Episode 124
An arena reserved for ranked battles.
The tiered audience seats are packed to the brim with spectators. Most of them aren’t even members of the Research Society; who knows where they got the gossip from?
In the middle of it all.
There are two individuals in a vast circular arena prepared solely for combat, without any barriers.
The difference in ranking between Vargan and Kaiman is so great that they couldn’t hold a ranked battle, so they borrowed the space under the pretense of a mock battle.
Despite the large crowd, it seems neither of them is bothered at all.
Especially in Kaiman’s case, who enjoys fighting strong opponents; everything in this place is an element of joy for him.
He glares at Vargan, his eyes wide open.
With a shimmering gaze, he inspects the key components that make up Vargan.
Towering height with the physique of a magician, yet extremely well-trained.
The thick mana surrounding him and his impressive size send shivers down Kaiman’s spine.
The aura he emits seems like it couldn’t have ever tasted defeat!
Thinking about fighting that monstrous guy makes him feel both a chill of fear and an exhilaration rising within him.
Kaiman has witnessed Vargan’s past deeds with his own eyes.
He knows how he has trampled his enemies with incredible magic and abilities.
How overwhelmingly.
And how brutally he has smashed them.
Vargan is the strongest of his generation that Kaiman has ever seen in his short life, a true leader.
Though Kaiman has lived his life fending off gangsters countless times from the shadows,
At this moment, just standing in a ready stance, he feels more imminent danger than when a wide blade was stuck in his belly.
…But that’s why he’s worth facing.
He came to Academia to fight beings beyond that level!
Kaiman lets out a rough voice.
“Don’t blame me if I accidentally cut off your arm. I’m just fighting the way you wished!”
Even though it’s a battle for re-evaluation, it’s still a fight with real swords.
In kid battles with wooden swords, they often get hurt, so in a clash with sharp steel, losing an arm is a real possibility.
Vargan nods appropriately to Kaiman’s words in response.
Kaiman, with a satisfied smile, draws his sword.
“I’ll make you regret summoning such ridiculous rules.”
For the sake of re-evaluation, Vargan had mentioned he would allow Kaiman to pass if he managed to inflict even a small wound.
He added a further rule.
He would only use ‘Curse Magic.’
Where he learned such an odd rule is a mystery, but upon hearing it, even he doubted if it wasn’t all just hot air.
He claims he won’t use the horde of thousands of monsters from the class battle at all.
“I’m definitely not going to use the monsters’ group.”
However, upon meeting Vargan’s gaze, I instinctively realized that I wasn’t just spouting arbitrary, baseless confidence.
Despite starting the battle from such a somewhat embarrassing advantageous position, I felt a palpable tension.
With all preparations complete.
As Kaiman’s sword began to radiate a blue light.
Screeeech⎯⎯⎯!
The battle began.
The loud high-pitched sound echoed in my ears.
Kaiman charged forward, intending to tackle just as he initially positioned himself.
His swordsmanship was raw, with no real roots to speak of. Yet, it had worked splendidly in actual combat.
It was purely practical and intended for real opponents.
That sword, emitting a menacing intent to kill, took a step forward with a thud.
‘Huh…?’
And then suddenly, he toppled onto the ground.
Clatter clatter⎯.
It was somewhat ridiculous, almost as if he had slipped on a banana peel.
Kaiman’s body flopped onto the arena floor, wriggling around. The sword he tightly gripped collided with the ground, making a noise.
He tried to get back up, but.
The sensations were bizarre.
Bizarre was the only way to describe it.
What the hell, what is this…!
It wasn’t that his body wasn’t moving.
It was moving. His toes were twitching and he still clutched the sword.
However, the result was strange.
Kaiman quickly assessed his current state using his exceptional senses and physical abilities.
When he tried to move his left arm, his right leg twitched.
When he attempted to move his left leg, his right arm reacted.
As soon as the match began, Vargan had cast some kind of curse magic on him, and this was the result.
“Damn… what a ridiculous situation…!”
Stuck to the ground, Kaiman was mumbling, writhing about.
He knew how annoying and versatile curse magic could be, but was such a thing even possible?!
He hadn’t even made direct contact with his body to activate it…!
Or it meant there was such a vast difference between him and that man that contact wasn’t even necessary.
Indeed, those he had faced until now were nothing compared to this guy!
Even though his sense of nerves had been taken away, Kaiman refused to give up on the fight and was adapting to the situation remarkably quickly.
As he curled his fingers one by one, confirming the sensations in his toe muscles.
Before long, he could stand up, and he had developed the blade of his sword.
With an even fiercer intent than before, he displayed his fighting spirit.
His eyes sparkled with both joy and madness, resembling a pit bull born to fight.
Watching this, Vargan couldn’t help but murmur in admiration.
“Oh, there was a reason why your mouth runs wild. It must be a new experience, yet you’re adapting this quickly.”
Kaiman wasn’t resisting Vargan’s curse through dispelling the spell or casting a counter-spell.
It was purely his bodily sensations and obsession.
With these two, he overcame the imbalance of his altered body.
Raising the corners of his mouth, Kaiman said.
“I didn’t grow up all tidy like my noble peers, so I’ve experienced all sorts of bizarre situations… but still, this crazy sensation is something else.”
“Are you sure it’s okay to keep going like this? The outcome of this match is as clear as day, after all.”
“Should I swallow my words back again after spitting them out? Just don’t mind it and let’s get into it properly.”
Hearing Kaiman’s sentence, which revealed his personality at once, Vargan chuckled.
“That enthusiasm is on par with Finn.”
Then, Kaiman’s brow furrowed, and the energy, which had been stirred up due to the tense situation, seemed to slightly settle down.
Kaiman opened his mouth.
“I’d like to ask this opportunity. Why in the world are you protecting such an idiot? I think you even recommended him as Helion’s mentee, but I can’t understand why someone as sane as you would go that far.”
“What is this nonsense? I hear you were recommended as Helion’s mentee, but I can’t understand how someone as mentally sharp as you would go so far.”
From the very moment Kaiman entered the Research Society, he didn’t like Finn.
What a pathetic sight, this talented nobody flapping his gums about getting stronger.
It’s predetermined from birth who can grow stronger and who can’t. He was born to be strong, and Finn, well, he was doomed.
“I hear you’re taking a leave of absence for some kind of training, but that’s just a waste of time. You’d be better off snapping back to reality and looking for something else.”
In response to Kaiman’s simmering tongue, Vargan lightly retorts, “Well, let’s wait and see. I don’t know what results he’ll bring. He might achieve greatness, or he might meet his doom.”
“Then why…”
“⎯Enough of the chatter. Come at me again. I think I’ve let you drag this out long enough for you to adjust.”
Feeling hit to the core, Kaiman smirked and tightened his grip on the sword’s hilt.
Even while continuing the conversation, Kaiman was consistently checking his whole body, regaining his natural composure.
He enjoyed combat above all, but he wasn’t one to mindlessly rush in like an idiot.
Every now and then, he’d lose it and go wild, but when fighting someone stronger, he knew how to use the surroundings to his advantage.
“Seems you’ve got some good insight, but it’s already too late!”
Kaiman leaped off the ground like a stallion.
His sword came down like it was going to decapitate.
An untidy, swirling aura solidified around him.
Just a few more steps and he’d reach Vargan…!
“Dammit! This is driving me insane⎯!”
Just as Kaiman was making good progress, his body suddenly twisted and fell back to the floor.
This time, it was a different part of him that was knocked off balance, just like before.
At this rate, there was no point in having finally adjusted.
What a ridiculous sight.
Kaiman fell to the ground twice in a row without even getting close.
From a corner where the spectators were watching, a small sound of suppressed laughter was heard.
The tiny noise struck Kaiman’s ear, fueling his already burning competitive spirit.
Grinding his teeth, Kaiman…
Thud!
He was on the ground, but he barely managed to swing his sword.
Right into his own leg.
“Ugh…!”
Forcibly pushing the blade deeper into his thigh, he regained control of his body.
If he couldn’t match skills, he’d have to rely on sheer guts.
He forced a smile despite showing his teeth.
He hadn’t proven any real strength yet; he couldn’t just give up like this. To become stronger, he couldn’t remain stagnant here.
Not being able to face Vargan?
That was something to welcome with open arms!
It meant he could watch and learn from someone like that right beside him!
But first, he had to be acknowledged in this place.
He needed that recognition to stand next to him or do anything.
He was different from the other rejects.
He was born with the potential and talent to grow strong, and his willpower was second to none.
He was already ahead of that weakling Finn and would continue to be!
Opportunities shine brightly when they’re taken by those who are qualified!
Kaiman pulled the sword out of his thigh and shook off the blood.
Even with blood seeping through his clothes, he didn’t glance at it. This minor wound would heal quickly with treatment at the Academia anyway.
And then once again.
He lifted the sword and moved his legs.
Kaiman’s determination and pain freed him from the curse laid down by Vargan.
He gave.
⎯Before the blood gushes out even more, he draws his sword!
Kaiman swings his sword with that single-minded determination.
This time, he moved quickly without being dominated by his senses.
The sword approaches Vargan.
It looked like it was going to slice right through his neck with a terrifying speed.
Sss—.
So incredibly lightly.
It was caught in his hand and burned black.
Like ash, the aura that enveloped the blade scattered into the air.
In that moment, one couldn’t help but feel frozen.
It’s absurd that someone who isn’t even a swordsman could accurately track the trajectory of the sword strike, and it’s hard to believe it was extinguished so effortlessly, like snuffing out a candle.
Kaiman’s body, losing its point of collision for kinetic energy, began to drop sideways.
His legs extended to support himself.
However, it wasn’t his two legs that prevented his body from collapsing.
“I’ve consumed enough time. Let’s end this. I have no doubt you would have realized this much yourself.”
Vargan grabbed a handful of Kaiman’s hair, dangling him as if he were a puppet.
If it was humiliating, it was nothing short of excruciating.
Before Kaiman could even comprehend such feelings,
Vargan’s free hand approached right before Kaiman’s eyes.
His fingers were bent, fully ready to pull the trigger.
“Take a nap.”
Bang—!!
The sound of gunpowder exploding reverberated throughout the arena. His forehead was not just reddened; blood erupted forth.
Kaiman collapsed, unconscious.
Afterward, it seemed Vargan was about to mention that everyone would retake the test, but Kaiman’s eyes couldn’t capture that scene.
*
After finishing that brief incident without a hitch,
Alicia and I headed to the designated meeting spot, which we had postponed.
Kaiman was taken to the infirmary, still knocked out, and I had told everyone to focus on their training.
“……”
For some reason, Alicia, who was walking beside me, looked pale as a ghost.
She fidgeted with her forehead and squeezed her eyes shut for no reason.
Thinking she was probably lost in some pointless thought, I decided to break the silence.
“What did you realize from this re-examination?”
“Eh?!”
“…Why are you so surprised?”
“Oh, it’s nothing! That… if I had to say what I realized….”
Muttering like that, Alicia cautiously lifted her head. She was gauging whether it was alright to say it out loud and eventually spoke.
“I finally understand why you didn’t hit me hard all this time… Ah!”
“You idiot! I was talking about the Curse Magic that messed up Kaiman’s senses. I chose to use the curse deliberately, and you were focusing on something completely different!”
“Ahhh!”
Like she was drowning in overdue homework from summer vacation.
Recently, having been slapped repeatedly as if it were overdue, Alicia rubbed her forehead, stifling tears that threatened to spill.
Still, she didn’t complain about the pain, having seen firsthand the extent of power used against Kaiman.
…Although I don’t know how long that will last, for now, she seems likely to accept it somewhat quietly.
After exchanging a few back-and-forth conversations, we finally arrived at our meeting spot.
“You’re late, Schugenharz.”
“It’s fine, Erica. We have nothing else on the agenda today.”
In the wide-open park, I could see Erica and Diphelia.
The student council president election. The first selection topic was the sky.
Though we didn’t receive the subjects or contents in their entirety, knowing the original developments, there was no reason not to prepare adequately.
Considering possible changes in patterns, we will thoroughly train.
