Reincarnated as a Genius Prodigy of a Prestigious Family - Chapter 371

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Reincarnated as a Legendary Talent Genius of a Noble Family Episode 371

269. Adaptation Training

Finally, the final exams began.

“Ernest, did you get any sleep?”

“I don’t know… What about you, Altur?”

“Me? Well, I’m from the Magic Department so I’m always used to it. Look, there’s Jenna coming. She’s staggering. Did she use necromancy?”

“Last time when studying for exams, she was summoning some scholar’s soul. She maintained necromancy for 5 hours and then slept for two straight days. Oh, where’s Priscilla?”

“She said she’s pulling an all-nighter in the examination hall. Together with Dorian.”

“How ridiculous. Those two are really head over heels for each other.”

Everyone was acting as if some storm was approaching, while I alone seemed to be inside the eye of that storm.

Meaning it was calm.

“Senior, do you have any secrets for studying for exams?”

Benatio, who seemed to be seeing me like this for almost the first time, asked.

So I answered simply.

“Just do it.”

“As expected, you must really like studying.”

“I like learning, but I hate exams too.”

“So there are things you dislike too, Senior.”

“I also really hate it when someone follows me around.”

For some reason, Benatio averted his gaze.

Look at this fellow.

“Phew. Since today is the first day… we’ll probably be half-dead by the time it’s all over.”

“Dane, are you really leaving right away for the Western Region after it’s over? With only one day of rest?”

“If it’s the Western Region… I’ll need to wear long sleeves, right?”

“I heard there’s something called sunscreen these days. They say it’s good if you apply it?”

“Teachers, but do you think there really is something called a ‘mirage’ in the desert?”

In the midst of all this, everyone seemed excited about going on an adventure after the final exams.

The Western Region.

We’re going to investigate traces of demons and search through ancient Arcana texts to find the fifth mana concentrator as researched.

This time we expect a journey of more than a month.

It’s longer than when we explored the Habarosk Mountain Range.

“Let’s all deal with our exams first and then come back.”

Leila organized things, and so we scattered for our respective exams.

First, my first exam was the two majors from the Autonomous Department.

“What’s so special about an exam? Let’s just spar. You’ll get an A+ without even taking it.”

“Is it okay to just give it out like that?”

“Just give it out? If I don’t give you an A+, who would I give it to?”

“There’s no one to give it to. I’m the only one in this department.”

“Oops.”

The first exam was sparring with Professor Keltas.

The sparring was the same as before.

However-

Clank.

“Draw it. It’s a real sword.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes. We’re going for real combat.”

Using an actual sharpened sword instead of a practice sword meant this wasn’t sparring.

“For someone of your level taking an exam, shouldn’t it be at least this much?”

At those words, I seriously accepted the sword.

“However, mana is forbidden. If you use mana, even I can’t guarantee victory.”

“Even without using mana, that’s not really the case, is it?”

“You rascal. I may have retired, but I won’t be pushed around by a kid who’s not even an adult yet.”

Shing.

I drew my sword.

There was no need for the courtesy of sparring.

From the moment I drew the sword, I had to watch for the opponent’s opening.

Thud!

The one who charged first was Professor Keltas.

Clang!

Certainly, was it because of the blade?

Despite being a sword with no difference in weight, the heavy impact transmitted through my hands.

It felt like my senses were standing on edge.

From the moment I held a real sword, the space where I stood with the real sword became a battlefield.

A fact I had never forgotten for even a moment since I first held a sword and killed an enemy in my previous life.

“As expected, even your eyes are different.”

Clang, kang!

Professor Keltas, who today was launching attacks several times without any defensive stance.

Yes, this is it.

No matter how firmly you set your mind, sparring cannot escape the level of sparring.

But from the moment you hold a real sword and face the fact that you’ll die if cut or stabbed, it becomes different.

The famous phrase that a hundred days of sparring can’t match a single day of real combat.

Those words were being realized right now between Professor Keltas and me.

Kang!

This time I went on the counterattack.

“Fierce.”

Clang!

“And heavy.”

Professor Keltas defended against my three sword strikes, then leaped back to create distance.

“You really are extraordinary, you rascal.”

A pleased expression.

“Honestly, I wonder what I’ve actually taught you.”

“I learned a lot though.”

It wasn’t modesty but the truth.

Sparring with Professor Keltas was a great help in maintaining my senses, and also helped in developing swordsmanship suited to this body afterward.

“Your swordsmanship is a form that’s hard to find in any empire’s formal swordsmanship… Rather, you swing it however you want, yet it’s mysteriously threatening and powerful.”

As expected, you can’t fool the eyes of a veteran.

So accurate.

I never systematically learned swordsmanship in my previous life.

It’s just swordsmanship created by swinging to survive, stealing from others, and overcoming dozens of life-and-death crises.

So paradoxically, there’s still much room for addition or subtraction.

The same goes for now.

I had carefully observed Professor Keltas’s attacks that were just pressing me.

It looked quite useful.

The sword path of rushing in at once and delivering three strikes – two to the upper section and two to the lower section – was quite impressive.

Thud!

This time I charged in and returned it exactly as it was.

Kang, clang! Kang!

Three sword strikes.

This time, Professor Keltas’s eyes were filled with bewilderment as he barely managed to block my attack.

He wasn’t bewildered because he barely blocked it, but because he was shocked by my swordsmanship.

“What the hell was that?”

“It looked quite sharp, so I tried copying it.”

“That’s not the problem—do you even know what you just copied?”

I tilted my head, wondering what he meant.

“Why do you ask?”

“That’s one of our family’s secret sword forms, specifically designed to subjugate opponents in the first strike.”

Ah.

So I just stole a secret technique?

“It’s pretty good. This technique.”

“Someone spent 10 years training to barely perfect that…”

Hmm.

It feels good to receive praise.

“Then I’ll develop it further and use it.”

“Damn fellow.”

“If anyone asks, I’ll mention your name, Professor.”

“How thoughtful of you, you bastard.”

He was cursing with his mouth, but his eyes looked quite pleased.

“Since it’s come to this, want to learn some of our family’s secret swordsmanship?”

“You’d curse at me if I said I’d just pick and choose only what I like, right?”

“You know me well. So go ahead and try to steal them properly.”

The swordsmanship Professor Keltas displayed afterward was definitely fierce and intense.

Secret swordsmanship that exists in every family.

Actually, there’s no need for such a grandiose name as ‘secret.’ It’s just a series of cutting and thrusting motions.

But there are always useful things within them.

“Oh, you’re copying this too?”

“It looked decent.”

“Then try copying this too!”

When I continued to follow his defensive moves and attack stances several times, Professor Keltas seemed completely excited.

“Who would have thought someone outside the family would appear to teach our secret swordsmanship to.”

How is it that everyone I meet says it’s their first time teaching me something?

Sidrain was like that, Professor Cross was like that, and Professor Keltas here is like that too.

Well, it’s a good thing.

It means I’m being recognized that much.

Clang!

Meanwhile, my first real battle with Professor Keltas seemed to be gradually reaching its climax.

We both showed smiles and exchanged jokes, but I knew and Professor Keltas knew too.

That if we made one wrong move, the opponent’s sword could take our head or pierce our heart.

That’s why we were fighting even more desperately—

Kang!

I was displaying swordsmanship more seriously than ever before in this current life.

Then when I caught a glimpse of an opening in Professor Keltas’s guard, I hesitated.

It wasn’t because I was considering Professor Keltas’s dignity if I won by exploiting that opening.

Was it a trap, or not?

In that brief moment, I finished my deliberation—

“…!”

And dove in.

But while watching Professor Keltas’s feet.

Just as I thought.

As if he had been waiting for me to dive in, I could see Professor Keltas’s right foot turning very slightly.

Kang!

I matched that direction and swept my sword diagonally upward, sending Professor Keltas’s sword flying before he could properly position himself.

And that was the end.

“…Hehe. I knew this would happen someday.”

Professor Keltas burst into hearty laughter as he looked at my sword that had approached his neck while his own was knocked away.

“Excellent.”

“It was a good fight.”

Shing.

Click.

I concluded the duel by sheathing my sword.

“Thank you. For not cutting my neck.”

“Then I’d lose an opponent to sweat and fight with like this, wouldn’t I?”

“Hehe. That’s a plausible excuse.”

Professor Keltas chuckled, then spoke as if he just remembered something.

“Ah, that’s right. Since the semester is over, I have something to give you as a commemoration.”

“It’s not a sword, is it?”

Professor Keltas, who had been walking excitedly toward the warehouse, stopped abruptly.

Then he slowly turned his head and asked with a dejected expression.

“…Did you know by any chance?”

“Rather than knowing… I just had a feeling.”

I grinned and shook my head.

“Aw, you spoiled it. I was going to give it to you dramatically.”

“I’ll just accept the thought. I already have a sword.”

“A sword isn’t something you use for life, is it?”

“Hmm… I wonder.”

One Arcanium sword is enough.

I was already thinking I’d have to use just this one for life since the blade doesn’t dull, so adding another would truly be wasteful.

I took the opportunity to show him my sword.

As I drew it from its scabbard, green light burst forth.

“What… what kind of sword is this?”

When I gave him a rough explanation, Professor Keltas immediately understood.

“Hmm. If it’s a sword like this, I can understand refusing. May I swing it once?”

“Of course.”

Whoosh, whooom.

Professor Keltas was amazed after just two swings.

“It’s an incredible sword. Though you can’t use it at night.”

“That’s why during the day I mainly just grab any sword or use a spear.”

“Ugh. I was going to use giving you a sword as an excuse to make you do this and that.”

“You can just stay and teach me next semester too.”

“I was planning to do that anyway. How could I give up a position like this?”

Professor Keltas asked while wiping away his sweat.

“Anyway, you worked hard this semester. Are you going to take your next test now?”

“Yes. I’m going to take Professor Cross’s test.”

“Hmm. I’ve only run into that fellow a couple times throughout this entire semester. I hope we can become friendlier next semester. Does that fellow drink?”

“I’m not sure. I haven’t drunk with him.”

Since he’s a lich, I’m not sure if he can even get drunk.

Anyway.

I immediately moved on to my next test.

I wasn’t tired.

Rather, I feel good.

How long has it been since I fought so earnestly, drawing my real sword like this?

Although I didn’t use mana, the true essence of swordsmanship is not using mana.

That’s why it was more enjoyable.

But now it’s time to use mana.

“You’re here? Ho. You look slightly out of breath. That’s a first.”

“You noticed. I just came from taking Professor Keltas’s exam.”

“Ah, that child. He was lurking around in front of my research lab the other day with a bottle of liquor.”

I almost burst out laughing at the expression “child.”

Well, since he’s a lich who’s lived for hundreds of years, even though he looks old, he might appear as a child in Professor Cross’s eyes.

“So, how’s your exam preparation? Just so-so?”

“What kind of exam did you say we’d be taking?”

“…Ahem. What kind of exam would it be if I told you everything we’d be testing?”

Other subjects told us the exam scope and such though.

“Anyway, there’s not much to tell you about today’s exam.”

Snap.

Professor Cross suddenly flicked his finger.

Then a teleport gate appeared in the void.

No, rather than that…

“It looks like a teleport gate, but it’s not, is it?”

“You noticed well.”

I can detect a completely different mana arrangement from the teleport gates I’ve seen before.

In other words, this is a different magic.

“Right, this is a ‘Mana Realm’ I created in a separate location.”

I’m hearing this for the first time.

“You’re probably hearing this for the first time. It’s magic I completed about 10 years ago and haven’t announced to the academic world.”

As expected of Saul Hanston.

“It’s simple. I spent quite a long time creating a virtual realm. You won’t die in there, but you can feel everything vividly. For example, your body stays here but only your mind goes there.”

“That’s fascinating.”

“You’re probably the only fellow who would summarize such amazing magic with such a one-liner impression.”

Professor Cross grumbled and added.

“I specially made it with an environment similar to the western desert. You know what that means, right?”

I curled up the corners of my mouth at those words.

In short…

It’s adaptation training disguised as an exam.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————