In general, what weapon comes to one’s mind when the term cold-weapon is mentioned?
Those who were in the military or those types of organizations would be reminded of knives.
Especially the military knife, since they directly complement the hot weapons and support them.
However, in the fantasy world where the mana and magic elements exist, the weapon that is most commonly used is different.
[Sword]
Though in general, in the medieval era, Earth, the most common weapon used by the masses was a spear, that was because it had a rather low-skill floor. The required skill to effectively utilize a spear was rather low compared to the effect it could have in the war.
An average soldier had a higher chance of success with a spear. But that was on Earth, and this place is different.
There is an existence called mana and Awakened. They are superhumans who have far surpassed the human-body limit. Therefore, things can no longer be compared to the earth.
“Everyone here knows what a sword is.”
Eleanor continued with her lecture after warning everyone about the recent post. Certainly, the results of the post were particular, as it stirred some tension among the students.
Of course, that would be the case. The contents of the video were quite brutal, after all. But then again, for such types of events to be escalated, there needs to be something more than that.
I could easily predict that the fire that ignited would be quickly calmed down.
“But, even if you know what a sword is, it is still better to hear from your peers.” Eleanor raised her head, locking her eyes with the students. “For what reason are swords important to us [Hunters], and why are we specifically discussing it in this class?”
As she asked the question, she seized the class. In Eleanor’s style, rather than letting whoever wants to answer, she chooses the students who were meant to answer on her own sometimes.
And most students already know her habit. If she is not saying that, she expects an answer with words like “anyone who wants to answer?” That means she will either answer the question on her own or ask a student.
Following that, we can reach the conclusion that Eleanor’s mood is not good. She does this whenever she is angry at the students in general, mostly when something she dislikes happens.
As an instructor with high expectations from the students, this is how she works.
And I knew her gaze would land on me.
“Astron Natusalune. Please answer,” she said, her tone expecting. But, with the recent events happening around me, from the looks of it, her impression of me had improved.
Considering that she wasn’t targeting me specifically anymore and her attention was on some other problematic students, that seemed to be the case.
Of course, if she wanted to target me, I wouldn’t back down from a challenge.
“Swords hold profound significance for us Hunters.” I started. “Because they are the most common weapon used by Awakened and the weapon with the deepest history.”
It was the textbook answer. The answer lacked depth, but I couldn’t be bothered.
“That is correct.” Eleanor nodded.
However, seeing me answering in such a shallow manner, it seemed like she was dissatisfied. “But, are there any other reasons? For instance, why were swords the most common weapons? What makes them special compared to others?”
As she looked at me expectantly, I shook my head.
“There must have been several discussions about this, but the most basic answer I can think of is its compatibility with mana,” I replied. Though, I already knew she was about to ask more.
“Interesting.” At the mention of that, Eleanor’s mouth was curled up. “Why do you think so?”
At this point, I decided to get this over with. It wasn’t like revealing this would make it hard for me.
“If this weren’t the case, once the supernatural elements are combined, other weapons would overpower the sword, and because of natural selection, those who used swords as their main weapons wouldn’t be able to continue their legacy, making them lost in the history of the world. Therefore, just by looking at it now, with the number of sword families compared to other weapons, it can be concluded that the sword is far more grounded than the other weapons.”
My answer was true but at the same time it wasn’t completely true. There can be several more factors that could affect the development of legacies and the world, but unless something extreme had happened in the past, this reasoning would be correct.
“Good. Well done.”
Eleanor nodded at my answer, satisfied. She praised me for my answer and then continued with the lecture. It was quite rare for him to praise me, and it seemed the others thought the same, as they were looking at me with surprised faces.
The beef between Eleanor and me was quite known to others. Even the redhead at the front turned back and looked at me suspiciously.
Her eyes were saying, ‘Did you do something?’ though the answer was laid before her already. The incident in the mine must have called her attention.
“Five out of 12 First-Generation-Heroes had used swords. Each one of them had their own styles and their own legacies, now known as five sword families.”
At the mention of this, Eleanor turned her attention to the two white-haired students, saying, “Julia Middleton and Lucas Middleton.”
“The Second Sword Family, Middleton Family,” she added, acknowledging their heritage. This was also explained in the game, as the five-sword families held quite an importance in the plot.
‘There was a whole arc regarding them, after all.’
Though it can be concluded that the world would no longer follow the plot of the game exactly, the important events should rather be kept.
“From now on, we will be talking about swords in this lecture and their practices to make you familiar with the most general weapon used by the world.”
Eleanor then began with the fundamentals of swordsmanship, explaining the various types of swords, their designs, and their historical significance.
As she spoke, I noticed that many students couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement.
Well, despite our usual clashes, there was no denying that Eleanor was a captivating teacher when it came to subjects like this.
Even I felt like she was more amicable now.
*******
<Saturday Evening, Arcadia Hunter Academy>
With the recent post, there were countless messages coming to him, but the most important ones were from his family.
Especially his mother.
‘She is angry.’
Her mother had been doting on him a lot, and since Ethan was a non-awakened before, she did things that Ethan felt complex feelings about.
‘I really wonder who posted such a thing…..Sigh…
Everything became more troublesome now.’
The footage shows only Ethan getting beaten. She wasn’t sure if this was good or bad. It was good since the part where Jane was getting bullied wasn’t shown, so not many people still knew her. But at the same time, it felt like this post was clearly made to stir something.
‘Not like I can do anything now.’
He shook his head, walking forward.
“What are you thinking about now?” At that point, a familiar voice came.
“Nothing.” Replying to Lucas, he dismissed.
“It wouldn’t be nothing. You are not the type to make such an expression. Is it about the post?”
“Yeah, it’s about that,” he admitted reluctantly.
Lucas grinned mischievously, nudging Ethan playfully with his elbow. “Ah, I see. Looks like even the great Ethan Hartley has had his heart captured by a girl at the end.”
Ethan rolled his eyes, trying to suppress his embarrassment. “Come on, it’s not like that,” he protested weakly.
But Lucas wasn’t about to let him off the hook that easily. He leaned in closer, his expression teasing. “Oh, come on, Ethan. You can’t fool me. I’ve known you long enough to recognize that look on your face.”
But then Lucas’s playful demeanor faded, replaced by a serious expression. He looked at Ethan with a mixture of disappointment and frustration. “Ethan, we’re friends, aren’t we? If something like this happens, you should let us know. We’re here to help each other out.”
Ethan’s shoulders slumped, feeling the weight of Lucas’s words. “I know, I know,” he said, his voice tinged with remorse. “I just… I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it, you know?”
But Lucas wasn’t having it. His tone turned firm, bordering on anger. “Ignoring the misfortune of a friend doesn’t make it go away, Ethan. If we’re going to call ourselves friends, we need to be there for each other, no matter what.”
“You’re right, Lucas. I’m sorry. Next time something like this happens, I’ll make sure to inform you right away.”
Lucas’s expression softened, a small smile returning to his face. “Good. That’s all I ask. Next time, don’t forget that.”
“Yeah.”
“Then, I will be leaving. I need to attend a meeting.”
“Meeting? Ah…”
“Yeah, one of those.” Lucas winked at Ethan with his classic grin. “I will have fun for you as well.” With those words, he left as quickly as he came.
“Sigh…..” Ethan sighed but was a little happy seeing Lucas returning to his normal. However, his words echoed in his head.
‘Telling others, huh?’
He quietly thought.
–TAK!
Suddenly, he felt like someone had hit him on his shoulder.
“Sigh….”
He could only sigh at how rude this person was as he walked to the training grounds.
******
As Ethan reached the training grounds and began changing into his workout clothes, he noticed a piece of paper fluttering to the ground. Curious, he picked it up and unfolded it, revealing a hastily written note.
His brow furrowed as he read the message: “Emily Anderson’s life is in danger; she is being targeted by assassins. Location 7th Street, Lactarian District.”
The words sent a chill down Ethan’s spine, and he couldn’t help but wonder about the validity of the information.
‘No, it makes sense if they want to target Emily.’
But Ethan was quick to put the pieces together as he realized that the opposing factions of Emily’s guild had already been entangled.
“…..”
And in an instant, he made the decision, rushing to the location, not even thinking about his family’s strength…..