Chapter 30: Swordsmanship exam (3)

Chapter 30: Swordsmanship exam (3)

TL/Editor: Raei

Schedule: N/A

Illustrations: Posted in discord.

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The moment Celine descended from the dueling arena, Tina, with her golden hair flowing behind her, rushed over and hugged her.

"Celine! You did great!"

"Ugh..."

She felt like a massive object was smothering her face.

Normally, she would've pushed Tina away, but she was too tired to do so.

"...Let go."

"Huh?"

"...Release me."

"Oh, sorry."

Tina gave an awkward smile and released Celine.

Soon after, Cillian, who was with the others, approached them.

He smiled warmly and spoke.

"You did incredibly well, Celine. Truly the top swordsmanship genius of the Royal Academy."

However, Celine walked past him and approached Eugene.

"Huh?"

Cillian let out a surprised noise.

Standing in front of Eugene, Celine spoke.

"You're the only one left, huh?"

With her words, all eyes turned to Eugene.

True to her words, he was the only one left to take the test.

"Which dueling arena will you be in?"

"...Coming to watch?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

What else would she be looking at besides his duel?

Celine stared intently at him, waiting for a response.

"It's the 7th arena."

Eugene answered without hesitation.

Then...

"Let's go, Tina."

"Shall we head there first and wait?"

"Yeah. I'm too tired to wander around."

Celine took Tina's arm, leading her towards the 7th arena.

On the way, Tina suddenly grabbed Yerina's arm.

"Come with us, Yerina~"

"Me too?"

"Yes!"

"Seems everyone's quite interested in your duel, huh?"

"..."

Cillian gave Eugene's shoulder a few reassuring pats before following the girls.

"Hmm..."

Eugene felt odd.

He had always lived without caring for the heroines' attention, and now, ironically, he was the center of it.

'Life is unpredictable.'

With that thought, Eugene also headed to the 7th dueling arena.

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Raei Translations

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Upon arrival, the duels were already halfway through.

All Eugene had to do was wait.

He looked blankly at the sky, passing the time.

Before long, only two swordsmen remained for the test.

Clack!

"That's a good sword!"

"Haah!"

In the dueling arena, an ordinary swordsman and Fritz were engaged in a duel.

And around them...

An unbelievable crowd had gathered.

He expected this to happen.

After Tina's declaration, interest in Eugene skyrocketed.

People came in droves, eager to witness his abilities in the upcoming test.

'But to gather this much...'

Rumors spread faster than words.

Tina's declaration spread like wildfire, and soon every first-year student knew.

But it didn't stop there.

Even second and third-year students, who had acquaintances in the first year, began to appear.

At this moment, the attention and gaze on Eugene far surpassed the three main heroines.

Despite the presence of the three main heroines nearby, the crowd's attention was squarely on Eugene, focused in their discussions.

"Did you hear about today's incident?"

"Tina sided with Eugene, right?"

"Was that really the right decision?"

They discussed the events of the day.

"But Eugene started changing a few months ago."

"Did he lose his mind over a woman?"

"No, he's been obsessed with swordsmanship and has been training nonstop."

"How did that happen?"

"They say it started after he got hit by a carriage."

"By a carriage?"

"I heard he hit his head."

"Wasn't it his back?"

The crowd speculated about the cause of Eugene's change.

But ultimately,

"If he doesn't stand out in today's duel, wouldn't it be all for nothing?"

"I respect your bravery."

Cheers and words of admiration for Eugene's bravery echoed in the background.

"Draw your sword then. I'll give you the first move."

With that, Fritz raised his sword.

Eugene also readied his sword, adopting a basic stance.

"Well then, let's begin."

"Come on!"

With a forceful step, Eugene lunged towards Fritz.

Stopping right in front of Fritz, he lifted his sword high above, and then, with all his might, aimed it at Fritzs head.

It was a straightforward downward strike without any particular tricks or feints.

Yet, in Fritzs eyes, the speed of that sword was astonishingly fast.

"Ugh!"

Fritz quickly raised his own sword to block the incoming blow.

The force was greater than he anticipated, but with his decades of swordsmanship and strength fortified by his mana, he stood firm, like an unmovable mountain.

Clang!

After a brief contest of strength, Eugene retreated to create some distance, but Fritz immediately launched a counterattack.

Whizz!

He aimed a swift strike towards Eugenes hearta strike so fast that no ordinary student could possibly block it.

However.

Clash!

Eugene deftly parried it.

Fritz's sword merely grazed Eugene's side, and in an almost lightning-like response, Eugene swung his blade again.

Whoosh!

Had Fritz not hastily gathered his mana to dodge, he would've been seriously wounded.

"Is... Is he for real?"

In just a few exchanges, the depths of Eugene's skills were apparent.

Fritz realized he couldnt afford to take Eugene lightly; he had to face him as an equal.

"I'm going all out!"

Fritz's eyes widened in determination.

He unleashed a flurry of strikes, reflecting a lifetime of swordsmanship traininga sword senior students would falter against.

Crash!

Yet, Eugene managed to block every attack.

He not only defended himself from every strike but also found opportunities to counter whenever Fritz showed an opening.

Thwack! Thud!

Without falling for Fritzs tricks and feints, Eugene delivered precise and effective counterattacks.

Soon, several cuts marked Fritzs body, staining his clothes with blood.

"What the...?"

"What am I watching?"

The spectators were all in sheer disbelief.

But the most stunned was Fritz himself, who was directly confronting Eugene's abilities.

"Damn..."

He had only anticipated an impressive duel, never once did he entertain the thought of defeat.

Wasn't Eugene just a first-year student?

Though he would soon advance to the second year, the fact remainedhe was still in his first year.

And first-year students at the Royal Academy were typically considered novices.

And to think of facing defeat against such a novice?

Such an event was unprecedented in the history of the Royal Academy.

"This cannot be!"

Fritz's eyes burned with intensity as he channeled his mana.

A formidable surge of power flowed throughout his body.

To any onlooker, it would look as if he's using up most of his mana for a single blow.

But that was just a ruse.

In a desperate attempt to parry the sword, Eugene expended considerable mana, but Fritz was prepared.

With a concealed strike, he hoped to seize the upper hand.

"Haah!"

With sheer determination, Fritz lunged forward, swinging his mana-charged wooden sword at Eugene.

The swift blade aimed for an important point, and evading it seemed impossible.

As Fritz anticipated, Eugene raised his sword in defense.

'Got him!'

Seizing that instant, Fritz exploded his mana, heightening his reflexes to their peak.

Withdrawing the sword he'd thrust, he exploited an opening in Eugene's defense.

'An attack he can't dodge!'

This was a deadly blow, honed from decades of sword training.

Fritz's sword made contact with Eugene's body.

But in a blink, Eugene's form vanished.

'What?!'

Wide-eyed, Fritz scanned his surroundings.

To his left, there was nothing.

He checked the right.

There stood Eugene, sword raised high.

Channeling mana into his blade, Eugene executed a flawless downward slash.

Crack!

Fritz's face turned deathly pale.

The figure swinging the sword at his side was reminiscent of a Sword Master.

Before he realized, the wooden sword had made contact with his flank.

Wham!

"Ugh!"

Excruciating pain coursed through him, his eyes rolling back in agony.

Fritz crumpled to the ground, losing consciousness.

Thud.

Clatter.

The sound of his wooden sword falling echoed loudly.

"Wha?"

The eyes of all who had been watching the duel widened in shock.

Today, during the swordsmanship exam, an unprecedented event in the history of the Royal Academy happened.

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