point. Even if we lost this stupid tournament, it wouldn't matter...
Well, even if losing wasn't ideal, there was a higher priority. I opened my parched lips. The harsh punishment driving Skoll and Hati to their limits continued for a little longer.
"'Power' isn't just brute force."
"...Then...?"
"This is just based on my standards, but... I divide my power into three categories: Mental, Body, and Armament."
My conscience twinged. I was quoting the explanation from the Blessing of the Sword God as if it were my own personal enlightenment. I offered a quiet apology in my heart to Yoo Se-in, who had crafted my status window.
"Mental... Body, Armament..."
"Let's use the process of elimination. Can we bridge the gap in Body right now?"
A shake of the head.
"Armament is a bit ambiguous in this situation, but let's just consider this chariot our Armament. Then while we might be slightly inferior rather than equal to our opponent, it's not fatally flawed."
"Yiiiiip!"
A yelp echoed from the front, and the chariot suddenly accelerated. It was a protest sprint from Skoll and Hati, provoked by my words.
It wasn't intentional, but it worked out. The effect probably wouldn't last long, but we managed to get within shooting range of our opponent in an instant.
"W-What?! Why is their speed—!"
Edward gasped in shock.
In races or games like this, gear makes up half the fight. Who could he blame for failing his gacha?
Waaaaaah!
"Run, doggies! Run!"
"Me too! I want to be the Heavenly Sword's dog, too! Please treat me roughly like—"
It reignited the excitement in the stands, which had been fading, and bought us some time. I returned to the main point.
"What remains is 'Mental'. What we can bolster right at this moment is our Mental aspect. Erase anything from your mind that's currently impossible to overcome, like raw physical power or Armament, Victoria."
"How do you raise 'Mental' all at once?"
"The process of finding that out for yourself is part of mental strength too. I'd love to give you that textbook answer, but given the circumstances, I'll give you a tip."
This was entirely based on my own experience.
"My childhood had its fair share of ups and downs. Honestly, I almost went down a dark path because of it. My mental state was unstable."
My eyes reflected memories of the past. As the approaching dust swirled, scenes from my childhood unfolded like a panorama.
"That was when I met my master—my benefactor. I was beaten black and blue and threatened constantly. But I learned. Not just swordsmanship and things like that, but that 'I can change, too.' Depending on who you meet, if you meet good people, you can change for the better."
"..."
"And entering Joaquin Academy cemented that into a firm belief. When I staggered and was on the verge of running aground, what served as my anchor was my friends and my instructors. It was all thanks to those encounters."
I smiled softly and turned my head.
"I don't know what kind of life you've lived, Princess, but surely there were precious or special encounters in your life. Or people who inspired you, even if you never met them. Think of those people."
"Precious encounters..."
"From living just ten years longer than you, if there's one thing I've felt, it's that there's no such thing as a miraculous encounter."
Pages of memories turned one by one. Inside them, I was always with someone. The child from my past life who had wandered all alone was nowhere to be seen.
"To me, a miraculous encounter..."
I spoken—
"...is a bond."
To Victoria.
"Princess."
And to myself.
"Thanks to those encounters, my mind is stronger today than it was yesterday. So try to remember yours, too."
"Heavenly Sword."
Victoria took a step forward as if making up her mind. I handed her the reins and yielded the driver's spot to her.
Then, something incredible happened.
The moment Victoria grasped the reins, the chariot accelerated. Skoll and Hati's ragged breathing, which had been erratic like popping popcorn, stabilized.
This phenomenon signified only one thing.
"Thank you."
The bond between her and me had strengthened. In return, the burden Skoll and Hati had to carry decreased.
The beasts had been brutally pushed through a lap and a half around an arena larger than a soccer field. Now that the weight had lightened, they cheered in delight. Overtaking Parsi became an inevitability.
"...Don't call me Princess. Just Victoria. That's enough."
"I'll do that."
"Also, drop the formal speech."
"I'll try, depending on the situation."
Right then, the cloud of dust blocking our path scattered into the air. The panorama of my life dispersed along with it. Yet I didn't feel any regret or sadness. Because my friends and family—the very faces that made me strong—were right there.
They are my Blessing—the Blessing of Kang Geomma.