Swordsmanship Genius Sees the Future

Chapter 38 - Sea of Illusions

The first match of the finals between Class A and Class B began.

"1st Year Class B Swordsmanship Event Representative! Ray Granvelle! Provisional Swordsmanship 7-star!"

This isn't just a match.

There's a goal I must achieve.

First, I must win.

I have nothing left if you take away my swordsmanship.

So, no matter who the opponent is, I must win.

The Rajiks inside me also desires victory.

"Facing him, 1st Year Class A Swordsmanship Event Representative! Gloria Rostfall! Provisional Swordsmanship 4-star!"

But I can't just win normally.

I heard from my brother before.

Losing to another class is a tremendous humiliation for Class A.

One loss is the end.

The label of "loser" will follow them until graduation, and in severe cases, they might even be demoted from their class by a class vote.

So, a decisive victory is needed.

An overwhelmingly dominant victory that everyone can acknowledge.

That way, no one will complain.

At the same time, I can't leave any injuries.

Seriously injuring an opponent during a match results in automatic disqualification.

Of course, regardless of victory or defeat, I can't tolerate it.

Because the opponent is Gloria.

If there's one more wish, I want to give Gloria an opportunity for her swordsmanship to grow through a new experience.

That would be my duty of a master.

Oh dear.

I'm filled with greed.

I wasn't always the type to want everything like this...

Did the situation make me this way?

Or is it the Rajiks inside me, whose assertiveness grows stronger the moment I step onto the arena?

I don't know.

Of course, there's a way.

First, Gloria must display her absolute best.

Only then can all these conditions be satisfied.

"..."

But the opponent was hesitating.

I couldn't tell just from her expression.

I'm not a mind-reader.

However, if she was holding a sword, the story changed.

Would she choose the best, even if it was agonizing and difficult?

Or would she choose the easy path, where the match was decided in an instant, even if it wasn't the best?

Hesitation was visible.

Her stance, body height, center of gravity, how she held the sword, her gaze, and even the continuously changing tilt difference in her shoulders.

Everything was ambiguous.

She hadn't made a decision on how to fight.

This is problematic.

If it went on like this, the result would inevitably leave regrets.

So, I had to force her to bring out her best.

"Gloria?"

"Uh, yes?"

"Let's do our best. Don't hold back. Give it your all. I can expect that, right?"

It's your master's request.

I didn't even need to say that much.

The opponent immediately shed her hesitation and composed her stance.

The widened gap quickly narrowed.

I could feel countless possibilities that could have been, disappearing.

What Gloria chose was selection and focus.

She chose extreme defense to counter the opponent's various means, focusing on stalling for as long as possible and leading the duel into a prolonged battle.

It was clear.

Her hesitation disappeared.

It was obvious how Gloria would fight.

This was far clearer than the occasional glimpses of the future.

If it were a completely new opponent, there might be variables, but...

-Admit it. Ray's swordsmanship is superior to mine.

-But if I focus on defense, I can endure. The difference isn't so great that I can't cope at all.

-Let's stall for time and turn it into a battle of stamina.

-The problem is Illusionary Sword...

-It's okay. Even if I can't use Illusionary Sword, I've experienced it.

But I know Gloria.

A clear intention is visible in every small movement.

I see, Gloria.

You've experienced a lot of things over the past year too, haven't you?

Your master is pleased.

-Defense! Only defense!

-Anything goes! I'll block everything, so come at me as much as you want!

Gloria chose the best move she could.

With this, the conditions were met.

Because what I needed was Gloria's best.

Defense.

Only defense.

Gloria was completely guided by me.

Sorry, Gloria.

I'm a bit cunning, aren't I?

The third match is a fight I can't win anyway.

So I got a little greedy in this match.

I'm going to achieve everything I want here.

"Match start!"

The duel began, but the opponent's stance remained the same.

Thorough defense to stall for time.

In that case, I would respond with a technique that made defense impossible.

Union Sword.

I became one with the long wooden stick in my hand.

Cold sweat flowed, and my senses became confused.

Perfectly connecting with a bulky object was still not easy.

It would have been better if it were a small stick.

Like a pen, for example...

But it's fine.

Because it will end in an instant.

It's a dangerous technique.

Even a slight deviation from the prediction can injure the opponent.

Perhaps even kill them.

That's why I fixed the opponent's choice to one.

To completely cut off variables.

Thud!

I kicked off and lightly swung my arm.

As usual.

Like a normal start to an everyday spar, I casually threw an attack as if warming up.

Gloria knows.

The various continuous attacks that follow here and the subsequent developments.

So she will maintain her stance and lightly twist her wrist to respond to the next offensive.

But.

Rip!

Simultaneously with her defense, her wooden sword was cut.

Not a single loose thread on her clothes, nor a single strand of hair was touched; only the wooden sword was severed.

Success.

This is enough.

I left the rigid opponent and flicked my toes, returning to my original spot.

Then, the whole world fell silent.

For a moment, everything was immersed in silence.

The pouring cheers and enthusiastic support vanished as if a lie.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...Cut? A wooden sword with a wooden sword?"

The moment the silence was broken, the frozen referee raised his hand and shouted,

"Ma-match end! The winner is 1st Year Class B Ray Granvelle!"

I won.

But the opponent groaned, dropping the half-broken wooden sword in her hand.

"Ugh..."

Blood.

Blood flowed from Gloria's hand.

Did her palm tear?

My heart sank.

Did the attack waver at the last moment and deviate from the prediction?

No.

I didn't make a mistake.

It was just that the opponent's skill exceeded my prediction.

Looking closer now...

Gloria had grown more than before.

Her height increased, her limbs lengthened, and her strength became even greater.

A little more than what I had judged by eye just before the match.

The variable that arose from that created this error.

Of course, it was an error within expectations.

The injury didn't seem serious.

But...

"As expected, it's Ray."

Gloria picked up the two pieces of her wooden sword and put them back together.

"My goodness. To be cut so cleanly... Amazing. I never knew swordsmanship had such a level."

"..."

"It gave me goosebumps. It was a valuable experience. Thank you, Master."

I silently bowed my head.

Gloria smiled brightly and walked backward.

I let out a silent sigh.

My hand gripping the wooden sword was damp with sweat.

My Union Sword had also unknowingly been released.

Was it that much of a shock?

Not much blood was spilled.

A torn palm in a duel doesn't even count as an injury.

I'm accustomed to blood, anyway.

Recently, I've even 'dismantled' spies with my own hands, turning the surroundings into a bloodbath.

I even enjoyed it.

But... I never knew it would be so different.

Enemy blood and a friend's blood were the same color but something entirely different.

I turned my body, feeling that obvious truth anew.

Belated cheers poured from the stands.

"Wooooaaaahhhhh!"

"Uwaaaahhhhhh!"

"The freshmen are crazy!"

"Uwaah uwaah!"

"Amazing!"

"Cool, Granvelle! Woooaaah!"

"What was that! What was that just now! He cut a wooden sword with a wooden sword!"

"Did you see it? Huh? Did you see it?"

"That's Union Sword... It really exists."

"Honestly, I thought it was an exaggerated technique..."

"Uwaaaah! Lily's brother is insane!"

"Class B is the best! They beat Class A!"

"It's a victory that will go down in academy history!"

"Wooooaaaahhhhh!"

The belated cheers showed no signs of stopping.

Professor Totten chuckled, feigning covering one ear.

"Haha... It's a riot. They must have all seen it for the first time, so it's understandable."

"Is he a genius..."

The old professor also muttered with a surprised expression.

Totten nodded and sighed.

"Of course. Ray is a genius. But it was close."

"Hmm? What was close?"

"The Union Sword, I mean. He probably didn't need to use it that far."

"Hmm..."

"It's a miracle that it only ended with a slightly torn hand. Isn't it a dangerous technique that could sever a neck if it grazed wrong? I'll have to call him aside later and give him a lecture."

"No, that's not it."

The old professor closed his eyes and shook his head.

"That's not what this is. Everything happened within that child's palm. He was confident he could cut only the wooden sword without touching the opponent."

"What? But she ended up getting hurt, didn't she?"

"Well, that was just a slight error. Hmph. Quite good. Very good indeed. At that age, it's hard to even control one's own body. But to already be able to control the opponent's movements..."

"As expected, seeing the Union Sword improved your evaluation, didn't it?"

"What? This man!"

The old professor glared at the younger professor with an incredulous look.

"Did you hear what I said through your nostrils? The Union Sword isn't the problem right now. What's important is that he narrowed the opponent's response to one before that. It was a mind game almost bordering on art. To be precise, he thoroughly forced the opponent's move. Even for me, that's difficult. I wonder how he did it. It would have been better if I saw it closer, but anyway, it's definitely a swordsmanship of a different caliber. 6-star? 7-star? That's a level that can't be quantified by numbers. In addition to the Granvelle family's swordsmanship that I know, that child possesses a unique..."

"Alright, alright! I understand! Anyway, you're pleased with him, right, Professor?"

Totten cut off the old professor and got to the point.

"Anyway, that's good. So, is Ray accepted?"

"Well... yes."

"As expected!"

"Honestly, I don't know what I can teach him. However, I think there's still something I can tell him."

The old professor nodded with a thoughtful expression.

"Anyway, it was a good show for a change. Let's watch the third match and then call him to the research lab."

"Understood. The third match will end quickly. Because the opponent is Zedebek."

"Zedebek?"

"Zedebek Black Luna. Haven't you at least heard the name, Professor?"

"Hmm... Black Luna... Ah."

The old professor frowned and nodded.

"You mean that incredibly talented grandson of the old Thunder God. They said he reached Aura 4-star at twelve? Looks like his maternal lineage is strong."

"He's 5-star. He was low 5-star then, and now he seems to be around high 5-star."

"High 5-star?"

"That's right. His professor said it's no exaggeration to say he's almost low 6-star level."

"Hmph. Another amazing talent has appeared in the Black Luna."

"The difference is too great. Even if Ray uses the slight aura he's been hiding, he won't be able to compete. If Zedebek activates just 3-star aura to its full extent, Ray won't even be able to react to his movements."

"Hmm, that's true."

"It's unavoidable. It's like Ray's destiny. Even after he graduates from the academy, he probably won't be on the front lines."

"So..."

The old professor stroked his beard with a dissatisfied expression.

"How do you intend to guide that child?"

"What can I do at my level? I just hope that child achieves a higher ultimate truth."

"So you dragged an old retired man all the way here just for that? Because I'm Swordsmanship 8-star? You're transparent."

"Haha. As expected, I can't fool you, Professor."

"One cannot learn the Corrosive Sword just by being taught. Of course, if he has such talent, it might be different, but... hmm,"

The old professor closed his mouth and frowned.

Totten followed the old professor's gaze and turned his head towards the opposite VIP seating.

"What's wrong, Professor? Did you make eye contact with the Dean?"

He saw the Dean of the Northern Academy sitting with several VIPs.

The old professor snorted and shook his head.

"Hmph, no. Would the Dean even glance at a has-been like me? Rather, those sneaky ones. Their dirty intentions are completely transparent."

The man sitting next to the Dean was eagerly talking about something to the Dean.

The Dean, with a serious expression, nodded and gave instructions to the secretary standing behind him.

"...Professor, can you hear that? Amidst all this noise?"

"How could I? I'm lucky my ears aren't completely deaf at this age. I merely predicted the situation."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you see the one in flashy clothes next to the Dean? That's a Black Luna person. I've seen him before. He came to greet me, asking me to take good care of their family's freshman."

"Then..."

Totten gasped and frowned.

The old professor, on the other hand, relaxed his expression and smiled.

"Perhaps it might even become more interesting. It's a fight that can't be won anyway. If prohibitions are added to it... I wonder how that child will fare?"