Swordsmanship Genius Sees the Future

Chapter 36 - First Class Competition (3)

"1st Year Class C Aura Event Representative! Duran Bestia! Provisional Aura 3-star!"

At the referee's announcement, the stands stirred.

"What? Aura 3-star?"

"Class C has an Aura 3-star?"

"Nah, it's probably just a low 3-star, even then."

"Still, isn't that quite good? But why is he in Class C if he's 3-star?"

"Is his swordsmanship terrible?"

"Doesn't swordsmanship just improve eventually if you keep doing it? The professors don't recognize talent."

"Facing him, 1st Year Class B Aura Event Representative! Froggy Flang! Provisional Aura 2-star!"

"What? Class B is lower?"

"What happened to Class B this year? Why is a 2-star trash coming out as the aura representative?"

"Class B messed up their harvest this year."

"Wait, didn't they say a kid with amazing aura joined Class B? Why isn't that person coming out, and this kind of person is?"

"Anyway, it's ruined. Completely ruined."

Disappointed complaints poured from the seniors.

Meanwhile, Froggy, who stood in the arena, seemed unfazed, swaying his body.

He's amazing.

I could tell just by his back.

Froggy wasn't discouraged by this situation at all.

"Match start!"

And the match began.

Since it was an aura-focused event, of course, no wooden swords were held.

Pure hand-to-hand combat.

You could throw punches, kick, grapple, or twist limbs.

Anything was fine, as long as you didn't aim for vital spots, and it was a contest of physical abilities enhanced by aura.

How would Froggy fight?

He started circling first.

Utilizing his aura-enhanced speed, he quickly stepped, continuously circling his opponent at a constant distance.

"Ugh... huh?"

The bewildered opponent merely spun in place, following Froggy.

Was this his first real combat experience?

He was big and his aura was strong, but his legs were stiff.

He must have activated his aura to the maximum, but he couldn't respond properly like that.

On the other hand, Froggy's movements were free.

He stepped lightly, even throwing in feints with counter-movements in between.

"Shoot! Shoo-shoot!"

He made strange sound effects with his mouth.

Was this Froggy's first real combat experience too?

Why was he so skilled?

And at that moment, the opponent's leg, which was spinning in place, slightly tangled.

"Ugh!"

"Yep!"

Froggy didn't miss that short opening, diving in and throwing a punch.

Wham!

A crushing sound was heard from the jaw.

But Froggy didn't stop.

He grabbed the staggering opponent's waist, pulled him forward to throw him down, then nimbly climbed on top and straightened his back.

"Haha!"

Just as he was about to punch downwards from above, laughing with excitement.

"Stop!"

The referee quickly moved to intervene.

Thwack!

He blocked Froggy's downward punch, then immediately raised both hands, forming an 'X'.

"Match end! The winner is 1st Year Class B's Froggy Flang!"

"Yes!"

Froggy backed away, raising his fist.

From the stands, an enthusiastic cheer erupted as if they had been waiting.

"Woooaaaahhhh!"

"That was intense!"

"What? What was that?"

"Froggy Flang? That guy's a complete beast!"

"Kyah! Amazing!"

"Why does that freshman fight so well?"

Indeed.

Hand-to-hand combat wasn't my area of expertise, but I could tell he had absolutely no hesitation in throwing punches.

Froggy was skilled at beating people.

I thought he was just a weird kid who hugged frog dolls, but it turned out he was a talented individual with excellent qualities the academy needed.

"How was it! I did great, didn't I!"

Froggy returned, swaying from side to side and smiling.

With blood on his face, he even looked grotesque.

"You did well. Congratulations. You must have had a lot of practical training with a teacher at home, right?"

"No? I didn't do anything at home?"

Froggy shook his head nonchalantly.

Come on, there's no way he didn't do anything, right?

"Didn't you do something at home? Before entering the academy?"

"Huh? Oh, I did. Swordsmanship training."

"What about practical combat? Did you do hand-to-hand sparring like you just did? Like aura enhancement training?"

"Not at all?"

He widened his eyes and shook his head again.

Really?

It doesn't sound like a lie...

Then he's just a natural-born fighter?

That's amazing.

Anyway, he won, so it's fine.

With this, Class B's victory, with two wins, was confirmed.

"Next player! Come to the dueling arena!"

But the inter-class competition would continue until the end, regardless of wins or losses.

"Ugh, you haven't rested much, but you're going right away? Should I have dragged out the time a bit more?"

Froggy asked. I shook my head, saying it was fine, and walked back towards the arena.

The final third match was the comprehensive category.

It was a fight that utilized both swordsmanship and aura, the core event that could be called the highlight of the inter-class competition.

"Do well, Ray! Fighting! If you stay calm, you'll definitely win!"

Froggy's cheer echoed from behind me.

Standing in the arena once again, I faced my opponent and regulated my breathing.

"1st Year Class C Comprehensive Event Representative! Phil Lucavre! Provisional Swordsmanship 2-star! Provisional Aura 2-star!"

My opponent was Phil.

"Kyah, did you see that? That frog-bastard fought incredibly well, didn't he?"

I just nodded without a reply.

Phil was smiling.

But unlike Froggy, he showed clear signs of nervousness.

His eyelids trembled, and the prominent veins in his temples rapidly contracted.

His breathing was also irregular.

He was inhaling more than exhaling.

Sweat appeared on his palms as he repeatedly caressed the blade of his wooden sword with his hand.

Why do I notice such things first?

I don't know.

No one taught me.

I just naturally came to know it.

"Facing him, 1st Year Class B Comprehensive Event Representative! Ray Granvelle! Provisional Swordsmanship 7-star! Provisional Aura 1-star!"

"You're not going easy on me just because you've already won, are you?"

"..."

"Please. Show me how strong I've become."

Still, his determination was great.

I silently nodded and prepared for the match.

No, wait.

Phil.

Didn't you just say something strange?

Why should I show how strong you've become?

You should be the one showing it, not me.

Was he so nervous that his words got tangled?

Anyway, it would be dangerous to just fight normally.

This was a comprehensive event.

Phil would activate his aura to its full potential and reveal everything he had.

On the other hand, I would have to counter with swordsmanship alone.

This difference was enormous.

They say that a 1-star difference in aura is like the difference between an adult and a child.

I have no aura, and Phil has about 2-star low aura.

That's a pure two-stage difference.

Then what about a 1-star difference in swordsmanship?

Can it be calculated as intuitively as aura?

Suddenly, the succession match I had fought recently came to mind.

Compared to Giel, who I faced then, Phil's swordsmanship is better, and Giel's aura is higher.

So, should I say they're ultimately similar?

No.

Phil is stronger than Giel.

First, he has no unnecessary bravado. No carelessness, and his resolve is different.

Even if swordsmanship is the same 2-star, not all 2-stars are the same.

I personally helped him solidify the basics from the ground up, Granvelle style.

"Prepare for battle!"

While I was lost in thought, the referee's preparation signal fell.

Simultaneously, Phil's stance began to take on a combat form.

Lowered center of gravity.

Narrowed armpits.

Tucked chin, wooden sword extended to mid-stance, and gaze focused on my center line.

He acknowledged the gap between us and solidified a form that could narrow that gap as much as possible.

This was truly the complete form of the Training Sword, a 2-star swordsmanship.

Whoever taught him, they taught him really well.

It seems like he could start 3-star training tomorrow.

Well, anyway.

Given how the opponent was coming at me, I couldn't just take it easy.

Phil was starting to understand 'distance,' the foundation of Granvelle swordsmanship.

I had never explained it in words, but he instinctively grasped it.

A few days ago, he vaguely started reacting with his body.

He would then use his aura-amplified physical abilities to bridge that narrowed distance.

The balance of swordsmanship and aura.

The most ideal form, as everyone says.

"...Aren't you going to use aura?"

Phil's eyebrows twitched.

I slowly blinked my eyes in response.

"Phew, right. That means I'm still not at that level, I guess? Thanks for going easy on me."

No, Phil.

I'm definitely not going easy on you.

I'm not underestimating you.

But for now, I had no choice but to let it go.

The referee also didn't ask any questions, perhaps having overheard the conversation.

Why aren't you activating your aura?

He might have asked something like that...

"Match start!"

At the start, Phil glided forward, launching himself.

"Hyaa!"

An unwavering center thrust.

A blow heavily imbued with 2-star aura power, yet contained within and not overtly displayed. It was fast and sharp, but not difficult to block.

However, if I simply received it, my wrist would break.

So I had to fight in a different way.

"Huh?"

Bang!

The opponent suddenly stomped his front foot on the ground, braking.

"Huh? Huh?"

He kept flinching and backing away.

Just by his expression, his confusion was clear.

How would it feel to be continuously slashed by an intangible sword?

It would be terrible.

I had no choice.

I forcibly drew out non-existent killing intent and continuously drew intangible blades in the illusion.

This was Illusionary Sword.

"Argh!"

Phil screamed and hunched over.

This is the essence of swordsmanship.

If you don't know it, you simply get hit unilaterally.

Regardless of whether you're an adult or a child.

Welcome, Phil.

Is this your first time in a world like this?

"Hey! Phil! What are you doing!"

"Hey! Are you crazy! Why are you spazzing out by yourself!"

"That Phil guy's gone mad!"

"He's lost his mind!"

"Referee, what are you doing! Stop it!"

"Argh! I can't watch!"

The cries of the Class C students gathered to cheer poured out.

But the professor acting as referee didn't stop the match and continued to watch Phil, who was having a seizure by himself.

"Hmm. It's Illusionary Sword."

Professor Totten, watching from the third floor, shook his head and said.

"I never thought Ray would even use Illusionary Sword. He's usually a quiet and calm kid... Perhaps he has a surprisingly showy personality. Is this something he inherited from his brother? By the way, how long has it been since he showed Illusionary Sword, and he's using it so freely already..."

"Isn't he using Union Sword?"

The old professor interjected.

Totten frowned and replied, "Even so, he wouldn't go that far in a class competition. It's not really a technique suitable for sparring either, you see."

"Hmm, is that so?"

"No, why are you asking when you know better than anyone? Anyway, Ray is overwhelmingly strong, so is there any reason to even bring out Union Sword?"

"He doesn't look that confident to me."

The old professor rested his chin on his hand and frowned.

"He feels like he's on the edge. That child is deliberately treading a fine line."

"Deliberately... Ah, you mean aura. Even if it's only low 1-star, it would still be better to use it."

"That's not what I mean."

The old professor concentrated on the duel and shook his head.

"Something is missing in that child. That's why he feels like he's on the edge."

"You mean something other than aura is missing?"

"That's right."

"To my eyes, he seems perfectly flawless... If you only look at his swordsmanship, he's good enough to be a professor in my place right now."

"Hmm... If you don't know, then it's fine."

"No, why don't you tell me? Professor, you've always been harsh on your students, both then and now, that's your flaw. When I was learning from you, I was so severely scolded..."

The moment the professors entered a private debate, Phil, who had been unilaterally battered, suddenly charged towards his opponent and swung his wooden sword.

"Ha!"

It was a blow imbued with power in an instant. It was plausible.

For a wild swing in the midst of a desperate struggle, his posture was surprisingly composed.

But he only cut through empty air.

"Huh?"

The opponent was a hand's breadth behind the arc the sword traced.

He clearly thought it would reach.

As he lost his balance and stumbled, the opponent lightly stepped forward and struck Phil's shoulder.

Thump.

At the same time, the referee raised his hand and shouted.

"Stop! Match end! The winner is 1st Year Class B's Ray Granvelle!"

"Hoo."

The old professor raised his eyebrows and exhaled.

Totten felt that his opponent had taken the bait and asked in a subtle voice, "What do you think? Your impression after seeing it firsthand?"

"Are they friends?"

"What? What do you mean?"

"Those two. I wondered why they were fighting so strangely... He was teaching him during the duel."