Chapter 19

Chapter 9. What on Earth is the Eye of the Heart? (2)

What on earth is the Eye of the Heart?

After finishing Luna's training and returning, Jin's mind is inevitably filled with such questions. When you ponder a problem for a long time without finding an answer, it's bound to give you a headache and make your chest feel tight.

The contemplation continued into the next day.

Luna's training must have some effect. After all, a 'genius among geniuses' wouldn't give us amateur training.

'Ugh, thinking about what the Eye of the Heart is all night has made my body feel even more sluggish. I need to sweat it out during sparring and clear my head.'

Did Big Sister Luna do the same training when she was fourteen? On the way to Garon's training ground, Jin thought about his eldest sister's past.

There's a nineteen-year age gap between them, so he couldn't witness her growth firsthand. However, he had heard that she went through an incredibly intense adolescence.

'Well, anyway, Big Sister must have judged that I can handle the training.'

It was 7:00 AM.

Cadets were gradually gathering at the training ground. Since today was for 'practice sparring,' a strange tension filled the air among the cadets.

Sparring performance is a significant part of the criteria for evaluating Guardian Knight cadets.

And good performance is a clear indicator of becoming a Guardian Knight with a high salary and special treatment. The cadets couldn't help but be on edge.

'The atmosphere is intense. Everyone looks ready to kill their opponent, no matter who it is. But Velop... sigh.'

Jin shifted his gaze to Velop, who was crouched in a corner.

Sure enough, the timid boy was nervously scanning his surroundings without a moment's rest. It felt like watching a herbivore looking for a place to hide from a predator.

'What's his problem? How did he even pass the Guardian Knight cadet exam with that personality?'

Given that Velop passed the exam, he must have been called a 'genius' outside. Jin found it hard to understand why he was so timid.

'Well... maybe he thought he was a genius, but after coming here, he realized there were so many people better than him, and he lost his confidence. Or maybe he's just naturally like that...'

Jin shook his head.

'My head is already complicated enough with Big Sister Luna. I'll make sure this kid doesn't get expelled, so I'll stop worrying about him!'

As Garon arrived at the training ground, the cadets quickly lined up. After a brief warm-up, Garon began to announce the sparring schedule.

"Today's sparring will be three rounds each! We'll switch partners. And the top ten winners will each face Young Master Jin."

"Yes, Instructor!"

Currently, there was no cadet in Garon's class who could defeat Jin. Therefore, during sparring, he would face multiple opponents like this.

"Garon, when will I move up to the intermediate class?"

In the intermediate class, cadets are directly guided by the elders of Runcandel, not by invited instructors like Garon. Additionally, using real swords and aura is allowed during sparring, which is a significant difference from the beginner class.

Jin was starting to want to move up to the intermediate class.

"Madam Rosa said that if Young Master can defeat ten cadets today, you can be promoted early next year."

"Is that so?"

Though he said it casually, ten Runcandel cadets are no small matter.

Especially the top ten cadets who have won their sparring matches. They are on a different level from cadets in other kingdoms' sword academies or mercenary training camps.

"Eddington, Mark! You two are first, get ready!"

Two boys with fierce eyes faced each other in the center of the training ground. As the sparring began on Garon's command, Jin carefully observed their movements.

'As expected, they're all doing well.'

Their movements were both fluid and powerful. Even in the midst of tension, they showed a calmness in calculating their moves. They were indeed worthy of being Runcandel cadets.

Swoosh, swoosh!

Though they were using wooden swords, the sound of them cutting through the air was sharp. Even without a blade, a direct hit could break an untrained person's skull.

"Ugh!"

Eddington's wooden sword struck his opponent's side. With a crack, Mark's ribs broke, and he fell to the ground, trembling.

The medical team from Runcandel, waiting on the side, carried Mark away on a stretcher.

This is how sparring works. The match ends when one opponent is completely subdued or rendered unable to fight.

"Winner, Eddington. Rest over there. Next, Fields and Sierra..."

Nine rounds of sparring passed in this manner, and the tenth match was between Velop and a girl named Mesa Milcano.

Jin naturally paid close attention to Velop's sparring.

'Velop is still on the defensive today.'

In contrast, Mesa was relentlessly attacking Velop. As one of the top students in the class, this was to be expected.

It was a familiar scene. This wasn't the first time Jin had seen Velop's sparring.

"Come on, Velop Schmitz! Are you just going to run away?"

As Mesa shouted and swung her wooden sword, Jin suddenly noticed something.

He felt that Velop's movements were 'better than expected'... and realized that this was a result of his own 'Eye of the Heart' growing.

'Velop, you little guy. You're not just being pushed back; you're letting them win!'

Jin involuntarily stood up.

Though it seemed he was barely blocking the attacks, there was a clear sense of ease in Velop's movements.

'In the 20 exchanges, Velop had at least 3 opportunities to counterattack. It wasn't by chance; Velop naturally created these counterattack opportunities. But why?'

Why is he only defending?

While Jin was pondering, the other cadets were only interested in when Mesa would finish Velop.

They thought there was nothing to learn from such one-sided sparring, especially from Velop's matches.

'...Could it be that?'

Jin focused again on Velop's movements, from how he avoided and blocked attacks to his facial expressions.

His expression was generally poor. His eyes, filled with fear, looked endlessly anxious, and his tightly closed mouth suggested he just wanted to get out of the situation.

In contrast, his movements were superior to Mesa's. Though it seemed he was being pushed back, the ease in his actions meant he could turn the tide at any moment if he chose to.

Yet he didn't start a counterattack, which made Jin feel a sense of dissonance.

The other cadets, except for Jin, were completely unaware of this.

Where did this dissonance come from? Jin soon found the answer.

'He's not afraid of losing or getting hit.'

People don't usually feel fear when facing someone they clearly see as 'weaker.' And to Jin, Velop was stronger than Mesa.

'Velop is afraid of hurting his opponent. That's why he's fighting so passively.'

There was no other way to explain this peculiar sparring.

'Given his personality, he's not overconfident in his abilities and deliberately letting them win. He's just so unsure that he ends up only defending, which makes it look like he's letting them win.'

The moment Jin reached this conclusion, Velop's wooden sword hit the ground. At the same time, Mesa leaped and struck his chin with her knee, ending the sparring.

"Match over. Winner, Mesa. Rest over there."

"Yes, Instructor."

After a couple of hours, the sparring finally came to Jin's turn. From the 24 winners, Garon selected the top ten.

"Get ready, Young Master."

"Understood."

As Jin stepped into the center of the training ground, the cadets' eyes lit up. To them, Jin was not only the youngest of Runcandel but also a monster with terrifying skills.

Observing Jin's skills during sparring was the highlight of their training.

"Eddington, Sierra, David, Mesa... face Young Master Jin in order."

Jin gripped his wooden sword and faced his first opponent.

'Hmm, I have to defeat ten people.'

The current record is eight.

If he beats two more today, he can move up to the intermediate class early next year.

Of course, in a real fight, he could handle twenty, not just ten, but in sparring, he can't use spirit energy or magic.

He has to win purely with sword skills. And he can't kill his opponents.

'The Tona brothers already moved up to the intermediate class a year ago.'

Of course, the Tona brothers moved up faster than Jin, not because they were better, but because they had a string of successes on missions.

The Tona brothers only dominated Jin in the early stages. After a year, they were consistently defeated by Jin in sparring. They advanced after achieving success on missions with other brothers.

Jin also believed there was still more to learn in the beginner class. And today, after analyzing Velop's movements, he felt his judgment was correct.

"I'm ready, Young Master Jin."

"Sure, Eddington. I'll leave it to you."

Whoosh!

Eddington charged at Jin with his wooden sword. A surprise attack. He judged that if he didn't establish momentum early, he couldn't defeat Jin.

But it was a mistake.

Jin leaned into the wooden sword coming towards his chest. At the same time, he twisted his body, stepped on Eddington's foot, and struck his neck with the wooden sword.

However, Eddington, who became a Runcandel cadet by luck, wasn't just lucky. He reflexively bent his neck to avoid Jin's attack.

"Kuh!"

But he didn't completely avoid it. Jin's wooden sword grazed Eddington's ear.

'Missed, but not bad.'

Eddington, who had stepped back, gripped his sword again. However, the attack that grazed his ear had made his eardrum ring, and his sense of direction was temporarily impaired.

If it were a one-on-one sparring, he might have waited a few seconds.

But he had to face nine more opponents. Jin immediately pressed Eddington and ended the first sparring. Since his opponent had already lost his sense of direction, there was no need to cause serious injury or pain.

"...I lost, Young Master."

"Good job, Eddington Wess. Go to the medical team and have your ear checked."

"Yes, I understand."

"Next, Sierra! Start the sparring immediately."

As Garon shouted, the second sparring began.

"Please take care of me, Young Master Jin."

"I should be the one to say that, Sierra Kamara."

The second sparring didn't end as quickly as the first. The ten selected by Garon were arranged in increasing order of strength.