Reincarnated as a Genius Prodigy of a Prestigious Family - Chapter 99

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Reincarnated as a Legendary Talent Genius of a Noble Family Episode 99

 

 

 

57. The Third Core

 

 

The knight order candidate trainees of Duke Termion House are assigned different numbers according to their skill level.

The rule is simple.

The lower the number, the stronger the candidate, and naturally, the higher their chances of becoming a knight.

In that sense, the 40th candidate Boyan stepping forward was a reasonably good balance.

His opponent was an Academy freshman.

The problem was that he wasn’t an ordinary freshman.

“…I acknowledge my defeat.”

The 40th candidate.

Then the 34th candidate.

Next was the 20th candidate.

Now it was the 15th candidate.

“…I’m at a loss for words.”

Sir Asmar muttered blankly beside Duke Termion.

“Didn’t I tell you.”

Duke Termion had an expression as if he had expected this.

“That using candidates would only waste time.”

“Even so…”

Sir Asmar swallowed his words.

Because it was being proven right now.

He had only thought of Dane as a ‘genius freshman’ at best.

How strong could a 14-year-old be?

Of course, he had seen him sparring with Leila before enrollment, and heard rumors of his quite impressive achievements.

But rumors were just rumors.

So he thought he had selected just the right opponents…

“None of them lasted more than three exchanges.”

All of the 40th, 34th, 20th, and 15th candidates were defeated without lasting more than three exchanges.

Thanks to that, Dane showed no signs of fatigue and his breathing wasn’t even disturbed.

“…Insane talent.”

“He’s 14 years old, you said?”

“I heard he’s the same age as Young Lady Leila.”

“Who would have thought the candidates couldn’t even put up a fight.”

And the knights’ reactions were much the same.

They too had naturally expected before the start that Dane would be equal to the candidates, or perhaps have some advantage, and that the combat would continue for quite a while.

But the time it took to defeat four candidates was only 10 minutes.

Even half of that was time spent showing courtesy to each other and preparing for the sparring.

If it had been real combat, a moment would have been enough to finish all four.

“Sogress Spearmanship, impressive.”

“I’d like to try fighting him.”

While several knights showed their competitive spirit, Sir Asmar finally stepped forward.

“Listen everyone. As you saw, four of our knight order candidates were defeated by Young Master Dane Sogress.”

“…”

“Are there any more candidates who wish to step forward?”

Then a giant man who had been sitting until then rose to his feet.

“I’ll give it a try.”

With a height more than a span taller than others and an enormous build, it was like a mountain rising up.

“He’s finally stepping forward.”

“This should be interesting.”

The giant man, befitting his size, came forward carrying a practice greatsword that nearly reached an average person’s height, then stood before Dane and showed proper courtesy.

“Quantas Daggerweld, 1st candidate of Duke Termion House knight order, requests a sparring match with Young Master Dane Sogress.”

Dane accepted the sparring with an expression showing no particular interest even at such a build.

“I accept your sparring request.”

With that, Dane took the same stance he had used against the previous four candidates and aimed his spear tip at Quantas.

“Please go easy on me.”

Quantas said this while looking at the spear tip pointed at him.

‘All four previous sparring matches ended in an instant. It’s not technique or any trick. He’s a strong opponent.’

Quantas was the strongest man among Duke Termion House knight order candidates. The number 1 proved this.

He had three cores.

No, he was a Triple-class approaching Quad-class.

Therefore, it should be normal to defeat an Academy freshman no matter how genius they were.

‘At most two cores.’

Young Lady Leila, the Danter Cup winner and said to be the most outstanding talent in the Empire, had two cores.

Then no matter how strong he was, it should be around that level—

What was this overwhelming presence?

Just the stance of aiming a spear while standing made him lose the will to charge forward.

Quantas was cautious and serious, unlike the previous four candidates.

Despite wielding a heavy greatsword, he had an extremely meticulous personality.

He, who regarded Keltas Redfield as the knight he most respected, was now racking his brain on how to defeat this Dane Sogress before his eyes.

“If you won’t come, I’ll go first.”

But his thoughts didn’t continue for long.

Thud!

Dane kicked off the ground and instantly closed in.

‘H-he’s charging in with a spear?’

Surprisingly, he entered the greatsword’s range while wielding his spear.

Thwack! Thud!

Twice with the spear shaft.

Quantas retreated in shock.

He thought he would attack with the spear tip, but in an instant twisted his arms to attack with the spear shaft.

It was irregularity itself.

Generally, the standard for spears when facing sword-wielding enemies is to maintain distance to utilize the range advantage.

But Dane was the opposite—

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!

Now he was even distracting his vision by spinning the spear.

“Crazy, Count Sogress taught him properly, didn’t he?”

“Who would have thought he’d charge in and attack with the spear shaft.”

“Any ordinary candidate would have been finished right there. Quantas held out because he’s Quantas.”

Quantas gulped down his saliva.

‘What should I do.’

Honestly, he was going crazy.

He couldn’t even remember how he had deflected those two spear shaft attacks just now.

It was truly his instincts that saved him.

“Good reflexes.”

In the midst of this, Dane even leisurely praised Quantas, then suddenly stopped spinning his spear—

Thwack!

He dove in once again.

Quantas thought it would be another spear shaft attack and pulled his heavy sword close to his body.

But it wasn’t.

This time it was the spear blade.

Thwang, thud!

The first spear blade attack drove Quantas’s heavy sword into the ground.

The second hooked the sword buried in the ground and sent it flying into the air.

His practice heavy sword spinning round and round in the air caught Quantas’s eye.

Thunk!

And the heavy sword came down and stuck firmly into the ground between Dane and Quantas.

“….”

Quantas was too dazed to even think of admitting defeat.

‘What just happened?’

Cold sweat ran down his back.

Even with the rule preventing mana from flowing on weapon surfaces, wasn’t this skill gap too extreme?

He couldn’t properly respond to a single thing.

Not a single thing.

A crushing sense of defeat was washing over him.

“Incredible. This is unbelievable.”

“At this level, we’d need actual knights, not candidates.”

Amid the knights’ voices, Sir Asmar made the declaration.

“Young Master Dane Sogress is victorious.”

Dane waited for those words to finish, then planted his spear in the ground and approached to pull out the heavy sword.

He handed it to Quantas and said.

“It was a good sparring match.”

“…Thank… you.”

Quantas accepted the heavy sword in a daze.

Then his eyes flashed at Dane’s advice that followed.

“Excellent heavy sword technique. Though your attacks didn’t succeed, I believe it was because you faced an opponent with a spear. Next time, try gripping your sword a bit more loosely and shortening your steps by half a pace for better results.”

A bit more loosely.

Shortening by just half a pace.

Things Quantas had never known.

His own problems that he vaguely sensed but couldn’t clearly define.

“…!”

Dane had precisely identified those problems and advised Quantas accordingly.

Perhaps—

Clear advice that might elevate Quantas to the next level.

“I won’t forget this kindness.”

Quantas forgot his recent defeat and was filled with elation.

Dane smiled at Quantas’s expression of gratitude and turned away.

Now five consecutive victories.

The atmosphere had changed.

If curiosity and slight indifference had dominated initially, now amazement, excitement, and even some jealousy were mixed in.

And the source of that jealousy was Leila.

‘That guy really.’

By now she should have stopped being surprised.

But facing his actual skill, she couldn’t help but feel jealous.

As always, he was constantly ahead.

This was even her family’s First Training Ground, with Father Duke Termion and all the knights watching.

But that jealousy didn’t last long.

‘Someday I too will….’

Leila clenched her fists in determination.

Duke Termion watched Leila with a pleased smile.

‘Perhaps Leila’s greatest fortune was meeting Dane.’

People who constantly provide stimulation and enlightenment from beside you are never common.

In that sense—

Leila and Dane reminded him of his own childhood with Aken.

The past when they got along well but never wanted to lose to each other in talent.

‘Hmm, but now.’

What should be done now?

Dane always exceeded expectations, and now was no different.

Who would have thought he’d defeat Quantas, the strongest candidate, in just four exchanges?

“What do you think, Sir Asmar?”

“….”

Sir Asmar hesitated before answering.

“Honestly, he’d have no problem sparring with a knight.”

“I think so too. Do you see the knights’ expressions?”

Sir Asmar nodded, watching several knights shifting restlessly.

“Yes. Shall we have one of them go?”

“What if he loses?”

“That won’t happen.”

“You don’t know how to be objective, Sir Asmar.”

Duke Termion chuckled and placed a hand on his shoulder.

“If that fellow uses his full strength, how high in our rankings could he go?”

“….”

To him who gave no answer came shocking words.

“I’m not sure about you, but those below you would be manageable.”

“…!”

“Though actual combat might be a different story.”

It wouldn’t be favoritism just because he was a friend’s son.

But he couldn’t accept it.

“If that’s true, we’ll have to verify it.”

No matter how much of a genius from Sogress County, a knight was still a knight.

The idea of a knight from their order, rivaling the Imperial Knights, losing to an academy student—a freshman at that—was unimaginable.

Sir Asmar spotted someone who caught his eye.

Knight Order rank 30.

Donny Esteban.

The eldest son of Baron Esteban’s family, one of the Empire’s renowned swordsmanship houses.

Already possessing four cores, with rapid growth suggesting he could easily reach vice-captain someday.

Donny also rose from his seat as if responding to this.

“I am Donny Esteban of the Termion Knights. Duke, if acceptable, might a knight also request a sparring match?”

Everyone was surprised.

The candidates were speechless, and even other knights looked quite shocked.

“Donny couldn’t hold back.”

“I knew it would be him if anyone stepped forward.”

Duke Termion looked at Dane.

Dane nodded.

It meant he was fine with it.

His face even looked pleased.

‘Well, I’ll be.’

Duke Termion inwardly chuckled and gave his consent.

“I permit it.”

“Thank you, Duke.”

Donny bowed his head, then immediately entered the training circle and showed proper courtesy.

“Donny Esteban of the Termion Knights. I request a sparring match with Young Master Dane Sogress of Sogress County.”

“Donny Esteban. I accept your sparring request.”

Dane picked up his spear as he always did.

But this time was a little different.

The aura they each gave off was different.

Without either taking the lead, both Dane and Donny drew up mana from their cores.

An atmosphere completely different from before.

As long as they didn’t let mana flow onto the weapon’s surface, everything else was possible.

In other words—

It was predictable that this would be completely different from the five sparring matches just now.

‘It’s about to begin.’

Probably everyone here would expect Donny’s victory.

There was no question of holding back or not.

Considering the pride and self-respect of the Termion Knights, that would actually be more shameful.

But just one person.

‘Dane will win.’

Only Leila sent infinite trust.

Clang!

The sparring began.

 

 

A Quad-level expert.

Excluding Father and Professor Keltas, this would probably be the strongest opponent among my formal sparring partners in this current life.

I’m neither afraid nor nervous.

Rather, I think this worked out well.

Clang!

I’m definitely being overpowered in strength.

Part of it was due to my body being less developed, but mainly because of the difference in mana core numbers between my current two cores and the four cores that knight Donny surely possessed.

No matter how much ancient mana I possessed, the difference in physical abilities from the mana core gap was clear.

But I wasn’t being pushed back.

“Good heavens.”

“He’s holding his ground against Donny and even counterattacking?”

Rather, while actively deflecting Donny’s penetrating attacks, I even launched counterattacks using techniques I’d learned rolling around battlefields.

Thwack!

Among them, a counter struck with my spear shaft properly hit Donny’s arm.

“…!”

True to being a member of Termion’s knights, he didn’t let out a groan. He even charged in as if nothing had happened.

Clang!

Good talent.

And destructive swordsmanship.

But he lacked experience and—

“I wish you’d attack a bit better.”

“…How dare you.”

Most critically, he got excited easily.

Where had his endurance of the arm pain gone? He began charging in more fiercely.

Clang, clank! Thud!

A difference in basic physical strength.

“Does it seem like I’m attacking well now?”

“It does seem so.”

Donny would think he was pressuring me.

But the moment I saw an opening.

Thud!

I swung my spear shaft with the strongest force I could muster and struck away Donny’s blade.

“Urgh!”

Donny panicked and retreated greatly.

Those eyes that couldn’t believe it.

Normally, I could attack here and finish it.

But right now, at this moment, something came up that I needed to do.

For a more perfect victory.

“…?”

In the brief lull, Donny looked puzzled when I didn’t attack.

I paid no mind and kept my distance while tapping my ticklish chest.

It seemed like it was about time.

Time to move beyond the two cores I’d held for quite a long time, toward three cores.

Balancing was now finished.

Two circles created from ancient mana concentrates.

Because of this, it took quite a long time to advance to the third core, but….

Not anymore.

Whooom.

Very briefly, when I closed my eyes, I felt it.

The sensation of cores about to expand to three.

“Finally.”

I don’t know why, but growth had been quite slow since creating two cores.

But the story changed a bit after obtaining two ancient mana concentrates and creating two circles.

The mana that had been condensing sluggishly until then finally picked up speed….

At this very moment, it had finished preparing to create a new core.

Was it thanks to the stimulation of combat?

Whooom.

I felt the new core forming in my chest throughout my entire body and smiled wickedly.

The third core.

A much more intense power seemed to swirl through my body than before.

Yes, this was it.

The exhilaration felt when creating a core.

It had been quite a while, so I wanted to savor it for a long time, but unfortunately that wouldn’t be possible.

Grip.

I gripped my spear, which felt much lighter, and aimed it at Donny—

“Here I come.”

Whoosh!

Much faster, more intense, and more precisely than before, I kicked off the ground and charged toward Donny in an instant.

Tap.

That was the end of it.

“…This is ridiculous….”

Donny muttered with a face full of disbelief, looking at my spear tip that had stopped right in front of his chest.

His sword was still in a state where it hadn’t even finished preparing to thrust forward.

In other words.

I had closed the distance and subdued him before Doni could even react.

“You were hiding your skill level.”

Doni spoke to me as if he couldn’t believe it.

I pondered for a moment before answering.

“Would you believe me if I said my skills improved a bit in the meantime?”

“…That’s completely absurd.”

There are often absurd things that happen in this world.

Like right now, when a third core gets created at such perfect timing.

Of course, even if I hadn’t created the third core….

I would have won.

And easily at that.

My senses from my previous life are incomparably more seasoned than this knight called Doni.

“I acknowledge my defeat.”

Doni dropped his sword—

“Young Master Dane Sogress… has achieved victory.”

Sir Asmar’s trembling voice could be heard.

And right now, at this moment, I was thinking of something other than the joy of victory.

Grumble.

Maybe it’s because I won 6 matches in a row.

I’m incredibly hungry.

I should eat some tart later.

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