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After Hetherson left, there weren’t really any classes left for me to take.

I took my gaze away from the sunset and looked at the training ground.

There, under Bellen’s guidance, Leana was stirring water in a basin with a giant spatula.

While I was lazily zoning out, Donatan spoke.

‘Her arm movements have improved a lot. I can see she’s making progress every day.’

“Really? I can’t really tell.”

‘Geez… When will you ever develop an eye for swordsmanship?’

Judging by the progress, Leana seemed to be working very hard.

The same went for the other key figures.

Just looking at the Schlaphe Hall alone, Ricks had doubled his training.

The knights from Adele Hall were constantly running around the training ground whenever they had time.

The mages seemed to be shooting magic in secluded areas, as I occasionally heard loud explosions.

Perhaps being humiliated by Luon like a child was quite a shock to him.

Still, seeing him working so hard without giving up, you could say it was typical of the key figures.

They’d all figure things out on their own.

Once again, the problem was me.

‘It feels like I’m the only one falling behind. The others all know how to get stronger, but I’m stuck in a slump.’

Even with the exoskeleton suit made of several hundred gold coins, I’m still overall beneath the playable characters.

My swordsmanship speed is above Leana but below Bellen.

And even that, only twice at most.

Of course, I might be able to surpass Bellen’s speed with a single strike. Maybe.

It was a strike so sharp that it could slice through even a wall that wasn’t touched by the blade’s edge.

But that would mean giving up after two exchanges, and I’d have to sacrifice my ‘1-second invincibility’ and all my mana in that one blow.

‘You’ve still grown a lot, haven’t you? This is significant progress. Don’t get discouraged, Hersel.’

Donatan’s consolation didn’t really resonate with me.

It wasn’t enough.

I needed a long-term direction on how to grow from here on out.

“Time is still ticking. If I don’t decide what to do soon, I’ll keep wasting it.”

I was in a situation where it was so overwhelming that I couldn’t even figure out a direction.

Though I shared my dilemma, this annoying cursed sword was too busy pretending not to care.

‘What can I say? That’s the path you chose. Anyone who heard you would think I forced you into it.’

“If you had a brain, why don’t you help me think for a change?”

‘Hmph, contemplation is inevitable. That’s your responsibility.’

“As expected, Donatan was of no help, being as dumb as he was. It’s because of that low intelligence that he ended up a prisoner trapped in a sword. In the end, I always have to do the thinking.”

“What? What did you just say?”

“Oh dear, I accidentally said that out loud while thinking to myself.”

“You did it on purpose!”

Anyway, to get back on topic, the path I’ve chosen has no trailblazers.

It means I have to research and teach myself everything on my own.

The path of a fake swordmaster is an extreme and unconventional one.

“Shall I get up? I came to watch, hoping for some inspiration, but there’s no real takeaway.”

I took my eyes off Leana, who was training with Bellen, and stood up.

I made eye contact with Bellen, but I didn’t ask him again about the mysterious swordsmanship I used to defeat the Bone Dragon.

That was because I had already given a brief explanation.

– It was luck.

– You brat?

– Please, just hear me out. Frankly, at my age, pulling off a technique like that doesn’t make sense, does it?

– Hmm, that’s true.

– It just somehow felt like it might work, so I tried it and, well, ‘ta-da’, it worked.

Of course, she didn’t seem convinced, but I had no other explanation to give.

At least I made one thing clear.

If something like that ever happened again, they might ask me to use that technique again, which would be a disaster.

– Also, after using that technique, I felt like my lifespan had shortened. The reason I couldn’t help my great-aunt last time was because I fainted from exhaustion.

Bellen was probably interested in that technique because she wanted to learn it herself.

But shortening one’s lifespan?

She was once a woman who wanted to ascend to the heavens quickly, but thanks to Leana, Bellen now valued life more.

Naturally, her excitement died down.

– Well, it makes sense. You can’t unleash that kind of power without paying a price. Looks like you used some forbidden Jingi you shouldn’t have touched.

Bellen, as if having some realization, just accepted it on her own.

Then suddenly, a question I hadn’t thought of at the time crossed my mind.

“But what exactly is ‘Jingi’?”

I asked, and Donatan replied.

‘It’s the life force that every human acquires from the moment they’re in their mother’s womb. It’s an essential power for training in Aura cultivation.’

“And if you use it?”

‘Jingi is the energy that sustains life. Wouldn’t your lifespan shorten?’

“Hmm.”

It might not be a bad idea to experiment and see if ‘1-second invincibility’ can be activated with it.

Just to be safe, I’ll only use a tiny bit.

***

The outskirts of Frost Heart are all mountains.

It was common for students to step outside the front gate of the fortress wall to train or get some fresh air.

Of course, they had to pass a strict set of criteria to get a permit, so not just anyone could leave.

“Whew.”

In the quiet mountains, I focused on a tree and infused my sword with energy.

A strange sensation, as if a part of my soul was being absorbed into the sword. This was the power of Jingi.

Donatan took care of handling this part for me.

When I swung the sword, the tree was cleanly sliced.

Swish!

I hadn’t cut it with the sword itself. It was the sword wind that did it.

Although I successfully used Jingi, the conclusion was failure.

‘1-second invincibility’ didn’t activate.

It was a fact I learned by sacrificing one day of my lifespan.

“Too bad.”

Just like pulling out a single hair wouldn’t activate ‘1-second invincibility,’ one day of lifespan wasn’t enough either.

But I couldn’t sacrifice too much lifespan just for the sake of experimentation.

I wasn’t crazy enough to gamble my remaining life just to confirm something.

“Hersel, you’re quite fortunate.”

Donatan boasted proudly.

‘Jingi is a power that only those prepared to risk their lives can use. Unless you’ve reached a state of enlightenment, it’s something that only comes out instinctively in the face of death.’

Donatan’s explanation made Bellen’s earlier reaction more understandable.

No wonder she accepted it so readily on her own.

She probably thought I had somehow, in the face of death before the Bone Dragon, unleashed it by sheer luck.

‘Thanks to me, you had a rare experience. You should acknowledge that.’

“Yeah, yeah, you’re amazing. Now stop bragging.”

In the end, it’s a power I’m reluctant to use.

Ignoring Donatan’s boasting, I stared at another unscathed tree.

“Well then, should I start today’s training as planned?”

The training was simple.

Attach the exoskeleton suit to the muscles used sequentially when swinging the sword.

For example, when a pitcher throws a baseball, the muscles are used in this order: the legs, torso, shoulders, arm, forearm, and hand.

I had to quickly adjust the exoskeleton suit to provide power to each muscle as needed.

This required extremely precise control throughout the entire process.

“Let’s begin.”

At my signal, Donatan prepared the ‘Lightning Quick Draw’ technique.

There were many other techniques, but I chose this one because it was the fastest.

According to Donatan, this technique was the pinnacle of modern swordsmanship, refined from older techniques with a focus on speed.

“Whew.”

I took a deep breath and swiftly adjusted the exoskeleton suit in sync with the electric signals Donatan provided.

It felt as if a slippery snake was quickly slithering from my legs, through my waist, chest, and arms.

Soon, just as my wrist began to feel damp, a sharp gust of wind surged.

Ping!

The target was a tree that stood beyond the reach of my blade.

All it did was leave a horizontal scratch on the tree bark.

It wasn’t as powerful as the full-strength swing I’d done in my room.

But considering that I hadn’t poured all my mana into the strike, this was a decent result.

‘Your timing is off, Hersel. You need to synchronize more with the signals I’m giving.’

“Is that so?”

After two strikes, I took a break. Without aura, my body couldn’t handle the recoil.

I waited for the lactic acid to clear from my muscles before repeating the action.

Days like this continued for several days. Then one day, Donatan said something unnecessary.

‘Hersel, look at what you’re doing. Does swinging a sword like this really make you think of yourself as a mage?’

“If I hadn’t learned magic, I wouldn’t have made it this far.”

‘Hmph, I agree with that, but…’

“And I still consider myself a mage. You’re a swordsman. So think of it as a compromise; that’s what a swordmage is.”

Even though swordsmanship had suddenly become more dominant than magic, I never neglected my magic classes.

And so, time passed, and the moment approached.

This evening, the special admission students were scheduled to arrive here.

“Oh, it’s already time. I should get ready to greet them.”

***

Inside a room at Adele Hall, there was a long table, a sofa, paintings, and various luxurious items on display.

This was a lounge only the top ten could enter.

Emeric, who entered for the first time, nodded in response to the hand gesture from the man who was already seated.

The man was Berndal, the representative of Adele Hall’s dormitory and one of the top eight.

“Looks like the others aren’t here yet.”

“Well, that’s right. But Emeric, is it true that you’re quitting gambling?”

Currently, everyone has conspired to carefully hide Hersel’s true identity from those ranked above the 7th seat.

This miracle was possible because everyone had yet to fully recover from the economic depression and were eagerly awaiting the upcoming duel gamble.

Emeric calmly replied.

“It seems excessive to me. But I don’t intend to interfere.”

“So, you’re acting all smug because you made some money… Do you know how much effort I put into subtly deceiving those guys?”

Emeric chuckled.

It seemed Berndal had sweated quite a bit.

“I heard from Hamon. You told them the Elder came because Hersel Ben Tenest was ‘lucky enough’ to find a relic during the maze field practice, right?”

“Was that all? I even made sure no one in the school mentioned the ‘V’ from ‘Viper’ in front of them.”

Currently, Berndal, who lost 10,000 coins, was poor.

More than anyone, he was desperate for this gamble.

Emeric found it amusing that the other top ten members actually believed it and scoffed.

“Hmph, to be so easily fooled. They really are as clueless as ever.”

“Honestly, I would’ve believed it too. Has anyone ever found a relic during practice before?”

“Hmm, that’s true. Without precedent, it makes sense.”

Emeric nodded in partial agreement.

Finding a relic during practice was unprecedented for a student.

It wouldn’t be strange for the Elder to visit and offer congratulations, as it might have even become gossip within the royal family.

“Still, it’s not like I don’t plan to help at all, Berndal.”

“Huh?”

“Actually, it seems Hersel Ben Tenest is eyeing a rather interesting position.”

“A position? What kind of position?”

“What that is…”

Ever since his conversation with Hersel in the dining hall, Emeric had been pondering.

Helping him achieve his goal before graduation didn’t seem like such a bad idea.

When Emeric shared his thoughts, Berndal’s eyes widened.

“What? Student council president?”

“The top ten will be an obstacle for him. There’s no way they’ll allow someone from Schlaphe Hall, a lower grade, to take that seat.”

Berndal exclaimed in shock.

“Th-that’s true, but, man, the issue isn’t just the top ten. They’re just naive puppets being manipulated.”

The top ten had long since fallen into the role of the student council’s lapdogs.

The current student council was a near-dictatorial power group.

Power had been inherited for thirteen generations.

They tamed the top ten and used them as mercenary thugs.

Coming from the Church of the Sun, they maintained a favorable reputation among the students and controlled the top ten with vast funds, wielding them like swords.

After grooming their chosen successors, they passed down their positions. This was the secret to their dictatorship.

“Emeric, get a grip. You’re messing with the Church of the Sun, and this isn’t something that just ends after you graduate. Your future could be bleak.”

Emeric understood why Berndal was so terrified.

The Church of the Sun controlled half of the empire.

If you got on their bad side, it was obvious your path to success would be blocked by their extensive network.

Even so, Emeric’s reasoning was simple.

“I’m just curious to see how far Hersel Ben Tenest can go.”

Ever since the slave revolution incident, Hersel’s actions had left a deep impression on Emeric.

Not only did he score first in the exams and find a relic during field practice, but he also took down the notorious ‘Bloodstained Viper.’

Rumors were even circulating that he had hunted the Bone Dragon.

“His actions resemble what’s described in books on royal governance. He’s no longer content to be a king of the shadows; he’s going to prove his worth as a king in the light. That time is coming, Berndal.”

“You’re still reading that strange book…?”

Berndal shook his head in exasperation.

Emeric glanced at the grandfather clock.

It had already been over an hour since they started waiting.

“So, when are they coming?” Emeric asked.

Berndal looked toward the door and replied.

“Well, whenever they feel like it.”

***

Click.

The door opened 30 minutes later.

Starting with Meldon of the 7th seat, the top ten members began entering the room.

Emeric observed each of their faces.

But they all glanced at him and Berndal as if they were beneath them.

“Those guys. Still drawing the same line between us.”

The top ten had never considered anyone below the 7th to be one of them.

On top of that, since they had just returned from being personally selected by the current powers, they were even more arrogant than usual.

In their minds, they were probably thinking, “He’s just doing menial tasks like being a dormitory representative because he doesn’t have the skill.”

Emeric looked at the head of the top ten, the 1st seat, Kerndel.

A man with wavy brown hair and thick eyebrows.

As always, his gaze was full of arrogance.

Kerndel, looking displeased, spoke up.

“One person’s missing.”

As he said, the 9th seat member hadn’t shown up. Berndal explained.

“He’s always busy working for the professors.”

“Out doing chores again, huh… Fine. So why did you call us here?”

“Well, Emeric just took a new seat. Don’t you think we should at least give him a proper welcome?”

Berndal’s comment was met with snickers from the others.

Meldon, a second-year, didn’t show it too openly since he was technically a senior, but the corners of his mouth were clearly raised.

Kerndel silenced the room with a wave of his hand.

“So, we were called here just for a simple 10th seat? Fine, we’ll give him a welcome. Congratulations, Emeric. You’ve finally made it to this position as a third-year.”

He clapped, but his applause was slow and dripping with mockery.

Clap. Clap.

Emeric felt displeased by the blatant disdain, but he didn’t show it.

“Thanks for saying so.”

After that, they turned their attention away from Emeric, acting as if their business with him was done, and began talking among themselves.

“Oh, by the way, seniors, what about that Hersel Ben Tenest guy? Shouldn’t we do something about him? I mean, look at how the professors are favoring him just because he found a relic. He’s gotten so cocky, acting like there’s no one above him.”

When Meldon, the only second-year present, brought it up, complaints started pouring out.

“Ugh, I’m still getting punished because of that guy.”

“Yeah, my brother even sent me a letter, asking what kind of trouble I caused. He even threatened to kill me when we meet.”

Emeric couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

They were whining because Rockefeller had given them some punishment.

After mouthing off to an Elder like that, they should be thankful that’s all that happened.

‘Do they not realize? If the Elder hadn’t shown leniency, they would’ve been executed…’

Immaturity had its limits.

But the less sense they had, the easier things would be to manage.

Emeric exchanged glances with Berndal.

Berndal grinned and fanned the flames.

“If you’re that dissatisfied, why don’t you teach him a lesson?”

Kerndel glared disapprovingly at Berndal and sharply pointed out.

“Berndal, why did you leave him unchecked while we were gone? It was your job to maintain order.”

“I was busy. There’s this first-year named Riamon who’s been eyeing my seat.”

Kerndel let out a long sigh.

“Struggling against a first-year… You’re really tarnishing the name of the top ten.”

Berndal ground his teeth in frustration, but this was a good development.

If they took matters into their own hands, it would save Emeric and his side the trouble.

Kerndel turned to the second-year Meldon.

“Fine. Meldon, you deal with him.”

“Really? Thank you, senior. I’ve been itching to take care of him myself. Heh heh.”

Berndal’s faint smile indicated he was silently cheering.

Emeric, too, was pleased inside. With this, the confrontation was set.

‘Watching those fools get knocked down a peg will be entertaining.’

And so, the war with the top ten began.

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