Chapter 31
Chapter 31
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: B-Class Tournament (5)
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Just before the final match.
I used the last break to upgrade my stats.
[Strength Enhancement Level 8]
[Agility Enhancement Level 8]
[Vitality Enhancement Level 7]
[Stamina Enhancement Level 7]
[Vision Enhancement Level 5]
[Current Points: 153,000]
This should be enough, right?
I could feel the increase in my strength.
In terms of numbers, it felt like about a 15% improvement.
Contempt for the Weak: On.
No one could stop me now.
“…”
Again, this wasn't cheating.
It was just me acknowledging my opponent's strength and deciding to go all out…
A lot was riding on this match.
Not only were Ceria and Aruru watching.
I had to live up to the expectations of the B-Class students.
Most importantly, I had to complete the quests tied to winning the tournament.
[Sub Quest]
[Martial Arts Tournament: Win the B-Class Tournament]
[Reward: +200,000 Achievement Points]
[Sub Quest]
[Ranking: Achieve A-Class]
[Reward: +300,000 Achievement Points]
[Sudden Quest]
[Target to Defeat: Yulian]
[Reward: +120,000 Achievement Points]
A grand total of 620,000 points.
Wow, how could I resist?
I would invest everything I had to win.
After finishing my preparations.
I confidently stepped into the arena.
My opponent was already waiting, greatsword in hand.
His old rank: A-Class, 91st.
His current rank: B-Class, 103rd.
His actual rank: 82nd-85th (estimated).
My gut told me Yulian’s strength was the real deal.
It would take some time, but he was good enough to challenge the mid-rankers.
Even with Contempt for the Weak activated.
He was an opponent I couldn't rely on that alone to beat…
No, wait a minute.
Why was it so quiet?
An indescribable sense of unease sent a chill down my spine.
The students who should have been cheering my name had fallen silent.
I slowly turned my head.
Toward the place where ten pairs of eyes were fixed on me…
“—!”
The protagonists of Hero Academy.
The beings who reigned over countless students were all gathered.
Cedric the Magic Swordsman.
Gale, the Flame Magic Specialist.
Those two were already my enemies, so that was expected…
Gear-reliant Erich.
Ilensia the Spirit Swordsman.
They were neither allies nor enemies…
Luciel the Mace Master.
Esterize, the girl with a hero complex.
Those two were hopelessly unpredictable.
They were highly likely to actively bother me.
Baken the Fist Master.
Crow the Spearman.
Skadi, the Ice Magic Specialist.
Baken was an upgraded version of Largo… in short, a lost cause.
Crow was so obsessed with strength that he was always off on warrior's pilgrimages.
Skadi was an unreadable girl, so I had no idea what she would do.
And finally…
My little cutie was striking a pose like a final boss.
The fox beastkin was standing on her seat with her arms crossed.
She puffed out her chest as if the other nine were her underlings.
“…”
Wow, they were all posing for a group photo, weren't they?
Why would these distinguished and busy hero candidates gather here?
Obviously, to gauge my skills.
I had expected something like this.
I thought maybe two or three of them would watch in secret.
But I never dreamed it would be this overt.
‘I never realized Jace’s influence was this significant…’
I didn't exactly feel like I was screwed.
It felt more like the inevitable had arrived, so I was rather calm.
This presented me with two choices.
Should I hide my strength, or show it all?
Each had its pros and cons.
If I hid my strength, their wariness would decrease…
No, that premise was flawed from the start.
How could I possibly fool the eyes of hero candidates?
They surely possessed the Mind’s Eye… or skills even greater.
“…”
I guess I just had to go for it.
Cedric and Gale would probably go even crazier.
But there had to be one or two who would show a favorable interest.
If I handled them well, my life would become easier.
The alternative was too terrifying to even imagine…
I’d just have to trust my little cutie.
Just having her around had a way of mellowing the atmosphere.
“The match will now begin.”
For some reason, I couldn’t focus.
With all the hero candidates gathered, the final match was now a secondary concern.
Still, I had to win first.
As I summoned the baby phoenix, it seeped into my sword on its own.
*Fwoosh!*
I swung the flame-engulfed sword with all my might.
***
Yulian did not underestimate Jace.
After what happened to Kalden, how could he?
At the same time, Jace looked manageable.
Having watched all his previous matches, he seemed clumsy for some reason.
An opponent he could beat easily if there were no surprises.
He had firm faith in his own skills, but as soon as the match began, the unbelievable happened.
“—!”
Jace’s sword suddenly burst into flames.
This phenomenon could be explained in two ways.
Either it was enchanted with flame magic, or a fire spirit had inhabited the sword…
Yulian was quickly convinced it was a spirit.
The aura he felt suggested it, and the fact that Aruru had joined Jace was no secret.
‘This is utterly absurd…’
If it had been magic, that would have been one thing.
But wielding a spirit was on a completely different level.
Anyone could learn magic.
But spirits required an affinity, so only the chosen could summon them.
It wasn't something that was possible with Aruru's help alone.
In other words, it had to be a part of Jace’s own abilities.
The sword genius who looked down on everyone could also command spirits?
He wanted to curse. Nothing could be more unfair.
Yulian barely managed to compose himself.
It was still fine. It was only a low-level spirit.
Something like that couldn't decide the match.
It looked flashy, but its power couldn’t be that great.
He could definitely counter it. If he used his full strength, he could overwhelm it…
“—??”
Just before their swords clashed.
Yulian felt the presence of another spirit.
Something was wrong.
By the time he realized it, it was too late.
Fire, and wind.
On top of that, Jace’s sword ki was added to the mix.
He was pushed back, taking considerable damage.
“…”
An unconscious, bitter smile formed on Yulian’s lips.
It was just a single clash, but he realized he had no chance of winning in a direct confrontation.
His defeat was practically sealed.
Jace was a former hero candidate, a powerhouse.
Trying to beat a sword genius with technique was the height of arrogance.
Of course, he couldn't give up just like that.
At this point, his only option was to struggle with the mindset of learning a lesson.
Yulian had once studied Jace’s swordsmanship.
It was a style close to perfection. There was much to learn, so most students did the same.
‘I can’t go down easy…’
If he held on, an opportunity for a comeback might present itself.
However, perhaps because of the spirits, Jace’s style was subtly different from before.
Three or four strikes were exchanged per second.
As they continued the back-and-forth of offense and defense.
Jace’s movements became noticeably sharper.
At some point, he found himself completely on the defensive.
Yulian belatedly realized the source of that unsettling feeling.
‘He’s predicting my next move?’
A chill ran down his spine.
Could it be that he had already unlocked the Mind’s Eye?
Only a dozen or so people had mastered the Mind’s Eye.
With a few exceptions, it was generally the standard for rankers in the top 30.
This meant he still wasn’t showing his full strength…
If that were the case, his chances of winning were nonexistent.
“…”
Yulian’s fighting spirit began to wane.
Given who his opponent was, he didn’t even feel frustrated.
The man who was once a hero candidate.
He would soon return to those lofty heights.
It was fortunate that he got to face him at least once before then.
‘Cedric will probably let this slide…’
It had been an impossible order from the start.
Cedric wasn't the type to be unreasonable, so he could rest easy on that front.
Since it had come to this, he might as well enjoy it.
Yulian faced the match with a relaxed heart.
With every exchange of blows with Jace, his astonishment grew.
He was getting stronger. It was as if he was regaining his power in real time.
It was truly a wondrous sight.
S-Class was something you had to be born with…
No, wait a minute.
A thought suddenly crossed his mind.
It was clear Jace was going easy on him.
Shouldn't he forfeit while he was still being gentle?
One wrong move, and he could end up in a miserable state like Kalden.
“…”
He wanted to avoid that at all costs.
He had done enough.
Though he was being overwhelmingly pushed back.
He had lasted for about 20 minutes, so everyone should be satisfied.
Besides, he was starting to run out of steam.
“I admit defeat.”
“—??”
“Jace Crodain, congratulations on your victory.”
Yulian offered his congratulations naturally and waited.
Given Jace's personality, he would probably grin and extend his hand for a handshake.
However, his reaction was a bit odd.
As if to say, *I didn't expect this from you*.
He wore a sour expression, like he was looking at a traitor.
“…”
“…”
What on earth was the problem?
Yulian scratched his head and made an awkward exit.
***
As expected, Yulian was quite strong.
Even with both the Mind’s Eye and the spirits, he didn't go down easily.
That made it all the better.
The stronger the opponent, the more experience I gained.
Apart from that, the fight itself was enjoyable.
Kalden was a mage, so it wasn't fun, but Yulian, despite struggling, managed to parry all my attacks.
It takes two to tango.
Since this counted as real combat, I was slowly getting my feel back.
It felt like my swordsmanship was becoming more refined.
I felt like I was being polished into a better form, in ways I hadn't noticed.
Things were going much better than when the Student Council members had helped me.
*Yeah, keep holding on.*
*Show some grit, like the villain's lackey you are!*
I wished for it with all my heart, but my wish did not come true.
From the moment I couldn't feel any malice from him.
The atmosphere turned cold, and then, despite having energy left, he suddenly forfeited.
“Jace Crodain, congratulations on your victory.”
Congratulations, my ass… I’m not happy at all, you know?
It was like he threw a bucket of cold water on the fight just as it reached its climax.
Kalden broke down on his own, but this guy took it a step further.
Even the mage put up a struggle. You can’t do this!
I shot him a look with that sentiment, but he just blinked his eyes innocently, as if he had no idea what he’d done wrong.
Ugh, my head is throbbing…
I gained a lot from this match, but I was just as disappointed.
[Sub Quest Complete]
[Reward: +200,000 Achievement Points]
[Sudden Quest Complete]
[Reward: +120,000 Achievement Points]
The A-Class achievement wasn’t processed yet.
It seemed it would be officially announced when all the tournaments were over.
My current rank was around 400th, so I wasn't sure what would happen.
Jumping up a class in one go might be a bit of a stretch.
Well, if it came to it, I could just climb through promotion matches.
That aside, the real problem was what came next.
There was a reason I had dragged out the final match.
‘I was trying to come up with a plan to deal with the hero candidates approaching me…’
The quiet ones would probably leave without a word.
But the friendly ones would likely be pushy.
Just two months ago, I was an innocent newbie, so the pressure from these veterans was terrifying.
“…”
It wasn't like I was in any danger, but still!
Unwanted events were sure to occur.
I wanted to skip it all, but things never went my way.
First, Cedric and Gale left.
They narrowed their eyes and glared at me until the very end.
*Yeah, hurry up and get lost!*
They were probably planning some other dirty trick, but that was a problem for another time.
Baken and Crow gave a silent nod.
They were growing fast, but they left with an air that said I still had a long way to go.
I didn't need to worry about them for now.
But they were the ones who would become the biggest headaches someday.
Once I reached the top of A-Class, they would surely challenge me to a fight.
Erich stroked his chin and smiled meaningfully.
It was obvious his desire to recruit me had grown even stronger.
He waved as if to say *see you later*, and I neatly ignored him.
“…”
Skadi remained expressionless.
Like the mysterious witch she was, she soon vanished from sight.
I didn't know the details, but I had undoubtedly caught her interest.
I’d navigated things well so far, but the next part was the problem.
Aruru, Ilensia, Luciel, Esterize…
The four hero candidates were walking straight toward me.
They were all girls, for some reason.
Each possessed a radiant beauty, making them glow with a halo.
Maybe skill and looks were proportional?
Well, they were main female characters, so it was natural for them to be special.
Cute and beautiful girls flocking to me all at once.
What guy would hate that? But… from my perspective, it was a bit much!
“Y-You! How can you use a spirit…”
“Oh my, Ilensia. You must wait your turn.”
“It’s been a while, Jace. Could you spare a moment?”
“…”
The three girls, excluding Aruru, all made their move at once.
They soon became aware of each other, and a silent war of nerves unique to women unfolded.
“We should decide the order first.”
“Here?”
“It doesn’t really matter, does it?”
“That’s true.”
Saintess Luciel offered a benevolent smile.
While secretly pulling a mace from who-knows-where.
To counter her, Esterize, the girl with a hero complex, smirked.
And summoned her sword.
Far from avoiding a fight, they reacted instantly, as if they had been waiting for it. I was at a loss for words.
I had a feeling this would happen.
The dazzling struggle of girls competing over one man…
Ugh, this was no time for jokes.
If the hero candidates fought for real, everyone around would get caught in the crossfire!
“Hmm, popcorn is best for times like these…”
“…”
Unlike me, Aruru was completely at ease.
As if this were just another day, she wagged her tail cheerfully.
I silently stroked her head.
The area was about to be devastated.
The only one I could trust was my little cutie.