Chapter 12
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Episode 3 - The duel of the strongest [1]
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Murmur! Murmur! Murmur!
The cadets in the classroom whispered among themselves; Professor Franklin's words indicated that everyone would face each other in a duel.
Naturally, this was a good opportunity to rise in rank.
Since the top ten first-year students had already been selected during the entrance ceremony, if others took advantage of this opportunity, then during the next reevaluation in three months, they would be able to roughly estimate the strength level of their opponents.
Because the confrontation during the entrance ceremony was against a four-star professor, no one truly knows how strong the cadets are compared to one another.
'For example, I am aware that I'm the second strongest.'
If Lumina had gone all out or fought seriously, she could have defeated that professor during the entrance ceremony.
'Although I barely managed to match him, objectively speaking, defeating that professor would have turned into a battle of attrition.'
If it became a battle of attrition for me, then for Lumina, it would have lasted less than a minute.
Besides, she is a four-star, so naturally, she is stronger than me, statistically speaking.
"Alright, everyone, move to Building A-6."
The cadets then proceeded to leave the classroom; naturally, I was the last one to leave.
***
Upon entering Building A-6, I took a seat and looked toward the platform where the duels between cadets would take place, while some searched for someone to sit with.
As for me, I kept my distance from all of them, though I could hear them as if they were right beside me.
It was better than sticking close to rude kids like them.
'Well, this is the life of a Dark attribute user.'
Ostracism is something many people cannot endure; however, since I do not feel emotions, I do not think much about it.
After a minute, Professor Franklin stepped onto the platform, crossed his arms, and looked at everyone.
"To decide the matches, we'll use random numbers."
When Professor Franklin finished speaking, a robustly built man entered the room carrying a box.
"This box will be passed around. Just put your hand inside and take out the paper within; the paper will have a number on it. Whoever has the same number will be your opponent."
The cadets nodded. Then, Professor Franklin's assistant went from cadet to cadet so they could draw their respective numbers.
This reminded me of a raffle from my past life; I used to have the bad luck of getting the worst prize.
Anyway, the assistant finally came over to me.
"Put your hand in and take out the paper."
With an annoyed voice from having to walk all the way to where I was sitting, he said.
Without reacting to his words, I reached in and took out the paper, and just at that moment—
"Excuse me, what number is it?"
Before the assistant turned around, I asked him.
"Number 8."
Without looking at me, the assistant turned around and left. I glanced at him briefly, but then shrugged.
〖Even if the Dark attribute is so despised nowadays, isn't this a bit too much?〗
Alice's voice sounded clearly annoyed.
"It doesn't matter. I don't have emotions anyway, so no matter what they say to me, I don't feel anything."
In fact, up until now, I haven't lied to Alice.
I told her about some of the Traits I have to make an easier training plan.
Alice didn't say anything else and remained silent. Soon, the professor's voice reached my ears.
"Alright, before we begin, we're going to handle these duels as if this were a tournament. In short, after you finish your first match, my assistant will come around once again so you can find out who your next opponent is."
The cadets couldn't help but look surprised.
"Uh, Professor, does that mean we'll have to fight throughout the entire class?"
By the way, Professor Franklin's class today lasts five hours.
Professor Franklin nodded.
"That's right. Any objections?"
"Well… then, what about lunch?"
Professor Franklin understood the concerns of some of the cadets.
Some of them probably hadn't even eaten breakfast and were currently starving.
"Don't worry, you can go to the cafeteria at the designated time. Nothing will change."
With a sigh, the cadets who had been waiting for an answer finally relaxed.
Then, the professor spoke as he stepped down from the platform:
"Then, let the duels begin."
***
There are a total of 32 cadets in Classroom B-1.
And because of that, the duels took on the format of a tournament. In short, the cadets were going to be classified through three phases.
First, everyone who placed within the top 16 would advance to the next round; then, the top 8 would move on to the final round, and finally, that round would consist of a total of three matches.
Out of the four who fought, only two would remain, and from those two, the final confrontation would emerge.
A total of three matches for the spectators and two for the fighters.
The first duel took place between the cadets ranked fifteenth; they looked like they did not get along.
At the end of the match, the winner mocked the loser, and we continued with the next duel.
And while the next duel was underway, Alice suddenly said:
〖For now, there's no one who can defeat you, so this will be easy〗
I shook my head at her words and said:
"Actually, no. There are only three people I need to be careful of."
〖And who are they?〗
Naturally, those three people were...
"First, there's Rinna; she has the Light attribute and is naturally my natural enemy. The second is Princess Clana; she also has the Light attribute."
The Ordeal Family and the Holy Church—both factions only have members who awakened the Light attribute.
In fact, they are the only two factions on the entire continent that possess users of this attribute.
〖Well, that's true, but considering your strengths, you're still stronger than both of them. Besides, from what I can sense, almost everyone here is at three stars, and you said you tied with a four-star during the entrance ceremony, right?〗
"Yes."
〖Then who is the third person?〗
Naturally, my gaze shifted toward the figure outlined in white lines, seated on the other side of the room.
"It's the person in second place: Lumina Moonlight. She's stronger than me; she could have easily defeated the professor during the entrance ceremony, but she held back."
Since Lumina only wanted to secure first place, she did not go as far as defeating the professor.
〖Well, her strength is at four stars, so I guess you're right〗
By the way, unless Alice "sees" someone in combat, she can't determine exactly how strong that person is.
Furthermore, since she cannot see, she barely uses the power of her soul within the sword to estimate how much mana people possess.
'If she were alive, she most likely would have read and understood Lumina's sword art just by looking at it.'
As I thought about it, I remembered that this is a special ability possessed by a ten-star.
The so-called
'However, since the Five Swords reached the rank of demigod, they can see beyond what the Divine Eye allows.'
With a sigh, I wondered how the Five Swords perceived the world.
'Anyway, my opponent seems to be an extra.'
The number 8 belonged to an unknown girl, so I classified her as an extra.
Since I couldn't guess what she actually looked like, because her design does not appear in the game.
I simply didn't pay much attention to it; what truly mattered was finding out who my next opponent would be after the first one.
'Judging by the fact that there will be 16 participants in total, it's likely I'll face one of the main characters.'
I didn't think too deeply about it; after all, all the main characters possess sword arts inherited from their families.
They still aren't capable of using their full potential.
After a few more rounds of duels, it was finally my turn.
As I stepped onto the platform, a deathly silence settled throughout the hall.
Ignoring them, I looked at my opponent.
She was a short girl with short hair, probably in a bob cut, and her weapon was a katana.
'It's rare for characters to use a katana.'
Besides not being very popular, there are also very few sword arts capable of maximizing its use.
'Well, there's also the scythe; it's a very rare weapon and difficult to master.'
While lost in my thoughts, the assistant acting as the referee spoke:
"Greet each other."
I placed my hand on my chest and slightly bowed my body forward.
Since it was a duel, a formal greeting was natural.
"I am Veronica, rank 11."
Even after hearing her name, I still had no idea who she was.
Besides, she's a commoner, since she has no surname.
"I am Adel, rank 1."
After the formal greeting, the referee raised his hand and then lowered it.
"Begin the match."
Instantly, I gripped my sword by the hilt. I had no intention of using Inverted Heaven.
Because, to begin with, even though I had only recently learned it, using it in combat right now would require my Mastery to reach Expert level.
'Well, anyway, showing such a strange sword art would attract unnecessary attention and…'
However, I couldn't continue my train of thought, because…
"..."
'What…?'
Countless red lines forming something like a fishing net covered my entire vision.
At the same time, I looked at the cadet's hand as, with her thumb, she slowly unsheathed the katana without placing her hand on the hilt.
'Impossible…!!! That is…'
I definitely knew whose sword art this was.
A sword art that spectators would only see if the user wished it, the moment the blade left its sheath.
Yet despite that, it cut at an absurd speed.
'The sword art
I had encountered the successor of the Sword Art of the King of Ten Thousand Men.