Chapter 75
Chapter 75
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: The Final Training Day
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Today, there were especially more people than usual.
It was the day of Dianal and Lian's final training session.
Given the occasion, Walter had closed his forge for the day and was sitting in a prime spot from early morning, waiting for the two.
“Whew! It’s not even dawn yet, and it’s already packed.”
At that moment, a man with brown hair slicked back approached with a swagger.
He was the one running the betting pool here.
He soon came over carrying a ledger and two jars, then looked at the people in the seats and said,
“Come on, it’s the last day—let’s make it exciting! The bet’s the same as always. Whether that kid can land a clean hit on the Silver Wolf!”
A clean hit was clearly defined as anywhere above the ankle that Dianal couldn’t block.
But the mood at the betting table wasn’t great.
“He won’t even touch him anyway.”
“Ugh, it’s a waste of a bet!”
There had been a few tense moments so far, but Dianal had never allowed a single clean hit.
So even on the last day, the betting atmosphere hadn’t changed much.
At that moment,
Clunk!
“I’m betting it all on Lian!”
Walter, who had been sitting nearby, strode over and plunked a large pouch down on the table.
The bookmaker’s lips curled up.
“Heh heh, Meister. You sure about this? How much we talking... Whoa!”
The bookmaker opened the pouch, and his eyes went wide.
It was filled entirely with gold coins.
“Fifty gold on Lian!”
An enormous sum that an ordinary person would need two or three years of work to earn.
In an instant, the atmosphere heated up.
“Whoa! Crazy! The Meister of Velotra’s going all out today!”
“Gah! With money like that on the line, how can we not join? Thanks to you, even a guy like me gets to make some cash! Heh heh. Last day, so I’m all in too! Thanks for the meal, Sir Walter!”
Walter snorted at the shiny bald man’s words.
“Hmph! Baldy, I’ve got your face memorized. Don’t come crying and begging for your money back later.”
“As if! Heh heh. Thanks for the meal!”
“O... Old man Walter. Going all out on the last day, huh?”
“Well, he’s got a special bond with that kid, right? Hyping up the finale properly.”
“Can’t pass this up now!”
A massive sum had been bet on what seemed like a sure loss.
Even a small payout would cover plenty of drinks.
With the mood like that, the mercenaries in the seats started throwing in money one after another.
And then, the one who really set the place on fire was another.
“Can I join that bet too?”
A man speaking as he climbed up to this floor.
Behind him was his ever-present shadow, the guard Bex.
It was Adelson.
Adelson pulled a fingernail-sized red gem from his pouch and handed it to the bookmaker.
“On Mr. Lian.”
“Th-this...?”
A gem worth a full hundred gold.
No, maybe even more?
With Adelson joining the betting frenzy, it turned into absolute chaos.
“M-me too! All in! Everything!”
“Me too! I’m all in!”
“Wow—this is the day!”
Even those who’d only bet small amounts seeing the hype flipped their eyes and threw in all their money.
Some guys even ran out yelling they’d go grab more cash and to wait.
Adelson sat down next to Walter.
Walter glanced at him and said,
“You didn’t go overboard? The kid’s improved, sure, but...”
“If we don’t believe in him, who will?”
“Heh, fair point.”
“Besides, I’ve got a feeling... today’s the day Mr. Lian pulls off something big.”
Walter grinned happily at Adelson’s words and leaned back in his chair.
And soon enough, Dianal and Lian appeared in the training area.
Dianal smirked at the rowdy inn atmosphere and said to Lian,
“We’ve gotta do this right today, huh?”
“You’ve been holding back until now?”
“More like not going full throttle.”
With that, Dianal drew his sword. Lian gave a small smile and gripped his spear.
Swish.
The smiles vanished from both their faces. Lian, aiming his spear at Dianal, said,
“You’ll need to go all out. It’s a special day.”
These three weeks here had been an irreplaceable, monumental experience for Lian.
This was his way of paying respects.
You’re undoubtedly one of the greatest teachers in my life.
‘I’ll cherish it forever.’
That’s why he had to stamp it with a final flourish.
“Huuuuuh...”
A long exhale. Then, as Lian slowly inhaled, his eyes snapped open.
Light flashed in his eyes, and his stored mana began to stir.
Dianal’s expression turned deadly serious at the sight.
‘Perfect.’
If he could just master the release stage, it would be near perfection.
Just three weeks ago, he didn’t even know what release meant.
It was possible because he was primed for it from the start, but Lian’s talent played a huge role.
‘No—more than that, his effort.’
Near-obsessive effort had produced this impossible result.
As the kid said, today called for total focus.
Dianal took his ready stance, and Lian charged like he’d been waiting.
Flash-!
He felt it every time, but the kid’s movements were truly bizarre.
Incredibly light, yet ferocious the instant he attacked.
Like a gentle breeze turning into a cliffside gale?
The spear from the narrowed distance shot out like a ricochet from afar.
Unnecessary habits were gone now, making the tempo even faster.
Ping!
Dianal ducked sideways, sword raised to graze Lian’s spear and slip inside.
No point dodging back against such a long reach.
Tadak!
Lian, accustomed to that, immediately sidestepped to reopen the distance.
That’s the move.
‘Strange guy.’
Uncanny how he gauged distance.
Just a few steps sideways, and the closed gap was perfectly reset.
Shwooooaaah-!
The recovered spear spun, spewing air currents.
The onlookers’ eyes bulged.
“Al-already?!”
“Hey, hey!”
A signature Lian move, honed as Aura use became second nature.
Imbuing his already fast spear with spin maximized destructive power and speed.
It was early considering the fatigue after using it before, but
‘He’s serious today!’
Dianal bit his lip.
Then Lian’s spear showered down like a squall.
The scariest part wasn’t the explosive single strike.
Shwooooaaaaaah-!
Faced with the onslaught filling his vision, Dianal’s eyes gleamed.
Sword aura burst from his blade, deflecting the spear.
Couldn’t let the kid attack freely.
‘End it in one go.’
Boom-!
The moment he smacked the spear upward, Dianal kicked off the ground and dove in.
Speed so immense it seemed his form vanished for an instant.
“You improve daily, no doubt. But... hup!”
Fully closing the gap, Dianal immediately swung at Lian.
For direct swings, always sword edge only—no aura.
It slowed the blade a bit, but still beyond Lian’s handling.
Crack-!
“Guh!”
Lian hastily recovered to block, but his body flew back from the strike.
Thud!
He tumbled a good ten meters or so before stopping.
If not for the demolished walls for the training area, it would’ve embedded him in one.
“Urgh...”
One hit, and it felt like his body shattered.
But contrary to Lian’s state, the inn crowd erupted in cheers.
“Y-yeah! That’s Dianal!”
“Knew it, Silver Wolf!”
Lian’s brow furrowed slightly at the cheers. Dianal looked at him and said,
“Not giving up yet, right?”
“It’s just getting started.”
Lian brushed off the dirt and raised his spear again.
Yeah, just getting started...
Flash!
Lian charged at Dianal once more.
To catch him, he needed an irregular haymaker.
‘At least...’
The bait he’d scattered the past few days held possibility.
Woooong-!
Mana flowing into Aura again, Lian thrust his spear at Dianal.
For now, use the longer reach safely and keep tossing bait.
Clang-! Boom boom-!
Aura clashed with Aura in thunderous roars. The fight dragged on decently, but
‘This his all?’
He’d improved incomparably from the start, no doubt.
His once-clumsy spearwork now flowed at a solid level.
But that was it.
He could use Aura, but nothing beyond.
‘Well, this growth in so short a time is shocking enough.’
He’d held unrealistic expectations for the kid’s pace.
Dianal’s gaze sharpened coldly.
‘Last day—etch it deep and go.’
Nothing more to see here.
Dianal gripped his sword tighter, preparing the finale.
The instant the kid recovered his spear,
Swish!
‘Now!’
Boom!
Dianal shot toward Lian like an arrow. And right then,
‘It’s here!’
The exact timing Lian had waited for.
Lian gripped the recovered spear and twisted his waist.
As his torso spun back, his right palm hit the spear shaft’s end.
‘That attack again?’
The killer thrust pushing the spear to full extension.
‘But I’ve seen it enough to get sick of it.’
He knew the range precisely.
Grrrrrind!
His twisted waist spun rapidly, the spear on his palm unleashing like a compressed typhoon.
Eerily fierce, even up close.
‘Won’t reach.’
Dianal was certain.
Dodge the spear the moment it extended, just outside range.
Shwooooaaaaaah-!
As the spear shot out, Dianal halted to secure distance. But,
Shreeeeek!
“...!”
The thrusting spear didn’t stop.
Dianal’s eyes flicked to Lian’s hand.
“Crazy—!”
Clang-!
This bastard hadn’t extended to max range—he’d just thrown the damn thing.
Dianal frantically knocked the spear upward.
It flew high into the air off his sword, and Dianal’s eyes flashed.
‘Giving up the win?’
He whipped his head back to Lian. But,
“...!”
Gone.
The figure that had been right there vanished completely.
Thwack!
Before he could even search, a dull thud shook his vision violently.
Lian, who’d always kept distance, had finally closed in for the first time.
Lian felt the solid connection.
Having clocked Dianal’s jaw, he immediately raised his hand blade toward the neck.
Follow with a jump to grab the spear and strike again...
But before Lian’s hand reached Dianal’s neck,
Grab.
Darkness swallowed Lian’s vision for a moment.
Dianal had reached out and seized his face.
‘This guy’s hand is this bi...’
Before the thought finished, Lian’s body slammed into the ground.
Kwaang!
“Gack!”
The impact bounced his body slightly—tremendous force.
A full-body shattering sensation made Lian shudder as he rose.
Tap!
Dianal hastily backed off a few steps, regaining distance, and steadied his breath.
“Hoo... hoo... That was close.”
Muttering to himself, Dianal seemed to calm and said to Lian,
“Let’s call it here. Hard to hold back anymore.”
Lian had seen it clearly.
Dianal was restraining, but killing intent had flashed in his eyes for that instant.
Gulp.
As he said, push further and it wouldn’t be realistic ‘training’ anymore—it’d be a life-or-death ‘fight’.
Lian staggered to his feet.
“Thanks.”
“Kekekekeke, memorable time for me too. Wonder if I’ll meet another guy like you.”
“Good way to put it?”
“Of course.”
Dianal approached and offered his hand. Lian grinned and said,
“We’ll meet again. There’s a bigger monster in our unit.”
“Bigger monster than you... Now I’m curious.”
Lian shook Dianal’s hand lightly.
Thus ended the three weeks of training.
So much gained in so little time—it was unforgettable.
And right at the training’s end.
The inn watching the two was thick with trembling tension.
What shattered it was,
“Uahahahaha! Knew it! Uahahaha! Pay up!”
“Aaagh! My life savings!”
“D-Dianal! Dianaaaaal!”
“Hey! That’s my everything—can’t we work something out?”
A mix of emotions in the inn.
Only two were celebrating the festival.
Walter eyed the trembling, incredulous man.
“Hey, Baldy. Must sting—here, hot stew on the house when you leave.”
He handed over a silver coin and patted the man’s shoulder with a victor’s grin.
Then he looked down at Lian below.
“Such a rascal.”
Who’d have imagined punching the Silver Wolf in the face?
And so, Velotra’s eventful day rolled on.