Volume 1 - CH 21

Julis and the rest students of the S class, who had changed into the training clothes provided to them, went to the training center where the exam was held.

The expressions on everyone’s faces were not as tense as during the exam.

“Ooh~, you’ve changed properly, yes~.”

In the center of the room was Caesar, who had been waiting for them.

He was dressed in the same instructor’s uniform as before.

“Caesar-sensei! Are you sure you don’t want to change?”

“Mmm? I don’t need to change just for facing you guys, you know?”

The students were a little annoyed at his statement, which he said without changing his expression.

But they didn’t say anything about the fact that he might actually be right.

“Now, who’s going be first? I want to see what you can do, so one at a time.”

Caesar twiddled his one-handed sword on his hip, waiting to see who would step forward.

But, no one moved at all, as if they want to see what happens first.

It was the same with Julis.

(Hmm…… I’d not mind being the first separately, but I’d rather be victorious anyway……)

Just by looking at Caesar, you can tell that he is more powerful than them.

He has an uncanny aura, and yet his demeanor is complete without opening────that indicates that he has been through many rough situations.

“Hmph, what a coward, you all────I’ll go first then!”

Saying that, the one who stepped out first was Byrne.

Unlike Caesar, he didn’t have a sword on his hip. That’s because Byrne is a magician.

“The Double, Byrne, huh…… nice.”

Byrne stood in front of Caesar────who was in the center.

Then Byrne held up his hands, but Caesar stood and made no sign of getting himself ready.

“I’m good at any time.”

“Hmph! I don’t care if you’re an S-class, but you’re got a lot of leeway against this me, yes!”

That attitude even before one of the world’s most powerful person────such attitude might be the arrogance that came from the duke’s household.

Then, a pale light began to glow in Byrne’s hand.

“I am, the blazing of the fire itself, the blaze that incinerates everything────Wind Fire!”

A blazing wind surged from Byrne’s hand.

It was massive and headed directly towards Caesar, leaving no room to evade.

However, Caesar was undaunted by the oncoming blazing wind and showed a relaxed expression.

“Heeh……? Intermediate magic, huh────I guess you can call that’s The Double for you.”

Magic is divided into several levels.

Elementary magic.

Intermediate magic.

Advanced magic.

Superior magic.

Elementary magic is the kind of magic that beginners learn. Intermediate magic is magic that students can learn to use. Advanced magic is the kind of magic that experts and mages in the royal court can use. Superior magic is the kind of magic that mages called Sage have developed after much research.

Therefore, the fact that Byrne, who had just become a student, was able to perform intermediate magic without difficulty was proof that he had talent.

But…

[Slash.]

“Wha!?”

Caesar didn’t change his expression, and sliced through that magic.

In half, he extinguished Byrne’s Wind Fire with his one-handed sword.

Byrne looked astonished at the sight.

Caesar then took a large step forward and instantly closed the gap between himself and Byrne.

“The longer a magician chants, the more of an opening he gives to his opponent────so, why the heck are you just standing there? That’s just like asking me to take your throat, do you know it?”

Caesar’s sword tip had caught Byrne’s neck before he knows it.

His speed was so great that Byrne and most of the students could not follow him with their eyes.

“Ugh……!”

“Well, I think you’ve got real talent, you know? I’m looking forward to the future────next one!”

He lowered the tip of his sword, passed the praise on to Byrne, and called for the next student.

But despite the praise, Byrne’s expression was one of frustration, almost to the point of rage.

“……Sensei, may I have the honor of having a spar with you?”

Anastasia was the next to come forward.

With an air of dignity, she proceeded to the center of the field.

“Okay,……, Anastasia Miller is the next, huh.”

Caesar repositioned his sword again and looked at Anastasia who had come to the field.

Anastasia, unlike Byrne, had no trace of arrogance.

“Anastasia-sama, huh…… what do you think?”

Next to Julis, Ricard asked curiously.

“You say you want to be friendly, but you still add honorific to Anna.”

“Well, it is because the other party is a duke’s daughter────until the other party tells me to stop, I will keep use honorifics.”

That is right, though, Julis was convinced and then looked at Anastasia.

The girl in question was gazing at Caesar seriously, she didn’t have her usual appearance of a noble’s daughter.

“About what you just asked────of course, speaking of Anna, I think it’s out of the question, you know?”

“…… Is that because Anastasia is weak?”

“No, that’s different…… Ana is undoubtedly strong. And I think she’s one of the best in our generations.”

Anastasia kicked the ground.

With one hand, she held the rapier she drew from her waist, and with extraordinary speed, she approached Caesar.

“Anna’s style is melee combat with speed as her forte. Covering her feet and hands with body-enhancing magic, she excels at taking the initiative.”

“……If so, isn’t she an even more of a match for Caesar-sensei? Look, he seems like the type of person who pushes with force.”

You can’t help but think that a power-packed build of him is a specialization of power.

“Well, I can understand that logic────People who are excel in force are lack in ‘speed’ because they specialize too much in ‘strength’. Therefore, if they get into your pocket before you show your strength, it’s already over.”

Anastasia then reached Caesar’s right diagonal.

She twisted her waist and used the momentum to thrust the thin sword in her right hand toward his right side. The speed was first class, and everyone thought it was a done deal.

“────But once you’re caught, you’re done……. After that, the only thing left is to subdue by force.”

Anastasia’s sword was flung away.

The thrust, which was expected to decide the outcome, was easily repelled by Caesar’s sword.

The power of his sword was so strong that Anastasia lost her grip on her rapier.

“Your speed is perfect. I can feel that you’ve put in a lot of effort────after that, it would be good if you put a little more body strengthening magic on your arms instead of your hands.”

“……Thank you very much for your guidance.”

Without taking a glance at the sword that was flung away, Anastasia bowed her head to Caesar.

Her face had a mixture of expression of frustration and regret as well as Byrne’s.

“…… I see. That’s exactly as what Julis says.”

“Simply put, that Caesar-sensei is too strong────If it was an ordinary opponent, there’s no way Anna would lose.”

In fact, Anastasia is far more outstanding than people of her age.

Even more than Byrne……, she is probably the best of the students in her grade.

It’s because of her talent and constant effort.

“But, it’s not as if Caesar-sensei is specializing in ‘strength’ only, you know? Even in the match with Byrne earlier, he was damn fast, right?”

“……Indeed, you’re right.”

Ricard agreed, recalling the match against Byrne earlier.

(However, I thought for a moment…… that there was a difference in ability with Anna, but I didn’t expect it to be this much …….)

Julis was surprised.

He expected that Anastasia would lose, but he didn’t expect it to be over without much struggle.

Once again, he was reminded of the power of an S-class adventurer.

But────

(If I’m being cowardly here, I’m disqualified as Deadly Sins Sorcerer…….)

That’s why when Julis confirmed that Anastasia had returned, he stepped out on his own before the others do.

The feeling within him was to go forward, to seek strength, to aim for a far higher level.

“Are you going, Julis?”

“Yeah────”

Now, let’s see how far you can go with your abilities.

“The deadly sins sorcerer, Julis Anderberg────Let’s show them what I am capable of.”