Chapter 19: Semifinal Clashes - Shields Collide, Blades Bloom
"Whoa, Ruslan versus Theo? That's gonna be exciting!"
"I'm dying to know how Aleck and Robed's match will turn out."
Both semifinal matchups had everyone's full attention. Ruslan went without saying—he was widely seen as one of the top favorites to win it all. Theo, too, was a bona fide powerhouse, having taken third in the survival exam, and he hailed from the same shield mantis clan as Ruslan.
"Ruslan and Theo, prepare for your match!"
At Bardwin's call, the two stepped into the training ground.
"Ruslan, I think this is the first time we've ever faced off like this."
"Seems that way."
True to his shield clan roots, Theo was just as massive as Ruslan. His face brimmed with mischief, a stark contrast to Ruslan's ever-stern expression.
"Let's have some fun with this!"
Ruslan nodded at Theo's words. Moments later, the two shield mantises crashed together.
Bang! Bang! Boom!
They went at it hard right from the start. Raw power against raw power. If you had to pick one defining trait of the shield clan, it was the overwhelming strength from their massive builds.
"Incredible!"
"Shield clan folks sure know how to bring the heat!"
The trainees cheered at the rare sight of such a brutal power clash.
"Urgh, Ruslan's the real deal! But Theo's no slouch either. What do you think, Aleck—who's gonna win?"
Kind asked me excitedly, practically buzzing with adrenaline just from watching.
"Ruslan takes it easily."
"Huh? They look dead even right now, though?"
"We'll see."
I gave Kind a faint smile. On the surface, it looked evenly matched, but the reality was different. Ruslan was rationing his power with each clash, doling it out precisely.
Whereas this Theo kid... he's going all-out every single time.
In other words, Ruslan was pacing himself for the long haul, while Theo was sprinting full throttle from the jump. In a matchup like this, the all-out guy needed a clear early edge to seize momentum... but.
Even? Nah, it's already over.
The match unfolded just as I'd predicted. A few minutes in, Theo's movements visibly slowed.
"Huff... huff... So you weren't going all-out after all."
"I was conserving as much as I could."
"Heh, sneaky side under that straight-laced look, huh."
Ruslan let out a snort at Theo's words.
"Says the guy trying to bait me into dropping my guard."
"Hahaha, you caught that? Guess it's my total loss then."
Theo chuckled awkwardly after Ruslan spotted his sneaky ambush attempt. It was a clean defeat.
"I lost."
Theo conceded gracefully, and Ruslan advanced to the finals.
"Whoa! Aleck, how'd you know? Ruslan really did win handily."
Kind stared at me in wide-eyed surprise.
"Spill the secret sauce!"
His eyes sparkled like he was begging for some hot tip. I tilted my head—oh, right, Kind loved those betting pools with stakes on match predictions.
"No secret. Just a guess."
"C'mon, gimme something! Ah, anyway, go crush it out there. I'm all-in on you, Aleck!"
I shook my head at Kind's plea and stood up. My turn.
"Aleck and Robed, prepare for the next match!"
Robed and I headed straight into the training ground.
"Wheee!"
"Robed, you're gorgeous! Flatten Aleck's nose!"
"Aleck! You wouldn't dream of beating our Robed, right?"
"Ignore those idiots, Aleck! Give it everything you've got and win!"
With the trainees' cheers as background noise, Robed and I faced off.
"First time we've crossed swords, huh."
"Yeah."
"I'll give it my all. Don't hold back on me either."
"Got it."
Her words made my eyes sharpen. Had she noticed I'd been pulling punches against the other trainees all this time? Norton was the only one here who'd picked up on it, or so I'd thought.
She's got some sharp eyes.
I was genuinely impressed. One key trait I valued in the strong was good instincts.
Robed's got real talent, no doubt.
I smirked inwardly. I'd never paid much attention before reincarnation, but this mantis clan was packed with gems. For all these prodigies to get snuffed out before blooming... how deep did the Four Lords' influence really run?
I need to stay sharper.
The lesser mantis limits might keep me off their radar like before, but who knew? I was drawing eyes now.
Anyway, I raised my sword facing Robed.
"Semifinal Match 2—begin!"
At Bardwin's shout, our blades danced through the air.
"Hah!"
Robed came at me full force from the start, her sword fluid and versatile.
Soft... and ever-changing.
Fluidity and variability—those defined her style. Anyone who couldn't read the flow would get trapped in the shifts and lose without a fight.
Even better up close.
I grinned as her blades closed in from all sides, then thrust precisely at key angles, weaving in the art of the quick draw.
To outsiders, it probably looked like random stabs at empty air. But.
Clang—clang—clang!
"Wh-what?"
"Robed's sword is getting blocked?"
"No way... he just poked at nothing, right?"
The trainees buzzed in shock. They couldn't grasp the subtlety at my blade's tip.
"Ngh."
Robed let out a faint groan and hopped back as her rhythm shattered before it could build. The shock to her wrist must've been brutal. She rubbed it with her free hand, biting her lip lightly.
"Whew, you're amazing. My eyes didn't lie."
Her eyes sparkled like they held starlight, a fresh smile on her lips.
"Whoa..."
"Ooh—."
A few trainees gasped unwittingly—the scene was like a painting.
"Try this on for size!"
She dropped into stance, sword low. Then it exploded in brilliant fury.
Blossom Swordsmanship, Fifth Form: Floral Moon Grace.
Flash!
Her body seemed to multiply in an instant, her blade overwhelming the space.
"Whoa...!"
Onlookers gasped at her technique. Floral Moon Grace lived up to its name—evoking blooming flowers and a moonlit poise. The air filled with her beauty and blade.
Handling transformations this masterfully.
I grinned delightedly. Impressive—seriously impressive! I'd never expected Robed, not Ruslan, to draw this much awe from me. For an infant stage mantis, it was unbelievably polished. Against Ruslan's heavy, overpowering style, she might've even won.
Bad matchup, though.
My eyes steadied. I drew a deep breath. Muscles tensed across my body. I lowered my torso, sliding my left foot back.
Draw slash.
My sheathed blade shot forward like lightning. Pure speed. Speed shattered change. My quick draw tore through her myriad forms.
Craaaang!
Like shattering glass, her sword flew skyward.
Spin, spin... clack.
It whirled from her grip and skittered to the training ground's edge.
"Ah..."
A sigh of regret escaped Robed. Her prized technique broken so easily—it had to sting. Yet she looked refreshed instead.
"I lost."
She smiled brightly.
"You're even better than I thought."
"Your swordplay caught me off guard too."
"Pfft, you didn't look surprised at all."
"I'm serious. I didn't expect that level of transformation mastery."
"Hmph, still got thoroughly smashed."
"Only 'cause my blade was faster and stronger."
"What? That's just bragging!"
I chuckled at her pout. She's adorable.
Anyway, the second semifinal went to me.
"Winner of Semifinal Match 2: Aleck."
Bardwin declared it, and the trainees erupted in thunderous cheers and applause.
"Woooah!"
"Insane level."
"Aleck's the best! Robed was great too!"
"Damn, why's our class so stacked?"
"I thought for sure when Robed's sword engulfed him... but he broke it in one go. Haven't seen draw slashes that good even from growth-stage seniors."
"Right? If Aleck keeps this up, he'll be the lesser mantis clan's hero."
The trainees heaped on the praise. No surprise—my blade had been eye-opening in speed and power. Even I felt deeply satisfied for the first time in ages.
Implementing this without ether already.
Compared to pre-reincarnation? Still a drop in the bucket. But for infant stage? Massive progress. All thanks to Norton's training. His methods were shockingly effective—even for me.
Maybe that guy's a natural teacher over fighter.
I glanced at Norton.
...!
Our eyes met, and I whipped my head away. He was grinning that creepy grin at me.
* * *
"Third-place match and finals tomorrow! Head back to your dorms, rest up, and shake off today's fatigue!"
With Norton's words, the training and sparring wrapped up. I dragged my weary body toward the dorm.
The path was solitary. Kind usually walked with me, but he'd ditched for some errand.
Tomorrow against Ruslan, I'll need ether.
Objectively, my current form couldn't handle his brute force. Best odds: use ether for an opening. No real tension or worry—victory was near-certain with ether.
That's why I skipped it entirely today.
Using it now would've made tomorrow risky. My circuits weren't tempered enough yet.
Anyway, full strength tomorrow...
Lost in thoughts of the fight as I passed a quiet stretch, a presence stirred ahead.
Hm?
Rustle.
Something emerged from the bushes. I frowned slightly at the sight.
Because.
"Kuhuhu... Long time no see, kid."
Motenson stood there, bloodshot eyes radiating pure malice.