blueteamnovel Chapter 66
Chapter 66
Rumble!
The sky was thick with dark clouds, so dense it wouldn’t be surprising if a downpour began at any moment. But even if the clouds unleashed rain, the coliseum wouldn’t be affected.
“There’s no issue with continuing, it seems.”
“With the amount of money invested, a few raindrops won’t make a difference.”
As long as the sacred magic remained active, no foreign substances could penetrate its domain.
Thunder and lightning might cause trouble if they struck directly, but without that, all would remain secure.
Thus, under the ominous weather, the battles with the Stone Trolls continued. Though none of the other students displayed anything as impressive as the young lion of the North, the crowd was still captivated.
“Everyone’s doing well.”
“This year seems to have a lot of talent.”
Among the spectators were many retired knights who watched the first-years’ impressive efforts with satisfaction. While the students’ abilities were still developing, they showed clear potential, like golden eggs with promising futures.
“Hmm, is that a special technique different from the usual fighting styles?”
“It’s a one-off move, but the power is undeniable.”
The general consensus was that the ‘Bears’ showed respectable capabilities, proving their success in the war game wasn’t just luck. Some performed better than Barry Copps, while others didn’t, but all fought with commendable determination.
Their unbreakable resolve was impressive.
Then, the next group entered—those cadets who had received the title “Young Masters” from Ihan.
The response they garnered was—
Crash!
—an instinctive murmur of admiration.
They had clearly mastered advanced fighting techniques, impressive for their age. In fact, they were exceptionally skilled, enough to be immediately considered for knight orders of mid-sized territories and likely securing middle-rank positions.
“They’re outstanding. For their generation, they’ve truly learned the basics.”
“Indeed. Training isn’t just about learning fighting techniques. Diligently mastering each part step by step is crucial.”
Compared to the Bears, who were still a bit rough but displayed mercenary-level abilities, these young noble cadets showed a pure dedication not typically associated with nobles. They didn’t rely on shortcuts and practiced straightforward, hard-earned skills.
“Wonderful!”
The old knights who had lived through the previous king’s era were pleased, sure that these young ones would soon make a name for themselves. After all, with such dedication, they would inevitably become renowned—even if they didn’t want to.
While the elderly knights enjoyed watching the pure talent of these trainees, they assumed that surprises were over. However, the next group to appear left them in awe.
Crack!
Thud!
“What...who are they?”
“They’re far beyond the first-year level. They could join any knight order right now.”
“So, it wasn’t only Lord Roen who was exceptional? My, my...”
They witnessed three students overwhelming, even playing with, a Stone Troll. The retired knights were struck with both admiration and silence, as even in their prime, they’d have struggled against these three.
“Kunta, wasn’t it? Now I see why barbarian warriors once terrorized the continent.”
“Is that the grandson of Marquis Offen? A true bloodline of the Sword Duke family.”
“The Mercenary King’s young protégé—he’s raised a prodigy just like himself.”
These students had far surpassed the level of cadets and should be knights in their own right.
While the young might envy and feel downcast at the brilliance of these three, the elders nodded in admiration, pleased by the sight of youthful vitality. Having seen the standard of young knights in the capital decline for years, the old knights were heartened to see so many fine seeds in the next generation.
“Who taught these young ones?”
Even as they felt hopeful, they faced reality. It was rare to find instructors among the younger generation who were so dedicated to teaching the fundamentals and used a style “unlike that of the nobility.”
They could hardly believe a single instructor from the swordsmanship faculty could have cultivated such skills. This wasn’t due to narrow-mindedness, but a lingering doubt from the previous lazy teaching methods that had become common.
While the old knights were lost in thought—
“Hmm?”
“...A cute child has entered the stage?”
“Haha, could she really be planning to fight?”
They believed all the first-year participants had finished. While some noble ladies were enrolled, most opted out of this final event, relying on their grades in other areas instead.
But, surprisingly—
“Bold one.”
“Yes, she reminds me of the young Marquis Offen in his day.”
The young lady on the stage.
With her slender figure, Levy Fort unsheathed her sword and faced the stone creature with calm confidence.
Hoo!
Levy Fort’s heart pounded.
Her senior classmates had gained hunting experience by capturing wild boars and mutated bears during field marches, but young and inexperienced Levy had been excluded from those hunts.
Even during the previous day’s war game, she had merely issued commands, benefiting from others’ efforts and simply adding the finishing touches.
Yet now, the many eyes watching her with anticipation made her feel nervous and burdened.
But still—
‘I chose to stand here.’
She couldn’t run away, even if she was afraid.
Everyone had tried to dissuade her.
“You’ve already secured your grades with the other subjects,” they said, “There will be other chances.”
Despite the many voices of caution, Levy Fort had accepted her shortcomings and stepped onto this stage.
‘I must prove myself!’
Levy steadied herself, focusing solely on the cold grip of her rapier.
Clad in light leather armor, she moved her left hand behind her, extended her right foot forward, turned her body to the side, and fixed her gaze forward.
It was the standard fencing stance, a style taught to noble children as a matter of course, and she gripped the rapier firmly.
GRR?
The Stone Troll, sensing an opponent far weaker than anticipated, lowered its posture, confusing her with a small animal like a rabbit.
However, Levy thought—
“Thank you for underestimating me.”
With a sudden burst of movement, she drove her rapier through the air.
Utilizing momentary shifts in her center of gravity and strengthening her sword with energy.
And with precise aim—
Pooch!
GRR!?
She struck the Stone Troll directly in its small eye.
The creature reeled in pain, just as it was about to thrash wildly, but Levy withdrew her rapier swiftly and moved to its left side.
Her fluid movement was a testament to her dedication to basic footwork training, practiced until her feet had nearly blistered.
Hoo, hoo.
Achievement, exhilaration—neither of these words could fully capture her emotions at that moment.
Then, she realized something.
Here and now, she had finally broken free from the shell encasing her.
She had become a true swordsman.
“Wooaaaah!”
Unable to contain her joy, Levy stretched her arms high toward the sky, shouting her elation.
—Waaaaa!
The audience looked on, assuming her stance was a triumphant performance and watched her warmly.
A fine display of showmanship.
Of course, it was a misunderstanding, and Levy would later cringe every time she remembered this moment, kicking off her covers in embarrassment before sleeping. But now, she didn’t care about anything else.
She only wished to roar with joy.
As she looked up to the sky, savoring her victory—
“What?”
—her face quickly turned pale.
Whoosh!
...What was that?
Staring blankly upward, Levy Fort froze, but only for a moment.
Shiver!
A chill shot through her, filling her with dread.
Rumble...
Dark clouds.
Those ominous clouds, gazing down on the earth, had started to rotate, forming a vortex.
The center began to widen.
“What...is that?”
“.......”
The unsettling movement of the clouds caught Levy’s attention first, and soon others began to notice. As they looked skyward, they all saw it and felt the same chill.
At the core of those clouds, a deep terror akin to midnight.
And within that dark space—
Swoosh!
—appeared the Hand of the Giant.
“!!!!?”
...No one could scream.
The arm that appeared so suddenly.
It was too massive, too horrifying.
It was overwhelming, and it stole away even the will to flee.
Sometimes, the appearance of something so undefeatable paralyzes even the instinct to run.
“R-run...”
Levy Fort struggled to shout for everyone to flee, but her voice wouldn’t come out.
Already drained of strength, she faced a monster of such magnitude descending from the sky.
Slowly but surely, the ominous aura radiating from the creature’s arm pinned her in place.
Fear.
The natural intimidation radiated by giant beasts and monsters.
It instilled terror, paralyzing those exposed.
For a frail human, resistance was unimaginable.
Death approached.
It was the only thought people could muster, and they didn’t even see their lives flash before their eyes.
As the arm drew nearer, the shadow it cast grew darker and heavier.
Drip.
“Aah...”
Levy shed tears.
In the face of inevitable death, only tears remained, and she lowered her head.
On the day of what she thought was her life’s greatest triumph.
That victorious day had turned to despair in an instant, and she felt hollow, overcome with sorrow.
But then, unexpectedly—
Screech.
“Why...am I holding my sword?”
In her last moments, Levy realized she still held her sword and wondered why.
Why was she holding her sword?
...She was curious.
“─That’s called struggling, Bear Girl. And when a person fights to live, there’s no need for a reason.”
“!!”
An answer came, and Levy’s eyes widened as she looked in the direction of the voice.
Standing there—
“Even so, holding onto your sword until the end deserves praise. I’ll give you full marks, Cadet Levy Fort.”
“Aah!!”
The most trustworthy mentor on the continent, and Levy, overcome with relief, wept again.
These were tears of relief, unlike her previous despairing tears.
“A grown lady crying?”
He gently scolded her for crying, but his smile was warm, proud of her perseverance.
But only for a moment.
As he looked up at the sky—
“You made my Bear Girl cry?”
Ihan snarled, then forcefully kicked a 600-kilogram wooden spear into the sky, suspended by telekinetic control.
Thud!
With all his strength behind it.
—Sun-Piercing Spear.
It couldn’t pierce the sun, but it could certainly skewer a fortress wall, as the ballista-like weapon soared upward.