Chapter 15

Joint Combat Practice (2)

I don’t know who first came up with the word butterfly effect, but the idea is truly amazing.

A small wind derived from the flapping of a butterfly’s wings crosses the ocean and becomes a hurricane that engulfs buildings on a distant continent... Well, I think that’s roughly what it means... I’ve

heard that chaos theory is so-and-so, and everything in the world is This was a phrase often quoted when talking about how difficult it is to control the future because there are so many variables.

The slightest change in the initial variable value has an exponential effect on the entropy, blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah

blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah This means that it can lead to big results that you might not even think about.

So, don’t try to control everything in the world as you want. This roughly conveys the sage’s deep meaning.

I never dreamed that I would feel the weight of those words during this joint combat exercise.

I guess there is nothing wrong with the old saying.

*

Nail Hall, one of the three buildings in the student center, has traditionally been used as a place for joint combat classes.

The well-executed Colosseum-style duel arena and spectator seating area had all seats and floors polished and polished. As befits an aristocratic school, even the combat practice grounds for hitting and fighting are elegantly designed.

I was sitting in one of the observer seats, watching the mock battle practice in the center.

This year’s freshmen are literally a war of stars. Since there are so many gemstones in each grade, the attention of the second year students is bound to be focused.

Among them, the three were recognized by the strict Professor Glast. Spear of Vegetation Ziggs Golden Daughter Lortel Sloth Lucy.

The world’s attention was completely focused on the three new students at the Ministry of Magic.

-Quaang!

“Thank you. It was a good experience. I was impressed by your skill in using horsepower. I learned a lot.”

At the central duel stand, one of them, Ziggs, a descendant of the northern nomads, was in the middle of pinning his senior to the outside of the stage with wind magic.

Her long, curly hair that reached down to the nape of her neck was fluttering in the wake.

“I hope I can learn a lesson next time.”

And then say hello politely. Anyway, he is not sane either.

The second-year student at the Ministry of Magic who was Ziggs’ opponent... What was his name? Was it Michael... Anyway, he couldn’t come to his senses and went out with the support of his employees.

In student combat practice between grades 1 and 2, the use of anything other than basic magic is not permitted. However, no matter how you look at it, Ziggs’ magic skills did not seem to end with basic magic.

It was certain that if he used magic of a higher level than that, he would show a much stronger appearance.

There were whispers among the second-year students.

– ‘A first grader won again.’

– ‘If we keep doing this, aren’t we really going to lose all of the second graders?’

– ‘These freshmen are a little strange. ‘Well, how did such monsters come together in one place?’

A joint combat exercise that is like an annual event. The results were truly disastrous. The word ‘senior’ was meaningless, as the second-year students were mercilessly cut down by the first-year students. From the middle on, it felt like a punching bag for the second-year students to show off the first-year students’ skills.

It’s truly sad.

[The students whose names will be called next, please come to the waiting room after completing the practice preparation. Lucy Mayril Tailley McLaure. ]

And when the duel lineup, which was the area of greatest interest, emerged, whispers arose once again in the audience. What is coming has come.

I also adjusted my posture and focused on the stage.

The public’s attention will be focused on Lucy Merill, a rare genius who will rewrite the history of Sylvania Academy.

However, it is nothing more than a scenario technique to focus attention on the main character by changing the mood.

The person we really need to focus on is Tailley McLaure, the protagonist of this world who was born with the destiny of a sword saint. Although I have never held a sword in my life, I saw myself swinging the sword for the first time and cutting through Lucy’s magic as fast as lightning.

Of course, the magic that was thought to hit the target was blocked, and Tailly took advantage of that carelessness to quickly close the distance. Because of that, Lucy was so startled that she used lightning, a mid-level lightning spell.

Tailley is completely overpowered by the magic she reflexively throws, but Lucy, who used intermediate magic anyway, is disqualified, and Tailley has the honor of becoming the first person to win against Lucy Mayril.

[Notice once again. Lucy Mayril, please complete your practical preparations and come onto the battlefield. ]

Great... it was a famous scene.

Tailley has lived her whole life being told she has no talent. Even when I came to Sylvania, I was treated like a failing student. Wasn’t it a life full of hardships, being bullied by guys like Ed Ross Taylor and always getting failing grades in combat classes?

Despite this, Tailley never stopped training. It was a moment when all those things were rewarded. The directing was so dramatic that there was a close-up of my childhood friend Ayla crying while watching it, which was heartbreaking.

[Notice once again. Student Lucy Mayril. Student Lucy Mayril. Please complete your practice preparations and come up to the duel arena. ]

......?

[ Lucy Mayril Student Lucy Mayril Student. Please come up to the duel arena. Student Lucy Mayril. ]

What?

Where has he gone???

*

It is difficult to explain in words the strange sense of elation I felt the moment I saw Tailley McLaure’s position.

It was a world beyond the screen, but anyway, I lived as him for many years and completed the journey many times, from the miserable and vain bad ending to the true ending that left a long lasting impression.

At the same time, I can’t help but think of the trials that lie ahead for Taily McLaure.

Although he was born with the destiny of a swordsman, his life could never be said to be successful. Among the countless routes he could walk, there wasn’t a single one that wasn’t arduous and difficult.

So I decided to cheer them on.

I have decided to take care of my own life, and I am the one who will intervene and lead the way in all the trials that will happen in Sylvania, so we should support him.

“I will work hard to the best of my ability!”

A round of applause of encouragement came towards Tailley, who gave a powerful greeting on stage.

Yes, it is applause of ‘encouragement’. This is because the fate of the boy who will be dealt to Lucy Mayril from now on was clearly pictured to the observers.

Even if you don’t know, you don’t know anything. He is the one born with the most overwhelming talent among all the students gathered here.

As someone who knew everything, I was rather excited about the public opinion turning around in the future.

But that’s it, and what am I doing right now...

“Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.”

He was pinching Lucy Mayril’s cheeks.

The venue was a spare podium set up behind the center stage of Nailgwan. At first glance, I felt sleepy after taking a joint practical class and was looking for a place to take a nap.

Nevertheless, Tailly stood up. There were a lot of weapons, including all kinds of swords, bows and whips, lying around Tailly.

Mock weapons prepared for students of the combat club in the corner of the duel arena. Most of them had no blades and were bluntly remodeled.

Tailly looked at the knuckles on her hands. It was a weapon that had been with us for many years. But Tailley quietly took off the knuckles.

A feeling like lightning passed through Tailly’s mind.

A shabby wooden sword was seen among the scattered weapons. My body went out first, with a feeling of being possessed. Tailly picked up the wooden sword lying on the floor and slowly took a stance with her completely battered body.

This is the first time in my life that I have picked up a sword.

The opponent is a rare genius wizard who is revered by everyone.

Nevertheless, Tailly stood up again, holding on to both legs. There were people who believed in themselves. Tailly had to repay that trust.

With that one thought, Tailly gritted his teeth.

“I raised my sword...!”

I took a deep breath when I saw Taily momentarily pinned down, but then I saw the sword raised and I clenched my fist again.

Yeah dude... you can do it...!

“Lucy Mayril!”

Tailly shouts out Lucy’s name with a voice that burns like a flame.

Even I, who was watching from the observer’s stand, felt something pulling me. Yes, it was this scene.

This is the very scene where Tailly, who never gave up despite the trials of the world and the fate that abandoned her, sets off the signal for resurrection.

The cry of Geomseong, who never gave up on his life until the end, is engraved in the hearts of all students... that is the very moment.

“Huh!”

Movements that are unbelievable for someone holding a sword for the first time.

The sense of mana engraved on the crude wooden sword that Tailly is holding. I know. It was the energy of the sword, or auror, granted only to those born with the destiny of a sword saint. In front of him, even the thick wall of mana, made up of several layers, was easily cut through like paper.

The observers in the audience begin to be overwhelmed by the momentum.

All the students began to hold their breath at the sight of Taily’s clearly changed appearance. I even feel a certain sense of anticipation that something strange will happen.

And an unknown wind blew.

In an instant, Tailley’s body was thrown into the air by a sudden, unreasonable windstorm.

– Kwaang!!!

Tailly was hit squarely again by the ensuing lightning magic and pinned against the wall.

This time it still took about 0.5 seconds.

“...what?”

*

This time it’s a perfect knockdown. Thick smoke rose, and Tailly appeared behind it, completely in a state of disrepair.

“Aaaam...”

Lucy Mayril rolled her eyes as she stretched lazily.

“Thank you for your hard work...”

Lucy came down from the stage with a relieved look on her face, as if she had completed an insignificant and bothersome task. Up until this point, the audience had been completely quiet.

Everyone’s attention was focused, but as if that didn’t matter, Lucy walked back in front of me with her characteristic bouncy steps. Then, with a blank expression on his face, he grabbed my collar and started teasing me again.

“Can’t I give you some beef jerky now?”

In the meantime, I realized something.

The wind magic that Lucy used in the middle of the duel appears to be an application of basic wind magic, but it was not used by Lucy on her own. I know the magic that instantly restricts the opponent’s movements and breaks their balance, creating a gap.

It was the always-activated skill ‘Blessing of the Storm’ that could be acquired by making a contract with the high-ranking wind spirit Merilda.

It wasn’t that long. A few days at most.

He was always taking a nap with a rather drowsy expression, and he even signed a contract with a high-ranking wind spirit.

Originally, Merilda and Lucy were completely separate entities in the scenario. It can be seen that there is no connection whatsoever. This was because there was almost no reason for Lucy to reside in the northern forest in the first place.

However, due to her recent residency at my camp, has she come into contact with Merilda? Because of this, he was able to use Merilda’s divine protection and became needlessly stronger.

Even so... no one can imagine that a contract would be made with a high-ranking wind spirit in just a few days.

“...”

I slowly raised my head and looked towards Taily. He put down his sword and sat down with his head down. There was no sign of the usual burning vitality in those eyes.

The overwhelming gap in talent is like violence. Once you realize that huge wall, your heart will break in an instant.

Hey... this seems like a really big problem...

I quickly stood up. You should never leave that alone. I pushed Lucy away who was clinging to me and walked towards Tailly, who was coming down from the stage with a look of complete despair.

[The next combat training subject is student Ed Rosstaylor and the respected Princess Fenia Elias Cloel...]

Meanwhile, a voice calling me. From the audience, I could see Princess Fenia standing up after tidying up her clothes.

Eventually, I encountered Princess Fenia on the road to the duel site. The eyes that turned aggressive as soon as they saw me were still there. The way they show hostility toward me is no longer new.

It seems like the princess has made up her mind for some reason, but at this point, Princess Fenia is not my interest.

“Ed Ross Taylor... You last time...”

The moment the princess was about to say something, I passed by her. If you stay still, Tailly will completely leave.

Words and actions that disrespect the princess of a country are an outrageous act, but at least in this teaching building where the virtue of learning is superior to the nobleness of social status, it will not be punishable by the capital punishment. First of all, there was something more important than that.

Leaving behind the princess’s surprised gaze at being completely ignored, I shouted at Tailly as she disappeared through the crowd.

“Hey! Taily!”

I’m not sure if this was meaningful, but it was better than staying still.

“Your efforts will definitely be rewarded! Don’t be discouraged! Hey! Straighten your back! There’s nothing to be embarrassed about!”

If Taily’s heart breaks and he becomes completely frustrated, there is a high possibility that I will end up having a hard time. You can’t just leave it like that.

“Walk proudly! You did a good job! You just had a bad opponent! Don’t get frustrated over this!”

Okay, please don’t get frustrated already!

You have to work hard instead of me! How many trials will happen to this academy in the future!

I sent a message of support to Taily, who was slowly leaving and disappearing into the crowd. It was a message of support that came from the bottom of my heart.