Chapter 546

"What. You guys have done it too, so why are you making a fuss?"

Yi-Han, the only one here who wasn't from a knight family, asked his friends.

"No... Wardanaz. You crazy bastard. We do training like camping, but we don't do it like this."

"Right. At Einroguard, it's like doing it with nothing, just bare-handed."

Commonly, when people thought of the empire's knight families, they had an image of being ignorant and simple, but that was a prejudice.

Knight families were also very clever and systematic in their specialized fields.

This camping training was like that too.

When training to move and live deep in the mountain range, at least dozens of people moved together, and they prepared necessary supplies and equipment abundantly before starting.

In the first place, unless it was an exceptionally unusual knight family, they didn't prepare for being dropped alone bare-handed in the mountain range.

That was something wandering mercenaries did. A knight was someone who led his squires and guards in, not someone who rolled around alone bare-handed.

'Huh?'

Yi-Han recalled when Arlong took him into the mountains just like that.

Huh?

"Don't you..."

"I'm telling you we don't."

"Wardanaz, you bastard. I know you're good at swordsmanship, but we're the knight families. Why are you doubting us?"

"Ye-yeah. Sorry."

Yi-Han stopped talking, thinking that if he said more, his friends would look at him strangely.

When he returned, Dolgyu and Jijel were already making simple plans.

"You're saying we should hide supplies in advance?"

"Yeah. Knowing the professor's personality, he'll limit the amount we can bring up. We need to hide them in the mountains in advance."

"But isn't that against the rules?"

"Choi. What kind of nonsense are you talking about? This school itself is against the rules."

"Moradi is right."

Yi-Han agreed and joined the conversation.

"We need to prepare in various places in the mountain range. Besides, it's in 2 weeks. The weather might get even worse. Remember when the King of Frost Giants appeared before? What if the King of the King of Frost Giants appears?"

"Is there such a thing?"

Dolgyu asked in surprise. Yi-Han brushed it off.

"I don't know. There might be. Anyway, the important thing is that we need to prepare. Let's build a few huts in the mountains."

"That's not a bad idea."

Jijel also agreed.

Wardanaz wasn't someone she liked, but his thinking was right when it came to preparing for work.

"Moradi. Do you think the professor will release additional monsters?"

"Hmm... He might..."

"What are you talking about so enjoyably?"

Professor Ingurdel approached, looking puzzled.

Yi-Han quickly answered.

"We were talking about how we hope this final exam comes quickly because we're so excited."

"To that extent?"

Professor Ingurdel was embarrassed by Yi-Han's words.

"I wasn't confident that everyone would like it, but hearing that makes me a bit happy. Haha. I was worried it might be too hard, but if you're looking forward to it, I must do it."

"..."

The other White Tiger Tower students glared at Yi-Han, but Yi-Han didn't even blink an eye.

'Even if I had said it was hard for me, the professor would have done it anyway.'

Yi-Han wasn't sorry at all because he knew well that professors were people who would do as they pleased even if they said that.

"By the way, Wardanaz. The movement of your sword has changed a bit, did you have some kind of realization?"

"Ah. I've become more familiar with using the mysterious principle of suction that you told me about last time."

At Yi-Han's words, the elf swordsman was as happy as if it were his own achievement.

"Is that so! That's really great. It must not have been easy."

Yi-Han was about to say that he had realized it while trying to survive during the giants' wrestling match, but he felt it was too strange and held back.

"How many sword forms of Azure Rock Style is Wardanaz using now? Five forms?"

"That's right."

Yi-Han wasn't surprised that Professor Ingurdel knew more about the swordsmanship he had learned than expected.

The professor himself was acquainted with Arlong, and he knew almost all the swordsmanship in the empire.

"Didn't Wardanaz think it was strange when he first learned Azure Rock Style?"

"Pardon?"

Yi-Han wondered what he was talking about.

He just thought that Arlong swung his sword well, cut trees well, cut rocks well, and was very strong, so he shouldn't mess with him in front of him?

"At a glance, doesn't Azure Rock Style look simple?"

"Ah."

Azure Rock Style was one of the heavy and strong greatsword-type swordsmanship among the empire's swordsmanship.

A swordsmanship where each strike crushes down like a huge rock.

As such, the sword forms of Azure Rock Style were not very complex or flashy. Rather, it belonged to the simple category.

To someone who had an interest in swordsmanship, such simple swordsmanship could be misunderstood as low-level swordsmanship.

Of course, Yi-Han was different.

'I learned it for self-defense in the first place...'

When learning it to train the body a bit and for self-defense when there was spare time, there was no way he would say things like it lacked flashiness in swordsmanship or it didn't have a profound taste. That was just a crazy person.

"I just did it, but...?"

"Excellent."

"?"

When Professor Ingurdel made an overly moved expression, Yi-Han was slightly taken aback.

Was there a part to be moved by in what he just said?

"There is a saying that a swordsman chooses his swordsmanship, but in fact, I think swordsmanship chooses the swordsman. Wardanaz. Just as Einroguard chose Wardanaz."

'What a terrible analogy to make with such a moving expression.'

Yi-Han was disgusted, but Professor Ingurdel didn't notice.

"Azure Rock Style looks simple, but the more you learn it, the more profound it becomes. However, that level cannot be seen if you only pursue flashy or beautiful swordsmanship. Only those who can silently shed sweat can see it."

Yi-Han, who had been swinging it without much thought until now, became increasingly embarrassed.

'I don't intend to go that far...'

Professor Ingurdel pointed to a distant cliff with his finger.

It was a steep cliff that seemed to be dozens of meters high.

"The reason Sir Arlong only taught you the first five forms is probably because your preparation is still lacking. You need to know how to use aura next. But seeing Wardanaz's growth, I'm convinced it's not far off."

"You flatter me."

"You should have somehow grasped the realization on the ship last time. You should have done it one more time, even if I had to force it..."

"..."

Yi-Han changed the subject, feeling a chill down his spine.

"Seeing that cliff makes me realize how far I have to go. I will continue to work hard in the future."

"Ah. That's a good attitude, but that's not why I pointed it out. Wardanaz. I wanted to tell you the story of how Sir Arlong once cut the neck of a monster that big with Azure Rock Style in a single stroke."

"I-I see."

"I'm sure you can reach it too, Wardanaz."

"Yes..."

At first, it was scary, but as he listened, it sounded like a typical encouragement, so Yi-Han slightly relaxed.

"Now, let me explain in detail how you can reach it."

"??"

"It was very fortunate that you realized the mysterious principle of suction to a higher level this time."

Professor Ingurdel sat Yi-Han down and spoke very specifically and seriously.

It felt like he was seriously trying to make him break through the wall of aura in a few years, not as a joke.

"As on the ship last time, I think your path lies in that direction, Wardanaz."

How can a swordsman reach the realm?

Unlike mages who could receive the help of systematic studies accumulated by their predecessors, the path of a swordsman was thoroughly personal and lonely.

As such, the realization for a swordsman to reach the realm also had similar aspects.

A swordsman who swung the swordsmanship learned from his master in exactly the same way throughout his life without a single difference could not reach the realm.

If one truly wanted to reach the realm, one had to evolve the learned swordsmanship by incorporating all of one's experiences and realizations.

Only at the moment of successfully achieving that evolution could one reach the realm.

And in Professor Ingurdel's view, Wardanaz's path with high potential was the mysterious principle of suction.

Having deeply delved into the mana attribute conversion he had realized on his own, his skills had now improved to the point where he could maintain balance even in urgent situations.

Moreover, seeing how he had nearly reached the wall of the realm while frantically using the mysterious principle of suction on the ship last time, the potential was even higher.

"The point is to incorporate what Wardanaz has newly learned and realized into Azure Rock Style, focusing on the mysterious principle of suction."

"In-indeed."

Inwardly, Yi-Han thought, 'If I can do that, shouldn't I join the Imperial Knights rather than Einroguard?' but he pretended to agree for now.

The things Yi-Han had learned...

"Other than the mysterious principle of suction, what comes to mind right now? Don't think, just say it."

"The method of infusing intention that you taught me last time comes to mind?"

"Good. What else?"

"The tricks I learned from the knights?"

"Hmm. I'm curious about how that can be incorporated, but that too..."

Professor Ingurdel relentlessly pushed Yi-Han to spit out the thoughts he had without giving him a break.

"Now, you just need to incorporate this."

"Uh... Is there a way?"

"There are no shortcuts, but there are people who will help Wardanaz."

Professor Ingurdel called Jijel and Dolgyu.

"Wardanaz, don't attack and just try to defend."

When forcibly put in a disadvantageous situation, people tend to develop abilities they didn't have.

As an excellent swordsman, Professor Ingurdel knew well how to improve one's skills.

"No. Professor. At least with one person..."

"If it's one person, there won't be enough pressure. Azure Rock Style is a swordsmanship that is particularly advantageous in defense."

Jijel raised his hand and politely asked.

"Professor. What if we cover Wardanaz's eyes?"

"That's a good idea. Moradi. If Wardanaz blocks well, we'll try covering his eyes next time."

Professor Ingurdel nodded his head, feeling pleased with Jijel's thoughtfulness for his friend.

Where did the initial rejection of students from other towers go? The way they took care of each other was heartwarming.

***

"Hello. Professor Fluerwerk."

"Hello, everyone. Nice to see you."

"Hello. Legal Officer Orifulas."

-Nice to meet you all, young mages. Be careful not to make contracts rashly, like me, if you don't want to suffer.-

The demon following behind Professor Rosine Fluerwerk winked and advised.

It was rare to find a textbook that fit as well as him in the <Basic Imperial Language and Logic> lecture, where various dangerous magic contracts were learned.

Gainando, who was diligently waving his staff to dye his pants, looked next to him and asked.

"Wardanaz. Why do the White Tiger Tower kids look so happy? Did they secretly find snacks or something?"

"No. It's a different reason."

Yi-Han said while rubbing his sore arm.

It seemed like the first time he had seen the White Tiger Tower guys looking so happy this year.

They're like that just because he got hit once.

'If I get hit twice, will those bastards hold a festival?'

"Now, now. Everyone got one, right?"

Professor Rosine Fluerwerk waved her staff and handed each student a thick stack of documents.

"What is this?"

"These are commonly seen mission forms in the empire. I collected and brought actual documents."

"!"

Yi-Han read one with interest.

[Urgent!

Monster hunting, southwest outskirts of Granden City, compensation negotiable...]

"It's trash."

Yi-Han glared at the document with a contemptuous gaze.

The fox mixed-blood professor heard Yi-Han's words and clapped her hands in admiration.

"Well pointed out! As you can see from this, it doesn't specify the information about the monster, and it doesn't explain the characteristics of the area. A mission like this is very dangerous. Now, everyone clap!"

As he received applause from his friends, Yi-Han thought to himself.

'I cursed it because it didn't specifically tell me the compensation.'