Bonus chapter thanks to @Wordsmith and @Alberto Montes from Ko-fi!
“- Let them feel the difference in power.”
Jane said this in front of the students of Class 1, Year 2.
She had expressed her own concerns about the students testing each other, so this instruction likely came from either the student council president, Ellen, or Constel itself.
Frondier was genuinely relieved to be assigned to the 2nd stage test. It meant that Constel still considered him to be at that level of skill.
A few days ago, the students of Class 1 had claimed to have seen through Frondier’s strength, but it seemed they hadn’t seen through everything yet.
“Let them feel the difference in power.”
Everyone understood the meaning behind those words. Constel was a combatant training school where nobles and commoners from all regions gathered.
Becoming arrogant wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Whether it was true arrogance or confidence based on sufficient skill was something that could only be determined through experience.
As they spent time at Constel, their arrogance would naturally adjust based on the difference in skill between themselves and their peers.
However, it would undoubtedly take time for that adjustment to occur. And during that time, there was a risk of injury. That was what Constel was worried about.
‘In other words, they want the freshmen to realize their own skills early on.’
Aten Terst briefly pondered in the 3rd stage testing area.
Confidence required a basis. Through this test, the students would realize their own positions.
Even if they were overly discouraged, successfully passing the test would give them confidence. And if they failed, they would understand their own skills and shed their arrogance.
So, don’t go easy on them. Only then would the freshmen know their own abilities, and when they overcame the test, they would gain true confidence.
However.
“They shouldn’t have said that to Frondier.”
Aten sighed quietly.
With so many freshmen, there were multiple testing areas.
Of course, there were far fewer 3rd stage testing areas than 2nd stage ones. The 4th stage had even fewer, and the final 5th stage had only two testing areas. Elodie and Aster were waiting in each of them.
Students who passed the 2nd stage waited again in the waiting room, and when a suitable number were gathered, they entered one of the vacant 3rd stage testing areas.
The testers in the 3rd stage could see who the freshmen had passed through in the 2nd stage.
Since the testers in the next stage needed to be prepared when the freshmen moved on, they could check the waiting room of the previous stage through a wizard view.
The waiting room was circular, with multiple exits converging into one place to gather students who had passed the previous stage. So, the testers in the next stage could see which exit the freshmen came out of.
Therefore, if they knew who the tester at that exit was, they naturally knew who the freshmen had passed through.
And Frondier’s testing area was the leftmost exit, according to Aten’s wizard view.
…And still, no one had come out of there.
A few minutes ago, the management quickly realized that Frondier hadn’t sent any freshmen through. During the break time, someone’s voice came through the speakers installed so that all the testers could hear.
[Frondier, it’s the student council.]
Ellen, the student council president, spoke directly to Frondier.
To which, Frondier replied in his languid voice.
[It’s been a while, Ellen sunbae.]
[Let’s change the rules. Instead of using the key to open the next door, they pass if they touch the key with their hand.]
Frondier’s test originally required obtaining the key and opening the next door while avoiding his interference.
In fact, most of the tests, except for Frondier’s, were similar. There was a reason they used keys as the objective.
Aten had a bad feeling from the moment he heard that conversation.
And a few minutes later, that feeling was proven right.
[Frondier, let’s change the rules.]
[Again?]
[Whether it’s with their hand, an arrow, or anything else, they pass if they just make the key fall.]
[That won’t be easy.]
A few minutes later.
[…Frondier.]
[What is it this time?]
[I’ll send you a chair, so don’t get up from there.]
[Is this a test for me and not the freshmen?]
It was no wonder Aten sighed after hearing that conversation
Most of the other testers who had been listening probably had similar reactions. Of course, those who didn’t know Frondier wouldn’t even understand what the conversation was about.
However, Frondier’s last words, “I’ll prepare the chair myself,” were a bit concerning. How did he plan to prepare it?
‘I should have noticed when Mr. Robald said, “Hey Frondier! Don’t go easy on the freshmen! Or I won’t forgive you!” and Frondier had that subtle expression on his face.’
Even Aten didn’t know everything about Frondier.
But she had seen with her own eyes when Frondier blew off Renzo’s arm.
Whether it was an accident or not, Frondier was at least capable of doing that.
Wasn’t it a huge mistake for Constel to entrust the 2nd stage to someone like him?
‘But still, the next student is that Pielott…’
Pielott was a hot topic not only among the freshmen but also among the teachers and upperclassmen.
He was considered to have talent that rivaled, or perhaps even surpassed, Aster.
Unlike the other stages, the 1st and 2nd stages were adjacent, so it was inevitable that Pielott would encounter Frondier from the moment he entered the 1st stage test.
Considering the time, he would be taking Frondier’s test soon.
‘…He’ll come through this time, right?’
With a mix of worry and expectation, Aten looked at the wizard view.
* * *
Pielott flew through the air.
His body, performing a dazzling spin in mid-air, stayed aloft for a surprising amount of time before…
Boom!
“Ugh!”
He crashed to the floor.
The spinning in the air hadn’t been entirely intentional; he had been sent flying by a blow from Frondier.
“I did say that defeating me was the surest solution.”
Frondier, sitting on the chair with his hair perfectly in place, spoke.
“But I didn’t mean for you to attack alone.”
“Ugh…!”
Pielott gritted his teeth and stood up again. Despite his spectacular crash landing, his face was unscathed.
That angered Pielott. It was proof that Frondier had been careful not to hurt him, like a child playing with a toy. It was similar to how Azier treated Aster.
“Hey, stop it already. If we all work together…”
Whoosh!
Ignoring Dier’s words, Pielott charged towards Frondier once more. His entire body was enveloped in aura, showcasing a growth rate that was indeed remarkable for a freshman.
‘Even Aster took half a year after entering Constel to awaken his aura, so I understand the expectations people have for Pielott.’
Pielott’s sword flew towards Frondier with terrifying speed. The test was already forgotten, and his eyes were filled with killing intent. But Frondier welcomed it.
‘This is good. They say practice like it’s the real thing. What a fitting saying.’
How many people would say that while looking at Pielott’s current state?
Whack! Thwack!
“Ugh!”
Frondier used Obsidian to strike Pielott’s side and the back of his neck. It wasn’t a particularly fast or complex trajectory.
It was simply that the gaps in Pielott’s movements, driven by his emotions, had become too large.
However, this time Pielott didn’t fall. He gritted his teeth and took another step forward. His sword finally entered a range where it could reach Frondier.
Pielott’s eyes gleamed. He was a pure swordsman. To have a proper fight, he first had to engage in close combat.
If he couldn’t achieve that, it was all meaningless. So, this moment was his best chance to unleash his power. Moreover, Frondier was sitting on a chair and had the restriction of not being able to get up.
‘Hmm.’
Seeing that, Frondier grasped a sword with Obsidian in his right hand. He had replicated it from one of the many weapons in the workshop.
Clang!
The two blades clashed.
‘It wouldn’t be bad to use ‘Falling Edge’ here, but…’
Let’s try a few things.
Frondier’s brief thought flashed by, and their blades repeatedly collided, sparks flying.
“Ugh…!”
Pielott groaned. He was losing in close combat against an opponent who was sitting down.
More than anything, he couldn’t understand why he couldn’t push him back with strength.
His opponent wasn’t even using aura, and since he was sitting, it should be difficult for him to exert proper force.
However, from Frondier’s perspective, this duel was all too clear.
‘His swordsmanship is average.’
From the perspective of Frondier, who had been beaten up by Azier every day, Pielott’s swordsmanship wasn’t bad, but it was just that – average.
It was rather surprising that he could emit such a strong aura with this level of swordsmanship.
Having had the concept of ‘prediction’ hammered into him by Azier, Frondier could clearly see the starting points of Pielott’s attacks.
Additionally, with his ‘Sixth Sense’ allowing him to see the flow of mana, it became even easier to read him.
Before Pielott’s attack even began, Frondier would point his blade towards the starting point.
Pielott was blocked before he could fully exert his strength. Frondier wasn’t matching Pielott’s strength; he was simply preventing him from using his full power.
‘If he just calmed down a little, he’d notice it right away.’
His outward appearance seemed to be a combination of composure, calmness, and rationality, but when faced with an unexpected situation, he became noticeably shaken.
As rumored, comparing him to Aster was a stretch.