The Sword Master's Awakening
“The next match is between Marine Deriposer of the Knight Department and Carnegie Lyle of the Knight Department.”
“Waaah!”
The crowd erupted in excitement, eager to witness the rumored next Sword Master in action. Carnegie’s cocky, middle-school-villain expression froze solid. As a fellow Knight Department student, he knew exactly how hopeless this matchup was.
“Kyaaah! Oppa, fighting!!”
“Haha…”
He looked ready to surrender on the spot, but the cheers came from girls outside the Knight Department who had no idea of the gap in skill. With that kind of support, he probably couldn’t bring himself to forfeit even if he wanted to. I settled in to watch, hoping for some satisfying payback against the annoying guy.
Serina, Marine’s number-one fan, sparkled with anticipation for her victory. In stark contrast to the visibly tense Carnegie, Marine didn’t even draw her sword, simply standing there with an air of complete ease. She wasn’t showing off—she genuinely didn’t feel the need to unsheathe her blade.
Carnegie, fully aware of the difference in their abilities, didn’t seem offended by her attitude.
“Quite confident, aren’t you?”
The female professor’s brief comment hung in the air.
“Match, begin!”
As the match started, Carnegie calmly drew up his mana. A blue glow rippled along his sword. Regardless of my personal dislike for him, reaching the round of sixteen meant he at least had solid fundamentals.
Marine remained expressionless, showing no reaction whatsoever.
Carnegie shot forward with a sharp whoosh of displaced air.
“Huuuup!”
He brought his sword down with a forceful battle cry. Even as the blade neared her face, Marine didn’t flinch. My heart pounded with worry despite trusting her skill—then she simply opened her palm.
Claaang!
Shockingly, her bare palm met his mana-infused sword and produced a metallic ring.
“Huuu…”
A hairline crack now ran along Carnegie’s blade after that single exchange.
“Good heavens…”
The arena fell eerily silent at the unbelievable sight.
“She’s truly remarkable…”
The female professor nodded, acknowledging Marine’s prowess.
“Waaah! As expected of Lady Marine—her mana control is on another level!”
Serina squealed beside me.
“How did she do that?”
“She wrapped a thin layer of mana precisely over her entire palm! Her hand itself became a sword.”
“Unbelievable…”
Since Carnegie had attacked, it was now Marine’s turn. Without taking a single step, she swung her palm.
Whoooom.
A razor-sharp blade of mana shot toward Carnegie.
She’s using Wind Cutter without any casting.
“Urrgh…”
Carnegie barely managed to block the casually launched mana blade. Marine immediately fired two more.
“Krrgh…”
He blocked them, but a deep gash opened on his left arm. This time she sent four. The blades showed no loss in power as they flew in.
Carnegie clearly wanted to surrender, but his pride kept him from doing so—even though everyone could see he was being completely dominated.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Unable to watch any longer, the female professor intervened and blocked Marine’s blades herself.
“You know you couldn’t have blocked that, right?”
“Yes…”
“Winner, Marine.”
Even after the victor was declared, the arena remained quiet. The previous match between Carden and Orly had been entertaining, but this one had been so one-sided that the spectators didn’t know how to react.
Should I clap or something?
While I hesitated, Serina jumped to her feet and cheered.
“Kyaaah! Lady Marine, you’re amazing!!!”
Marine’s eyebrows twitched as she glanced our way. When our eyes met, she startled slightly. I gave her an awkward smile and clapped.
Clap, clap, clap.
Once Serina broke the ice, scattered applause rippled through the stands. Looking faintly pleased, Marine gave a small nod and returned to the waiting room.
The remaining matches continued one after another. Though less flashy than the bouts involving Marine and Carden, they were far more entertaining—after all, even fights are often more fun to watch. The atmosphere that had cooled after Marine’s match began to heat up again.
As expected, the finalists were Carden, the Demon King’s daughter, versus Marine, the next Sword Master candidate. Fittingly, it was the academy’s traditional rivalry: Magic Department versus Knight Department. The crowd grew feverish, though Leni received louder cheers thanks to her greater popularity within the department.
Well, I’d just have to balance things out.
“Marine, fighting!!!”
The Knight Department hadn’t reacted much to their own cheers, but the moment I shouted, Marine’s gaze snapped toward me like a ghost. Heh. She almost smiled just now. Serina noticed too and started fussing.
“Hendel, did you see that?! Lady Marine just smiled!”
The crazy fangirl’s face flushed red with excitement. It had clearly been directed at me, but I decided not to shatter her fantasy.
“Yeah, yeah. Must be nice.”
“Hehe, the tournament atmosphere is great.”
“Ten seconds until the match!”
Marine remained expressionless as ever, while Carden was sweating profusely from nerves. If even the Demon King’s daughter was this tense after drawing on her demonic power, just how strong was Marine?
Whoooom.
A bluish aura emanated from Carden’s body, and something bulged on her back.
“Huh? What’s that?”
Serina voiced the question beside me. I shot to my feet, ready to stop the match. Noticing my movement, Carden looked over and shook her head. She hadn’t fully unleashed her power—the small wings hadn’t torn through her shirt.
So this much is acceptable, huh.
Marine’s eyebrows twitched, clearly sensing the amplified power. From what I could tell, Carden had drawn out about thirty percent of her demonic strength. All this over some cola…
“Then the match begins!”
“Waaah!”
As the match started, Marine finally drew her sword from its sheath. Even she could tell Carden’s power was no joke. Carden immediately began casting, empowered by her enhanced strength.
“Haste.”
“Strength.”
Instead of offensive spells, she chanted enhancement magic. She intended to fight hand-to-hand using her demonically boosted physical abilities. The girl who entered the academy purely because she loved magic was choosing close combat at the critical moment.
“It… appears Miss Leni has chosen hand-to-hand combat…”
The Magic Tower branch head’s expression soured at the sight of his broom-riding mage opting for fisticuffs.
“A wise choice to leverage her strengths.”
The female professor, however, approved.
Marine charged first, sword in hand. Carden, now wearing knuckle dusters, met the blade with her fist.
Boooom!
The impact was so powerful it sounded like an explosion. A cloud of smoke billowed toward the stands from the blast.
“Wind!”
The branch head quickly dispersed the smoke with wind magic.
“Phew, good thing the popcorn’s safe.”
“Whoa, did you see those sparks just now?”
Thanks to his quick action, the spectators didn’t miss a moment of the fight.
***
Boom. Boom.
Instead of metallic clangs, each collision between metal and metal produced explosive blasts. After ten exchanges, Marine and Carden glared at each other.
“What the hell are you…?”
Marine spoke for the first time that day.
“Hehehe, surprised I’m not as weak as you thought?”
Having drawn on her demonic power, Carden had dropped her gentle “Leni” persona and reverted to her true, rougher self. She needled Marine.
“Haa… I’ll make you regret that.”
Marine sighed, and for a moment she resembled those delinquent girls I was all too familiar with.
Whooooom.
Knowing her only weakness was her small mana capacity, Marine began gathering every last drop of mana, apparently deciding to end the fight quickly. Carden took a defensive stance, betting on endurance.
Whooosh!
Marine closed the distance so fast she left afterimages.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The exchanges came at a speed the eye could barely follow.
“Krrgh…”
Carden groaned under the pressure of defending.
“Wh-what’s happening right now?”
“No idea…”
Even the academy’s elite students couldn’t keep up with the fierce battle. Desperate to create an opening, Carden kept talking while being pushed back by raw power.
“How about sharing some cola with me?”
“No.”
“You’ve got plenty of money anyway.”
“…”
Carden didn’t miss the way Marine’s eyes flicked toward me.
“Don’t tell me it’s because it’s Hendel’s cola?”
“…”
With her patience lowered by the demonic energy, Carden seized the opportunity.
“Want me to tell you something?”
“What.”
“Hendel is my slave.”
“What are you talking about?”
Carden smirked wickedly.
“He even signed a contract. Hendel agreed to be my slave.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“Do I look like I’m lying?”
Looking into Carden’s eyes, Marine’s instincts told her the demon was telling the truth.
Why would Hendel…
The clever Hendel would never have entered such a contract of his own free will. Which meant… yes, he must have been threatened. Given the power that could match her own, even Hendel wouldn’t have been able to defeat her. Judging by that vulgar tone, she couldn’t even imagine what kind of suffering the enslaved Hendel was enduring.
I have to save Hendel.
Years ago in the dungeon, Marine had awakened once to save Hendel. Now, she awakened again for the same reason.
Whoooooom.
A chilling sound echoed as the mana enveloping Marine’s sword gradually turned red.
“…This might be bad?”
Even Carden, who had been taunting her moments ago, sensed something was wrong and backed away.
Shiver shiver shiver.
An enormous mana storm radiated from Marine’s body.
“Good heavens.”
Jidan Adena, the Knight Department’s female professor, stared in shock at the unbelievable sight. That massive mana storm. That resonant hum. Today, a new master of the sword had been born in this academy.