Chapter 26
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Kingdom Decree Mission (1)
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Bartons words instantly plunged the trainees into chaos.
Kill each other.
It was an absurd order.
Barton had just been appointed as the training captain for the Junior Knight program this year for the first time.
As a result, no one knew what kind of style he brought to the role.
The flustered trainees.
Even the veterans from previous years found their minds going blank in this unprecedented situation.
Yet Barton simply repeated himself toward them.
What are you all standing around for? Didnt you come here to become knights? The guy next to you could end up as your mortal enemy someday. In that case, it might be better to cut his throat right here.
.
.
Still, the trainees couldnt move easily.
Their hesitation gripped their ankles tightly.
Thats when one trainee sprang into action.
Roin, the boy who had just become a Junior Knight.
He pushed past the other trainees and reached the weapon rack first.
He drew out a long sword hanging there.
The trainees couldnt hide their shock at Roins actions.
T-That guy! Hes not seriously taking the training captains words at face value, r-right?
Hey! You there! Dont mess aroundput the sword down!
The trainees tried to calm Roin down.
But Roin didnt let go of the sword despite their shouts.
He gripped the hilt even tighter.
And said this.
Its not my responsibility even if I kill him anyway.
Exactly.
In a case like this, Barton, who gave the order, would bear full responsibility.
Roin was just following the training captains instructions.
The trainees were horrified by Roins words.
Meanwhile, not a single assistant instructor made a move to stop him.
The assistants inaction terrified the trainees even more.
At that moment.
Another man approached the weapon rack.
Jerka Tayla, who drew a long sword of a size suitable for one-handed wielding, just like Roin.
Roin could have attacked Jerka plenty of times before he even drew his weapon.
But he deliberately stood still and watched.
Because Roin already knew what Barton wanted.
Back when Roin had been active as Rodri, he had met Barton once.
Barton had been a wandering mercenary back then.
But now he was the training captain at the Loud Swordsmanship Academy.
His training methods were quite unique.
Rough, and focused on drills as close to real combat as possible.
Stop!
Bartons voice boomed through the auditorium.
You two there. What are your names?
Roin Leyden, first-year Junior Knight.
Jerka Tayla.
Youre both new trainees who just entered the Junior program this time.
The two nodded and confirmed it.
Barton grinned.
The rookies are outperforming the seniors.
He emphasized this to the bewildered trainees.
A true knight must always secure their weapon first, no matter the situation. And they must suspect and guard against everything around them. There are no rules on the battlefield like there are at the Loud Swordsmanship Academy. If you freeze up like you just did, youll be the first to die.
No matter what situation arises, never panic.
To survive, push thinking aside and grab your sword first.
That was the iron rule Barton wanted to drill into the trainees.
Bermin.
Yes, Training Captain.
The instructor whose name was called responded immediately to Bartons summons.
Give those two extra points.
Understood.
Superior training attitude.
Roin and Jerka thus started the first day ahead of everyone else.
From the very first day of the Junior program, Roin instantly became a celebrity among the trainees.
Jerka had previously monopolized that attention, but now it all shifted to Roin.
And there was one more secret to Roins popularity.
His looks.
Handsome and talented to boot.
He couldnt help but be popular.
On his way back to his room.
Unlike the Apprentice program, Junior trainees got individual rooms.
Now able to use a room alone, Roin walked along, pondering what skincare routine hed do for the day.
Thats when he spotted two letters tucked into the crack of his door.
Whats this?
At first, he thought it might be a challenge letter from someone.
But when he checked the contents...
Love letters?
The letters oozed girlish sentiment.
This wasnt actually his first time receiving love letters like this.
Hed gotten a few during the Apprentice program already.
Back then, and now.
Roins reaction was the same.
Kids talking about romance.
Romance was forbidden within the Loud Swordsmanship Academy to begin with.
If a passing assistant instructor had seen these love letters, there surely would have been hell to pay.
Though his ugly appearance in his past life had left him with regrets about never properly holding a girls hand.
For a better future, he wanted to focus more on looks management than romance right now.
And soon, a huge crisis would loom for Roin.
Namely...
I have to be careful with puberty.
Puberty would hit during these early-to-mid teen years.
The scary thing about puberty wasnt rebellion.
It was skin troubles like acne.
To prepare for that day, Roin planned to dive headfirst into intensive skincare.
Training, romance, whatever. Thats not what matters.
A man obsessed with looks management.
That man was Roin.
The trainees gathered at the training grounds for their first outdoor session.
Barton turned his gaze toward Roin.
And asked this.
I heard you trained in your uniform instead of training clothes during the Apprentice program. So why are you in training clothes today?
Bartons tone carried a hint that hed been inwardly expecting some eccentricity from Roin.
Roin shrugged once and replied.
The training clothes issued for the Junior program are surprisingly clean. So I just wore them.
The Apprentice training was exactly thatmeant to grind the trainees.
But the Junior training was different.
It focused on meticulously honing their swordsmanship.
No need to make them wear filthy training clothes.
Roin quite liked that.
At Bartons command, the assistants sprang into motion.
Today, well do a simple test of your levels. Each assistant will spar one-on-one with you to gauge your skills, so show us everything youve got. Understood?
Yes!
Good. Odd numbers, to your positions!
To position!
Barton planned to hang back and observe the spars from afar.
Bermin approached him and handed over the evaluation sheets.
Here you go.
Thanks.
Barton skimmed the roster, his eyes fixing on Roins name.
Rointhis is the top scorer, right?
Yes. I heard he got perfect marks in every subject.
Unbelievable. Even for the Apprentice program, perfect scores are no easy feat.
He was the kind of talent that came once in a thousand years.
Roins turn came up right on cue.
The moment the spar started, Roin grabbed a practice sword and began pressuring the assistant.
Evidently not expecting Roin to come at him so aggressively, the assistant was quite flustered.
All the assistants were at least Mid Knight level or higher.
No mere Junior trainee could overwhelm one with pure skill.
And yet Roin kept the pressure on the assistant.
Cross the drawn circle, and youre out.
The assistant knew that well.
But he had no way to withstand Roins onslaught.
Damn...!
With a short curse, the young assistant stumbled back.
Unable to hold out any longer, he crossed the line.
Roin became the only trainee to defeat an assistant.
But the title didnt last long.
Following Roin, Jerka fiercely pressured his assistant and soon claimed victory.
Roin and Jerka.
Bartons eyes narrowed as he watched the two men.
Every era produces its share of naturally gifted geniuses.
You mean those two?
Well... for now.
But the training had only just begun.
This is just a warm-up.
The real game hadnt even started.
There was a reason why Junior trainees kept failing their exams.
Soon, these trainees would learn that reason.
Three months had now passed since the Junior program training began.
After finishing the morning session, Roin stretched lightly and fell into thought.
The Junior program feels more relaxing than the Apprentice one.
That was because his most hated team play missions were practically nonexistent.
Roin was a thorough individualist.
The reason people called him a hero wasnt because of any strong altruism.
Hed eradicated priests who followed the Demon God to satisfy his own desires, and beaten down rampaging dragons.
Before he knew it, hed been hailed as a hero.
Hero wasnt a title hed sought.
Roin, called the incarnation of egoism.
The Junior Knight program suited him perfectly.
Then, sudden tribulation struck Roin.
All trainees, assemble in the auditorium immediately!
Roin paused his stretching at the booming voice echoing through the hall.
What? Werent we supposed to have the afternoon off?
At the sudden summons, the trainees began gathering in the auditorium in small groups.
Barton, standing on the platform, began explaining why hed called them.
Im assigning you a mission now.
Missions still existed in the Junior program.
Evaluations of how successfully you cleared them directly affected your Mid Knight exam scores.
Missions were thus crucially important to trainees.
Of course, itll be individual missions, right?
Thats what Roin had assumed.
Because back when hed completed the Junior program before, theyd been individual.
But Roins prediction missed the mark entirely.
A kingdom decree mission has come down. Reports say new types of monsters have appeared at the ancient ruins of Sendri, so form investigation teams among yourselves and head there. Understood?
Yes!
Not individual missions, but group ones.
And moreover...
A kingdom decree?
Roins eyebrow twitched.
I thought Junior Knights couldnt take on kingdom decrees.
This was happening in real time, defying everything Roin knew from before.