Chapter 4: A Reason to Live (3)

A heavy silence fell over the training ground. All the cadets eagerly gathered to witness a spectacle and even the professor, Lucas, stood frozen. Their eyes were fixed on Felix, who was hunched over, vomiting onto the ground.

Felix Ordman was a noble belonging to the family of a viscount from the Empire and a cadet who had awakened the soul stigmata of the Sea God, which had been passed down within his family for generations. His arrogance and utter lack of manners made him widely disliked among his peers. However, there was one thing about him that no one could deny—his swordsmanship.

The shocked spectators started whispering among themselves.

“Felix lost in swordsmanship?”

“A-and he lost that badly?”

When it came to pure swordsmanship without the use of mana, Felix was ranked among the top thirty, perhaps even the top twenty, cadets in the entire academy. Yet, he had been utterly crushed. He hadn’t even managed to land a proper strike.

What was that technique?

Lucas furrowed his brow, recalling the swordsmanship Dale had just displayed.

With his keen eye, sharp enough to earn him the nickname “Hound,” he immediately recognized something, thinking in disbelief,

Was that the Sun Sword Style?

The Sun Sword Style was a legendary swordsmanship technique created by Reynald Helios, the hero who had sealed away the Demon God five hundred years ago. This was said to be the strongest swordsmanship technique in the Empire, no, on the entire continent.

But how could Dale, who wasn’t even from the Helios family or the Empire, use it?

Lucas shook his head, thinking carefully.

No, it’s different. The fundamental forms are similar, but something is off. This is different from the Sun Sword Style I know of.

Not long ago, he had personally witnessed Yuren Helios, the eldest son of Duke Helios and the rightful successor of the Sun Sword Style, demonstrate the technique. That was why he could say with confidence that Dale’s technique was different from the Sun Sword Style and only resembled it a little.

It was as if Dale had broken down the Sun Sword Style into its core components and reassembled them in a way that suited his style. If anyone else had been watching, they probably wouldn’t have even noticed the similarities.

Even if it’s just a coincidence that his technique looks similar to the Sun Sword Style... His ability to use swordsmanship at this level is already absurd.

There was a reason Dale always ranked last. His low mana reserves were certainly a major issue, but more than that, he was always hopelessly uncoordinated and could barely control his body, let alone properly wield a sword.

How had he changed so drastically overnight? Before Lucas could dwell further on his thoughts, Dale shattered the silence, bringing him out of his deep thoughts.

“What are you waiting for? Weren’t you the one who said you’d come at me first? What’s holding you back?” Dale tapped the ground with his wooden sword and took a step forward. “Then I’ll just come to you.”

“You bastard!” Felix was still kneeling on the ground. Gritting his teeth, he staggered to his feet. Then, as his face contorted in fury, he pushed off the ground and charged.

Once again, Felix’s sword didn’t even graze Dale’s clothes. With a cracking sound, he was sent flying backward. He crashed onto the ground, trembling in disbelief.

The first time, he could have been caught off guard. But this time, he had gone all out, yet the result was the same.

“How is this happening?” Felix said in disbelief.

Suddenly, the previous day’s rumors flashed through his mind—the absurd story about Dale knocking away Professor Kane and subduing Camilla Vediche with a single hand. Felix had dismissed them as nothing more than ridiculous exaggerations.

Were those rumors... all true? No, that’s impossible.

Felix clenched his fists, his face contorting in frustration.

Even though he had been outclassed just moments ago, years of ingrained prejudice made it impossible for him to accept reality.

“Dale Han!” Felix gritted his teeth so hard it hurt. “Let’s see how long you can keep being so arrogant.”

A faint glow pulsed from the soul stigmata at the left side of his chest, and a soft blue radiance spread over his body. It was mana, the breath of the gods, granted only to those who had awakened their holy stigmata.

With a grunt, Felix’s sword swung down at a speed incomparably faster than before.

“Felix Ordman!” Professor Kane shot to his feet.

However, it was too late; the sword was already descending.

“Block this too!” Felix’s shout rang out through the training ground.

Dale smiled as he saw the descending sword.

***

Seeing the mana-covered sword, I couldn’t help but chuckle softly. I remembered Yuren had said something about this before.

“If you truly master the Sun Sword Style, you won’t need magic. Your sword alone will be enough to cut the sky itself.”

As I recalled those words, I thought,

Well, I’m not at the level where I can cut the sky yet. But at the very least, a wooden practice sword should be no problem.

I took a deep breath and pulled my sword toward my shoulder. Then, I lowered my stance and shifted my weight onto my foot. The moment my body tensed, coiled like a spring, I struck with explosive speed.

A sound that should have been impossible for a wooden sword to make echoed through the air, and Felix’s wooden sword was split cleanly in two and clattered to the ground.

“Huh?” Felix stared blankly at his broken weapon. “What... just happened?”

The power of mana manifested in countless ways, but all of them shared one most fundamental effect: physical strength enhancement. It was a miraculous power that could turn even a brittle twig into a tool strong enough to drive a nail into solid steel.

Felix’s confusion was evident on his face as he struggled to understand how I was able to break his sword without using mana, and that too with nothing but a simple wooden training sword. His expression practically screamed it was impossible.

It was like trying to cut through an iron club with a twig. No, even if a twig could somehow dent an iron club, it couldn’t slice through the weapon. That defied logic. This wasn’t just an issue of whether mana was used or not. It was simply not possible either way. After all, training swords were nothing more than polished oak clubs shaped like blades.

“What kind of trick did you—”

Before Felix could finish his sentence, a fist came swinging at him like a bolt of lightning, smashing straight into his jaw. He crumpled instantly, collapsing onto the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.

A suffocating silence filled the training grounds. There were no cheers for the victor or any jeers for the fallen.

I turned toward Professor Kane, my expression calm. “So, as promised, my suspension is reduced to four days, correct?”

“

Ah, uhm.

Yes.” Professor Kane nodded absentmindedly, his face still frozen in disbelief.

Even though he had seen it himself, he couldn’t comprehend what had just happened. However, I didn’t bother explaining. Even if I did, he wouldn’t understand.

“Then, I’ll see you next week, Professor.” I gave a polite bow and exited the training hall.

Perhaps because it was close to lunchtime, the cadets moved busily around campus.

“Four days, huh,” I muttered. It was Tuesday. Including the weekend, I had roughly six days of free time.

Since I had decided to start a new life, I had an overwhelming number of preparations to make. I was going to be busy in the coming days.

Up until now, my life had been nothing but losses. I had lost everything that mattered—a dear friend, a younger sibling, a mentor, and a lover. I had failed to protect any of them.

Even if I can’t choose how my story ends, I can choose how I live

, I thought

.

I resolved not to lose anything ever again. This time, I wouldn’t lose anyone. This time, I would protect them with my own hands.

“Let’s go.”

With a firm resolve settling in my chest, I headed for the dormitory.

***

As I made my way back to my dormitory, I heard a familiar voice in the hallway.

“I knocked on your door, but there was no answer. I wondered where you were... ”

“Iris?”

Even though I had poured out my emotions the previous day, seeing her again made my throat tighten, eyes warm, and vision blurry.

“You are Dale Han, right?”

I barely managed to compose myself and nodded. “

Ah

, yeah.”

Iris approached with graceful, measured steps. Her brilliant blue eyes, reminiscent of the vast sky, locked onto mine.

I gasped softly as I looked at her. Her face was so familiar, yet those eyes felt so alien. She hadn’t lost her sight yet from the demons’ curse. I could feel my heart pounding erratically, like a broken clock trying to tick again.

I couldn’t help it. Even back then, with a blindfold over her eyes, she had been breathtakingly beautiful. But now? Now she looked like something out of legend, like the rumored reincarnation of one of the Seven Gods. It wasn’t hard to see why people whispered such things.

“

Hmmm

.” Iris leaned in slightly, scanning me up and down as if trying to assess something.

Then, she glanced around. With most cadets flocking to the cafeteria for lunch, the dormitory hallway was practically empty.

𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Iris...

I found myself recalling the Iris from my memories. A woman who embodied warmth and kindness, someone for whom the title of Saintess never seemed out of place. She had been so gentle, so soft-hearted, that even stepping on a bug gave her pause.

Even though I had died and instantly revived countless times, she had always worried about me. She would grasp my hand with a concerned expression and ask, “Are you okay? Does it hurt anywhere?”

As I recalled those moments, my vision blurred once more.

Slap!

Suddenly, a burning pain erupted across my cheek as my head snapped to the side.

“

Huh

?” I let out a dazed sound as I clutched my stinging cheek.

Before I could even process what had happened, Iris grabbed me by the collar and pulled me in close. “Hey, who the hell do you think you are, calling me by my first name? Do I know you?”

Wait! What? Erm, Miss Iris?

My thoughts were in a mess.

“Fine, I’ll let that slide since we’re in the same year.” Her narrowed eyes flashed with irritation. “But what the hell was yesterday about?

Huh

? Who do you think you are, attacking my friend out of nowhere, you crazy fucker?”

Her anger was completely justified. It made perfect sense from her perspective. Some random cadet she had never spoken to had suddenly appeared before her, slammed her friend to the ground, and cried in front of her. Anyone would be furious at that, even the gentle and patient Iris.

“Sorry! Yesterday, I just... lost control for a moment. I’ll apologize properly to Camilla later.”

“

Hmph

.”

She had been ready to chew me out further, but the moment I sincerely apologized, the strength in her grip loosened.

“

Ehem

. Well, I don’t know your circumstances, but as long as you apologize, I suppose it’s fine.” She shrugged and released me, taking a step back.

Then, she suddenly flashed a mischievous smile. “

Oh

, by the way. You’d better forget everything that happened today. Otherwise...”

Her voice was lighthearted and gentle, the same kind and soothing tone she used to have.

“You’re dead, got it?” she whispered like a curse and smiled sweetly.