Chapter 141: Final Evaluation (6)

With a “kkaang-” sound, the man’s sword, which was striking Gerard’s wrist, was deflected.

“……!”

The man was, of course, Ivan.

As soon as Ivan heard the situation from Rachel, he found Gerard with the Tracker’s Seal and luckily, he was able to arrive just before Gerard caught the red Ferdon.

So he immediately began to interfere.

However.

‘He deflected it. With his sword.’

His wrist, holding the sword, throbbed.

He was the one who had struck.

It felt like he had stupidly struck a hard lump of iron without any technique.

What was most surprising was the sword speed with which he had noticed and blocked the surprise attack.

‘To think he could parry that.’

Of course, the blade of Ivan’s sword, striking Gerard’s hand, was laid flat.

He hadn’t intended to cut him, but only to prevent him from catching the red Ferdon.

So it was slower than his usual slashes.

‘Nevertheless, the timing should have been perfect.’

Gerard was completely focused on the red Ferdon, so the surprise attack should have succeeded.

‘I guess a senior is a senior.’

Ivan looked ahead.

There, Gerard was standing still, staring at him.

With a relaxed smile.

“Too bad, huh?”

Gerard waved his hand.

Between his fingers was a red feather.

The red Ferdon’s feather.

Seeing that, Ivan’s face visibly hardened.

“Hmph.”

Gerard took out the container as if to show off and put the red feather in it.

With that, the evaluation was as good as over.

The 1st place was decided.

Gerard.

The time remaining until the end of the exam was 40 minutes.

If he started catching Ferdons or taking feathers from his classmates like his feet were on fire, could he turn it around?

Ivan shook his head.

It was all a futile effort.

‘To forcefully pluck the feather even as a sword was falling on his hand.’

That was an action that could only be done because he was confident in his own skills, and the more Ivan thought about it, the more amazing Gerard seemed.

‘I thought I had caught up a lot, but was it just my delusion?’

No.

It could be and it couldn’t be.

Because the exam wasn’t over yet.

Ivan first bowed his head and apologized to Gerard.

“First, I’d like to apologize to you, senior, for the sudden surprise attack.”

“Hmm? It’s fine. It’s an exam and a competition, isn’t it.”

Gerard continued.

“And you. You’re in a hurry.”

At Gerard’s meaningful words, Ivan looked at him for a moment and then let out a small laugh.

“That’s right. As you said, sunbaenim, I’m a bit in a hurry right now.”

Ivan raised his sword and pointed it at Gerard.

There was no further conversation.

Because Ivan’s action was enough to convey the meaning.

I will take your feathers.

The remaining time was now about 35 minutes.

Since it was now Ivan who was pressed for time, he was the one who moved first.

Pabat!

Ivan’s body seemed to disappear from Gerard’s sight, and immediately his vision flashed.

Gerard took a step back with light footwork.

At the same time, he swung his sword forward.

Kkaang, a fierce spark flew and the two swords crossed.

In that moment, the gazes of the two men intertwined in the air along with their swords.

The two instinctively realized.

That they had both been eagerly waiting for this moment.

According to the Academy regulations, duels between cadets were strictly prohibited, except for designated lectures or with the observation of a professor.

This was to prepare for any possible accidents.

But that was literally just a regulation.

The Academy grounds were vast, and since there weren’t eyes of surveillance everywhere, the cadets were secretly dueling.

The professors knew about it but were turning a blind eye.

Ivan would sometimes duel with Guillaume, Yuria, and occasionally Gwyn.

But deep in his heart, the opponent he truly wanted to duel with was someone else.

Right.

It was Gerard.

However, Gerard was a senior.

For a junior to ask for a duel first, and one that was a violation of the regulations at that, was beyond being rude, it was an act outside of common sense.

‘I’ll get a chance someday.’

He had been waiting like that.

And at last, that chance came.

Kiiiing!

A bluish energy formed on Ivan’s sword.

Soon, a powerful energy enveloped the blade, and a low humming sound flowed from the sword.

Aura Sword.

Ivan’s full power.

Gerard’s choice upon seeing that was to avoid clashing swords as much as possible.

He had no choice.

Because unless it was a sword made by a renowned master of the empire, a famous sword, or an artifact, there was no sword that could maintain its form after receiving an Aura Sword.

The sword Gerard was currently using was, unfortunately, a common factory-made longsword.

Three times was the maximum.

It was clear that it wouldn’t be able to withstand more than that and would break.

No.

He had already used one chance to deflect Ivan’s attack, which had stabbed in from an unexpected path, so now there were two left.

Kwaang!

Gerard’s sword visibly wavered.

And seeing that, Ivan’s eyes lit up.

‘I have a chance!’

In the end, Department Head Pirion’s guess was right.

Department Head Pirion had once said.

That Gerard had never once produced an Aura Sword and it seemed he couldn’t use it.

That occasionally, swordsmen who were constitutionally unable to use an Aura Sword would appear.

The flower of a knight is the Aura Sword.

If you couldn’t use it, that in itself was a huge drawback and weakness.

Therefore, their end was decided.

Obsolescence.

It was a regrettable thing, but that’s why Ivan evaluated Gerard even more highly.

Because he had achieved all those numerous accomplishments without an Aura Sword.

But that was that.

Right now, he was an opponent he had to fight and win against.

Ivan, who had identified the weakness, built up his momentum even more and pushed Gerard.

Gerard, who was restricted by the fact that he couldn’t block the sword, was pushed back relentlessly, so to a third party’s eyes, it looked as if Ivan had a firm grip on victory.

However, there was something strange.

That was that Gerard’s expression was excessively calm.

A face that didn’t look like someone in a crisis at all.

It didn’t take long for Ivan to realize the sense of unease that came from that.

‘He’s not flustered……?’

Ivan, who met Gerard’s eyes, frowned.

It was then.

A dull sound erupted from his thigh, and a heavy pain rushed in.

Thwack!

It was Gerard’s kick.

‘Hmph!’

Ivan suppressed a groan and lifted his head.

Gerard’s posture had changed.

His right hand, holding the longsword, was behind him, and his clenched left fist was extended forward.

It was similar to the appearance of a martial artist awkwardly trying to use a sword, so Ivan was momentarily puzzled, but he soon grasped Gerard’s intention.

‘He intends to drag me into a martial arts showdown.’

Since he couldn’t do anything about the gap that came from the presence or absence of an Aura Sword, his plan was to drag him into a martial arts fight and settle it there.

‘I’m sorry, but that won’t happen.’

Ivan was also quite confident in his martial arts, but he didn’t want to give up his advantageous environment.

So he drew up his aura and swung his sword.

It was from then on.

That Ivan began to be beaten one-sidedly.

Thwack! Thwack!

Thwack thwack!

Gerard’s body was flexible and fast.

And it was strange.

His knees, thighs, forearms, shoulders, and even the back of his hands.

There was nothing he didn’t use, and Ivan was helplessly beaten by the completely unexpected attack methods.

“Keuk.”

Ivan, who almost fell after losing his balance from a light push on his heel, clenched his teeth.

And he immediately unleashed the sword he was learning from Pirion.

The rising sword is called [Falcon Sword].

True to the name attached to the swordsmanship, Ivan’s sword swooped down toward Gerard’s shoulder like a single falcon, and at that sudden change, Gerard also had no choice but to raise his sword.

Taaaang──!

A strong and clear sound that echoed through the open lot.

That was the sound of Gerard’s longsword breaking.

‘I got him.’

Seeing the other sword fragment, which had been broken in half, rise above his head, Ivan sensed that it was time to finish him.

So, it was the moment he was about to put strength into his waist and bring his sword to Gerard’s chest.

Thwack, something strongly hit the blade.

It was the hilt of the sword, which was only half left.

Gerard swung it to parry Ivan’s sword and then, he grabbed the broken sword fragment that was just then falling and aimed it at Ivan’s Adam’s apple.

……A heavy silence pressed down on the open lot.

“……”

Ivan gently closed his eyes at the cool sensation on his neck.

The situation was clear.

He had lost.

And completely at that.

Was this the plan from the beginning?

Was the martial arts showdown a bait?

Was he planning to sacrifice his sword from the beginning and draw this kind of finish?

Or was it a result of a series of split-second decisions based on the time and situation?

“……I lost, Gerard-senior.”

Whatever it was, it was undeniable that he was amazing.

At the same time, the bell signaling the end of the exam echoed through the forest.

***

“Alright, you all worked hard today, so go back and rest well or prepare well for tomorrow’s exam. Then, dismissed!”

Chaser Idna took the collected feather containers from the cadets and went back.

As he disappeared, sighs erupted from among the cadets.

It was a sigh shed by the majority who were not satisfied with their exam results.

But among them, there were cadets who expressed cheers and joy, and those were the cadets who had bet on Gerard.

“I knew my gut feeling was right.”

“See? I told you sunbaenim would win.”

“It’s not over until it’s over. Remember that. Uh-hee-hee!”

Guillaume, who was silently watching Devo, who was excitedly teasing his crestfallen friend, soon looked around.

Now all the classmates were talking about it.

The showdown between Ivan and Gerard.

And Gerard’s victory.

Professor Chaser had told them who had placed from 1st to 10th, and among them, 1st place was Gerard.

He didn’t tell them the number of feathers.

So the main topic of conversation around, along with the betting, was filled with speculation about ‘how did Gerard-sunbaenim make a comeback?’

Guillaume had not made a bet.

But he was just as curious about the latter.

‘Ivan was clearly ahead in the 2nd mid-term tally. How did Gerard-senior make a comeback?’

They were tied in the 1st mid-term tally and Ivan was ahead in the 2nd mid-term tally, so according to the flow, Ivan should have won.

‘Something happened between the two of them just before the end of the exam.’

That was the only way it could be interpreted.

And this interpretation was not limited to just Guillaume.

Aside from the suddenly reversed rankings compared to the 2nd mid-term tally.

The wounds were all over Ivan’s clothes.

And Gerard’s sword, which had been broken in two, was enough to suggest that the two had clashed properly.

Especially Gerard’s longsword, broken in half, quickly became a hot topic among the kids.

“What happened?”

“Can’t you tell just by looking? The sword is broken. So Ivan won the fight.”

“What nonsense. Then what about the exam?”

“The exam was about collecting feathers, so Gerard-senior must have collected more feathers.”

“Wow. He’s really talking shit because he doesn’t want to give me the money. Fucking hell.”

As the speculation about the results was gradually heading into a labyrinth, Guillaume looked for Ivan.

Finding Ivan was easy.

Ivan was sitting alone on a rock.

As Guillaume approached, Ivan lifted his head.

“Guillaume. Sorry. I lost.”

“Don’t be sorry. It happens.”

Guillaume shrugged and sat down next to him.

“The kids must be really angry. I heard they bet on me.”

“It’s not like you told them to bet, they bet on their own. Why would they be angry?”

“Hmm. Is that so?”

“Yeah. It is.”

Ivan scratched his head awkwardly.

At times like these, he was just like any other person his age.

A sight that was quite different from the Ivan he had seen in the exam grounds.

Well, but this was this guy’s charm.

Thinking that, Guillaume immediately asked what he had been curious about.

“Anyway, what happened?”

“What about?”

“What the kids are talking about now.”

“Aah. That?”

Ivan, who let out a small laugh, told him what had happened just before.

Guillaume, who had been listening silently, patted Ivan’s shoulder after the story ended.

“You almost won, then.”

“……Did you even listen to my story properly, Guillaume?”

*“Yeah. I listened properly. If you had enough time, and if it wasn’t for the special situation of snatching feathers, I think you would have won.”

Ivan gave a bitter smile.

He was grateful for Guillaume’s consideration, but in any case, the result of defeat did not change.

If you were to argue, he had even borrowed the power of the artifact, the ‘Tracker’s Seal’.

“But Ivan. Why do you want to beat sunbae so much?”

Just then, Yuria came into Ivan’s sight.

Yuria was talking with someone.

Guillaume, who was silently watching Ivan’s appearance, sighed and changed the subject.

“Well, right. Still, you gained something, right? At this rate, if you have a little more time, you’ll be able to catch up. Isn’t that enough? There’s always another chance.”

Looking at the laughing Yuria, Ivan answered bitterly.

“I hope so.”

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