Under the instructor’s guidance, the children one by one stepped off the carriage.
What we faced was the entrance to a massive cave.
The entrance was so large, it easily seemed over 3 meters high.
‘Just like in the game.’
It’s impossible not to remember.
After all, this is the first combat episode since entering the academy.
‘The monsters are remnants created by the demons. That was the setting.’
Demons create dungeons, and from these places, monsters are born to attack people.
The empire conquers these dungeons, destroying their cores to obliterate them.
However, a few are preserved like this.
‘They’re preserved for practical training of students and knights, and for securing magic stones.’
As long as the dungeon’s core exists, monsters continue to be born, necessitating periodic maintenance.
Once a month, they check and reduce the number of monsters, dealing with the dangerous ones in advance.
Since today is the freshmen’s first real combat, there must have been an extra special check about a week ago.
‘But accidents still happen.’
That’s the nature of dungeons, a trick of the developers.
Be it novels, comics, or games.
‘If there’s no event, it’s not a dungeon.’
This dungeon is no exception, though it’s not a big deal.
Monsters attacking from all sides?
It’s a standard (?) event when you first play the game.
[Main Quest #3]
— Defeat the monsters!
Kill 100 monsters.
Monster Kills (0/100).
Reward: 10 gold, 1 skill grade up point
Penalty: All stats decrease by 3
The third main quest appeared suddenly.
I immediately fell into thought.
‘They’re already offering a skill grade up point…’
It’s literally a point that can be used to upgrade a skill’s grade.
An F-grade skill to E-grade, E-grade to D-grade, exclusively for skills.
Of course, an A-grade skill can also be raised to S-grade.
Anyone who’s played games would know.
This reward is ‘ridiculously good.’
But there’s a reason the system gives out such a quest.
‘It takes a long time.’
Even though it’s in front of a monster-filled dungeon, and an event where monsters attack from all sides is scheduled.
It’s physically impossible to kill 100 monsters alone.
‘After all, this is just training, so not many opportunities will be given.’
Maybe about twenty at most?
In other words, to complete this quest, one would need to invest at least a month.
That’s why they offer good rewards for the difficulty.
In fact, more than half of the users often refuse the ‘monster killing’ quest.
Because no other main quests are given until this one is cleared.
One month.
If I get good quests one after another, I could clear two or three in that time.
So, it wouldn’t be strange if I refused this quest here.
Because there aren’t many opportunities to kill 100 monsters.
Of course, that’s only.
‘If you follow the normal methods.’
[You have accepted the ‘Defeat the Monsters!’ quest.]
“What’s with that smile?”
‘Keke, what do you mean? I’m always smiling.’
“You’re suspicious… what’s your ulterior motive?”
It was when Luna pressed me with her face close to mine.
Caron shouted loudly.
“Everyone knows, but fighting monsters is no joke.”
“Yes! We understand!”
“Bold response. But it’s always the advanced class that suffers accidents every year. You all know why.”
Because they believe in their own strength and become careless.
Thinking they can easily handle low-level monsters.
That’s why the injury rate is higher among the talented elites.
‘Well, I’m not worried.’
I know I shouldn’t be careless, but it’s inevitable.
The attack skills mimicked with [Divine Imitation], and the assistance of [Swordsmanship A].
Even if a demon, not just a low-level monster, came, it would be laughable.
Now, we divide into groups and enter.
That was the story of the game. But then,
“To loosen up and heighten the tension, there’s nothing like a sparring match.”
Caron looked at me and grinned.
Ah, I feel somewhat uneasy.
“Zero, come forward.”
“…”
“Your kind always causes trouble. So, I’ll help you raise your tension. It’s for your own good.”
The children’s eyes were all fixed on me.
I knew it was Caron’s scheme, but there was no avoiding it.
I had built up some bad karma in the last lesson.
‘I was really weak and avoided sparring, but from Caron’s perspective, I must have seemed incredibly arrogant.’
What was that rushed excuse again?
Keke, I don’t engage in meaningless fights?
It’s impossible not to be annoyed.
So, I quietly followed Caron’s words.
“You wouldn’t back out of something that’s for your own good, right?”
“Keke, I’m just grateful you care so much about me.”
“You better be. Now, if anyone wants to spar with Zero, step forward. I’ll specially award points to the one who wins.”
Murmurs.
“Points from Caron? That’s valuable.”
“But isn’t he the third-ranked in the entrance exam?”
“I’ve never seen him fight, so…”
The children each made their judgments about me.
The busiest were Teron’s faction and Yuridia’s faction.
They gathered in small groups to discuss whether to go forward and who would go.
“Is it really wise to upset a potential recruit?”
“Is he even worth recruiting? Surely he’s all bark and no bite.”
“Still, it might be good to see his skills…”
Flash!
As the situation took a strange turn, Luna quickly raised her hand.
But Caron deliberately turned his head away.
‘He knows Luna won’t charge in with full force.’
Several others followed Luna and raised their hands.
One from Teron’s faction and one from Yuridia’s faction did too.
The chosen one was…
“Godner, come forward.”
It was Godner.
One of Teron’s underlings and one of the kids who had clashed with Luna.
Maybe ranked sixth in Teron’s faction?
That means he’s quite skilled.
‘Well, I’m not worried, though.’
Most of what I’ve mimicked are the family’s secret skills.
I can’t use them here, but I have [Swordsmanship A] mimicked with [Divine Imitation].
Considering most first-year students are at [Swordsmanship F], I’m confident enough to overwhelm them with just this.
‘It’s not arrogance.’
Ever since acquiring the [Swordsmanship] skill, I’ve felt different even just walking around with a sword.
The way I walk, the stance I hold.
My body maintains a stance ready to draw the sword at any moment.
Perhaps it’s the auto-correction of the swordsmanship system?
“I’ll provide practice wooden swords.”
Facing Godner with a wooden sword in hand.
The cool yet heavy sensation felt the moment I held the sword.
The long period of humiliation and persecution is about to end.
Now it’s time.
To return as Sword Saint Zero!
Unlike my leisurely demeanor, Godner was extremely tense.
It was natural since he was facing Sword Saint Ko Gil-dong… No, me. (TL Note: Korean cartoon reference)
He twiddled the wooden sword and said,
“Keke, come on. I’ll let you make the first move.”
I said it because losing to a Sword Saint is not shameful, but it seemed to have sounded different to Godner.
Godner’s eyebrows twitched as he charged at me.
“Haap!”
A straightforward downward strike from the left.
I easily placed my wooden sword against it.
‘I’ll block and spin around in one go. Then Godner will have no choice but to drop his sword.’
Godner’s wooden sword would soar into the sky and then plummet to the ground.
As the sword hits the ground, I’ll turn around and mutter,
‘Keke, you’re quite good. But you’re still far off.’
Like the hero in a novel, an utterly cool figure.
I might even charm the female students with this pose.
Ah, too busy to think about romance, what should I do.
Clack!
While I was lost in my imagination, our wooden swords finally clashed.
Now, if I just spin around once, my opponent will lose his grip on the sword.
My [Swordsmanship] skill is A-grade, after all.
But then.
‘Huh?’
Instead of spinning, the wooden sword was being pushed towards me.
Something was wrong. Was I relying too much on the skill?
I pushed back with all my might, putting my whole body weight into it.
Swoosh.
Then Godner pulled back his wooden sword.
Me, who had been pushing forward forcefully.
Naturally, my body lurched forward, losing balance.
Godner didn’t stop there.
As he reclaimed his sword, he dived to my left.
I moved my wooden sword haphazardly towards that direction.
Thwack!!
‘Ugh!’
In the midst of lost balance, our wooden swords crossed.
A tingling sensation in my palm, soon turning into a sharp pain.
It was pain. So strong I almost wanted to drop the wooden sword right away.
‘What the…!’
Had I not instinctively moved my hand and angled it differently, I would have lost the sword in that strike.
Just two exchanges of sword strikes.
But it was enough to realize a certain truth.
‘Am I only superior in swordsmanship…!’
Strength, agility, experience, reflexes, even the calluses on my hands.
I wasn’t ahead of Godner in any of them.
“Hey, focus properly. Where did all your earlier confidence go?”
“Ah, keke… You’re quite good.”
“No need to be polite. Oh! Or maybe…”
Creak.
“Are you really that weak?”
Godner shifted the crossed swords, aiming for my neck.
It felt like his wooden sword would touch my neck any moment.
Fortunately, my [Swordsmanship] skill started to kick in.
Creak.
Godner’s wooden sword continued to move.
My hand moved instinctively in response.
Not only defending his attacks but even aiming for Godner’s neck.
I wasn’t sure, but it seemed like things had turned bad for him.
Godner’s complexion was starting to harden.
And I realized one thing.
‘Swordsmanship skills only enhance technical proficiency…!’
It means I have to do the basic attacks and defenses.
Then the [Swordsmanship] skill assists me.
“Tch! Nice tricks!”
Seeming to decide he couldn’t go on, Godner pushed his sword with force.
Since our swords were crossed, we both moved apart slightly.
I quickly used this gap to put some distance between Godner and me.
‘…I can’t use the secret techniques.’
The secret techniques of Rodelin and Luna, mimicked with [Divine Imitation].
But using other families’ secret techniques would cause an uproar.
There’s a reason they are called secret techniques.
‘And if I use an A-grade adjusted secret technique…’
Godner would vanish without a trace.
I do have [Demon Magic], but using that would be like skewering myself for a stake burning.
“Gahaha. What now? Was all your behavior just bluster? This guy’s a piece of work.”
“…Keke, you’re free to think what you want.”
“If you wanted to raise your price, you should have gone easy! I never liked you from the start!”
Click! Clack!
Godner’s onslaught continued.
But blocking was not as difficult as before. Because…
‘He’s getting sloppy.’
His movements became larger and more flamboyant. The reason was obvious.
Teron and his followers, Caron, and the students from the advanced class.
He was showing off his skills to them.
‘Subduing the third-place of the entrance exam in a flashy way. It would be an irresistible provocation for the kids.’
Of course, from my point of view, it’s childishly unbearable to watch.
Well, thanks to that, I have time to think.
“Haap!!”
A flamboyant attack, spinning in the air and striking down.
I dodged the predictable attack and calmly collected my thoughts.
–TL Notes–
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