The Failed Swordmaster - Chapter 25

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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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Chapter 25 12. New Ace (2)

Several people who made expressions asking what that meant started whispering among themselves.

“Did you hear? 2 against 1.”

“We originally had one more person… but even so, does 2 against 1 make sense?”

“Don’t tell me Daren and Sam are supposed to face Lumian alone?”

“Not even Teoro, no, even if it were Teoro this is a bit…”

Everyone in Class B was in a mood of disbelief. They looked toward Professor Karin with uncomfortable faces as if they had been insulted.

Of course, the angriest people were Daeren Duncan and Sam Marchal.

They were respectively evaluated as the second and third strongest in Class B, and had never fallen out of the top 10 in the entire grade.

Those two had to team up?

Moreover, their opponent was Lumian Calard, who had been dead last in the grade until last year?

‘I have to protest this!’

Sam Marchal looked toward Professor Karin while breathing heavily through his nose.

Normally he wouldn’t even dare to make eye contact properly, let alone talk back to such a person, but with his head heated up, none of that came to mind.

“Professor, there seems to be a problem with the matchup…”

“Rejected.”

“…Professor?”

But Professor Karin expressed his refusal before Sam’s words were even finished.

This meant he intended to proceed with this absurd 2-on-1 duel.

Then this time Daeren Duncan stepped forward and tried to voice his opinion. But he couldn’t.

Because he could feel subtle anger in the professor’s quickly following words.

“Are you questioning the professor’s judgment right now?”

“N-no, that’s not it…”

“Enough. I’ll forgive the rudeness so far. It seems I was lacking in explanation.”

“…”

Professor Karin looked around at all the Class B students. Then he focused his gaze on the two again.

They couldn’t say anything because of his authority, but still looked unconvinced. It seemed right to give them an explanation before moving on.

If he started the duel right away without sufficient explanation…

‘It might end immediately.’

That wasn’t what he wanted.

Professor Karin cleared his throat and quietly spoke his thoughts.

“Daren, and Sam. I know you both take pride in your respective abilities. Your grades are also in the upper ranks, and you’ve shown growth every time without being satisfied with that. As a professor, I’m very pleased with this.”

“…”

“However, that doesn’t mean I can tolerate rebellion against this professor’s methods. I think this final duel has winning chances for both sides. No, rather I think Lumian’s odds of winning are higher.”

“…!”

“Student Lumian has achieved that much growth. During the vacation, and during the first semester.”

Daren and Sam’s faces crumpled.

As if they had heard an insult to their family, their entire faces turned bright red. They looked as if they would pounce immediately if he weren’t a professor.

‘They still don’t believe my words.’

It couldn’t be helped.

In fact, if he didn’t know the circumstances, he might have shown a similar reaction. He had actually shown a bewildered reaction when Lumian first revealed his skills.

It seemed better to just proceed with the duel and make them realize it with their bodies.

“Hmm. That was a long digression. Anyway, the duel proceeds as planned. Daeren Duncan and Sam Marchal, you two will launch a coordinated attack against Lumian Calard.”

“…”

“Lumian, think about what strategy is needed for the few to face the many. Conversely, Daren and Sam, consider how you can make use of your numerical advantage. Move delicately so you don’t interfere with each other.”

“Yes!”

“…Yes.”

Lumian answered the professor’s words vigorously, while Daren and Sam responded in low voices.

It felt like angry beasts growling. Their gazes seemed to pierce through Lumian’s body.

‘I don’t know what the hell is going on, but…’

‘Damn, what kind of situation is this. Whatever. Since it’s come to this…’

We’ll beat him properly!

That was what both Daren and Sam thought simultaneously.

They would show an overwhelming performance against Lumian and let everyone know that Professor Karin’s eyes were like knotholes!

The two who made this firm resolution raised their swords. Lumian also took his stance.

Professor Karin, confirming this, shouted vigorously.

“Begin!”

As soon as the words fell, Lumian quickly approached the two.

Swish!

‘What!’

Daren was startled. Lumian’s speed far exceeded his expectations.

The sight of him instantly penetrating to their center and swinging his sword felt surreal.

He let out a groan through his teeth and swung his wooden sword from left to right. It was to deflect Lumian’s attack.

Crash!

The problem was what came next.

Lumian’s sword, which had clashed with Daren’s sword, was vigorously swung toward Sam.

Lumian’s attack, which used Daren’s defense in reverse, passed frighteningly fast across Sam’s throat, and without stopping there, quickly rotated once.

Thwack!

Lumian’s wooden sword, having lowered his stance, struck Daren’s shin. The time it took to get here was only about 2 seconds.

Daeren Duncan clutched his leg and sat down.

Painful groans flowed from his mouth. Through this, the professor’s stern voice echoed throughout the arena.

“Lumian, victory.”

“…!”

“…!”

Everyone was speechless.

Even the Class E students who knew of Lumian’s strength were like this, so the shock that Class B felt was indescribable.

To defeat Class B’s 2nd and 3rd place with just two sword swings?

And by Lumian, the perpetual last place failure?

It was unbelievable.

But it was stark reality. They couldn’t deny what they had clearly witnessed with their own eyes.

“Groan…”

“Damn…”

Daren and Sam glared at Lumian with resentful expressions.

They never dreamed he had become that strong. Stroking their burning throats and rubbing their numb legs, Sam and Daren thought to themselves.

If given another chance, they could fight much better than now!

But it was too late for regret.

The evaluation was already over. Professor Karin’s pouring criticism made them realize reality.

“Didn’t I clearly tell you not to be careless?”

“…”

“…”

“I also told you to fully consider the advantages of coordinated attacks. If you had positioned yourselves on Lumian’s left and right from the start, or front and back, this result wouldn’t have occurred. Am I right?”

“…You’re right.”

“That’s correct.”

“It was terrible. Engrave today’s events in your hearts for the entire year and reflect on them.”

Professor Karin, having finished his lecture, now turned his gaze toward Lumian.

He could see Lumian standing with a slightly awkward smile, as if the attention pouring on him was burdensome.

It was quite a different feeling from when they had their one-on-one consultation.

‘But that’s not the only thing that’s changed. His skills have improved even more.’

It was truly an insane growth rate.

He had thought Lumian would have the advantage, but he never expected him to achieve victory with just two swings.

Even if it was a surprise attack that took advantage of carelessness, he couldn’t help but acknowledge it.

“Lumian Calard.”

“Yes, Professor.”

“That was an excellent surprise attack. Your timing for breaking through and your wit in using your opponent’s strength against them were both good. I commend you.”

“Thank you.”

“But you were too bold. The best way to face many with few isn’t to fight multiple opponents at once, but to have one-on-one fights several times. Breaking through to the center of two opponents from the start of the match was too much of a gamble.”

“I apologize. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Several more criticisms followed after that. Lumian wore a pleased expression and took a listening posture, which made Professor Karin happy.

However, contrary to his outward appearance, Lumian was letting the professor’s explanations go in one ear and out the other.

Lumian wasn’t someone who needed to be lectured by him in the first place.

Even the first criticism he received was like that.

‘If I just run around aiming for one-on-ones, it wouldn’t be cool.’

What was important to Lumian was a flashy finish, not stability.

He continued pretending to take the professor’s advice to heart while quietly eavesdropping on the children’s conversations.

His hearing, enhanced with aura, caught the girls’ voices.

“Really amazing… How did he beat Daren and Sam in just two exchanges?”

“I know… So cool…”

“Wow, that’s one thing, but I think it’s also amazing how he’s agreeing with the professor’s words.”

“Right. Even though he won so perfectly, he’s incredibly humble.”

“Seeing that side of him, Lumian is definitely still Lumian, right? He got so much stronger than last year that he seemed like a different person.”

“Well, it’s much better than getting stronger and becoming arrogant. He actually feels much more reliable than those kids full of pretense.”

‘Good, perfect!’

Lumian cheered inwardly.

He was very pleased with the reaction of the female students from Class E.

The students from Class B weren’t showing the reaction he wanted, perhaps because the shock was too great, but that was fine. What was important for now was that he had announced his strength to the outside world.

If he continued working hard like this, someday all the second-year girls would show interest in him.

Thinking of such a future, Lumian vigorously answered Professor Karin’s final words.

“…Do you understand?”

“Yes. Thank you, Professor!”

“Good. Go back in. I talked too long.”

Lumian bowed and returned to Class E. Professor Karin, who had been watching his retreating figure warmly, soon hardened his expression.

After looking around at everyone once, he declared in a solemn voice.

“This exchange match between Class B and Class E is a victory for Class E. Class E will be awarded bonus points.”

“Waaaaaaah!”

“Of course, even without bonus points, you can still receive good individual evaluations, so don’t worry too much. That’s all for now.”

With those words, Professor Karin left.

Immediately after, all the children from Class E began approaching Lumian.

“Woooooh! Amazing, Lumiaaaan!”

“You were really the best today!”

“Crazy! To beat Daren and Sam that quickly! How on earth did you do it?”

“The stance you taught me really helped a lot! Thanks, Lumian!”

‘Damn it, get away, you bastards!’

Lumian cried out inwardly.

All the children approaching him were boys. The girls just clapped from a step away, with no one coming closer.

It was burdensome for them to push through the much larger number of male cadets.

‘Damn it, damn it!’

Lumian forcibly managed his expression.

He wanted to pour out curses right away, but he couldn’t. If he did that, his image would obviously crash to the ground, never mind leading the class to victory.

Looking at the guys putting their arms around his shoulders, he said.

“Thanks, we were able to win because everyone worked hard!”

“What are you talking about! You worked the hardest!”

“Waaaaaaah! We won! We wooooon!”

“Haha.”

Teoro, who had been keeping his distance like the girls, let out a light laugh.

He was the only person who could see through Lumian’s current psychology.

The sight of him desperately managing his expression to avoid showing his displeasure was quite amusing.

Of course, that wasn’t the end of it.

The flashy yet powerful movements Lumian had shown.

Recalling them in his mind, Teoro quietly nodded and thought.

‘I need to… work harder.’

* * *

Several days after the exchange match.

The midterm evaluation results for the second-year Knight Department were announced.

Many children sighed, while a few wore bright expressions. There were occasionally those with beaming smiles. It was a natural reaction since not everyone could be satisfied with their grades.

After checking their own grades like this, they then checked the name of the first place.

It was like a habit. Even though it would obviously be the same name anyway, it felt unsettling to pass by without looking.

But then.

[Joint 1st Place: Cal Krone, Lumian Calard]

“Huh?”

“Lumian? Who’s that?”

“Lumian Calard? Isn’t that the guy from Class E?”

“That guy? That guy got first place?”

A completely unexpected name, someone who wasn’t even on their radar, had appeared at the top of the results.

It was the moment when new winds began to blow at Tarasan Academy.

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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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