The Failed Swordmaster - Chapter 31

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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 31 15. That’s Not What I Raised Those Skills For (1)

Lumian, watching Cal Krone’s stage performance, traced through his memories from his previous life.

He recalled the time when the Knight King gave a speech before his knights, just before defeating a high-ranking demon who was the Demon Lord’s right hand.

Back then, he had armed himself with rock-like solidity and displayed the courage of a lion.

With that trustworthy appearance, all the knights including himself couldn’t help but have their courage multiplied a hundredfold.

‘It was the power of aura.’

It doesn’t stop at simply infusing aura into one’s voice and releasing aura outside the body.

To give the opponent the desired feeling, one conjures up an appropriate mental image and realizes it. This was an advanced technique that only those positioned at the very top among knights could perform.

Lumian had also frequently utilized this method.

Rather than using it like the Knight King to inspire trust in comrades, he used it to pressure enemies. Countless demons would flee in terror upon seeing him emanate the presence of a mythical giant.

‘But that bastard… how can he do something like that without the help of aura?’

It was absurd.

The energy surrounding Cal Krone was not aura.

Nor was it mana. If he had borrowed the power of magic, the Academy’s magic professors couldn’t have failed to notice.

That’s right. That was Cal Krone’s unique ability, created by his tremendous talent.

It was a mysterious energy created by an intense desire for attention.

– We ask you once again. Currently, excessive cheering is causing disruptions to the match proceedings. We would be grateful if the audience could refrain from standing up or shouting loudly.

“Kyaaaaaaah-!”

“Show us one more time, Cal Krone!”

“Hurry up and finish off that guy!”

“Ah, how wonderful it would be if your touch could linger on my cheek!”

“Sob… sob sob… so good… what should I do…!”

Despite another magical broadcast announcement, the audience showed no signs of calming down.

Rather, even women who hadn’t been Cal Krone fans began looking at him with excited expressions.

Even some men made indescribable expressions, gulping and staring intently at Cal Krone.

At that insane spectacle, Lumian shook his head, and the host shook his head too.

It seemed better to just start the match.

He looked at the two participants and asked.

“Are you both ready?”

“Yes.”

“Y-yes!”

Unlike the relaxed Cal Krone, his opponent, the 1st year student, was trembling all over.

The host looked at him with a pitying expression. Indeed, even he would find it difficult to display his true skills amid such one-sided cheering.

‘But what can you do when your opponent is Cal Krone.’

Cal Krone was the best. In both skill and popularity.

The very thought of trying to beat someone like him was wrong. It might be more comfortable to just blame one’s tournament luck.

That was the common thought of general spectators and most participants.

But Teoro, Bumer, and Lumian were different.

And among them, Lumian’s heart burned the hottest.

He watched Cal Krone with a gaze as hot as molten metal dripping.

And he put forth his utmost effort to capture the image and atmosphere that Cal was emanating.

‘I can’t fix my face.’

A similar thought to what he’d had before. One’s natural face cannot be changed.

It was like how one couldn’t create something that wasn’t there through effort alone. That’s why Lumian had felt deep frustration when looking at Teoro’s face.

But Cal Krone’s ability was different.

At least he could imitate that. Though not as much as that guy, though he was still far lacking, the thought that he could at least approach it with effort heated up Lumian’s will.

‘Of course, Cal Krone’s talent is overwhelming, but…’

The same was true for himself.

He possessed swordsmanship skills and overwhelming aura that even Cal Krone, called the Academy’s strongest in history, couldn’t match.

Though it fell far short of his previous life’s level, he felt it would be quite possible to imitate Cal Krone’s ability.

Clang!

Clatter!

“I-I-I lost!”

“Match over! 2nd Year Class A Cal Krone, victory!”

“Kyaaaah! Take me!”

“Cal Krone! Cal Krone! Cal Krone!”

While Lumian was burning with determination, the match result came out. The winner was naturally Cal Krone. The 1st year student picked up his sword that had been knocked away in one strike and dejectedly left the stage.

However, hardly anyone paid attention to him.

Most women, and even men, only looked at Cal Krone. Watching him give ball-style greetings in all four directions, the men muttered.

“Damn, he is cool though.”

“That bastard, he is handsome.”

“Shit, good swordsmanship, good family, tall too. What exactly is he lacking?”

“I hope he’s gay.”

“Yeah, I hope he’s gay.”

“Ugh, anyway I’m glad I’m a graduating senior. No need to compete with that guy.”

“Right. Really fortunate. If it were me, I would have forfeited and come down the moment I got on stage.”

‘I could never do that.’

Their voices reached Lumian’s sensitive hearing.

He shook his head.

Watching Cal Krone return to the waiting area, he made a resolution.

‘Until the finals… I’ll try to catch up as much as possible.’

Training was the only answer.

Having finished his thoughts, Lumian closed his eyes and quietly began operating his aura.

* * *

‘It’s refreshing to receive attention after so long.’

Cal Krone, seated, smiled with satisfaction.

He had refrained from appearing before people for a while after the midterm evaluation. No matter how great he was, being exposed to his fanatic fans’ obsession all day was tiring.

But receiving attention from everyone, young and old, male and female, on a properly set stage like this was different.

That was truly a pleasant thing.

Whether their attention was affection, jealousy, malice, or respect didn’t matter much.

He was strong enough to endure all of it.

He thought while still not erasing his smile.

‘My semifinal opponent is… Teoro, wasn’t it. I wish time would pass quickly.’

A 1st year student was too lacking to handle him.

It needed to be at least someone like Teoro. The more brilliant the opponent he defeated, the more splendidly he would shine.

It was when he was thinking such thoughts and about to turn his attention to the next match.

From one side of the participants’ waiting area, a strange energy was suddenly felt.

“…?”

He frowned and turned his head. Looking closely, it was Lumian Calard. The guy who couldn’t even pass his simple test, making him lose interest.

But something bizarre was happening with that unremarkable guy’s body.

‘Why does his atmosphere keep changing so drastically?’

He couldn’t understand it.

One moment it felt rough like stone, then suddenly he could sense an upright energy like bamboo.

Then it would suddenly change to a damp and creepy feeling like snake skin, and shortly after, a sharp presence like a sword would burst forth.

Later, there wasn’t even a clear image that came to mind. Just a complex and subtle energy he’d never felt before flowed out, making him confused.

“What is it?”

“What’s this?”

“Lumian, what are you doing right now…”

“I’m practicing something. Don’t talk to me for a moment.”

“…”

The surrounding participants also seemed to vaguely sense this, looking toward Lumian with expressions of confusion. From the situation, it appeared that even Bumer and Teoro, who were close to Lumian, couldn’t figure out what was happening.

‘He seems to be preparing something earnestly… Let me lose interest.’

Cal Krone, who had been watching Lumian for a moment longer, turned his head away.

After all, he was just a guy below Bumer. There was no reason to pay attention to an opponent who would be crushed by Bumer in the semifinals.

Whooooom!

And the same was true for Lumian. He also didn’t have the luxury to focus his attention on Cal Krone.

He recalled a mental image that suited him and gently drew up his aura. Then he worked to bring that image into reality.

‘Damn, this is difficult!’

Swords, shields, rocks, giants, beasts, night fog. Things meant to pressure enemies or hide one’s presence—mental images that helped in combat—materialized instantly.

But mental images that women might like didn’t manifest well. Because he had never once thought about or tried such things.

What knight would try to create the atmosphere of roses with their aura?

What swordmaster would try to achieve a halo effect using their blood-like aura?

On a battlefield where lives hang on a handful of aura, no one does such things. No, not even during training. Training is premised on actual combat.

But Lumian was different.

For him right now, nothing was more important than this.

‘I can do it. Don’t get impatient!’

Whooosh, Lumian took a deep breath and operated his aura once more.

He recalled the mental image that best fit his concept, the image he had built up. And he focused all his nerves on letting that atmosphere flow outward.

He couldn’t express it as specifically as Cal Krone. He had the greatest attention-seeking talent in history, and had realized it early on, honing it for a long time.

Coveting his results from the start would be a thief’s mentality.

‘But at least, if it’s just taking the first step… Done!’

Whooooom!

Lumian’s eyes snapped open with a flash.

He lowered his head and looked over his body.

A gentle feeling that suffused his entire body, fresh yet pure.

Having finally succeeded in creating the atmosphere he wanted, he smiled refreshingly.

Then, the voice of the match coordinator was heard.

“Next! 2nd Year Class E Lumian Calard, and 1st Year Class C Jang Claire!”

Lumian sprang up from his seat. After grabbing a longsword from the display case below the stage, he slowly walked up onto the stage.

Seeing this, Teoro and Bumer tilted their heads.

‘Something’s different from usual?’

Was all that nonsense in the waiting area for this?

They couldn’t tell exactly, but it definitely didn’t feel bad. No, it was good.

A refreshing energy that somehow drew the eye, yet wasn’t burdensome.

And the people in the audience seating were feeling similarly.

* * *

Barbara Merlin from the History Department, who had come to watch the swordsmanship festival following a friend, had an expression full of fatigue.

At first, the sight of swords clashing was thrilling and made her grip her hands with sweat, watching without noticing time pass.

But not now. The sharp atmosphere continued, tension filled the air, and the heat emanating from the surrounding people was suffocating…

Though the pretty boys Teoro and Cal Krone had come out intermittently to provide a change of mood, she had reached her limit now. Barbara Merlin’s head was filled only with thoughts of wanting to hurry home and wash up.

Just then, one participant slowly climbed onto the stage.

Barbara unconsciously turned her gaze to him.

Because from the wind that brushed past him, she somehow felt the fresh scent of grass.

‘No, it’s something different from grass scent…’

It was more wistful and warm, like the feeling of opening a drawer filled with childhood memories.

‘What on earth could it be?’

Barbara turned her head to look at her friend. Her friend was also looking at her with a similar expression.

“Lumian Calard, was it?”

“Right.”

“He looks somehow unsuited for a swordsmanship festival. He looks gentle.”

“I know. I’m curious.”

The two looked at the stage with more lively eyes than before.

And this wasn’t happening only here.

At the moment when interest in Lumian rose like heat haze throughout the audience seating, the coordinator’s shout rang out.

“Match start!”

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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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