9 – Practical Exam (3)
Even a child can understand the practical exam, it’s that simple.
I fight against the opponent designated by the Academy.
As for other minor rules, as long as I maintain proper etiquette, it is permissible to not memorize them.
“Well, winning doesn’t always guarantee a high score.”
This duel is nothing but a form of examination.
Simply winning does not guarantee obtaining a higher score than the opponent.
For instance, if you obstructed the opponent with unfair moves and achieved victory, the winner’s score would be reduced accordingly.
On the contrary, even if you lost, if you handled the situation well, your score could be higher than the winner’s.
By fighting fair and square to the best of one’s ability,
At least an above-average score can be obtained.
Considering such aspects, Vester can only be inferior to me.
He appeared wearing armor before the start. How can he achieve a good score?
It will be a miracle if his score is not diminished.
“How was it? My match.”
“The opponent was good.”
After finishing the match, Karyon sat with me in the spectator area.
His recent match was clearly an overwhelming victory to anyone who witnessed it.
He laid traps under the field using magic,
And used the basic fire magic, ‘Fire,’ to lead the opponent.
At first glance, it may not seem too remarkable, but the fact that Karyon performed double casting.
Those who observe, especially professors of the Department of Magic, would fully understand how remarkable that is.
Double casting is a highly challenging technique that people our age can barely dream of,
Achieving it effortlessly implies that his skills are guaranteed.
Indeed, he is not someone to entrust work to just anyone.
He is definitely not someone to be complacent about.
“It was certainly too easy for you.”
Ignoring Karyon’s discontent, I turned my gaze back towards the training ground.
After Karyon’s match and several other matches took place,
Finally, the moment of the confrontation between Lily, the protagonist, and the leader of the line arrived.
The outcome was already predetermined, so there were no particular expectations.
“It ended in a draw.”
There was never a result other than a draw in the game they had repeated several times.
Always a draw.
Lily always ended up with a draw, without winning or losing.
Of course, now it’s not the world inside the game, so unexpected events can happen.
Even if that happens, it doesn’t matter if it deviates from the planned events.
“Inspector! Knight! Inspector! Knight!”
Looking at the line gripping the sword tightly, Lily fervently prayed.
Anything is fine as long as it’s not a Dark Knight.
Even a Monk with a sword would be better than a Dark Knight.
“Well then, let the practical test between Lily Bright and Line Schreig begin!”
Most of the spectators probably came to watch this match.
It’s no wonder, after all, it’s not just any debut for a hero.
“That person is the famous leader of a mercenary corps, according to the Commander and the King.”
Gazing at the highly esteemed individuals opposite her, she inwardly sighed.
These people gathered here solely for Lily.
Those who know their names must have come to see Lily.
From Noble mtl dot com
The significance of that is truly remarkable and yet to be fully understood.
“Uh, uh?”
As the match started, a blue aura emanated from Line’s sword.
A vibrant blue aura like a blizzard.
There is only one profession that uses such a technique.
“Damn bastard!!!!”
Of all things, it had to be a Dark Knight.
Abandoning other great professions, he had chosen the arduous path of a Dark Knight.
The profession of the Dark Knight is a noble class,
Trash in the early stages, but in the end, it becomes an unmatched prestige profession.
Of course, that’s a story of the late stages.
Until the mid-to-late stages, it’s nothing more than mediocre, even trash.
I should be getting stronger in case of any unforeseen circumstances.
But in the midst of that, I have to take care of that guy too, isn’t it too harsh?
“I remember there were some items for swordsmen.”
Calming down his boiling anger, he recalled the early items for swordsmanship.
At the beginning, there were hardly any items to support swordsmanship, and one might have to rely on equipment made by oneself for a while.
Luckily, I had hidden items.
If not, I would have already gone into decline.
“Heavy sighing.”
It’s okay if it’s just collecting materials, but it’s different for swordsmen.
Most of the necessary things can only be obtained through quests, and there are no easy quests at all.
Still, I’m lucky to be more experienced than others and have good knowledge of how things work.
If you use some small tricks, you can easily complete quests.
Of course, getting those things is still very difficult.
The more I think about it, the more I can’t help but breathe a sigh of relief when I think of my future difficulties.
“That will come later.”
Shaking off these thoughts, he focused again on the match.
None other than Lily, whom he liked the most, was fighting.
Although he could not cheer directly, he fervently supported her in his heart.
Perhaps because of their intense battle, the spectators’ hearts were captured, and the stands were hot with cheers.
With only one swordsman, Line’s skills were above average for a student.
By standing against the hero Lily, one could feel that she was not ordinary.
Every time she waved a blue force-clad sword, an ice shard flew towards Lily.
The bullet-like ice fragments disappeared without a trace from Lily’s skillful swordsmanship, but their threat never diminished.
“I would have been hit before dodging.”
With my current skills, I can’t even reach Line’s feet.
At the same time, I sensed Lily’s skills, which could easily counter such a line.
Those two are formidable opponents.
I have to face such enemies.
How absurd is this?
That powerful adversary, and it’s not them but me who has to face it.
“hahahaha, hahahaha.”
A dry laughter escaped me at the mere thought of a future that grows darker.
Amidst all that, Line froze half of the battlefield.
Apart from one black magician, the protagonist really is the protagonist.
Unbelievable skills for a student garnered more than half the cheers towards Line.
However, everyone is blinded by the brilliance and cannot determine the outcome.
“Strange. Lily is overwhelmingly dominant.”
Line seems to pressure Lily with dazzling techniques,
but Lily is carefree.
Just that alone clearly reveals the gap between the protagonist and Lily.
Like a fight between a master and an amateur.
Even if the amateur jumps around, they can never match up to the master in the end.
There is no way for Line to defeat Lily, whose most techniques have already been surpassed.
That’s why it’s strange.
The duel between Lily and Line is supposed to end in a draw.
But even so, it wouldn’t be surprising if Line withdrew.
The foggy breath emanating from him is evidence of his exhaustion.
“Lilyang will win this.”
“Probably.”
Kerion, who was standing beside, seemed to sense it and became convinced of the outcome.
Because I also suspected, I watched the match positively.
“Just a moment. Using ice means he has a water attribute. Huh?”
Due to Line being stuck with the trashy profession of a black magician, he noticed the attribute he was using a bit too late.
In the Academy Series, there are a total of 6 attributes:
Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, Light, Dark. Everything else is considered neutral.
Since ice is classified as a water attribute, Line should be seen as a black magician (Water).
However, the problem lies in the fact that the water attribute is more troublesome than any other attribute.
“That crazy one! Of all things, water!”
Unlike other attributes, it’s challenging to equip oneself with water attributes. Fire or earth can be managed with coal or rolling stones, but water, aside from a specific item, is almost impossible to handle early on, almost a scholarly consensus.
“Except for one thing, it’s really difficult to obtain unless you’re extremely lucky.”
There’s only one item that can be obtained early on, but the chances are extremely slim.
It’s the evergreen ice, an item that appears only one in a thousand among the items sold by wandering merchants.
These wandering merchants appear in the streets with a probability of 5.7% daily, and their appearance locations are random.
Even if it exists, there’s no guarantee of obtaining the evergreen ice, and since its price constantly fluctuates, it’s doubtful if I could afford it even if it’s available.
“Oh, gods! Why do you test me like this?”
Why does fate seem so harsh on me alone?
The problem lies with that fellow, yet why am I the one who has to suffer?
I only wished for the happiness of my favorite character, why must I endure all this suffering alone?
I feel like giving up and abandoning everything.
Yet, the reason I don’t give up is…
“Lily….”
Lily, only Lily.
For her alone, I can endure any hardship.
Watching Lily calmly withstand attacks,
I calmly laid out plans for the future.
“Proceed with the quest, find the wandering merchant, check the goods. And as for the metallic items…”
Think.
Never stop thinking, even for a moment.
Derive the best possible outcome you can achieve right now.
“Ron!”
The brain that was spinning rapidly momentarily halted at Keryon’s voice.
There isn’t much time left, why disrupt now of all times?
With an irritated look in his eyes, Kellion reached out with a handkerchief and covered his own chin. As he touched something warm and tepid from his chin, a sticky red liquid had clearly stained his fingers.
“Ah.”
It had burst at some point, but now a viscous red liquid had soiled his fingers.
“Thank you. I’ll wash it and return it to you later.”
Perhaps never having been in such a situation, he hastily wiped his fingers with the handkerchief he was given and expressed his gratitude.
“It’s okay, you can keep it.”
“…Hmm, is that so?”
Well then, for regret.
That, I am not a person who shuns such things.
“Hey, look out!”
I blocked my nose with the handkerchief.
A bright beam of light surrounded Lilly’s sword.
How does Lilly know how to use that technique?
That’s a technique used at least in the mid to late stages!
The bright beam of light cut through the line without any mercy.
As a result, Lilly’s victory was confirmed.
