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[Translator - Peptobismal]
[Proofreader - Max]
Chapter 5
All the trainees of the Cradle gathered in the central training ground for the swordsmanship duel evaluation.
"Everyone, fall in line!"
Over a hundred trainees lined up in rows with tense expressions.
Although Pankration was also an evaluation event, swordsmanship was undoubtedly the most important.
The trainees of the Cradle, only twelve years old, already had the eyes of warriors.
The head instructor, Pan Mark, and the other instructors checked the trainees.
Then, Pan's eyes flashed as he looked over the lined-up trainees.
"Zeke! Where is Zeke?"
No matter how much he looked around, Zeke was nowhere to be seen.
The other trainees murmured and glanced around.
The instructors shouted,
"Quiet!"
"Who dares to chatter before this sacred evaluation?!"
The trainees straightened up and stared ahead with tense expressions.
It was then.
Clank! Clank!
Someone was walking from the end of the training ground, a claymore slung over their shoulder.
It was none other than Zeke.
Everyone was speechless at the sight of Zeke, who was late for the evaluation but walking in as if nothing was wrong.
Zeke casually stood at the back of the line.
Seeing this, Pan glared at Zeke.
"Zeke Draker. Are you so incompetent that you can't even find your place after being late?"
An ordinary trainee would have been intimidated by Pan's low voice alone.
But Zeke was someone who had experienced all sorts of hardships on the continent for 20 years.
There was no way he would cower from Pan's intimidation.
Zeke looked around and then walked to an empty spot in the front row.
Thud!
He took his place, planted the claymore that had been slung over his shoulder into the ground, and looked up at Pan.
'Zeke Draker. What in the world happened to you?'
Pan was annoyed by Zeke's behavior, but there was nothing he could do about it now, so he decided to proceed with the evaluation.
"We will now begin the swordsmanship duel, the most important part of the Cradle trainee graduation evaluation."
Although it was called a duel, it was conducted with real swords, so it was a brutal evaluation where even deaths weren't out of the ordinary.
Pan continued slowly,
"Based on the scores from the year-end evaluation and the results of the aura awakening after next month's Blessing Ceremony, we will determine your acceptance into the academy and your class assignments."
All the trainees except Zeke gulped at Pan's words.
The other trainees were focused on entering the academy, but Zeke was different.
'Aura awakening.'
It was one of the main reasons he was treated like trash in his past life.
The problem was that Zeke was still a Healer class in this life.
Zeke, who had the talent of a healer, not a swordsman, couldn't awaken his aura.
Zeke's heart pounded.
'I can't be treated like trash again in this life.'
He needed to show them something before the Blessing Ceremony.
After the tedious explanation of the Cradle graduation procedure was over, Pan looked over the trainees and said,
"We will begin the final evaluation, the swordsmanship duel."
Pan turned his gaze and looked at Zeke in the front row.
"Zeke, come up to the arena."
Although he was called first unexpectedly, Zeke walked up to the arena without a word.
Pan frowned at the sight of Zeke with a claymore slung over his shoulder.
"Are you really going to use that sword?"
Zeke looked at Pan and said,
"Is there a rule against it?"
There was no rule against using a claymore, but in the Draker Clan, which prided itself on being knights among knights, no one walked around with such a mercenary-like appearance.
The trainees also sneered at Zeke's attire.
"Does he think he'll be stronger with a bigger sword?"
"As expected, the Pankration was just a fluke."
Pan also clicked his tongue inwardly at Zeke's appearance.
'Was I expecting too much?'
Just as he was about to call Zeke's opponent,
"Instructor."
Someone called out to Pan.
Pan looked at the trainee who had called him.
"Reina Turunn."
A genius who had already awakened her aura before the Blessing Ceremony.
She was a talent that even the Draker Clan paid attention to.
"Please allow me to duel with Zeke Draker."
Pan hesitated slightly at Reina's words.
He was curious about Zeke's skills, but he wondered if Reina was a suitable opponent for Zeke.
'How many of the trainees could even block three of Reina's strikes?'
As Pan hesitated to answer,
"Why are you so hesitant? She wants to duel with me."
Zeke, already in the arena, said while looking at Reina.
Pan said to Zeke,
"Do you really want to duel with Reina Turunn?"
Zeke wordlessly raised his sword.
With the situation like this, Pan couldn't stop them.
He nodded to Reina.
Thud!
Reina stepped onto the arena opposite Zeke.
Unlike Zeke, who was holding a claymore, she was holding an ordinary arming sword.
Zeke felt a strange excitement as he looked at Reina.
'A duel with the Flash Knight. What an honor.'
Reina drew her sword without a word.
Zeke also lifted his claymore.
Reina noticed something strange about the way Zeke held his sword.
'It's different.'
They had trained together in the Cradle for five years.
She knew the way Zeke held and swung a sword.
Zeke couldn't even hold a sword properly before.
He even had a special training sword made that was half the weight of a normal sword because he couldn't handle the weight.
But now, he was naturally wielding a claymore, which was larger and heavier than a normal sword.
'It's subtle, but his body has grown and gained muscle compared to a week ago.'
In general, it was impossible for the body to undergo such a dramatic change in just a week.
'I'll know once we cross swords.'
Reina stepped forward.
Despite his nonchalant appearance, Zeke was actually nervous inwardly.
'Reina Turunn. The most talented among the next generation of Draker Clan who awakened their aura through the Blessing Ceremony.'
In his past life, he couldn't even come close to her level in the Cradle.
But it was different now.
Zeke felt the heat emanating from his entire body.
It was then that Pan shouted,
"Duel start!"
As soon as he shouted, Reina moved first.
Thud!
Kicking off the ground, she dashed towards Zeke and swung her sword.
The powerful sword strike hit Zeke's claymore.
Clang!
The swords clashed, creating a sound like a giant bell ringing.
Zeke was pushed back, still holding his claymore.
Reina abruptly changed direction and swung again.
Clang!
Once again, the claymore and Reina's sword clashed, and a sharp clang resonated.
Zeke simply blocked Reina's sword without moving.
Leon, among the cousins watching the duel from the stands, was the first to speak.
"Zeke's already finished."
Leon sneered with a twisted smile.
Jakenn, sitting next to him, simply watched Zeke without saying a word.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Despite Reina's powerful attacks, Zeke only retreated and didn't attack even once.
Leon, sitting in the stands, shouted at Reina,
"Reina! Stop playing around and just kill him already!"
It was then.
"You idiot."
Jakenn shot a sharp retort at Leon.
Leon glared at Jakenn and said,
"What did you say...? You bastard..."
Jakenn turned and glared back at Leon.
Leon flinched and backed away, forgetting his anger.
He knew his skills were no match for Jakenn's.
"Does it look like Reina is playing around to you?"
At Jakenn's words, Leon finally realized that something was off.
The expressions of Owen, the instructors, and especially the head instructor, Pan, were all stiff.
No, it was more accurate to say they were surprised.
Jakenn drove the point home.
"That Zeke bastard... is completely toying with Reina."
Leon's face turned pale at those words.
Indeed, Zeke, who was parrying Reina's sword, was at ease.
'So this is the swordsmanship of the Flash Knight when she was in the Cradle.'
Her swordsmanship was precise and powerful, unbelievable for a twelve-year-old.
Of course, Zeke in the past couldn't wield a sword like that at the same age.
But for Zeke, who had regressed after living a harsh life for 20 years, Reina's swordsmanship was child's play.
The tension and excitement he felt at first had long since disappeared.
He was now guiding Reina, deflecting her attacks and leading her to better sword paths, as if in a practice duel.
'Fast and strong, but that's it. It's too textbook, lacking individuality.'
Being faithful to the basics was good, but she was swinging her sword too rigidly.
Reina, who had been blindly following Zeke's lead, also seemed to realize something was strange.
She suddenly withdrew her sword and stepped back.
"Huff... Huff..."
Reina caught her breath, holding her sword and glared at Zeke.
Reina had never once been out of breath while dueling with her peers.
But Zeke in front of her didn't feel like a peer at all.
It felt like she was having a practice duel with an instructor.
Seeing Reina hesitate, Zeke lowered his claymore a bit.
'Let's break the mold a little.'
Suddenly, Zeke moved quickly and closed the distance with Reina.
Slide!
Pan was surprised to see Zeke's footwork as he smoothly closed the distance.
'Is that Quick Step? How does he know that technique?'
Actually, Quick Step wasn't much of a technique.
It was a basic skill that involved moving your feet quickly to close the distance in an instant and bring your opponent within your attack range.
However, although it sounded simple in words, it was a technique that could only be mastered through real-life combat experience on the brink of death.
Just then, something appeared before Zeke's eyes.
Even while closing the distance with Reina, Zeke read the message that popped up.
[Active Skill 'Quick Step' registered.]
'So this is how you register skills.'
Zeke's Quick Step was different from the usual.
He closed the distance in an instant, leaving no trace, like a ghost.
It was a technique possible only for Zeke, who had several times more muscle fibers than others.
Whoosh!
Zeke suddenly appeared in front of her as if he had folded space.
At the same time, Zeke's claymore came flying.
Reina hurriedly took a defensive stance.
Clang!
The claymore struck her sword with force.
'Ugh...'
Her wrist throbbed from blocking the attack without a proper stance.
But that wasn't the end.
Zeke's claymore drew a strange trajectory and struck her sword repeatedly.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Zeke moved the giant, heavy claymore as if it were an extension of his own hand.
Reina couldn't help but panic as the sword attacks came from completely unexpected directions and angles.
She had lost her composure.
Whoosh!
Zeke's claymore came flying from the front.
'No!'
Reina instinctively drew upon the power of her aura.
Clang!
Reina's sword, imbued with aura, deflected Zeke's claymore.
Clang!
Zeke, unable to withstand the force of Reina's aura-infused attack, lost his grip on the claymore.
Whizz!
Thud!
The deflected claymore embedded itself in the arena floor.
Seeing him lose his sword, everyone thought Zeke had lost.
But then, a shocking scene unfolded.
"This is..."
Zeke, the moment he lost his grip on the claymore, charged towards Reina.
Closing the distance with Quick Step, Zeke struck Reina's throat with a hand strike.
Cough!
Reina clutched her neck and stumbled back.
Jakenn and Leon gaped at the sight.
They had been taught that a knight should never let go of their sword, even in death.
Indeed, Reina was still gripping her sword tightly even as she clutched her neck.
Leon jumped to his feet and shouted,
"Crazy Bastard! This is a sword fight! I won't accept this kind of brawl!"
Zeke turned and glared at Leon.
Leon, meeting Zeke's fierce gaze, flinched and backed away.
Pan, the head instructor, was also contemplating how to judge Zeke's unorthodox attack.
It was then.
Reina lowered her sword with a hardened expression.
And she slowly opened her mouth.
"I lost."
Reina Turunn admitted her own defeat.
She had failed to defeat Zeke even after using her aura, which she had decided not to use against fellow trainees.
But that wasn't the only reason she admitted defeat.
'If that had been a dagger instead of a hand strike...'
It was her complete defeat.
The trainees in the arena, as well as the instructors evaluating them, were speechless.
Zeke picked up his fallen claymore, slung it over his shoulder, and walked down from the arena, just as he had entered.
Pan finally regained his composure and announced the result of the duel.
"Z-Zeke Draker, winner!"
Everyone in the arena was shocked by Zeke's victory.
[Translator - Peptobismal]
[Proofreader - Max]