Chapter 93

EP.93 Sword and Shield (1)

The final location of the exam.

The center of the forest owned by the Krefeld family.

“...”

Belnoa remained silent.

Just one more step to the end of the exam. However, he couldn't bring himself to take that step.

It had been a tough exam.

The air in the forest was stifling. The assigned monsters were difficult. He had to be on edge all the time, never knowing when a monster might jump out.

'I'm tired.'

Although he had no physical injuries, he was mentally exhausted. Honestly, he wanted to finish the exam as soon as possible and return to the dormitory to rest.

Belnoa lifted his head.

When he looked up, the final obstacle of the exam was waiting for him.

If he could overcome this obstacle, the exam would be over. There were no signs that anyone had come this far, so he would likely be the first to pass the exam.

"What are you doing?"

However.

"Not coming?"

He didn't think he could overcome it.

Belnoa narrowed his eyes, gauging the level of the person standing before him.

Professor Lania von Trias.

Belnoa didn't know her exact capabilities, but he had seen her fight before. Based on that memory, he could make a rough estimate of her skills.

His contemplation was brief, and his conclusion was swift.

'I can't win, no matter what.'

He repeated the word 'absolutely' in his mouth and let out a long sigh.

"Huh... ..."

Normally, Belnoa wouldn't decide the outcome of a fight so easily. No matter how strong an opponent, there are always weaknesses. If you find a gap, they will bleed, suffer, and sometimes even die.

However, that's only possible if there is a gap.

He couldn't see even the smallest gap in the professor standing before him. He was certain that any move he made would be blocked. Whether it was a spell or a physical technique, he would be outmatched in every aspect.

Belnoa opened his mouth.

"P-P-Professor?"

"Yes."

"How can I defeat someone who can engage in close combat with the royal special forces, the Hound, and even fight on equal terms...?"

It was true. The professor before him had once fought the Hound, a master of close combat, and that too, with bare hands.

'Fight someone like that?'

It was a hopeless battle.

As if reading Belnoa's incredulous gaze, Professor Lania shrugged.

"If we fight like this, you'll naturally lose."

She snapped her finger.

Belnoa reflexively tried to dodge. However, the spell's activation was faster than his movement.

Bang!

Belnoa's hair fluttered. He slowly lowered his gaze. The spell had struck the ground. It was embedded in the boundary line between the clearing and the forest.

The ground where the spell struck was indented, emphasizing the line. Gulping, Belnoa swallowed hard.

Somehow, he had already crossed the boundary line. The spell was a warning. A warning that if he crossed the line, she would cast a spell at him.

'...If she had cast it at me instead of the ground...'

The exam would have been over.

He had seen the fluctuation of mana. However, there was no gap between the fluctuation and the spell's activation. The moment he noticed, the spell was already in front of his nose.

Too far.

The person was far away.

Sensing the difference in level, Belnoa lifted his head. The professor, still with her finger extended, spoke.

"What is the theme of this exam?"

Her tone suggested that this was also part of the exam. After a brief pause, Belnoa answered.

"I think it's about adapting and learning from the battlefield environment."

"In detail."

"Not to panic when facing monsters that can jump out from anywhere. And to always maintain composure... I've heard these are the virtues a knight on the battlefield should have."

Belnoa's answer made Lania nod.

"That's correct. But, there's one more thing, right?"

"..."

"Learning from failure."

"Yes, that's it."

The reason why death through illusions is a deduction rather than a failure is to learn from failure.

"Then."

Lania, who designed the exam, asked.

"Have you learned from your failure?"

"..."

Belnoa couldn't answer.

He hadn't failed. He had arrived at the center of the forest without failing even once.

"See that."

Lania laughed bitterly at Belnoa's silence.

"Everyone learns from failure, but it would be a waste if you didn't."

So, I'm here.

She muttered and stood up from the stump.

"Belnoa."

"Yes, Professor."

"Combat magic is a practical discipline. The most practical of all. You know that, right?"

"..."

"I know."

"Then, the question. In real combat, will the enemy always match your level? You, who grew up in the slums, should know."

Belnoa shook his head.

Lania nodded.

"That's right, real combat is different."

She stretched her arms.

The skull cap on her head brushed against her arm and swayed. Her hair fluttered in the wind.

Her blue eyes half-opened through the fluttering hair.

The atmosphere around her changed. It was no longer that of a professor but of a knight. She spoke in a cold voice.

"This is real combat, Belnoa."

Lania von Trias.

"But even in real combat, there should be some level of engagement to learn from."

She raised her arm.

"One restriction."

She extended her hand.

"I won't 'initiate' an attack. As long as you don't cross this line."

She folded her finger and drew a line on the ground with her toe. It was about three steps away from the stump. She continued.

"Two restrictions, I won't target you with my spells. My spells will only intercept other spells."

She folded another finger and said.

"There are three more restrictions."

"..."

"Finding them is part of the exam. Figure them out yourself."

She folded the remaining three fingers.

Then, she lowered her arm and smiled.

"Look carefully."

Lania tapped the skull cap on her head.

"Even if the opponent seems unbeatable, if you look carefully, there will be gaps here and there."

It was a tone that sounded like a personal anecdote.

Belnoa took a deep breath and organized his thoughts.

'Five restrictions.'

Of the two victory conditions, one didn't need to be considered. Inflicting a wound was impossible. There was no point in wasting time on the impossible.

Belnoa clearly set his goal.

'Touch the stump.'

That was the objective.

What needed to be done to achieve it. Belnoa thought hard and took a step forward.

He crossed the boundary line.

No spells flew at him. No attacks came. The condition of not initiating an attack was being upheld. Belnoa adjusted his grip on his dagger.

'...It's difficult.'

Difficult, but.

'Not impossible.'

Belnoa, the nightmare of the slums.

The boy who had survived by biting the necks of strong enemies in the slums adjusted his grip on his dagger.

To hunt the predator that had revealed a gap.

2.

Thud.

The flesh fell as he swung the axe. The illusory flesh disappeared like melting snow as soon as it fell from the axe.

"Hmm."

Lark looked at the clean edge of the axe and tilted his head. It was an illusion, so the feel of the cut was lacking.

'It should be heavier.'

When he planted the axe, there was no vibration along the blade. There was no sensation of cutting through muscle and bone. Lark wiped his mouth and lowered the axe.

"Almost done."

The air in the forest was gradually clearing.

Lark, who had played in the snowy mountains since childhood, was sensitive to the flow of air. The texture of the wind was different.

Lark instinctively sensed that the end of the exam was approaching.

Lark quickly moved forward. After walking for a while, he saw an open clearing. And there was a figure already there.

'Belnoa?'

In the forest clearing stood Belnoa.

He was panting heavily with his arms hanging loosely. When he wiped his mouth, a drop of blood appeared.

'...Injury.'

Then, who was the opponent?

Lark took a step to the side, hiding his presence. The clearing, previously obscured by the bushes, came into full view.

Another figure stood there.

Lark frowned the moment he recognized the figure.

"..."

It was clear that this figure was facing off against Belnoa. However, the situation itself was hard for Lark to understand.

'Why is Professor Lania here?'

Lark blinked.

While he was blinking, Belnoa, still panting, raised his arm and set his dagger sharply.

His gaze was still clear.

Belnoa pushed off the ground and approached Professor Lania with a swift movement.

Whizz.

He threw a shadow dagger. Seeing the approaching dagger, Professor Lania flicked her left index finger.

Crack!

The dagger was deflected by the Smite spell. While she was distracted by the dagger, Belnoa approached her and swung his dagger.

Swoosh!

She caught the edge of the dagger with her bare hand. Though surprising, it seemed Belnoa had anticipated this and let go of the dagger. As he let go, he folded his finger.

The shadow around the dagger exploded.

Boom!

The explosion enveloped her. Taking advantage of the gap, Belnoa folded his finger. With a crack, the folded finger was offered as an Offering.

The stars responded to the offering.

Just as the ritual was about to enhance the shadow.

"I warned you."

Boom, an arm burst through the shadow. The hand that emerged grabbed the circuit on the back of Belnoa's hand.

"It'll be hard to engrave new circuits."

She tore it off.

Rip, rip, rip, rip!

The circuit was torn off. The balance was broken. The Offering failed, and the phenomenon dissipated into the air.

Rustle.

She kicked Belnoa's abdomen through the dispersing shadows. Belnoa's body flew into the air. His eyes widened.

"Cough!"

Kicked, Belnoa rolled on the ground a few times.

After rolling a few times, he barely stood up and panted heavily.

Crunch.

Lania, who had emerged from the shadows, pulled on her glove. Then, she lightly shook her hand.

"Do you want to continue?"

She asked.

In response, Belnoa shook his head.

"..."

Watching this, Lark swallowed hard. He had a rough idea of what was happening.

'Professor Lania is the final gate of the exam.'

Lark swallowed hard. Sweat naturally formed on his hand holding the axe. Although he had grown accustomed to her over the past few months, Lark still found Professor Lania intimidating.

'A person like a predator.'

However, her appearance was different from usual. She seemed less intimidating. It was as if the predator's fangs were missing and its claws were not sharp. She looked like a predator restrained by chains.

This was strange. Lark felt a sense of unease from the battle between Belnoa and the professor.

'One thing.'

Though just one, there was something unnatural about her movements. No matter how many times he looked, the movement seemed awkward. There was no need for her to make such a move.

'Professor's every movement is efficient. Well-practiced. Someone like her wouldn't show unnatural movements.'

Inefficient and unnatural movements.

She was showing them 'repeatedly,' as if to make him notice.

Lark frowned.

'Is that it?'

Lark had fought many northern warriors who were stronger than him. In those battles, the warriors often imposed restrictions on themselves.

They showed restraint in their attacks.

-Open your eyes wide and watch carefully.

-Isn't something off?

And, separately, they deliberately showed their weaknesses.

-Practice identifying weaknesses, young master.

-Every enemy has one or two weaknesses. We just emphasize them for you to see.

Lark saw it.

The weaknesses that Professor Lania intentionally exposed.

Seeing this, Lark made a judgment.

'This is an exam with restrictions.'

This was a battle under restrictions. And if he could exploit those restrictions, he could reach the predator.

"..."

However, his feet wouldn't move easily.

Even if he found the restrictions, they were the kind he couldn't exploit. The gaps created by the restrictions were narrow and thin.

'It doesn't suit me.'

A strategy to exploit the weaknesses came to mind, but it didn't match Lark's fighting style.

"Hmm."

He needed a weapon to pierce the gap.

And he didn't need to look far for it.

"Belnoa."

Lark spoke the name of the weapon he had found.

3.

He had attempted five times.

Five failures remained.

'Talking about hunting... ...'

Belnoa chuckled bitterly and took a step back. Nausea rose, and his vision blurred.

"Grr... ..."

Suppressing the urge to vomit, Belnoa crossed the boundary line on his own. Charging in this state would only result in getting hit and knocked down.

"Sixth time."

And a voice was heard.

Belnoa looked in the direction of the voice. There stood Professor Lania, just as she had been at the start of the exam.

Her shirt was still pristine.

Not a single stain. In contrast, what about his own clothes? Belnoa looked at his clothes.

Kicked and rolled on the ground.

Covered in dirt. Looking at his own body, a bitter laugh escaped his lips.

'...Even with so many restrictions.'

He still couldn't match her.

She was too far out of reach.

'But, it's not just failure.'

In his five attempts, including this one, Belnoa hadn't wasted his efforts. Through repeated attempts, he had discovered another restriction.

It was a critical restriction.

Using it, victory seemed within reach.

'...But it's not easy to exploit.'

A decisive something was missing. And Belnoa knew what it was.

'The toughness to withstand a hit.'

Many strategies came to mind, but they all assumed the ability to withstand a blow. And Belnoa lacked that toughness.

'I lose my composure the moment I get hit.'

By the time he regained his composure, he would already be pushed outside the boundary line. He needed a countermeasure.

'But how?'

A spell-created shield was useless. He had tried to substitute it with shadows, but it was ineffective. The only way was to take the hit and endure it.

But toughness doesn't increase just because you want it to.

'How to... ...'

While Belnoa was thinking.

"Belnoa."

A voice came from somewhere.

Belnoa turned his head. There stood a familiar figure. A boy with white hair and red eyes. In his hands were the symbolic hand axes.

Lark von Grace.

An opponent he had practiced with many times. A barbarian warrior with good toughness...

"Ah."

The moment this thought crossed his mind.

Belnoa suddenly spoke.

"Professor Lania."

The voice wasn't directed at Lark. Turning his head, Belnoa looked at Professor Lania sitting in the forest clearing and asked.

"Is the exam a 1-on-1?"

"There's no such condition."

The answer came.

Belnoa turned to look at Lark. The solution to the problem he had been thinking about was right in front of him.

'A shield to withstand a hit.'

Belnoa muttered unconsciously.

"I found it."

"Huh? Found what?"

Lark tilted his head.

Belnoa swallowed the rest of his words. Then, he extended his hand toward Lark.

"Lark."

"What is it?"

"Do you want to cooperate?"

"Coincidence. I was about to say the same thing."

Lark grabbed the hand Belnoa extended.

Lark helped Belnoa stand up. They didn't exchange many words. They adjusted their weapons and moved forward.

After all, they had been practicing together since the beginning of the semester.

They knew each other's fighting styles. They had a rough idea of what they lacked and what the other had. There was no need to practice together.

Click.

They stood side by side at the boundary line. Each holding their weapon, they glared at the figure in the clearing. Their gazes converged on one point.

'Lania von Trias.'

The disaster called the nightmare of Afflia.

...Humans sometimes cooperate.

To face a disaster they can't overcome alone.

Author's Note (Author's Postscript)

A simulated experience of Afflia's disaster.

*Although I brought 8,500 characters, which is about 1.7 times the usual, it doesn't seem that much because I've been writing around 7,000 characters recently... ...

I'm sorry for the hiatus ㅠㅠ

I struggled