《I Became the Genius of the Gigant Academy》
Chapter 1:
Chapter 1:
The ce was thick with a scent of iron.
From all directions, the sound of metal hitting metal and the loud cheers of people leaked in. In the middle of all, that chaos stood Abel.
¡°Hm.¡±
Loud sounds echoed around him, yet Abel stood there with zero concern for the chaotic sounds, and his eyes were focused on what was in front of him.
In that ce was a giant made of nothing but steel, a Gigant Midget who was 3.8 meters tall.
Abel, irritated by something, had this weird look on his face.
¡°The maintenance is wless, but¡ as I thought, the problem is with its condition. It¡¯s horrendous.¡±
As Abel said, the Gigant was well maintained, but there were some deep scars left by the battle here and there.
¡°Tch.¡±
It wasn¡¯t exactly a pleasing sight. But it¡¯s not like there was a Gigant to rece it right now, and he couldn¡¯t change the parts either.
¡®I don¡¯t have any other choice.¡¯
Abel had his head down and tried to calm himself down and not be disappointed.
With just a little more time, he was confident he could improve the Gigant¡¯s condition, but the thing is, he didn¡¯t need to put in the effort to do that.
¡®It¡¯s ending today, anyways.¡¯
Because today is hisst day fighting with these lumps of scrap metal.
Abel had this fiery gaze and was deep in thought.
¡®I¡¯ll grab the opportunity at any cost.¡¯
If he just gets a hold of the opportunity, he could get into his desired ¡®Academy¡¯.
However, even with all the fiery ambition in his eyes, there was a hint of lingering attachment and disappointment.
Looking back at it, it was apparent.
That was the first Gigant he got after he was thrust into this unknown world and had to undergo all sorts of hardships. He was so excited about getting his Gigant that he even gave him a nickname, ¡°Rabbit¡±.
There were visible bumps on both sides of his head that looked like a rabbit¡¯s ears, so they named him that.
¡°Hooo¡±
But Abel understood it quite well.
One needs to let go of things when the timees.
He shouldn¡¯t needlessly show affection and attachment to a lifeless creature like a Gigant because this world is too cold-hearted and cruel.
So, Abel suppressed any passionate emotions that arose in his heart, climbed thedder, and applied the magically refined oil to the Gigant¡¯s joint.
While doing that, suddenly, an old memory appeared from a dark corner of his mind.
Abtium¡¯s memory of the moment he came here for the first time.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
When he opened his eyes after that, he had a hunch that something wrong was about to happen.
Actually, anyone would have felt that way.
Just like usual, after ying video gameste into the night, hey on his bed trying to sleep, but when he opened his eyes, he realized he was lying on a cold, rough stone surface.
His clothes were all tattered, and he looked like a beggar. The skin on his entire body was dirty, as if it was covered with soot all over.
The passersby peeking at him were the same, looking like trash and filth.
¡®What is this?¡¯
For the young man, Oh Han Sung, who had just turned 24 years old, this was not a familiar experience. He just hoped it would all be a dream and he¡¯d wake up any moment now.
However, that night.
As he grabbed his growling stomach lying on the freezing cold floor, he started to doubt the very reality of his situation. The dreadful reality.
¡®No way.¡¯
At first, he went into denial.
There was no reason for him to deny it, but he just didn¡¯t want to ept the reality right before him.
But nothing would change by merely denying it. Ultimately, all he would aplish by denial would be the realization that the truth was even harsher and hopeless.
Just like that, entirely for survival¡¯s sake, he wandered around the streets.
While walking around, he came to know one fact for sure.
This ce was not on Earth.
This was a region that not only inhabited species other than humans but also had the existence of a strange force that didn¡¯t exist on Earth. Most importantly, ¡°Gigants¡± prevailed in this ce.
And ¡®that¡¯, ¡®their existence¡¯ was the most significant clue because just beforending in this foreign world, the game that he was ying had ¡®Gigants¡¯ as the core element.
From a fantasy worldview, people with Gigants are the main characters.
The moment he realized it, he wandered the streets proactively, and after a thorough examination of the whole city, it wasn¡¯t long before his spection turned into certainty.
This was the world inside a game.
Upon realizing the truth, Oh Han Sung gave up his real name from that point onwards. After that, around two years passed, and he was able to get his hands on the lowest-grade Gigant, the Midget.
A ¡®nobody¡¯ like him managed to turn around his situation, from the lowest floors of hell as a vagrant on the streets at the bottom of the societal hierarchy, despite being at the ends of his rope. It was truly astonishing that he came to possess an expensive Gigant all on his own.
He probably could¡¯ve easily written a novel with that story, but he wasn¡¯t one to dwell on the past and instead always had a vision for the future.
Abel.
That was the new name that Han Sung took up for his future and left his past behind.
¡°So it¡¯s over, huh.¡±
Abel mumbled while wiping the sweat off his forehead.
He greased and lubricated all the joints, and in the process, he worked up a little sweat, but that wouldn¡¯t hurt him in the match.
On the contrary, this would be better for the match because he wouldn¡¯t need to warm up separately.
Grabbing onto Rabbit¡¯s waist, Abel said these words.
¡°Get through it just one more time.¡±
Of course, there was no way he¡¯d get an answer.
While grinning, Abel got down thedder and opened the bag lying on the floor.
He took out abat suit from it.
The Midget Rabbit belonged to the lowest grade of Gigants; however, his height itself was not vastly different from Tito, who was a grade above him with an average height of 4 meters.
At best, he was 30 cm taller.
This height difference was not huge considering the fact that Tito and the next grade¡¯s height differed by around 2 meters.
But there was something that made even those 30 cm feel like a huge setback, and those were the safety parts for the rider, or to be more specific, their near absence was the issue.
In simple words, Midget had no parts for the rider¡¯s safety.
That¡¯s why some people just called it moving metal pipes.
So, even if other factors were ignored, a Midget¡¯s rider had to wear abat suit properly infused with defensive magic.
¡°Ugh.¡±
Abel opened up the body suit and tried to fit into it.
He bought it from the ck market, and the suit worked just fine, but its size was the problem.
It was really small.
Abat suit is prepared with special materials and processing methods, so he couldn¡¯t just modify it as he wanted.
In the first ce, the only reason he got it at such a cheap price was because of this problem.
Abel¡¯s growth period wasn¡¯t over yet. But his physique was on the shorter side because his diet wasn¡¯t exactly ideal.
So, if he wanted to fit into it forcefully, he could do it.
¡°Uhhh¡. Uh! Done!¡±
After going through all of the trouble, Abel fastened the suit¡¯s lock and wiped off the sweat on his forehead with a cloth.
Putting on the suit was a huge challenge. Surprisingly, it didn¡¯t restrict movement that much once it was on.
That may seem unbelievable, but it was one of the main features of this exceptionally valuable and rare suit.
Abel did a few basic stretches as warmup and then went up thedder to get to Rabbit¡¯s cockpit.
On top of thedder, he opened up the cockpit, which made a clunking sound, revealing the interior of the cockpit.
¡°Perfect.¡±
Abel, with a smile on his face, went right into his spot in the cockpit.
Unlike thebat suit that wasn¡¯t the right fit for his body, the cockpit¡¯s interior was a perfect size for him.
Once he settled down and secured himself in his spot, Abel ced his hand on Rabbit¡¯s core.
Whirring-!
After a short while, Rabbit woke up with a strange sensation throughout its body.
As this happened, the front cover of the cockpit automatically lowered, and the lights in its interior turned on.
Abel also felt a wave of adrenaline rise in his body and felt like he was at the top of the world, almost as if he were omnipotent.
It was an intense, pleasant feeling he¡¯d never get tired of, no matter how often he experienced it.
With a sparkling gaze full of intent, Abel said these words.
¡°Rabbit. Let¡¯s go.¡±
Without getting a reply to his words once again, Abel, as well as Rabbit, started moving.
He put away the heavydder by picking it up like it weighed nothing.
Then he stepped forward with that huge foot.
Thud, thud-!
Surrounding him was chaos and noise.
But when the enormous Gigant started moving, the gaze of every person in the room pointed all at one ce.
If it were just a normal, average Gigant, people would look away after one look.
But the one walking in front of them now is Abel.
The rising star of the ¡®underground fight scene¡¯.
Glorified and worshiped.
Abel.
¡°Hey kid! You gotta win today as well!¡±
Infamous Scans
¡°Give it your best!¡±
Cheers. Encouragement.
¡°Tch. A worthless brat being the talk of the town.¡±
¡°He¡¯s just lucky, that¡¯s all.¡±
Jealousy and envy.
¡°Whoa¡..¡±
And admiration.
This messy mix of emotions pierces through the cockpit and stings his whole body.
He didn¡¯t feel pressured by these overwhelming emotions instead, Abelughed out.
¡®This is just the first step.¡¯
The game¡¯s storyline hasn¡¯t even started yet. So, it¡¯s not toote. He wouldn¡¯t be left behind.
If he seizes this opportunity¡
¡®I¡¯ll definitely go mainstream.¡¯
¡®I can go to the academy.¡¯
¡®I can be a part of the game¡¯s main storyline.¡¯
He didn¡¯t suppress the desire and ambition rising in his chest. Abel let it manifest itself, turned it into fuel, and walked out just like that.
Exiting the chaotic maintenance room, he passed by a few doors and got to a considerably big-sized room.
It was the waiting room for the yers participating in the match.
Abel stood in the waiting room, his body tense while his mind was deep in his thoughts.
¡®I only get one chance.¡¯
The goal was to avoid getting an average victory. It was to showcase himself.
His talent and abilities.
The reasoning behind this was simple. He was expecting a special guest in the audience.
If he couldn¡¯t show that, all of this would be useless.
Abel strengthened his will and looked into the air. To be specific, at the message window that appeared there.
QUEST: [Frog in the Well(5)]
[ept the Scarlet¡¯s ¡®Choice¡¯ from the Spear of me]
Thest one of a lengthy chain of quests.
The opportunity to clear this quest that took six months of hardships, troubles, and preparation is right before his eyes.
At that moment.
Whoa¡..!
The sound of people cheering echoed in the waiting room, leaking from outside.
¡®The winner¡¯s decided, huh.¡¯
That thought was just in his mind when a suited-up bald, middle-aged man with a terrifying presence entered the waiting room.
¡°2 minutes to go.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
His voice, amplified by the Gigant, echoed in the entire room.
With furrowed brows, the bald man nodded in reply and exited the room. He stood in front of the wall opposite the room.
Abel red at that wall with a piercing gaze as if he was looking at an opponent and cleared any worthless thoughts cluttering his mind.
During a match, useless thoughts were poison.
¡°1 minute to go.¡±
The middle-aged man spoke once again.
Abel tightened the grip on the core in his hand.
Whirr-!
After a minute, from the direction of the middle-aged man, another sound came with the vibration. That was his voice.
¡°Go win this match.¡±
There was no reply because the wall that blocked his path forward began to open up.
Abel showed zero hesitation while walking through the newly open entrance.
He took two steps, but the air around him had a different sensation to it.
shing lights.
Hundreds of onlookers.
¡°Whoaaa-!¡±
¡°Rabbit! Rabbit! Rabbit!¡±
¡°Giant yer! Crush them all!¡±
A louder wave of cheers erupted a momentter.
Giant yer. That was the nickname given to him and Rabbit because Abel¡¯s height was shorter than average, as was Rabbit¡¯s.
A height difference like that is usually a big disadvantage for the shorter opponent.
But, only ¡®usually¡¯.
By crushing all the bigger opponents, both he and Rabbit earned the nickname ¡®Giant yer¡¯.
¡°Wooooow-!¡±
With safety and protectionpletely thrown out of the window, the audience and the match arena were extremely close to each other.
Because of this, even inside Rabbit, his ears were about to bleed out.
Slightly waving his hands, Abel entered the center of the arena, and soon after, he heard the audience cheering for someone else.
¡°Lumberjack! Lumberjack!¡±
¡°Let¡¯s see you give a full swing to that ax! You son of a gun!¡±
¡°I bet all my property on you! If you lose, I¡¯ll drive an ax into your head!¡±
Lumberjack.
The official meaning is a person who axes down trees, but it¡¯s also the nickname of his opponent.
He¡¯s known for chopping his opponents into pieces, hence the nickname.
He could clearly see Lumberjack.
His body¡¯s outer casing was the same as Midget grade.
But the height difference was a lot. Roughly estimating, his height of 4.3m was close to the height of the Tito grade.
Not to mention, he was holding a gigantic ax in his hand, and the size of the ax was not a joke.
Compared to that, in Rabbit¡¯s hand, there was a factory-made sword that was no match for his ax.
Regardless of who the onlooker was, anyone could see the obvious, Rabbit was the underdog.
[Here we go! The match between the two aces of this arena! Lumberjack VS Rabbit! Ladies and Gentlemen, it¡¯s ¡°Rabbit The Giant yer¡± VS ¡°Psycho LumberJack¡±!]
¡°Whoaaaa!¡±
While the announcer shouted to hype up the atmosphere and get everyone excited, Abel looked around a bit.
He believed in zero distractions before the match, but this was important.
Frantically looking around, Abel¡¯s eyes scanned the audience seats, slowly narrowed his focus, and stopped at one spot.
Fiery red hair and eyes, sharp and clear facial features, and a bird-shaped brooch.
¡®She¡¯s here.¡¯
The Spear of the me, one of the Empire¡¯s Three Divines.
Scarlett.
The Gigant rider who led Abel to the ¡®Academy¡¯.
The Academy, where all the main scenarios would continuously flow.
¡®If you don¡¯t get inside the Academy, you can¡¯t really do anything.¡¯
This ce.
To be exact, with this ce as the backdrop, the game mainly revolves around the main characters, including the game¡¯s protagonist, whose stories then unfold further.
So, to get into the main storyline, one must join the Academy.
Given that the world inside this game has a happy ending, there will be no problems.
But if it¡¯s a bad ending? If a bad future¡¯s already decided?
This world will be ruined and destroyed.
¡°Oooooooo!¡±
¡°Yes, that¡¯s the stuff! Kill ¡®em all!!¡±
With louder, more enthusiastic cheers from the audience¡¯s side, Abel raised his head and saw Lumberjack swinging his ax in the air.
Lumberjack felt Rabbit¡¯s gaze on himself and got even more excited.
He acted as if he was cutting off his neck with the ax.
Abel very gently raised his middle finger to give him a reply.
To tell him the feeling was mutual.
Right away, the audience¡¯s reaction got louder, more fierce, and more excited.
¡°Okay then!¡±
The announcer believed that the crowd was hyped enough and shouted loudly.
[Looks like everyone¡¯s heating up! If we drag this out anymore, we might just get stabbed by a knife, so without further ado, let¡¯s get started!]
Abel visualized the scene in his mind right away.
Rabbit clenched both of his fists.
The magicians on standby under the arena put up their hands and perfectly spread a blue-shade defensive barrier for protection.
The excitement of the audience in the stadium reached a peak. The announcer had a smile on his face and shouted out.
[The Match¡.. Begins!]
Bang-!
Rabbit kicked into the ground.
[To be continued.]
Chapter 2:
Chapter 2:
When Rabbit kicked into the ground, Lumberjack swung his giant ax in the air and brought it down quickly.
Bang-!
The ax hit the ground where Rabbit was standing before.
¡°Ooooooooo!¡±
[As always, Rabbit dodges the attack with his quick movements.]
Abel¡¯s Gigant Rabbit jumped when his opponent swung his ax and flew his body to the right.
Suddenly changing his direction of movement was one of Rabbit¡¯s specialties.
However, Rabbit didn¡¯t just run toward his opponents head-on with those quick movements.
Instead, he would hover around his opponent to judge and analyze him.
Whirring-!
When Rabbit came close, Lumberjack swung the axe nimbly, which didn¡¯t match his robust and heavy build.
A fierce attack, coupled with a lively dodge. It was as if they were performing a nned routine.
This attack and dodge situation kept on going for a while
¡°Rabbit! Why so scared today, huh?!¡±
¡°Just like your name! You cowardly bastard!¡±
The audience started booing and jeering in response.
But Abelpletely ignored them.
¡®As always, he¡¯s the type to trust in his body and then charge into the fight.¡¯
Lumberjack¡¯s body was quite helpful, but the rider¡¯s skill level couldn¡¯t match up to it and use it to its full potential.
His stiff movements made it obvious.
His synchronization was awful, so even with spectacr features, he couldn¡¯t use them to their best potential.
If Abel decided to just dodge his opponent¡¯s moves, he could make them fall apart by exhausting them.
¡®But that¡¯s why I can¡¯t do that.¡¯
See, Abel¡¯s goal was not merely winning; it was the overwhelming defeat of his opponents by crushing them because that would definitely attract Scarlett¡¯s attention, who was in the audience.
The rough diamond you¡¯re looking for is right here, in this ce. And that¡¯s me¨C To let that be known to all, Abel increased the synchronization to the maximum.
Thud-!
At that moment, Lumberjack stamped his feet and bobbed his ax up and down.
¡°You cowardly bastard! Come here, huh! I¡¯ll cut you in half.¡±
Then came the opponent¡¯s provocation.
After hearing that, Rabbit suddenly lifted the arm holding the sword, and just like that, he spread his palms wide and let it go.
Thud-!
The sword fell with a loud noise.
Reasonably, both Lumberjack and the audience were shocked, and their expressions perfectly expressed their utter confusion.
Why is he suddenly throwing away his weapon?
It was a nonsensical act.
The viewers who had just seen Rabbit¡¯s desperate attempt at survival using just his body thought that Rabbit lost the will to fight. So they started toin and criticize him.
But Rabbit hadn¡¯t lost his fighting spirit. In fact, it was theplete opposite.
Rabbit ran straight in Lumberjack¡¯s direction.
¡°Have you gone mad?¡±
His opponent shouted with amusement and regained his control of Lumberjack.
The gigantic axe came swinging towards Rabbit diagonally to tear him apart. Instead of moving his body back, this time, he dodged to the right and jumped high up.
Bang!
¡°Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh!¡±
Rabbit, a huge metallic giant, jumped up so high that sounds of admiration and astonishment erupted around the arena.
Rabbit¡¯s natural movements were like a human¡¯s, and everyone was fascinated.
¡®Doesn¡¯t matter if I break apart.¡¯
At that moment, Abel forgot all the limits that ever held him back.
He increased the level of synchronization and pushed past his limits.
Whooooooosh!
The trajectory of the axe changed mid-air and headed towards Rabbit. Without trying to avoid it, he spread his hands out and caught the axe head.
Crack!
His left hand couldn¡¯t stand the impact of the flying axe and was shattered, but his right hand endured the damage and held the ax head tightly.
That alone was a shocking sight, but Rabbit didn¡¯t stop there.
He twisted his body and put Lumberjack in a headlock with both his legs around Lumberjack¡¯s neck, and just like that, he mmed his opponent into the ground using his weight and strength.
Thud-!
A sound never heard before exploded in the stadium.
¡°Ack! Wh-What!¡±
The opponent rider screamed in excruciating pain and confusion while his face turned pale.
This wasn¡¯t simply the level of a good fighter.
Catching an axe heading at you mid-air and then twisting the body around, getting a hold of the neck, and knocking out the opponent just like that?
A Gigant just did something that was difficult even for humans, so it was far beyond rational possibilities that anyone there could understand.
Yet Abel wasn¡¯t going to be satisfied with just that.
Urgh-!
Lumberjack slowly managed to get up.
He was quite sturdy, very robust indeed. It was probably a costly purchase.
Abel once again got Rabbit to stand up, run straight towards Lumberjack, and gave a wild swing with his left hand to crush him.
Bang!
With one side of his head caved in, Lumberjack copsed again, returning to his original position.
Of course, the left hand Rabbit swung so widely was destroyed too, but he was least concerned about it.
¡°Th-This crazy bastard!¡±
Seeing that, the opponent screamed loudly.
Abel spoke to his frightened opponent with a smile on his face.
¡°What do you mean crazy? I haven¡¯t even started.¡±
He wasn¡¯t simply bragging. It was more like a deration of war.
Bang!
Rabbit kicked off the ground and began sprinting.
Not towards the copsed Lumberjack but towards the bluish barrier around the arena.
¡°Oh oh oh , oh!¡±
[R-Rabbit. What is he doing!]
The spectators in that direction stood up in a frenzy, and even the veteran announcer fumbled over his words.
Abel strengthened his control over Rabbit with even more aggression as if he was telling someone, ¡°look at me¡±.
Rabbit jumped high and smashed into the barrier that covered the seating area and the arena.
Whing-!
The shock-absorbent barrier shook violently, and Rabbit flew into the sky.
The steel giant floating in the air performed a somersault.
With that shy body stunt, the Rabbit¡¯s flying gigantic body was directed toward where Lumberjack had just stood.
And just like that, Rabbitnded with his knees hitting lumberjack¡¯s chest.
Bang!
A sound of a different dimension, unlike anything heard before, reverberated, and just then, Abel also felt a dizzying shock.
Abat suit is not all-powerful.
It reduces shock, but injuries to the rider are inevitable with such aggressive movements.
Abel felt something warm flowing through his nose.
His hand resting on the core had turned pale white as if it were a ghost¡¯s.
¡®A little longer.¡¯
However, Abel still felt something wascking.
Abel forced Rabbit, who was being unyielding, to stand up.
Rabbit¡¯s knee was about to lose sensation, and his whole body screamed from being worked to its limit.
If it were someone else, merely lifting a finger would have been nearly impossible, let alone lifting the gigantic body to a standing position.
Abel¡¯s tenacity, determination, and extraordinary ability to synchronize with a Gigant was the only reason he could control a Gigant that had lost half the sensation of his body.
The more anyone knew about a Gigant, the more astonishing and absurd this sight would be for them.
¡®Look closely.¡¯
That¡¯s why Abel was sure that if Scarlet was watching the match, she would recognize his true value, and he could finally go further.
¡®What would it look like if I were to ride a real Gigant that¡¯s not a midget?¡¯
With that curiosity and excitement in his mind, this n would be a sess.
Arrgggh-!
The opponent rider tried his best to get Lumberjack standing at any cost. In the meantime, Abel moved Rabbit toward that guy¡¯s back.
Thhhomp!
Infamous Scans
With his already half-ruined arms, Rabbit firmly grabbed Lumberjack, who was still out of his senses and unsteady, by his waist.
Rattle!
The struggling Lumberjack slowly rose into the air. Rabbit¡¯s whole body radiated a piercing, shrill mechanic sound that reverberated in the arena.
[Rabbit! Rabbit is holding and raising Lumberjack in the air.]
Whooong-!
Little by little, Lumberjack came up higher and higher.
[Ohohoh! What-What is he doi¡¡!]
The whole situation was so absurd that even the announcer couldn¡¯t describe it.
Baammm!
And from that same position, Rabbit squeezed out hisst bit of strength to bend his body backward with his opponent¡¯s waist held tight in his hands.
From the ground into the sky and then back onto the ground, a Gigant of approximately a few hundred kilograms started to fall.
The moment Lumberjack¡¯s head hit the ground.
Thuumpp-!
reeech-!
A deafening roar erupted.
Lumberjack¡¯s head was distorted grotesquely, and his body got buried deep into the ground.
Uuurrrghh! Uuuaackk!
A gut-wrenching scream arose from Lumberjack¡¯s half-crushed cockpit.
But Abel didn¡¯t cast a single nce in that direction.
Or, to be exact, he couldn¡¯t.
¡°Hm, Huuh.¡±
Because Abel¡¯s condition was no different.
After performing a German suplex, that too at the level of a pro-wrestler, with a half-destroyed Gigant, him being okay would be impossible.
He felt intense, excruciating pain in his head as if it was being split apart.
His muscles and joints shrieked with pain.
But Abel gritted his teeth and stood upright, acting as if he was unaffected.
The stunned audiences were in a daze and stared nkly at the arena. They should have prepared to cheer, but the announcer was also speechless.
The fallen Lumberjack.
The unfazed Rabbit on his two feet.
The winner was clear.
The announcer took a long time to be able to speak, and when he did, he shouted.
[Ra-Rabbit! The winner of this match is Rabbit!]
Finally, a shocking match that the audience had never seen in their lives before ended.
From the dead silent crowd, a booming roar burst out.
¡°Whoaaaaaa-!¡±
It was a childish, youthful cheer that Abel heard for the first time, even after ying countless matches.
Right after that, a message appeared.
[Progress Level 100%]
[Your name will be talked about in the Red Bear Underground Arena for a very long time!]
[Your fame has slightly increased!]
[You havepleted the quest ¡°Frog in the Well¡±.]
[A reward will be given to you!]
As soon as he finished reading the message, Able looked at one side of the arena.
At that ce was the red-haired woman who was still standing there with an amusing smile.
When he confirmed that sight, Abel finally removed his hand from the core with a satisfied smile on his face.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
¡°What do you mean? How can you say you won¡¯t y in another match?¡± The confused bald, middle-aged man asked Abel.
Abel replied while gently massaging his throbbing forehead.
¡°Rabbit ispletely crushed. How can I y the match?¡±
¡°You yed a match like that, of course, it¡¯s smashed in¡¡ We¡¯ll lend you a Gigant, okay?¡±
¡°But this is a Gigant junkyard.¡±
¡°Oh? Th-Then we¡¯ll get a new one for you! For a really cheap price! You can even pay for it in installments! You know what? You can just pay it allter, not a single penny upfront! I¡¯m telling you, the audience¡¯s response to this game was amazing!¡±
Abel didn¡¯t waver because of the unusually generous offer of the bald middle-aged penny-pincher and shook his head.
¡°It¡¯s okay. Just let it be.¡±
¡°Why?! Okay, then I¡¯ll build it and lend it to you free of cost! All you have to do is return it after the match!¡±
The conditions got better and better as he went on.
Without the original goal in his mind, he would¡¯ve epted it, but he ignored without so much as listening to the offer.
The middle-aged man¡¯s expression turned sour when Abel started ignoring him rather than straight out rejecting him.
He was a manager, and Abel was before him, a wanderer who didn¡¯t even have a clear status.
And no matter how skilled or famous Abel was, this was an Underground fighting arena.
An Underground Arena where the government¡¯s restrictive ws couldn¡¯t reach.
¡°You¡¡.¡±
The middle-aged man was about to say something with a stiff expression on his face when someone knocked on the door.
¡°Abel? Are you here?¡±
It was the voice of another manager.
¡°Yes, I¡¯m here.¡±
Abel, who was responding to the middle-aged man¡¯s words with silence till now, replied right away.
Seeing that, the bald man turned red with fury from head to toe.
But he didn¡¯t get the chance to vent out his anger at Abel,
¡°A customer¡¯s here.¡±
Because the door opened, and the manager entered the room along with a woman.
¡°Oh, Goof. So you¡¯re here too. Let¡¯s get out of here because she needs to have a chat with Abel, just the two of them.¡±
And just like that, the new manager dragged out the furious bald manager, who waspletely red.
Thanks to him, Abel and the woman who came to meet him were the only people left in the room.
Fiery red hair and eyes that slightly nted upwards.
Not to mention, a brooch with a shape that resembled an eagle.
She was the one Abel eagerly awaited, and it was none other than Scarlett.
With a steady gaze on Abel, Scarlett posed a question.
¡°So, you¡¯re Abel?¡±
¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±
¡°I¡¯m Scarlett.¡±
The moment he heard that name, his heartbeat got faster.
He was already half sure from her appearance and unique characteristics, but this was the first time he was certain.
The n he had fixed over and over in his head for over a year finally started rolling in full swing.
[Joint Quest ¡®The Best of the Bunch¡¯ is in progress!]
A message popped up at a great time.
When he saw it, Abel controlled his excitement and responded calmly.
¡°I see.¡±
Scarlett asked Abel with an intrigued voice.
¡°Do you know who I am?¡±
She thought Abel didn¡¯t react much because he didn¡¯t know who she was.
Abel answered with a slight nod.
¡°Yeah.¡±
Scarlett. Abel yed countless matches in this trashy arena for months to meet her.
He would be screaming with joy right now if he could do as he pleased.
It¡¯s just that he was suppressing the urge to do that.
Abel¡¯sposed response intrigued her even more, so much so that she had a slight smile on her face.
It was rare for someone to stay that confident despite knowing who she was, so it was understandable.
To tell the truth, Abel was a bit worried too about seeming arrogant as it might anger her.
But there was only one reason to stick to this attitude.
Because the Scarlett he knew wasn¡¯t that sort of a person. On the contrary¡
¡°You.¡±
She was someone who¡¯d get even more amused.
¡°Do you have any ns to enroll in the Academy?¡±
Abel squashed the beaming smile about to burst onto his face and nodded yes.
Scarlett¡¯s eyes met his eyes again, brimming with pure desire and thrill.
The first step of his n wasplete.
[To be continued.]
Chapter 3:
Chapter 3:
Scarlett exined in detail.
About the Academy¡¯s admission criteria and benefits. The follow-up support measures and so on.
It was a topic he couldn¡¯t help being excited about, but Abel hid his inner feelings well and listened till the end.
Soon after Scarlett was done giving him a general exnation about everything, she said this.
¡°That¡¯s all for now. I¡¯ll send someone to you tomorrow, so you should try to decide by then if possible.¡±
Though she made an admission offer so abruptly, Scarlett didn¡¯t expect an immediate answer. So, she ended her exnation like that.
Abel lowered his head to give a polite response.
¡°Okay. Thank you for your consideration.¡±
¡°No need to thank me. Ah, it doesn¡¯t just end with an admission offer. You also have to take a simple entrance exam.¡±
¡°Okay. Got it.¡±
With a slight nod as a response, Scarlett turned around and left the waiting room.
¡°What an overwhelming aura.¡±
Abel thought as he saw her leave through the door.
Scarlett Klein.
The head of the famous Family of Count Klein and one of the Kingdom¡¯s Three Divines, with the nickname ¡®Spear of me¡¯.
Not to mention, she was the remarkable person who revived the reputation of her half-ruined family solely with her fame.
That was possible because Scarlett was a war hero and one of the best-skilled Gigant Riders.
¡®But what¡¯s even more important is that she¡¯s one of the professors at the Academy.¡¯
The academy¡¯s senior professors can suggest candidates via ¡®admission rmendations.¡¯
So, Abel, who had no clear status or money, needed that rmendation in order to take the entrance exam.
¡®And I got that suggestion from Scarlett.¡¯
Despite a mandatory entrance exam, just receiving the offer was enough.
Abel, with his fists clenched tightly, had a smile on his face.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
A wooden wall with countless holes and an old, worn out roof.
There was a stinky, musty smell of rotten wood and an unidentifiable trace of another scent that would bring anyone great anguish,
This was Abel¡¯s ce.
Abel sat on the chair in the corner and looked around the shabby house he had grown attached to.
Though it may seem ridiculous, when he first came to stay here, the emotion he felt then was happiness even then, not anguish.
If this was Earth, he would¡¯ve gotten sick of such a ce by now, but here, one can only imagine his happiness to be sleeping anywhere other than the street.
¡°Abel.¡±
.
Abel, who was lost in his thoughts for quite a while, was brought to consciousness by the raspy voice of an old person.
¡°What¡¯s with that lonesome expression on your face?¡±
When he turned his head, in the doorway that was broken a while ago by someone after drinking, he saw a familiar old man.
At a nce, it was noticeable that the old man was wearing a robe made of luxurious fabric with a ckwood cane in one hand.
All of it was attention-grabbing, from his snow-white hair to his green dizzy pupils, to the long white beard that reached his chest. His external appearance made him seem like a sage or graceful magician. However, that was far from reality.
¡°When did you get here?¡±
¡°What do you mean when? Right now. You punk. That¡¯s not important. What I don¡¯t understand is why this house only has one chair.¡±
¡°Please have a seat here.¡±
¡°Ei, just stay there.¡±
Waving his hand in a motion of ¡®no¡¯, the old man sat on Abel¡¯s bed instead. He stared at him and spoke.
¡°So, are you leaving today?¡±
¡°Yes. I already told you that when you were drinking the day before yesterday.¡±
¡°You ¡®already¡¯ told me? As time goes by, your manners are just rotting away, huh.¡±
¡°Well, I would say this is just proof that I¡¯ve followed in your highly dignified footsteps as my teacher.¡±
Hearing Abel¡¯s polite tone with those words, the old man frowned.
He seemed to ponder whether or not to show Abel that the cane in his hand could quickly turn into a weapon.
However, he gave up that thought instantly and sighed before speaking.
¡°Haah. Keep up that attitude and you¡¯ll be kicked out of there as well.¡±
¡°You¡¯re worrying about me for no reason despite knowing what kind of a person I am.¡±
¡°Yeah. I know that well enough now. Tch. I should¡¯ve recognized that from the first time I met you.¡±
¡°So that you could have made me your pupil sooner, huh.¡±
With a piercing gaze on Abel, the old man let out a giggle ofughter. Likewise, Abel also gave a smile.
¡°If it wasn¡¯t for your monstrous synchronization ability, you would¡¯ve been lonely and trapped in this little room until who knows when.¡±
¡°Yeah. Well.¡±
¡°This is not some random matter to just glide over. Your synchronization ability is way beyond the normal standard, and your talent when ites to Gigant production are both extremely rare. To the extent that it makes me envious.¡±
In response to the serious tone of his words, Abel didn¡¯t take it as a joke and simply nodded.
The old man¡¯s name was Vulcanos.
Among the outstanding Gigant masters in several institutions, he was one of the best, and at the same time, he was also his teacher.
He was able to meet and work under Vulcanos thanks to a quest.
But the time he spent with him and the bond between the two was more real and substantial than any game quest.
In this world, Abel was able to settle down and survive all because of Vulcanos.
¡®Without you, Mr. Vulcanos, I probably would¡¯ve turned into a frozen corpse.¡¯
Not just survival, Vulcanos helped him in a lot of other ways.
Without the training by Vulcanos, he couldn¡¯t have even dreamed of making a perfectly functional Gigant using scrap parts.
¡°Hm.¡±
Vulcanos was hitting the ground with his cane making thumping sounds, after which he finally spoke up.
¡°If you¡¯d have just asked me, I could¡¯ve easily given you an ¡®okay¡¯ Gigant. Why didn¡¯t you let go of that trashy Gigant till the end?¡±
It had been a year since he met Vulcanos, yet that was the first time he had asked that question.
He wondered if it was okay to speak out the thoughts he had held on to since he was leaving.
Just like the question that appeared for the first time, Abel also let his inner thoughts be words for the first time.
¡°Did I never tell you?¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°When I be a famous Gigant rider in the future, I will officially be your client. But if I¡¯ve epted something like a Gigant from you before, I probably wouldn¡¯t be able toin about it.¡±
Vulcanos had this nk expression on his face and then suddenly burst intoughter.
¡°Right. That¡¯s the kind of punk you are.¡±
Nodding his head, Vulcanos stood with the support of his cane.
¡°It won¡¯t be easy. Still, I¡¯ll be expecting you.¡±
¡°Okay. It won¡¯t take long, though.¡±
¡°Sure. Also, take this.¡±
Vulcanos took something out of his inner pocket and threw it to Abel.
Abel reflexively caught it. It was a small dagger.
¡°Why are you throwing a lethal weap¡¡±
¡°I made it from Rabbit¡¯s parts.¡±
He stopped after hearing what Vulcanos said.
¡°Either way, you made that Gigant with your own two hands. You kept saying you weren¡¯t attached to it all, but it was pretty obvious.¡±
Abel was fiddling with the knife when he pointed to the jewel on top of its handle and asked a question.
¡°Is this¡ ¡ ¡®that¡¯?¡±
¡°Yeah. It¡¯s the base material of the core. If youbine it in the secondary core, it can work as usual. Well. It¡¯s only to keep a token of his memory.¡±
As Vulcanos¡¯s exnation went on, Abel¡¯s eyes turned redder and redder, and he let the dagger slide out of his hand.
The dagger was in a leather sheath, and a rabbit-shaped engraving was on its handle.
Rabbit.
After falling into this strange world, he had something entirely ¡°his own¡± for the first time and probably will remember that moment throughout his lifetime.
Abel spoke while putting the dagger in its sheath.
¡°¡Thank you.¡±
¡°What¡¯s with the thanks? Well. I¡¯ll get going.¡±
Vulcanos waved his hand with a grin and left just like that.
Abel went out to send him off andter came back inside.
Since all his stuff was packed, he had nothing else to do.
¡°It sure is empty.¡±
Abel gazed around the vacant house for a while, slowly closing his eyes.
His vision had gone dark in an instant, but dimly lit letters appeared when he finally focused.
[Abel]
[Species: Human]
[Physical grade: E]
[Synchronization rate: S]
[Magical ability: F]
[Gigant in possession: N/A]
[Skill: Beginner level Gigant Production, Intermediate level Gigant repair, Mana Sensitivity]
It was a stat window in the identical form as the game.
If there was something different, unlike the game character, Abel was so pathetic he didn¡¯t have a partner.
The indicator of overall progress in terms of physical ability was ¡®physical grade¡¯. In the range of F to S, it was merely E.
It was the same as the average score for a normal person, not a rider.
Considering he was still in his growth period, it was above average, but it wasn¡¯t satisfactory.
Magical ability was the worst at F. The Gigant in his possession has been scraped and turned into a sword.
The synchronization ratio and skills were the only things worth seeing in that stat window.
Of course, the synchronization rate is the only thing to consider when controlling the Gigant. Skill level was considerably good.
Gigant production and repair weren¡¯t battle skills but were quite helpful.
Because Gigants frequently break down.
To put it simply, being able to fix it yourself was considered a huge merit.
¡®Even so, the most awesome is definitely Mana Sensitivity,¡¯
Mana Sensitivity
This was the reward he got from the recent quest.
The ability to sense mana was one of the most fundamental skills needed to be a Gigant Rider.
Regardless of a rider¡¯s remarkable abilities, it was only possible to ride a high-grade Gigant with this ability.
¡®Putting it all on the line for the quest was definitely worth it.¡¯
With a feeling of satisfaction, Abel opened up his eyes.
Before this, the world seemed utterly average and normal to him.
But the moment he got the Mana Sensitivity skill, his vision of the world changedpletely.
Until now, the air was just vacant to him, but now he could see something like blue smoke floating in the air.
¡®That¡¯ was mana.
The advanced Mana Sensitivity skill allowed him to see the mana through his eyes rather than a mere sensation.
There were probably only a handful of people who could see it.
However, his skill level was quite low, so he could only see it faintly.
This would also be greatly beneficial in theing challenges he¡¯d have to go through.
Tap, tap-
Abel had been lost in the flow of mana for quite some time, and the sound of footsteps brought him back to his senses.
¡®Yeong Gam, is that you?¡¯
He was the only person who¡¯de to Abel¡¯s house.
Because he didn¡¯t have any friends.
But the house visitor outside this time wasn¡¯t Yeong Gam.
¡°Abel. That¡¯s you, right?¡±
From the part of the doorway that was open, a man in a navy uniform was visible.
He seemed about 190cm tall. It was evident from a single look that his body was well-trained.
¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±
Infamous Scans
Finding a red hawk-shaped brooch on the man¡¯s clothes, he immediately bowed his head.
The man stared at Abel and said this.
¡°Count Klein has called for you.¡±
It was the call from Scarlett he was eagerly waiting for.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
Count Klein was unusually busy.
Because it was an important day.
One by one, at the mansion¡¯s door, the carriages arrived. From the carriages, young boys of around 16 years of age came out.
The young boys exiting the carriages looked at the massive mansion with wide eyes.
¡°Whoa¡¡±
One of the boys couldn¡¯t suppress his wonder.
It was just that surprising.
The sheer expanse of the enormous mansion was overwhelming.
The extensive area ofnd and height covered by the mansion seemed to scan the visitors from top to bottom, which made the visitors feel intense pressure.
It was to the extent that even Abel swallowed nervously when he saw the mansion.
¡°Come this way, please.¡±
Abel and the other boys didn¡¯t even get a chance to calm down their nerves when they were guided to a specific ce.
It wasn¡¯t inside the mansion but rather in the direction of the exercise drilling hall behind it.
¡°They really didn¡¯t waste any time, huh.¡±
Judging the appearance of the exercise hall, one could clearly see it was an absolute reflection of Scarlett¡¯s unhesitating temperament.
With that thought running in his mind, Abel examined the exercise hall.
¡°Fucking huge.¡±
Of course, the mansion was huge, but the exercise hall upied most of the entire estate.
Enough for a Gigant to run and jump around.
¡®Well, that must have been its original purpose.¡¯
Almost no aristocrats in the Capital possessed an exercise hall wide enough for a Gigant to run around.
Including Scarlett, there were merely three.
Once again, Abel felt the power held by Count Klein and looked beside himself.
The number of boys was five in total.
Anxious face, expression of youthful excitement, a look of dissatisfaction.
The looks on the youngsters¡¯ faces were all different.
¡®Oh.¡¯
Among them, Abel¡¯s excitement was all hidden inside.
In the direction of Abel¡¯s gaze, a Gigant was lying down. That too, one of an enormous size.
¡®Milles.¡¯
It was a six-meter-tall Gigant.
As it was lying on the ground, its majestic presence couldn¡¯t be felt in the same way.
A Midget grade Gigant with an average height of around three meters made the person standing in front of it feel overpowered. Yet, that overwhelming feeling in the case of Milles was beyondparison.
¡®As expected from Milles.¡¯
A Midget grade Gigant could be handled even without any Mana-rted ability.
Even a Tito grade Gigant was well within the limits of an average person¡¯s ability to handle it.
¡®But Milles is on a different level.¡¯
While ability rted to Mana is obviously necessary, Milles could be handled only after undergoing a thorough training regime.
Entirely restricted to an average person, it was exclusively avable only for riders to possess.
Abel looked at Milles with sparkling eyes.
¡®It¡¯s obvious what the test is. I¡¯m a little excited now.¡¯
At that moment.
Tap, tap-
A woman with a familiar face walked up to Abel and the other boys.
Only then did Abel take his eyes off Milles and turn his head towards the approaching woman.
Scarlett, the Head of the Klein Family.
After ncing through the boys, Scarlett spoke up.
¡°Good, you¡¯re all here in one piece.¡±
She quickly continued before giving anyone a chance to speak.
¡°Though I¡¯ve already given a simple exnation, I¡¯ll repeat it. The person to get the rmendation to join the academy will only be one of you. And this is the selection process for that.¡±
Once she exined that point, Scarlett looked sideways, and the knight standing there continued the exnation.
¡°Now, your task is to ride Milles.¡±
Hearing that, the children¡¯s pupils dted with excitement. It was as if they hadn¡¯t expected at all that they would be riding it.
¡®As expected.¡¯
That is, of course, excluding Abel.
The knight spoke further with the sameposed tone.
His calm manner implied he thought it was not aplicated ordeal.
¡°The one who gets on that Gigant andsts for the longest time gets the rmendation.¡±
Yet the actual words he spoke were iparably cruel.
Everyone knew this because all of them were interested in Gigants and had enough abilities to be selected here.
How difficult it would be to get on Milles.
Despite noticing the reaction of those young kids, the knight connected his words with the same disinterested tone.
¡°Now, get started right away.¡±
Scarlett had already stepped aside, and the knight, in her stead, led the young boys.
On the other side.
The knight nced at the young boys following them and felt a sense of cynicism in his mind.
Using one¡¯smon sense, it was explicit that this test was a brutal measure to select one of these boys whocked experience.
Among them, there wasn¡¯t a single boy who had tried boarding a Milles grade Gigant.
¡®Would they be able to operate it?¡¯
And let¡¯s say they manage to operate it. Was it even possible for them tost for more than one second?
The knight had absolute trust in Scarlett, yet the impractical and unreasonable demand that this test ced on the kids slightly shook that belief of his.
Although the chosen candidates had high synchronization ratios, riding a Milles depended entirely on their experience.
However, in the end, the loyal knight didn¡¯t articte those thoughts.
Soon after reaching in front of Milles, the knight indifferently said.
¡°Is there someone who¡¯d like to try first?¡±
Everyone¡¯s expression stiffened upon hearing those words.
It was a normal reaction considering they knew what it meant to get on Milles.
While casually preparing for the test, the knight was about to say something.
But, suddenly.
¡°I would like to try first.¡±
There was a boy with an abnormal reaction.
The knight nced at the boying forward with his hand raised up.
ck hair with ck eyes.
His build wasn¡¯t as big as the other candidates, but with his face that screamed his curiosity and confidence, he was definitely someone who left an impression.
The knight said to the boy, Abel.
¡°Okay.¡±
There wasn¡¯t really a reason to stop him since he volunteered.
While wishing that Abel would give up before he got hurt, the knight prepared for him to get on the Gigant.
Milles was on the ground, in a position that made it easy to get in, but with Abel¡¯s rtively petite body, it wouldn¡¯t be a breeze.
Yet, without someone¡¯s assistance, Abel slid right into the cockpit with an agile movement.
¡®I hope he doesn¡¯t hurt himself.¡¯
Thinking that, the knight had his eyes in Abel¡¯s direction, who was now settled down in his spot.
It wasn¡¯t just him. The truth was that not a single person there believed that Abel could ride Milles properly.
Right then.
Inside the cockpit, Abel was busy hiding his fascination.
It was vivid that the cockpit was made with remarkable techniques and technology, which caught his attention.
But more than anything, the core ced right in the center aroused his admiration the most.
¡®This is Milles¡¯s core.¡¯
Its enormity was unparalleled as against Rabbit¡¯s core.
¡®This is not the right time for this.¡¯
A moment of admiration would have to do for now.
Taking deep breaths, Abel gradually ced both hands on the core.
This was his first time riding Milles, but he already knew what to do next.
First, he squeezed out what little magical abilities he possessed and pushed into the core.
Whoong-!
In response to Abel¡¯s magic, with a frightening vibration, the core lit up with a bright light, and at the same time, the magic absorbed by the core spread throughout the entire body and then flowed right back to Abel, all within an instant.
¡°Hm!¡±
Along with the hit of a dizzying spell, a range of emotions suddenly started to take over Abel.
The sensation he felt could be described as if a child of three- or a four-year-old child was suddenly in an adult¡¯s muscr and sturdy body.
Mmmmmmm-!
On the other hand, apanied by the vibration, the surprise was visible on a few faces as soon as Milles started operating.
Whirrmm-!
If the knight operated, or at the least, a cadet rider was operating it, it wouldn¡¯t be a matter of astonishment.
However, the one in the cockpit was an inexperienced boy who had never once in his life gotten on Milles.
¡°Is-Is that really¡?¡±
¡°No way, how¡¡±
Even experienced knights couldn¡¯t conceal their surprise and started mumbling to themselves.
But ¡®that¡¯ was just the beginning.
¡°Ack-!¡±
Abel kept his teeth clenched because of the constant dizziness and headache that tormented him greatly.
To move the Gigant, his ¡®thoughts¡¯ were of tremendous significance.
Because of the pain, his face was pale white, and he could not do anything.
So, Abel envisioned an image in his mind.
A scene from aic he enjoyed reading when he was young.
The sight of a hero standing tall despite his pain and struggle.
Thud-!
Both of the Gigant¡¯s hands touched the ground. And from there, his gigantic upper body slowly rose.
¡°Urgh!¡±
Abel didn¡¯t stop there and focused on an even clearer image in his mind.
The sight of the hero taking off, throwing away the heavy chains, and proudly rising to his feet popped up.
And the Gigant reacted to the intent behind it.
Whoong-!
With heavy vibrations reverberating through the ground, those standing around with their mouths wide open in surprise lost their bnce and stumbled.
Abel noticed how everyone was looking up at him as his line of sight rose higher.
Whoong-!
Thus, when the giant stood tall with his feet on the ground, imagination transformed into reality, and the name ¡®Abel¡¯ got imprinted on every person standing there.
[To be continued.]
Chapter 4:
Chapter 4:
The giant that stood with pride slowly began to bend its body and returned to its original position by lying down horizontally.
Screech-!
The cockpit opened up, revealing Abel.
His whole body was burning red, and his clothes werepletely soaked with sweat, yet he had a bright smile on his face.
¡°Whew!¡±
Abel took a deep exhale and then an inhale.
When the Giant was upright on the ground, the sheer pleasure he had felt was his first time experiencing such an emotion.
He felt a bit sorry for Rabbit, but this was literally at a different level.
As if the entire world was beneath him.
As if an almighty strength had taken over and was flowing through his body.
¡®I think I might get addicted to this.¡¯
Thinking that, Abel began to exit the cockpit.
As Abel was getting off, one of the knights standing in the proximity ran to him in a hurry and helped him get down the Gigant.
¡°Y-you did well. Really¡¡± The knight¡¯s face was painted with shock. His voice trembled while talking to a boy younger than him because the scene he had just witnessed was astonishing beyond imagination.
¡°Thank you.¡± Abel bowed to him and returned to his original spot.
As these events unfolded, Scarlett¡¯s eyes began to light up and slightly started having this piercing glittery gaze which wasn¡¯t there before.
This was because the scene that he had just shown Scarlett shocked her despite the fact that she possessed an inhuman level of talent.
¡°D-Does that even make sense?¡±
The knights watching from far away also mored upon seeing what had just happened.
¡°How is that possible? It can¡¯t be, can it? Didn¡¯t they say the kidsing today were all orphans who¡¯ve never seen Milles up close?
¡°Yeah! That¡¯s why it¡¯s even more nonsensical!¡±
Had Abel heard that, he would¡¯ve smiled and replied. He was confident he would show them even more astonishing things in the future. In the middle of everyone being unable to escape the shock, a boy came forward and said.
¡°I would like to try this time.¡±
Brown hair and nting eyes. Overall, a boy with an appearance that left an impression.
Abel looked at him. Out of everyone there, he was the only person whose name he knew because he was Scarlett¡¯s original choice for the Academy rmendation in the game.
His name was Jet.
¡®His talent was passable, but he was kicked out in the middle due to his nasty temperament and the trouble he got into.¡¯
So to speak, you could call him a third-rate viin. The type of role in which he blocked the yers in the extreme beginning and then was sent away just as quickly.
Jet got into the cockpit with plenty of grunts and groans, after which a strong tremor reverberated.
¡°Hm.¡±
The knights moring about Abel¡¯s performance once again had a look of enthusiasm and eagerness on their faces while looking at the scene before them.
It was tant that they thought, ¡°Maybe, this kid too?¡±
The mechanical sound didn¡¯t cut off right away andsted for a few seconds. The anticipation of the observers gradually began to rise. But to turn that anticipation into disappointment, it only took an instant.
Whirring-
The constant robotic sound that continued for around 10 seconds was abruptly interrupted, and the flinching Milles dropped back onto the floor.
The knight monitored the situation for a while before running up to the cockpit, and opening its door, revealing a bone-tired Jet walking out.
With his body drenched in sweat, he seemed to have no strength whatsoever, as if he would copse any moment now. Jet kept walking to one side in that state with the knight¡¯s support. With that, it was the end for him.
¡°Next.¡±
As soon as the knightid Jet down, he spoke, unaffected by the ordeal he had just gone through.
The remaining candidates also climbed onto Milles one after the other. But far from Abel, they fell short evenpared to Jet¡¯s progress in the task.
Hum-
Except for Abel and Jet, the best one managed to get Milles moving, but it then immediately stopped andid down again. The rest failed to even get Milles started.
¡®Jet was definitely a worthy pick.¡¯
Even Jet, who managed tost for 10 seconds, was outstandingpared to the other candidates.
Of course, that¡¯s true only by excluding Abel.
It doesn¡¯t matter if you have talent because one is bound to be reduced to an average person in the presence of overwhelming abilities, just like in this situation.
Finally, thest boy to ride Milles was dragged out in a limping state.
¡°So it¡¯s over.¡±
Hearing Scarlett¡¯s rigid tone of voice, the fatigued boys who were partially recovered visibly tensed up again.
¡°I enjoyed watching it.¡±
¡°If you follow them, you¡¯ll receive your prescribedpensation.¡±
The spot to which Scarlett pointed had the attendants standing there who had initially guided them here.
Continuing her words, she looked at Abel and said.
¡°Abel. you follow me.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
Those words were meant to imply that the match was over, and the other kids¡¯ expressions showed they weren¡¯t really surprised. That¡¯s how overpowering the scene that Abel had shown today.
Nevertheless, Jet was the sole person there who was clearly frustrated.
Abel¡¯s attention was entirely in the direction of the floating message.
[You¡¯vepleted the ¡°Best of the Bunch¡± Questpleted]
[You¡¯ve received ¡®Demetri¡¯s me¡¯.]
[The ¡°Best of the Bunch¡± Quest (2) will continue.]
[You¡¯ve twisted the storyline!]
[You¡¯ve received the ¡°Magic Candle¡±.]
Immediately after she stopped saying what she had to, Scarlett turned around and stepped away, and Abel followed right after her.
The boys left behind who were staring nkly at their backs, were redirected to a different path by the attendants.
To return them to where they came from.
That sight was indeed in stark contrast.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
Exactly on arrival, the exam was conducted, and at the same ce, even the result was announced uponpletion. The high-speed unfolding of events was a clear reflection of Scarlett¡¯s personality.
Scarlett was quite decisive and not vain and disliked unnecessarilyplicated procedures. On top of that, she was also highly impatient. It was clear from how she asked Abel toe with her immediately.
¡®Her office is wless too.¡¯
Abel thought this while observing the interior after arriving at the office he¡¯d followed Scarlett into.
Leaving aside the fact that this was the office of the Family Head, Count Klein, who had the most authority, it was neat to the degree that it looked like it was deserted.
Her entire room¡¯s furniture consisted of just a desk, a chair, and a few bookshelves. Even the hallway that they just came through seemed fancier than this.
¡°Hm.¡±
In the space of time, Abel looked at the interior.
Sitting on the desk and looking through certain documents, Scarlett finally spoke up.
¡°Abel. Age between 14 and 16 years. No parents and birthce are unknown. Is that correct?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°For thest year, you were an apprentice in Vulcanos¡¯s workshop, and in thest six months, you¡¯ve be well-known through your active participation at the Red Bear underground Arena. Also¡ is it true that you made the Gigant¡¯s case yourself?¡±
¡°Well, Vulcanos helped me build the framework, and I just assembled the rest of it with scraped parts.¡±
¡°Interesting.¡± Scarlett smiled after hearing Abel¡¯s response.
The aplishment of a young kid building his own Gigant and bing the champion in an underground arena would be interesting to just about anyone. Rather, even astonishment would be a normal reaction to it.
However, Scarlett¡¯s reaction was appropriate considering her own journey. After all, she raised her family to such great heights solely with her capabilities when it was on the path to ruins.
Thup,thup-
Upon asking Abel a few additional questions, Scarlett put aside the documents on one side of the desk.
Her fiery red pupils made direct eye contact with Abel.
¡°Was that really your first time operating Milles?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
Scarlett fixed her eyes on Abel¡¯s as if to discern whether Abel was lying or telling the truth.
But Abel wasn¡¯t affected by it and responded calmly without paying much attention to her gaze fixated on him.
¡°I did learn a bit of this and that from Vulcanos, but a person like me was never invited to ride something as valuable as a Milles. After all, its value is a few hundred times my whole body¡¯s worth.¡±
¡°Hm.¡±
Scarlett caressed her chin while ruminating over that response and said.
¡°From now onwards, be more careful with your words.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±
¡°Apologizing so easily won¡¯t suit you in the future either,¡± Scarlett advised Abel, who was already nodding in response.
¡°Because the world will be brimming with people who¡¯ll nder your words, actions, and demeanor.¡±
At some point, Scarlett¡¯s expression had changed to a yful smile.
¡°Going forward, start standing etiquette sses along with the training, got it?¡±
¡°¡Yes. Thank you¡± Abel was genuinely relieved and lowered his head.
¡®Seems I overcame the first hurdle.¡¯
Infamous Scans
Of course, he did believe Scarlett would choose him if he managed to get her attention, but being interrogated about his past made him doubt that. But his doubts faded when an amused smile appeared on Scarlett¡¯s face.
Scarlett held back herughter at Abel¡¯s reaction and spoke, ¡°The main reason I chose you was your talent. To be honest, it was surprising.¡±
Thispliment waspletely unexpected.
Scarlett calling his performance ¡®surprising¡¯ meant high praise because her abilities made her worthy of being called perhaps the greatest of all time. Even in the game, what others called ¡®amazing¡¯ was considered ¡®not bad¡¯ by Scarlett.
While tapping her fingers on the desk, she continued.
¡°Before we move further, give this a look.¡±
Scarlett slid a sheet of paper towards Abel.
Abel carefully picked up the paper and checked its contents.
[Del Modor Academy]
Del Modor. An ancient word that means ¡®mighty warrior¡¯ was used back when the empire was just a kingdom. It was previously the name of the academy where the knights were trained.
Though the academy¡¯s nature has transformed, it continues to be called the same. One could also say that Gigant Riders are not that different from being mighty warriors.
¡®Finally.¡¯
Del Modor is the main stage of the game¡¯s storyline. Abel had been trying to find a way to get there long before he received the quest. But it wasn¡¯t an easy task even for a pro at this game like he was.
There were other academies that chose candidates purely based on their talent, but Del Modor was special. That is why Abel waited for Scarlett toe and choose him.
Scarlett pointed at the paper and said, ¡°You¡¯ll enroll here. Of course, you¡¯ll have to take an exam, and assuming those in charge still have a good eye for talent, there won¡¯t be any obstacles.¡±
Abel looked at her as if asking what she meant, so Scarlett spoke up.
¡°The thought of you failing doesn¡¯t even cross my mind.¡±
¡°Thank you for saying that.¡±
¡°But ending with just that might be a bit disappointing. So I¡¯ll make you a promise to motivate you.¡±
Scarlett leaned forward and continued, ¡°If you manage to get in the first three ranks, I¡¯ll give you a special reward.¡±
Abel¡¯s eyes lit up at Scarlett¡¯s words. His anxiety about his admission in the academy had taken the back seat in his mind as the excitement for that ¡®special reward¡¯ had taken over his thoughts.
¡°I¡¯ll be looking forward to it.¡±
Scarlett¡¯s smile grew wider at Abel¡¯s unveiled response.
¡°I¡¯d like you to be careful with your words and actions, but I can say this. I definitely don¡¯t hate that confidence.¡±
After saying that much, Scarlett turned her eyes onto Abel and continued speaking.
¡°Instead, show results that back up that confidence of yours.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±
¡°Yeah. For now, I¡¯m busy with work, so you won¡¯t see me that much. We¡¯ll have our next conversation at the same time as now. You can prepare for the exam during your stay here. You don¡¯t have somewhere else in mind, do you?¡±
¡°No.¡±
He did not have another ce to stay or the intention to stay elsewhere. This was the best ce to prepare for the exam.
¡°When you go out, someone will be waiting for you.¡±
¡°I understand. I¡¯ll take my leave then.¡±
Abel paid his respects to Scarlett, turned around, and walked out the door.
As soon as he shut the door behind him, a maid approached him and said while bowing her head.
¡°Hello. I¡¯m Marigold, your attendant who¡¯ll be waiting on you during your stay here.¡±
¡°Thank you in advance. I¡¯ll be in your care.¡± Abel replied politely by bowing to her.
The maid was slightly surprised but immediately bowed in response and guided him through the mansion. The mansion was huge, so just looking around took up a lot of time.
And for the first time, since he¡¯d entered this world, Abel could enjoy avish feast and a luxurious rest.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
A week passed seamlessly, faster than expected.
Meanwhile, Abel had first-hand experience with a schedule that made him feel that even having a clone wouldn¡¯t suffice. He was trained in basic etiquette that he needed to follow for his words, actions, and attitude, along with certain acts that must be avoided and so on, as a cadet at the Academy.
These included fundamental mannerisms like his walking and table manners. Rather than training, it was more of a time of transformation for Abel, from a guy from the streets into a noble gentleman.
¡®It¡¯s not like I¡¯m actually bing a noble, but most of mypetitors will be nobles. So¡¡¯
It was a pain, but it was necessary. No matter his confidence in his abilities, it didn¡¯t mean he could afford to lose points because of external factors.
Also, this was an unavoidable process if he were to go mainstream.
Even at that moment, Abel was walking around in his room while observing himself in the mirror to correct his posture.
¡°Hm.¡±
After practicing his walk in the mirror for a while, he walked up to it and stood there. His reflection in the mirror waspletely different from a week ago.
His dark ck hair falling down in a clean cut and clear, healthier skin, along with custom-tailored clothes made just for him, made him look like a young prince from a wealthy family of merchants.
Abel tidied up his clothes and carefully removed an object from the inside.
¡®Demetri¡¯s me¡¯
It was a reward from the quest.
But that doesn¡¯t mean it appeared out of thin air. Scarlett ordered someone to deliver it to Abel. Since Jet originally wore this in the game, its function was clear to him.
¡®It creates a defensive barrier to protect the wearer from mes.¡¯
One might say that¡¯d be useless for a Giogant Rider, but that shows how little knowledge can be dangerous. Though Gigants of higher grades than Midget possess protection parts for the rider, they¡¯re not almighty.
Unlike a Gigant made of metal, human bodies are not as sturdy.
¡®It wasmon to see a Rider faint from shock while the Gigant stays unaffected.¡¯
This item was meant to strengthen one¡¯s defensive power that wascking. Since p items were usually Gigant-rted, self-protection items were extremely valuable.
Abel had already used it once when he yed the game as Jet and got the ne from Scarlett. Thanks to that, he knew of its ability.
Abel checked the back of the ne.
¡®It¡¯s here, huh.¡¯
There was an empty hole in the back.
There was no way of knowing what was originally in that hole, but that wasn¡¯t important. The crucial point was that he could strengthen the ne¡¯s power by inserting another ¡®object¡¯ there.
And, of course, Abel knew where he could get that ¡®object¡¯. After examining the ne, Abel smiled and put it back on. That wasn¡¯t the only thing he received from Scarlett, but the other one was gone because it was in his stomach.
¡®Who knew I would get the mana nt so early.¡¯
The ¡®mana nt¡¯ was a miraculous medicine that increased the level of mana in one¡¯s body. And because he had just started sensing mana, it was highly precious for Abel, whose mana level was close to zero.
[Abel]
[Species: Human]
[Physical grade: E]
[Synchronization rate: S]
[Magical ability:E]
[Gigant in possession: N/A]
[Skill: Beginner level Gigant Production, Intermediate level Gigant repair, Mana Sensitivity]
Eating the mana nt had increased his magic ability from F to E grade in just a week.
¡®If I just keep doing well, I can quickly raise it to a D grade.¡¯
Abel closed the stat window with a satisfied expression. He could look at it with pride all day, but it was about time. Today, he had no annoying etiquette sses Because it was ¡®that day¡¯.
Knock, knock-
While he was fixing his outfit and cleaning up his look in the mirror, someone knocked on the door.
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Young Master, it¡¯s time.¡±
It was Marigold, the maid¡¯s voice.
Abel immediately walked in that direction and opened up the door. Marigold, who was waiting outside the door, bowed her head, and Abel smiled while responding.
¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
Today was the end of the week Scarlett had mentioned.
Initially, he was taken to Scarlett¡¯s office, but Marigold guided him through the staircase to the lower floor, not the upper one.
Soon after following Marigold, he reached the mansion¡¯s main gate.
A bigger carriage than thest time was parked there with the Klein family¡¯s symbolic g hanging on its side.
Scarlett was standing right in front of the carriage.
¡°You¡¯re here.¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Today, you¡¯ll go to the Del Modor Academy. Do you have any questions?¡±
¡°Am I taking the exam today?¡±
¡°No. You will only register your application today, and the exam will be conducted a monthter. So, after youplete the registration and return, we¡¯ll continue the training in full swing.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
It was expected that Abel would register by submitting Scarlett¡¯s rmendation. However, it was Scarlett¡¯s goodwill to send him on a carriage with the family¡¯s g hanging on it.
¡°Get on now. A knight will escort you.¡±
Scarlett looked to the side and called the knight who was to apany Abel.
¡°Diron.¡±
¡°Yes.¡± A knight waiting on the side approached them and paid his respects. It was the same stiff knight who had apanied Abel to the mansion a week ago.
¡°Please board the carriage.¡± His voice was extremely polite. And not just his voice, even his demeanor was tremendously courteous.
There was a world¡¯s differencepared to his attitude the first time they met. At that time, Abel was a mere candidate, but presently he was an official guest of the family.
¡°Yes. Thank you.¡± Abel responded politely and got on the carriage.
He was just going to register today, yet his heart was racing. The Academy was the game¡¯s main stage, and most primary events unfolded there. That is why it was the ultimate ce with plenty of growth opportunities for the yers.
¡®So, the hidden piece won¡¯t be easily found.¡¯
Abel was already well aware of that, obviously.
¡®It¡¯s already decided what I have to get.¡¯
Abel secured himself in his seat in the carriage in an upright position, and when he did, his pupils were glimmering.
It was a gaze full of anticipation.
[To be continued.]
Chapter 5:
Chapter 5:
The curtain was drawn on the window in the carriage.
Because of that, Abel couldn¡¯t look outside, so he tried to start a conversation with Diron sitting opposite him.
¡°How long will it take to get to Del Modor?¡±
¡°The mansion is on the outskirts. It¡¯ll take at least 40 minutes.¡±
It wasn¡¯t that far, considering they were riding a carriage. Just like there were fierce Gigants in this world, there were many modes of transportation. But most of them were used for military purposes, so civilians didn¡¯t have a lot of options. And primarily due to safety concerns, nobles mainly used horse carriages.
Abel nodded in response to Diron and then spoke, ¡°By the way, do you know about the entrance test for the Academy?¡±
¡°I can¡¯t say I know a lot.¡± His tone was a bit harsh, but from his face, it seemed he really didn¡¯t know much.
Actually, Abel didn¡¯t ask him that because he thought Diron would give him a detailed exnation of the test. He just wanted to check if it differed much from what he knew, so he asked again.
¡°Still, could you tell me what you know, no matter how much? See, I haven¡¯t heard anything about it, and I¡¯m clueless.¡±
¡°Oh, I see. Of course, then.¡±
Diron replied to the question this time with all his heart.
¡°All the applicants take the test using a Tito grade Gigant that the Academy prepares. I¡¯ve been told they measure basic qualities like physical strength, ability to use mana, and synchronization rate.¡±
¡°Well, they¡¯re all important factors riding Gigants.¡±
¡°Yes. There are three types of tests, but the content of the test changes every year. Last year, everyone had to run till they fainted and also¡¡±
Abel listened carefully to Diron for quite a while. He heard a few things for the first time, but fortunately, it wasn¡¯t vastly different from what he knew.
Just like that, as their conversation continued while jumping around different topics, at some point, the carriage started to slow down at some point, and they realized that they were near.
¡°So¡ Ah, I¡¯ll just check with the rider for a second.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
Diron stopped the conversation and told Abell.
¡°We¡¯ve passed through the Academy¡¯s main entrance already. Please prepare to get off the carriage in a while.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
He told him to prepare, but all he had to do was fix his clothes and hair a bit. After that, they talked a bit more, and the carriage stoppedpletely. Upon hearing the sound of someone knocking on the door from outside, Diron opened the door and got down first.
Abel also got down and couldn¡¯t help but look around him.
¡®Whoa¡¡¯
If Diron weren¡¯t standing beside him, Abel would¡¯ve voiced his wonder. It wasn¡¯t exceptionally luxurious or anything, but there were rows and rows of stone buildings that looked sophisticated and elegant. Not to mention, the buildings were extremely tall in general.
He knew the reason for that because of the game. The academy was basically a ce to nurture Gigant Riders, and many Gigants moved around the ce, and the tall buildings were meant to block their view. Because at normal heights of a building, the Gigants would be clearly visible.
¡®That¡¯s so fascinating.¡¯
Also, it wasn¡¯t his first time seeing those high-rise buildings. He hadn¡¯t visited the Academy before, but while walking around the ce, he was able to catch a sight. Looking at the sight of a forest of buildings, memories of this ce from earth popped up in his mind.
¡®Memories¡. Huh. But aftering here personally and seeing it first hand, it¡¯s way more majestic.¡¯
When Abel was thinking this, Diron spoke up, ¡°Please follow me.¡±
¡°Yeah.¡± Abel returned to his senses and walked after Diron.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
It didn¡¯t take long, and they arrived at the only shy building there. After passing a door with beautiful patterns engraved on it, the inside of the building was serene.
There were barely twenty people in there, including the receptionists. In an academy like Del Modor, there were only these many people at the application center, and the reason was simple.
¡®Most people have probably applied already.¡¯
That¡¯s because it was thest phase of the application process for admission.
Abel nced around, hoping to see any of the characters he knew, but he didn¡¯t see any faces he recognized. All his excitement just disappeared.
¡°This way¡¡± Diron guided Abel to the desk in the middle and started talking to the receptionist after handing him a few documents.
This world was strange. It was like a messy mixture of different features of specific times in the history of Earth.
¡®In a way, it¡¯s kind of obvious.¡¯
This was the world inside the game. A highly user-friendly world. But every time he thought of that, another question would pop up in his mind.
Is it really?
Every nonsensical part of the game seemed to make sense after he came here because there were genuine justifications for things being the way they were.
In other words, all the nks were filled. If this was all merely a game, does that mean someone filled in those ¡®nks¡¯?
¡°Abel Klein. Is that right?¡±
Abel nodded upon hearing his name being called out.
The receptionist had brown hair and a fairly in appearance and was looking at Abel. At some point, the conversation with Diron ended.
¡°Ah, yes.¡±
¡°Could you raise your hand right here? It¡¯s a simple confirmation procedure.¡±
Abel raised his hand over a wide tform as per the receptionist¡¯s instructions.
Whiring-!
A vibrating sound emerged along with soft blue light, and just as quickly, both disappeared. That was a manapatibility test, and if the candidates weren¡¯tpatible with mana at all, they were considered unqualified to enroll in the academy.
But Abel didn¡¯t have to worry about it because he could already sense mana now, so he waspatible enough.
¡°That¡¯s it for this test reading.¡±
She went through the readings from the mana test and the documents again and said with a smile, ¡°Your application has been submitted. Please refer to this booklet for any information about the entrance test.¡±
The receptionist handed him a booklet that had the test schedules and other important details written on it.
And with this, his application was done.
While they were leaving, Diron asked him a question.
¡°Should we head back right away?¡±
¡°Um, can I look around the Academy a bit?¡±
In response to Abel¡¯s question, Diron nodded his head.
¡°Yeah, that¡¯s okay. But we need to leave after an hour.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
Diron answered that question quickly, so Abel realized he must¡¯ve been prepared for it beforehand.
That was a good opportunity for Abel because he could quickly get what he wanted within an hour. They were just about to leave the building when the door suddenly opened.
Diron was just about to grab the door handle but managed to back up smoothly, and this gave Abel a chance to see who just came in.
¡®Oh?¡¯
Abel was surprised for a moment and was about to speak out loud. His eyes were fixed on the woman who¡¯d just entered through the door.
She had glossy silver hair and sapphire blue eyes. Like her hair, her skin was snow-white, and her facial expression was neutral and emotionless. Her appearance was eye-catching, but that alone wasn¡¯t why he was surprised.
¡®Evelyn.¡¯
Infamous Scans
Abel recognized her right away not only because of her distinct features but also because she was the only of the high-status characters in the game. She was one of the key characters in the game and the only daughter of Margrave Cephyr.
The Family of Count Klein became well-known, influential, and powerful by turning thest Great War into an opportunity. On the opposite side, Cephyr Family was a traditionally reputed family with a long background of service to its subjects.
But that doesn¡¯t mean Abel knew her because of her impressive background.
¡®Her talent was at the level of being unrivaled.¡¯
Even among the talented riders, Evelyn was the cream of the crop.
Her capability shined so bright that it dimmed her beautiful appearance inparison.
Abel noticed a stable flow of magic around her body.
¡°Ehm.¡±
Abel returned to reality, and the knight beside Evelyn cleared his throat. He had been blocking the way for Evelyn and her knight.
¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±
¡°That¡¯s okay.¡±
Abel apologized and stepped aside right away. Evelyn had a smile on her face, and when he stepped aside, both she and her knight passed by him. Abel and Diron left the building too.
While walking beside Abel, Diron said, ¡°She¡¯s the daughter of Margrave Cephyr.¡±
¡°Is that so?¡±
¡°Yes. Her remarkable talent is praised by people all over.¡±
¡°She seems amazing.¡± Abel deliberately acted surprised when Diron exined this to him.
After all, he already knew how talented Evelyn was because he had witnessed how her storyline and performances would unfold. His heart started racing once again after meeting one of the game¡¯s main characters face-to-face.
¡®There must be something wrong with my heart.¡¯
He couldn¡¯t help but think his heart was beating fast all the time now because, for him, the recent events in his life were exhrating experiences. Count Klein personally recruited him, rode Milles, and even met the famous Evelyn today.
It felt like the wheels of fate had started turning at full speed.
¡®If I don¡¯t want to be left behind, I¡¯ll have to work even harder.¡¯
Abel only nned to go on a rxing tour of the Academy, but after meeting Evelyn, hispetitive spirit was set aze.
Where did someone of his caliber stand in the Academy full of these monstrous riders?
With thatpetitive spirit firing him up from the inside, he picked up his pace to get the first hidden piece he came for.
A little whileter.
¡°It seems this is the Central Square,¡±
¡°Looks like it.¡±
Twenty minutes had passed since they left the building.
Abel arrived at the round-shaped area in the middle of greenwns. Just looking around the ce lifted his mood. There were benches right next to the countless trees all over the ce, and it was perfect for taking a little break.
The Square was bustling with many people, and most of them were cadets of the Academy in their uniforms. These people would be Abel¡¯s seniors if he got in. After ncing around the Square for a while, he walked up to its middle.
There was a bronze statue right in its center.
When he noticed Abel¡¯s gaze on the statue, Diron exined briefly.
¡°It¡¯s the bronze statue of a great Imperial Knight, Sir Allon.¡±
Allon.
He was a historical figure considered a hero of the country, and a key personality involved in the foundation of the Academy.
Abel looked up at the statue.
The statue was of a knight in armor holding a sword with both hands, which was pretty impressive. But he didn¡¯te here simply for rxation or a look around the Academy.
¡®It¡¯s bigger in real life.¡¯
Abel knew.
That there was a hidden piece inside that statue. And that¡¯s why he came here.
¡°Can I go closer to see?¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
After asking Diron, Abel got closer to the statue.
There was a legend about this statue ¨C if a hero who was destined to aplish great things emerged in front of the statue, the statue would start moving. It was like a mere folklore that almost every school had, so it only made sense that this ce had a legend like that too.
Something like the statue of King Sejong the Great would move when it¡¯s midnight. And the legend about Sir Allon was quite simr¡ªjust an interesting story to tell.
But Abel knew that it wasn¡¯t just a story.
The Principal and a handful of professors must already be aware of the true identity of this ce.
¡°Pheeew.¡±
Abel breathed a long exhale, got close to the statue, and ced his palms on the pedestal at the statue¡¯s base for support.
Gigants were being developed rapidly, but this process wasn¡¯t even 100 years old. But this wasn¡¯t true in the synchronization rate rted to the Gigants. Even without Gigants, humans had plenty of abilities, and one of them was synchronization rate, which had its utility.
In fact, it was the ¡®ancient relic¡¯ that became the origin of Gigants.
¡®Let¡¯s focus.¡¯
Abel closed his eyes and carefully focused on the knowledge he had. With the highest grade in his ability to synchronize, he was the first toe to find this ce.
Unrecognizable energy flowed between the pedestal and his palms, prating deep into him.
Deudeudeu-!
At that moment, the statue suddenly started vibrating violently, and everyone in the Square had their attention fixed on Abel and the statue. Behind him, even Diron felt something unusual and was about to get them both out of there.
Whoosh-!
Suddenly, a light emerged from the statue.
The light was so bright that everyone could barely keep their eyes open. But soon afterward, the light disappeared, as if it wasn¡¯t there in the first ce, and everything turned back to normal.
¡°Are you okay?¡± Diron hurriedly came up to Abel and asked him.
Abel seemed to be staring into the void with a nk expression on his face. He blinked his eyes on hearing Diron¡¯s question as if he wasing back to his senses and nodded in response.
¡°Ah, yeah. I¡¯m okay.¡±
¡°Why would¡ light from a statue¡?¡±
Diron fumbled with his words and was shocked, theplete opposite of his usual calm and collected self. Then again, the guest he was apanying put his hand on a statue¡¯s pedestal, and a bright light started shing from it. Of course, he¡¯d be startled.
But Abel was too out of it to be thinking about Diron.
[An unparalleled energy has entered your body.]
[You¡¯ve obtained a clue about ¡®Overflow¡¯.]
[Within a week, the magic growth rate will increase by 200%.¡±]
A constant stream of messages, a noticeable change in the flow of mana, and a different sensation arising inside the body were all experiences he expected to happen. Still, the actual experience was way beyond those expectations.
In the original game, there was a condition to obtain the hidden piece that ¡®a yer of synchronization rate of over A grade could attempt to tune with the statue¡¯.
If that condition was fulfilled, the yer could gain useful skills and buffs, which were considerablepared to their efforts.
¡®But the most important was the symbolism.¡¯
Of course, the effect of the rapid increase in magic growth rate and clue for overflow skill were both great results. But even more important was the legend rted to the statue itself ¨C if a hero who was destined to aplish great things emerged in front of the statue, the statue of Sir Allon would start moving.
If the legend mentioned this, would this really end here with just a little mysterious incident?
Absolutely not.
There would be a lot of attention on him.
That could be a pressure for some people, but not for Abel.
If he wanted to receive the game¡¯s main quest, he couldn¡¯t just be an exemry goody-two-shoes student with good test scores. He had to be a ¡®hero¡¯.
And this incident would be a significant first step toward Abel¡¯s goal.
¡°Let¡¯s go back now.¡±
Abel calmed down, his heart racing, and spoke to Diron. Diron nodded, but his expression made it seem he was unwilling to leave.
The two were under the overwhelming gaze of countless eyes while they exited the Square.
It didn¡¯t take long till they got on the carriage and left the Academy behind.
[To be continued.]
Chapter 6:
Chapter 6:
When Abel and Diron left the Square, the people there didn¡¯t leave for quite a while, and the ce was moring with noise as they fussed over the incident.
¡°Di-Did the statue just move?¡±
¡°Not exactly. A blinding light just shone out of it¡ huh, what was that? Hm? Is it just me? I mean¡ I don¡¯t get what just happened, do you?¡±
¡°That boy with ck hair put his palms on the statue¡¯s pedestal and then¡¡±
In the Square, along with the cadets, some professors had some free time and hade there to rest. They also happened to witness the event just then. And that¡¯s why the news of this spread among all the cadets and professors of the Academy.
So, it wouldn¡¯t take long before the news reached those higher up who knew the truth about the legend.
¡°Is that true?¡±
¡°Yeah. The Magic Sensitivity Professor, Prof. Thelven said he witnessed the whole thing himself.¡±
¡°Hawh, how could that¡¡±
It was just a fascinating event for the cadets and professors at the academy. For the higher-ranking officials though, it was apletely different ballpark because they realized the meaning behind the incident with Abel.
The Principal and a few professors started verifying the truth behind the rumors that were going around. It didn¡¯t take them a long time, and they found the rumored boy¡¯s identity.
Abel.
The boy who received a letter of rmendation from the renowned Count Klein herself.
After learning about his impressive background, they kept an even closer eye on him.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
Abel was running. His whole body was sweating like crazy, and his breathing was really rough. Yet he had zero thoughts about taking a break.
But an endes whether he likes it or not.
Abel had been running for a long time, and his legs just gave up at a point. He tried getting up a few times but had to give up eventually. He justy on the ground looking at the sky.
¡°Huh phoo.¡±
Abel kept gasping like crazy for a few minutes and slowly got a hold of himself.
¡°Urgh.¡±
He didn¡¯t have the strength to start running again, but he couldn¡¯t just stay lying over there because it wasn¡¯t his private training ground.
Abel got up and stumbled while walking. He avoided the knights who were running close by and went in the direction of a building.
¡°You must be tired.¡±
The maid Marigold was waiting there for him and handed him water, a towel, and so on.
¡°Thank you.¡±
Abel took them from Marigold and just copsed in the chair.
He was training for a month by then. However, the difficulty level was the same as the first time because as he managed to increase his physical strength, the amount of training increased simultaneously to keep him on his toes.
¡®I was pretty regr with my physical training beforeing here too, but¡¡¯
After the training here, Abel realized that his previous training was just child¡¯s y.
¡°Are the knights really human?¡±
Abel started running at the same time as them, yet they didn¡¯t even seem to break a sweat. He kept grumbling about it while looking at them run around.
Just then, someone beside him spoke in a deep voice.
¡°Abel-nim is also doing well.¡±
(TL/N: ¡®-nim¡¯ is an ending attached to people¡¯s names to be polite. So it¡¯s used among people who¡¯re not at an equal status ¨C either due to age or social status)
When he heard that voice, Abel immediately stood up and replied.
¡°I¡¯m still far from being good, Sir Diron.¡±
¡°You¡¯ve only trained for a month. It won¡¯t take long as long as you keep up as you are now.¡± Diron said this with a smile on his face.
His first impression hadn¡¯t been that good. But as Diron trained him for the past month, the two became a lot closer to each other.
Diron¡¯s impression of Abel had also improved in the same way. But considering that he saw Abel follow the formal knight training regime for around a month, it was kind of impossible for him not to see Abel in a better light.
It was thest day of having fun with others like this while training.
¡°But I must say I¡¯m sad I won¡¯t train under you from now on, Sir Aldor.¡±
¡°At the Academy, you¡¯ll be trained by remarkable individuals. I¡¯m pretty sure you, Abel-nim, will improve at a monstrous rate.¡±
Tomorrow was the day of the Academy entrance test.
His training for the test ended early, and he was going to rest for the rest of the day afternoon so that he¡¯d be in his best physical and mental condition the next day.
Abel had a smile on his face when he looked at Diron and said, ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll pass for sure.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t doubt that at all.¡± Diron grinned and replied.
Marigold had been waiting for the conversation to end, but she had to cut in and say, ¡°Young Master. It¡¯s time for recovery now.¡±
¡°Ah, yeah.¡±
Abel chatted a bit more with Diron and got up to leave.
¡°Okay then. I¡¯ll get going now.¡±
¡°Yeah, okay.¡±
Abel said goodbye to Diron and followed Marigold. While walking, he reflected over thest month.
His training was so severe that he couldn¡¯t find the words to express how difficult it was for him.
He¡¯d get up at 4 in the morning and train till 8 at night. After that, he¡¯d just have dinner, copse on the bed, and fall asleep in no time.
And he repeated that every day throughout the month.
No matter how persistent a person was, that amount of training could break them. But it was worth it.
With that monstrous training regime, the results were no joke either.
[Abel]
[Species: Human]
[Physical grade: C]
[Synchronization rate: S]
[Magical ability:D]
[Gigant in possession: N/A]
[Skill: Beginner level Gigant Production, Intermediate level Gigant repair, Mana Sensitivity, Beginner level Weapon Wielding, Overflow]
In just a month, he climbed two grades in Physical grade and one grade in Magical ability. He was estimated to be at the bottom end of grade E and barely pushed through to make it to grade C, but it was a fantastic achievement regardless.
In addition to this, he just got a clue about the Overflow skill, but by using that, he was able to learn it to perfection.
But after getting into the academy, he¡¯d have to keep putting in the effort to improve himself in order not to fall behind, so he didn¡¯t intend on being satisfied with just this.
For now, resting was his top priority.
¡°We¡¯re here.¡±
¡°Okay. I¡¯ll go in then.¡±
Abel politely greeted Marigold and went inside the room.
He was going into a deep sleep like the dead for the sake of his exam the following day.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
The next morning.
Abel was all ready and waiting while seated in his chair. When he heard a knock on the door, he stood up.
¡°Abel-nim. Is it okay if wee in?¡±
It was Marigold¡¯s voice. Abel replied immediately.
¡°Yes.¡±
The door opened, and three maids bowed in greeting to Abel.
One was obviously Marigold, and he had seen the other two maids around the house a few times.
The maids entered the room, carefully checked Abel¡¯s outfit, and trimmed his hair.
¡°Now that we¡¯re done, please follow us.¡±
After he waspletely dressed up, Abel followed the maids outside.
Soon they got to the mansion¡¯s main entrance.
In front of the stairs of the entrance, he saw the same carriage as the day he went to register his application. When Abel saw the woman standing in front of the carriage, he immediately greeted her.
¡°Good Morning, Your Excellency.¡±
¡°Yes, it is.¡±
Infamous Scans
Scarlett gave her head a slight nod in response and asked Abel.
¡°How do you feel?¡±
¡°Great.¡±
¡°That¡¯s good.¡±
The corners of Scarlett¡¯s lips rose, and with a smile, she said.
¡°I won¡¯t tell you to do your best because I only want sure-shot results.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll get the best results then.¡±
¡°I like that confidence.¡±
Scarlett liked Abel¡¯s bold attitude, and her smile grew even wider.
¡°Good. Then go ahead.¡±
¡°Yes. I¡¯ll take my leave.¡±
With a greeting, Abel got on the carriage.
Diron didn¡¯t apany him this time, so his journey with another knight was filled with silence. Abel didn¡¯t force a conversation either and chose to focus and get into the zone.
Just like that, after a while, the carriage arrived without trouble at the Academy entrance.
¡°When you¡¯re done, please return to this spot.¡±
¡°Understood.¡±
Abel had a brief talk with the knight who apanied him. After that, he exited the carriage and walked to the main entrance.
This time was a bit different than thest. No other people or carriages could enter the Academy. It was only open to the applicants who were there for the entrance test.
He soon reached the front of the main gate, and a man in a ck uniform approached him.
¡°I¡¯ll need to verify your identity.¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
Abel handed out his identity card that had the Klien family¡¯s seal on it.
The man carefully verified it andpared it with the list of names. After he was done, he greeted him respectfully and said,
¡°The verification is done. Once you go inside, someone will be there to guide you.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
Abel could finally pass the gate and enter the Academy. The inside of the entrance was noisy because of all the applicants who came to take the test.
¡®There¡¯s a lot, huh.¡¯
He¡¯d been to several crowded ces before, but it was the first time seeing such morous people gathered all in one ce.
¡®Most of them are probably rich kids, not nobles.¡¯
With that thought, Abel walked up to the attendant waiting at one side.
¡°Please follow me.¡±
¡°Yeah.¡±
It didn¡¯t take long till they reached the right ce. Not even 5 minutes had passed. The attendant pointed to the building and said,
¡°You just have to enter this building.¡±
¡°Okay. Thank you.¡±
Right after he greeted her thanks, Abel went inside the building.
This building was at least five times bigger than the building where he submitted his application. The whole ce was ginormous. It was so huge that even with the crowd rushing in, it still had plenty of space to move around.
There was an attendant to guide the candidates to the seat. So he asked him and sat on a seat to the side. As time went on, more and more people entered the building.
Abel thought while ncing around the ce.
¡®Out of all these people, only a handful will remain.¡¯
Gigant Academy got an astronomical number of applicants. But from all those applicants, most failed because of mana ipatibility. After filtering out all those applicants, these candidates were the ones gathered there, but even among them, barely 200 were here. That didn¡¯t end there. Those 200 wouldn¡¯t attend the Academy, have a lovely, friendly cadet life, and graduate.
¡®Those who got to go through the process of bing Gigant Riders were¡ the top 40.¡¯
And the rest?
They would be trained for the operation of Tito and be unable to ride the Milles and upper grades because the Tito grade could be used even with acking magical ability.
However, among these riders, there were instances whente bloomers honed their talentter and were promoted, but those cases were rare. Further, among these 40, there were usually less than 10 people who¡¯d graduate after the full 4 years and go on to beplete Gigant Riders.
¡®But that¡¯s kind of expected.¡¯
Gigants were a valuable strategic resource.
A vast amount of resources were consumed for their production, and even with enough resources avable, it couldn¡¯t be quickly mass-produced with automatic processes in factories.
Yet this Academy used those Gigants just for ¡®training.¡¯ The tuition fee here was considerable, but the truth was a lot of money was put into running the ce.
On top of that, they even provided the graduated Gigant Riders with their own Gigants.
¡®So, by filtering over and over, only a handful of those with outstanding talent could enroll here¡ that was how it was described.¡¯
And to be a part of that handful, Abel was standing there at his spot.
Thinking of that, he automatically started feeling more pressure, and just in time, someone¡¯s voice drew his attention.
¡°Seems like everyone¡¯s here.¡±
The voice came from the direction of the podium.
When he looked to that side, he saw a middle-aged man with pure white hair neatly styled towards the back with a well-groomed mustache standing on the podium.
He was the Academy¡¯s principal.
From his looks, he looked like he was 40, but in reality, he was 60 years old. His clothes didn¡¯t do a great job of hiding his sturdy solid physique; hence, why anyone could mistake him for being even younger than that.
Abel remembered his name.
¡®Magnus. The empire¡¯s living legend.¡¯
He was a prestigious man with the title of being the Principal of the only Gigant Academy in the empire and was said to have no weaknesses.
When Magnus spoke up, Abel looked around at all the boys and girls gathered in the hall. Using a magical tool, his amplified voice spread throughout the entire hall.
¡°Your identity or family name will bepletely irrelevant when taking the test. Your capability is the only thing that can get you into the Academy.¡±
As Magnus continued his speech, people in the hall became increasingly nervous.
Even Abel¡¯s body turned stiff on hearing the living legend Magnus¡¯s voice.
Magnus stopped for a moment, held up his arm and said.
¡°Okay then, no point stretching this any longer. Come in!¡±
Thud-!
When he gave the signal, all the doors of the building burst open.
The candidates who naturally stood in rows all turned to look at the back. Within a moment, all their eyes widened.
Clink, clink, clink-.
The sound of metal rubbing against metal.
A sound that would¡¯ve been unnoticed if it was alone now sounded like thunder throughout the building.
Abel looked at those entering, and his mouth was open in surprise without him even realizing, not because he hadn¡¯t something like that before but because the scale was something unimaginable he was witnessing for the first time in his life.
¡°Those right there are your test partners, myds.¡±
Upon smiling, Magnus spoke with a younger voice.
But everyone¡¯s eyes were fixed on the doors.
It was truly an amazing sight, with 100 Tito grade Gigantsing in through the doors.
Abel looked at them as if he was possessed, and suddenly, something popped up in front of his eyes.
[The ¡°Best of the Bunch¡± Quest (2) will continue.]
[Secure the top seat of the Academy by passing the tests with overwhelming records!]
[Your reward will be a Gigant exclusive skill.]
Abel read straight through it and smiled.
It was exactly what he¡¯d hoped for.
[To be continued.]
Chapter 7:
Chapter 7:
Tito was only a level above Midget.
Because of that, there were people who believed they were not that different and that was an extremely moronic belief.
¡®Their features arepletely different.¡¯
One Tito could battle three Midgets with ease. And if the riders¡¯ abilities were at a different level, that gap between the two would be even wider.
¡®The pressure¡¯s really intense.¡¯
The 100 Tito Gigants with a dark ck tint brought out this intense sense of pressure, and at the same time, they had an attention-grabbing feel to them.
That was why it wasn¡¯t only Abel; most of the kids in the room had this glimmer in their eyes while looking at them.
¡®This isn¡¯t the time for this.¡¯
Abel was looking at the Titos walking in, mesmerized by the sight, but then he suddenly shook his head because it wasn¡¯t the time for him to be so casually appreciating the scene before him.
Thud, thud-!
The hundred Titos walked up systematically and stood at the spot in front of the participants standing in the queue.
Once they were all perfectly aligned at the right spots, the cockpit of the Gigants opened up, and the riders exited from them.
¡°Okay then! All of you, focus!¡±
That¡¯s when Magnus finally spoke up again.
Upon hearing his voice, the entire building that was in an uproar upon seeing the Gigants quieted down instantly, and Magnus continued with a pleased expression on his face.
¡°The first test!¡±
A powerful and vigorous voice.
¡°is to control Tito and get into the decided posture.¡±
When the first test was revealed, following it, all the applicants had a variety of reactions. Some seemed confident, and some got even more nervous. Abel was obviously among the first group.
¡®Thankfully, it¡¯s not much different from the game.¡¯
He was a bit nervous that it may turn out to be different than the game, but till that point, everything seemed to be going as he expected.
¡®The truth is, riding a Tito is extremely hard as well.¡¯
It was unparalleled whenpared to riding a Milles, but still, riding a Gigant wasn¡¯t an easy task.
¡®On top of that, it¡¯s not just about operating Tito.¡¯
Among them all, the ones who were thinking that it would end at just operating Tito, they¡¯ll probably be on the verge of tears by the end of the first test.
Just as his thought was about to finish.
¡°Okay! Start now!¡±
Magnus shouted with his powerful voice.
After that, the man who got off Tito, looked around the kids near Abel and asked.
¡°So, who¡¯d like to go first?¡±
The man in the ck uniform was a soldier who was a professional rider affiliated with the Royal Family.
Abel waited for a few moments, but when no one stepped up, he spoke up.
¡°I¡¯d like to try first.¡±
¡°Okay then.¡±
The soldier replied to Abel and just like that, he started helping Abel get onto the Gigant.
¡°Hm.¡±
Soon Abel settled down at his spot inside the cockpit and snapped his neck to look around him.
It was a bit suffocating, butpared to Midget, it was way better.
The way to start operating Tito was simr to that of a Midget.
¡®Time to focus.¡¯
It began with raising one¡¯s synchronization rate.
For riding a Gigant, synchronizing with it was essential and an ability that was the very foundation of riding one. For one to reach their highest potential as a rider, they needed to be able to raise their synchronization to the maximum possible value.
Of course, in Abel¡¯s case, he was brimming with the ability to synchronize.
Whirring-!
The Tito, who was drooping in the beginning, slowly raised its head. While that happened, Abel felt something strange. If it were an average person, they probably wouldn¡¯t even sense that little noise.
But Abel¡¯s synchronization rate was at a monstrous level, and the moment he sensed it, he was able to detect its source as well.
¡®In the game, it only showed as a message of something being weird but it was about the hand ced on the core.¡¯
With its unique mechanisms, when the rider feared something that had an effect on their focus which would crash the synchronization rate.
Buzzing-!
However, that didn¡¯t pose a single problem for Abel.
Lose focus and crash the synchronization rate?
No matter how much the tuning was messed up, it was still way morefortable than when he rode a Midget If one had to draw a parallel, it was like driving a junk car that was about to be scrapped and then changing to a brand new car.
Bang-!
Soon, the Tito that Abel was riding held his posture immactely and nodded his head.
Standing beside him, the rider looked at the sight with utter astonishment because to him, as a professional rider active in duty, Abel¡¯s speed was extremely high.
¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±
When Abel spoke, the rider came back to his senses and responded.
¡°From now on, please take the posture that I specify for you.¡±
With that said, the rider let Abel know the different types of postures he was supposed to hold.
Most of them were all that difficult, so Abel didn¡¯t take any longer than 3 minutes toplete the instructed tasks sessfully.
There was no need to describe in words how natural and smooth his posture was.
¡°Yo-You¡¯ve passed the test.¡±
The result was obviously positive. Not just the rider in front but the kids beside Abel were looking at him with wide eyes brimming with shock.
Once the mission given to him wasplete, Abel got off Tito and casually returned to his spot. Only then did the rider return to reality and continue the test for the rest of the candidates.
The second boy who came forward was clearly nervous even before he got onto the Gigant, but unexpectedly he managed to operate the Gigant to start it sessfully.
But while trying to take the correct posture, he stood up and then.
Bang-!
Suddenly the Tito¡¯s legs got bent, and just like that itnded with its face crashing down.
¡°That¡¯s the end. You¡¯ve failed the test.¡±
The soldier said that with a stiff, cold voice and pulled the boy out of the cockpit. Following this, he pointed toward the outside and said.
¡°When you exit the building, an attendant will be waiting to assist you on the way out.¡±
The following events were simr.
¡®Well, this is normal.¡¯
For the time being, Abel watched the scene unfold as the other candidates took the test. The very count of candidates able to get the Tito to start was not a lot, but when it came to holding the appointed positions, the tally went even lower.
At best, one out of three candidates would maybe clear the test.
¡°Seems like it¡¯s over just like that.¡±
After about 20 minutes passed, Magnus spook up. At that point, those who failed the test had already left and the only candidates in the building were the ones who¡¯ve passed the first test.
Magnus nced through the room and looked at each one of their faces. He then smiled and said.
¡°The test right now might have been quite simple, but it wasn¡¯t easy. It actually implies that even to work in the military, you need at least enough talent to ride a Tito.¡±
But in an instant, the cheerfulness on his face disappeared and he continued the rest of his talk with a serious expression.
¡°However, Del Modor Academy isn¡¯t just looking for the talented one with the ability to ride a Tito. The aim is much higher than that.¡±
Though the building was full of Tito riders, these words were something that could be considered outspoken.
But none of them held any discontent against thement because Magnus himself was an example of someone who started at the lowest rank of soldiers and rose to the noble position he held by proving his strength.
¡°Milles and even higher. You need to get a hold of that explosive and overwhelming power and use it for yourself. Not swaying around or dragging it around, you need to dominate the Gigant,¡±
After he said that, he spoke with a grin on his face.
¡°But before that, of course, you must be able to ride Tito first. Okay then, from now onwards, the whole process will be ounted for to rank the candidates. Start!!¡±
At that moment, everyone flinched as if the exam was about to start, but that wasn¡¯t the case.
The riders who were waiting instructed the remaining candidates.
¡°Please get on the Tito.¡±
Abel immediately got on the Gigant.
¡°Kindly wait for a while.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
Not a long time had passed when Abel suddenly felt the concentration of mana rise in his surroundings.
Whoosh-!
Infamous Scans
Later, along with a bright light, a bluish defensive barrier formed inside the building. It was the same ¡®defensive shield¡¯ he had seen quite often at the underground battle arena.
Of course, even if he¡¯s seen it mainly from the outside, the intensity here was iparable.
¡®It looks like it won¡¯t budge even if I try my utmost to swing my fist with Tito¡¯s power at it.¡¯
This thought was running across his mind, and then Magnus shouted.
¡°The mission this time is tost for 15 minutes! If your Gigant copses before that, you¡¯ll be eliminated. On the opposite side, it doesn¡¯t matter if your Gigant is crushed or smashed in by the end, if it¡¯s standing, you¡¯ll pass.¡±
Upon hearing those words, a certain shock quietly spread inside the building. No one expected there to be such an unsophisticated and in mission, Of course, with the exception of Abel.
Magnus didn¡¯t regard the candidates¡¯ shock and continued.
¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about injuries! The Gigant have been adjusted to control their maximum output. Even in the worst case, your life won¡¯t be threatened!! If you¡¯d suffer any injuries, priests are outside waiting to treat you immediately if needed!¡±
If the situation was different and not everyone here would¡¯ve been the ones to ride a Tito, there would probably be a few pale faces here and there.
¡®If priests are waiting outside, I can jump around to my heart¡¯s content.¡¯
There were probably others who thought the same as Abel. After those startling remarks, Magnus didn¡¯t spare a second before shouting.
¡°Okay, everyone. Get started!¡±
With those words, many of the candidates sitting absent-mindedly urgently began to start up their Gigants. Abel started up his Gigant before everyone and had the advantage.
After that chain of events, plenty failed to start their Gigant, but many seeded too.
With several exceptionally talented cadets¡
Whirring-!
The riders who got on the Tito Gigant instead of the failed candidates were among them.
The Titos that were controlled by riders had the same exterior appearance. Still, it was very easy to distinguish them from the rest because, at a single nce, one could see the overflowing confidence in their handling of the Gigant.
Not long after that, everyone understood why they were inside the cockpits of the Tito Gigants.
Whoong-!
The riders started attacking the Gigants of the test takers, who were able to start operating them without any hesitation. It was time to start ¡®weeding out¡¯ the candidates.
Uck!
Ah, Ack!
Bang-!
Thud-!
In the middle of a situation where screams and shouts echoed in the building, Magnus seemed to be enjoying this the most and shouted,
¡°The test starts now!¡±
And thus, the second test started. Whether it was for his original goal, or the quest right now, it was the moment Abel needed to be the most proactive.
¡®Let¡¯s go.¡¯
There was no ce for any ambiguity in his mind. Abel intended to be the main character there and then.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
The inside of the building turned into a madhouse in just a few moments. But that was expected with all Titos with gigantic frames that were jumping around the ce.
Among them, the Gigants controlled by the riders were just outstanding.
Thud-!
In all the loud uproar, just by looking around, one could see the Titos of the test takers knocked out. Like wolves attacking the sheep, the riders had turned the entire hall into a mess.
In just 5 minutes since the beginning of the test, dozens of Titos were all copsed on the ground, unable to move. But even after looking at that, Abel had this thought.
¡®They¡¯re going easy on us.¡¯
With a single look, it would¡¯ve looked like the soldiers were mercilessly knocking down the test takers. However, by looking closely, anyone could tell that that wasn¡¯t the case.
¡®They¡¯re giving them enough time to dodge and even making obvious, exaggerated movements to give them hints. If they can¡¯t dodge those strikes, it can¡¯t be helped.¡¯
If the riders had revealed their true skills, it wouldn¡¯t just be dozens of test takers knocked down, it would be double, triple, or many more times. That wasn¡¯t the only attention-grabbing point.
¡®They¡¯re not attacking the test takers that look stable in their moves.¡¯
Riders persistently targeted the weaker test takers. And if one were to give it some thought, that was somewhat obvious. After all, their target isn¡¯t just to attack anyone. Rather, they¡¯re supposed to cut out the dead wood, get rid of the weeds.
So, of course, their targets would be the ones that look nervous and doubtful. Maybe that was why Abel hadn¡¯t been attacked even once. He could just stay still and easily pass the test, but Abel didn¡¯t do that because his goal wasn¡¯t just an easy pass.
Thud, thud-!
Abel started stepping out of his spot, and as soon as he did that, the Titos around him were noticeably cautious of him. They were all subtly being careful of Abel. But Abel wasn¡¯t really interested in the Gigants around him.
¡®There¡¯s nothing interesting around here.¡¯
Mainly because those around him were someone he couldn¡¯t go against and have fun with. But, soon after, he saw a Gigant approaching him.
¡®Who¡¯s that?¡¯
It was clear with a single nce. It may have looked exactly the same as the average gigants, but each and every one of its movements were of a different ss. The posture was stable without a single tremor.
¡®Is it a solder? Or..?¡¯
The approaching Gigant didn¡¯t even spare the surrounding Titos a nce and walked straight to Abel. When it came close to a certain degree, it spoke.
¡°Are you Abel?¡±
The Gigant stopped before him, and a modified voice came from it. Abel didn¡¯t reply to the question, so he got another question from the Gigant.
¡°I want to find out if the rumors about you are true, so I came forward. You should feel honored.¡±
By the moment he heard that, Abel realized who it was.
¡®It¡¯s Luke.¡¯
His annoying tone was exactly the same as the one he heard through the screen. Inside the game, his role was an evil character from a nobility background. Abel sensed it was him merely through his voice because Luke was an extremely important character in the game storyline.
¡®He¡¯s quite skilled too.¡¯
The other key characters considered him a rival in the beginning. As time passed, the limits of his skills became clearer in the game, but that time would be an event far in the future for Abel.
Those thoughts kept popping up in his mind, making him nervous, and he thought, ¡®But what rumor?¡¯ He was about to ask about that in more detail but right then¡ª
Bang-!
Luke got into position, pushed off the ground, and started closing the gap between them.
Whirring-!
Abel observed the path of his trajectory and reflexively turned his head. Luke¡¯s fist barely passed by without hitting Abel¡¯s Gigant¡¯s head. If his reaction were even a secondte, he would be incapacitated entirely in a single blow.
But Abel didn¡¯t lose his cool. He carefully moved his center of gravity, roasted his whole body, andnded an uppercut with his right arm.
Screech!
He thought it¡¯d definitely work, but Luke dodged his attack by suddenly moving his body backward. At best, Abel¡¯s fist brushed past Luke¡¯s chest. In reality, Luke was surprised by his dodging of the attack, but Abel kept his shock hidden.
¡®Impressive¡¯
His moves were unexpectedly agile. Luke quickly found his bnce and swung his left leg at Abel.
Whoong-!
In response, Abel quickly lowered his body from his previous position and, at the same time, raised both his arms.
Thud!
Two metallic arms hit the opponent Tito¡¯s thigh. Because of the unanticipated attack, Luke¡¯s body was lifted up, but he still managed to find his center of gravity andnd safely.
¡®This is fun.¡¯
After seeing that, Abel started grinning. His whole body was heating up while controlling a Gigant properly after so long. But he was cool-headed while analyzing the present situation.
Luke may have had a shitty personality, but his skills weren¡¯t bad. Abel wouldn¡¯t lose, but knocking him downpletely could take a while.
¡®Not bad, but somewhatcking.¡¯
Abel¡¯s aim was to show an overwhelming sight. His aim didn¡¯t match the goal of other test takers who just wanted to drag out the time and survive till the end somehow.
¡®But it¡¯s a bit earlier than I nned.¡¯
So, he decided to change his n a bit. It was a bit earlier than he expected, but it wouldn¡¯t make much difference if he left a deep impression. There was no reason for him to hesitate.
¡°Whew.¡±
His training mainly focused on increasing his strength and stamina for the past month, but he strived for more. He polished his ability to use his newly acquired weapon in an actual fight, and without any hesitation, he took it out.
¡®Overflow¡¯
The moment that word was spoken.
Thump-
His heart started racing wildly.
Thud-!
Abel¡¯s vision of the world transformed.
[To be continued.]
Chapter 8:
Chapter 8:
¡°Huuugh.¡±
He breathed out hot puffs of air through his mouth. His heart pulsated as if it was about to burst, and at the same time, through his whole body, he felt an unprecedented amount of strength explode.
Very quietly, the suffocation felt by his body disappeared, and he felt one with the Tito. The synchronization rate exploded to an extremely high level.
Bang-!
He took a single step forward and felt an intoxicating sense of thrill. The feeling was simr to riding a wild horse jumping around as if it was crazy.
Thud!
But when he took the next step, he hadplete control over that wild, ferocious energy. The synchronization rate that exploded instantly showed him the world in a different light.
Whirring-!
He then saw Luke¡¯s Titoing at him with his fist forward. Usually, he¡¯dpletely turn his body to dodge that attack, but he didn¡¯t need to do that anymore.
Abel simply lowered and spread his body. He then positioned his shoulder ording to Luke¡¯s fist.
Screech-!
The firm fist missed the mark of his shoulder barely a centimeter from its surface.
Luke¡¯s Tito lost its bnce and had a huge stumble at this unbelievable urrence.
Abel could clearly see that Luke was shocked. At the same time, he realized that there was no longer a dangerous opponent in front of him; instead, he was a defenseless prey. At the exact moment of realization, Abel bounced up and hit his fist in an upward motion.
Bang!
And he first struck his opponent¡¯s chin. Gigants weren¡¯t living beings with flesh and blood, but there was one simrity. The head was the weak point. Luke hadn¡¯t even returned to his senses, yet Abel drove him more vigorously into a corner.
Bang!Bang! Bang!
The robust Tito¡¯s body got severely distorted every time hended a strike. The gigant Abel was riding also suffered damages on its fists, but that wasn¡¯t important. Right at that moment, the only thing that was important to Abel was to show everyone there clearly that¡ªA monster had entered the ce.
Whack!
Luke could no longer keep the Tito steady, and Abel approached him. With one hand, he clenched his throat tightly, and with the other, he held the space between his legs, and before Luke could even respond, he was lifted in the air.
Instantly, all eyes were on Abel. It was understandable, though, considering he¡¯d just held up a Tito like a barbell. He shoved Luke¡¯s Tito into the ground as if he was responding to the gazes focused on him.
Thud!
He explosively performed a Military Press m. The roar of Tito mming into the ground, mainly because it was heavier than a Midget, was extremely heavy sounding. Of course, it didn¡¯t end there.
Bang!
Abel didn¡¯t stop there and jumped up high. An enormous Gigant body jumped to an unbelievable height. Abel felt an electric sense of freedom and bent one of the Gigant¡¯s knees. The Tito on the floor was struggling to get up. Abel¡¯s Tito dived straight down in the direction of the fallen Tito¡¯s head.
Crash!
A fierce knee drop!
In one blow, the strong Tito¡¯s head was shattered into pieces. Abel¡¯s Tito suffered huge injuries too, but he stood up casually as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal.
¡°Lunatic¡¡±
Words were mumbled by someone who said them without even realizing it, and it was a clear representation of what everyone around him was thinking about Abel. An untimely silence spread in the building. Abel slowed his painting, and through his Gigant, he said in a calm voice,
¡°Next.¡±
Anyone could see that Abel¡¯s Gigant was in a seriously bad condition. On top of that, his stamina was probably about to give out after such an extremely fierce fight.
¡°No one?¡±
However, no one came forward.
¡®I guess I have no choice then.¡¯
After finishing what he had to say with a disappointed tone, Abel again moved because if no one was going toe at him, he¡¯d just have to do it himself. Those around him stepped back nervously, but even then, Abel ran to the nearest Tito andnded a punch.
Bang!
A deafening sound reverberated, and along with the test takers, the professors began whispering to each other.
¡°He¡¯s ¡®him,¡¯ right? By Count Klein.¡±
¡°Seems like it¡ From where did Count Klein bring an identical monster like herself? No, like the opponent was an idiot.¡±
¡°He¡¯s not simply better at riding the Gigant. Rather, he¡¯s got better fighting instincts. Don¡¯t you think so?¡±
In that quick fight, he did show an extremely high level of sharp-mindedness.
¡°Isn¡¯t the rumor going around these days about him?¡±
¡°About that statue? Come on, that¡¯s just nonsense.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not nonsense. Professor Geppel was right there when it happened, and he said the statue did move and radiate a bright light.¡±
Old rumors had calmed down after creating quite an uproar at the academy. But with this event, the rumors wereing back to life. Also, the one on the podium, a great personality of the kingdom, also had his attention on Abel.
¡°Hm.¡± Magnus stroked his beard.
He knew well that the legend connected with the statue wasn¡¯t just a myth. It was more like a ¡®test.¡¯ But he had never imagined that the person to pass that test would appear in his time because even he didn¡¯t satisfy its condition. ¡®A genius beyond the standard.¡¯
The present times were different than the past. Unlike in the past, an overwhelmingly strong genius could easily rece hundreds of thousands of soldiers. That was the reason for fostering Gigant riders at the Academy. It¡¯s an effective strategy, not only to fight against foreign nations but also ¡®Titans¡¯.
Magnus stared at Abel for quite a while and then redirected his gaze. Abel¡¯s talent certainly shined brightly, but he wasn¡¯t the only one who could be considered a gemstone. He could see it. Usually, one candidate in one batch was considered exceptional, but Abel wasn¡¯t the only one this time.
¡°It¡¯s going to be fun.¡±
Infamous Scans
¡°Huh?¡±
In response to the question asked by the professor standing beside him, Magnus simply smiled. He had excitement in his eyes, anticipating the performance of the next rider.
Slowly, the second test came to an end.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
The wrecked pieces of the smashed Titos were scattered inside the building. Probably because there wasn¡¯t a dead body, the sight was simr to that of a usual battlefield.
Abel was interested in asking exactly how they would clean that up, but when the wizards came in, the clean-up was done in an instant.
¡°He¡¯s the one, right?¡±
¡°Looks like it.¡±
Just then, he happened to hear a conversation taking ce near him. They had a short break after the second test, but Abel couldn¡¯t rx enough to rest.
¡®It¡¯s a lot more pressure than I thought.¡¯
Several people were paying attention to him before the test, but after the second test, the attention on him was at another level. However, in the first ce, he was the one who went wild to catch the attention of others.
Not to mention, the test takers whose Titos he smashed into pieces were shooting burning,ser eyes at him. The most fierce among them was Luke.
¡®God.¡¯
He was originally an evil character with a scumbag attitude and a highlypetitive spirit. Also, it would be a different thing if he was just beaten up, but that devastating knock-down, a conflict was kind of expected.
¡®He¡¯ll definitely talk shit about meter.¡¯
Luke was defeated by Abel but he still passed the test because he still passed the test¡¯s conditions.
¡®Anyone standing at the end, regardless of their Gigant¡¯s condition, would pass.¡¯
Luke¡¯s Gigant was half destroyed, and he stayed lying down, pretending to be unable to move. At thest moment, he stood up. It was shocking. That was certainly a viable method of clearing the test, but the fact that someone like Luke, with an extreme sense of pride, used that method, was shocking.
¡®Is that why his gaze feels hotter than others?¡¯
It was apparent what he was thinking- ¡®How dare you insult me like that!¡¯ Still, Abel didn¡¯t need to worry about any troubles in the future because of it.
¡®When I get the chance next time, I should try a different skill.¡¯
Since his opponent was a punk with a trash personality, he could be less restricted with his attacks, so it was all for the better. Abel ignored the fierce gazes and focussed on taking a proper break.
¡°Okay then! You must be well rested now!¡±
Around 15 minutester, the cleaning up inside the building was done perfectly, and Magnus announced the end of the break with his booming voice.
¡°The fun games ended along with the test just now. The real full-scale test will start from now onwards, so you might want to prepare yourself.¡±
The remaining candidates trembled at Magnus¡¯ words. And Abel, who already knew the contents of this test, released a sigh on the inside.
The following tests were going to bepletely different from the previous ones. Academy¡¯s tests mainly focused on testing synchronization rate, the ability to manage mana flow, and overall physical strength. Until then, the main factor tested was the synchronization factor, so after that came¡
¡°Now let¡¯s see how gutsy you guys are!¡±
The run of physical ability.
¡°Okay now! Everyone get outside!¡±
¡°Run! Come on!¡±
The professors on the podium got down and started shouting. Abel was already warming up and, without hesitation, ran outside the building. The contents of the physical test were simple.
Running until the person copsed.
It could be considered an extremely unsophisticated test, but it had enough reasoning behind it.
¡®Of course, a candidate¡¯s physical ability is important, but what¡¯s even more significant is the mental strength shown by a person in the process.¡¯
To ride a Gigant, one¡¯s mental strength is just as crucial as the synchronization rate. A high synchronization rate couldn¡¯t make up for ack of mental strength. It would be the same as giving a fine sword to a little kid.
The test takers moved to the training grounds at the back of the building. The professors stood to one side, and while observing the test takers, they recorded certain details. The third teststed for hours.
¡°Gasp, gasp!¡±
¡°Cough.¡±
Sounds of heavy, rough breathing came from everywhere. And Abel wasn¡¯t fine either. Unlike the synchronization rate, his physical ability level wasn¡¯t that impressive.
¡°Whew!¡±
On the other hand, there were many who caught others¡¯ attention during the physical ability test, especially a boy with ck hair. He managed to run for hours while being unaffected by it.
It was to the extent that it made others wonder if he was human or a monster disguising himself as one. Looking at him, Abel felt motivated and ran with even more effort. He reached his limit a few times but didn¡¯t copse at any cost.
¡°Stop!¡±
Finally, at the end of the exam, less than 50 people were standing on those grounds, including Abel. Those who stopped earlier looked at them with fed-up expressions while the professors¡¯ eyes were sparkling.
When the test ended, Abel tried to recover his strength by catching his breath instead of flopping onto the ground.
¡°Okay! Next is the fourth exam! Get up quick!¡±
Only 10 minutes of break, and then the fourth exam immediately started, in which they had to get on a Tito and run. Everyone rushed onto the Titos after knowing that.
They weren¡¯t going to be running themselves, but it still wasn¡¯t an easy task. The reason was simple¡ªeveryone wasn¡¯t just physically but also mentally tired. It was even more of an obvious test of their mental strength than the third test.
It would reveal if the person could in fact ride a Gigant even in extremely stressful circumstances.
This onested for over half an hour. While the test this time was severe too, for Abel, it was definitely a bit better.
Abel managed to keep his speed just fine under control even after the other Gigants started showing signs of fatigue, and this time, even the professor looked fed-up.
Following this test, about 20 candidates remained, and the tests continued. Every time they heard Magnus shout out, ¡°Okay, next!¡±, everyone there had a dark expression on their faces. As time went on, the exhaustion they felt was clearly visible on their face.
Still, Abel acted like he was unaffected and not tired. He managed to show an overwhelming performance in the majority of the tests.
At best, about 3 or 4 candidates showed simr performances. These were the people Magnus said it was amazing to find even one of them in one batch. And even they were in the lead in several tests. As the tests kept going on, the one who consistently got the most attention was Abel.
¡°Hm.¡±
In the center of all that attention, one person was looking at him with an exceptionally fiery gaze. That was Magnus. With a sparkle in his eyes, Magnus mumbled in a lower voice.
¡°I see the top spot is already taken.¡±
[To be continued.]
Chapter 9:
Chapter 9:
The test went on without any time to rest. The time passed like that, and soon it was 11 at night. The test takers weren¡¯t even talking anymore, and the supervisors had dark circles under their eyes.
The only one who waspletely rxed andfortable was Magnus. Magnus stared at the test takers who had justpleted their 6th test.
¡°You all worked very hard till now!¡±
All of them didn¡¯t even have the strength to reply to him, yet on the other hand, they looked at him with a childish gaze, hoping the tests would end. While receiving all those expectant innocent looks filled with anticipation, Magnus said,
¡°You just need to take thisst test, and it¡¯ll be the end!¡±
Upon hearing these words, everyone¡¯s expression darkened. However, far from being angry at the frowning faces of all the candidates, Magnus burst intoughter.
¡°Hahaha! Why do you look like younded in hell? It was a joke.¡±
The candidates couldn¡¯t understand the meaning of what Magnus said immediately and looked at him nkly. So Magnus gave them a clear and specific answer.
¡°The test has ended!¡±
¡°Is-is that really true?¡±
¡°Yeah!¡±
Finally, everyone¡¯s face brightened up. Magnus looked at the smiling faces of the candidates.
¡°So, 12 of you remained, huh? That¡¯s plenty.¡±
As Magnus said, out of all those candidates, only 12 were left. During the whole day, many candidates copsed, fainted, and even suffered injuries; because of that, they were left behind.
Those who weren¡¯t there anymore were probably back at their homes after getting their wounds treated. But that didn¡¯t mean they werepletely disqualified because there was a condition that they had tost till the end.
Instead, based on the judgment of the supervising professors, the top 200 of them would be chosen for admission into the Academy. Their nerves would probably make them anxious till the day that result was announced. But that wouldn¡¯t happen for those present there.
¡°This is a matter of course, but I¡¯ll still announce that all of you here have passed! You¡¯re all now prospective Gigant riders.¡±
Taking these tests and remaining till the end is enough proof that they were all at a level that couldn¡¯t bepared to the others.
¡°Ugh hm. Principal.¡±
The strict-looking middle-aged man standing in front said something, but Magnus ignored him and continued as if nothing had happened.
¡°So what? Will you really disqualify any of those whosted till the end? Anyways, take a good look at each other¡¯s faces because inside and outside the Academy, you¡¯ll either be teammates or rivals.¡±
At Magnus¡¯s words, Abel scanned the people in his surroundings. Among them was a person he was seeing for the first time, but many of them were known to Abel.
¡®Altogether, they¡¯re the main and supporting characters of the game.¡¯
One was, of course, Evelyn he met on the day of registration, but aside from her, the others were outstanding characters too.
The brown-haired boy with a delicate appearance excelled at physical training. The only one with a fierce look, a red-haired girl and a purple-haired girl with a drowsy expression.
They were all characters that Abel still remembered. But instantly, he lost all interest in them and looked at Magnus.
¡®I just wanna go home quickly and sleep.¡¯
He was too tired to pay attention to someone else and just hoped Magnus would stop talking soon. Unlike other principals, Magnus ended his talk coolly.
¡°Okay. Judging from your eyes, you won¡¯t even listen if I talk any longer. All of you, you did well.¡±
Magnuspleted his sentence and with just a light eye gesture, the Academy staff approached him.
¡°Please follow us.¡±
Now they just had to follow the attendant and get on the carriages waiting for them outside.
¡®Let¡¯s get back quickly and just rest.¡¯
Abel was about to follow the attendant with a blissful heart.
¡°Abel Klein.¡±
¡°Huh? Ah, yes!¡±
However, a certain voice stopped Abel even before he took a step. Abel turned his head at that familiar voice and discovered that it was Magnus with his unique scary smile looking at him.
¡°That was very impressive. I guess Scarlett didn¡¯t say that a punk caught her eye for no reason.¡±
Magnus could say Scarlett¡¯s name without hesitation because, at one point, she worked under him as his subordinate.
Abel replied to Magnus¡¯s words with a bow of his head and said.
¡°Thank you.¡±
¡°No need for that. I¡¯ll look forward to your future performance too. Now go ahead.¡±
¡°Yes.¡± Abel politely greeted him and turned around.
His head was only full of thoughts of returning home quickly. But this time, he felt a burning gaze from the side of his head. He abruptly turned his head and found Evelyn looking at him. He looked at her likewise, wondering if she had something to say, but she immediately turned her head and went her way.
¡®What was that?¡¯
Abel frowned but then gave up thinking about it anymore and continued walking. He neither cared about it nor did it pique his interest. He really just wanted to go rest.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
A few days after the test. A letter with Del Modor Academy¡¯s seal had arrived and was in front of him. The test result had arrived.
¡°I haven¡¯t opened it yet.¡±
Scarlett spoke while she waved the envelope in her hand.
¡°But I can already predict the results.¡±
¡°Is that so?¡± Abel replied with a calm voice. It wasn¡¯t exactly something to be nervous about.
Looking at Abel¡¯s appearance, Scarlett smiled and nodded her head.
¡°Because I¡¯ve heard some things too. Your performance was spectacr. Okay then, you open it.¡±
Abel politely received the envelope from Scarlett with both hands and checked the contents of the letter.
[Passed.]
On the top, the contents written on the letter were already expected. It wasn¡¯t really that surprising. But there was something else in that letter too.
Infamous Scans
[Abel Klein. Top Rank.]
Top Rank. He got 1st ce in the entrance test. Below it was instructions for him to arrive 1 hour before the original time of the entrance ceremony.
Abel¡¯s mind just envisioned the image of the top ranker receiving a certificate or something. However, he wasn¡¯t sure because this wasn¡¯t portrayed in detail in the game and was skimmed over.
However, the moment he checked out the letter, Abel got a message.
[The Quest has beenpleted!]
[The reward will be upgraded to a general skill considering your outstanding performance!]
[You¡¯ve acquired the ¡®Shadow Step¡¯!]
It was a general skill simr to ¡®Overflow¡¯ he acquired from the hidden piece a few days ago. Also, it was a practical skill he really needed. Abel was bound to be happy about it.
¡°Hm. Judging from the look on your face, it seems like it¡¯s not just a pass, huh?¡±
Scarlett interpreted Abel¡¯s expression to have a different meaning and asked him a question with a sly look. Instead of trying to clear the misunderstanding, Abel maintained a poker face and said.
¡°I¡¯ve passed with the top rank.¡±
¡°Spectacr indeed. It¡¯s beyond my expectations.¡±
Scarlett didn¡¯t hold back on thepliments. Scarlett¡¯s personality was such that she wasn¡¯t kind to everyone. She only treated someone remarkable with that attitude as a rule. In that sense, it was proof that Abel was a talented individual beyond expectations for her.
Scarlett spoke, ¡°Since you¡¯ve shown a remarkable performance, you should get a suitable reward. I¡¯ll gift you three of the family¡¯s Gigant weapons.¡±
Abel¡¯s eyes sparkled at the words Gigant weapons because something suddenly popped up in his mind.
¡®Scarlett¡¯s three-setbo.¡¯
It was before he heard her say it clearly but he was still half sure. Originally, Scarlett chose Jet in the game, and his exclusive weapons were part of Scarlett¡¯s three-setbo.
The weapons were game items with excellent efficiency and were called by various nicknames by different users, so Abel knew about them quite well.
¡®In the game, they didn¡¯t appear until the end of the semester.¡¯
He wanted to think it was because he was selected with the topmost rank.
Scarlett told Abel, ¡°I¡¯ll send the weapons to the Academy directly, and get them fitted. Check them out then.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
¡°Going forward, if you keep showing good progress, the rewards will keeping. Now, go ahead and rest.¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
Just like that, the conversation ended quite quickly. After the face-to-face meeting with Scarlett, Abel went straight into the room and then to bed.
And the next day, after waking up, he went for training as he always did. And the next day. And the day after. He didn¡¯t rest for a moment to prepare for his admission into the Academy and kept training.
The time flew like an arrow released from the bow, and two weeks passed.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
¡®Is it today?¡¯
Abel, who was awake for a while, got out of bed and looked out the window. The sun that was just rising colored the world with its light.
Abel reminisced over that scene and looked at it with a new expression. It was the day he would enter the Academy.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
A huge auditorium.
Inside it, 200 cadets stood in an orderly manner.
Among them, the 40 cadets in the front stood out because their uniforms werepletely different from the rest, from the design to their color. They may have passed the same thorough exam, but only the 40 cadets in the front would take the Gigant Rider course.
On the other hand, the remaining 160 would focus on training to ride a Tito and were called the ¡®middle ss.¡¯ Even if they were affiliated with the same Academy, the positions they were standing in werepletely different.
Below them, there was a walking ss but they weren¡¯t a part of the present entrance ceremony because they took an entirely separate training route. However, despite the categorization they were subjected to, they all had one thing inmon.
¡±¡the best quality possessed by the youth is their pure curiosity. Not for profit or to help others, but the path that lies ahead of you! What will lie beyond it! That is¡¡±
They all wanted to stitch up that damn mouth of the first Prince, Prince Byron who was giving the speech instead of Magnus at the entrance ceremony. His speech has been going on for 2 hours, and listening to it was torture.
Not to mention, because of the special guests at the ceremony standing on both sides of the auditorium, they had no choice but to stand upright, which gave them even more of a hellish feeling.
¡®He really doesn¡¯t stop talking, huh.¡¯
Abel was feeling the same torture too. In the game as well, Prince Byron was portrayed as a chatty character, but he didn¡¯t know it was to this extent.
He slightly rolled his eyes and looked around to decrease his boredom. Around him, all the game¡¯s key characters, in cluding Evelyn, were scattered everywhere. The one that stood out most of all was the purple-haired girl who was openly sleeping two spots ahead of Abel.
Considering she was in the most noticeable position, she had to be highly indifferent to her environment for her to do that.
¡®May.¡¯
This was the purple-haired girl¡¯s name. Among the fewmoners in the Upper ss, her position was clear.
¡®Thezy genius.¡¯
There was talk among the yers that she was even more talented than Evelyn.
But the reason that it couldn¡¯t be surely concluded was because of May¡¯sziness.
¡®Because she did whatever she could to not do her best.¡¯
Regardless of the time, she¡¯d doze off, and there were only a few rare moments when she showed any ambition whatsoever. There was a truck full of users who were dissatisfied that they couldn¡¯t find any way to motivate her. Abel was also one of them.
He turned his gaze away from the girl nodding her head in sleep, and looked at the boy beside him.
¡®Daniel.¡¯
Brown hair and ck eyes. And a very handsome face. The boy showed a monstrous performance at the physical fitness training. He was exactly like the sincere main character inics or movies, who gets stronger and stronger with time.
From there, Abel directed his gaze a little to the left, where there was a red-haired girl. Her name was ¡®Hannah¡¯. Her personality was fierce, like her red hair, but her skills were undoubtedly good. But there was something more important than her personality or appearance.
¡®She was a one-time middle boss.¡¯
Hannah, an ordinary ssmate, would appear as a ¡®boss¡¯ who would endanger the yer in the middle of 1st chapter.
[To be continued.]
Chapter 10:
Chapter 10:
However, her being a boss in the middle of the 1st chapter wasn¡¯t about to happen soon because, in the game, one click could skip a few days, but this was reality.
¡®I just thought of a rough n right now as well.¡¯
Basically, it wasn¡¯t a matter of great urgency. It¡¯s not like Hannah was a spy or a monster. It¡¯d be best to follow a step-by-step n. Abel slightly moved his head and nced through the other people.
¡®Now that I think about it, it¡¯s really just the outstanding guys here.¡¯
The upper ss wasn¡¯t simply a name. They chose only the elite amongst the elite. Among the upper ss, the only distinction was that of who was more remarkable than the other.
Considering that Abel¡¯s goal was to be the ¡®overwhelming no.1 among the top 40¡¯, it was only apparent he¡¯d have to struggle a lot for it because he¡¯d be left behind in an instant if he becamecent after getting the 1st rank in the entrance test.
¡°Okay, it seems it went a bit long, so I¡¯ll end it with onest thing!¡±
As Abel finished checking out his surroundings, the Prince stressed the wordst and spoke further. Though no one believed him because this was the 5th time he¡¯d said the word st.¡¯ But it wasn¡¯t fake this time, and after a few bbering about a few bigoted snippets, he smiled and said.
¡°Then. May you all be the swords of this great kingdom. That¡¯s it from me.¡±
Nobody showed it on the outside, but inside their hearts, they were all genuinely shouting cheers of joy. With that, the Prince stepped aside and Magnus came forward, raising his hand over the magic tool.
¡°We¡¯ll pick up the pace for the next section. Announcing the first and second rankers of the entrance test.¡±
The Prince¡¯s boring speechsted for nearly two hours straight, which is probably why Magnus¡¯s calm and to-the-point progress stood out even more. Even the faces of the special guests participating in the ceremony brightened up.
Rather than dragging it out, Magnus spoke, looking straight at the front of the ranked cadets, to be exact, at Abel.
¡°Top rank, Abel Klein. Come onto the podium.¡±
Having been trained separately on how to do this, Abel immediately got up on the tform from the staircase on the left. Soon he stood in front of Magnus, who then smiled and said,
¡°Abel Klein. I present the aforementioned candidate with this award for showing the most outstanding performance among all the applicants in this entrance test. The aforementioned candidate will be granted a full schrship and supported with a Gigant periodically throughout the curriculum, so continue to be diligent in your efforts.¡±
Magnus handed him the certificate and patted his shoulder with his hands that resembled an iron cauldron lid. Abel expressed his gratitude by greeting the Prince standing in the back and Magnus in the front and was about to get down the tform.
¡°Abel Klein.¡± The Prince in the back called his name. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. I¡¯ll look forward to your achievements.¡±
Abel was hesitant for a moment.
¡®Heard about me?¡¯
Under the circumstances, it was highly likely that these words were justpliments out of formality, but when his eyes met the Prince¡¯s, Abel sensed something strange. As if the words he spoke were intentional. Regardless, Abel quickly concealed his shock and replied to him politely.
¡°Thank you.¡±
He gave off a chatty and sloppy image during his speech, yet when their eyes met, he felt a chill down his spine.
¡®¡As expected. It¡¯s tantly obvious.¡¯
If he were clueless, he would be doubtful, but Abel could see that the Prince was no ordinary man. He had another face hidden under his gentle-faced mask. However, while Abel greeted him in gratitude, the prince smiled as if he¡¯d never made that face before and said to Magnus,
¡°Go ahead.¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
Magnus signaled him to go down the tform, and only then could Abel start to move. By the time Abel got down the stairs, Magnus had continued his speech,
¡°Now! Next is the runner-up! In second ce is Evelyn Cephyr. Come onto the tform.¡±
Upon hearing those words, Evelyn came forward and walked up the staircase. While Abel was returning to his spot, his eyes met hers. Like her gaze towards him after the test the other day, Evelyn looked at him and went ahead as if brushing past him.
¡®Annoyed, the 1st rank was taken, huh?¡¯ Abel thought as he returned to his original spot.
Thest time too, it didn¡¯t seem like she was looking for no reason, but it was difficult to ascertain the exact cause. Even if he tried, there needed to be more skill to meticulously judge the inner thoughts of others. On top of that, it wasn¡¯t just her. The Prince¡¯s words bothered him, too, turning his brain into aplete mess.
¡°¡so continue to be diligent in your efforts.¡±
During the time he was thinking of other stuff, the announcement of the runner-up wrapped up, and Magnus announced the end of the entrance ceremony.
¡°With that, the entrance ceremony is over.¡±
As per the original program, the ceremony was meant to continue for longer, but the Prince¡¯s unusually long speech might be why it was cut short so drastically.
Just like that, the unexpectedly long entrance ceremony came to an end.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
After everyone who had to leave had left, the inside of the building became instantly noisy.
¡°Follow me!¡±
¡°Come this way, please!¡±
The guide teachers called the cadets and gathered them in groups. The Middle ss of 140 cadets was chaotic, but the Upper ss, with just 40 people, got together in no time.
¡°Okay then, let¡¯s get moving.¡±
A female teacher with pale white skin and glossy ck hair led the upper ss. She was one of the ¡®housemasters¡¯ in charge of the Upper ss dormitory. Contrary to her outward appearance, she was an expert in martial arts.
Abel and 39 other cadets followed her. In the meantime, they got out of the auditorium and moved to the dormitory, perhaps because it was just the beginning phase, no one talked to each other, and they arrived without much fuss.
¡®How is this whole ce so huge.¡¯
There were 4 dorm buildings for the Upper ss, though they were all quite far from each other. Anyways, the buildings in front of them were each used by cadets of each academic year, so with just 40 cadets using one building, its size was enormous.
They didn¡¯t give off the grand, majestic feel as the buildings where the test or ceremony took ce. Instead, the design gave off a cozy vibe.
¡®Well, it¡¯s kinda expected. It would be weird if a dorm gave off an overpowering feeling.¡¯
Following the teacher, they passed through an enormous door and saw the spacious main hall. The most eye-catching of it all was the elegant, striking chandelier. There were stairs on both sides from the chandelier, and a visibly expensive carpet was spread out on the floor.
After giving the cadets some time to look around the interior, the teacher finally spoke up,
Infamous Scans
¡°In case of any message to be delivered or small event, these take pal;ce at the main hall. Now, follow me.¡±
After a short exnation, she moved to the left towards a passageway. Not long after following her, the cadets could see arge restaurant.
The teacher said while pointing to the interior,
¡°Breakfast, lunch, dinner. All will be served here. Meal time is from 7 am to 8:30 am. Lunch is from 11:30 to 2:00. And dinner is from 5 to 8 pm. Outside of those hours¡¡±
After the exnation about the restaurant ended, they moved to another ce right away. In that manner, she went around the dorm facilities, briefly exining each¡ªthe restaurant, training room, infirmary for treatment, the housemasters¡¯ office, and so on.
After the tour of the dorm and her hospitable exnation of its facilities, they return to the main hall.
¡°The luggage you brought has already been moved to each of your rooms, so you can unpack first and then get back here by 3:30 pm. About the room locations, you can go up the stairs and check from the notice on the wall.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
¡°All right then.¡±
Upon hearing the reply, the teacher nodded in response and went toward the housemasters¡¯ office. After she, whose presence kept the cadets in control, left, the main hall filled with noise instantly.
With only a few hours since they entered the Academy, they were obviously not that close to each other. Those who knew each other before enrolling in the Academy were the ones talking.
That didn¡¯t concern Abel, so he tried to pass through the kids standing in groups. However, when he reached the front of the stairs, someone grabbed his shoulder.
¡°Let¡¯s have a little chat, yeah?¡±
Turning his head, a boy with a cheeky expression came into his view. Luke. The second son of Marquis Paltaine and the punk who got his head smashed in, unaware of what he got himself into after fighting with Abel.
¡°What chat?¡±
¡°You¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡± He said with a grin on his face.
Abel had no intention of responding to Luke¡¯s childish provocations on his first day at the Academy. But that was before he saw the message pop up before his eyes.
¡°Okay. I¡¯d love to chat. Let¡¯s go.¡±
When Abel didn¡¯t frown and responded smilingly, Luke was startled for a second. However, within a moment, he took the lead with a sly smile on his face.
Following this, a boy with an exceptionallyrge build and a sneaky-weasley little boy showed up on both sides of Luke. They looked like they were his newckeys. Abel didn¡¯t care about that either and smiled.
[Unforeseen quest ¡®Real-life education¡¯ begins!]
[Please give a real-life lesson to the arrogant and immature Luke Paltaine!]
[If you seed, you will receive 5 low grade magic spell boosters!]
After a while, they reached the training grounds inside the dormitory. To be precise, the spaces were prepared for individual training, so Abel was inwardly surprised at Luke¡¯s choice of location.
¡®Are guys like them born with an instinct to run off to secluded ces?¡¯
In that time, their visual memory must be excellent for them to find a suitable ce. However, it was pathetic of them to choose such a ce. Abel looked at them and spoke as they kept quiet even after getting there and were picking up weights.
¡°So what¡¯d you want to talk about? Let¡¯s be friends from now on, huh? Something like that?¡±
¡°Are you just slow or are you pretending to be slow-witted?¡±
¡°Of course, it¡¯s thetter. Do I really have to say it out loud for you to know? Huh?¡±
¡°Wh-what?¡±
¡°Why are you stammering now? Is it because you hurt your headst time?¡±
Abel¡¯s constant taunting turned Luke¡¯s face burning red. At the same time, the facial expression of the two punks standing behind Luke became sour. The atmosphere there was a menace.
¡®How cute.¡¯
But, of course, Abel waspletely unaffected by that. He might have been in a boy¡¯s body, but originally he¡¯d even served in the military. At best, they were 15 or 16 year olds, yet seeing those kids lifting weights could only seem cute to Abel.
Abel thought that those guys would run for him in their excited state. However, instead of running to him, Luke spoke with trembling cheeks.
¡°What, just because you got into the Klein family, you think you¡¯re a wolf or something? You son of a bitch from the streets. It looks like the Kleins have lowered their standards.¡±
Those were extremely harsh, biting remarks. As soon as the punk stopped talking, Abel turned off the magic tool in his pocket and said.
¡°Then what about you, who was rolling on the floor after being beaten by a son of a bitch, huh?¡±
¡°I¡¯m¡¡±
¡°Even right now, you¡¯re just running that mouth because you¡¯re scared, right? Isn¡¯t it?¡±
¡°You bastard!¡±
That was the extent of that punk¡¯s patience. He ran in Abel¡¯s direction with his fist clenched. But he wasn¡¯t wholly reckless and maintained the proper posture.
Swish!
However, Abel dodged his fist like it was nothing. Not just once, either. He easily avoided the fist flying at him the second and the third time too.
¡°Are you letting me dodge it on purpose? Hm?¡±
Along with sarcastic remarks in the spare moments, he clenched his teeth and swung his fists. Luke¡¯s face slowly turned redder and redder.
All of a sudden.
Whirring-!
Blue haze started rising from his body. He was starting to raise his mana level. Considering Luke¡¯s background, he¡¯d likely use one of his family¡¯s secrets. Using mana, even bare fists could break bones and damage organs. That was why those behind him stood with panicked expressions on their faces.
Abel¡¯s eyes sank into a cold gaze after trying to dodge the attacks and end them in a few blows.
¡°Now you¡¯re crossing the line.¡±
Luke, who was too immersed in the heat of the moment, didn¡¯t understand the warning he was given, and Abel did not give the warning for the second time.
Luke¡¯s fist came in at a speed many times faster than before.
Whoong-!
Seeing that, Abel recited to himself in his mind.
¡®Shadow step.¡¯
Instantly, Abel¡¯s new form became blurry and then disappeared.
[To be continued.]
Chapter 11:
Chapter 11:
Being startled by Abel¡¯s sudden disappearance, Luke kept his guard up. That was good judgment as per the situation because rather than being absent-minded, he could minimize any injuries he may be inflicted with by strengthening his defense.
However, Abel, as if mocking Luke in that state, came into view from the left and hit a punch in the direction of his unguarded ribs.
Bang!
His fist struck his side deeply. Luke, unable to breathe properly, stumped and looked at him.
¡°You need to get beaten up,¡± Abel said in a kind tone.
Abel continued punching without giving Luke so much as a moment for him toe to his senses and swung his fist. Luke tried to counterattack, but Abel¡¯s body moved strangely, so he could not utilize his strength correctly.
Currently, Abel¡¯s Shadow Step skill wasn¡¯t at a very high level. Later, it would be possible for him to move sneakily like a shadow, but for now, it was just to the point that others could sense him a bit less, and his speed would increase. However, to go against Luke, that was enough.
¡°Aack!¡± Luke let out a painful scream. From his perspective, it seemed like Abel was teleporting. He swung his fist properly, yet Abel didn¡¯t even get hit. Instead, it was quite the opposite because Luke was beaten up like crazy.
Thud!
Bang!
Woosh!
He took one hit, then another. He was being rained with punches like crazy, one after the other, and Luke couldn¡¯t believe the reality of the situation at that point. During the entrance exam as well, he suffered a one-sided crushing defeat from Abel, but that was a Gigant fight.
That¡¯s why Luke, who¡¯d received training for knights for quite a while, believed that fighting without gigants, and only using their bodies would have a different result. It was also the main reason he¡¯d provoked Abel into a fight.
To destroy the pride of this conceited punk.
¡°gurghk-!¡±
However, the source of the suppressed screams was Luke¡¯s mouth, and the one who couldn¡¯t even fight properly and had been crushed in the fight was him. At first, he could not respond to Abel¡¯s bizarre movements, because of which he ended up allowing him to take a fatal blow.
Before he could recover from the pain of that blow, Abel persistently hit the wounded parts, making it difficult for him to spread his crouching body. As a result of that, Luke had to keep taking blows for around 10 minutes.
¡°Whew.¡±
Upon swinging his fist for a long time, Abel felt his energy level draining and finally looked at Luke. Abel vigorously threw a kick at Luke, who was in that state.
¡°Tsk.¡± Abel controlled his clenched fists and clicked his tongue.
Even though Luke¡¯s experience with real-life battles was insufficient, the secret of a renowned family was a remarkable weapon. Had it not been for the Shadow Step he received as a reward, Abel might¡¯ve had to take a hit once in a while and broken his bones in one or two ces.
¡®If that had happened, the one who could have copsed right now would be me.¡¯
With that thought, he didn¡¯t feel sympathy for his opponent. Looking at Luke, who was struggling to get up from the floor, Abel turned his head and spoke.
¡°Just thinking about it is making me furious again. Huh? You two, even after seeing this bastard use this family secret, just stood there watching?¡±
At those words, watching Abel and Luke fight from behind, the hunk and the weasel flinched with their trembling bodies. Originally in the game, those two were bullies who¡¯d make absurd mischief together with Luke.
They both belonged to families of knights in their own right, yet seeing Abel, who survived life on backstreets for over a year, had this murderous look; it was beyond their capability.
In response to Abel¡¯s frighteningly glimmering re, the hunk and the weasel hesitated and took a step back.
¡°Oh? Are you going to leave him and just run away? Go ahead and try it if you think you can do that.¡±
However, after listening to Abel¡¯s warning, those two punks had no choice but to return to their original spots. Because regardless of everything else, it¡¯s not like they could abandon Luke and simply leave. Even so, they couldn¡¯t wrap up the situation for another reason.
Abel, ring at those two for an extended period of time, raised and lowered his fists several times.
¡°From now on, let¡¯s do well. Yeah? Also¡¡± Letting out a deep sigh, Abel went on to take out a rod-shaped magic tool from his pocket. It was an object he¡¯d prepared, especially for times like this. He then pressed something shaped like a button on the rod.
A voice said, ¡°What, just because you got into the Klein family, you think you¡¯re a wolf or something? You son of a bitch from the streets. It looks like the Kleins have lowered their standards.¡±
It was Luke¡¯s voice.
Abel waving the magic tool in his hand, said, ¡°Using this incident to create any issues won¡¯t be fun for you. Got it?¡±
The hunk and the weasel frantically nodded their heads.
¡°Y-yeah.¡±
¡°W-we got it.¡±
No matter how good their background was, it wasn¡¯t at the level that they could ignore the Klein family. Since they¡¯d been recorded ndering the Klein family, it¡¯d be impossible for them to take up this incident as a problem with anyone.
Hearing their replies, Abel nodded and then moved towards Luke, who was still on the ground. He lowered his body slightly and said a few words.
¡°I¡¯ll ignore it this one time, so get your act together. Got it?¡±
No response.
When Abel raised his hand without saying anything, it was then that a faint voice was heard.
¡°Ok-okay¡¡±
Finally, Abel, as if satisfied with the answer, got up from his spot, walked up to the door of the private training ground, opened it, and left. Not long after he¡¯d started moving away, a conversation could be heard with quite a friendly tone.
¡°A-are you okay?¡±
¡°Fuck. Get lost, you bastards.¡±
Perhaps, it was unlikely to see these three hanging out together in a group as in the game. With this thought going through his consciousness, Abel returned to the dorms.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
The next day.
Abel, along with other cadets from his same ss, was looking at the map, trying to find the ce where they¡¯d have their lecture.
¡®Hm, the ss A.¡¯
First of all, those two immediately caught his eye in ss A, Daniel and May. Both of them, though possessed remarkable talents, didn¡¯t stand out so much in the beginning.
¡®Because both were mediocre performers even during the entrance test.¡¯
Though Daniel performed well during the physical fitness test, he was merely a grade slightly above average in all other aspects. Of course, that was the case if one were topare him with the standards of the Upper ss, but in reality, he was 19th out of 200. May¡¯s case was severe in a different manner.
¡®I think she was in the 35th ce or something.¡¯
This person barely passed the cut for synchronization tare, physical fitness, and mana management. This was despite the fact that her actual skills were at a way higher level. Absurdly enough, the reason for this was herziness.
¡®She moved just enough to surpass the cut-line for all the skills.¡¯
Infamous Scans
Without quite a bit of confidence in her skills, such a deed was actually an impossible feat. In reality, May possessed the skills to do that. Abel, who was watching May walking from the side, saw her stumble after having her eyes half-closed, and then turning his gaze, he looked at other cadets.
Apart from that, there was no one else who caught his eye. Since it was his first time meeting most of them, nothing distinguished anyone from the rest.
¡®Still, with Daniel and May in his ss, inparison with other sses, at least in terms of strength, this ss was quite predominant.¡¯
Daniel would make quick progress in no time and stand out among the rest, and May, if she genuinely exerted her powers, would be extremely terrifying. Considering that while attending the academy, there would be quite a lot ofpetitive tests within the sses, the conditions were in favor of that.
Of course, he wasn¡¯t just nning on focusing on just those two. Because this right now was reality.
¡®I¡¯ll have to examine the rest of the people step by step as well.¡¯
They¡¯d all be together for at least a year, so there would be plenty of time to learn more about others. Also, he didn¡¯t need to worry about getting closer to the other main characters because attending lectures with the other sses was quitemon.
With those thoughts going on in his inner mind, someone suddenly showed up and approached him. When he turned his head, he saw overwhelmingly shining eyes looking at him, to the point it was a bit ufortable.
¡°You¡¯re Abel, right?¡±
¡°Huh? Oh, yeah.¡±
It was Daniel.
He was definitely walking ahead of him, but in the time he was immersed in other random thoughts, he¡¯d approached him from the side.
¡°You were amazing during the entrance test. Especially during the second exam, you really left an impression.¡±
Him mentioning the second exam, he was probably referring to Abel¡¯s knee drop that ended up crushing the Tito¡¯s head that Luke was controlling.
¡®Yep, that must have been quite impressive.¡¯
Because he did that to leave an impression in the first ce.
Abel, slightly nodding his head, spoke.
¡°You ran really well, too.¡±
¡°I was at least confident in my physical fitness, so I went for the win. But you were quite amazing too. In physical fitness too, but in all the other tests as well.¡±
¡°Well, yeah, I guess.¡±
Though Abel¡¯s tone may have been a bit annoying, Daniel still nodded his head with a smile on his face.
¡°Yeah. There¡¯ll be plenty of times we¡¯ll have topete against other sses, so having you on our side feels reassuring.¡±
He said that in such a bright, upbeat tone that Abel couldn¡¯t find the words to respond. When he saw him in the game, he merely had the thought that he seemed like themon sincere type of person.
¡®I¡¯m getting goosebumps a bit.¡¯
Abel found it quite ufortable when he looked at him face to face and said stuff like that as if it were nothing. In the end, Abel gave a reasonable answer.
¡°Oh. Thanks.¡±
¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s get along well in the future too!¡±
Daniel talked in a bright, excited tone till the end and then went off to chat with some other kid. While standing there with a nk expression for a while, Abel overheard the conversations of kids around him.
¡°Ah fuck. The first lecture just had to be mana management. I¡¯m not confident at all.¡±
¡°I know, right? I¡¯m a bit worried too.¡±
First lecture and Mana management.
¡®Hm, the first lecture, huh?¡¯
The first lecture differed for each ss, but that made little difference. Beginner-levelbat skills, mana management, and physical training, that¡¯s all there was. Handling the Gigant would start a weekter at the earliest.
¡°Is it here?¡±
¡°It looks like this is the right ce.¡±
As time passed, the count of cadets roaming around decreased, and not long after, they reached a ce simr to a yground. It was so spacious that its end wasn¡¯t even visible.
It was more than double the size of the training grounds at Count Klein¡¯s mansion, which left him astonished when he saw it for the first time. To its left were huge buildings that stood tall, but Abel, who knew the real identity of those buildings, frowned.
Fortunately, they had found the right ce, and to the side, a man was standing.
¡°So the mana management lecture will be here, you mean?¡±
Right at that moment, the man¡¯s voice was heard.
¡°Come here!¡±
The man, waving his hands, approached the cadets, and Abel, who was to a certain degree closer than the others, frowned, expressing his confusion at the person looking more like a gori than a human being.
¡®Gori?¡¯
Looking at his face, a name naturally popped into his mind. The problem was that the teacher was extremely far away from the mana management ss. Come to think of it, the very fact that the mana management lecture would be at a ce like that was quite strange.
As Abel¡¯s head kept bombarding questions at him, the teacher, who resembled a Gori, spoke up loudly.
¡°I¡¯m Karl! This is my first time being in charge of the ss of you newbies! So, I hope we get along well!¡±
His speech was a bit awkward because he was originally not from the kingdom itself. From his name and tone, Abel was certain he was right about the teacher. Also, originally Karl was in charge of the subject of¡
¡°I¡¯m originally in charge of the Gigant martial arts ss!¡±
It was just as he said. Being a character known for dealing with the Gigants quite wildly simr to his violent appearance, he was always among the top three recognized male characters in the game.
¡°It¡¯s supposed to be a mana management lecture, so you must be curious as to why I¡¯m here and why you were called to a ce like this. I¡¯ll now tell you why.¡± Karl spoke with a grin on his face.
¡°Our honorable Principal, Magnus, added a special ss for the freshman this time, as your levels are quite high. That, too, as the first lecture.¡±
The special lecture was a development in the story unknown to Abel.
¡°It¡¯ll probably be challenging. Many thought it might be too merciless for you newbies. Because, in general, it¡¯s only possible with two weeks of training beforehand. But I¡¯m inplete favor of it. The harder you work, the quicker you progress. Also, this ss even has a fiery award too.¡± Karl, while saying that, took our piece of paper from his inner pocket and showed it to all.
[Voucher for 1kg Telesium]
Telesium. It was metal produced through a magical treatment process, but it was exclusively manufactured in the kingdom¡¯s Royal Pce, with its price being way higher than the same amount of gold. Used to either upgrade the Gigants or produce armaments, an amount of 1 kilogram was quite small, but would be useful regardless.
Already, dozens of thoughts popped into Abel¡¯s mind. If he just used it well, even at a conservative estimate, it could raise the power by more than 10%.
¡®But exactly what task will they ask us to do?¡¯
With such a reward, even in the Academy, it wasn¡¯t something that was given away to someone so easily.
Exactly how difficult of a task would he assign them? Abel gulped down his saliva. He just wanted to go ahead and ask, ¡°So what huh, what¡¯s the ss about?¡± but it wasn¡¯t exactly an easy thing to talk to someone over 2m who towered over you like a basketball.
Even more so when one thought about how that huge body waspletely made up of all muscles.
Karl, as if trying to raise the tension even further, paused for a moment before he continued.
¡°So, the special ss! Is boarding the Gigant!¡±
Abel¡¯s facial expression turned into a more delicate one at those words.
¡°Not a Midget, not even a Tito, but a Milles! Of course, we don¡¯t n on making you run after boarding Milles! Just get it to operate! And then you only need to take ten steps forward!¡±
As soon as he heard Karl¡¯s words, Abel thought while looking at that huge building.
¡®Is this a bug?¡¯
The corners of his mouth went up by themselves.
[To be continued.]
Chapter 12:
Chapter 12:
¡°Okay then, everyone! Look that way.¡± At Karl¡¯s words, the gaze of every person was swept off to one side.
At that ce was a gigantic building that piqued the curiosity of each individual there. There were plenty of buildings of enormous size, but it wasn¡¯tmon to see a building whose one entire wall was a door.
Thud!
And not long after, with a loud noise, the door opened, and a sound that shook the earth to its core reverberated through the air. And from the inside appeared none other than two Milles.
As the two Milles walked out, the cadets stared at them with their hearts in their throats. This time, Abel wasn¡¯t an exception either.
Back on Earth, no matter how trashy a movie was, he would run to the theaters without hesitation as long as it showcased robots.
Aftering to this ce, his passion for robots remained the same. For Abel, who was like that, looking at milles for tens, even hundreds of times, was simr to looking at an art piece he would never get tired of.
Bang, thud!
Milles¡¯ movement also aroused admiration because it was far superior and distinguished. Though the second Gigant that came out was quite good, the rider in front was at a different level. Just as critical as the features of a Gigant were the skills of a Rider.
¡®No matter how great a Gigant is, if the rider¡¯s mediocre, there¡¯s no way they can show a good performance.¡¯
That was the secret behind Abel¡¯s winning streak at the underground matches. It wasn¡¯t that there was someone who was notably worse than him at riding the Gigant; rather, no one had better skills than him.
In that sense, there was no doubt about the rider¡¯s skills in controlling the Milles. Its movement flowed smoothly and naturally like water while maintaining the proper posture with urate angles.
A remarkable Gigant rider like this one just oozed their supremacy merely from their walking stance.
¡®Is that a professor?¡¯
It was only evident for such a thought to strike Abel¡¯s mind. There couldn¡¯t be many people who could move the Gigant¡¯s body with such perfection.
-slide-
But the person whose appearance was revealed from the cockpit wasn¡¯t some old professor. Instead, it was a woman with a young-looking face.
She waved her hand with a refreshing smile on her face. Karl pointed towards her and said.
¡°They¡¯re the teaching assistants for today¡¯s special ss. Well, they are your seniors too. We¡¯ll be on standby beforehand in case of any idents during the ss, so you need not worry about your safety.¡±
At those words, Abel inferred the identity of that young woman. An outstanding rider who was also a disciple cherished by the Gori, was none other than that one person.
The one who¡¯dter be the study body president, the 3rd year student, Chloe. Looking properly, the special features of her appearance were an exact match too.
Just then, while Abel was nodding, Karl opened his mouth again.
¡°Now, I¡¯ll let you know about the bonus reward!¡±
Karl took another piece of paper from his inner pocket and showed it to everyone. On that paper, there was the words ¡®Telesium 10kg gift voucher¡¯ written.
¡°If you make that teaching assistant standing over there move even by half a step, you¡¯ll also receive this! Just so you know, I¡¯m giving this reward with my own money! Instead, if you fail to do that, you¡¯ll get no reward at all!¡±
The reactions of the cadets were extremely subtle.
The rewards were undoubtedly of a grand scale but not enough to motivate them. For them, simply getting up immediately and standing tall was a challenge at that point.
But for them to push off a teaching assistant who¡¯d just shown such a natural appearance while riding the Gigant? No matter who heard it, it was a condition that would make them shake their heads. Of course, there were those who weren¡¯t like that as well.
¡°Thank you!¡± Daniel shouted out in a voice brimming with passion.
Judging from his shimmering eyes, he intended to put in sincere efforts into his attempt. Abel turned his head away from the passionate Daniel and gave Chloe a nce.
¡®So just half a step is okay, huh.¡¯
It seemed difficult, but it didn¡¯t seem downright impossible. While he was having these thoughts, Karl took a good look at all the newbies and shouted with a smile.
¡°Okay then! We¡¯ll start the practical exercise with one person¡¯s turn at a time! Number 1 Darin!¡±
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
The practical went on turn by turn from number 1. Number 1 was a brown-haired girl named Darin, who gave off a timid impression.
Thud!
She seeded in operating the Gigant, thus turning it on, but failed in raising it to a standing position, copsing onto the ground. At number 2, a red-haired boy couldn¡¯t even operate the Gigant. Number 3 was the same.
¡°Th-this doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡±
Karl, looking at the cadet with a facial expression on the verge of crying, who was grumbling to himself, had this thought.
¡®The principal is quite merciless.¡¯
Originally, the Milles used for practice by the noble families or the first-year students was fitted with auxiliary devices to make it easier to operate, rather than limiting its efficiency.
However, no such device was fitted at this time. It was the same Milles as was used by active duty riders.
Because the difference created by it was so extreme, even if a certain family had practiced independently, operating it like this still wouldn¡¯t be easy. On the contrary, because of that gap, they might even find it even more challenging.
It could be said that it was a step further than during the entrance test when they had their hands on the core of the Tito. Number 3pletely dropped and returned to his original spot, and it was now the next turn. After that was number 4.
¡°Number 4 Abel! Come on forward!¡±
It was Abel¡¯s turn. Seeing Abel who stepped forward, at some point, Karl¡¯s expression changed from one of sympathy to amusement.
¡°Are you the top ranked?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
Karl smiled brightly at Abel¡¯s firm reply.
¡°I¡¯ll look forward to it.¡±
¡°Yes, sir.¡±
He could¡¯ve felt pressured, but Abel walked up to the open cockpit of the Milles as if he¡¯d been waiting for it. Instantly, he boarded it, settled into his spot, and frighteningly closed the cockpit.
¡®It feels new since I haven¡¯t ridden it in a long time.¡¯
He¡¯d already ridden the Milles before once, yet Abel looked at its interior with a glimmer in his eyes as if looking at it for the first time.
¡®The interior is simr to the one I boarded thest time.¡¯
Though the cockpit allowed the rider to move an enormous robot, there were noplicated buttons or screens because it was manufactured not through science but magical engineering. Unfortunately, since there wasn¡¯t enough time to simply look around, he gradually paced his breath, reaching out his hands in front of him.
¡°Hhuhp.¡±
At that spot was a blue marble the size of a bowling ball. It was the core. In fact, it is the most crucialponent of a Gigant. Abel grabbed the core with both his hands and soon felt a tingling sensation.
Whirring-!
Immediately after that, the interior slightly vibrated, and from behind him, a fixture wrapped itself firmly around Abel¡¯s Body.
Whoong-!
Following this, a blue light began whirling around his entire body until that point was the preparation phase. The fixture kept the body firmly secure in its spot while the blue light absorbed any shock.
On top of that, the cockpit itself was engulfed by a shock absorbing magic sphere. Without all those provisions, the mere violent movement by a Gigant could kill the rider.
Before the umtion of experimental data in the earlier phases, there were numerous people who died.
¡°Phew.¡±
Abel got rid of his thoughts that kept getting moreplicated with time through deep breaths and raised his focus level. Synchronization rate was quite ambiguous.
In some sense, it was even moreplicated than mana, a power that only revealed itself ultimately in an illogical manner to just a chosen few.
Screeching-!
Fortunately, in case of that fussy synchronization rate, Abel wasn¡¯t just full but rather overflowing with the talent for it. And when it came to the auxiliary device being removed? That made zero difference to him because in the first ce, the Milles he¡¯d boarded thest time as well, had no suchponents.
¡°Urgh.¡±
Infamous Scans
A vein on his forehead popped out. At the same time, his version began to change as well. As the synchronization rate rose, the mana inside Abel¡¯s body moved vigorously.
At the time, his magical ability stood at D grade. Though it wasn¡¯t exactly high, it was enough for him to muster up the strength to operate an unarmed Milles. Above all, rather than the amount of magic, the ability to manage it was more important.
So, after awakening his mana, Abel trained on how to manage and use it effectively without skipping a single day.
Whoong-!
Abel¡¯s magic was sucked into the core through his hands and returned to his body again. As that process kept repeating, Abel and the core started to unite into a single entity through the magic.
Bang-!
His heart raced fiercely.
Whoong-!
The sleeping Gigant opened his eyes.
¡°Urghk.¡±
The pleasure and thrill came rushing in at once. Even while feeling the thrilling ecstasy, Abel didn¡¯t forget about the task and activated the Gigant.
Whirring-!
After raising both the arms of the Milles that had been drooping to the chest level, he pushed Milles¡¯s palms into the ground and used his strength.
Ugh!
Slowly, the torso of the Milles was lifted. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the end. Moving his left foot and then his right foot and raising his body, within an instant, his vision sored up high in the sky. Soon afterward, when he firmly trod on the ground.
¡®Ah, this feeling¡¡¯
Abel started admiring it without even realizing this. It wasn¡¯t the worthless vision of a human but that of a 6m tall giant. It was to the point that even Karl, with his enormous build, seemed like an ant.
When everything on the ground seemed incredibly far away, and one¡¯s view widened so much, that feeling simply couldn¡¯t be expressed in words.
¡®Thest time, it ended exactly at this point.¡¯
Well, the exam itself was till that point, and at that time, the absolute amount of magic in his body was meager, too, making it difficult to do anything else. However, this time, things were different.
Not only had the amount of magic he possessed increased, but after refreshingly pounding and beating Luke up, the reward for that quest he received was a ¡®magic booster.¡¯
¡®This is an investment.¡¯
Magic boosters were expensive objects in their own right, but they couldn¡¯t evenpare with Telesium. Not to mention, he had as many as five of them.
Abel took out the magic booster in his pocket and put it in his mouth. Then, along with a hot and refreshing sensation, he felt strength rise up in his body. Abel had the confidence to walk and run in this vast yground.
Thus! Bang!
But his Milles, instead of walking forward onto the yground, turned his body in the direction of Chloe¡¯s Gigant, who was standing by.
¡°Remember you definitely said half a step.¡±
Abel turned on the output device, and soon his voice, through the Gigant, reverberated in an amplified form.
¡°What?¡± The startled Chloe couldn¡¯t immediatelyprehend the meaning of those words and asked in response.
Abel spoke while getting into position rather than exining it to her gently, ¡°I don¡¯t have a lot of time, so I¡¯ll get started immediately.¡±
Karl, who was absent-mindedly listening to him on the ground, suddenly came to his senses and shouted,
¡°Everyone, this way! Move onto this side! Quick!¡±
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
Chloe was simply dumbfounded and astonished at the current situation.
Seeing the freshman turn on the Milles and stand tall with it shocked her. Still, she managed to calm herself quickly because people with extraordinary talent worthy of being called monsters often enrolled in the academy.
But she could¡¯ve never even dreamed that the newbie would give up the 1kg of Telesium he could receive by simply walking and insteade after her.
¡°What¡¯s with him?¡±
Though she felt that she was face to face with something mysterious, she first got into position. Whoever he was didn¡¯t matter. A Milles was just a Milles.
If he came at her without any n or preparation, pushing him with force would do the job.
¡®Is he just going to run?¡¯
Chloe shook her head to bring herself back to her senses as if she¡¯d never been dumbfounded in the first ce. At that exact moment, only a few strategies popped into her head.
If this was a sparring match against a 3rd-year student just like her, she could¡¯vee up with countless strategies, but right now, in front of her, the opponent was a freshman on his second day.
¡®On top of it, it¡¯s just a tin can without a single armament.¡¯
No matter how extraordinarily talented someone was, there weren¡¯t many things a first-year student could do with that empty tin can.
¡®Is he lowering his posture? Or nning to crash his body boldly? If not even that then¡¡¯
When she was turning the gears in her head, Abel had already used one skill.
Overflow.
Since he was on a Miles, he felt the effect was wayrger than thest time. His heart pumped like crazy, as if it was about to burst right at that moment, and his body was burning hot, yet surprisingly, his senses were just as clear.
At that moment, it was almost as if he¡¯d be one with the Gigant. Abel nced at Chloe¡¯s Gigant. Unlike her, who wasing up with different strategies, Abel had only thought of a single one since the beginning.
That which he¡¯d practiced countless number of times and had even made its actual debut the day before.
Abel, while rushing forward, murmured inwardly.
¡®Shadow Step.¡¯
When it was activated, the giant-bodied gigant was shot forward like wind. A Miles grade Gigant, even if simply moving at a quick pace, posed great threat to his opponent. Even more so if the opponent didn¡¯t expect it all.
Baaang-!
In the blink of an eye, Abel¡¯s Gigant had already appeared in front of Chloe¡¯s Gigant. His gigant was as fast as his movements, who swung wildly, aiming for her Gigant. Till the moment right before the attack, she seemed as if she was unable to react.
Gah!
However, before Abel¡¯s hit couldnd, Chloe¡¯s Gigant moved and instantly raised her arm, fumbling the trajectory of his attack. A clenched fist, brushed past the outside of her forearm and hit empty space. Going beyond simple defense, it was a marvelous strategy that even took away his bnce.
If this were a normal fight, Abel would¡¯ve been able to sense his defeat. However, if it was a fight like that in the first ce, he wouldn¡¯t have thrown himself at her so ignorantly. His goal, from the beginning, was to somehow get into close range.
Whirring-!
The moment Chloe moved her arm again as if trying to give the final blow, rather than dodging or blocking it, Abel, once again, used Shadow Step. Shadow step was a skill closer to a movement booster.
Generally, just like Abel right now, it was quite useful in a situation where one was caught off guard or in a surprise attack. But, originally, the older characters would discover new tricks in whatever way possible, so they didn¡¯t just use movement booster for movement.
¡®Movement Booster is a remarkable skill in a close range attack situation.¡¯
They didn¡¯t use the skill to look for the gaps; rather, the skill itself became an attack! Looking at Chloe¡¯s Gigant properly while she still seemed pretty rxed, Abel used the skill again.
In an instant, the mana in his body shook wildly, and in that same state, it burst through the Gigant via the control tool. And the violently shaking mana instead of bursting in its surroundings in the same state, was fired uniformly in a single direction.
¡®Shadow Step.¡¯
Bang-!
Abel¡¯s Gigant suddenly elerated at an extremely high rate and, as it is, flew away together with Chloe¡¯s Gigant.
[To be continued.]
Chapter 13:
Chapter 13:
It was a shock to everyone. A gigant was flying.
¡°Huh?¡±
Karl, who had been watching from a distance, gaped. The other cadets in the ss were the same. May, who had been dozing off before that, watched the two gigant, which must have weighed dozens of tons, soar through the sky. For what seemed like an eternity, the flight ended with a loud crash.
Chloe stared at her opponent and saw that it was only a first-year cadet on the gigant¡ªa young person who had only been in school for two days.
¡°Hahaha, haha.¡±
She couldn¡¯t help butugh at the unreality of it all. The others were also surprised by the unreality of the scene. But Karl, being the teacher that he is, quickly regained hisposure and said with a serious expression.
¡°Is this a dream?¡±
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
Luckily, the damage was minimal. The Miles-ss Gigant wasn¡¯t flimsy enough to be shattered by a single blow to the torso, so Abel and Karl, who were inside, were unharmed.
Once the dust had settled, Abel spoke to Karl. At first nce, Karl looked confused.
¡°Now, you can go there¡¡ ¡±
He wasn¡¯t sure if he should reprimand or praise him as a teacher. Abel¡¯s behavior was shocking enough to embarrass even the most experienced teacher. The behavior of a cadet who had only been in the academy for two days was utterly unbelievable.
Chloe is a cadet with a reputation for excellence among the third-year cadets who have trained and practiced extensively.
Abel hadn¡¯t just backed off her gigant a bit; he¡¯d blown her away. He was blown away himself, but that didn¡¯t matter. Karl was silent for a moment, staring at Abel, and then, feeling the stares of the cadets in the distance, he spoke again.
¡°Was that¡¡ Was that a vision?¡±
He recalled the strange movement he¡¯d seen when he¡¯d first approached Chloe¡¯s craft, the explosive power he¡¯d disyed at close range. Karl knew it was no ordinary Gigant operation. He was also a Gigant rider who had fought many battles long before bing a teacher.
Abel answered Karl¡¯s question casually.
¡°Uh, yeah. It¡¯s something I¡¯ve been developing recently.¡±
¡°Really?¡± Karl asked in disbelief.
Abel looked at Karl with a confident look. The reason why he said he developed it was because it was the most natural thing to do. Right now, it could be said that he learned it identally or had a family vision. Butter? This wouldn¡¯t be thest time he¡¯d receive a skill as a quest reward. He couldn¡¯t afford to put it in moderation every time. If he makes more excuses every time, he might get more suspicious. It¡¯s better to go out confidently from the beginning.
¡®I¡¯m going to get a lot of suspicion at first, but it will make a lot more sense in the long run.¡¯
It¡¯s not unprecedented, anyway. In the first ce, all visions exist because someone created them. Of course, the people who made them were often called geniuses.
Given his current situation and the future of the world, he owed it to himself to be as visible and as splendidly as possible. The world was too hard to live in if you hid your powers, or at least that¡¯s what Abel was trying to convince himself.
¡°Hmm, that¡¯s a lot¡± Karl gave him a skeptical look, but he didn¡¯t tell him to lie. He knew Abel was the senior who had started the rumors about the statue.
¡°You mean it¡¯s really a monster.¡±
Looking at Abel with aplicated eye, Karl said
¡°I see. It was a bit drastic, but it was a good move. You achieved your goal by means your opponent didn¡¯t think of. You¡¯re not trying to cause a fume in the greenhouse, so it¡¯s silly to criticize the radicality of the means.¡±
With that, Karl pulled two pieces of paper out of his pocket and handed them over. They were vouchers for one kilogram and ten kilograms of Telisium. The bottom was stamped with the official seal of the academy, which only the headmaster possessed.
¡°Go to the workshop and give this to them. You will receive it on the spot, use it to make anything you want or trade it for something of value. I never thought I¡¯d have to give it away.¡±
Karl grimaced. A teacher¡¯s sry wasn¡¯t exactly cheap, but ten kilograms of Telisium was worth a lot of money.
¡°I bought it to make my own armor,¡± Karl said, holding out the paper with a shaky hand.
¡°I¡¡¡±
¡°Huh?¡±
¡°Can I take it?¡±
At Abel¡¯s question, Karl realized he¡¯d been wringing his hands tightly.
¡°Mm-hmm. Sure. Here you go.¡±
Karl nodded awkwardly, and Abel snatched the gift certificate as soon as Karl¡¯s strength was released from his hand.
¡°Thank you.¡±
Abel smiled with satisfaction and tucked the paper into his arms. Then, he followed a somewhat disheveled Karl back to where the other cadets stood waiting. Afterward, practice resumed. Perhaps encouraged by Abel¡¯s performance, those behind him were surprisingly able to get up at least and run. Daniel, in particr, surprised everyone when he managed to get himself up.
After three steps, his foot was twisted, and he fell to the ground. Still, Karl was satisfied and gave Daniel a gift certificate for Telisium. After a few more failures, it was time for the final round.`
¡°May,e forward.¡±
May, who had been shrinking again, jumped at the sound of her name being called.`
¡°Uh, yes.¡±
Abel watched with interest as she climbed aboard the Milles at Karl¡¯smand. Though she dozes of all the time and has a ck expression, Abel knew very well that May¡¯s talent was out of the ordinary. She was supetive in terms of potential alone, so perhaps he wouldn¡¯t be surprised to see her¡¡.
¡°No¡¡. It didn¡¯t work¡±.
Miles didn¡¯t even flinch. Karl tried tofort May telling her not to be discouraged, that it was originally difficult, but Abel thought otherwise
¡°No, it¡¯s not like she even tried in the first ce.¡±
There was no way she could even get it up and running. It was obvious she didn¡¯t make an attempt and just came back out. But Abel was the only one who noticed it because no one else in the room knew the extent of May¡¯s talent.
Abel looked at her with a strange curiosity in his eyes. The reason he was so interested in her was simple. He knew that there was no point in being stronger alone. It wasn¡¯t his business anyway so he tried to let it go.
Why did you join the Academy in the first ce? To be included in the main story?
¡°If I wanted to live afortable life, I would have worked for Vulcanus.¡±
Abel¡¯s skills were honored by Vulcanus, an artisan who was unrivaled among human artisans. This means that he could have lived an uneventful life, even if he hadn¡¯t be an artisan. But Abel did not. He knew the future. He had joined the academy to prevent the destruction of this world, a world that would be destroyed if he did nothing. He was interrupted from his thoughts by Karl¡¯s gravelly voice.
¡°Now, some of you have done amazingly well, but it¡¯s hard to have a hard time getting things up and running, so don¡¯t be too hard on yourself,¡± said Mr Karl as he looked at the cadets.
Infamous Scans
¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re all exhausted by now, so I will call it a day! Good job, everyone!¡±
The cadets¡¯ faces lit up at the sound of that. The ss ended 15 minutes early. Abel thought to himself, maybe Karl is a better teacher than he thought.
¡°Shall we go?¡±
¡°Sure.¡±
After ss, the cadets chatted among themselves.
Even if the ss had ended early, it was only the first ss of the day, and it was too far to return to the dormitories to rest for a while. Karl watched as the cadets talked amongst each other and then said one more thing.
¡°Next lesson is on elementary martial arts, isn¡¯t it? If you go to that building, there is a small park there. If you have nowhere to rest, take a rest there.¡±
¡°Oh, okay!¡±
The cadets bowed their heads respectfully at the kindly blindness and began to move on. Abel was about to join them, naturally, but he was stopped
¡°Is your name Abel?¡± Chloe asked.
¡°Yes, it is.¡±
¡°You were pretty good earlier. You surprised me,¡± Chloe said with a smile.
Abel, who knew that she was naturally cheerful and sterile, was unfazed and smiled back.
¡°Thank you,¡± he replied.
¡°That¡¯s great. I look forward to seeing you at the first practice.¡±
With that, Chloe waved and walked back toward Gigant.
¡°First practice.¡± It would be in four weeks at the earliest, but given the tight curriculum, it would pass quickly.
And Abel was looking forward to practicing his skills here. As he watched Chloe climb into the gigant, he turned to see his ssmates walking away. It would be four weeks at the earliest, but given the rigorous curriculum, it would fly by. And Abel was looking forward to the practice.
Just as he was about to say to himself, ¡°I¡¯ll give them a break,¡± he spotted one of them standing in the distance.
¡°Abel! Let¡¯s go!¡± It was Daniel.
¡°Uh, sure.¡±
He didn¡¯t really have a reason to refuse, so he nodded and took off shakily. But Abel regretted his choice in less than five minutes. Daniel was more talkative than he expected to the point where it hurt his ears.
He said, ¡°I swear, when you made that sudden move earlier, I thought my heart would fall out of my chest¡¡. I remember when I first rode a gigant¡.. So, ah, are you listening to me?¡±
¡°¡ª¨CYes.¡±
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
Daniel was physically fit. He had always been a hard worker, and he trained many times since he had been adopted by an earl. As such, he was confident in his own physical strength, but the Academy¡¯s Curriculum was more than three times as demanding.
¡°It wasn¡¯t just the exams,¡± Abel thought, biting down on his chin for good measure.
¡°It wasn¡¯t until I saw the game arc that I clicked.¡±
He hadn¡¯t given it much thought because it was just a few clicks in the game. He should have known from the crazy rolls on the test in real life. The Academy curriculum is more challenging than he could have ever imagined. When he showed up to the martial arts ss already drained of stamina from riding the gigant, Abel rolled like crazy for nearly two hours. But even that was better than thest fitness ss, because he felt like he was going to die. By the time it was over, even Daniel, that was so confident in his fitness, was a wreck.
¡°Whoa.¡±
He signed, knowing this would be his life for the rest of his days. Initially, the Gigant Rider program aims to create a superhuman, not an ordinary human. However, it wasn¡¯t all that bad.
First, he received 11kg of telisium in his first ss. He can think of dozens of things to make with just 1 kilogram, not to mention 11 kilograms. It was definitely possible to boost power significantly.
¡°You have to take care of your own gigant.¡±
Though it¡¯s an academy, they didn¡¯t unify the specifications of Gigant. Rather, they actively rmended upgrading it. As far as the giants were concerned, having a lot of money was considered a talent. Either that, or you were so monstrously talented that the Academy supported you.
Abel alone had already gained eleven kilograms of Telisium and was soon to receive a Miles-ss gigant. This was a ce like that.
¡®I need to take what I can get,¡¯ Abel said, interrupting his thoughts on the Academy to return to his original topic.
It wasn¡¯t just the Telisium that was gained; there was ie in addition to material things. Abel closed his eyes tightly to see it for himself. And then a bright light emerged from the darkness. It wasn¡¯t just the status window but a new one floating above it. Uponpleting your first day at the Academy, a new system would open up today.
[List of achievements]
[Visit every location in the Academy]
[Get your own Gigant]
[Achieve a perfect score in pracy]
[Call Karl a Gori]
[Make at least 5 friends]
[¡¡].
The game achievement of this game was famous for its generous rewards. The reward given for achieving 100% was beyond imagination. Abel was excited for a reason. He scanned through the challenge with excitement and stopped at one point.
¡°This can be achieved tomorrow.¡±
The item was none other than ¡°a first encounter with the debris of a ghost.¡±
[To be continued.]
Chapter 14:
Chapter 14:
The first week of the Academy was uneventful. That¡¯s exactly how the curriculum was structured. Even the elites whoined about it, are basically boys and girls who had left home and joined the academy for the first time. It was only natural to give them time to adjust. But it wasn¡¯t as if nothing happened. The special ss which was usually organized by the principal caused quite a stir. Abel¡¯s name, in particr, was often on people¡¯s lips, and it still is.
¡°He¡¯s that good?¡±
¡°Yeah. Darin says he mercilessly beat up Chlo¨¦, and he did it on a millet.¡±
¡°What? How is that possible?¡±
The boys¡¯ attention was drawn to Abel and Daniel, who were dueling. The confrontation between the two was so fierce that it was hard to believe they were in the same grade. Sword after sword shed, then they moved away, relentlessly looking for an opening.
¡°Oh, but Chlo¨¦ can still¡¡¡¡±
A boy watching the duel was just about to say something skeptical.
Bam-!
Abel¡¯s body blurred for a moment, he went at a tremendous speed and snapped Daniel¡¯s jaw with his elbow. The cadets¡¯ who were watching opened their mouths in shock. They soon came to their senses and nodded in awe.
¡°¡ª¡ª That¡¯s a good one. Yeah.¡±
¡°Are they really in the same grade?¡±
Abel¡¯s brow narrowed slightly.
¡®I can hear you.¡¯
They may have spoken quietly to themselves, but to Abel¡¯s sensitive ears, they were loud and clear. It wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d heard them talking about him. The topics were always the same: how he¡¯d knocked over Chlo¨¦¡¯s body in the special ss. As the rumors spread, he gained fame little by little, and now there is even a rumor he¡¯d beaten up a senior.
Abel let out a short sigh and looked at Daniel.
¡°Should we call it a day?¡±
Abel asked Daniel who was sprawled out on the floor of the training center, breathing heavily. Daniel answered Abel¡¯s question with a ragged breath.
¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa. No. Let¡¯s do it one more time.¡±
Then he scrambled back to his feet, which was impressive. He didn¡¯t look like he could pass out anytime soon.
¡®That¡¯s a talent.¡¯
A normal person would have given up after the ninth time.
¡®It¡¯s nice for me to be able to warm up properly.¡¯
They had been meeting at dawn for a while to have a fight, and it was at Daniel¡¯s request.
Daniel¡¯s physical strength was remarkable, but his swordsmanship wascking. Abel and Daniel now have abined record of 88 wins and 11 losses against each other. Daniel once said hecked either talent or hard work, but he hadn¡¯t been learning swordsmanship for very long in the first ce.
After catching his breath, Daniel drew his sword again and charged.
¡°Here we go!¡±
Quickly closing the distance, Daniel aimed for Abel¡¯s head with his crude de.
¡°Bam!¡±
Abel tilted his sword at an angle to deflect the blow, then dived back into his arms, aiming for his jaw with his elbow.
¡°Ugh!¡±
Daniel jerked back. But he couldn¡¯t keep his bnce, and he stumbled hard. Abel took advantage of the opportunity to catch up to him and pull him up by his staggering legs.
Daniel seemed to hold on for a moment, but then he lost his bnce and stumbled. As he fell, Abel held his training sword to his throat. A look of despair crossed Daniel¡¯s face as he copsed after only a few moves. Abel withdrew the sword and said.
¡°That¡¯s it. That¡¯s it for today.¡±
¡°No, one more¡..!¡±
¡°There is no time for that. Aren¡¯t you going to eat breakfast?¡±
With that, Daniel nced at the clock on the side of the training center. It was definitely time to shower and eat.
¡°That¡¯s true.¡±
¡°Let¡¯s get cleaned up and go eat.¡±
Abel stared into space as he waited for Daniel to catch his breath and get up. This was because not a day went by that he didn¡¯t see his reward for dueling Daniel in front of him.
[Challenge aplished: ¡®Do 100 one-on-one sparring¡¯]
[Reward ¨C Blessing of Mana]
Blessing of Mana. A buff that increases the rate of mana growth over a period of time.
¡®This willst me a week if not more.¡¯ Abel grinned because the more mana, the better.
¡®If I do well, I could raise my mana rating within a week.¡¯
Seeing his reward, Abel shook his head slightly and put the spear away. He and Daniel were about to put their training weapons back in ce when a figure approached them.
She had red hair and her eyes were slightly reddish. This was proof that she was a strong bloodline of the Del Kior family.
¡°I¡¯ve been wondering who has been full of energy this morning, and it¡¯s you.¡±
Her name was Hannahh Del Kior. And she was referring to Daniel.
¡°Uh, did you train too?¡±
¡°Idiot, I do it every day. Do your memories reset every day?¡± As she said that, Hannah was drenched in sweat. She turned her head to look at Abel.
¡°Abel, if this idiot keeps bothering you, just ignore him. Alright?¡±
¡°What¡¡?¡±
Abel justughed it off. Abel, Daniel, and Hannah had gotten pretty close over the past week or so. They were close enough to call each name. How they got to know the girl half a world away was pretty simple. Hannah was also at the training center every day. They¡¯d see each other at the training center at the same time every day, sometimes they duel against each other and then have small conversations.
¡®I thought I¡¯d be hard to talk to you because you were rough,¡¯
Surprisingly when we first talked it wasn¡¯t really hard.
¡®I think I was more feisty in the game.¡¯
It¡¯s a topic he¡¯ll have to think aboutter. Just then, Daniel interrupted their conversation.
¡°Hey, hey, hey. I don¡¯t have the energy to argue. Let¡¯s get cleaned up and eat. We¡¯re running out of time.¡±
¡°Huh? That¡¯s right.¡±
Hannah was surprised when she saw the time, she didn¡¯t know when she lost track of time because she was so engrossed in her training.
¡°Well, I¡¯ll go first. I¡¯ll see you in the cafeteria.¡±
¡°Uh.¡±
Abel and Daniel headed straight to the shower after parting ways with Hannah. On the way to the shower, Danie suddenly asked Abel a question.
¡°You don¡¯t know what today¡¯s special ss is all about, do you?¡±
¡°Special ss?¡±
After hearing the question, it came to mind a bitter, he realized that there was a special ss after the regr ss today.
Abel shook his head and replied back, ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me what it was about.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right, but just in case.¡±
In the first ss, they told them about the content of the next lesson, but in thest ss, they said we were going to do something special, but they didn¡¯t tell them the exact content so of course there was no way he would know¡..
Infamous Scans
Actually, Abel did know. Because it was an event that urred in the game. Of course, he couldn¡¯t tell Daniel that, so he quickly changed the subject.
¡°Come on, let¡¯s get cleaned up. If we keep wasting time, we won¡¯t be able to eat and go to ss.¡±
¡°Uh, okay¡±
The two quickly headed into the showers.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
Once all of the regr sses were over, the cadets scurried off to their dorms or somewhere else. However, the eight cadets here were an exception.
¡°I want to rest¡¡¡±
Hannah muttered as she trudged. Daniel, who was talkative, nodded without saying a word. The other 5 people were simr. Even though the sses are different, the end of the regr ss is unified with physical training.
¡°This is exhausting.¡±
She was extremely exhausted as well as Abel, who was walking slightly behind.
If it weren¡¯t for the fact that he already knew what the uing special ss was about, he would have joined the zombie horde in front of him and staggered along. Abel lifted his head and looked at the people in front of him.
¡®Special ss.¡¯
This ss is for special students only. A special ss was simply a group of cadets who had excelled in their entrance exams or those who showed outstanding performance in ss. The cadets in the special ss took some sses or exercises that were separate from the regr curriculum.
¡®It¡¯s a little bit of an extra push for the prominent cadets.¡¯
Abel gathered his thoughts and looked around. The closest to him were Daniel and Hannah. At least he knows them well enough to have a decent conversation with them.
On the other hand, he didn¡¯t know Lian and June upfront. They¡¯re both guys, and they have their own cliques, so they don¡¯t interact much during the week. Then there¡¯s Ioline, May, and Charlotte in the middle.
Charlotte was a bit of a female version of Daniel. She was very cheerful and friendly, so they were all very close. She usually goes to school with her ssmates, but in the special ss, she was always chatting with them. Her fighting style is martial arts and she¡¯s very talented.
¡®Actually, I¡¯m most surprised that May joined the special ss.¡¯
Aside from her talents, Mary has never really been particrly active. She joined in the middle because of her behavior in ss just the other day, which wasst Wednesday.
During a short test, the teacher said that those who performed well would be allowed to go home early. May ranked second in the ss, right behind Abel. That¡¯s how she got into the special ss.
¡®I don¡¯t have to worry about these eight people¡¯s growth.¡¯
In fact, all eight of them were key members of the game. While Abel was lost in thoughts, they arrived in front of a building. it was located in a corner of the academy. It was his first timeing here.
The other cadets didn¡¯t recognize the building, but Abel did. Considering the content of today¡¯s ss, it was pretty much given.
¡°Should I take this to the door?¡±
¡°Yeah.¡±
Lian, who stood at the front, asked while waving his cadet card, and Charlotte, who stood behind, nodded. As he held up his student ID to the door, a soft light appeared and then disappeared, and the door opened with a cracking noise.
¡°Wow.¡±
They admired the ce shortly before stepping inside. The inside of the building was new. It was clean without any decorations. The road was undivided and connected in a straight line, so they couldn¡¯t get lost. Just when they thought they had gone far enough, they saw a familiar face up ahead.
¡°You¡¯re all here.¡±
It was Jacqueline, the teacher in charge of the special ss. Her main position is tank in game terms. Her vision, the jin of protection, was a remarkable ability. However, the special ss itself had little to do with her ability. This is because they do things that are slightly different from ordinary sses in the first ce.
¡°Today will be a little special, as I had said in the previous ss. Follow me, everyone.¡±
Jacqueline turned her back and walked ahead after confirming that all the students were present.
Soon after, they arrived at a door made of material that looked sturdy at a nce. Jacqueline brought her name tag around her neck and tapped it on the door and the door opened with a soft glow, as it did when the cadets first entered the entrance.
¡°Wow.¡±
Abel and the other cadets walked through the door and went in. A few of them opened their mouths in admiration
¡®Everything is so big.¡¯
The Inside was spacious. Although not asrge as the building where the entrance ceremony was held, it wasrge. There was a door-like material on all sides, and Abel, who once worked in a workshop, immediately recognized what it was.
¡®They¡¯ve got tartarium everywhere.¡¯
Tartarium. Like telecium, it was a metal often used in crafting gigants. This was also a metal that was directly managed by the Empire, and its effect was simple. It¡¯s super strong
It is much harder than ordinary metal. It had no antimagic properties, so it had to be mixed with some other things, but that was the case for other metals as well. Even in the mansions of powerful families, there probably wasn¡¯t a room made with so much tartarium. This is only possible because the Academy is fully supported by the Imperial Family.
His gaze drifted to the center of the room, where Jacqueline stood. There stood something massive, covered in ck fabric, and several men in uniforms and robes stood on each side.
¡°You came to this Academy to be Gigant Riders, have you not?¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
¡°Alright then,¡± She said, turning toward the cadets, ¡°Being a Gigant Rider means many things. But the most important of them all¡¡ is that you have to go up against a Colossus.¡±
Colossus.
Several cadets¡¯ faces stiffened at that word. The more perceptive cadets probably had a vague idea of whaty beneath that cloth. Jacqueline stopped talking and gestured to the men standing on each side of the cloth. They understood the signal and grabbed the cloth.
Clink-.
The cloth was tugged with a strange sound as it was not made of ordinary materials. What was hidden under the cloth slowly revealed its identity.
Red eyes were shining. Silver-colored metal wrapped around its entire body. It resembled a machine more than a creature. A giant machine molded in the shape of a wolf.
However, the body rises and falls with each breath. And its intense gaze was ready to prove that it was no ordinary machine. It slowly raised itself as the cloth restricting its view disappeared.
nk-
The cold metallic sound was deafening. But what was more intense was the intense sense of hostility and intimidation that radiated from it.
¡°The name of this thing is de Tail.¡±
Three strands of a really sharp de fluttered over the fusge which was just four meters long. With a flick of its tail, it could shred dozens of ordinary humans. It had that much power.
¡°This is what you¡¯ll be facing, a fragment of a colossus.¡±
The moment Abel heard those words,
[Challenge ¡®Facing the Shards of a Colossus¡¯ ]
[Reward: Random Skill Pack]
A message shed before Abel¡¯s eyes. But instead of reading the content of the message, he stared at the ded tail. To a normal person, it would be a terrifying creature that would send shivers down the spine at the mere sight of it, but Abel was far from normal
¡°Cool¡¡.!¡±
Abel¡¯s eyes sparkled. A metallic sheath that felt icy cold. A body with graceful curves that belied the image of stiffness. Each was enough to set Abel¡¯s heart on fire.
¡°You have two weeks to work together to take this thing down.¡±
When Jacqueline said those words, the first emotion that came to Abel¡¯s mind was excitement, not fear.
[To be continued.]
Chapter 15:
Chapter 15:
Abel had been observing the de¡¯s tail for a long time. Until something awakened him
[The main quest ¡°Mock quest¡± will be held!]
[First quest. Take the role of the leader of the de tail mock battle.]
[This quest is a linked quest. Rewards will be given forpleting all quests.]
It was the main quest that suddenly appeared. Abel could ignore the previous message, but this he couldn¡¯t overlook. This is because the main quest is literally the core of the story. Not only is it given a much better reward than regr quests, but it was also quite important for the story progression.
¡®If you fail, the penalty is quite high¡..¡¯
Abel calmed down his excitement and checked his surroundings with a calm face. The reactions of the other kids were different. Lian and Hannah were ring though not the same way as Abel. Daniel, June, and Charlotte looked nervous. And Ioline and May didn¡¯t belong to either.
¡®Ioline was as calm as usual.¡¯
On the surface, he had no idea what he was thinking. May wasn¡¯t dozing off, but she was looking at the colossus fragment with a half-dazed face.
¡°Now,¡± Jacqueline said in a calm voice, pping her hand to gain attention.
¡°Come a little closer and observe.¡±
With that, Abel walked forward without hesitation, and the others followed suit. Suddenly, as the cadets approached, the de¡¯s tail straightened out.
Chirp-
A sharp metallic sound echoed as the tail dragged to the floor. The approaching cadets hesitated. Even though they knew they wouldn¡¯t be able to escape, the sound put them on instinctive alert.
It raised its tail and it looked like it could burst through the gate at any moment especially its tail that thrashed around. However, some of them didn¡¯t stop walking undeterred by the danger. In particr, Abel never stopped and walked straight to the barricade.
¡®It¡¯s not dangerous anyway.¡¯ Abel thought to himself
It wasn¡¯t just courage, it was because there was certainty. Those iron bars are not made of simple metal. It was invisible to the naked eye, but there was a magic barrier across the entire cage.
¡°Chirp¡¡.¡±
This was because even when it saw Abel, its ded tail approached right in front of him but it didn¡¯t attack; it only let out a menacing howl.
¡®Hmm.¡¯
Abel stood at arm¡¯s length and observed the de tail closely. The beast, whose entire body was made of metal, had a different charm from a gigant. Despite its metallic nature, its body was beautifully curved, and its movements were surprisingly smooth.
¡®In a way, it feels like a distant rtive of the gigant¡¡¡¯
The Colossus was modeled after a gigant. This is because the fragments of the Colossus are derived from the gigant, although this is not fully understood. In a way, it can be said that they have the same origin. It¡¯s a fascinating topic, and Abel could spend hours on it if he wanted to. But Abel did not forget his true purpose and turned to Jacqueline.
¡±Eight of us against one?¡±
¡±Yes. Even though it¡¯s ssified as a lower ss, it won¡¯t be that easy. Of course, the results of your performance will be reflected in your grades.¡±
Gigant training will begin in earnest tomorrow. In other words, they only have two weeks to prepare. Even if it was a special ss with only elites, it would not have been easy considering the fact that they had to fight in two weeks.
Jacqueline continued, ¡°Also, we will have to choose a leader. And additional points will be given to the person selected as leader.¡±
Everyone¡¯s eyes lit up at those words. Of course, it was the same with Abel. The goal of the main quest was to take the leadership position.
¡®As far as I know, it won¡¯t be a big deal.¡¯
Time will tell if the leader selection will proceed in the same way as the original game.
¡°Hey, can you move a little to the side?¡± Hannah said, patting him on the arm. It seemed like she could not see well because her vision was vaguely blocked.
¡°Oh, sorry,¡±
Abel apologized and turned to walk away, knowing he had already done enough observing. But just as he was about to step aside, he felt a strange sensation.
Thud.
The sound of his heart pounding. An unidentifiable feeling of difort followed, and for a moment, a wild heat surged from deep within his chest. Abel clutched his chest with one hand and instinctively raised his head.
Woof-.
The red-rimmed eyes of the de tail stared straight down at Abel. Their gazes met midair. Its gaze was not simply that of an untouchable prey. Rather¡¡
¡® ¡Why.¡¯
Abel involuntarily backed away at the suddenness of the voice.
¡°Why? Why?¡±
¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±
Hannah and Daniel asked, seeing him. Abel cleared his throat and was about to reply,
¡°I just¡¡,¡±
But Daniel beat him to it, ¡°Oh, did the crying startle you?¡±
Abel narrowed his eyes at those words and asked.
¡°Crying?¡±
¡°Yeah. It was certainly fierce. It¡¯s the first time I have seen it this close.¡±
Daniel continued nonchntly.
Abel didn¡¯t hear any snare. All he heard was an unidentifiable voice. Abel swallowed the lump in his throat. He knew instinctively that what had just happened was not the kind of thing that he should talk about. So he shuddered, trying to keep his expression straight.
¡°Uh, I was looking at it up close and it startled me.¡±
¡°That¡¯s understandable, you¡¯re human after all.¡±
Daniel giggled. Abel chuckled moderately, then turned his attention back to the de tail. The de tail was curled up on the floor as if it never disyed any strange expression, but there was no time to ponder it further.
¡°That¡¯s enough for sightseeing. Let¡¯s get down to business.¡±
Jacqueline began the lesson.
¡°In this session, we will learn what the fragments of the gigant are and the characteristics of the de tail. In two weeks, it will be of great help to you all, so listen carefully.¡±
The heat he felt in his chest had vanished without a trace Abel crossed his arms over his chest and concentrated on Jacqueline¡¯s voice. Unlike the practical, he couldn¡¯t get a good grade in theory without paying close attention.
Jacqueline¡¯s voice continued
¡°Fragment of gigants are closely rted to the Colossus¡¡,¡±
The students should have been bored, but they listened intently because the information was interesting. After an hour, the ss was over. Normally, they would have headed to the cafeteria or their dorms, but not today.
This is because the question of who to choose as the leader remained. The eight members of the special ss were all elite members of the elite, and they had no intention ofpromising on leadership. Except for May, who said she was sleepy and left right away.
Jacqueline looked at the seven remaining cadets and spoke.
¡°There are two ways to choose a leader. The first is for each of you to vote for one, but I think that method seems to have been abandoned.¡±
¡°Oh, yeah,¡±
The cadets replied with a shrug, they talked about it for a long time after the ss ended, still unable to choose a leader. Jacqueline turned to them and said
¡°Then we have no choice but to use the second method.¡±
¡°Which method is that?¡±
¡°You all are gigant rider candidates, right?¡± Jacqueline said with a faint smile as she looked at the cadets.
¡°In that sense,bat is the best method of resolving this.¡±
Infamous Scans
At the mention ofbat, the cadets put on a bewildered expression. They wondered if she meant punching and kicking and fighting. Jacqueline continued.
¡°If you¡¯re interested,e see me tomorrow evening at 8 pm. We¡¯ll go over the details then.¡±
With that, she turned to her heel and walked away, not taking any more questions.
The cadets watched in disbelief as she walked out of the building.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
[Colossi are clear enemies of mankind. The third part of the continent is still their territory, and even with the powerful human power led by Gigant, they could not bepletely defeated.
A fragment of a colossus is a term referring to life forms simr to gigant, although it does not reach the size of a giant. Its form starts with something resembling a beast¡]
Crunch-
In the empty lecture hall, only the sound of a pen rubbing against paper echoed. Abel sat at his desk scrubbing away for a long time, until almost an hourter he put down the pen.
¡°Phew.¡±
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment. After the special ss yesterday, he recalled the image of his body while washing up. A peculiar pattern suddenly appeared on his chest.
¡®What is that?¡¯
He wondered. It looked like a me. He didn¡¯t have a habit of looking at his body every day, but if he had a tattoo like that on his chest, he would have noticed it already, which meant it had appeared out of nowhere. And then there was a moment of doubt
¡®That heat.¡¯
When faced with the fragment of the Colossus. Abel felt a heat like a hot fire on his chest. And afterward, a mark appeared in the same spot. Even a fool can¡¯t help but suspect a connection between the two, and a question naturally followed
¡®Who¡¯s body is this?¡¯
Before he was given the name Abel by Vulcanus, he was called a beggar. He had never known or had the opportunity to learn the name of this original body. When he first opened his eyes, he was lying in the street wearing rags as clothes.
Naturally, there was nothing on him to give away his identity, so Abel assumed he was just a homeless boy. But what if he wasn¡¯t? What if this monstrous attunement wasn¡¯t just a given?
Sigh.
Abel wiped his face. It wasn¡¯t a question he could solve right now. Still, he was certain that it was a reaction to encountering the fragment of the Colossus, and there were many things to do with the fragment of the Colossus in the future.
¡®If there¡¯s something really special about it¡¡I¡¯ll be able to sense it next time.¡¯
There was no point in dwelling on this, though the symbols that had suddenly appeared would need to be investigated.
¡®I¡¯ll have to go to the academy library and look it upter.¡¯
With that conclusion, Abel grabbed his notes and got up from his seat. But then. Someone walked into the ssroom.
¡°Abel!¡± It was Daniel.
Next to him was Hannah, and she asked him as she watched Abel walk over with his notebook, ¡°Have you been in the ssroom this whole time?¡±
¡°I was doing some writing,¡±
Daniel interrupted.
¡°Wow. I was starving and went straight to eat.¡±
After ss was over, Daniel kept asking him if he was going to eat, but Abel told him to go first.
¡°Anyway, are you confident about today?¡±
¡°The battle?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not my ce to judge. We haven¡¯t even heard how the battle is going to be, have we?¡±
Abel had a hunch, but he hadn¡¯t heard anything about how they were going to fight yet.
Daniel frowned and nodded, ¡°That¡¯s true. They could at least exin what we would be doing.¡±
¡°Well, let¡¯s find out. Let¡¯s go.¡±
¡°Alright.¡±
With that, the three of them exited the ssroom building and headed back to the other building.
¡°I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s this way.¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t it over there?¡±
After a bit of confusion, they made it to the building that housed the teachers¡¯ offices and some special facilities. As they swiped their cadet IDs to enter, they were greeted by a familiar face standing at the stairs.
¡°Ah, here you are.¡±
It was the cadets from the special ss.
Daniel walked over and said, ¡°Sorry. I guess we are thest to arrive.¡±
¡°Yeah. I asked Instructor Jacqueline, and she told me to meet you at the back of the building when we¡¯re all here.¡± Lian, arge but timid-looking man, answered Daniel¡¯s question.
Once all eight of them were assembled, they all headed for the exit, which was directly opposite the entrance they hade in through, and the kids were soon surprised when they stepped through the door. What they saw behind the building waspletely unexpected. A vast in, muchrger than the one they were using for their Gigant rider special ss.
¡°Over here,¡± Jacqueline called out waving her hand and the cadets immediately walked towards her.
Titos were lined up behind Jacqueline.
Jacqueline turned to the cadets, who were still looking bewildered, ¡°This is a simted battlefield. Originally, it is supposed to be used for the second-year ss.¡±
¡°A mock battle is¡¡.¡±
¡°Riding these Titos is literally the mock battle.¡±
Jacqueline smiled and exined further.
¡°The Miles ss and up have their own mock battlefield outdoors because they¡¯re so big, but for the Tito ss, this is enough.¡±
The mock battlefield was certainlyrge, it wasrge enough to open ones month, but it was notrge enough to be used as a battlefield for the Milles ss but it was enough for the Tito ss Jacqueline continued.
¡°You¡¯re going to have a mock battle aboard the Tito, and whoeveres out on top gets to be the leader. Simple, right?¡±
¡°What exactly are we going to do with it?¡±
¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t tell you what you¡¯re going to do with it.¡±
Jacqueline kindly answered Daniel¡¯s question.
¡°The event is to capture the g. It¡¯s a training that real riders often do.¡±
Everyone was intrigued and curious by her words. Except for one person.
¡®It¡¯s been a while.¡¯
What Abel felt was more of delight than curiosity. The simted battlefield also appeared in the game. To be precise, it was a series of mini-games within the game, and Capture the g was one of them. Abel was looking forward to it, but at the same time, he was also worried.
¡®The kids shouldn¡¯t be so excited.¡¯
It would be a bad idea if he had to fight with a team member, but he will have to show an overwhelming difference in ability and kill his teammates.
¡°Now, I¡¯ll start by giving 10 extra points to the person designated as the leader.¡±
[Rewards will vary depending on the overall score of the linked quest.]
However, Jacqueline¡¯s words and the message that popped up in front of Abel¡¯s eyes immediately put his worries aside.
¡®It¡¯s an act of being rude to others.¡¯
Doing his best will benefit them. Abel quicklypleted a change of pace.
[To be continued.]
Chapter 16:
Chapter 16:
Thirty Titos were lined up in a row. The reason they prepared a lot more machines than the number of people here was because there were a lot of different types. The ones used in the previous test were standard types, but the ones here were divided by purpose.
¡°Choose a Gigant that suits you well. The simtion will help you decide how to upgrade your Gigant in the future.¡±
Gigants are generally divided into bnced, mobile, and heavy armored types ording to the thickness of the armor. They are divided into long-range and short-range, depending on the attack method. In reality, it¡¯s moreplicated depending on the user, but that¡¯s the general idea.
When Jacqueline told them to look around and decide for themselves, everyone moved closer to check the Tito.
¡°Hmmm.¡±
Other cadets couldn¡¯t easily choose the one that suited them and struggled, but some chose without much thought. Abel was one of thetter.
¡®First of all, the machine is bnced¡¯
A machine specialized on one side may have advantages, but Abel had already established his style to a certain extent, so he didn¡¯t have to think twice about choosing a weapon. He decided on a close-range swordbination of a buckler and an arming sword. The others followed suit and chose theirs in turn.
¡°I¡¯ll go with this.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll go with that.¡±
When thest person had chosen, Jacqueline spoke up again.
¡°The rules of capturing the g are simple: you have exactly 15 minutes after you start, and you have to hold the g for one minute. Oh, and there will only be one g.¡±
The reason why there is a condition that it does not end as soon as 15 minutes are over, but one minute after the end, was to prevent winning by luck. It is said that you have to endure at least 1 minute with your skills.
Hearing Jacqueline¡¯s words, Hannah asked a question.
¡°Does any method matter?¡±
¡°As long as it doesn¡¯t intentionally cause serious harm to the rider. It means that you can go wild as long as you keep the minimum line.¡±
After exining a few more things and having no further questions to answer, Jacqueline said with a smile,
¡°Then, everyone get on board.¡±
¡°Okay-!¡±
At that, everyone got on the Tito of their choice. Abel also squeezed himself into a Tito¡¯s narrow cockpit and ced his hands on the core. Then, Jacqueline shouted.
¡°Initiate synchronization!¡±
Woo-woo!
The Tito¡¯s eyes lit up.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
The mock battlefield was quiterge. Before the battle of the gs began, Jacqueline, along with the other facilitators, arranged the cadets around the battlefield.
¡®l¡¯m in the left corner.¡¯
Abel thought, retracing his steps to figure out where he was. The start signal hadn¡¯t been given yet, so he simply moved the Tito around to get in sync. This was his second time on the Tito, and while it was only one ss above the Midget, it felt quite different.
It was much heavier in motion, but conversely, it was easier to maneuver. Unlike the Midget, which had a bit of a dy, the Tito was more responsive. However, the amount of horsepower consumed was definitely higher. The Midget was a Gigant that could be used even if it had almost no magic power.
Just as Abel was thinking about this and that.
Peeeeee~!
A sharp noise echoed in the distance. It was a signal to announce the start of the exercise. Abel pushed his thoughts aside and scanned his surroundings again.
¡®Let¡¯s see.¡¯
The first thing he noticed was that the surrounding terrain was a forest. It didn¡¯t feel as lush as a natural forest, but it was close enough to resemble one. Abel concentrated and continued to think.
¡®In the game, there¡¯s usually a g at three, nine, or in the center.¡¯
There¡¯s no telling if the game and g locations will be the same, but it¡¯s better than wandering aimlessly.
Since I¡¯m at the 7 o¡¯clock position, I¡¯ll check the 9 o¡¯clock position.
Abel slowly began to move in the direction he¡¯d set.
¡®It¡¯s quiet.¡¯
The Tito was much smaller than Miles, but it makes a pretty loud noise when it moved. That meant there weren¡¯t any other people around right now. But he couldn¡¯t let his guard down.
¡®They could be hiding.¡¯
It was amon tactic in the game. So Abel advanced cautiously with his sword and shield. There is no need to rush. It¡¯s thest minute that counts anyway, and as long as he knows where the g is, he¡¯ll be fine.
After about five minutes and confirming that there was no g at the 9 o¡¯clock position, Abel was heading towards the center when he heard a familiar sound.
Thump, thump, thump!
It was the Gigant¡¯s maneuvering sound. Abel stopped dead in his tracks, crouched low, and looked toward the sound. It wasn¡¯t long before he spotted a bulky figure wielding a vicious war hammer.
¡®It¡¯s Lian,¡¯
He thought, recognizing the gray hair, green eyes, and timid face. You wouldn¡¯t guess it from his appearance, but Lian¡¯s nickname in-game was a perfect fit for the Gigant he was currently riding.
¡®Lian the Berserker.¡¯
He was soft-spoken and timid, but when he fought, he used his thick gloves to push forward. Like a berserker who knows no pain.
¡®He¡¯s running fast.¡¯
Lian seemed to be rushing somewhere. He didn¡¯t seem to be running away. Abel nced at the direction in which Lian was running and soon found a high hill.
¡®You must have seen something.¡¯
That height is the best position to observe below. Fortunately, Abel was in a forested area, so Lian couldn¡¯t see him. Abel made a quick decision and waited for some time before he started chasing after Lian.
Caang! bang!
Not long after Abel started to follow him, he heard the faint sound of metal colliding metal in the distance. The source was in the direction Lian was running. Abel quickly followed, closing the distance. Eventually, they reached a wide open in. Abel didn¡¯t go straight to it but hid behind a nearby tree.
Boom!
As soon as he got there, something flew past him andnded on the ground. Upon closer inspection, it was a Gigant holding a spear and shield.
¡®It¡¯s Daniel.¡¯
Daniel is the only one using the spear and shieldbination. Seeing the deep sword scar on his chest, he seemed to have difficulty moving again.
Abel turned to see who had blown Daniel away like a paper doll, and there stood a figure holding a long, two-handed sword. As he stood there calmly after blowing away the challenger, he recognized the face of the woman who always wore a calm, cool expression.
¡®As expected, it¡¯s loline,¡¯
Infamous Scans
The girl who took the next seat right after Abel. She thought Abel was the most threatening opponent, but also the one she wanted to fight but Abel did not disregard her frivolity. He kept his head down while scanning his surroundings.
Thump, thump, thump-!
Meanwhile, Lian stepped forward to face Ioline, and instead of immediately fighting, the two kept their distance and looked at each other. But they weren¡¯t the only ones in the area.
¡®There were three in total.¡¯
On the other side, there were trees just like the one Abel was currently in, and there was a Tito hiding there as well. It was too far away and half-hidden to tell who it was, but I could make a guess.
It might be June or Hannah. If it were Charlotte, she would have jumped out already. Charlotte is impatient. So it was most likely either June or Hannah. With that thought in mind, Abel slowly picked himself up.
The best way to take the g without causing any damage would be to go for the fishbowl. When they¡¯re done fighting, he¡¯ll just grab the g and run away.
¡®It was amon tactic in the game.¡¯
But it¡¯s not just about winning.
¡®The probability of following the leader¡¯s words will be zero.¡¯
The thought of letting him go is just a joke he throws at himself.
He didn¡¯t intend to, and he shouldn¡¯t. Abel needed to hold down the noses of the proud guys, not just for this exercise, but for the future, and he wasn¡¯t going to make aplicated n from the start.
¡®Whoa,¡¯
Abel let out a long breath, and then, maximizing his coordination, he kicked the ground with all his might.
Woosh~
As Abel began to run, Ioline and Lian¡¯s eyes turned to him, but once they realized he was heading in a different direction, they turned their attention back to each other. Meanwhile, the one hiding and waiting for an opening was panicking. She hadn¡¯t expected the other man to lunge at her, let alone know that she was hiding.
Thud!
Abel closed the gap instantly and swung his sword at the gigant, trying to get up.
Kaaaaang!
However, the sword was blocked by something like a long stick in the middle. Abel recognized his opponent¡¯s identity the moment he saw the stick.
¡®Hannah.¡¯
Hannah is the only one who uses a long ranged weapon called a magic cannon.
¡®Good,¡¯ Abel thought.
Hannah¡¯sbat skills are poor. She might be usefulter, but for now, she was no match for him. Abel forcefully swung his sword again,
Kataang!
Hannah deflected the strike again, but this time her arms iled upward as if she hadn¡¯t fully recovered from the previous impact. Abel saw it, and without hesitation, he thrust his sword at the open chest.
Quack!
With a snap, the sturdy gloves ripped through like paper. Hannah tried to keep herself sturdy but stumbled and fell to the ground. Vital parts around the cockpit were smashed so it¡¯ll never get up again.
¡®That¡¯s it.¡¯
A Gigant is powerful. But it is not invincible. There is a vital point in Gigant, and Abel knew it very well. This is because he has spent his entire career as a Gigant mechanic working under Vulcanus.
¡®Let¡¯s keep going,¡¯ Abel thought, moving again without pause.
There was still plenty of prey left. His next targets were Ioline and Lian, who had just begun to fight. They were fighting excitedly, but when they saw Abel running towards them, they slowly closed the gap between them.
Abel quickly closed the gap between them and approached Lian first. If he charged head-on, the ignorant Warhammer would fly at him, aiming for his Tito.
Kagagagak.
But as if anticipating the attack, Abel kept his body low and slid straight down. Abel¡¯s Tito continued to glide across the ground, and when he reached Lian¡¯s side, he swung his sword.
Kaaang!
The blow shattered one of Lian¡¯s feet. Lian tried to keep his bnce and attack, but Abel was one step ahead. He leaps and stretches out his leg, tripping Lian¡¯s remaining foot.
Boom!
Lian¡¯s Tito fell to the ground. No matter how good your bnce is, you can¡¯t get back up after losing a foot and falling to the ground. And Abel didn¡¯t even give Lian a chance.
Without a moment of hesitation, Abel struck the sword at the¡ª
Quajik!
the head part and it split in half. With this, Lian also got disqualified in the exercise.
Bang!
However, Ioline was still here. While Abel was dealing with Lian, Ioline, who was looking for an opportunity, began to act. She quickly closed the distance between them and stabbed Abel even before he could pull out the sword embedded in Lian¡¯s body.
Whew!
Abel looked like he would be beaten up in the eyes of others. But Abel saw something the others did not. Ioline¡¯s bnce as she swung her sword was drastically off.
¡®Her lower body is off bnce.¡¯
Her Tito was damaged. Given the circumstances, it was likely that she had sustained the damage while fighting Daniel. Even in the middle of this Loline fought well, but battles are won and lost in the blink of an eye, and failing to recognize your own imbnce is particrly deadly. Her upper body was slightly lifted, and her arms are at the wrong angle.
Whoosh-!
The power at the tip of Iolin¡¯s sword was weaker than usual, and Abel let go of the sword without hesitation and crouched down.
Kaga-ga-ga-ga-ga-ga!
¡®If the technique was perfect, would the attack have hit?¡¯
That¡¯s a meaningless assumption at this point. The sword narrowly grazed the back of Abel¡¯s Tito, and taking advantage of that gap, Abel grabbed both legs of Ioline¡¯s Tito and threw it.
Ioline¡¯s Tito lost its center of gravity and crashed head-first into the ground. It wasn¡¯tpletely destroyed, but at a nce, it was apparent that it wasn¡¯t in good shape. The fact that she couldn¡¯t get up immediately was proof of that. The craft was probably unresponsive.
On the other hand, Abel quickly came to his senses and immediately raised his fist. Ioline is clearly a genius, one of the few in the history of the Empire. Only right now, Abel was better than her.
Bang~!
A hard fist mmed into her face.
[To be continued.]
Chapter 17:
Chapter 17:
Fragments of the head parts popped up. Even amidst that, Ioline tried to counterattack somehow, but Abel never gave her a chance.
Bang! Bang! Quaang-!
In the end, after several punches, Ioline¡¯s Tito dropped.
¡®Whoa.¡¯
Abel stood up after confirming that his opponent waspletely incapacitated.
That¡¯s it. With all the damage done to the head part and other vital parts, it would be impossible to get back up.
Abel then checked his Tito.
¡®It¡¯s a wreck.¡¯
He knocked out three people one after another, but he rarely allowed an attack to get to him, but he was not in excellent shape. This is because he made several near-maximal movements in a row. Though he has his shield, he still smashes a solid head with his fist. He was fortunate that his left hand was holding the shield. Otherwise, his hands would have been shattered, along with the head.
Wuung-.
Abel carefully examined the extent of the damage Tito, then picked up the sword again. There was a line of damaged Tito around. No one must have fainted, and they were trying to get out after beingpletely safe ording to the rules. Abel soon turned his attention elsewhere.
¡®Hannah, Lian, and Ioline.¡¯
Counting the ones he had taken down plus Daniel, who Ioline handled, there were a total of four retirees. This means three are left now: Charlotte, May, and June.
¡°Hmmm.¡±
Given his Tito¡¯s unusual condition, Abel would have to move more cautiously. There was nothing worse than trying to impress and then losing. Abel took a step back, trying to figure out where they were. As he wandered around the open meadow, he spotted someone faster than he thought he would.
¡®What?¡¯
Abel realized it was June¡¯s aircraft. Or, more precisely, June¡¯s Tito, broken and lying on the ground. Its entire body was nearly torn to shreds, but the decisive factor was the damage to its chest.
Kaaang!
Abel, who was about to look closer, stopped at the sound he heard from a distance. The sound of fighting came from not too far away.
Kaang-! Thump, thump, thump.
Abel stopped looking and ran toward the sound. The metallic ngs became less frequent until they finally stopped.
¡®It¡¯s over.¡¯
It¡¯s a sign that the battle is over. Not long after Abel traveled toward the sound, he spotted a lone Tito.
Huh-
Damaged fusge and gs littered the ground near the unsteady Tito. The markings on the Tito were simr to those left on June¡¯s Tito. He had expected it to a certain extent, but it was even more surprising to see it in person. It was none other than May who piloted thest remaining Tito. Abel narrowed his brows.
¡®Howe?¡¯
It wasn¡¯t as if May didn¡¯t have her moments in the game. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have beenbeled azy genius, but there was no way she would show off her skills at a theoretical practice in any of her routes.
¡®Didn¡¯t she seem disinterested before the game started?¡¯
Right. Amid Abel¡¯s thoughts, May¡¯s machine moved slowly, and Abel tightened his grip on his sword.
¡±Regardless of your intentions, we must settle this matter now. We can have a conversationter.¡±
May¡¯s weapon is a twin sword. She has the same one-handed sword as Abel, but the reach is shorter than Abel¡¯s.
¡®Once.¡¯
Both May¡¯s Tito and Abel¡¯s Tito were in poor condition. In addition, May¡¯s trick is a series of consecutive attacks that flow like water. It was better to fight together as a team whenever possible. Abel gathered what was left of his strength and ran forward.
Whoosh-!
The gap narrowed, and Abel had no intention of prolonging the battle. Judging from the state of his machine, it must be the same for his opponent. This match will decide the winner. When the distance narrowed enough to reach each other with their arms outstretched, the three swords moved. May¡¯s twin swords aimed at Abel¡¯s chest and head, and at that moment¡¡..
¡®Shadow step.¡¯
Abel¡¯s Tito suddenly came to a halt. He used the skill¡¯s momentum to reverse his charge¡¯s direction. Not expecting that, May¡¯s twin swords cut through the air, and Abel immediately stretched his sword forward. Bang! The sword went through the head. May¡¯s attack was very threatening, as expected, but it meant nothing if she couldn¡¯t hit him.
Abel drew his sword. May¡¯s machine slowly tipped over. Once Abel was sure that May¡¯s aircraft waspletely incapacitated, he picked up the g that had been lying on one side, and then fatigue kicked in.
Even for a Tito-ss gigant, the fatigue was not insignificant. However, along with the fatigue came a thrilling feeling of exhration. After all, he had defeated the other gigants and finally secured victory.
Wooooog-!
In the distance, he heard the sound of a motorized vehicle and saw a few Gigants approaching. It was none other than Jacqueline and the gigant of other facilitators.
¡°You did well!¡± Then came Jacqueline¡¯s cheerful voice, and Abel smiled brightly.
The short battle was over.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
¡°Cadet Abel Klein will be the leader of the simtion. Does anyone have any objections?¡±
No one answered Jacqueline¡¯s question.
The disparity in skill was too great to contest. Hannah and Lian copsed after only a few seconds, and Ioline and May were not far behind. A look of exhaustion and hopelessness washed over their faces. Abel shifted his gaze toward May who was standing diagonally across from him. She was looking at him, too, and their gazes met.
May gave him a puzzled look and pouted her lips.
¡°So, I guess none of you don¡¯t have any.¡±
Jacqueline spoke up again.
¡°You¡¯ve all had a long day, so let¡¯s return and rest.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
¡°Thanks.¡±
They all said goodbye to Jacqueline and then exited the building together. The walk back to the dorms was quiet. Everyone was mulling things over after the battle. Even Abel was silently walking straight ahead. This was because a message was frantically updating in front of him.
[You have seeded in impressing everyone and took the leader position!]
[You have sessfullypleted the first linked quest!]
[Your reward will be enhanced.]
¡®I have sessfully taken the first step of the Main Quest. I¡¯ll receive the reward after Iplete all the linked quests, but it¡¯s nice to know that the reward has been enhanced. Huh, There¡¯s one more thing?¡¯
[Challenge ¡®Win 1 mock match¡¯]
[As a reward, you will receive a ¡°magic candle¡±].
The rewards of small challenges. It wasn¡¯t quite the same as the random skill pack Abel had gotten for facing the fragments of the Colossus, but it was enough to satisfy his immediate goal of increasing his magic power.
¡®When I get back, I¡¯m going to open my skill packs and eat my magic candles right away.¡¯
Just the thought of being able to move forward made his heart flutter. Abel walked excitedly and arrived at the dormitory in no time.
¡°See you on Thursday.¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
The children greeted each other dryly, not yet recovering from the aftermath of the battle, and then went their separate ways. Abel headed for his room. He had no intention of skipping his evening training, and he was eager to see his reward, but before he could set foot in his room, someone called out to him.
¡°Klein.¡±
An unfamiliar voice called out to him. Turning his head, Abel was inwardly surprised to see who had called him.
She has purple hair andnguid eyes. It was May. The reason he thought her voice was unfamiliar was because he hadn¡¯t really heard her speak before. Abel swallowed his embarrassment and answered.
¡°Yes?¡±
Infamous Scans
¡°¡¡that. How do you do that?¡±
¡°That? What are you talking about?¡±
¡®If you say something out of the blue like that, there is no way I can understand it.¡¯
At Abel¡¯s question, May narrowed her eyes, wondering what was wrong with her question before speaking again.
¡°That¡.. thing that goes thump, thump, over here.¡±
May pointed to Abel¡¯s chest. Abel was about to ask again. But at that moment, he was speechless. It was because of the symbol that had appeared recently in that very spot.
¡®What is it?¡¯
¡®What does May see?¡¯
Or¡¡.? His head was spinning. Abel felt her gaze on him, and he opened his mouth to speak.
¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re talking about,¡±
¡°But every time you piloted the Gigant, I saw something strange, and I wanted to check it out for myself.¡±
¡°What exactly did you see?¡±
May tilted her head slightly before continuing.
¡°Something was popping and bursting out from there and getting sucked into the Gigant¡¡¡±
Abel barely swallowed the words that rose to the top of his throat. It was because he couldn¡¯te up with a good answer. May saw the look on Abel¡¯s face and spoke again.
¡°You don¡¯t seem to know much either, let me know when you do.¡±
¡°Uh, okay.¡±
With that, May turned and walked away without hesitation. Abel already knew that May was unusual, but now that he¡¯d actually had a conversation with her, he realized she was even more so than he¡¯d thought.
It sucks.
¡®At least we had a conversation, so that¡¯s a good thing, right?¡¯
Abel walked up the stairs, feeling a little smug.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
The next morning. The first thing Abel did when he got out of the shower after his early morning training session was to check his status. He had a great tool that allowed him to get an objective view of himself.
[Abel]
[Race: Human]
[Body Grade: C]
[Attunement: S]
[Magic power: C]
[Possessed Gigant: ?]
[Skill Overflow, Shadow Step, Double Attack, Beginner Gigant¡ª¡ª.]
The body grade and attunement remained the same. It was natural that the synchronization rate was the same because it¡¯s an S-ss, and it¡¯s not easy to raise, so it¡¯s no wonder it¡¯s the same. Abel¡¯s magic power was the only stat that went up a notch, as it takes work to increase it. Thest time he received a buff as a reward, he trained hard and ate the mana candle he received along the way helped a lot for him.
Compared to the noble children who have been eating good food and training since they were young, they shouldn¡¯t becking much. They would have no problem dealing with Milles freely.
The difference is quite big.
It is challenging to achieve a B grade, just like a body grade, but it is not impossible. Abel will have to keep moving forward.
¡®The new skill I got is pretty good, too.¡¯
¡®The skill section added a ¡°double attack¡± from a random skill pack.¡¯
As the name suggests, it is a skill to attack twice, but it felt like it increased the attack speed instantly. Undoubtedly, it would be advantageous in the real world.
However, one change was more noticeable than the increase in magic power stats or the acquisition of new skill, which was the question mark added next to the possessed gigant.
A question mark is what appears when you have yet to name a gigant. In other words, it meant that Abel¡¯s gigant isplete.
¡®Hopefully, I¡¯ll see you today if things go well.¡¯
The first hour is gigant training. Given that he¡¯d said he¡¯d be training with a real gigant from today, not a training device, there was a good chance his guess was actually right.
Abel smiled, put on his clothes, and headed out the door. He spotted Daniel waiting for him as he walked through the hallway and down the stairs.
¡°Abel,e on, let¡¯s go!¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
Daniel was still energetic after losing so much during their early morning training. Abel came down the stairs and left the building with Daniel.
Abel had barely made it down the stairs when he spotted someone while listening to Daniel¡¯s story with one ear. She had silver hair that glisters in the sun.
It was Ioline.
She wasn¡¯t in the same ss as him and he wasn¡¯t particrly close to her, so he naturally tried to look her way again. Suddenly, Ioline turned her head. She looked at Abel and spoke,
¡°Klein.¡±
¡±Huh?¡±
¡±Can I speak with you after ss today?¡±
Abel replied after a moment of consideration.
¡±Sure, why not¡±.
¡±At the main hall at eight o¡¯clock.¡± With that, Ioline turned and walked away.
The image of May from yesterday shed through my mind.
¡®They¡¯re both acting strange.¡¯ He wondered what it was about these two people who rarely talked to him.
¡°What?¡± Daniel asked, his eyes widening in surprise at the suddenness of Ioline speaking to Abel.
Abel replied taking another step
¡°What¡±?
¡°Are you close to her?¡±
¡°No.¡±
¡°Then what is it? Hmm? Maybe¡¡¡±
¡°If you¡¯re about to say something that¡¯s nonsense, we won¡¯t train anymore.¡±
Daniel was about to say something but immediately shut his mouth at those words.
They walked to the lecture in silence. The location of the first ss was very familiar. This is because there is only one ce where first-year students can freely practice their gigants. A vast empty lot that Abel calls the yground. More than ten gigant were lying there
¡®Looking at it, it¡¯s very spacious.¡¯
Whenever Abel saw this, he never got tired of seeing the scale of the academy. As he walked in, he saw a person that resembled a gori.
¡°Now! Ten people are here.¡±
There were still about 5 minutes left, but the gori-like instructor smiled. It was Karl. Initially, he had been assigned to the second years in the game, but by special order from the principal, he was reassigned to the first years.
¡®I was a bit surprised at first.¡¯
¡®For now, I¡¯ll let it go because a lot has changed. Honestly, when ites to surprises, I¡¯m more surprised that May and Ioline spoke to each other every day.¡¯
Above all, it was one of the lying Gigant that caught Abel¡¯s attention.
Karl looked at the cadets and spoke,
¡°Today is gigant practice! That means all of you are finally going to ride your own gigant! You¡¯ve all learned something. It¡¯s time to showcase your skills.¡±
I hope I don¡¯t look too bad?¡±
Karl continued without waiting for an answer.
¡°First of all, each of you should go stand in front of your Gigant. Abel,e here!¡±
Abel walked right up to him. Karl smirked at him as he approached.
¡°I suppose you know why I called?¡±
¡°Is my gigant finished?¡±
¡°Yes. That¡¯s the one you were looking at. Go closer and see.¡±
Abel¡¯s gaze has been fixed on one ce even before Karl called him. As soon as he received permission, he rushed straight there.
The Gigant lying on the floor were all the same Milles ss, but they didn¡¯t look the same. That¡¯s why. Abel was able to find his easily.
¡°Wow.¡±
An exmation burst from my mouth. Its entire body was coated in ck, with a wolf symbol clearly etched on its left shoulder de. Abel slowly scanned the Gigant¡¯s body. The armor wasn¡¯t very thick, as it was designed for mobility, and it had graceful curves everywhere. There were special parts for the back, head, and feet.
¡®The Scarlet trio set.¡¯
This was the armament Scarlet had promised. Part of him wanted to jump on board and check it out himself. But first, Abel remembered what he had prepared for this moment. The name he¡¯de up with for his second gigant.
¡°Lupus.¡±
Lupus. It meant wolf and was the name of his favorite Gigant in the game.
[The name of the possessed gigant will be changed to ¡°Lupus¡±].
As soon as he thought about it, the message came to mind. When Abel checked his status window, it revealed that his gigant was already registered with the name Lupus. Abel looked at his Gigant with excitement. Then, Karl spoke from behind him.
¡±Do you like it?¡±
¡±Yes.¡±
¡±That¡¯s nice.¡± Karl nodded and ced his hand on Abel¡¯s shoulder.
¡°Today¡¯s ss will be aimed at moving, standing and, walking.¡±
¡°Oh, okay.¡± Abel nodded, though he couldn¡¯t figure out why he only came to tell him.
Karl spoke in a warm voice to Abel.
¡°But not you.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°You already know how to do it.¡±
Abel turned his head slightly and saw the human gori smiling unpleasantly.
¡°You will have special training with me.¡±
The moment he said special training, the gori¡¯s psoas major muscle twitched. And Abel felt a sense of foreboding.
[To be continued.]
Chapter 18:
Chapter 18:
The number of teaching assistants was much higher thanst time. Even more, than cadets taking sses. This was because, unlike thest time, the number of gigants prepared was ten. A cadet who is not yet familiar with a gigant could have a severe ident while training.
¡°You understand what I mean, don¡¯t you?¡±
¡°Yes?¡± Karl said kindly while patting Abel¡¯s shoulder.
¡°So that means I don¡¯t have much to do.¡±
Abel smiled awkwardly. He was not wrong. Gigant training teaches you about the overall Gigant operation, but at the beginning of the lesson, Karl, the teacher in charge, has little to do.
¡®At least everyone should be able to get up and walk around to proceed properly.¡¯
Until then, it¡¯s up to the assistant to do the heavy job, which means there¡¯s no way Abel can escape Karl.
¡°You don¡¯t seem to like it, do you?¡± Karl asked Abel, who was smiling awkwardly.
¡°Of course not. The special training is an honor.¡± Abel spoke as smoothly as if his mouth had been greased.
Karl smirked again and nodded.
¡°Now, get in first.¡±
With that, Abel walked toward Lupus¡¯s core. It was a little unnerving to be suddenly given a special lesson, but Abel didn¡¯t feel bad about it. That was because his gigant was lying right in front of him.
¡®Well, at least he won¡¯t make me do anything weird in ss,¡¯
Abel decided to think positively. Karl might be a bit hot-tempered, but he had solid skills. He was one of the best Gigant riders in the world, so getting special training from him is an excellent opportunity.
Arriving at the cockpit of the gigant, Abel looked up at his own gigant.
¡®Lupus.¡¯
When he thought about the name, it thrilled his body. If it weren¡¯t for Karl watching from behind, Abel would have stared, stunned.
Abel swallowed his disappointment and climbed into the cockpit with the aid of an auxiliary device. The cockpit was opened beforehand, but Lupus wasn¡¯t since this was a personalized gigant; it had its own lock. Knowing this, Abel cautiously ced his palm on the outer cockpit glove.
Wooooo!
A blue light rippled out from the center of the circle. The light that spread into a circle converged in a single point, and with a low vibration sound, the armor surrounding the cockpit split open from side to side. It opened by recognizing Abel¡¯s unique magic pattern. Abel stepped into the cockpit with a slightly reddened face.
¡°Hmm.¡±
The interior was simr to the Milles he¡¯d ridden before. Unlike the exterior, which was outfitted with additional armament, the interior remained the same as the basic specifications. But that didn¡¯t make it any less satisfying. Abel smiled and ced both hands on the inner core.
¡®Slowly¡¡¯
It was a nerve-wracking and exciting moment, and he needed to be extra careful because this would be the moment he would imprint his first presence on his Gigant.
Wooo-
He began to draw magic power from deep within his body which was being sucked into the core of the gigant. The mana raced toward the power source inside the Gigant.
Abel¡¯s infusion was a spark to restart the sleeping giant¡¯s heart. His magic power which circled the power source increased further and then returned to Abel in more significant quantities. Abel continued to supply it with more magic power. And an endless cycle continued to form between Abel and his Gigant.
¡°Aaah¡¡.¡±
Abel gasped as he felt his senses expand instantly, and he instinctively began to increase his tuning.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The sound of his heartbeat echoed like thunder. Abel¡¯s mind left his frail human body and upied the metal gigant. Abel called out the giant¡¯s name.
¡°Lupus.¡±
Woof!
A green glow sparkled in Lupus¡¯s empty eyes.
Coooong!
Then, Lupus slowly moved his arms and pushed himself up.¡
Coong!
A series of vibrations caused everyone to turn their heads and stare at Lupus as he rose to his feet. The quick synchronization and smooth movements elicited admiration from their mouths.
¡°Whoa.¡±
Abel let out the breath he¡¯d been holding only after he¡¯d helped Lupus to his feet.
Even though it was built to standard specifications, it differed from thest Milles he¡¯d driven. After all, Gigants are handmade.
¡®But it feels different.¡¯
Even if it wasn¡¯tpletely custom-made, the feeling was distinctly different. It felt like it fit better.
Kaatong kung-.
While he was thinking about that with a flushed face, another machine approached him. It was a featureless machine simr to the one he had used for practice before. But Abel immediately recognized who was riding in it. It¡¯s because the level was different just by looking at the movement.
¡°Abel.¡± Karl¡¯s voice rang out.
Abel also responded by maneuvering his Gigant.
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Your special training for today is simple,¡± Karl said to Abel in a cheerful voice and continued, ¡°Roll until the ss is over.¡±
The unfounded prediction wasn¡¯t missed.
¡®Karl was the most physically demanding of all teachers¡¡.¡¯
For a moment, Abel saw his future rolling frantically in front of his eyes for a moment, and then, Karl spoke again,
¡°But it¡¯s a bit weird just rolling on the floor, right? So, I¡¯ll give you a chance.¡±
¡°A chance?¡±
¡°Yes. If you somehow manage to hit me once, I¡¯ll let you skip the special training.¡±
Karl said wickedly, ¡°But if you try and fail, you¡¯ll roll twice as hard.¡±
It was the devil¡¯s temptation. Abel didn¡¯t know it, but several seniors had fallen prey to this temptation and suffered catastrophic muscle soreness. He devised a trick because many cadets resisted the idea of just rolling. You can say it wasn¡¯t your choice after you try and fail.
Karl asked Abel gently, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to check how good your machine is?¡±
Infamous Scans
He was right. It¡¯s tough to control the curiosity and excitement about the newly acquired gigant and stand still. Honestly, it was like torture. Of course, Abel knew very well what Karl meant when he said that. It was a scene from the game.
¡°Yes. I will challenge you.¡± Nevertheless, Abel did not hesitate long. If Karl hadn¡¯t asked first, he might have asked to challenge him first. This was because he wanted to see how much power he currently had.
Karl spoke in a satisfied voice, ¡°I thought so.¡±
Abel could imagine Karl grinning like a gori, even though he was clearly in his gigant.
¡°Come this way.¡±
The training area for gigants wasrge enough that they didn¡¯t have to move to another location. In the first ce, it is only natural that the teacher in charge must stay in the training area. After putting some reasonable distance between the other gigants, the two faced each other at some distance apart.
Karl spoke again, ¡°If you show outstanding skill, you¡¯ll be able to learn more, experience more, and gain more.¡±
¡°Alright.¡±
¡°I¡¯m going to stand still here. Let¡¯s take it easy first. Don¡¯t use additional armaments.¡±
Karl stretched his arms downward.
¡°Attack me.¡±
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
Karl was a Gigant Rider active during thetter part of the Great War. At the height of his active duty, he drove the Millitome ss, which was the pride of the empire, and even now, when he retired from the front lines and served as a teacher, he still holds the Centurio ss.
¡®That¡¯s just a training aircraft.¡¯
However, the current Karl was only using a training gigant. Perhaps the performance or output of the gigant itself is below average. But¡ the sense of intimidation he felt from Karl was not ordinary even though he was just standing there defenseless. It was like looking at a huge wall. He saw no gap to attack.
¡°Whoa.¡± Abel let out a long breath.
He wasn¡¯t going to deny the pressure. It was only natural to feel pressured. No matter how talented he was, this was only the second time Abel had faced a Milles.
Karl, on the other hand, was an absolute veteran, so the overwhelming difference in skill was natural. The important thing is to embrace that difference and never let it bring him down. Abel will just have to keep going, knowing that someday, not too long from now, he¡¯ll be able to go over that wall.
Abel moved his machine slowly. As if stretching, he carefully checked the condition of it before settling into his stance. Even if the difference was much, he wasn¡¯t going to give up that easily.
Woof!
As he pushed his mana all the way into the core, Lupus vibrated finely. After pushing his mana to the limit, he began moving without any warning.
Kwang-!
The gigant shot forward with a loud bang. Explosive speed and power utilizing a different level of synchronization were his main weapons. In addition, using the Shadow Step, the distance shortened in an instant.
Abel tightly gripped Lupus, who was trying to get out of his control. Karl¡¯s fusge was right in front of him.
Whoosh!
Just when Abel thought his attack might work¨C
Boom!
Karl¡¯s arm mmed into Abel¡¯s arm, it was a swift and concise move and Abel quickly took a defensive stance.
¡°Not bad.¡±
However, instead of attacking Abel¡¯s vulnerability, Karl spoke in a calm voice.
¡°Try using one of your extra armaments. You can use more, but using several armaments at once will be hard anyway.¡±
This isn¡¯t meant to belittle Abel. It was just good advice. It¡¯smon knowledge that even the most experienced gigant riders need time to adjust to new armament.
¡°¡ Alright,¡± Abel nodded and stepped back slightly.
He had expected it, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel frustrated that his attack had been blocked so easily. He¡¯d hoped to give him at least a surprise attack, even if he couldn¡¯t knock him out. However, his thoughts might have changed if he¡¯d known Karl¡¯s intention.
¡®This is no joke.¡¯
Karl was surprised. What he was trying to teach Abel was humility. There have been countless cases where people of great talent were consumed by arrogance and pride. Abel had a reputation for being chosen by the hero Alon even before he entered the school. He needed to make sure he killed his spirit.
He dodged with a simple upper-body movement,
¡®That sucks.¡¯
But Abel¡¯s attack was faster and more threatening than when he¡¯d first seen it. He has grown so much in just a week.
¡®Get a grip.¡¯
Karl resumed his stance, remembering the purpose of this training. He would have to be alert if he was going to teach this boy a proper lesson.
Karl spoke in a rxed tone to hide his excitement over what happened,
¡°If you seed in hitting me just once, I will grant you a wish in addition to your exemption from physical training.¡±
¡°Okay.¡± Abel nodded and inspected the additional pieces. The Scarlet Trio set are all excellentbat aids as long as you use them well.
¡°Hmph.¡± Abel took a long breath and concentrated, his stance lower than before. He was more focused on maintaining his stability than speed.
This was because if he made a wrong move, he might fall. The eyes of cadets and instructors in the room were all looking his way, but Abel¡¯s attention was focused on Karl, who was in front of him.
¡®Just one hit¡¯
It wasn¡¯t the wish that mattered now. A huge wall? A huge difference in skills that can¡¯t be ovee? None of that mattered. Overthinking will only slow him down. So he kept it simple.
¡®I¡¯m going to hit you in the face somehow.¡¯
Whatever it took to hit that gori at all costs, that was all that mattered. As soon as Abel was determined, he kicked the ground. So far, it was the same as before. No, he was slower because of his stance. But when his other foot hits the floor.
Whoosh!
The additional armament, ¡®Blessing of the Wind,¡¯ attached to the back of his foot, unleashed a powerful thrust, propelling Lupus straight forward. It was an off-bnce armament, but he¡¯d already lowered his stance to prepare for it, so it didn¡¯t matter much.
Now, with the addition of the Shadow Step, he can attack twice as fast as before, but simply being faster isn¡¯t going to cut it against Karl. So he uses the Overflow skill and his second armament at the same time.
Boom!
Headpiece ¡®Sage¡¯s Crown¡¯. It rises like antennae on each side of his head and maximizes the performance of his sensory organs. It allows him to see better, and even predict where to attack and where attacks wille from.
Thebined effects of Overflow and Sage¡¯s Crown temporarily slowed down time. The strain on his body intensified, causing blood to trickle from his nose, but Abel didn¡¯t care because Karl¡¯s gigant was right in front of him.
Whoosh, whoosh!
As Abel¡¯s fist extended forward, Karl reacted almost instantly. He stretched out his arm to try and block Abel¡¯s attack with a fantastic reaction speed. But if it continues like this, it is apparent that he will eventually get hit. In a fraction of a second, Abel made his next move. He didn¡¯t pause. He just kept throwing punches repeatedly.
¡®Double attack.¡¯
His left arm bounced off like a spring just before his right fist was blocked. Karl, who had already moved to m his fist into Abel¡¯s side, swerved quickly.
Bang!
He couldn¡¯t avoid Abel¡¯s fist from hitting his chin. The ident, which was elerated with the sound of impact, returned sharply to normal, and a splitting headache and sticky fatigue hit Abel.
There was zero magic power left in his body. He had poured everything he had into that one blow. Abel resisted the desire to lie down immediately and said to Karl, who slowly lowered his head,
¡°Now¡ Can I tell you my wish?¡±
[To be continued.]
Chapter 19:
Chapter 19:
The moment Abel struck Karl¡¯s body. Except for a few cadets, everyone saw the scene, and no one was surprised. They talked to each other with awkward smiles, trying to understand what happened.
¡°Did he get hit on purpose?¡±
¡°I guess he did. He must have gone easy on him because he¡¯s a freshman, right?¡±
¡±I guess so. Maybe?¡±
No one had a definitive answer to the question because it was such a fantastic sight. But there was one stunned person in the room¡ªthe person who was punched in the jaw by Abel. Karl.
¡®I couldn¡¯t avoid it?¡¯
Karl had been a bit defensive the first time, but he wasn¡¯t this time. He realized that his opponent was far beyond the level of an average freshman, and he was cautious. However, unlike the first time, when he managed to deflect the attack, he took a solid punch to the jaw this time.
Of course, the condition was highly unfavorable to Karl. He was in an uncoordinated, underpowered training gigant, a Miles-ss that couldn¡¯t possibly carry his full specifications. Moreover, he didn¡¯t move from the spot, so it was impossible to avoid him altogether.
But what does that mean?
¡®That¡¯s right.¡¯
The difference in skill between Karl and Abel was noticeable. If he fought properly, he¡¯d win ten times out of ten. The sheer amount of experience meant that the freshman¡¯s attack shouldn¡¯t have hit him, no matter the condition. Karl slowly opened his heavily closed mouth.
¡°Abel.¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Your talent is real.¡±
Only his voice came through since he was inside the gigant, but he was definitely serious.
¡°I¡¯ll teach you many things in the near future. So, that your talents can bloom splendidly.¡±
Karl was a teacher at the academy and had seen many people considered geniuses. But it was the first time he had said such a thing to anyone. He was convinced that this young boy would be one of the pirs supporting the empire in the future.
Abel responded seriously to his words, ¡°So, is my wish really possible? Can I wish for objects or something like that?¡±
Karl paused at the question, and Abel looked at Karl suspiciously and asked.
¡°¡You weren¡¯t trying to be sneaky, were you?¡±
¡°How could I?¡± Karl answered Abel¡¯s question hastily, then spoke barely audibly.
¡°It¡¯s just that¡ as long as it¡¯s not too expensive.¡±
It was a statement full of sincerity.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
Karl was not the kind of man to be offended by being outmaneuvered. Instead, it was quite the opposite. He admired Abel¡¯s talent and recognized it. In addition, Abel said he would just do the physical training he was exempted from.
It would be challenging, but Abel was pretty disappointed with his strength. Karl, who was a little downcast, gave him some tips and tricks. It was almost like he was tutoring him until the ss was over. It was pretty informative.
¡°You¡¯re following along better than I thought. You¡¯ve worked hard.¡±
After the hellish training, Karl tapped Abel on the shoulder and smirked. Karl¡¯s white teeth sparkled and shone.
¡°Have you thought of a wish?¡±
¡°Go¡¡±
Abel let the words slip out unconsciously, exhausted, and then hastily shut his mouth. He almost said his real intention.
¡°Go? Go what?¡±
¡°Oh, I was going to say thanks for teaching me. I¡¯ll take my time to think about a wish.¡±
¡°Okay. For now, rest over there. I¡¯ll dismiss the ss as soon as I¡¯m done organizing.¡±
Fortunately, Karl didn¡¯t probe further but shuffled off to one side. Abel watched his back. He could see the sore muscles of his back working through the tight clothing.
¡®I¡¯d get in trouble if I asked him if I could call him a gori.¡¯
It was part of the achievement, but it didn¡¯t feel right.
¡®I¡¯ll have to think about it more,¡¯ Abel thought, turning his head to one side as he considered what to wish for.
Kugugung-
Abel could see gigants being moved one after another. Since the gigants were stored away and only brought out for ss, his Lupus had been moved as well. Abel bit his lip in disappointment. He could not keep that thing parked next to his dorm. Part of him wanted to ride it more, but he was on the verge of exhaustion, and he could do nothing about it.
¡°Good job, everyone. Next time, I¡¯ll expect you all to at least learn to walk with the gigant, so think about how you can move better. Take other sses as well.¡±
With that, Mr. Karl dismissed the ss. Abel waved goodbye to the other cadets and started to walk away.
¡°Abel, are you going to your dorm?¡±
¡°Uh, I¡¯m dying. I¡¯m going toy down for a bit.¡±
Luckily, there was time until the next ss, so he could get some rest. Daniel chattered beside him about how tired he was, but Abel neatly ignored him and continued with his thoughts.
¡®I need to work harder on my physical strength,¡¯ He thought, feeling a little disappointed that he¡¯d been able to ride a Miles-ss Gigant.
It was even more so considering the goal. It¡¯s not possible to take the top spot for all four years with ordinary efforts because there was no one less talented here. It wasn¡¯t just about the symbolism of taking the top ce.
¡®Actually, the things I wish for the most are the rewards.¡¯
Del Mordor Academy invests generously in those who excel: armor, airframe upgrades, and even visions. No spec is too powerful to be without. Thinking of the future, one must be strong by mobilizing everything they know.
¡®Didn¡¯t Lupus also get it because he took the top spot?¡¯
As his mind raced, he suddenly remembered something he¡¯d forgotten.
¡®Wasn¡¯t that tomorrow¡¡?¡¯
He yed this game like crazy, but he didn¡¯t remember everything. Usually, Abel would think about something other than the bolded information, and then it would pop into his head, as it did now.
The day after the protagonist gets his first gigant, an incident urs, and a special ss is organized. He thought about it a bit more and realized the timing was simr.
¡±Oh, I have an all-day theory ss tomorrow. My head hurts already.¡±
Infamous Scans
Daniel was talking intently, even as Abel gave him a curt reply. Abel nced at him and said.
¡°Your head won¡¯t hurt as much tomorrow.¡±
¡°Huh? What are you talking about?¡±
¡°How sure are you?¡± Daniel asked persistently, but Abel ignored him again.
Shortly afterward, the two arrived at the dormitory, and Abel was eager to return to his room. But there was an unexpected figure in the hall. It was Loline again. When she spotted Abel, she walked right up to him and said.
¡°By any chance, can we talk now? I got out of ss earlier than I thought.¡±
Abel nodded. Though a little tired, he had no problem talking for a while.
¡°Sure.¡±
¡°Then¡ let¡¯s go somewhere a little quieter.¡±
Daniel¡¯s eyes widened next to him. Anyone who saw him would think that Abel was talking to him.
¡°Uh, Daniel, I guess I¡¯ll see youter.¡±
Abel spoke to Daniel and walked along with Loline. When they arrived at a moderately deserted area, Loline stopped and looked at Abel. Abel tensed inwardly and nced at Loline.
¡°What did you want to talk to me about?¡±
He had felt Loline¡¯s gaze asionally and was unwittingly nervous, wondering if she had sensed something like May had.
¡°That¡¯s¡¡±
Loline fumbled with her words a few times, looking uncharacteristically nervous before finally speaking.
¡°I was wondering how I could learn how to control Gigant well?¡± Her tone was stiff, but there was a sense of desperation. Her words surprised Abel because he didn¡¯t expect it at all.
¡®Loline needs my help?¡¯
Although this was the first time he¡¯d ever spoken to her in person, he knew she wasn¡¯t the type to ask for help easily, especially when it was from a ssmate she¡¯d never spoken to before.
¡°Gigants?¡±
¡°Yes¡±
¡°Why me?¡±
She answered Abel¡¯s question calmly, ¡°The entrance exams, the mock battles, and what I¡¯ve heard, if not seen. Your talent is on a different level from the others.¡±
¡°¡¡.Wouldn¡¯t you be better off learning from the instructors, considering your skills?¡±
Although Abel thinks he¡¯s talented, this was Del Mordor Academy. Among the teachers, there are many outstanding Gigant Riders, and while Abel may be able to learnter, he¡¯s not quite at their level right now. It wasn¡¯t as if the teachers here were particrly reluctant to have a cadet ask for instruction; they were more likely to be overjoyed, like Karl. Loline didn¡¯t answer his question right away.
¡°That¡¯s¡¡± Loline bit her lip, unsure what to say, and then spoke, ¡°If you advise me on how to control a gigant, I¡¯ll help you with your mana management.¡±
Abel looked at her instead of asking questions again. Unless he was an idiot, he could see that there was a reason why Loline couldn¡¯t tell him why she was asking him for help, although he didn¡¯t necessarily have to grant her request¡¡.
¡°Alright, then.¡±
There¡¯s no reason to turn the deal down if it is tempting. If nothing else, Loline¡¯s talent for mana management was definitely above Abel¡¯s, and it was good that she was one of the people Abel had initially tried to build a friendship with.
¡®I¡¯ll have to find out why she asked for help gradually.¡¯
Loline¡¯s face lit up at Abel¡¯s eptance. Perhaps because she had no original expression, she lookedpletely different when she smiled.
¡°Thank you. So, are you free tomorrow evening?¡±
¡°Tomorrow? I don¡¯t think so. Let¡¯s make it the day after tomorrow.¡±
If Abel recalled correctly, there would be no time for personal training tomorrow. Loline nodded at Abel¡¯s words, thanked him again, and turned to leave. Abel stood there momentarily before he, too, headed for his room.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
Knock knock.
Abel¡¯s eyes snapped open at the sound of someone knocking on his door. He blinked a few times and stared at the ceiling, and then the knock came again, but this time around, it was more vicious.
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Assemble in the main hall in twenty minutes.¡±
It was the voice of the inspector.
¡°Understood.¡±
There was no reply after that. Abel got out of bed and went straight to the shower.
Ten minutes had passed by the time he got out and got dressed. Abel quickly dried his hair with a towel, opened the door, and headed out.
He looked out through the window in the hallway and saw the dim dormitory garden. Abel padded down the hallway and took the stairs at the end to the ground floor.
¡°Cadet Abel Klein.¡±
Tania, who was waiting for him on the ground floor, called out his name.
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Since you¡¯re the first to arrive, that¡¯s three points.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡± Abel bowed his head and stood in front of Tania.
Tania checked something off on a piece of paper and looked up at Abel.
¡°Don¡¯t you want to know what¡¯s going on?¡¯
She didn¡¯t say anything the day before, but he quickly got ready and came out, so it was rather odd that he hadn¡¯t asked her any questions. She must have felt that he would ask.
Abel replied calmly, ¡°I thought something was going on.¡±
¡°¡..I see. I¡¯ll exin the details when everyone else is here.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
Abel had a good idea of what was happening, so he stood still and waited. About a minuteter, he saw Daniel rushing down the stairs. Daniel tried to say hello loudly as usual but bowed calmly as he realized it was still dawn.
¡°Come this way and stand.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
The cadets kept appearing one after another. Loline, Hannah, June, Lian. They were all special ss students. Thest people to appear were Charlotte and May, but to be exact, Charlotte appeared carrying May at her back.
¡°¡¡. May didn¡¯t wake up,¡± Charlotte said in a small voice at the stares directed at her.
Only after arriving at the ground floor did May wake up mumbling and standing on her two feet. When Tania saw that everyone was gathered, she spoke up.
¡°You will not be attending regr sses today,¡±
At those words, curiosity shed in everyone¡¯s eyes.
Tania continued calmly, ¡°There is transportation waiting for us in front of the dormitory, so we will take it and return around 10 in the evening.¡±
¡°Where are we going?¡± Lian asked cautiously, and Tania looked at him.
¡°Just this morning, special permission has been granted.¡± Her tone went beyond calm to nd.
¡°Permission to enter the Wall of Glory, that is.¡±
The wall of glory. The Great Shield of the Empire and the starting point of the main scenario. The start of the offensive was a sign that the scenario was starting to roll in earnest.
¡°There you will learn exactly what a colossus is and how it works on the front lines.¡± Tania¡¯s ne voice brought tension to everyone¡¯s faces.
Why Abel himself had given up afortable life and worked himself to death, and what made him feel insecure¨Cthe answers were all on the wall of glory.
And also, that¡¯s where the yer is first put on the brink of a bad ending. Abel¡¯s future will remain the same if there is not much difference. However, there is more than one predestined future.
Crisis or opportunity.
Abel saw two paths.
[To be continued.]
Chapter 20:
Chapter 20:
The Cadets, including Tania and Abel, were driven out of the Academy in a vehicle that resembled a car, it was spacious enough for ten people, and its speed was much faster than that of a carriage. The interior of the vehicle was tranquil. The atmosphere was somber, and no one spoke. But the silence didn¡¯tst very long.
¡°I¡¡¡±
It was in the quiet atmosphere that Daniel mustered up the courage to speak.
¡°Isn¡¯t it impossible to visit the Wall of Glory in general? I heard it¡¯s an important military facility¡¡±
Tania simply answered Daniel¡¯s question.
¡°In general, yes. However, cadets of the Del Mordor Academy are an exception. You will be on the front line as Gigant Riders in the future.¡±
When she finished her words, a more profound silence descended than before. Not surprisingly, the tension in the cadets¡¯ faces intensified; The name ¡®Wall of Glory¡¯ carried significant weight.
¡®The Wall of Glory itself is a battlefield,¡¯
Abel recalled the in-game information. For generations, the cadets of the Special ss have been taken on a field trip to the Wall of Glory at the beginning of the semester as a ¡®wake-up call.¡¯
The Wall of Glory is a massive barrier that repels enemies from entering the Empire, and many battles have been fought there.
¡®Maybe a battle is going on even today.¡¯
Those who live within its high walls don¡¯t even realize it, but this world is never at peace. That¡¯s why the cadets visit the Wall of Glory at the beginning of the semester. Cadets will realize the weight of being a Gigant Rider by touring there.
Of course, we can¡¯t hurt the talent of the academy who haven¡¯t learned anything yet, so it ends at the level of a field trip; this means that the chances of anything dangerous happening are slim to none.
¡®But this time, it¡¯s different.¡¯
Usually, things sometimes turn out differently than expected. In the game, an unexpected crisis arises during a field trip that puts the cadets in great danger. And it¡¯s not just for show, either.
¡®There are three bad endings here alone.¡¯
The slightest mishap and the game ends with the death of the main characters. It was only natural for Abel to feel so nervous. But that¡¯s not all there is to the game.
¡®With every crisises opportunity and reward.¡¯
That¡¯s what the game is all about. If you handled the crisis well, you could get a bigger reward than usual. Abel reviewed the n, pulling out the bits of information he knew with aplex expression. How long had it been, he wondered, as the horsepower vehicle gradually slowed down before it finally stopped.
¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡±
They had arrived at their destination.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
Del Modore Academy is thoroughly elitist. First, depending on your ability, there is a noticeable difference in treatment and support. Only forty students are ced in the upper ss, where they are taught how to use a gigant properly, and from that upper ss, the top eight students are selected and organized for a special ss. It is said to be a skill meritocracy.
¡®That¡¯s why the special sses have many more opportunities,¡¯ Abel thought as he looked around, ¡®Like today¡¯s visit to the Wall of Glory.¡¯
This was a benefit that other cadets could not enjoy. Later, the entire first grade woulde on a field trip, but there¡¯s a big difference between 8 and 40 people moving.
¡°This way!¡±
The Cadets disembarked from their transportation, and uniformed soldiers weed them. At the soldier¡¯s gesture, the cadets nervously walked over. They were now directly in front of the Wall of Glory, but the wall was not visible because another building covered it.
¡°You can go inside here.¡± The soldier ushered the cadets in with a firm but caring demeanor.
¡®The atmosphere is still nice.¡¯ Abel thought as he walked, taking in his surroundings. He could see people bustling about, but it was pretty decent. It proved that nothing significant had happened yet.
Not long after walking down the gray corridor, he saw a door in the distance. Arriving at the front of the door, the soldier spoke up.
¡°When you go through that door, be aware of your surroundings. If you look away, you might get into an ident.¡±
The soldier gave a few more words of caution, then reached for the doorknob. The door slowly opened and¡ Noise flew through the open doorway and burrowed into their ears without warning.
¡°Moving stuff in direction N2!¡±
¡°We¡¯re transporting a damaged aircraft!¡±
Kaaaaaaaah! Thump! Thump!
The shouting, the rumbling of the ground, and the harsh sound of something exploding. It wasn¡¯t close, but enough to make them feel threatened. The cadets shrank naturally, but the soldier spoke in a calm voice.
¡°It¡¯s just a loud noise and not a big deal. Now, follow me,¡± He said, not very convincingly. However, when the soldier began to take the lead, they had no choice but to follow him.
Shortly after walking along with the soldier, the cadets looked ahead with their mouths wide open in amazement. And there, right in front of them, was a wall. A wall of enormous length and height, which is not enough to be described as gigantic.
¡°This is the Wall of Glory.¡±
The soldier standing at the front spread his hands wide and spoke. It was a pretty exaggerated gesture, but no one cared about it. It was because the pressure of the wall in front of them was overwhelming. The Wall of Glory. This was the closest battlefield to the empire¡¯s capital and the barrier that protected the capital.
p-!
¡°Now,e this way.¡± The soldier pped his hands to clear the air, then began to lead the cadets again.
¡°You must follow carefully. There is danger¡¡¡±
Thud!
Infamous Scans
The soldier¡¯sst words were drowned out by the explosion that immediately followed. Theyould see dozens of Milles moving in a line at a short distance, followed by several many Titos.
Abel turned slightly and saw dozens of broken Titos being moved to one side. The cadets, at first stunned by the noise and the atmosphere around them, watched the enormous amount of gigant moving around with sparkling eyes.
¡°This is where the gigants are waiting.¡±
The soldier led the cadets at a pace that was neither fast nor slow, introducing them to the base inside the Wall of Glory.
¡°This is where damaged gigants are immediately repaired. There are dozens of craftsmen waiting to repair them and then send them back to¡¡¡±
There was fighting outside, but it was hard to feel the atmosphere properly by wandering around this ce, which was structurally built. However, sending special ss cadets here at the academy was for more than just sightseeing. After about an hour of walking around and exining things, the soldier gave them a 10-minute break and pointed to one side.
¡°Now we¡¯re going to climb up there.¡±
They reached a tower close to the wall, which was high enough to see over the wall from the top.
¡°We¡¯ll climb this.¡±
The tower was obviously built for practical purposes, and once inside, they were greeted with crude stone stairs and gray walls. The stairs to the top were very steep, but fortunately, the soldier walked to the elevator next to it. A mage waiting inside the elevator approached and put magic into the power source.
Woosh-
The elevator, carrying more than ten people, quickly rose to the top and, shortly after that, came to a halt with another humping sound. The soldier at the front walked forward as soon as the elevator stopped.
They arrived at the top floor, which was crudely furnished with tables, chairs, and observation devices. To one side of the room were rows of deactivated Titos, and a round orb was nearby. Abel stared at it, then leaned forward.
¡°This is it.¡±
The soldier walked straight ahead, stopping in front of arge ss window. It would be no ordinary ss, for this was a ce.
Abel and the cadets walked over and looked over. A huge Gigant stood before the wall of glory, notparable to a Miles ss, and beyond the wall was a sea of silver.
¡°Ah¡¡.¡±
Someone sighed. It hadn¡¯t been long ago that they had felt intimidated by the de tail. Now, there it was, a tidal wave of fragments of the Colossus, like the ded tail. But there was something even more terrifying than the enormous number of monsters.
A giant god.
The enemies of mankind, catastrophes, and natural disasters were there¡ªa massive body with a height of 16m. Silver armor covering its entire body.A reddish glow emanates from where the eyes are likely to be located. Some even express doubts about the name itself.
Why can only monsters be called gods?
However, they wouldn¡¯t dare say such a thing if they had seen the giant for those giants who show their godlike powers, no name better suited than the name giant gods.
¡°They still pose a great threat to humanity.¡± Standing behind the cadets who could not take their eyes off the window, Tania spoke, ¡°Some say that if the giants had proper intellect, mankind would have already perished.¡±
¡°Uh, that¡ doesn¡¯t it have intelligence?¡± Lian asked in a slightly frightened voice.
¡°Yes. They do not move with a clear purpose. They drift across the continent like natural disasters.¡± Tania responded firmly as if to appease Lian.
Her words were alsomon knowledge here. Most giants are located in the far east; only a few have escaped and stirred the continent. But it wasn¡¯t true. Only Abel knows the truth.
Giants have proper intellect. They think and act just like humans. The continental countries, including the Empire, thought there would be no case of the gigants rising and invading simultaneously. But that¡¯s also not true.
Three years from now, the giants willunch a massive invasion. Kingdoms close to the East are wiped out instantly, and the empire suffers a fatal blow. That is the main story, and at the same time, it is the scheduled future. Only Abel knows that.
¡®I have to be strong.¡¯
It doesn¡¯t mean anything to be strong alone. Each young boy and girl with him now is the hope and beacon of humanity in the distant future. Abel must carry it all in his arms and move with them together. That was the only strategy.
¡°Whoa.¡±
Abel let out a long breath and slowly rxed. It wasn¡¯t the future three years from now that he needed to worry about for now. This is because this is the ce that brings the danger of death to fullyers.
¡®How long do we have?¡¯
He asked, looking anxiously at the soldier standing by the window. The exact timing is unknown. He had no choice but to stand still. His body tensed up, and ready to run at any moment.
Daniel, standing right next to him, gave him a strange look, but Abel didn¡¯t look at him. The soldier gave them a moment to look outside after Tania had finished speaking before he spoke again.
¡°Okay, this time we¡¯re going to take this observatory to¡¡±
As Abel listened, his eyes caught something beyond therge ss window. A silver whip-like thing flew toward him. Abel reflexively drew on his magic.
¡°Overflow. Shadow Step.¡±
His body immediately jerked backward as if pulled.
Quaaaang~!
The sound stretched like a malfunctioning audio, and he could see one wall slowly bursting open. Time was slowing down. No, in reality, his thoughts had elerated. Abel grabbed the body of the soldier, who stood dumbfounded in that slow time andunched himself at him.
Wheee!
A whip or something hit the spot where the soldier was standing, and then he was returned to his original position. Most of the cadets ducked back, screaming, and a few tried to move forward but were stopped by Tania. Here, she was the only one carrying what could be called a weapon.
Aaaaaang!
A magic circle hovered above the ss for a moment, then disappeared, shattering it. Abel shouted at the soldier, who didn¡¯t immediately recognize the situation.
¡°It¡¯s a monster attack!¡±
The soldier looked at the hole in the wall as if he had just realized it and quickly jumped to his feet.
¡°Everyone,e this way!¡±
The soldier shouted and hurriedly ran to one wall. He went right where the deactivated Tito was standing. The soldier ran there and put his hand on a bead-like device attached to the wall.
Woo woo woo woo-!
Soon after, the cockpit of the Tito, which had been ced like an ornament, opened all at once.
¡°It¡¯s an emergency, everyone. Please board the gigant!¡±
Hearing those words, Abel smiled wryly.
¡°Just as nned.¡±
[To be continued.]
Chapter 21:
Chapter 21:
A silver whip flew through the pierced wall.
¡°Argh!¡± Lian screamed, sending herself flying to the side.
Quang-!
The next moment, the silver whip struck the spot where Lian was standing. If he had been a moment toote, Lian would have been killed instantly. Amid this chaos, a message shed before Abel¡¯s eyes.
[Quest ¡®Escape¡¯ has been triggered!]
[Make it out of the tower alive!]
[The ¡®Steadfast Sponsor¡¯ event will be given as a reward forpleting the quest!]
[Additional rewards will be given if no one dies during the escape!]
¡®This damn quest.¡¯ Abel cursed under his breath and picked up his pace as the messages blocked his view momentarily. Now wasn¡¯t the time to check the content of the messages.
¡°Hurry!¡±
He heard Tania¡¯s voice shout behind him, and he crouched down and leaped high.
Thud!
Abel¡¯s bodynded in Tito¡¯s cockpit. It wasn¡¯t a smoothnding, but Abel quickly crumpled himself into the cockpit, simultaneously cing a hand on its core.
Woooooooo
The cockpit mmed shut as soon as he put some magic into the core. Abel soon went on to raise the coordinate rate. Magic surged from his body, circting between the core and Abel¡¯s body, awakening the sleeping gigant.
Wooo-!
Soon, the Tito was on its feet. His joints were stiff from being a half-decorative object, and it was unarmed, but it was still a Tito. Abel didn¡¯t have to think long before he set Tito in motion. The target was right in front of him. It was where Tania stood.
Kaaaaang!
Tania raised her sword, shing the whips as they drove into the tower. If not for the mighty warrior before them, one or two cadets would have been seriously injured. However, Abel did not expect her to resolve the situation entirely.
No matter how powerful she was as a warrior, her sword was just an ordinary iron sword, and she had no secondary armor. She was good as naked.
¡®Thepatibility could be better.¡¯
Abel observed the creature through the hole in the wall. It was a round sphere with dozens of whip-like tentacles attached to it. He remembered that the ¡®fragment of a colossus¡¯ was characterized by its freely moving tentacles and filthy, sturdy body.
Even the most magical warriors would find it difficult to do real damage with a bare-iron sword. It was even more difficult for Tania as she had to protect the other cadets, so she had no choice but to be on the defensive side, so Abel moved the Tito to get between them without hesitation.
Aaaang!
A whip struck him in the shoulder as he forced his way in, but he ducked and deflected the blow, so it didn¡¯t hurt as much. When fighting with a gigant, there is a fighting method unique to the gigant. They have no sense of pain.
While they suffer mental damage when they take significant damage, they don¡¯t feel the same pain from a single blow. As long as it didn¡¯t get destroyed in one hit, it can survive.
¡±I¡¯ll stop this,¡± Abel shouted at Tania, ¡°That¡¯s why it is necessary to move boldly when fighting with giants!¡±
Kaaaaang!
The whip went right over the Tito¡¯s head and hit the wall. It was an attack that would have taken his head off if he had made a mistake, but Abel didn¡¯t blink.
BANG!
Kwang!
Stabbing, holing, and avoiding. He did not give in to any of the fierce attacks and quickly closed the distance between him and the fragment of the Colossus.
¡°Everyone get onboard! Hurry!¡±
Meanwhile, Tania slipped back and climbed onto Tito while encouraging the other cadets.
¡®Enough.¡¯
Infamous Scans
Now, there was no one left between the monster and Abel. That means he doesn¡¯t have to worry about other people.
¡°Haaaaaaap-!¡±
Abel deliberately drew the monster¡¯s attention. The monster swung its tentacles even faster as if stimted by it. On the surface, Abel seemed to be in danger, but in reality, he was not.
It was because everyone was getting on Tito and trying to join Abel. When others joined in, it only took a moment for the tides to turn. The monster must have noticed that too and suddenly moved its round body without swinging the whip.
Wow-!
The middle of the main body opened wide, and some eyes appeared. Abel¡¯s body stiffened the moment their eyes met. The unprecedented energy restrained his body.
¡°You filthy people!¡±
Taking advantage of the opening, the whips flew toward Abel in unison. Abel thought the creature seemed strangely pleased, but he was wrong.
Boom-!
Suddenly, intense mes erupted from the cockpit, blocking Tito¡¯s frontal view. Demetri¡¯s me, which he had received as a quest reward earlier, automatically activated to form a me shield.
Kaang!
The whip was unable to prate the intense mes.
¡°Now it¡¯s my turn.¡± Abel smiled as he was finally released from paralysis and used his Shadow Step.
Woosh!
Abel¡¯s body glided forward. The creature tried to swing its tentacles back, but Abel had already gotten to it. Abel held the creature¡¯s body. It was hard to deal with a creature like that when you¡¯re unarmed. Not in a normal way. Of course, Abel had no intention of dealing with the monster in a normal way.
Boom!
Holding the writhing creature tightly in his arms, Abel whirled around violently. He could see Tania aboard Tito. Without warning, she lunged forward and threw out her fist. Her fist was an eerie shade of red.
Bang!
With a deafening thud, the monster¡¯s body which struggled frantically, copsed in Abel¡¯s arms. Shortly after, a message appeared before his eyes.
[You have sessfullypleted the quest ¡®Defeat a fragment of an Intermediate Colossus¡¯]
[As a reward, you will receive the skill ¡®Thunderbolt¡¯]
It was a more generous reward than he had expected. But there was no time to rejoice in it.
¡°Hmph, hmph.¡± Abel breathed heavily.
An intense headache hit his head. It was a side effect of using enormous magic and mental energy to stop the monster¡¯s writhing at thest second. It was good that Tania acted quickly, or he would have been rolling on the floor already.
¡°Abel!¡±
Someone tapped Abel on the shoulder as he struggled with a headache. It was Daniel.
¡°Are you okay?¡±
¡°Are you crazy? What if something went wrong?¡± Hanna also rode up on a gigant and shouted at Abel. Her voice was full of concern.
¡°Uh.¡±
Abel replied in a weak voice and looked around to assess the situation. The first thing he saw was the corpse of another monster nearby. He¡¯d been so focused on the battle that he hadn¡¯t realized it, but it seemed another monster had invaded in the middle of the fight.
Daniel noticed his gaze and sputtered, ¡°That one was taken care of by the soldier over there. Oh, and he said the elevator was too dangerous, so we¡¯re going to have to take the stairs.¡±
It wasn¡¯t just one or two fragments of the Colossus that targeted the tower. Instead, they just encountered a small army, with the main body concentrated on the ground and in the tower¡¯s lower levels.
¡°I feel better now.¡±
Abel told them he was okay and stood up on his own. The two looked at him uneasily but realized that the situation was urgent. So they didn¡¯t say anything. Abel walked with them to where Tania was.
¡°We need to get out of here as soon as possible.¡±
¡°Abel.¡±
Tania gave Abel a subtle look. She was supposed to reprimand the cadets for their dangerous behavior as a teacher, but the damage could have been much worse if Abel hadn¡¯t acted quickly.
Moreover, his calm judgment and control of the aircraft were admirable, especially for a cadet. Tania, a reasonably experienced rider before she became a teacher, quickly organized her thoughts and spoke up.
¡°Yes. You¡¯re right. We need to get out of here first. The situation is dire. Trying to force our way out of the tower might be more dangerous. This is the wall of glory, lined with fine soldiers and riders.¡±
Rationally, it would be much safer to wait for them toe to the rescue after clearing up the debris of the fragment colossus below. However, Tania decided to escape after confirming that the view through the hole in the wall was unusual.
Abel nodded, knowing fully well how the situation was.
¡®There is no support anyway.¡¯
Originally, reinforcements should have arrived as soon as the incident urred, but that was not the case. And Abel knew why.
It was because a special entity was clinging to this tower and spreading a barrier to impede recognition and block out noise. The only ones holding the monster that attacked the tower¡¯s lower floors were the troops originally guarding the tower.
¡®There¡¯s a high possibility that the outsiders don¡¯t know the current situation of the tower at all.¡¯
The appearance of a peculiar object and the abnormal behavior of the gigant were things that the empire could not have imagined. It would have been the same for anyone. The current situation was so out of the ordinary that it was simr to a dog raised at home suddenly walking around on two legs and talking to people.
Starting from today, many things will change. Abel looked at Tania after taking a magic amplifier he had packed separately.
Tania looked away from Abel and looked at her other cadets and spoke,
¡°Get yourself together, everyone. Let¡¯s get in formation and move.¡±
Tania looked at the soldier and then led the way, while the soldier stayed at the back and the cadets in between.
In the front of the line.
Tania continued tensely, ¡°I just want you all to think of getting out of here alive.¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
They began to descend the tower.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
Arrrrg!
Bang~!
The sound of crashes and bangs pierced their ears as they descended the stairs. Even though Abel was inside the tower, he had a pretty good idea of what was happening outside. But he couldn¡¯t afford to worry about the outside. As far as danger goes, this ce is just as bad.
¡°The sound is¡¡± Hannah, who was standing directly behind Abel, muttered in an uneasy voice.
Somehow, Abel could also sense it. The noise from below was diminishing, and it was clear what that meant. Either the monsters that had attacked the tower were nearly finished, or the troops guarding the tower were about to be wiped out.
Thump, thump, thump.
Tito streaked down the stairs in rows. Nothing happened until they were halfway down, but about five minutester, May, who had been quiet, spoke up.
¡°It¡¯sing.¡±
May¡¯s voice was sharp and not sleepy as usual, and her words held an obvious truth.
Kagak-.
They could hear the sound of scratching on the wall. Something wasing up their way. Tania froze and quietly raised her hand. The stairs were quite wide, but it was not a good ce to fight. Even though their Titos weren¡¯t as huge as the riding type, it was well over 3m tall.
Kagagak-. Kagak.
However, they did not have a chance to choose the battlefield they wanted, and the sound was getting closer. Abel listened to the sounding while awakening the senses of his entire body. The sound suddenly stopped, and Abel counted to three before shouting.
¡°Get down!¡±
A few reflexively ducked at the cry, while others were pulled by Abel himself with his two hands.
Aaaaaang-!
It was shortly afterward that one of the walls burst open. Sharp thorns scraped across the wall, sending shards of stone falling. Some groaned as the falling stones hit them, but Abel shouted without care.
¡°Run! Now!¡± Abel shouted, pushing past those standing in front of him.
There was no time to exin anything. Everyone was stunned, and they quickly ran down the stairs.
Kwang!
Bang!
Kwang!
The next moment, the entire wall where they stood exploded in unison.
¡°Kiriririk!¡±
A new monster came in through the sted wall. A ¡®spider¡® appeared.
¡°Kiaaaaaa-!¡±
The spiders screamed, and the life-threatening chase began.
[To be continued.]
Chapter 22:
Chapter 22:
A silver-colored body with eight legs¨Cthe spider-like creature carved out of metal was called an Iron Spider.
Kaaaaang-
With a loud bang, shreds of stone fell just above their heads. Fortunately, everyone was on the Gigant, so no one got hurt. But they couldn¡¯t be happy about it either.
The iron Spiders that had broken in through the wall were closing the distance by the minute. Iron Spiders were not that powerful, but their numbers wererge, and the terrain was too advantageous for them.
¡°Get out of the way!¡±
Hannah, directly in front of Abel, shouted and raised her hands. And on the palm of Hannah¡¯s Gigant, a blue gemstone had been ced. As they had seen in the mock battle the other day, Hannah¡¯sbat skills could be better. However, she had her primary weapon.
Dismissal.
The jewelry suddenly shattered, and sparks flew out of it.
Hwareuk!
It burst into huge mes, consuming the spiders as they ran up the wall.
Aaaahhh!
¡°Kiiiim!¡±
The spiders writhed in terror. The ones in front were half-melted. It was an impressive disy of strength in such a desperate situation.
¡®How many more are there?¡¯
Abel looked around as hepletely crushed the spider¡¯s head with his leg. Soon his face turned distorted.
¡°It¡¯s endless.¡±
Although Abel had killed dozens of them alone, the number of spiders still seemed undiminished. New spiders kept joining them. Fortunately, there has been no significant damage on their side.
Butining wouldn¡¯t change anything, so Abel continued fighting and slowly descended the stairs. Descending the stairs and dealing with the frantic spiders was more than tricky. It was revolting. Then, at some point¨C
¡°Hyuk!¡±
Hannah, who was running right in front of him, momentarily lost her footing and stumbled hard. Abel immediately grabbed the Hannah¡¯s Tito and stuck her to the wall.
Quang!
A thick leg mmed into the spot where Hannah had been standing. Daniel heard the sound in front and immediately swung his fist, punching the spider and sending it flying. The Tito hid Hannah¡¯s expression, but Hannah spoke in a shaky voice, as if in shock.
¡°Thank you¡¡±
¡°Can you keep moving?¡±
¡°Uh, yeah.¡±
¡°Alright, let¡¯s try harder.¡±
Abel said and turned his head away. The situation wasn¡¯t bad. Even though they were young kids with little experience, they showed great talents here.
Ioline and Daniel were attacking just as aggressively as Abel, driving the spiders back, and Charlotte, June, and Lian were effectively blocking the spiders from digging through the cracks.
May had wholly abandoned her usualziness and was cutting a path ahead with Tania. Abel took one look at them, caught his breath, and shouted.
¡°Don¡¯t stop running!¡±
Taking on the spiders was important, but they needed to keep their priorities straight. The top priority right now is to get down all the stairs and out of the tower.
Even if they were holding up for now, it would be challenging to keep fighting in a ce like this, and there was no telling how long the stairs would hold.
Abel shouted whenever he felt the battle was getting too heated, and they were able to get a little further down.
Boom!
But it wasn¡¯t entirely without damage. Daniel¡¯s Tito was impaled by a spider¡¯s foot and was spun into thin air. Abel hurriedly flung himself up, pulling Daniel¡¯s Tito with him.
Kagga Gagak!
The spider didn¡¯t give up and swung again, this time ripping of the Tito¡¯s hand Daniel was riding. If Abel hadn¡¯t stepped up in time, it wouldn¡¯t have ended up with just one arm.
¡°Aaaahhh!¡±
In addition, the spiders attacked even more madly as if they could not miss this opportunity.
¡°Daniel! Hang in there!¡±
¡°Ah, okay!¡±
Daniel lost his bnce and stumbled briefly afternding, but soon he started running again. And the spiders continued their assault.
Aaaaaaaang!
Abel gritted his teeth and vigorously swung his fist to fill Daniel¡¯s void.
¡°We are almost there!¡±
He could hear Tania shouting from up ahead. As she said that, he could see the entrance to the tower down below. The spider¡¯s attack ripped off one arm of Ioline¡¯s craft. Despite the impact, Ioline swung her remaining arm frantically.
Kwang!
The machine that Lian piloted had already been attacked five times and was now tattered, but it didn¡¯t stop him. Hannah continued to use her magic stones to send magic flying.
Infamous Scans
May, despite having one of her legs nearly smashed off, continued to fight the spiders wlessly. The number of spiders killed was already close to hundreds. However, due to the fierce battle, the allies¡¯ Tito¡¯s were all in bad shape. But they didn¡¯t stop until everyst one of them ran down the stairs and out of the tower.
¡°Hmph, hmph!¡±
Abel breathed heavily as he hurried out of the tower. A part of him wanted to lie down on the ground, but he couldn¡¯t
¡®Also¡¡.¡¯
Even though he¡¯d escaped, the atmosphere wasn¡¯t too good. In front of the tower were the bodies of the annihted soldiers and the remains of the crushed gigants.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
There were no reinforcements. The troops in the tower had already been wiped out. And more.
¡°Well, something¡¯s happening.¡±
An invisible, transparent wall was blocking their path, and it was sturdy enough to withstand Tania¡¯s full strength. As if those two facts weren¡¯t bad enough, there were even more Iron Spiders waiting outside the tower than inside the tower.
The number of spiders clinging to the tower¡¯s exterior walls made it seem as if the tower was silver in color. They didn¡¯t immediately rush at Abel and the others as they stepped out of the tower, but they slowly approached them.
Their demeanor was rxed, as if they were dealing with a mouse in a cage. Abel looked at the figure with a slightly fed-up face and thought to himself.
¡®This is enough to send shockwaves through the empire.¡¯
Abel knew it. He knew that this incident was shocking enough to shake up the entire continent beyond the empire.
The empire is one of the strongest powers on the continent, and the wall of glory was a strong shield that was never breached during thest Great War as well as periodic attacks by colossus. But today, the wall of glory was pierced for the first time.
¡®I already knew this would happen.¡¯
He was the only one who knew it in advance. But knowing that, there was little Abel could do because he was only a young boy of 16 years. Who¡¯s going to believe him if he talks? Of course, Abel could have changed his mind when he saw it happen. He might be called a prophet if he got it right a few times in a row. But then what?
¡®The future changes.¡¯
What if Abel went out and changed the future, and it was a future he didn¡¯t recognize? What should he do then? Should he say that he¡¯s out of control? That¡¯s not what he wanted, not if he was going to clear this game.
A force to be reckoned with. An influence and a major that no one can ignore. Friends and subordinates to back him up. He needs all of that.
¡°Whoa.¡±
Abel cleared his throat and popped the rest of the mana amplifier into his mouth at once. It wasn¡¯t originally used for this purpose, and he would have some serious after-effects, but it was the only way to save everyone.
Abel moved his Tito slowly, his eyes darting about as he thought, searching for something, and it wasn¡¯t long before he found it.
¡°Hang in there.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°There is a way.¡±
Tania, who had been frowning, gave Abel an odd look. For a mere freshman, Abel¡¯s words could have been more convincing. But it was supposed to be. However, in the current situation, she didn¡¯t have much choice anyway.
¡°Alright.¡±
She didn¡¯t know what Abel was after, but her job was to keep her cadets safe. And there is one more thing to add to that.
¡°Everyone grab a suitable weapon and form a circle around Abel.¡±
After Tania said that, she stared at the swarming spiders before them. The cadets picked up suitable weapons from the floor. Abel picked up a spear.
¡°Whoa.¡±
Abel took a deep breath and steadied himself. The barrier surrounding the tower is the ability of a special entity. Its abilities were extraordinary, but on the other hand, the ability of the main body itself was woefully inferior.
That¡¯s why it is heavily ¡®protected.¡¯ Typically, there would be no way of knowing the location, let alone the existence of such an entity. But Abel was different. He had yed the game dozens or even hundreds of times and remembered the location perfectly.
Of course, reality and games don¡¯t match perfectly. So as soon as he stepped outside, Abel looked up at the tower, trying to locate it. And finally, his eyes found it.
¡®Slightly above the middle.¡¯
There was a huge number of spiders on one side of the tower. It would have been hard to notice if he hadn¡¯t already known, but Abel never missed the slightest difference.
¡®I only have one shot.¡¯ He thought to himself, and if he were wrong, it would be a terrible mistake because there wouldn¡¯t be a second chance. However, instead of hesitating under pressure, Abel drew more mana.
¡®Just a little longer.¡¯
Abel waited, wanting to throw the spear in his hand, but what he needed now was patience.
¡°Left! Aim Left!¡±
Before he knew it, the spiders swarmed around them, pounding on the Tito piloted by Tania and the cadets. How long can they hold out? Five minutes? Four? Probably not much longer.
Impatience grew. But Abel waited and waited because there was only one chance. Just a tiny little gap.
Kwang-!
Ioline¡¯s Tito bounced backward. She couldn¡¯t fight anymore now that her lower body was blown off.
Quajik!
Lian¡¯s Tito was pierced by the head. The damage was getting bigger. And the spiders jumped on more aggressively, thinking it was almost over. It was at that moment that the spiders that were lumped together began to move.
Oooh!
Abel raised the mana from his whole body as soon as he caught sight of the figure
Although it was difficult to control it delicately due to excessive mana amplifiers, the fact that he had attacked with all his mana several times before was of great help. He grabbed the magic that was about to bounce in all directions and moved to one side.
Grrrrrrr-
The spear trembled uneasily, and blue sparks flew from the mana that had been pushed to its limits. He formed an image in his mind and envisioned a bolt of lightning piercing its target. At that moment, the Tito was merely a tool to shoot lightning.
¡®Thunderbolt.¡¯
The moment he inwardly called the name¨C
Kurrrrrrrrrrrrr
A spear sliced through the air with a thundering sound. The spiders scrambled back, but the spear had already reached its destination with a loud bang.
Aaaaaagh-!
One side of the tower copsed instantly. The Tito, who had fired the spear, slumped as smoke billowed from his body.
¡®Did it work?¡¯
Grimacing at his pounding headache, Abel didn¡¯t take his eyes off the tower. Eventually, the smoke cleared, revealing the point where the spear had pierced. And Abel¡¯s face lit up. Then, the spiders, who had been charging at him aggressively, even at the risk of death, suddenly began to flee.
¡°Uhm!¡± A surprised voice came from behind him.
Abel barely managed to muster the strength to turn around, he found the group looking at him in surprise.
¡°S-raid! It¡¯s a raid!¡±
The barrier has been released. Then a message popped up.
[Sudden Quest: Escape¡¯ cleared!]
[No one died during the escape process! Additional rewards will be given!]
[The ¡®Strong Supporter¡¯ event will be held in a few days!]
Abel finally rxed and smiled.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
In a hot sunny garden, Abel was staring at a middle-aged man with a fearsome expression. The extra reward of the quest was something he hadn¡¯t expected at all.
¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡±
The Duke of Del Kior greeted Abel.
[To be continued.]
Chapter 23:
Chapter 23:
The assault on the Wall of Glory had a devastating effect on the Empire, as Abel had predicted. It wasn¡¯t that the enemy was overwhelmingly powerful or the defenses were particrly weak; it was the emergence of an entity with unique abilities that hasn¡¯t been discovered yet and their intelligence.
It meant that the strategy for dealing with the Colossus and its forces would have to be thoroughly changed from the foundation. Even after a few days, there was still a lot of confusion.
Abel was given a few days of rest, along with the other cadets in the special ss, with the promise of a great rewardter. So far, it was expected, but there was one thing Abel wasn¡¯t expecting at all.
¡®It¡¯s incredibly burdensome.¡¯
ming red hair. He had an equally red beard, sharp eyes, and massive muscles that showed through his clothes. And a grim appearance. It was easy to recognize who it was. Abel cautiously opened his mouth.
¡°It is an honor to meet you, Duke Del Kior¡¡±
The Duke of Del Kior. He was the lord of the Duchy of Del Kior and Hannah¡¯s father.
¡®Why on earth¨C¡¯
Abel hadn¡¯t expected a private audience with the Duke. The Duke¡¯s visit to the Academy wasn¡¯t all that unusual, as the Duke was known for loving his daughter incredibly, so it¡¯s not unexpected that he¡¯de running to the Academy within a month after hearing about his only daughter¡¯s near-death experience.
¡®The question is, why did he single me out for a private meeting?¡¯
Abel looked nervously at the Duke of Del Kior.
¡°Hmm¡±
The duke looked at Abel while stroking his beard and then spoke.
¡°You said you are Abel Klein, right?¡±
¡°That¡¯s right.¡±
¡°They said that the damage would have been much if it wasn¡¯t for you.¡±
¡°Oh, that¡ I just did the best I could do in that situation.¡± Abel stuttered for a moment, but thankfully, he could respond politely.
The Duke was silent for a while, then suddenly took out something and ced it on the table.
¡°I look forward to your future performance. This is my personal gift.¡±
¡°Ah¡ thank you.¡±
The suddenness of the situation took him aback, but he was able to respond in time. But what happened next was even more baffling because as soon as the Duke heard Abel¡¯s answer, he stood up.
¡°Well, then. I¡¯ll see youter,¡± He said, walking out the door.
Abel stared nkly at the door, lost in thought,
¡®Why did he call me here?¡¯
His mind seemed to be stuck on a situation he couldn¡¯t understand. Abel scratched his cheek, and without thinking, he reached out to the pouch on the table and opened it, and an exmation escaped his lips.
¡°Whoa. This is crazy.¡±
Inside were a bunch of gold coins.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
It was easy to see why the Duke of Del Kior had asked for a private meeting and why he had suddenly presented him with a pouch of gold coins. It wasn¡¯t long after he had finished his meeting with the Duke that Hannah came to him.
¡°Whoa. You sure my Dad didn¡¯t say anything weird?¡±
¡°Yes. But can I really have this?¡±
¡°Sure, he gave it to you. So, of course, you can take it. As long as you don¡¯t say anything weird.¡±
Hannah said that and quickly left, saying she needed to catch up with her dad. This was what she said to Abel when she showed up unexpectedly after the meeting.
After the events of the Wall of Glory, Hannah had a conversation with the Duke and told him about Abel¡¯s exploits. Hearing that, the Duke showed interest in Abel and asked for a private meeting with him as soon as he arrived at the Academy.
Abel watched Hannah¡¯s back as she walked off into the distance and thought to himself, ¡®She has a simr personality to the Duke.¡¯
Especially in the way she says what she wants to say and then walks away. Abel looked at the pouch in his hand and stuffed it into his pocket first. It was a good thing, because the more money he had, the better. Even though he received some support from Count Klein, it was still nice to have a lot of money at his disposal.
¡®It¡¯s good I know where to spend my money on.¡¯
Abel thought to himself as he slowly walked away. He hadn¡¯t showered since he woke up, and his stomach rumbled from his time alone with the Duke. He went to the cafeteria, intending to eat first, but as soon as he walked in, the eyes of the cadets who were eating were focused on him.
There were many cases of him receiving attention before, but now cannot bepared to then. This time around it was on a whole different level.
¡®I¡¯ll get used to this.¡¯
He didn¡¯t feel overwhelmed or smug about it. This was nothingpared to what he had nned and aimed for.
¡°Abel!¡±
He put food on his te and looked for a seat when someone called out to him. He turned and saw Daniel waving at him. It seemed he¡¯d waited until he loaded his te before calling him over. Next to him sat Charlotte and Lian. Abel walked over and sat down in an empty seat.
¡°How are you feeling?¡±
As soon as he was seated, Daniel asked a question. Abel nodded his head.
¡°Uh. I¡¯m okay.¡±
After the battle, Abel passed out. It was because he used all the power he had and the power he didn¡¯t have. Abel woke up 12 hours after he had copsed, so it was only natural for him to be worried.
Even though he received the highest level of treatment throughout, his body was so damaged that the aftereffects remained. But fortunately, he was fine now because he got the cure as an extra reward for the quest.
¡°How are you?¡± Abel asked politely, as he poked his fork into hisrge chunk of meat.
¡°I¡¯m fine too. But, my body aches from not being able to train.¡±
It¡¯s not empty words, but Daniel looked fine at a nce even though he must have been quite overworked during the battle. Of course, Abel knew why.
¡®I envy you.¡¯
Daniel has more than just monstrous physical strength. He has tremendous stamina. His being so energetic, even after training like crazy, shows that it¡¯s not just his personality.
¡®That¡¯s why Daniel¡¯s talent is indomitable.¡¯
It¡¯s an S-ss talent that has a variety of effects. While Abel was thinking about that, Charlotte, who was sitting next to him, spoke.
¡°When I tell you to rest, I mean rest. I¡¯m still aching all over.¡±
¡°Yeah¡ I feel like I¡¯m going to die.¡± Lian chimed in from the side.
They both looked worse than Abel. Their bodies were bandaged and bruised. Abel would have been in a simr state if he hadn¡¯t taken the separate treatment.
¡®It¡¯s a good thing we were given a break.¡¯
Infamous Scans
All the special cadets at the scene were put on mandatory rest until two dayster. No training was allowed, and they were to rest and heal. Daniel mumbled something about being stifled, then looked at Abel and said,
¡°By the way, I thought you were going out today?¡±
¡°Yeah, I¡¯m just going out for a bit.¡±
Originally, students were only allowed to go out on weekends, but now, sses have been temporarily suspended due to the recent incident. It wasn¡¯t just the cadets in the special ss; many of the teachers had been summoned.
Many of the teachers were retired from active duty, but most of them had fought in thest great war, which meant they had a lot of experience dealing with gigants.
¡®It¡¯s not an incident that has anything to do with the Academy.¡¯
Anyway, it gave Abel a chance to go out. Of course, not all cadets were given the right to go out freely. Abel had earned it and had been granted special permission at his request. While he was lost in thought again, Daniel and others began to speak.
¡°Maybe I should have requested to go out. Ugh.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t go out and get into trouble, stay in your dorm.¡±
¡°What trouble will I get into?¡±
Abel continued to eat in silence amidst their grumping. He was thest to sit down, but he was also the first to get up.
¡°I¡¯ll go first.¡±
¡°Uh, okay.¡±
After returning his utensils and being waved goodbye, Abel left the cafeteria and headed straight to his room. He showered and packed everything he needed before leaving the dormitory. As he exited the dormitory, he saw cadets walking around the school in groups of twos and threes.
¡°Hey, look over there.¡±
¡°Huh? That¡¯s him, isn¡¯t it?¡±
He received as many nces and voices as he did when he entered the cafeteria, but Abel didn¡¯t care and continued down the street. The academy was sorge that getting to the main gate took him quite a while. It was a very short distancepared to where he was going to stop today.
¡°Hello¡±.
The good news was that he didn¡¯t have to walk to his destination. A carriage sent by Count Klein was waiting for him at the front gate. The Count herself had sent the carriage for today¡¯s outing. Abel bowed politely to the carriage man.
¡°Yes, sir. Thank you very much.¡±
¡°I look forward to your kind cooperation.¡±
After a brief conversation, Abel entered the carriage and told him his destination.
¡°Well, I¡¯ll set off, then.¡±
Soon the carriage began to move slowly. After a long ride out of the Academy, the carriage stopped in a fairly remote spot.
¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡±
¡°Alright. Thank you.¡±
Abel stepped out of the carriage and looked around the familiar streets.
¡°I¡¯ll be on my way, then.¡±
¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be waiting for you here.¡±
After talking to the coachman, Abel strolled. It was a short distance to his destination. He had purposely asked to be dropped off far from his destination. He didn¡¯t want to attract attention and wanted to walk a bit.
¡®It¡¯s still the same.¡¯
This was the same street Abel lived all his life. The street was the same as it had been before he left. It was no surprise. It can¡¯t really change within a month.
The streets were full of people sprawled out, drunk or high on something, even though it was the middle of the day, and some of them red at him with red, bloodshot eyes.
¡°Turn it off then¡¡±
Abel strode on, listening with one ear to the groans of the drunkards. If a stranger were to enter this street, they wouldn¡¯t see anything good. No one approached Abel hastily.
He had deliberately kept a sharp momentum since he stepped out of the carriage. He knew this street way too well because he belonged to this street until recently. No matter how low his life may be, he knows that no one will y with his life.
Kang, Caang-!
After walking for a while, he heard the sound of metal banging in the distance. Abel grinned at the familiar sound. As he walked to the ce where he heard the sound, he saw a huge building that was iparable to the shabby buildings around me.
He was used to big buildings now, but his jaw dropped when he first saw that building. Abel looked up at the workshop building and remembered his past. The first time he met Vulcanus.
¡®I once asked him why a man with so much money will settle in a ce like this,¡¯
Vulcanus¡¯s answer was simple.
¡®One is only a real customer if they are willing toe to a workshop in a ce like this. I have no intention of epting fake customers.¡¯
Abel gave him a dumbfounded look that time when he heard his answer. Abel smirked and walked toward the workshop.
Kang-!
The sound of hammering grew louder as he approached. Abel saw the name of the workshop above therge door:
[Vulcanus Workshop]
It was a very simple name. Abel approached the building without hesitation, opened the door, and stepped inside. The first thing he saw was a wooden cash counter and a woman standing there.
¡°Come on¡.. Oh my!¡±
She spoke in a tone full of annoyance, and when she spotted Abel, her eyes widened.
¡°Abel?¡±
¡°Yes. I haven¡¯t seen you in a long time.¡±
¡°What¡¯s the matter with your tone? I told you to speak formally.¡±
The woman grumbled, but she didn¡¯t hide her pleasure. Her name is Kaya. She works at the workshop. Her job is to scan customers. If a customeres, she gets annoyed. When she gets bored, she spreads out and sleeps.
Abel had wondered why she hadn¡¯t been fired, but the reason was deceptively simple. It was because Kaya was the daughter of Vulcanus. Abel smiled at Kaya and said.
¡°Okay, I¡¯ll try. Where¡¯s the boss?¡±
¡°He¡¯s inside. Go in.¡±
¡°Aren¡¯t you going to get mad at me for interrupting your work?¡±
¡°Since when do you care about that?¡±
¡°That¡¯s true.¡±
Abel chuckled and nodded in response to Kaya¡¯s profound answer. Kaya was the only one in the workshop close to his age, so he felt pretty close to her. Kaya waved at Abel as he headed inside.
¡°Come back alive.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll try.¡±
Abel waved back and headed inside. He could feel the heat getting stronger as he stepped inside the door. Then there was the sound of people talking. The Vulcanus workshop is as busy as it is huge. Inside,rge men were bustling about, and when one of them spotted Abel, he opened his mouth in surprise.
¡°Uh, Abel!¡±
¡°Abel?¡±
They waved their hands from where they worked, showing signs of wee.
¡°Long time no see, everyone!¡±
Abel continued to walk inward, epting greetings in moderation. When he arrived at the innermost part of the workshop, he finally saw the person he hade to see.
¡°Vulcanus.¡±
Kang, cang, kang-!
Instead of answering, a sharp noise pierced his ears. Abel crossed his arms as he watched Vulcanus, who was sweating and hammering. Vulcanus only raised his head after nearly 10 minutes of hammering.
¡°You came too soon.¡±
Abel smiled in response to Vulcan¡¯s question.
¡°Did you receive the package well?¡±
¡°Yes. If it wasn¡¯t for that, I would have told you not to interrupt andeter.¡±
He smiled back. Vulcanus is an excellent craftsman. And, like any great craftsman, they were obsessed with rare materials. Abel asked to move all the Telesiums he ripped off from Karlst time to be brought here.
¡°What the hell do you want me to make with 11kg of Telesium?¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t that already decided?¡±
Abel gave him an answer, which he had thought of beforehand.
¡°A weapon. A huge two-handed sword, please.¡±
Abel wanted a particr offensive weapon.
[To be continued.]
Chapter 24:
Chapter 24:
¡°So, I¡¯ll hold the center with telesium, and the outside with¡¡.¡±
¡°¡Will it be strong enough?¡±
¡°Hmm. I suppose if you¡¯re going to use it on a Miles-ss or even higher, you might as well use better materials.¡±
Vulcanus and Abel began to talk with serious expressions as if they had just had a tiff. Abel could have just said what he wanted and gotten a great product, but he wasn¡¯t going to do that. He didn¡¯t want a moderately good weapon, he wanted a perfect weapon made specially for him.
¡°Can¡¯t we just use granite for this part?¡±
¡°No. The way the force is applied, it can¡¯t just be hard. You have to use something with good sticity.¡±
They talked for almost two hours. Abel¡¯s meticulous description and Vulcanus¡¯ skill as a craftsman led to a satisfactory result.
¡°Wow. Talking to you makes me feel like I¡¯ve been up all night.¡±
¡°That was a lot of talking.¡±
¡°I¡¯m exhausted.¡±
Vulcanus had a smile on his face as Abel continued to speak.
¡°I¡¯ll be in touch if anything changes or there are any problems.¡±
¡°It will be okay as long as you don¡¯t go outside of the time frame.¡±
¡°It¡¯s fine. I have no intention of making half-hearted things anyways.¡±
He spoke inly. Abel smiled at that. With Vulcanus¡¯s skills, he knew that no matter what he made, the oue will always turn out perfect.
¡°By the way¡¡±
Vulcanus nced back at the blueprint he¡¯d drawn during the conversation, then spoke up.
¡°Are you sure you can use this at a Milles level?¡±
The two-handed sword Abel requested for was huge. This is because it was designed for continuous use even after upgrading to a higher level in the future. Of course, it was bound to be a burden for the Milles ss. However, Abel was nonchnt.
¡°Of course, Don¡¯t you know my skills?¡±
Vulcanusughed at those words.
¡°You¡¯re good at talking. If you don¡¯t handle it properly, I¡¯ll retrieve it, so know that.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll use it well ande back to upgrade it when I get good materials.¡±
¡°Alright. I need to get back to work, so go.¡±
¡°Yes, yes. I was about to leave anyway.¡±
Since he had finished his business and had no intention of disturbing Vulcanus, Abel thanked him and left.
¡°Bye, Abel!¡±
¡°Come visit me when you¡¯re free next time!¡±
Kaya smiled as she spoke to Abel, who arrived at the lobby after receiving greetings from the muscr staff while leaving.
¡°Is the talk over?¡±
¡±Yeah. I¡¯lle again next time.¡±
¡°Tell me in advance next time. So we can have a meal together.¡±
¡°That sounds good.¡±
After talking with Kaya, he left the building and was greeted by the cool air. Abel stood for a moment before walking to one side. He walked in the opposite direction from where the carriage was. There was still one more thing he needed to do.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
The area where Vulcanus¡¯s workshop is located is famous for being a crime zone. The road where the carriage stopped was a little better. The highest crime that can go on there is pickpocketing because the atmosphere is to refrain from more crimes.
If there was amotion and the guards were dispatched, it would be quite a headache. However, the story changes when you enter the alley between the main streets.
¡®This is awless zone.¡¯
Abel had gotten beaten up a few times when he first came here, wandering through the alleys without a clue.
Thud, thud, thud.
And now he was walking down on one of those alleys.
Swoosh-
A man sprawled on the ground before him when he heard Abel¡¯s footsteps. He nced at him and then turned around. Abel kept his distance and walked past him with his hands on his waist. When he was a few feet away, he heard a rustling sound behind him.
¡®As expected. Nothing changed here.¡¯
The beggars in the alley are not just beggars. Nine times out of ten, they¡¯ll turn to robbers when they see an opportunity, so he had to be vignt. No matter how well-trained a body is, if it gets stabbed at the vital organs, it drops dead, though Abel¡¯s probably not going to get stabbed by an ordinary robber. Abel looked around, on high alert.
¡®It should be around here,¡¯
They change locations regrly. He had a vague idea of the pattern, but it wasn¡¯t easy to find because the alleyways were so convoluted that it wasn¡¯t easy to navigate. After about thirty minutes of wandering the alleyways, Abel spotted a bluish-iron gate at the bottom of the stairs.
¡®Found it.¡¯
Abel descended the stairs without hesitation, he knocked on the iron door.
Knock knock-!
As soon as he knocked on the door, he felt signs of movement inside, and a low muffled voice followed.
¡°What¡¯s the password?¡±
¡°What password? Don¡¯t talk nonsense and open up.¡±
Abel immediately replied in an irritated voice. It wasn¡¯t long before there was a loud click, and the door swung open. A dark-skinned, bald man stepped through the open door. He looked at Abel and answered in a clear voice.
¡°Abel. It¡¯s been a long time, and you¡¯re still ugly.¡±
¡°Yeah. You¡¯re just as ugly.¡±
¡°Do you want to die?¡±
¡°Killing me won¡¯t cure your baldness.¡±
The man narrowed his eyes at Abel, then smirked.
¡°Come on in.¡±
Infamous Scans
Despite their verbal abuse with one another, the two men were actually very close. Abel had worked here a few times in the past, doing odd jobs before entering Vulcanus¡¯ workshop. Abel followed the man inside. The stench of alcohol prated his nostrils as they reached the hall which led to the bar.
¡°Don¡¯t you need some venttion?¡±
¡°It¡¯s only a bar if it smells like booze.¡±
Abel didn¡¯t answer him, he just walked inside. An old man with ck hair and a suit stood at the back of the bar. The old man wiped a ss with a cloth and spoke to Abel.
¡°Your name has been heard quite often.¡±
Abel sat down on a stool in front of the bar and replied.
¡°Has the rumors spread this far?¡±
¡°You must be pretty good at what you do. You were a beggar when I first saw you.¡±
¡°I was a beggar in the past.¡±
Abel used to pick up food that had been thrown away from a restaurant and ate it, then he¡¯d get beaten up by other beggars for trespassing, and even though he ate the food, it was still 90% spoiled, so he would immediately groan and lie down.
He honestly feels lucky to have survived. Abel¡¯s knowledge of the game didn¡¯t help him survive as a young boy on the streets. What helped him was the memory of living as a modern Earthling for over twenty years.
¡°Yeah. One of themon street orphans.¡±
The old man lifted his head slightly as he said that, and looked at Abel.
¡°But there was intelligence in your eyes, and you didn¡¯t act or speak your age, and that¡¯s why I gave you a job.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being tooplimentary after all these years?¡±
¡°Well,¡±
The old man said, setting down his cleaned cup and looking at Abel earnestly.
¡°I thought you could be anything. I just didn¡¯t think you¡¯d end up as Cadet Klein and get into the Academy.¡±
¡°I got lucky.¡±
¡°Yeah you were lucky but it¡¯s not just that.¡±
The old man said with a smile.
¡°Is that why you came today?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
Abel nodded and pulled a pouch from his pocket. He opened it and dropped ten gold coins onto the bar table. The old man picked them up and examined them. The old man was thorough in this regard even if they were acquaintances. Only when the old man had carefully checked all ten coins did he nod.
¡°Del Kior¡¯s gold coins are more than enough.¡±
¡°Does that mean I can have the goods?¡±
Abel looked at the old man. The old man was the owner of this tavern, but he was also an informant, and a hoarder. There was a reason Abel had firste here seeking for a job.
This was because he had something to gain by befriending the old man. Of course, Abel knew this information from the game. It¡¯s a hidden item that only the people who yed the game knew about.
However, it wasn¡¯t possible to obtain it by simply befriending him. The conditions included a certain level of friendship, honor, reserve rider status andstly, money. He had to have it all. Abel came here after he had finally decided that he had met all the conditions.
¡°Hmm.¡±
The old man fiddled with the gold coins, seeming to consider something, then nodded.
¡°Wait a moment.¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
The old man turned, opened the door behind him, and went through the door. After a few minutes, the old man returned with a box the size of a fist.
¡°This is it.¡±
¡°May I open it?¡±
¡°Let me tell you one more thing before you do.¡±
The old man looked at Abel and said, ¡°I don¡¯t see anything extraordinary about it, and I don¡¯t sense any magic in it. It would be nothing more than a souvenir if you took it.¡±
¡°I see.¡±
¡°Well, do you still want to buy it?¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
Abel answered without hesitation, and the old man sighed.
¡°All right. I¡¯m just selling stuff, that¡¯s all.¡±
¡°It won¡¯t be useless to me. I just want to see how it¡¯s constructed and if there are any hints on how to use it.¡±
With that, the old man silently pushed the box forward and took the gold coins. Abel grinned and picked up the box.
¡°Thank you.¡±
¡°Thanks. I¡¯m the one who should be thanking you. Come over for a drink sometime.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not old enough to drink yet.¡±
¡°Since when did you care about that?¡±
Abel exchanged a few more words with the old man before walking out the door. Of course, on his way out, he didn¡¯t forget to crack a joke with the bald man who was guarding the door.
¡°Next time,e in the evening. Don¡¯te in the daytime when you¡¯re tired.¡±
¡°Then, I¡¯lle in the evening and make you tired.¡±
¡°Ugh.¡±
Leaving the sighing bald man behind, Abel made his way out of the underground tavern, it was only when he reached the stairs did he let out a long breath.
¡®Finally.¡¯
An exhrating sense of aplishment washed over him, followed by anxiety. The box in his hand felt heavy. It felt like someone was going to lunge for it at any moment. But Abel took a breath to calm his nerves.
¡®No one knows the value of this.¡¯ He thought to himself.
Abel put the box in his pocket and continued moving. It was time to return to the carriage. He had the urge to open the box right away to check what was inside, but he decided to endure it until he arrived at a safe ce.
¡®Let¡¯s hang in there. Just a little bit.¡¯
He wandered around a little because he was confused about the location on how to get back from where he came from, but it wasn¡¯t hard for him to retrace his steps and find his way back.
On the way out, there were a few vagrants who tried to pick a fight or take advantage of the gap, but most of them withdrew without even trying. This was because Abel had an aura that could not be ignored. This enabled Abel to quickly reach the ce where the carriage was.
¡±You¡¯re here.¡±
¡±Yes. I¡¯m sorry to have kept you waiting for long.¡±
¡±No, at all.¡±
The coachman bowed politely without showing exhaustion, even though he must have waited long. Abel told him to return to the academy, and then he entered the carriage. His business outside was over. The next outing will be when his weapon is finished or if something went wrong with the weapons production.
Thud-
Abel closed the carriage window, took the box out from his pocket, and held it in his hands. The box itself was unremarkable. This was because it was an object made separately from the content inside.
¡°Whoa.¡±
Taking a deep breath, Abel slowly opened the box, revealing a fist-sized sphere with intricate designs. Abel took it out of the box, held it in one hand, and stared at it nervously as if waiting for something. After about thirty seconds of staring at it.
[You have verified the ¡®Core¡¯.]
[You havepleted the Hidden Quest ¡®Heart of the Gigant.¡¯]
A message shed before his eyes.
[You will be rewarded.]
[Your dormant Core will be awakened.]
Relief and joy shed across Abel¡¯s face. His primary goal afternding in this world was to get into the Academy, but he had to go through all kinds of hardships to get there. It was necessary for the future as an academic Cadet.
Contrary to what the old man had said about it being useless, the sphere emitted a strange blue light. Abel closed his eyes and clutched it tightly. He wondered how much time had passed.
[Who woke me?]
A voice echoed in his head.
[To be continued.]
Chapter 25:
Chapter 25:
He didn¡¯t get an answer. It didn¡¯t ignore Abel¡¯s words. It had simply gone dormant as soon as he¡¯d finished speaking.
¡°Whoa.¡±
Abel realized that and let out a sigh of relief. It had been a very short conversation, but Abel¡¯s hands were damp with sweat. Taking a cloth from his pocket, he wiped the sweat off and carefully ced the core back into the box.
¡®Somehow, I got through the first conversation,¡¯ Abel thought, as he leaned back. The reason he was nervous was simple. The person he had just met and the core in his hand was not an ordinary item and it was written in the message box.
¡®Heart of a gigant.¡¯
That was the exact name of the core, and what it contained was a gigant or something rted to it.
¡®Even in the game, that exact identity has never been revealed.¡¯
The core¡¯s existence had been revealed only a week before the game¡¯sunch. Abel, who was excited by the new content he¡¯d found after so many years, delved into its identity, but he never quite figured it out, and ended up possessing this body.
¡®It¡¯s absolutely not an ordinary item.¡¯
It can¡¯t be an ordinary item. In the game, the item called the heart of the gigant was literally a death trap. The slightest misstep in the first encounter would result in death or your consciousness being devoured. If you look even the slightest bit shallow, there was a hundred percent chance you¡¯d be eaten whole.
If Abel thought he wasn¡¯t good enough, he would have ignored it. The reason why he was so nervous during the conversation was because he knew better than anyone else. It¡¯s a truly dooming object. Of course, there was another reason he kept his eye out for it.
¡®But with this, my power will rise a few levels.¡¯
As dangerous as it is, it¡¯s also an object with great value. It¡¯s like a ¡®Gigant Encyclopedia¡¯ that can raise Gigant¡¯s power by several levels and is alive.
¡®I think the imprinting ended smoothly.¡¯
His tension was relieved. Abel stroked the box where Lupus was sleeping and closed his eyes.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
The school was cancelled for a week. The suspension period was longer than the original schedule. At first, the cadets, who liked simply taking a break, seemed to be getting bored. That was understandable because there wasn¡¯t much to enjoy in the academy.
The training ground was naturally crowded every day. This was because there is nothing other than moving the body to consume the overflowing energy. And it was the same with Abel.
Tadak!
Abel leaped forward quickly and swung his sword. It was truly brutal blow.
Kagak!
His opponent¡¯s nted sword deflected Abel¡¯s sword. Seeing that the attack had failed, Abel hurriedly tried to retreat.
Woosh!
However, his opponent didn¡¯t miss the chance and stabbed his sword at Abel¡¯s shoulder. There was no time to deflect the attack with his sword, and it was too exquisite to dodge by moving his body.
¡®Shadow step.¡¯
Abel had no choice but to use the skill. Normally, that would have bought him enough time.
¡°It¡¯s too obvious.¡±
But this time, it was different. Abel saw a sh of silver hair in the air. Then something leaped up in front of him. As if his opponent had read Abel¡¯s movements, she immediately followed him and swung her sword. Abel desperately raised his sword.
Kang!
However, the sword he raised was hit by the sword swung upward by his opponent and was thrown away. And then Abel felt something cool touch his neck. A wooden sword was pointed at his neck.
¡°Whoa. I lost again.¡±
Abel let out a deep sigh and dered defeat.
Only then did his opponent, Ioline, lower her wooden sword and spoke, ¡°It wasn¡¯t too bad, though.¡±
¡°Are you sure?¡±
Abel asked, and Ioline averted her gaze slightly.
¡°¡I¡¯ll tell you a few things to fix. First of all, you shouldn¡¯t rely too much on your visions because right now, their timing is too honest.¡±
¡°Honest?¡±
Ioline nodded at Abel¡¯s question.
¡°When you¡¯re really cornered, you undoubtedly use your visions without fail. It¡¯s a nice skill when dealing with an opponent for the first time, but it bes a weakness after they¡¯ve seen it a few times.¡±
Abel listened carefully, mesmerized by her words. Ioline made a few more points before ending the conversation.
¡°Well, you did a great job today.¡±
Infamous Scans
¡°Yes, thank you. Your ss is scheduled today as well?¡±
¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll see you after dinner.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
With that, Ioline waved and walked out the training room door. Abel turned, walked to one side of the training room, and picked up his wooden sword. It hadn¡¯t been long since he¡¯d started taking sword lessons under the guise of dueling with Ioline. The reason for this, of course, was his conversation with Ioline.
¡°Abel.¡±
Turning his head at the unfamiliar voice, Abel saw a middle-aged man with a stern impression. Abel recognized his identity without difficulty and greeted him.
¡°Hello.¡±
¡°Do you know me?¡±
¡°Yes. Aren¡¯t you, Professor Vern, in charge of the advanced swordsmanship ss?¡±
¡°How do you know that?¡±
¡°Your reputation is so great.¡±
In fact, Abel had memorized all the names of important faculty members in the academy.
¡®It¡¯s notmon to have a curvey look like that.¡¯
Others did, but it was to some extent, but Vern especially looked like he had stepped out of a game illustration. Vern was about to say something to Abel¡¯s words, but he closed his mouth.
¡°¡I have a something to tell you about the past. Would you like to follow me?¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
Abel answered without hesitation. He had expected to be summoned sooner orter, but it waster than anticipated. Vern nodded slightly at Abel¡¯s answer and walked ahead. Abel followed right after, as he thought to himself.
¡®If it¡¯s a separate call like this¡ I don¡¯t think this will be too different from the flow I¡¯ve known.¡¯
Although he had already thought about it to some extent, Abel calmly organized the thoughts in his head. Because this one was pretty big.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
Not long after, they arrived at the most central building of the academy. The building standing tall in the center, overlooks the entire academy.
¡®No, it must have been designed so that you can actually look down.¡¯
Considering the purpose of this ce, it was inevitable. He thought to himself as he stepped into the building.
¡°Abel.¡± Vern called out to him.
Abel immediately snapped out of his thoughts and answered.
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°You will have a meeting with the principal from now on.¡±
¡°With the principal?¡±
Abel repeated, looking surprised, which was the most natural reaction.
¡°Yeah. I didn¡¯t bring you here because you did a bad thing, so there¡¯s no need to be nervous.¡±
Hearing that didn¡¯t make the tension go away. Magnus was the Empire¡¯s living legend before bing the principal of Del Mordor Academy.
¡°Ah, I see.¡±
Abel feigned to be moderately nervous. Of course, in reality, he was not tense at all. However, he was not as stiff as a normal cadet. Still, he gave off a nervous look on the outside. There¡¯s nothing good about getting attention in this way.
Vern saw Abel¡¯s reaction and said nothing more. It was a kind gesture, giving him time topose himself. Abel was able tofortably climb the stairs and collect his thoughts. The stairs were quite high.
Normally, there would have been a magical elevator installed or something like that, but this was an exception. This was due to the first principal¡¯s will,
¡®A healthy body is a healthy mind.¡¯
In other words, it means walking up the stairs on two feet instead of relying on machines. No wonder the thighs of those who frequently visited the principal¡¯s office were thick for a reason. Abel wondered how many flights of stairs he had climbed so far.
¡°You¡¯ve arrived.¡±
Vern said, stopping in front of an unusuallyrge door.
¡°You can go inside.¡±
¡°Am I going in alone?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
Abel nodded and cautiously approached the door. He wondered if he should knock for a moment, but before he could decide what to do, he heard a voice.
¡°Come in.¡±
Magnus¡¯s gravelly voice came from inside, the one he couldn¡¯t forget. Abel cautiously opened the door. A wide view of the spacious principal¡¯s office came through the open doorway. Resisting the urge to look inside, Abel bowed his head first.
¡°You called for me?¡±
¡°Yes. Come in and sit.¡±
With that, Abel raised his bent upper body and walked inside. Magnus was seated at hisrge oval office desk. The way he spoke was light. But Magnus exuded a sense of intimidation.
There was a hint of authority in his voice that took Abel¡¯s breath away. Perhaps it was because It was a different ce and a different circumstance than when they met at the podium the other day. Magnus did not speak until Abel was seated.
¡°Do you know why I called you here today?¡±
¡°Isn¡¯t it because of the incident that happened at the Wall of Glory?¡±
¡°Yes.¡± Magnus nodded coolly at Abel¡¯s answer.
¡°You will be rewarded for that soon enough. Everyone saw your performance.¡±
¡°I was just doing my best.¡±
¡°Haha. That doesn¡¯t change the fact that you deserve credit.¡±
With that, Magnus wiped the smile off his face. The sense of intimidation that had faded for a moment suddenly surged and pressed down on Abel. He looked straight at Abel and asked,
¡°Abel. What is your true identity?¡±
[To be continued.]
Chapter 26:
Chapter 26:
¡°So, Abel. What is your true identity?¡±
Abel felt a cold sweat on his back for a moment.
¡®True identity?¡¯
The pressure on his mind made it hard for him to think straight. He had yet to learn what Magnus meant by asking the question. Abel managed topose himself before speaking.
¡°I¡¯m an orphan who used to live on the streets.¡±
Once he spoke, it was easy to continue.
¡°I was lucky enough to be allowed to learn at the Academy. Do you have a problem with my low status?¡±
¡°What? No way!¡±
Magnus hastily denied it, and at the same time, the pressure washed away.
¡°Status doesn¡¯t matter when ites to selecting the best and brightest for the Del Mordor Academy, and I didn¡¯t ask that question with that intention in the first ce!¡±
Abel was not relieved to hear the panic in Magnus¡¯s voice. Because he had experienced it once, he¡¯d been nicely talking to him, only to have him suddenly raise a sense of intimidation and ask an awkward question. His current appearance might have been deliberate, so Abel exaggeratedly responded with an impressed expression.
¡°I see, thank you!¡±
¡°Mmmm, yes. This conversation has taken a strange turn, but that is not what I wanted to ask you.¡±
Magnus turned back to Abel with a serious expression.
¡°Have you had any previous training in gigants or other training?¡±
¡°If it¡¯s training, then¡¡. I¡¯ve been taught a few times when I was on the streets.¡±
¡°Oh, by whom?¡±
¡°Usually mercenaries or veterans. They were regrs at the bar where I worked.¡±
¡°¡¡I see.¡±
Magnus nodded with a subtle face in response.
¡°It was a courtesy question because the investigation had already been done before admission was granted.¡±
¡°Is that so?¡±
¡°Yes. You¡¯re going to be¡ No, you¡¯re already getting a lot of attention. You¡¯re very talented, and you¡¯ve made some outstanding achievements.¡±
¡°You¡¯re ttering me.¡±
¡°The point is, you¡¯ll receive much more support in the future as long as you keep making achievements.¡±
Magnus continued, ¡°So you¡¯re going to be more on point or point it out clearly. Do you understand what I mean?¡±
¡°Yes, I understand.¡±
His meaning was quite simple. Magnus was referring to the possibility that Abel was a spy or hiding something else.
¡®It is said that the Empire is a great power, but that doesn¡¯t mean there aren¡¯t any countries that can¡¯t stand against them.¡¯
Thest Great War changed thendscape of the continent. The Empire was still regarded as the most powerful nation, but it was no longer as untouchable as before the Great War. Especially now, with the times as they are, there must be more alertness to the overflow of talent or spies.
¡®I don¡¯t think that¡¯s necessarily the case.¡¯
Of course, Abel wasn¡¯t stupid enough to voice his suspicions. Magnus said something to the effect that he was only asking out of courtesy, that it was nothing to worry about. He then spoke again.
¡°Alright, it¡¯s time to cut to the chase. Since we¡¯re in the middle of the school year, there won¡¯t be a separate award ofmendations.¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡®It was to be expected. I don¡¯t think the imperial family intends to make a big deal out of this.¡¯
¡°Instead, we have two awards for you. One is an activity fee.¡±
¡°An activity fee?¡±
¡°Yes. The Academy awards activity fees to cadets who show outstanding achievement to encourage them to go the extra mile, though they are rarely awarded this early.¡±
Magnus assured Abel that he would receive his activity fee every month from now on and that he was free to use it as he wished.
¡°And the second one is this,¡±
Magnus continued, handing him a silver te. Abel¡¯s eyes lit up as soon as he recognized it.
¡°Is this¡¡?¡±
¡°ess to the private training grounds.¡±
Magnus exined, ¡°Normally, private training grounds are not given to first-year Cadets. However, it¡¯s a different story if you¡¯re exceptionally talented and have made a name for yourself.¡±
The personal training ground that Magnus is talking about differs from a ce where you can wield a sword with your bare hands. He¡¯s talking about a training center where you can operate a gigante. As he said earlier, It¡¯s a privilege that a first-year Cadets would never have. Magnus added a word to that.
¡°Of course, you can get other materials or weapons if you want. If you push yourself hard, you can also get a vision.¡±
¡°No, thank you.¡±
¡°Alright then?¡±
At Abel¡¯s adamant reply, Magnus smirked as if he¡¯d known his answer and pushed the training ground past Abel. If he hadn¡¯t been in this position, Abel would have cheered. That¡¯s how valuable the training grounds were. Much more than mediocre materials, armor, or even visions.
¡°Very well, then, that concludes our conversation for today.¡±
¡°Alright.¡±
Magnus rose from his seat, and Abel followed suit.
¡°I look forward to it, then.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
Abel bowed to Magnus and left the principal¡¯s office.
¡°You¡¯re out. Let me guide you to the first floor.¡±
Vern, who had escorted him to the principal¡¯s office, was waiting outside. Abel followed him, fiddling with the pass in his pocket. He couldn¡¯t wait to use it, but his excitement was short-lived.
¡®I¡¯ll have to be careful for now,¡¯
Infamous Scans
Abel thought as they descended the stairs. Magnus said it was a courtesy question, but that couldn¡¯t be true.
¡®Because that¡¯s what he was going for in the first ce.¡¯
If it was simply a matter of praise and reward, Magnus wouldn¡¯t havee forward himself. The principal¡¯s position of an academy is not one to be taken lightly, which means that Magnus had called Abel in for questioning in the first ce. The good news was that he probably didn¡¯t really suspect much. If he had any clear suspicions, he would have been taken to the interrogation room, not the principal¡¯s office. Abel doesn¡¯t intend to stop standing out, but he needs to refrain from doing anything that might raise unnecessary suspicion.
¡®Well, everything¡¯s fine for now,¡¯
Abel said, trying to shake off his heavy thoughts while continuing his steps.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
After a week¡¯s rest period, sses were held as scheduled.
¡°Everybody, don¡¯t stop running! It¡¯s a damn shame we had a week off!¡±
Mr. Boyle, the physical education instructor, yelled, his face contorted into a grimace.
¡°Except for the top three, it¡¯s 10ps more!¡±
The cadets squeezed every ounce of strength they could muster and ran. But even then, the top three were already decided.
¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa.¡±
¡°Okay, Daniel, go rest over there!¡±
Daniel was the first to cross the finish line. Daniel breathed evenly and lowered his head slightly as if he wasn¡¯t even close to exhausted. Then, Abel was the second to cross the finish line.
Abel¡¯s fitness had grown significantly in such a short period. The academy was simply the best ce to train. Although, he didn¡¯t neglect to train before entering the academy. He could train all the time except during ss hours, and thanks to this, he crossed the finish line in second ce.
¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa. Professor.¡±
¡°Huh?¡±
Abel cleared his ragged breath and turned to Boyle.
¡°Can I run some more? I think I¡¯m stillcking.¡±
¡°You want to run some more?¡± Boyle¡¯s eyes widened at the question, and he raised his hand.
¡°You¡¯re a good cadet, very good! Run as much as you want.¡±
¡°Oh, thank you.¡±
Abel bowed slightly as he felt Boyle¡¯s thick hand pat his shoulder, then started running again.
¡°Professor, I¡¯ll like to run some more, too!¡±
¡°Alright!¡±
From behind, Abel could hear Daniel shouting in a motivated voice in the background. The cadet, who arrived for the third time, was looking at the two as if they were crazy.
There was a good reason why Abel wanted to run again even though he was already almost out of physical strength. It was because he knew the system of the game too well.
In this game, all stats rise better when pushed to the limit. In addition, the fact that his physical strength is on the verge of rising also yed a great role.
¡®Just a little bit more¡¡¯
Abel kept running. One after another, cadets dropped out of the top three, but he didn¡¯t stop. Eventually, in the end, only Abel and Daniel were running around on the field.
¡°Are they crazy?¡±
¡°This is hard for a sane person to do¡ I can barely lift a finger.¡±
The other cadets stuck out their tongues as they watched. But unlike Daniel, who was indeed a monster, Abel was slowly reaching his limit. No matter how determined one is, there are limits, and just when he was about to give up.
[Your physical strength has increased by one level.]
A message shed in front of Abel¡¯s eyes. He checked it, squeezed out thest of his strength, and ran, stopping short when he reached the finish line.
¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa.¡±
¡°Great job, Abel!¡±
Boyle looked at Abel and praised him in a loud voice. Then he shouted for the other cadets to hear.
¡°The important thing in physical fitness is the will! Willpower! Just like Abel here¡..¡±
Abel quietly opened his status window before his eyes, hearing Boyle¡¯s voice in one ear and mesmerizing it in the other.
[Abel]
[Race: Human]
[Physical strength: C]
[Attunement: S]
[Hp: C]
[Possession: gigant Lupus]
[Skills: lightning bolt, overflow, shadow step, double attack, beginner gigant¡..]
At first nce, the status bar didn¡¯t make much difference. But a new window popped up as Abel stared at the ¡®physical strength¡¯ section for a few seconds.
[Physical strength: C]
¨C Stamina: C
¨C Strength: C
-Agility: B
-Flexibility: C
¡¡¡
It was the details of the stats. Every stat was made up of a number of details, and the grade was the average level of those details.
¡®I¡¯ve just gone from D to C in Stamina. If I do well, I can raise my grade to B within this semester,¡¯
Abel smiled slightly and stretched his bent upper body.
¡°All right, let¡¯s give Abel a round of apuse!¡±
While Boyle had the cadets pping their hands, Abel wondered what he was talking about.
¡°Wow¡.¡±
Of course, the exhausted cadets couldn¡¯t have reacted enthusiastically to Boyle¡¯s boring speech. In any case, Boyle saw Abel¡¯s grit and finished his lecture ahead of schedule. Taking advantage of the distraction, Abel reached into the stash of stamina pills he had prepared and took one.
¡°Whoosh.¡±
His body, as heavy as a soaked cotton ball, felt light as a feather. He wasn¡¯tpletely fine, but at least he wasn¡¯t too sore to move. Just then. Daniel, who had been running with Abel until the end, came up to him.
¡°Abel!¡±
¡°Hmm?¡±
¡°Lecture ended early. Do you want to go to the training ground?¡±
Abel looked at Daniel in disbelief. And thought to himself,
¡®Is he really a monster?¡¯
Even if he had taken a health restoration pill, there was no way Daniel had any, which meant he still had a lot of stamina. This was truly abnormal. Abel shook his head and replied.
¡°No, I can¡¯t. I have somewhere to go.¡±
¡°Somewhere? Where?¡±
¡°There¡¯s this ce like that. I¡¯ll see youter at mealtime.¡±
Abel replied moderately and started walking. He headed to the personal training center. It was the first time he¡¯d been there since his lecture schedule.
Of course, he wasn¡¯t just going to look around. As Abel walked quickly, he slipped his hand into his bosom and felt something heavy. It was a box containing a Gigant heart. Today he was going to transnt a Gigant heart into Lupus.
[To be continued.]
Chapter 27:
Chapter 27:
A private training ground to operate Gigants is genuinely an incredible privilege. There are many training grounds for human use throughout the vast academy grounds, but Gigant training grounds were few.
¡®There¡¯s a reason there are so few cadets.¡¯
The total number of cadets in the first year is 40. That seems like a lot, but the number of cadets who make it to the second year from here is usually less than thirty. And as they get into higher levels, they keep decreasing¡¡
In the end, at most ten Cadets will receive a diploma. It¡¯s a minimal number despite Del Mordor Academy attracting the best and brightest from the Empire and the neighboring nations. However, even with such few Cadets, they still needed ess to the private gigant training grounds.
If they had tried to build more private gigant training grounds, the grounds wouldn¡¯t have been twice asrge as they are now.
¡°That¡¯s a lot of space.¡±
Abel muttered to himself as he stood at the entrance to the training grounds. In such admiration, Abel walked forward again. He didn¡¯t have to worry about how he would get in.
As he approached the doorway, he could see a security device. Abel deftly took the pass from his pocket and swiped it through the security device.
Woooong-
As if by magic, the door opened by itself. Abel cautiously walked through the open door. The inside of the training center was just as spacious as the outside.
It wasn¡¯t where you could run to your heart¡¯s content, but it was enough for simple training. As he looked around, his gaze settled on a single spot where a giant giganty.
¡®There it is.¡¯
The Gigant hangar was directly attached to the training ground, so it could be used immediately if you told them in advance. Abel moved closer to his Gigant. Unlike thest time he was in ss, now he was alone, so he could walk aroundfortably and check out his Gigant.
¡°It¡¯s perfect¡¡.¡±
Abel muttered, staring at his Gigant as if possessed. He couldn¡¯t find any ws, in his eyes, it was a work of art.
He couldn¡¯t believe that it had been so many years since he¡¯d woken up in this ce, yet such a gigant stood on its own two feet and roamed freely.
It was a clear vition of Earthlymon sense, but all the more so, it made his heart flutter. It wasn¡¯t something he would tell anyone, but these metal gigants sustained him in a world where he had no ce to call home.
¡°Huh,¡±
Abel smirked and shook his head. It would have been perfectly eptable to return to his childhood and gawk, but time was passing. He couldn¡¯t keep wasting time like this. After calming his excitement, Abel walked straight to the cockpit. There weredders prepared in advance for easy climbing. Abel climbed thedder and ced his hand on the cockpit glove.
Wo~wo-!
A small amount of mana was sucked into it, and with a resonating sound, the glove that enclosed the cockpit opened on both sides. Abel carefully slid himself inside.
Typically, he would have just touched and activated the core, but he didn¡¯t bother. He had something else in mind. Abel closed the cockpit¡¯s gloves first. It was not long before darkness came.
¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa.¡±
He took a long breath and pulled a small box from his bosom. In his mind, he had already opened the box and pulled out its contents, but he stopped himself.
¡®I need to remain calm. Calm¡¡.¡¯
What was currently in Abel¡¯s hands was an object that could be a treasure or a disaster, depending on how it was used. Taking several deep breaths, Abel opened the box very slowly.
[Ummm.]
As he opened the box, a low, heavy voice echoed in his head. Abel slowly spoke up at the sound of the groaning.
¡°Are you awake?¡±
[Yes, Master.]
This time, unlikest time, the answer came straight back. And somehow, his voice sounded stronger. As if his consciousness had be clearer. Abel didn¡¯t give him long to think before he spoke again.
¡°I have a gift for you.
[A gift?]
¡°Yes.¡±
Taking the Gigant¡¯s heart out of the boxpletely, Abel ced one hand on Gigant¡¯s core.
¡°You¡¯ll need a body because you won¡¯t be able to do much in your current state.¡±
[Hmm. I can¡¯t be sure, but¡ I¡¯m already overwhelmed by this short conversation.]
¡°That¡¯s right. Here¡¯s a body just right for you.¡±
Abel¡¯s words confused his opponent.
[This is a body?]
¡°Yes.¡±
[Something¡¯s strange.]
¡°You don¡¯t have to take it if you don¡¯t want it. I don¡¯t really care.¡±
There was silence for a while. Abel waited a moment, then gestured to ce the Gigant¡¯s heart back into the box. That¡¯s when an answer came.
[Alright.]
¡°Hmm?¡±
[I ept the body.]
¡°You will take the body?¡±
Abel repeated the other¡¯s words, and after a brief pause, the answer came back.
[¡¡I will ept your gift with thanks.]
Infamous Scans
¡°Alright.¡±
The tone wasn¡¯t very polite, but Abel didn¡¯t want to risk it further and lifted the Gigant¡¯s heart again.
¡°But there is a condition.¡±
[Conditions?]
¡°Yes. Obey mymands and do nothing to harm me. Just do those two things.¡±
[That¡]
¡°You¡¯re not going to reject it, right? I don¡¯t want to risk my life to give you a gift.¡±
Despite Abel¡¯s gentle urging, he didn¡¯t answer right away. In human terms, he must have been in aa for decades and just woke up, but his judgment wasn¡¯t wholly impaired.
¡®No, this is probably how far I fell.¡¯
Abel thought so and spoke up again.
¡°In return, I will make sure not to give you unreasonable orders, let alone inflict fatal harm on you for no reason.¡±
[Really?]
¡°Yes. This is a promise.¡±
[A promise¡?]
Another short silence came. However, it was Lupus who broke the silence this time around.
[Alright. I¡¯ll ept it.]
The moment he heard the answer, Abel breathed a sigh of relief. Despite his outwardly carefree demeanor, he was nervous to the point where his palms were sweaty. Fortunately, his opponent did not seem to have grasped the loophole. Of course, it didn¡¯t matter if he found outter.
Woog-.
A symbol had already appeared on the smooth surface of the Gigant¡±s heart¡ªthe mark of a pact. Abel and Lupus could never return to their word, meaning their primary safety had been secured. Abel organized his thoughts before speaking again.
¡°Very well, then, I will give you a body. They may be a bit of a shock, so be prepared.¡±
[Shock? What¡¯s that¡]
Thud-.
Before Lupus could finish speaking, Abel pushed the Gigant¡¯s heart into his core.
Woo-woo-!
A blue color rippled over the surface of the core, and at the same time, a pained groan sounded in Abel¡¯s head but Abel didn¡¯t stop, instead he applied more force to his arm. There was quite a bit of resistance, but with a firm push, the heart slowly began to be sucked into the core.
[Aaah!]
Abel didn¡¯t stop when he heard Lupus groan. It wasn¡¯t exactlyfortable. There was a strong repulsive force and an electrifying pain that shot through his body like an electric shock.
It was a pain that made him want to pull his hand away from the core. But Abel gritted his teeth and pushed the heart into the core as hard as possible. When the heart was finallypletely absorbed into the core.
Thud!
With a loud thud, the core vibrated and emitted a brilliant light. At the same time, the dark interior of the cockpit brightened. It was shortly after that Lupus¡¯s voice was heard.
[Huhhh, what is this¡?]
The voice was mixed with quite a bit of bewilderment, and it resonated from the core, not from Abel¡¯s head. Abel simply answered.
¡°That¡¯s your new body, Lupus,¡±
[This is my body?]
¡°Yes.¡±
Abel replied, cing both hands on the core.
¡°I¡¯ll show you properly.¡±
Without much exnation, Abel infused his mana into the core. It was normal as usual up until a point where it became different.
The mana that had been sucked through the core spread out at an iparable speed, and as it flowed back in and out,pleting the cycle, he felt a vitality that had never been there before.
Abel felt his senses expand instantly, and with that, Lupus slowly pushed himself to his feet.
Kuung-!
The inside of the training ground vibrated finely. Lupus stood on the ground with both feet.
[This feeling¡ It¡¯s been a while.]
Abel, intoxicated with that omnipotence for a while, came to his senses at Lupus¡¯s words. There were strange emotions in Lupus¡¯ voice. Longing. Familiarity. Bitterness. It was aplex emotion that was difficult to pinpoint.
¡°How do you like your new body?¡±
[Not very great, but not bad.]
¡°It¡¯s a relief. At least you passed the passing mark.¡±
Abel smiled and slowly walked around the training grounds, inspecting the aircraft, while Lupus remained silent, then suddenly realized something and asked a question.
[But didn¡¯t you say it was my body?]
¡± Yes.¡±
[But isn¡¯t it my master who just moved me?]
Abel didn¡¯t hesitate to answer the question, as he was expecting the question.
¡°Yes. That¡¯s because your role is to help me.¡±
There was no immediate answer. However, Abel could feel the dissatisfaction radiating through his core. Unfazed, Abel spoke in a friendly voice.
¡°Why? Is it better to stay in a box than in a body? I¡¯ll send you back if you want.¡±
[No, no, of course not. I like it better the way it is.]
There was a hint of embarrassment in his voice. Abel smirked. He would not let his guard down, but he had no desire to be dragged around. Abel held the hilt now that they had made their pact. There was no way Lupus could get what he wanted without harming Abel himself.
¡®Right now.¡¯
He thought that to himself, Abel held out a carrot instead of a stick this time.
¡°Of course, I don¡¯t intend to keep you busy forever.¡±
[What does that mean?]
¡°If you help me, I will give you a proper body. A body that you can move at your own will.¡±
[I see. I understand.]
Abel felt Lupus¡¯s dissatisfaction eased a lot with those words.
¡°Okay. Then let¡¯s end the conversation here. Let¡¯s get down to business.¡±
[What?]
¡°What? I need to check your ability.¡±
[Ah, that¡¯s right.]
Lupus was immediately convinced. He¡¯d woken up from a long sleep and wondered, too. He was wondering what he was capable of. Abel ran through Lupus¡¯s abilities in his mind. Most were worthy of real-world experimentation, but some were not like pushing the core beyond its limits. In the game, it had nearly doubled its power briefly. Abel thought of things to check.
But then.
Woo woo woo woo-!
Lights suddenly formed on one side of the training ground. This was unexpected even for Abel, so he squinted and looked at it. Eventually, the clusters of lights came together and created letters.
[Request for admission]
[Visitor, Professor Scarlett Klein]
Abel¡¯s expression changed strangely.
[To be continued.]
Chapter 28:
Chapter 28:
Stepping off the gigant, Abel paced, looking at the words on the wall, and thought to himself.
¡®This is how it works in the real world.¡¯
Abel thought he had gotten used to life here, but there were times when he was surprised. A world where magic has reced science. In some ways, technological developments were surprisingly slow and inconvenient, but in other ways, things that were impossible on Earth seemed normal here. Abel walked to the door and swiped his ess pass into the doorway.
Woong-!
Then, with a faint reverberation, the door opened by itself. Count Klein, Abel¡¯s patron, stepped through the open doorway with her striking red hair.
¡°Long time no see.¡±
Scarlett smiled and greeted him first. Abel immediately returned the greeting politely.
¡°Yes. It¡¯s been a long time, Count.¡±
¡°Yes. May Ie in?¡±
¡°Of course.¡±
At Abel¡¯s nod of approval, Scarlett strode inside. Scarlett¡¯s attire was quite different from thest time he¡¯d seen her at the manor, she was both a noblewoman leading a family and a professor at the academy and if her appearance before had leaned toward the former, it was now clearly thetter.
Her hair was pulled up in a bun, and her outfit emphasized practicality. After taking a long look around the interior of the training center, Scarlett shifted her gaze back to Abel and asked,
¡°Do you like the private training center?¡±
¡°Yes. I do.¡±
¡°That¡¯s good, then,¡±
Abel realized something new from Scarlett¡¯s words. Count Klein must have had something to do with awarding the private training room to him. Abel¡¯s achievement was undoubtedly impressive, but even considering that the private training room was more than he could have hoped for, it made sense if Scarlett had something to do with it. Quickly collecting his thoughts, Abel immediately bowed and said.
¡°Thank you.¡±
¡°You¡¯re still quick to notice things, but don¡¯t bother thanking me. You¡¯ve done a great job.¡±
Scarlet smiled and replied in a light tone, this time walking over to where Lupus was.
¡°The aircraft is pretty standard, but it¡¯s well bnced. The workshop must have done a good job. What about the armaments? It must be tricky to handle.¡±
¡°I still need a lot of practice, but I¡¯m getting the sense that it¡¯s an excellent piece of armor.¡±
¡°Hmmm. You¡¯re already getting the hang of using two weapons simultaneously. It¡¯s worth it as a reward.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
Abel replied, not particrly surprised. Scarlett is his sponsor and a professor at the Academy, which means she¡¯s both interested in him and in a position to know what¡¯s happening within the Academy.
¡®That¡¯s part of the reason I approached her first.¡¯
Fom Abel¡¯s point of view, the more interest she takes in him, the better. She wasn¡¯t particrly benevolent, but she¡¯s the kind of person who rewards talent. Scarlett asked a few more questions before getting down to business.
¡°I¡¯d like to see you maneuver the Gigant once.¡±
¡°Alright. I¡¯ll show you right away.¡±
¡°I look forward to it.¡±
Abel walked straight to Lupus¡¯s cockpit, and Scarlett moved to a suitable corner.
Abel then went through the same process as before to activate Lupus.
¡®I¡¯ve withstood at least two attacks from a Milles-ss Gigant with all my strength.¡¯
In addition, it could withstand much more minor attacks that were not powerful. Considering that the mana required to operate the armament could have been better, it was an excellent performance.
¡®Although it¡¯sckingpared to other armaments.¡¯
If it¡¯s to be ranked based on the essential performance of the Scarlet trio sets, the Crown of the Sage, Blessing of Wind, and Shield of the Protector. The Crown of the Sage is a unique performance that is difficult to rece with other armaments, and Blessing of Wind is also rtively high among maneuver-rted armaments. On the other hand, it was challenging to say that the essential performance of the guardian¡¯s shield was top-notch. But that wasn¡¯t a big deal.
¡®But it¡¯s easy to upgrade.¡¯
The reason why the Scarlet trio set is highly valuable is because there are many ways to upgrade it. Abel had already nned to upgrade the Guardian¡¯s shield.
¡®First, I¡¯ll have to test the performance properly in the next ss.¡¯
As Abel moved his gigant around to examine the Guardian¡¯s Shield, he saw Scarlett send him a signal. It was a request for him to get off the Gigant and have a conversation with her. It was a short time, but the performance check was over, so Abel didn¡¯t hesitate to get off Lupus.
Cung-!
Infamous Scans
With a vibration, Lupusy back down on the ground, and Abel slipped out of the cockpit and approached Scarlett. Scarlett, standing with her back against the wall, strengthened herself and said to Abel.
¡°That was impressive.¡±
It wasn¡¯t a directpliment, but there was a satisfied smile on Scarlett¡¯s face. She seemed satisfied that her investment was a solid blue-chip stock. Abel responded in a way that Scarlett loved.
¡°I¡¯ll show you something more impressive next time.¡±
¡°Good. I¡¯m even more excited to hear that.¡±
As expected, Scarlet nodded pleasantly, then spoke again.
¡°First, I came by today just to catch up with you. I¡¯ve been busy with the start of the new semester.¡±
It was understandable. Scarlett is in charge of the fourth-year cadets, and while any grade is busy at the beginning of a new semester, the fourth year is especially so. Most of their sses are very focused on practicals.
Scarlett is in a position close to an ¡¯emeritus professor,¡¯ so she only teaches a few sses. However, considering her duties as the family head, it wouldn¡¯t be afortable schedule.
¡°You¡¯ve got a lot on your te,¡±
Abel said sincerely. Scarlet waved her hands at Abel¡¯s sincere words and spoke.
¡°That¡¯s alright. That¡¯s what we do every year. What about the practice?¡±
¡°The practice? That¡¯s still two weeks away¡¡.¡±
¡°No, not that, I¡¯m talking about the one for the special sses.¡±
¡°Oh, right.¡±
The practice, which is part of the regr ss, is still two weeks away. But the special ss, the battle against the de Tail, was only two days away, and that was why Abel had been meeting with the special ss cadets whenever he had the time to. Everyone expects a good result, and that ¡®everyone¡¯ included Scarlett.
¡°There will be a lot of other professors in that ss. Special sses usually get a lot more attention.¡±
¡°Is that sot?¡±
¡°Yes, and that includes me,¡± Scarlett said mischievously.
¡°So, like before, I¡¯ll expect you to go above and beyond what¡¯s expected of you. Oh, and of course,¡±
Scarlett said, holding up one finger.
¡°I don¡¯t intend to blindly put pressure on you. You¡¯ll be more enthusiastic if there¡¯s a reward.¡±
¡°There is no need to do¡¡.. ¡°
¡°As a reward, I¡¯ll give you my family¡¯s secret book. Something rted to magic.¡±
Wooooo-!
Looking at the surroundings through Lupus, the training grounds, which seemed so vast, felt small. Abel turned his head slightly to see Scarlett standing in the corner, and when she saw that Abel had finished his maneuver, she waved at him lightly. Signaling him to continue
¡®You want me to keep moving,¡¯
Abel, who understood the signal, slowly started walking.
Thump, thump, thump, thump-!
The Lupus¡¯s movement, controlled under Abel, was quite natural. It was only walking, but Scarlet could see through Abel¡¯s skill even with that alone.
¡°Amazing.¡±
Scarlet let out a small exmation. Controlling a Gigant is entirely different from moving the body directly. No matter how great one¡¯s abilities are, if one has a talent for the Gigant, one can only perform at their full potential. In that sense, Abel¡¯s talent with the gigant was ¡®real.¡¯
¡°People without talent can¡¯t even ride the gigant properly even after practicing for a year¡¡.¡±
Scarlett stroked her chin and muttered. In the past, in the early days of Gigant¡¯s development, Gigant was reserved for knights. This was because it was assumed that those who were naturally good at fighting would also be good at Gigant battles.
However, as time passed and research progressed, it became clear that it wasn¡¯t the case. The two talents arepletely separate. Of course, to be a proper gigant rider, both talents must be at a certain level.
Scarlett¡¯s eyes twinkled as she watched Abel walk around the training grounds. And at that moment, Abel was lost in his own thoughts.
¡®It¡¯s true. My movements are much smoother now that I¡¯ve had the Heart of the gigant imnted.¡¯
Abel¡¯s movements have be more natural, and this is due to the improvement of his skill, and of course, the effects of the Heart of the Gigant cannot be ignored.
The Heart of the Gigant affected his Gigant in many ways. There were abilities that needed to be activated separately, such as Active Skills, but even in basic operations like this one, the impact could be felt deeply.
And Abel could feel it. He knew that now, he could be faster, more powerful, and fight longer. It was only natural that a satisfied smile formed on Abel¡¯s lips,
¡®At this rate, I should be able to achieve the same results as I did in ourst lesson with just one armor.¡¯
A part of him wanted to move more vigorously to see the effect, but he remembered he was not alone. Just then, Scarlett, watching him from the corner of her eye, waved her arm and gave the followingmand. She raised her arm and bent it slightly, pointing to her back. Abel could immediately understand the meaning.
¡®You want me to use my back weapon.¡¯
Abel stopped walking and channeled magic into the core.
Imagery is essential when activating a weapon. You have to visualize the weapon you will use as you move your energy. If you don¡¯t, it might not deploy at all, or worse, the wrong weapon might protrude, or the movement might go awry altogether.
But Abel didn¡¯t have to worry about that. Since he had already activated two weapons simultaneously, the mana he had channeled quickly spread through the machine and converged into one point.
Tsk-tsk-tsk
The armor on his back reacted. A sturdy covering opened, revealing a blue gem nestled inside. The changes didn¡¯t end there.
Woo-woo!
A blue light radiated out from the surroundings along with an unusual magical response. The light seemed to spread to the surroundings and thenpletely enveloped Lupus. Abel looked at the light around him and remembered its name.
¡®Guardian¡¯s shield.¡¯
That was the name of the third armament. If the first armament, Blessing of the Winds, is concerned with mobility, and the second, Sage¡¯s Crown, with the senses. The Guardian¡¯s Shield, as its name implies, focused on defense. Though he had yet to test it himself, Abel had a rough idea of its performance.
¡°¡It looks like¡¡±
Abel shifted his stance immediately. Any other reward would have been fine, but Count Klein¡¯s magic scroll was a different story. Abel spoke, his voice filled with enthusiasm.
¡°Whatever you imagine, I will show you and more.¡±
[To be continued.]
Chapter 29:
Chapter 29:
¡°Whatever you imagine, I¡¯ll show you and more.¡±
Scarlett¡¯s clearughter echoed through the training ground.
¡°Hahaha, I love that attitude,¡±
Scarlett added, patting Abel on the shoulder to ensure she wasn¡¯t just talking.
¡°Then I¡¯ll have a reward for you beyond anything you can imagine, so be sure to do well.¡±
¡°Alright!¡±
¡°Well, then, I should get going. I still have work to do.¡±
With that, Scarlett slowly made her way out of the training center. Only after she had left did Abel turn around to look at Lupus.
¡°Hmm.¡±
Two days. Two days to ride Lupus and go against the de tail.
¡®I¡¯d be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t nervous, but I wasn¡¯t too worried about the battle itself. This was because I had ridden Tito and had a proper real battle just a week ago.¡¯
¡®If it¡¯s the tail de, it¡¯ll be a little more tricky.¡¯
But it won¡¯t beparable to the life-or-death experience Abel had in the past. Instead, the professors who will be there will make him nervous.
¡®I¡¯ve decided to keep a low profile for now, but this is an exception. If I decide to keep a low profile, I¡¯ll end up with a bad grade.¡¯
Above all, simply fighting well would not raise suspicion.
¡®They can¡¯t call me a spy just because I¡¯m talented and fight well.¡¯
He had to be careful of ¡®suspicious behavior,¡¯ like using in-game knowledge to gain benefits that no one else knows about. It was easy to raise suspicion, and he would refrain from openly taking advantage of that for the time being.
¡°Alright,¡± Abel said, sorting out his thoughts and moving closer to Lupus.
It was already quitete in the day with Scarlett¡¯s unexpected visit. Today wasn¡¯t the only day to train, so he had to wrap things up and get back. He had to get up early tomorrow to prepare. Stepping closer to Lupus, Abel touched the cold metal and spoke.
¡°In two days, you¡¯ll be able to run properly, not just move around like you did today.¡±
The words were directed at Lupus, but he didn¡¯t answer. With the shutdown, Lupus¡¯s consciousness must have subsided. Abel turned away after saying that.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
Abel stood on one corner of therge yground and stared at the sky. The sky was just as blue today.
¡°Abel!¡±
Daniel called Abel¡¯s name and ran toward him. He¡¯d just finished a workout and was exhausted, but Daniel was lively as ever. Abel asked, lowering his head.
¡°How do you always have so much energy?¡±
¡°Huh? I guess it¡¯s because we finished earlier than usual today!¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t¡. ask you that. Let¡¯s go.¡±
Abel felt he would lose energy by continuing the conversation, so he started walking. Daniel followed close behind and spoke.
¡°You¡¯ll be there early, won¡¯t you?¡±
¡°Of course, I will. They said we coulde early and check the battlefield with the Gigants.¡±
¡°That¡¯s right. Ah, May,e here!¡±
Daniel suddenly shouted while raising his hands in the middle of their conversation. Standing on one side, staring nkly into space, May flinched at Daniel¡¯s cry.
Daniel quickly ran to her and dragged her. Abel still wasn¡¯t close to May, but he didn¡¯t need to worry about the awkwardness.
¡°Isn¡¯t that why you spent yesterday wielding a wooden sword? This is rather¡¡.¡±
The room was silent for a moment as Daniel did his share of talking for the three of them until he felt the urge to shut his non-stop chattering mouth.
¡°Abel! Daniel!¡±
Hannah came running towards them, her red hair whipping around her. She spotted May when she was close enough to greet her.
¡°May! You¡¯re here too!¡±
¡°Yeah¡¡.¡±
¡°You seem more energetic today!¡±
¡°Yeah¡¡.¡±
Of course, her arrival didn¡¯t make things any better. Hannah was just as chatty as Daniel, if not more. Her talkative demeanor probably had something to do with May¡¯s face gradually bing pale. Abel fastened up his pace. Fortunately, today¡¯s practice venue was pretty close.
¡®There it is.¡¯
The special ssroom changes from time to time depending on the content of the day¡¯s lesson. In this case, it was the same ce where they¡¯d held theirst mock battle.
¡°You¡¯re here early.¡±
As they approached, Jacqueline, who was in charge of the special ss, greeted Abel and the other cadets. The other cadets didn¡¯t seem to have arrived yet. Abel gave a stiff bow and replied politely.
¡°Yes. I wanted toe early and check out the battlefield and the Gigants.¡±
¡°That¡¯s a good demeanor. Gigant engineers are over there with the Gigants doing maintenance, so go check it out.¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Understood!¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
Infamous Scans
Abel replied and walked off with the other cadets. He didn¡¯t have to think about where the gigants were. The sight of eight Miles-ss Gigants lying side by side could be seen even from a great distance. As they got closer, they could see the engineers around the Gigants.
It was the first time they¡¯d seen them in person, as they only came out after they were done with the inspection in the hangar during ss.
¡°Let¡¯s check the Gigants from here on out.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
¡°Yeah.¡±
Abel and Hannah were the only ones with private gigants of the four. However, the others had to check the condition of the Gigants they¡¯ll be using for today, so they hurried left to check out the Gigants. Abel went to where Lupusy. His gigant was equipped with the armaments Scarlett had given to him so he didn¡¯t have to wander.
¡°Good morning.¡±
Walking over to where Lupus was, Abel first greeted the engineers inspecting the gigant.
¡°Are you here to check out the gigant?¡±
¡°Yes. May I speak to you in private?¡±
¡°Okay. Just a moment.¡±
Getting a brief status report before boarding a gigant was expected, so the engineer immediately called for someone else. Probably an assistant engineer. It¡¯s usually up to the assistant to exin. As Abel waited in silence, he soon heard someone approaching briskly. Abel turned his head in that direction, and his eyes widened. It was a woman with blue hair and thick sses who looked eerily familiar.
¡®No, she could be someone else,¡¯
Abel opened his mouth and spoke to the assistant engineer, who rushed over.
¡°Good morning, I¡¯m Abel.¡±
¡°Ah, yes, yes! I¡¯m Temerin, and you must be the Master of Lupus, right?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
Abel¡¯s eyes twinkled at the same time as he answered the question. Temerin. It was exactly the name Abel had expected.
¡±I never thought we¡¯d meet.¡±
Abel was so surprised to see Temerin because she was one of the best engineers in the game. She would be on par with Vulcanus in just a few years.
¡®I was going to look her upter when I had time, but this is good.¡¯
Abel already had a connection with Vulcanus, but he still needed to get to know Temerin. Vulcanus and Temerin had different specialties.
Vulcanus specialized in ¡°crafting.¡± He was more of a cksmith, while Temerin was more of an inventor. She was simply natural at inventing new equipment and improving existing ones.
¡°Uh, Mr. Abel, can I give you a report?¡±
Abel snapped out of his reverie at the sound of Temerin¡¯s voice. He¡¯d been so distracted by her presence.
¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯d like a report, please.¡±
¡°Alright!¡±
Temerin cheerfully gave him a report of Lupus¡¯s inspection. There was little to report. This was because he hadn¡¯t taken part in any battle yet. He had only had sses and personal training.
¡°I think that¡¯s all to report.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
Abel replied, then paused for a moment before speaking.
¡°Temerin.¡±
¡°Yes?¡±
Temerin, who was about to turn away, stopped dead in her tracks at Abel¡¯s call.
Abel said to her, ¡°Do you personally see anything that could be improved?¡±
¡°Huh, personally?¡±
Temerin looked around in surprise. She seemed afraid the other engineers might overhear, which wasn¡¯t a strange reaction. Temerin was only an assistant engineer, after all. Of course, her timid nature probably yed a part.
¡°Um, of course, you don¡¯t have to tell me if you¡¯re ufortable with it.¡±
Abel had no intention of forcing anything, so he said while stepping back. Temerin¡¯s mouth twitched slightly, but then she seemed to muster up her courage and spoke up.
¡°Actually¡¡ There is.¡±
¡°Is that so?¡±
¡°Yes. But I¡¯m afraid It¡¯s quite difficult to exin briefly.¡±
Abel didn¡¯t hesitate to answer.
¡°Then, could you meet with meter to talk about it?¡±
¡°Later?¡±
¡°Yeah. I have a private training room, and I believe the engineers¡¯ workshop is right next to it.¡±
Temarin blushed at Abel¡¯s suggestion and hesitated but soon nodded.
¡°Alright.¡±
Abel was so impatient that he set the exact date and time on the spot. He couldn¡¯t stand still, so Abel ended his conversation with Termerin and checked on Lupus with his own two eyes. Meanwhile, the other cadets had arrived, one after the other. When Abel confirmed that June and Lian hade, he turned and spoke loudly.
¡°Everyone gather round!¡±
Abel shouted, and all the cadets walked towards him without hesitation. Abel made eye contact with each of them before speaking.
¡°We have about half an hour left, so let¡¯s go over the n again. Everyone still remembers the details, right?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Alright.¡±
They had already nned how to fight, so Abel simply reminded them.
¡°The most important thing inbat is formation. The de tail is very agile, and its tail can move very freely, so it can be hard to move¡¡.¡±
Even though they already knew it, the cadets listened to Abel¡¯s n. If they had not shown up for this lesson and anything went wrong, it would be their fault for not showing up. Despite her half-drowsy eyes, even May stayed awake to hear Abel¡¯s n.
¡°Now, does anyone have any questions?¡±
After his exnation, Abel asked, looking around the room, but no one answered. So he nodded.
¡°Okay, then let¡¯s ensure we don¡¯t make any mistakes and do it perfectly.¡±
¡°Okay. Everyone! ss is about to begin!¡±
Just at the right time, Jacqueline pped her hands together, signaling the start of ss. Abel and the other cadets quickly lined up in front of Jacqueline.
¡°Any moment now, the professors will arrive to observe today¡¯s ss. When I give the signal, each of you will go and stand in front of your preferred gigant.¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
Jacqueline looked to one side, smiling with satisfaction at the cadets¡¯ response. Soon enough, a group of what appeared to be professors walked up from the direction Jacqueline was looking.
Among them was Scarlett, Abel¡¯s patron. Scarlett, who was having a conversation with the other professors, smiled when she spotted Abel.
¡°Alright, everyone, to your gigant!¡±
Jacqueline ordered the cadets once the professors were close enough. At hermand, everyone stepped forward to their gigants. Abel, too, walked to the side of Lupus¡¯s cockpit, with a pace that was neither slow nor fast, and stood there, ready to climb into the cockpit at any moment.
Aw!
With a piercing cry, the ded tail was transported while trapped in a cage. Abel looked at it without thinking, then stiffened.
Ba-thump
Suddenly, a searing heat surged up from his chest.
[To be continued.]
Chapter 30:
Chapter 30:
The soaring heat did not quickly subside. Then, Jacqueline shouted.
¡°Everyone get on board!¡±
The cadets, waiting at the words, quickly climbed into the cockpit. Abel was no exception. The heat still bothered him, but he was the first to enter the cockpit and touch the core.
Wooooo!
As he raised his mana and directed it into the core, the thick armor surrounded the cockpit. Then Lupus opened his eyes in response to the magic power. It was at that time that the unidentified heat suddenly subsided.
¡°Whoa, whoa.¡±
Abel let out a hot breath, unsure why the heat had suddenly risen or subsided.
¡®Fragments of a gigant. I¡¯m sure it has something to do with that de tail.¡¯
It wasn¡¯t the only thing he could think of, but he didn¡¯t have time to think about it right now. More than a few eyes were watching him, and he had work to do. Abel gathered his scattered thoughts and began to tune in with Lupus, from a fleshy body to a massive metal body. The mind expanded instantly through the core. And at some point. Abel was looking out through Lupus¡¯s eyes.
¡°Lupus.¡±
[Master, is this the day?]
Lupus, who had awakened from his slumber, questioned Abel¡¯s call. Abel slowly rose to his feet and answered.
¡°Yes.¡±
Cung!
With a thud, two thick legs stood on the ground. Abel, who was the first to stand upright, continued with a smile .
¡°Today is finally my first real battle with you.¡±
The unidentified heat in the air and the gazes of the numerous onlookers were all drawn to the excitement of the uing battle. Looking around, Abel felt like he was standing in the ring of an underground arena for the first time in a long time. If he let himself get carried away with the excitement, he would definitely perform like never before.
¡°Whoa.¡±
Abel took a short, deep breath to calm his excitement. Fighting in front of an audience was all the same, but where he stood now was not a ce where one could be highly regarded simply for fighting well alone. He would have joined a mercenary organization, not the Academy if that was what he wanted.
Kung! Kung!
While Abel gathered his thoughts, the other cadets raised their gigants in turns. It was a swift pace, probably because only the most exceptional among all the cadets had gathered. Abel took the lead and shouted.
¡°Everybody stand in formation!¡±
Kung, kung, kung
At Abel¡¯smand, everyone moved into the original formation. Abel stood in the center with his sword and shield. To his left was Daniel with his spear and shield. On the right stood Lian holding a huge shield. Behind them stood May, who had two swords, and Ioline, who held a single de, and then stood June. Behind her stood Hannah with her magic cannon and Charlotte, bare-handed but wearing artifacts on both arms. Abel checked the formation and spoke again.
¡°Everyone¡¯s ready.¡±
At Abel¡¯s report, Jacqueline spoke using her voice amplification artifact.
¡°The battle begins in 3 minutes.¡±
After those words, Jacqueline stepped away, and a heavy silence fell over the mock battlefield. Everyone must be on edge. The only good thing was that everyone had had an experience in battle before, thanks to the fight they had the other day on the wall of glory. So they weren¡¯tpletely nervous.
¡®I don¡¯t think I need to say anything,¡¯ Abel thought, scanning the room and feeling relieved.
No one¡¯s more than a little nervous, so there¡¯s no need to do anything. If the operation is carried out correctly, it will be fine even if one or two people make a mistake.
¡®The important thing is the enemy.¡¯
Abel narrowed his eyes. The de tail, trapped in the cage, was looking at Abel¡¯s direction with its distinctive de-like tail raised. There was a sense of intimidation in the de¡¯s tail¡¯s red eye that intimidated the person facing it.
¡®It¡¯s really huge.¡¯
Abel thought to himself. The de¡¯s tail is just under 4 meters tall. It was in the form of a four-footed wolf, and if it stood upright, it would be bigger than Miles, who was just about 6m tall.
[Is that de¡¯s tail, the fragment of a gigant strong?]
Abel simply answered Lupus¡¯ sudden question, ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s strong.¡±
The de Tail is one of the most powerful fragments of the gigant. The shards they¡¯d encountered at the Wall of Glory were also quite threatening, and it wasn¡¯t because each shards were strong, rather it was because of its sheer volume and environment. There was a sudden attack and they had no weapons, and they were all on the Tito-ss, one level below Miles.
[That¡¯s odd, then. Aren¡¯t most of these people standing there inexperienced warriors, and you¡¯re sending them out against a powerful enemy? By your description, they all have some status, right?]
Lupu fired off a series of questions, which wasn¡¯t so strange. Lupus was quite inquisitive; whenever he was aboard the gigant, he always had an endless stream of questions. Normally, Abel would have given him a sincere answer, but under the circumstances, he kept it simple.
¡°Yes, because if we don¡¯t, we won¡¯t survive.¡±
[Won¡¯t survive? You, humans, don¡¯t look too weak either.]
¡°It doesn¡¯t look that way from here. But it¡¯s not so easy out there.¡±
¡And in a few years, even the high-walled capital of the empire would be threatened. Abel swallowed thest remark and spoke again.
¡°Looks like we¡¯re starting soon. If you have any more questions, I¡¯ll answer themter.¡±
[Okay.]
Infamous Scans
Lupus immediately became quiet at Abel¡¯s words, and after about a minute had passed.
Woo-woo-!
With a wave of strong magic power, the barrier covering the iron bars disappeared. The battle has begun.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
The cadets present were all brilliantly talented. Even if it hasn¡¯t fully bloomed yet, that talent hasn¡¯t been hidden like an awl in a pocket.
Screech-!
The cadets firmly maintained their formation even as the de¡¯s tail pierced the cage that separated them. They may have been nervous, but none backed down out of fear. Abel was pleased by that and calmly gave his instructions.
¡°Hannah.¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
At Abel¡¯s call, Hannah immediately energized the magic cannon she had strapped to her shoulder.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.
With a loud bang, a beam of light shot out from the magic cannon.
¡°Wow.¡±
¡°Indeed. Del Kior¡¯s talent shines through this time.¡±
The power and speed of the attack were unbelievable for a first-year student, causing most of the professors present to exim in admiration.
Bang!
However, such admiration was overshadowed. The de tail lightly deflected the beam of light. It was a natural result because the Magic Cannon was used without threats or checks. Of course, no one med Hannah for that. It was Abel who was at the forefront who gave that kind ofmand.
¡°Hmph. No matter how great a weapon is, it¡¯s useless if you can¡¯t handle it properly.¡±
¡°A talent in dealing with Gigant doesn¡¯t necessarily lead to a talent for strategy.¡±
Some impatient professors criticized Abel for just one move. But the discerning professors remained silent with calm faces. And it was the same with Abel. It was because the attack just a moment ago was not intended to inflict damage in the first ce.
Screech-!
Instead of striding forward like before, the ded tail showed signs of alertness and raised its tail. It was exactly the reaction Abel wanted.
¡®Good.¡¯
Everyone could see it. The ded tail stood still, alert and wary, at the single shot of a magic cannon. It wouldn¡¯t have reacted like that if it didn¡¯t feel in danger. The effect was clear.
Of course, this was only the beginning, as the image of the de tail was inted in the minds of other cadets into reality.
¡°Whoa¡±
Abel let out a hot breath. He wasn¡¯t just ying around when Hannah fired a magical cannon; the de tail saw it and stopped vigntly. To be precise, he used ¡®overflow¡¯ immediately after giving the instruction. Thanks to that, Abel¡¯s body was boiling as if it would explode. Abel was pushed to the limit, and without warning, he leapt forward.
Quaang-!
With a loud bang, Lupus rushed like a shot. The de tail, which had been raising its alertness for a while, swiftly ducked to the left to avoid Lupus. However, Abel, who used his great sage¡¯s crown, twisted his body as if he had predicted it and swung his sword.
Kwang!
The sound of tearing metal rang out. Abel¡¯s sword had sliced through the de-tail¡¯s side. The de-tail reflexively swung its tail, even as it gaped at the pain of its flesh being ripped apart.
Kwajik!
With a snap, the sharp tail pierced Lupus¡¯s shoulder. For a moment, the de tail seemed pleased that it could retaliate, but then it realized that Abel was just as delighted. In the cockpit, Abel grinned and shouted.
¡°Now!¡±
Boom!
Abel let go of his shield and clutched his tail tightly. The de-tail btedly noticed the oddity and tried to pull its tail away, but it didn¡¯t budge.
Whoosh!
The team seized the opportunity Abel had created. Daniel threw out his spear as hard as he could, abandoning his shield altogether.
Quadeukk!
The spear pierced one foot of the de¡¯s tail and dug right into the solid ground, followed by May, who leapt from the air and mmed into its back.
Woooooooo
The de-tail howled in pain as it was hit with a series of watery blows. By now, most of the people on the gigant would probably have their faces flushed. Abel, sensing the heightened atmosphere, shouted again.
¡°Everyone back, Lian!¡±
Not everyone was quick on the uptake at first. It was expected. When you¡¯re in the middle of a battle, and then being told to back off isn¡¯t going to sink in right away, Abel anticipated that and called for Lian.
Coo!
Lian, who had been waiting in the back the whole time, came running with a huge shield in front of him. Abel saw iting and immediately yanked on its tail. The de tail, which had been silent the entire time after the howl of pain, moved.
Aaaaaagh!
A deafening roar echoed through the air, and the consequences of that roar were startling. Lian, who had been running energetically, was thrown backwards, and the shield he was holding was half bent. Abel was also in a bad shape.
¡°I can¡¯t use my left shoulder de anymore.¡±
His left shoulder de, where the tail was embedded, was nearly shredded. It was barely hanging on. The atmosphere instantly cooled as if cold water had been poured. But the battle was only just beginning.
Arrrrrrrg-
The de-tail wagged its tail, which had now grown into two while looking straight at Abel.
¡®It looks like a wolf, but it acts like a fox.¡¯
Maybe that¡¯s why it didn¡¯t have the word wolf attached to its name. Though the fragment of the gigant itself was not a normal creature in the first ce. Abel called out without taking his eyes off the ded tail.
¡°Lian! Are you okay?¡±
¡°Uh!¡±
Luckily, Lian didn¡¯t seem to suffer much damage aside from a bent shield. Abel had carried a spare shield on his back with this situation in mind, so the only real damage was only on one side of Abel¡¯s arm.
Abel took a moment to review what had just happened. The de¡¯s tail had caught him off guard, deliberately taking more hits as the tide turned against him. And that¡¯s why there weren¡¯t any fetal wounds. Abel had seen through it from the start, minimizing the creature¡¯s surprise.
If he had warned him sooner, he could have avoided taking any damage at all, but he deliberately didn¡¯t because it¡¯s not just Abel¡¯s fight.
¡®This should have been a great wake up call for everyone.¡¯
No one in this room would let their guard down, and no one would get too excited, which meant that the environment had been prepared for them to utilize their power fully. Abel smiled. The perfect stage has been set before him.
[To be continued.]
Chapter 31:
Chapter 31:
Abel was confident he could take down the de¡¯s tail alone. He was sure the others participating in the practice were just as confident. But even so, it is difficult for a group of people to work together to defeat the de tail, ideally because they have different paths and ways of fighting. For a group of people to fight well, they must ovee their ¡®differences¡¯ and unite. The purpose of conducting the practice ss at the beginning of the semester was to make them realize that, but the professors had something else in mind.
¡°Lian! Go forward.¡±
For Abel, the leader, none of that mattered.
Kwang-!
Lian¡¯s shield blocked the fierce attack of the de tail. The de tail, hiding its power all along, continued its attack desperately when it realized its surprise attack had gone nowhere. The de Tail knew that if he lost his momentum, he wouldn¡¯t survive.
Whoosh-!
The saw-like tail sliced through the air with an eerie sound. Ioline, who dodged the attack by a narrow margin, fell backward and didn¡¯t even bother to swing her weapon again.
This battle was a form of ¡®wheel war.¡¯ This means that instead of settling the battle quickly, the goal is to drain the power of the de¡¯s tail as much as possible before finishing it off.
It was a strategy that everyone agreed on, as it allowed everyone to showcase their skills evenly rather than one person being particrly strong. Ideally, the battle wasing to an end.
[The battle won¡¯t end like this, will it?]
Lupus¡¯s voice was tinged with regret and disappointment as he asked Abel a question. A smile formed at Abel¡¯s lips. This was because he could read Lupus¡¯ true intentions. Although he now calls Abel his master, Lupus is a beast that cannot be easily controlled. A beast that would rip open the iron bars that imprisoned it and jump out if given the chance. Lupus is something that can¡¯t be handled with a half-hearted mind.
¡°That¡¯s not going to happen,¡±
That was the reason why Abel spoke to Lupus with a firm voice.
¡°This is just the beginning.¡±
Abel raised his sword with his one remaining arm and shouted.
¡°Now, it¡¯s my turn.¡±
At those words, Lian stepped back without hesitation. His move was quick because he thought he had already shown enough of his skill. He had almost single-handedly carried out the defense mission against de Tail, so he had no regrets.
Quang!
When Lian, who had been blocking his attack, fell back, the de tail tried to strike as if it had been waiting for an opportunity, but Abel gave it no chance.
Whoosh!
Kicking off the ground and running forward, Abel immediately swung his sword at de Tail.
Bang!
The de tail, which was about to attack May, who was behind, quickly turned and mmed into Abel¡¯s sword. The two-pronged tail then targeted Abel¡¯s left shoulder and his side.
Kwagga-kwagga!
Abel struck it off with just a single sword strike. The professors and other cadets stared in amazement. It was just one gesture, but they sensed something had changed.
Woosh!
The de tail swung its front foot. Abel leaned forward and shed upward. The tailed attack had a shifting trajectory and was fast, but Abel struck it effortlessly with his sword. The de tail was struck with attack after attack, and the wounds on its body grew. Abel wasn¡¯t the only one facing the de Tail.
Kaga Gagak!
May shed at the de Tail¡¯s back, and Ioline struck a spot on its leg in quick session. Just when everyone thought they would be able to finish it off easily¨C
Woo!
Once again, the de tail showed a strange appearance. It was simr to the first time it had blown away Lian, who was holding a huge shield with a single blow. Abel knew very well what that was a precursor to.
de Tails are ssified as intermediate fragments because they possess a unique ability, and the name of that unique ability was none other than ¡®Strike.¡¯ It could instantly unleash a terrifying force several times its original strength.
Swooosh!
Abel watched the de-tail¡¯s body wriggle erratically. At this rate, it would do a lot of damage once again. However, Abel had already anticipated it and struck first.
¡®Shadow Step.¡¯
Just before the attack came, Abel¡¯s gigant moved incredibly quickly and struck the de Tail¡¯s side with his sword.
Kwaaang-!
With a snap, the massive body of the de Tail flew away. Instead of rejoicing that his attack hadnded sessfully, Abel chased after the de tail as it flew away at high speed.
Kwaaaaaaah!
The armament mounted on his foot. The Blessing of the Wind activated and pushed Lupus forward, instantly closing the distance between them. The sequence of actions was astonishingly swift and fluid.
¡°Whoa.¡±
Abel blew a hot breath from his mouth as he performed a move the others would have admired. The de tail that had been knocked away reared back upright andshed out with a vicious swipe of its sharp tail.
Originally, it would have been an intimidating counterattack. However, Abel, who had pushed his synchronization to the limit, felt no fear. Synchronization is an essential ability for a Gigant Rider. The higher it is, the more you can utilize your power to 100 percent.
No matter how good a knight you are, you won¡¯t be able to be a Gigant Rider if your synchronization is low. However, a high level of synchronization doesn¡¯t necessarily mean you¡¯ll fight better.
Infamous Scans
There¡¯s amon saying: ¡®Even if you¡¯re highly synchronized, you¡¯re still only as good as you can be, right?¡¯
In general, they weren¡¯t wrong. No matter how high the synchronization is, it won¡¯t exert much force if the rider is not strong enough. But that¡¯s just the general case. What happens when it goes past 100 and reaches 120 or 150 and beyond? What kind of power can an S-ss synchronization unleash?
Kwang!
The tail mmed into the ground. It was right where Abel stood a moment ago. But at that moment, he was already flying through the air. In Abel¡¯s eyes, everything seemed to be in slow motion. Abel knew the power of high synchronization. Suppose the synchronization rate reaches its limits beyond bing one with the Gigant. It could do impossible things with the human body, just like now.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh-!
The time that had slowed down through the sage¡¯s crown became even slower.
Pushwkk!
The gigant floating through the air descended to the ground through the blessing of the winds. All the while, the de Tail tried to attack Abel, but the guardian¡¯s shield deflected all of its attacks¡ªthe result of using all three weapons simultaneously and mobilizing all his skills. Abel¡¯s sword broke through all resistance and reached the de tail.
Kwang!
As the de sliced through the leather made of metal, the body of the de-tail, which had been struggling frantically just moments before, went limp. It was after seeing that did Abel break his synchronization.
The world slowed and returned to normal instantly, and he was nearly brought to his knees by the pain that shot through his body. His head felt like it would explode, and his body would melt. But Abel gritted his teeth and stood proudly on his own two feet, and a message shed before his eyes.
[You have sessfullypleted the simtion as a leader!]
[You have sessfullypleted the linked quest, and your reward will be enhanced!]
[The ¡®Enhancement Material¡¯ is given as a reward!]
[You have defeated the fragment of an intermediate gigant!]
[Your Influence will increase significantly!]
[You have impressed many people with your outstanding skills!]
[Your Influence will increase significantly!]
All the messages were enough to put a smile on his face. But the final message was something Abel didn¡¯t expect.
[¡®Sentence¡¯ reacts]
When the above message came to mind. Abel watched as a sphere of white light rose from the corpse of the de Tail and flew toward him, passing through Lupus¡¯s thick armor andnding in the cockpit, where it was sucked into Abel¡¯s chest.
¡°Ugh.¡±
Abel grimaced at the heat and the pain it caused. However, the next message that followed made him forget the pain and stare nkly.
[Absorbs some of the abilities of the Intermediate Gigant¡¯s Fragment de Tail]
[Physical abilities increase slightly]
[Acquires the skill ¡®Strike¡¯]
It was the first time he discovered an element he didn¡¯t even know existed.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
After the battle, all of the cadets¡¯ gigants were taken to the workshop. This was because the intense fighting had damaged most of them. While they were being moved, all the observers left. After all the arrangements were sorted out, Jacqueline gathered the cadets together.
¡°There are quite a lot of things to be desired.¡±
Jacqueline¡¯s tone was back to the polite honorific she used in ss. However, the content was anything but gentle.
¡°There was a lot of excitement in Daniel¡¯s movements. I don¡¯t care how fit you are if you were to use so much energy at the beginning of a battle on a real battlefield, you¡¯d get tired in the middle of a battle, and Hannah¡¡.¡±
Jacqueline continued her scathing assessment, pointing out each cadet individually, and Abel was no exception.
¡°I¡¯m sure Abel knows that he pushed himself too hard at the end.¡±
¡°Yes, I do.¡±
¡°I know you¡¯re trying to prove yourself, but you must be careful to some extent.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±
It was a point Abel had fully anticipated. He did that knowing fully well he would be pointed out on it, and Jacqueline didn¡¯t say anything more after that. After that round of criticism, Jacqueline took a breath and spoke again.
¡°I hope you all take what I said to heart and improve. Now, let me tell you your final grades.¡±
As she spoke, a smile suddenly appeared on her face.
¡°Everyone has perfect scores,¡±
At those words, the cadets¡¯ eyes widened. Jacqueline smiled and continued to speak.
¡°Even though it¡¯s your first practical lesson and a joint battle, you all exceeded expectations. Abel, the leader, utilized his teammates at the right time, and his teammates followed his orders faithfully.¡±
As she continued, the cadets¡¯ faces which had been hardened, brightened. Jacqueline continued to evaluate for a bit longer, then concluded with a pleased expression.
¡°You¡¯ve all done a great job, and I¡¯m looking forward to the future, but I want you to stay focused and stay calm. Do you understand?¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
¡°Then let¡¯s all get some rest. The lecture is over.¡±
Jacqueline turned away with those words, and the cadets only opened their mouths after she was some distance away.
¡°Wow. It¡¯s stronger than I thought.¡±
¡°Yeah. Even though Abel told me about it beforehand, I was still slightly embarrassed when it used its unique ability.¡±
As Lian and June spoke to each other, Daniel nodded in agreement.
¡°Even when I was on the Gigant, my hand felt like it hurt every time I hit it. It¡¯s so strong.¡±
¡°It¡¯s fast, too, but I didn¡¯t realize he could dodge so easily.¡±
Hannah said with a disgruntled expression. It bothered her that the de tail had so easily dodged the mage cannon. Just then, Ioline spoke up.
¡°Abel, how many weapons did you use at the same time at the ending of the battle?¡±
Her question drew the cadets¡¯ attention to Abel. Abel smiled awkwardly and answered.
¡°Three.¡±
¡°Three? You¡¯re already handling three weapons simultaneously in realbat?¡±
¡°Not simultaneously. I was using them sequentially.¡±
¡°That¡¯s it!¡±
Abel backed away when the conversation seemed about to turn entirely to him. He thought about just running away. But then he heard a voice that saved him.
¡°Cadet Abel?¡±
The voice sounded vaguely familiar, and Abel turned to see a woman waving at him. It was none other than Scarlett.
¡°I need to talk to you briefly regarding the promise I made to you the other day.¡±
It was time for an extra reward.
[To be continued.]
Chapter 32:
Chapter 32:
Abel turned to Daniel and Hannah, who had agreed to return with him.
¡°I¡¯ll see you at the training center in a bit.¡±
¡°Alright.¡±
¡°I¡¯m going first.¡±
Daniel and Hannah nodded and left immediately, and Abel walked over to Scarlett. Scarlett, who had been waiting, pointed to one side.
¡°Shall we sit over there and talk?¡±
¡°Alright.¡±
She pointed to a bench not far away. Abel walked with her, and Scarlett spoke when they reached the bench.
¡°Sit down.¡±
¡°Sure.
Scarlett and Abel sat slightly apart, and once again, Scarlett spoke first.
¡°You¡¯ve done much better than I expected, considering you¡¯ve only just been trained. You seem to have quite a goodmanding side.¡±
¡°That¡¯s because we all worked together to devise a n.¡±
¡°A n, yes. I was referring to your calm, timelymand on the battlefield.¡±
¡°¡Thank you.¡±
At a loss for words, Abel thanked her modestly. Scarlett smirked at Abel¡¯s reaction.
¡°It¡¯s certainly a good thing to have a clear idea of your strengths, but you don¡¯t have to focus on just one thing, do you?¡±
¡°Is that so?¡±
¡°Yeah. Because it¡¯s much more valuable to understand the situation well and have good leadership than simply fighting.¡±
Abel was aware of that. He¡¯s working on that, too, and he recognizes that ¡®one-tool characters have clear limits to their yability.¡¯ Gigants are powerful. But let¡¯s not forget that their enemies are just as powerful.
A Gigant Rider¡¯s enemies are also other Gigant Riders or gigants which is why the role of a leader, ormander, is so important. However, unlike brute force, strategy andmand cannot increase. Therefore, he was approaching it as carefully as possible.
¡®My level is still only slightly above average,¡¯
Abel thought so far, and he neatly summarized everything he wanted to say and put it into words.
¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±
¡°Good.¡±
Scarlett nodded in satisfaction as if she knew Abel wasn¡¯t just saying that without thinking. Then she brought up another topic altogether.
¡°The other professors who came as observers seemed quite impressed, especially with your assessment today.¡±
¡°My assessment?
¡°Yeah, there were a lot of people who thought highly of you, but there were also many people who didn¡¯t like you.¡±
¡°I suppose that¡¯s to be expected, given my low status,ck of rity, and the attention I attracted from the beginning.¡±
¡°I see, and if you were a descendant of a prestigious family, you¡¯d have gotten a lot more favorable attention, and many professors are sensitive to such things.¡±
Scarlett said, turning to Abel after talking so much.
¡°You could probably be adopted into a prestigious family by now. Those with discerning eyes would have fully realized your worth.¡±
Abel was silent for a moment at that. Things were indeed different now than when he first met Scarlett. Abel had already passed the Academy¡¯s entrance exams,pleting the bare minimum of proof. In addition to that, there are senior admissions, his battle at the Wall of Glory, and his grades andbat skills so far. He has everything a prestigious family could ask for.
¡°I¡¯m happy the way I am,¡± Abel said, shaking his head at Scarlett¡¯s words.
¡°Why?¡±
¡°Because there will be more restrictions.¡±
¡°Restrictions?¡±
¡°Yes. If I go in as an adoptee, I¡¯ll have much more support and be ignored less.¡±
Even if Abel was adopted, if he gets a surname first, he won¡¯t be ignored as much. But if that¡¯s what Abel wanted in the first ce, he would have nned for it.
¡°However?¡±
¡°The problem is, nothing in life is free.¡±
¡°Free¡ Well, that¡¯s true.¡±
¡°There¡¯s going to be a lot of work to do for the family¡¯s name, and even aside from that, it¡¯s a loss for me to be adopted.¡±
¡°A loss?¡±
Abel spoke confidently as if stating the obvious.
¡°Yes. My value will increase as time goes on.¡±
At that, Scarlett looked puzzled momentarily and then burst intoughter.
¡°So,since your value is underestimated right now, it¡¯s a loss for you to go into adoption?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
Infamous Scans
¡°Then it¡¯s also a loss for you to have me as a patron?¡±
¡°No way.¡±
Abel shook his head emphatically.
¡°I don¡¯t do things at a loss, and I¡¯m sure Count Klein will treat me ording to my value.¡±
¡°Hmm. Well.¡±
Scarlett looked at Abel with a smirk, then shook her head and pulled something out.
¡°Now that you mention it, it makes me feel a little shabby. But since I brought it, will you ept it?¡±
With that, Scarlett handed him a book. Abel¡¯s eyes instinctively went to the title.
[Optirum Breathing Method]
After reading the title, Abel asked in a curious voice,
¡°Is this¡¡?¡±
¡°It¡¯s not my family¡¯s secret magic book so you may be disappointed, but it¡¯s just as good.¡±
Scarlett said with a smile.
After cing the book in Abel¡¯s hands, Scarlet continued.
¡°It was brought into our family by ident during the Great War.¡±
¡°Can you give me something so precious?¡±
¡°Knights of my family are trained with different techniques at a young age. I would give it out when I saw someone worthy, but¡ it took me longer than I thought.¡±
Abel fiddled with the old book. The Optirum breathing method was a technique he had never seen before in his thousands of hours of gaming, maybe tens of thousands. But Scarlett¡¯s story made him realize this would not be an ordinary practice. This could be a hidden piece, too. After briefly organizing his thoughts, Abel spoke with sincerity.
¡°Thank you very much. I¡¯ll do my best to learn it.¡±
¡°Then, I¡¯ll be d I gave it to you. If you get stuck, you can ask me. I¡¯ve read it a few times for research.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
Scarlet nodded in satisfaction, then stood up.
¡°I¡¯ve kept you for too long. You must be tired, so go get some rest.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll see youter, then.
Scarlett gave a short goodbye and walked away, leaving Abel to watch her back before he eventually left slowly.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
Upon returning to his dormitory, Abel went straight to the training grounds, where he had a sword duel with Daniel and then met up with Ioline, who gave him some tips on magic. Then, after ate dinner, he returned to his dormitory, his entire body filled with fatigue.
¡°Whoa.¡±
Abel let out a long breath and flopped down on his bed. He was confident in his stamina, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel tired on a day like today. He¡¯d been training for hours after a battle that felt like a real battle.
¡®I just want to sleep.¡¯
Abel stared nkly at the ceiling, then slowly raised his upper body. No one would me him if he fell asleep right away, but Abel himself wouldn¡¯t allow it. He had other things to do than to sleep.
¡°Let¡¯s see¡¡±
Once fully awake, Abel sat at his desk and took out a piece of paper and a pen. He began to scribble down what he had gained today.
[Enchantment materials, influence, physical ability, strike]
He crossed out each one and wrote down the relevant information. Enhancement Materials and Influence were quest rewards. The physical abilities and strikes were crest and de tails.
¡°Hmmm.¡±
First, there was little to worry about with the Enhancement Materials and Influence. Influence means the influence that Abel himself exerts. It¡¯s simr to the ¡®Drowsy¡¯ statsmonly used in games, where the higher it is, the more influence you have over your surroundings. Conversely, if it was low, he was more likely to be ignored, even if he was to rise to a higher position in the future.
¡®In a way, it¡¯s kind of like a charisma stat.¡¯
The ¡®Enhancement Materials¡¯ is unknown because the reward has not yet been given,but it¡¯s probably rted to gigant or armor. It¡¯s more likely to be a weapon, as the Gigant Enhancement Material was difficult to obtain.
¡®I¡¯m not sure which path it will take yet.¡¯
Intangible rewards such as skills tend to be given right away, but tangible rewards like this are given in different ways. Like Demetri¡¯s me, he got earlier.
¡®Well, maybe it will be given through sponsorship or performance rewards.¡¯
This wasn¡¯t something to ponder right now, so Abel moved on to thest item.
¡®Sentence react¡¡¯
Abel looked down at his chest, where the mysterious symbol had been engraved when he first encountered the de tail, and the system hadbeled it a sentence react, which meant the system knew exactly what it was.
¡®The problem is, it¡¯s a system that¡¯s never been in a game.¡¯
He¡¯d been encountered with a lot of things that haven¡¯te out in games before, but this was more disturbing because it was on his body. Abel narrowed his brow and shifted his gaze slightly to the side.
¡®de Tail and Strike.¡¯
Strike was originally a unique ability of the de Tail, and Abel had gained that unique ability by defeating the de Tail.
¡®And I think my physical abilities have increased.¡¯
Abel felt a little lighter than before when he was sparring with Daniel. However, there was no change in his stats in the status window.
¡°Hmm.¡±
It suddenly urred to him that maybe this physical ability is independent of his stats. It¡¯s still just a guess, though. However, there was something else that bothered him more this time
¡®Why did the system only react when I fought the de Tail?¡¯
This wasn¡¯t the first time Abel had fought a fragment of a gigant. At the Wall of Glory, he¡¯d taken down and killed numerous fragments of a gigant, but at that time, this message didn¡¯t appear at all.
¡®Why?¡¯
Is it simply because of the difference in level? But then again, the fragments he¡¯d taken down at the Wall of Glory had seemed pretty high level, too.
¡±This is giving me a headache.¡±
It¡¯s not something Abel was going to let it slide. At least, there were a few clues. Even at that, he couldn¡¯t just go out hunting for the fragment of a gigant. Abel nced at the calendar on his desk and muttered to himself.
¡°At least, the first practice is the closest.¡±
That was the only ¡®outdoor¡¯ practice at the beginning of the semester, and it was just two weeks away. Of course, even that seemed a long way off to Abel.
¡®It can¡¯t be helped,¡¯
Abel shook his head, calming his impatience. As frustrating as it was, getting even a small clue was something to be happy about. The strike skill he acquired this time around is quite useful inbat. Abel scribbled down a few more notes on a piece of paper and tucked it away in his desk drawer. He then took out a book he kept in his desk drawer. It was the Optirum Method of Breathing.
¡°Alright¡±
Abel smiled as if he had never been frowning. Proper breathing was what he always wanted. He had had the opportunity to learn it several times before, but he deliberately gave up because it is challenging to change breathing techniques once mastered. He was thinking of learning how to breathe at least A grade or higher.
¡±Please be grade A. Please.¡±
Muttering to himself, Abel slowly opened the book, and when he saw the first page. A message shed before his eyes.
[You have recognized the conditional ss S breathing method.]
[Would you like to learn the Optirum breathing method?]
Abel¡¯s eyes widened as he read the message.
[To be continued.]
Chapter 33:
Chapter 33:
Grade S.
It was given the modifier conditional, but even considering that; it was an incredible rank. Abel blinked for some seconds. Although extremely happy, he couldn¡¯t help but feel that this was too much of a reward for his actions. No matter how nice Scarlett is, she wouldn¡¯t have given him such a massive reward for no reason.
¡®Let¡¯s check out the content first,¡¯
Abel thought as he shook his head, and then he looked up to see exactly what ¡®conditional¡¯ meant because it seemed like the only way to understand his current situation. As he stared at the message, a detailed exnation of conditional immediately came to mind.
[This breathing method is iplete. You must acquire the Optirum Breathing method to get the full effect.]
[Individual grade is B.]
¡°Ah.¡±
Abel read the message and nodded in understanding. This was because he had experienced simr situations in games before.
¡°This must be the first half.¡±
Special visions and breathing methods often came in multiple volumes. Naturally, they could not be fully mastered by mastering just one book, but only when mastered, can it show its power. In other words, what Abel currently had in his hand was Volume 1, and what he needed to obtain was Volume 2. Abel thought for a moment and then spoke.
¡°Acquire.¡±
The moment he said it.
Woooossh-!
The book¡¯s pages flipped frantically, and a blue light emanated. Abel felt unfamiliar knowledge flooding into his mind. It was simr and different to acquiring a skill, the awakening of previously unknown knowledge was identical, but the vastness of it was beyondparison. It was like having an entire book literally mmed into your head.
¡°Arrgh¡¡±
Abel shuddered and grabbed his head. His head felt hot like it was overloaded. At this rate, he wondered if his brain would melt. Part of him wanted to scream but couldn¡¯t, so he just gritted his teeth and held on.
¡°Ugh¡¡±
Abel had been holding on to this pain for a long time.
[Acquisitionplete.]
As soon as the message appeared, his headache melted away as quickly as it hade. Abel blinked, dumbfounded by the temperature difference.
¡®Is it over?¡¯
He thought for a moment, remembered an easy way to check it, and tried it out. He thought of the book¡¯s contents, and the results were immediately known. The contents of the book he hadn¡¯t even read yet popped into his head.
¡°So this is how it works.¡±
Abel wiped his face; this wasn¡¯t an experience he would want to repeat, but there was a good chance he would have to try the same thing in the future.
¡®Let¡¯s just check it out and then get some rest.¡¯
Part of him wanted just to lie down and sleep. However, he needed to check how far the book¡¯s content led. Abel dug into the knowledge of the book in his head and was able to conclude shortly after.
¡°It¡¯s notpletely out of context.¡±
The Optirum Breathing Technique Scarlett had handed him was a self-contained breathing technique, meaning that if he mastered this, he would have no problem building up and using mana.
¡®Maybe the Count didn¡¯t even know there was another volume,¡¯
Which wasn¡¯t so strange. The first volume of the Optirum Breathing method was rated a B. It looks very lowpared to S, but B was not a low grade. If an S grade was considered unheard of in an entire continent, then a B grade was considered unheard of on a kingdom¡¯s scale. Instead, it was even more strange that the breathing method used by the marquis families of some kingdoms was of the S rank.
¡®Thinking about it, there¡¯s a chance that they weren¡¯t an ordinary Marquis family in the first ce,¡¯
Abel looked at the book again, determined to research the Marquis of Optirumter. After analyzing the knowledge in his head, he realized that Volume 1 felt more like a ¡®foundation.¡¯
¡°I don¡¯t think I will be needing volume 2 right now.¡±
He couldn¡¯t be sure because he didn¡¯t have volume 2, but it seemed to Abel that volume 2 could be learned only after he had mastered volume 1. In other words, he didn¡¯t need to feel disappointed that he didn¡¯t have volume 2 yet.
¡°I¡¯ll have to take some time to look for volume 2,¡±
After a brief conclusion, Abel closed the book and put it back on his desk. Then, he went straight to the bed andy down. As much as he wanted to try the breathing method right away, he couldn¡¯t. It was written in the very first chapter that you should be well rested before attempting it.
¡®Time to sleep.¡¯
Abely down on the bed and immediately dozed off. So he could be energized for tomorrow.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
Early in the morning, sunlight streamed in through the window. The sun stretched out and shone on Abel, who was sitting upright on the floor. Despite being blinded by the sun, Abel didn¡¯t even move and continued to breathe evenly. Suddenly, Abel¡¯s eyes fluttered open.
¡°Whoa.¡±
Infamous Scans
Letting out a long breath as if he¡¯d been holding it for a long time, Abel turned slightly to look out the window.
¡°It¡¯s morning.¡±
Blinking a few times, Abel checked the time and muttered softly.
¡°It¡¯s been two hours.¡±
Abel stretched, sitting up and stretching his stiff body. Every part of his body ached from sitting still for over two hours.
¡®Well, it must be because it¡¯s my first time.¡¯
Abel, who woke up early in the morning, tried the breathing method immediately. He had a little trouble concentrating at first, but quickly got into the flow and breathed non-stop for two hours. In fact, if he didn¡¯t already have a fixed schedule, he could have gone on for a few more hours.
¡®It¡¯s more fun than I thought it would be.¡¯
Formalized breathing is definitely not what he expected. The purpose of breathing is not just inhaling and exhaling as the name implies, but it¡¯s to build up manaWhat Abel found interesting was that he could clearly feel the flow of mana flowing in and out.
Some mana would flow in as he breathed in, and as he breathed out, more than half of it would leave his body. In the process, Abel realized why hundreds and thousands of breathing techniques exist worldwide.
¡®They¡¯re all different in their efficiency.¡¯
The basic principle of all breathing techniques is the same. Inhaling and exhaling. But after that, each breathing method is different. Where do you direct the mana thates in when you inhale? Where do you build it? How do you hold it? All of those things varied widely for each breathing method. This soon led to a difference in efficiency, which was far more significant than Abel had thought.
Let¡¯s say that the third rate breathing method obtained when moving around the street is only about 3-5% of the mana you inhaled. The Optirum breathing method retains a 10% intact. Moreover, this was only the beginning, so it was still not efficient yet.
¡°This is why there¡¯s such a big difference between the children of famous families and those who aren¡¯t.¡±
At the beginning of the game, effort and even moderate talent can narrow the gap, but as time goes on, the gap will widen. Unless you¡¯re incredibly talented, you¡¯re going to be left behind. Although this was the age of gigant riders, not knights, the importance of mana still remained.
¡®Well, it¡¯s a good thing for me.¡¯
Abel said, dismissing the idea of stretching himself some more and getting dressed instead. He couldn¡¯t afford to bete, he had training and a tutoring session with Loline before sses. Quickly getting ready, Abel headed straight to the training center.
An hour and a halfter. Abel finished training, ate his meal, and then headed out to the field with Daniel for a lesson.
¡°Abel, aren¡¯t you nervous?¡±
¡°Nervous?¡±
¡°Yeah. I thought you said we were going to start doing operational training today.¡±
¡°Oh, that,¡±
At Daniel¡¯s words, Abel recalled what he¡¯d heard in theirst ss. They¡¯d said that now that everyone had mastered the basics, they¡¯d move on to more serious training. Abel replied nonchntly.
¡°Well, I¡¯d say the first ss would be just running.¡±
¡°Really?¡±
¡°Yeah. At the very least, they¡¯ll make sure everyone is proficient at running before they startbat training.¡±
¡°Oh¡ Yeah. I guess so.¡±
Daniel nodded, admiring the usibility of Abel¡¯s words. It had to be done like that. That¡¯s how the curriculum worked in the game, after all.
¡®The initial challenge is to master the controls through running, while simultaneously increasing your operational time.¡¯
There were a lot of cadets who had been training for weeks and still couldn¡¯t hold a gigant for 30 minutes. Since it¡¯s a special ss, they are all cadets who are among the top three in their respective sses. So they were ahead of every other cadet and even had practical sses. The regr ss would be stuck on running for a while. While having a conversation, the two eventually arrived at the field.
¡°May!¡±
As soon as they arrived, Daniel called out to May while waving his hands. May, who had dozed off in a corner, looked up at the sound of Daniel¡¯s booming voice, then closed her eyes again. Daniel didn¡¯t seem to mind being openly ignored as he ran over and started talking to May. Abel wondered if Daniel¡¯s greatest weapon wasn¡¯t his physical strength, but his mouth. Fortunately for May, it wasn¡¯t long before Karl, the instructor that would be conducting the lesson arrived.
¡°Are all of you here?!¡±
Karl eximed loudly upon his arrival, drawing attention and scanning the cadets.
¡°¡Eight, nine, ten. Good, you¡¯re all here, then I¡¯ll get right to the lesson. Do you all remember what I saidst time?¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
¡°Good. It¡¯s nice you still remember. Starting today, we¡¯re going to start our operational training in earnest. Probably half of you will have to crawl around after today¡¯s ss.¡±
Karl smiled broadly and said vicious words without a care in the world, and it was only natural that the faces of the cadets turned paled, knowing fully well that he never minced words.
¡°Now, make sure you¡¯re all ready before the gigant arrives!¡±
With that, Karl turned to look in the direction of the warehouse where the gigants were being brought out. In the previous sses, the gigant had been piloted one by one by seniors or teaching assistants, but now they were being transported separately. It made sense, since there were now a lot of personal gigants. One after another, gigants arrived, and were all ready for the number of cadets
¡°Now then, I¡¯ll tell you about today¡¯s training,¡± Karl said with an even more sinister grin than before.
¡®He looks like a conspiring gori.¡¯ Abel looked at Karl with that thought in his mind.
¡°The first exercise we¡¯ll do will be running,¡±
Abel already knew that.
¡°But it wouldn¡¯t be fun to go running on the first day, would it?¡±
The cadets didn¡¯t answer because, in Karl¡¯s view, anything fun was likely difficult for an average cadet. However, Karl, who was already excited, continued to speak.
¡°So I have a specially devised training for you! It¡¯s called catch the tail!¡±
¡°Cath the tail?¡± One of the cadets asked impatiently at the unfamiliarity of the word, which made Karl even more excited to exin.
¡°The rules are simple. Three of the cadets start with a tail, and the other seven of you try to steal the tails of the three cadets. What do you think? Sounds like fun already, doesn¡¯t it?¡±
This time there was no answer. Then Karl smirked and spoke the words of conversion.
¡°Of course, there is a reward. The three of you with the tails at the end will be taught a special technique I¡¯ve devised. How about that?¡±
The words were ambitious, but he still didn¡¯t get any response, until he continued.
¡°And it will be taught during the physical training session, which means you will be exempt from physical training while learning it!¡±
The moment he finished. The eyes of every cadet lit up.
[The quest ¡®Karl¡¯s disciple¡± will begin!]
[Captivate Karl¡¯s heart with your overwhelming skill!¡±]
[As a reward, you will receive a physical skill of rank A or higher.]
And that was the same for Abel.
[To be continued.]
Chapter 34:
Chapter 34:
The cadets boarded the Gigant under the guidance of Karl and his assistants. In the first ss, many cadets couldn¡¯t even operate the gigant properly, but now they could do it easily.
Cueng!
¡°Good, we¡¯re done!¡±
Karl said as thest of the cadets got up and stood on their feet.
¡°Abel! Turn around!¡±
At those words, Abel skillfully maneuvered his craft to turn around. Karl pointed to Abel¡¯s gigant and said.
¡°That blue te behind you is the tail!¡±
There was a blue metal te attached to the back of Abel¡¯s gigant, Lupus. It wasn¡¯t really just a simple metal te, but rather an artifact of some sorts, specially developed for training purposes.
¡°If you put your hand on it, it will automatically be transferred to your own gigant! And if you still have the tail till the end of the time limit, you win!¡±
As Karl said, it was an artifact that could be transferred to one¡¯s own gigant simply by touching it. It wasn¡¯t necessarily used for only tail catching, but for all sorts of simr exercises.
¡°Abel, Daniel, and May, you¡¯re the three with the tails, and you three are to move to the location I¡¯ve marked!¡±
¡°Alright!¡±
Abel saw a position marked on the floor not far away and walked over to it. The other seven stayed behind. Karl went over a few rules, then added ast-minute caution.
¡°Oh, and you¡¯ll be eliminated if you touch the barrier. So try as much as possible not to move to the outskirts!¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
Hearing everyone answer in unison, Karl moved to the safety zone with the other assistants, and shortly after, he called out in a loud voice.
¡°Start!¡±
Bang!
A loud bang rang out at the same time as the start signal. Three of the seven Cadets were running forward at the same time. Among them, the one that stood out the most was the one with a red sun emblem, controlled by a boy named Kalian.
¡°Spread to both sides at the same time!¡±
As if having nned it, Kalian gave orders to the other two in a shrill voice. The two running on either side of Kalian spread out to the left and right. They hadn¡¯t coordinated their movements, but it was still borate.
¡®Not bad.¡¯
Abel thought as he watched them. Kalian was pretty good. In terms of overall skill, there wasn¡¯t much difference from Daniel, and in fact, he¡¯s only one notch behind the special ss.
¡®The two guys on either side of him are in the mid-tier level.¡¯
In many ways, it was a decent show-off for being rushed. But it wasn¡¯t intimidating. If they were quite intimidating in the first ce, Abel wouldn¡¯t have had time to think about them this leisurely.
Thud!
Abel waited for them to close in before abruptlyunching himself forward to the right in surprise.
¡°Huh?¡±
His opponent ducked as if he hadn¡¯t expected him to charge at him, then swung his fist a bit toote.
Whoosh!
But his fist brushed through thin air. That was to be expected. This was because there was a big difference in level. Normally, a group of three suddenly charging in unison would be intimidating, which was what Kalian was aiming for. However, Abel didn¡¯t care. He just casually rushed through the weakest part and broke the encirclement in an instant.
Koorong!
Thud!
Then, May took advantage of Abel¡¯s distraction and slipped out of the encirclement with ease. Daniel was thest one standing. Abel turned his head to see Daniel standing tall.
¡®Everyone is moving slowly.¡¯
It wasn¡¯t just the three cadets in front that were aiming for the tail, there were four more, and a cadet had taken advantage of the distraction when all the attention was focused on the three cadets who ran forward and sprung into action. The problem was the opponent was Abel.
Thump!
Abel deliberately flung himself to his side, making a loud noise. His opponent tried to reach out with his arm, but it only cut through thin air.
¡°Chet!¡±
Abel heard a tongue-clicking sound, which made him smirk at the sound. With a reaction like that, it was clear his opponent still thought there was a chance. Abel was going to dispel that notion once and for all because what he wanted was to be invincible, not just a little better.
¡°Attack at once!¡±
Someone shouted, lunging for Abel. As if on cue, two others rushed toward him. Perhaps taking a cue from earlier, they spread their arms wide from the start
¡®You¡¯re going to try and catch me first.¡¯
Daniel and May were thankfully rxed. Abel knew this, but rather than thinking it was unfair, he dly epted it. There was no reason to hate it when they gave him a stage to show off his skills, and he couldn¡¯t resist.
Whoosh!
Infamous Scans
Abel was the first to leap high into the air. Then, as if in unison, those who rushed to surround him threw their hands up. Inside their heads, they must have realized that this was their chance. It¡¯s much harder to dodge in midair. However, that¡¯s just for generalizations.
Phew-!
With a burst of air, Abel¡¯s gigant was pushed through. With the blessing of the wind, he could dodge in midair for as long as he wanted. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the end of it, as the cadets were relentless in their pursuit, and Abel found a different way to evade them each time.
Sometimes he used the Sage¡¯s Crown to slip past the four of them and other times he used the Shadow Staff to disperse them altogether. One would think that the situation would change over time with so many people clinging to one person, but it didn¡¯t.
¡°Whoa, whoa.¡±
¡°Hmph.¡±
The cadets were exhausted that they were panting so hard the sound could be heard outside their gigant.
¡°Everyone is at a low level.¡±
¡°Well, at that level, it¡¯s not too bad,¡±
Abel was leisurely having a conversation with Lupus. At this point, the other cadets were beginning to have doubts about attacking Abel. They hadn¡¯t touched his gigant in nearly ten minutes, so they had a reason to be. They soon turned their backs on Abel and headed toward Daniel and May as if they had reached an agreement.
¡°Looks like they finally gave up¡¡±
[I guess so.]
Abel watched Lupus make his way back with his arms crossed. Daniel and May, who had been rtively leisurely guarding their tails, were pushed back as the other cadets joined them.
Of the two, Daniel seemed to be in more trouble. May is naturally quick on her feet and has a good sense ofbat, so she handled them well. On the other hand, Daniel was not exceptional except for his stamina, so when the others set up a perimeter and narrowed it down, they began to engage in hand-to-handbat.
Kwaaang-!
Boom!
There were series of erupted noises.
¡°Hmph. ¡±
Abel continued to watch, and one cadet still stood out. It was none other than Kalian, the one who had lunged at Abel at the beginning.
¡®He had red hair and was from a knight family.¡¯
Abel recalled Kalian¡¯s information. He remembered him because he wasn¡¯t entirely unimportant in the game. He wasn¡¯t in the main cast, but he was one of the extras.
¡®He¡¯s a pretty good spearman, but his impatient personality prevents him from using the skill to its full potential. He still needs to improve at operating a gigant.¡¯
Although this may seem more of a downside than an upside, he was much better than the other cadets. As far as Abel was concerned, if he could improve his skill in operating a gigant, he couldpete with the other cadets in the special ss.
[What a failure of strategy.]
Just then, Lupus spoke up. And Abel asked
¡°Strategy?¡±
[Yes. That Daniel fellow over there, there¡¯s nothing exceptional about him except for his stamina, and now is the time for him to shine.]
¡°That¡¯s true.¡±
It¡¯s already been over ten minutes since the chase began, and most of the cadets have spent close to ten minutes trying to catch Abel somehow, which means they were running out of energy.
[His stamina is probably the same as before.]
¡°I think so too, I¡¯m sure Daniel must have moved pretty hard, but his movements didn¡¯t look much different from the beginning, which is not surprising given his monstrous stamina.¡±
Physical and mental strength are deeply involved in gigant operations, and Daniel was unrivaled in both areas in his first year. On the other hand, the situation would have been different if Daniel had been intensively targeted from the beginning because his physical skills and gigant operation were not that good. As Lupus said, it was a failure of strategy.
[The failure to recognize the difference in level between you and your gigant. They¡¯re all terrible.]
Abel smirked at the remark. In Lupus¡¯s eyes, Abel was barely hovering above the passing line, so it was only natural that his assessment of others would be harsh. And so the situation was going smoothly for those who originally had the tails. And when the appointed time had passed.
¡°Now, that¡¯s enough!¡±
Karl shouted in a shrill voice. Those who had been attacking Daniel with their full strength halted. Karl continued to speak through his voice amplification artifact.
¡°Good work, everyone. As I said before, I will reward the three of you who sessfully defend your tails.¡±
Abel nodded in satisfaction but was puzzled. Unlike usual, the questpletion window didn¡¯t immediately pop up. Meanwhile, Karl continued.
¡°The seven of you should head to the outskirts first!¡±
It was now that Abel realized that Karl had other ideas.
As expected, Karl smirked and spoke in a loud voice.
¡°And the other three, I¡¯ll give you two options!¡±
¡°What is it?¡±
The sincere Daniel answered Karl¡¯s question with a question. In response, Karl held up a finger.
¡°First options. You get the reward I mentioned at the beginning, and you take a rest. It¡¯s a very simple choice.¡±
He then held up a second finger and continued.
¡°The second option is to y another round of tail catching and get a better reward. It doesn¡¯t matter which option you choose, so pick the one you want!¡±
¡°If it¡¯s tail catching, will it be the same thing we did earlier?¡±
This time it was Abel who asked the question. Because no matter how much you look at Karl, he always seems to have a n. Karl simply replied.
¡°Of course not, because this time you¡¯re not starting with the tail, but instead, you¡¯ll end up stealing it!¡±
¡°From whom?¡±
Abel continued to ask, and Karl muttered to himself in a low voice.
¡°This is why I don¡¯t like quick-witted cadets¡¡±
Of course, Abel didn¡¯t hear that and asked back
¡°What?¡±
¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s your senior who¡¯s going to be the role of the tail this time. They helped me out once before.¡±
At those words, Abel immediately thought of ire. And just as Abel expected, ire, who had been waiting for Karl¡¯s beckoning, walked over.
¡®Wouldn¡¯t it be nice if I get a better reward?¡¯
Abel thought to himself when he saw ire. ire is not an ordinary senior but one of the geniuses in the 3rd year. Thest time she was caught off guard and only had to make one move to make it work, but she¡¯s pretty good at tail catching
It was a different area. As seen earlier from Abel¡¯s seven cadets, the difference in skill was clearly revealed. Of course, Abel¡¯s answer was predetermined from the start.
¡°I will do it.¡±
The moreplicated the challenge is, the rewards will be much sweeter when he seeds.
[To be continued.]
Chapter 35:
Chapter 35:
After Abel epted the offer, Daniel and May did the same.
¡°Yes! I¡¯ll do it!¡±
Daniel answered courageously, without hesitation. Abel wasn¡¯t surprised because it was expected. What Abel found surprising was May¡¯s response.
¡°I¡¯ll do it, too.¡±
He expected her to say no, but she epted the offer without hesitation, just like Daniel. Karl smiled, pleased that all three decided to take on the challenge without a second thought.
¡°Good. Three of you should have a fair fight.¡±
¡°Are the three of us taking on the senior simultaneously?¡±
¡°Yes. If any one of you three takes the tail, the three of you gain victory.¡±
After answering Abel¡¯s question, Karl continued in a loud voice.
¡°Okay, first of all, let¡¯s take a ten-minute break! You can rest on your gigant or dismount for a while.¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
Abel didn¡¯t bother to get off his gigant. He knew it would be easier to get off and rest, but he preferred to stay in his gigant prepared for anything. It was the same for the others, but no one came down their gigant.
¡°Abel, should we not make any ns?¡±
During the break, Daniel approached Abel and spoke to him. Abel simply answered.
¡°Huh. A hasty n would only get in the way.¡±
¡°Is that so?¡±
¡°But you can make ns with May if you want.¡±
When Abel said that, May shook her head silently. The reason she didn¡¯t make a n was simple: she didn¡¯t need to.
¡®I don¡¯t know if she has a simr skill, but an urgent n will do no good.¡¯
It would just be the same as Kalian, who had attacked with a hastily n earlier. It wasn¡¯t such a bad n, but it had failed miserably. If they hadn¡¯t targeted Abel from the start, they might have caught either Daniel or May. There was a high probability that trying to deal with ire with an ambiguous n would be hampered.
¡°I¡¯d much rather rely on the creativity of each individual,¡± Abel muttered, and Lupus nodded in agreement.
[I agree. It¡¯s hard to realize your full potential when you¡¯re stuck in a box. It would be a different story when you¡¯re backed up with proper training.]
¡°I may do thatter. This ce is like a training center for the Empire¡¯s Gigant Riders.¡±
[Well, that¡¯s Something to look forward to.]
Kang-!
While talking to Lupus for a while, Abel noticed a gigant walking in the distance. It was amon gigant used for training, but he could tell immediately who it was from the natural smooth movement. It was a gigant controlled by ire.
[Wow!]
Lupus eximed in admiration. Even in the eyes of the prickly Lupus, It seemed to have a high level of sophistication.
¡°Let¡¯s focus.¡±
[Alright, Master.]
Abel cut Lupus off before he could ask more questions and focused on rxing. Mental strength was the most critical aspect of his stat, as he always had to keep the Gigant in high synchronization. He would clear his head when taking a break and not think about anything. It¡¯s all about giving the brain a break.
¡°Ssshhhhhhhhhh.¡±
Abel has been using breathing techniques recently. It wasn¡¯t quite as efficient as concentrating inplete silence, but it was an excellent way to recover the mana he¡¯d used up. The break period passed quickly, and then Karl called out in a loud voice.
¡°Break is over! Everyone move to your spots!¡±
It was time to start the second round.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
ire stood alone with her tail attached to her back while Abel, Daniel, and May stood on the other side. The formation wasn¡¯t much different, but the tension was palpable. The seven Cadets who had gotten off their gigant and were taking a break looked at them with clenched fists.
¡°Time limit is 10 minutes, and rules are the same as before.¡±
Infamous Scans
Karl spoke in a solemn voice suitable for the atmosphere.
¡°Start!¡±
The moment the word start pierced everyone¡¯s ears¨C
Cueng-!
Daniel was the first to move. Quickly lunging forward, Daniel stretched his arms to both sides and leaned slightly forward, aiming for ire¡¯s gigant. Instead of actively avoiding it, ire reached forward.
Bang!
With a loud bang, Daniel¡¯s gigant shot off to the left. Abel squinted at the sight. At first nce, it looked like she¡¯d used her strength, but she didn¡¯t at all.
¡®She used Daniel¡¯s power.¡¯
At the moment of contact and in a bizarre move, ire had managed to deflect Daniel¡¯s force in the opposite direction, meaning that Daniel had been knocked back by his force, not hers. Seeing that, May, who had been trying to take advantage of the distraction Daniel had made, hastily backed away.
¡®This is not going to be easy,¡¯
Abel thought to himself, ratcheting up the tension. He knew it wouldn¡¯t be easy. ire wasn¡¯t as careless as she had been before, and a simple knockdown from her would be the end of him, but that didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t confident. Abel, too had grown a lot since then.
Cueng!
Abel kicked the ground violently. Instead of being vaguely concerned, he charged forward at ire at full speed, using all his armaments. ire saw himing half a beat toote and lifted her body up. Abel thrust his fist forward.
Whoosh!
ire made the same odd hand gesture as she had when she first faced Daniel. Abel felt the power in his outstretched fist deflect in a strange way. Using this kind of technique in Gigant is a challenging task. It is only possible to do this by meeting conditions such as gigant control, mana management, and technique perfection. But Abel wasn¡¯t about to let that stop him. Using the blessing of the wind in the reverse direction, the body that was trying to move was forcibly fixed.
¡°Double attack.¡±
With an additional skill, his fist that was about to bend in a strange direction went towards ire¡¯s torso, roughly modifying its trajectory. Caught off guard, ire quickly reached out with her other hand. But Abel didn¡¯t stop there.
¡°Bang¡±
He used the skill he had just gained from his battle with the de Tail.
Whoa!
The gigant knuckles burned red as the energy was sucked into its core. Just before ire¡¯s hand could touch Abel¡¯s arm. His fist mmed into the chest of ire¡¯s gigant. Abel¡¯s expression hardened for a moment as he realized that ire¡¯s gigant had only taken three steps backward.
[It was deflected. What a Strange move.]
¡°I know.¡±
ire¡¯s Mana wasn¡¯t limited to her hands. She ducked the moment the blownded, taking most of the impact with her body. He¡¯d be lying if he said he wasn¡¯t disappointed. This was because he would have had a much easier fight if only his previous attack had hit properly. However, Abel was aware of the possibility of his failure, so he continued to move.
Whoosh!
Abel once again used the blessing of the wind to narrow his distance from ire. ire stretched out her arms from the start expecting Abel to attack in a simr way as he did earlier. He could tell that she was trying to block him from getting any closer.
¡®Should I just use Lupus¡¯s ability?¡¯
For a brief moment, Abel wondered if he should use Lupus¡¯s ability. It would certainly be a great way tond a big blow. However, Abel soon realized it was too early to use the trick he already had, so he returned to his original n.
Coorong!
Just before reaching ire¡¯s attack range, Abel¡¯s gigant stopped. He had used the wind blessing in reverse form, bringing it to a screeching halt. ire¡¯s arm, which was about tond an attack, sliced through thin air. Abel saw it and stretched out his foot, using the Sage¡¯s Crown.
Whooooo!
In a moment of slowed time, the outstretched foot aimed at ire¡¯s feet. She didn¡¯t think she could avoid the attack, so she leaped up. It was an avoidance method that left her vulnerable. She thought she¡¯d be able to counter it. If it had been just Abel and Daniel, that would have been the case. But they weren¡¯t the only ones she had to deal with.
Whooo!
May, who¡¯d been watching for an opening the whole time, took advantage of ire¡¯s momentarypse into thin air and swooped in. May¡¯s strengths are her skillful twin swordsmanship and her speed. May swung her arms with an incredible speed that made ire panic. Once again, ire deflected the attack with her strange arm movements. However, she could notnd a hit in her defensive posture, which had been like an iron wall all along.
In addition, Daniel rushed forward and immediately grabbed ire by the wrist.
Abel didn¡¯t have long to think about it before thrusting his fist forward.
Quang!
A loud loud sound echoed. ire¡¯s gigant was hit on the left shoulder and could not ovee the force rotated. Abel then struck her defenseless back once more
Bang!
The blow sent ire flying, unable to withstand the impact, unlike before. In the midst of that, Daniel¡¯s gigant, which was holding her wrist, was knocked to the side.
¡®I thought you said swordsmanship was your specialty.¡¯
Abel couldn¡¯t help but think. ire¡¯s primary skill was swordsmanship, and her physical skills were merely secondary at best, yet her physical skills seemed to be at such a high level that even Abel could not quickly grasp.
Thud!
Moreover, ire only allowed a single blow, and even after she was sent flying, she got right back up and into position. The three of them hadbined their strength and had managed to do only slight damage. The atmosphere was frightening as if they were about to engage in a full-scale battle.
¡°Stop!¡±
But then. Karl shouted at the top of his lungs. ire, who was about to resume her stance and attack with full force froze. Abel, on the other hand, smiled through his fast breathing. Karl then turned to ire, who didn¡¯t seem to understand the situation.
¡°The game is already over!¡±
ire quickly checked her back as if remembering something and realized that her ¡°tail¡± was gone. Abel said to her.
¡°Your tail is right here.¡±
¡°Huh?¡±
Suddenly, ire realized why Abel had attacked her back. The battle was a little moreplicated than she expected, making her so focused on the battle that she had forgotten about her tail. If the battle was topete for victory or defeat, ire wouldn¡¯t have lost even if it was a three-on-one battle. But in this case of catching the tail, it was clear she was going to lose.
¡°Abel, Daniel, and May! It¡¯s a victory of three!¡±
Karl¡¯s loud voice confirmed it. And Abel confirmed that the battle had been decided in his favor.
[You¡¯ve exceeded expectations and won the hearts of both Karl and ire!]
[You¡¯vepleted Karl¡¯s quest!]
[You¡¯ve been rewarded with an A-ranked physical skill!]
[Your rtionship gauge with ire will increase.]
[Your reputation will increase.]
It was a feast of messages.
[To be continued.]
Chapter 36:
Chapter 36:
When Abel disembarked from the Gigant after the two chases, he was pretty exhausted. He had to deal with many people, using various armaments and skills while still keeping his synchronization rate at the highest level, and just after that, he had to deal with a stronger opponent with a significant difference in strength.
¡®If you don¡¯t get tired after doing this, you¡¯re just a monster¡¡¯
As he thought to himself, he suddenly remembered something and turned his head to his side.
¡°Huh? Why?¡±
Daniel asked a question with a bright smile.
¡°A monster.¡±
¡°Huh? What?¡±
¡°A monster.¡±
¡°Suddenly?¡±
¡°No.¡±
Abel took his gaze from Daniel¡¯s bewildered face and looked towards ire¡¯s Gigant. She had gotten off the gigant and was talking to the engineer. He intended to talk briefly with her, but ire walked towards the building shortly after. Just then.
¡°Come on! ss isn¡¯t over yet! Everyone concentrate!¡±
Karl spoke in a loud voice, drawing attention to himself. As said, the ss was still in progress. Everyone seemed exhausted physically and mentally except for Daniel, but Karl didn¡¯t seem to mind and continued.
¡°Everyone except for these three is not tired, right? You all rested a lot while waiting.¡±
The three were Abel, Daniel, and May. The rest of the cadets hesitated, unable to answer right away. Then, Karl tilted his head and spoke again.
¡°Just out of curiosity, you guys aren¡¯t tired, right? You all can go for a run on a gigant¡¡±
¡°We are tired!!¡±
This time, Karl received a surprisingly loud reply. Karl opened his eyes wide and continued with a smirk.
¡°Yes, it must be difficult. Of course, it is. It is not fatigue that can be recovered by resting for 10 minutes. Some people in this ss must have already gone through actual battle or something simr.¡±
Karl¡¯s gaze flicked over Abel, Daniel, and some other cadets as he was talking.
¡°But most of you probably haven¡¯t experienced it.¡±
Karl continued as if he wasn¡¯t expecting any response.
¡°Realbat takes a lot of stamina. Anyone who¡¯s ever experienced one gets exhausted after one. Why? Abel?¡±
¡°Because it¡¯s not just about moving the body. It also consumes mental ability.¡±
¡°Exactly. When you go into battle, you get really nervous. Most of us are no exceptions, even those who have been on the battlefield for over a decade.¡±
Karl said with a serious expression that belied his yfulness.
¡°It was the same for me, too. My nerves were always on edge, and when I chewed and swallowed my food, it felt like it was stuck in my throat, and when I went to sleep, I¡¯d wake up drenched in sweat serval times.¡±
As the exhausted cadets listened to Karl¡¯s story, they were as engrossed in his story as ever. His ount of having lived on the precarious battle line for decades had a lot of suction power.
¡°Pressure. It can destroy a person.¡±
Karl paused for a moment before speaking.
¡°That¡¯s why the academy wants to teach more than just techniques. We want our cadets to learn.¡±
The Academy¡¯s curriculum is a lot more than just training riders who are very good at handling a gigant. However, when ites to making a good ¡®gigant rider,¡¯ there is no such thing as flimsy.
¡°A Gigant rider must have great stamina and great control. They must have a certain level of synchronization and maneuverability. And, of course, they must also fight well, but that¡¯s not the most important thing.¡±
Karl concluded his long talk with a short one.
¡°You must be able to handle pressure. Do you understand?¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
Unlike before, the Cadets reply came out loud, not forced, but genuine. Karl rxed his stern expression and smiled.
¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯ve done today. I¡¯ve distinguished winners from losers earlier, but what you learned from it is the most important thing. And don¡¯t live in the past.¡±
Karl continued immediately.
¡°Because wins and losses always change. And there are plenty of opportunities to see how you stack up against each other, even if it¡¯s not necessarily in tail-catching. Now, let¡¯s end this boring conversation.¡±
After checking the time, Karl said something that would please the cadets.
¡°I¡¯m sure everyone must be exhausted, so I¡¯m going to end today¡¯s ss, but be prepared. Because tomorrow we¡¯re going to start running by schedule.¡±
¡°Alright!¡±
The cadets replied loudly, happy at the unexpectedly early end of ss. Karl watched the cadets get up to leave and then looked back at Abel.
¡°Oh, and Abel, I need to speak to you briefly.¡±
¡°Of course¡±
Abel replied as he stood up as well.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
The ce Karl arrived, along with Abel, was his office. Unexpectedly, there was a visitor in his office, and it was none other than ire.
Karl noticed Abel¡¯s gaze and spoke first.
¡°He said he wanted to say a few words.¡±
¡°Oh, is that so?¡±
Abel looked at ire, which wasn¡¯t particrly unusual. ire stared at Abel before speaking.
¡°You exceeded my expectations.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°I thought you were amazingst time, but you¡¯re even better this time. You¡¯re improving at an incredible rate.¡±
ire spoke frankly, seemingly unperturbed by Karl¡¯s presence.
¡°To be honest, I¡¯m a little jealous and a little disappointed.¡±
¡°Pardon?¡±
Infamous Scans
Abel asked again, surprised. ire paused for a moment before speaking.
¡°If we were in the same grade, I would have learned more, tried harder, and tried to excel while watching from the sideline.¡±
It was such an honest remark that Abel didn¡¯t know how to respond. Luckily, ire spoke again with a slight smile as if she hadn¡¯t been expecting any response or sentiment.
¡°So, I¡¯ll look forward to it, and if you ever have any questions or need anything, just let me know.¡±
¡°¡Okay.¡±
ire nodded, greeted Karl politely, and left the office. Karl spoke only after the door had closed and the sound of her footsteps had faded into the distance.
¡°Hmmm, ire has always been straightforward and honest about things, so don¡¯t take it the wrong way,¡±
¡°Yeah. Alright.¡±
¡°Would you like a cup of tea?¡±
¡°Oh, a ss of cool water will do.¡±
Abel had no intention of paraphrasing ire¡¯s words, even if they weren¡¯t necessarily her words. If anyone else had said the same thing to him, he would have been suspicious of their motives. Words that are too sweet have ulterior motives. But strangely, he didn¡¯t feel that way about ire. The message about the system¡¯s rtionship gauge yed a role, of course.
¡®It doesn¡¯t matter if she has an ulterior motive.¡¯
Originally, There are no favors without any reason. And the reasons can be positive or negative. As long as ire doesn¡¯t ask for too much or have a negative ulterior motive, being close to her will be beneficial to Abel because she¡¯s someone with a good background.
¡®I¡¯m being so snobbish,¡¯
Wasn¡¯t there a time when¡¡
¡°Here. Cool water.¡±
As Abel thought to himself, Karl set the cup of water down in front of Abel and took his seat. He held the steaming cup of tea in front of him. Despite his intense appearance, Karl was surprisingly well-versed in tea. In fact, his eyes would ze over at the sight of a good cup of tea.
¡®Perhaps I could offer it as a gift when the time arises,¡¯
After taking a sip of his tea, Karl spoke without wasting any more time.
¡°The reason I¡¯ve called you aside is about the reward.¡±
¡°Reward?¡±
¡°Yes. Is there a martial art you wish to learn?¡±
Karl saw that and added a few words.
¡°There¡¯s nothing to think about too deeply. Hmmm¡ For example, if it¡¯s defensive, pick defensive. If it¡¯s offensive, pick offensive. Just those types of things. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve learned some of them before.¡±
¡°May I ask you a reverse question?¡±
¡°Sure.¡±
¡°Then¡ In your opinion, in which aspect do you think I¡¯mcking?¡±
At Abel¡¯s question, Karl stroked his chin, and then said.
¡°A lot.¡±
Karl said, briefly and shortly before borating.
¡°If we¡¯re talking strictly about physical skills, I¡¯m sure some versions are quite advanced, but I don¡¯t think there are any physical skills that epass the full body knowledge, is that correct?¡±
¡°Yes, I¡¯ve only learned a few skills by sight or passed on a few versions briefly.¡±
¡°Hmm. I see.¡±
Karl seemed to understand immediately, perhaps because he knew about Abel¡¯s background. A cadet who grew up orphaned and wandered around on the streets but was fortunate enough to be sponsored by Count Klein. It was a life very far removed from the systematic and structured world of martial arts. Instead ofmenting on that, Karl returned to the topic at hand.
¡°I suppose you ask that because you¡¯re not sure yet, which is understandable since you¡¯re just starting.¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
Abel nodded cheerfully. He wasn¡¯t entirely unsure, as Karl had said, but he¡¯d been determined to do this from the beginning. The reason was simple, Karl is an expert in physical skills. Of course, he could have pointed out what he wanted to learn if he wanted to.
Like what skills should he get, etc. He needed to get some skills, get some armament, and upgrade his gigant, and¡ Abel already had such a grand n in his head, but it was only a n based on his knowledge of the game. He had to remind himself that this was not just a game but a living, breathing world. If you can get help from others, and if you can get help from experts, you should.
¡®Because that¡¯s how you get to the top faster.¡¯
Abel waited for Karl¡¯s next words with a serious expression on his face. After a long moment of silence, Karl spoke up.
¡°There is an easy way and a hard way.¡±
Karl spread out two fingers.
¡°The easy way is simple, you tend to be a very aggressive fighter but your defense level will have some set back so it would be beneficial for you to learn some techniques that specialize in that area.¡±
Folding one of his fingers, Karl continued.
¡°The second path is more difficult. It sharpens that aggressive side of you even more. The risk is high, and there will be difficulties in many ways until you be skilled, and it¡¯s going to be hard to get good at anything else.¡±
With both his fingers folded, Karl smirked.
¡°If you pick the second one, it will be much more difficult than the physical training. To the point that you¡¯ll regret choosing it. Think about it¡¡±
¡°I¡¯ll take the second one.¡±
Abel replied without letting Karl finish his sentence. Karl was about to say he was being too hasty, but then he saw the look in Abel¡¯s eyes and shut up. There was a me of intense conviction and passion in those eyes. It was a look that could never belong to someone who had made a rash decision. Karl looked him in the eye and spoke,
¡°It¡¯s going to be difficult. When other cadets see it, they won¡¯t see it as a privilege, but rather, they¡¯ll see it as a pity.¡±
¡°I¡¯m determined.¡±
Karl asked as if he couldn¡¯t understand his answer.
¡°Why did you pick the second one? Is it because you¡¯re more inclined?¡±
¡°You said the second one was more difficult, but¡¡.¡±
Abel continued.
¡°If it was simply difficult and less effective, you wouldn¡¯t have suggested two paths for me in the first ce.¡±
He spoke as if he could see right through Karl.
¡°I suppose you thought the second one would suit me much better, didn¡¯t you?¡±
Abel¡¯s logical answer made Karl stare at him nkly for a moment, then smirked.
¡°Yes.¡±
His head moved up and down.
¡°Well, I won¡¯t stop you if you put it that way. I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡±
Abel replied, his eyes burning with passion.
¡°Yes, sir. I¡¯ll do my best.¡±
[To be continued.]
Chapter 37:
Chapter 37:
The Del Mordor Academy is said to be the most prestigious in the Empire and, indeed, the entire continent. The Upper ss is the top tier of such an academy. In other words, being in the Upper ss is already a sign of dazzling talent. Most cadets have been called geniuses since childhood. But the moment they enter the Academy. Those who have been very talented since birth realized that being a gigant rider isn¡¯t easy.
¡°This is going to kill me¡ My knees hurt every time I train these days.¡±
¡°Mine too¡¡±
The cafeteria was always echoing with the sounds of cadets¡¯ pain and grumbling. This is because most of the lectures at the academy are harsh. Even lectures that would be considered abusive elsewhere were treated as normal here. Of course, it was inevitable.
Although technology continues to evolve, the Gigant is still a valuable strategic weapon, and a Gigant rider who handles it must be no ordinary human. The cadets were well aware of this, so while they grumbled andined, they would go to ss tomorrow as if nothing had happened. Of course, there were exceptions.
¡°You¡¯re going to train right after eating, right?¡±
A cheerful, if not strained, voice rang out from one side of the cafeteria.
¡°Speak quietly¡±
¡°Okay, so are you going or not?¡±
¡°I¡¯ll go. I don¡¯t want to bete for ss again today, so let¡¯s eat quickly. We¡¯ll have less time to train.¡±
Abel tried to use even his short lunch break to train. Usually, even the most diligent cadets take a lunch break. It¡¯s not because they¡¯rezy. It¡¯s because they can¡¯t hold on. Especially in the afternoon, which was particrly demanding. Daniel and Abel were engaged in a conversation that would leave listeners speechless.
¡°I¡¯m looking forward to physical training ss today,¡±
Daniel said in a hushed voice, as if he was aware of the stares he was getting.
¡°Aren¡¯t you looking forward to physical training?¡±
¡°Huh?¡±
¡°I thought we were supposed to start learning martial arts today!¡±
¡°Oh, yeah.¡±
Abel nodded. From today on, he will be learning martial arts from Karl during physical training. Of course, Abel was looking forward to it, but Daniel seemed especially excited. Daniel smiled and exined why.
¡°I¡¯ve never learned any martial arts,¡±
That was understandable. The man who had taught Daniel hadn¡¯t taught him any martial arts. There was nothing wrong with his teaching, but Daniel must have desired it a lot. Abel replied calmly.
¡°I¡¯ve never been taught either.¡±
¡°Really? Why?¡±
¡°Just. None of them really caught my eye.¡±
¡°Well. My skills¡ No, I¡¯ve heard that you don¡¯t really learn anything when you¡¯re in the middle of learning. You just get terrible habits.¡±
Abel nodded at Daniel¡¯s words. It¡¯s dangerous, especially when going through different levels. Depending on the martial art, your body can change to specialize in that area.
¡°But the academy has¡¡±
Daniel was about to say the question that popped into his head. But then a cold voice pierced Abel¡¯s ears.
¡°I¡¯m not interested.¡±
Abel turned his head involuntarily to see Ioline standing in the center of the dining room. She wasn¡¯t the only familiar face, though. Opposite her stood a boy who also looked familiar.
¡°You¡¯re¡.. You¡¯re not interested¡?¡±
Luke De Paltaine. He was the second son of Marquis Paltain, who had been brutally defeated by Abel twice, and was a B-ss cadet like Ioline. However, they didn¡¯t get along too well even at first nce. It was apparent that Ioline was annoyed with Luke.
¡°Yeah.¡±
Ioline answered Luke¡¯s trembling question coldly and tried to walk away. But Luke didn¡¯t let her go.
¡°Why? It¡¯s going to be a no-skill assessment evaluation soon anyway, so there¡¯s nothing wrong with training together, right? And I don¡¯t think anyone in our ss can be your opponent except me.¡±
Luke shot back in a sharp tone. His teeth involuntarily chattered at being so tantly ignored in front of so many eyes. Ioline, who was about to walk away, paused at Luke¡¯s words.
¡°My opponent?¡± She said, turning around, her face devoid of emotion.
¡°You¡¯re overconfident.¡±
With that, Ioline turned and walked away. Luke¡¯s mouth dropped open, speechless. Most people present looked at him with mostly usatory and exhrating expressions. This was because there were many people who disliked Luke¡¯s arrogant, overbearing personality.
¡®That¡¯s embarrassing,¡¯
Abel thought. He¡¯d never been one to argue with him openly after theirst encounter, but he didn¡¯t like how he red at him with hostility every time they met. Ioline has a cold personality and probably would have reacted the same way if someone other than Luke had bothered her. Abel thought to himself and returned to eating until he felt someone¡¯s gaze on him. When he raised his head, he saw Ioline with a piercing gaze beside him.
¡°¡ª¡ª?¡±
Abel put on a puzzled look. Ioline then asked Abel a question.
¡°Can I sit down?¡±
The words brought a look of shock to the faces of the cadets around them. Ioline had just walked up to someone and asked if she could sit in front of him. It was an unexpected sight. Abel was baffled, too. They¡¯d agreed to ¡®trade¡¯ what they knew and met twice a day, but they only met at the training center. They had never spoken privately.
¡°Abel?¡±
¡°Oh, yeah.¡±
Infamous Scans
Abel btedly nodded his head. Only then did Ioline sit in front of Abel, setting her bowl down.
Bang!
A shocking impact sounded in the distance. A red-faced Luke had kicked a table before storming out of the cafeteria. Naturally, the cadets looked back and forth between Luke and Abel as he exited the cafeteria.
¡®I don¡¯t like this kind of attention,¡¯
Abel thought to himself and sighed inwardly, looking at Ioline. Ioline noticed the gaze and said.
¡±I need to ask you something.¡±
¡±You want to ask something?¡±
She nodded her head and spoke in a firm tone.
¡°I¡¯ve been practicing what you taught mest time, but I¡¯ve been getting stuck.¡±
¡°Where did you get stuck?¡±
¡°I thought you said that the most important thing about synchronization is to have a mental image in your mind¡¡±
Ioline began to ask a series of questions as if she had waited for a long time to ask them. Abel, who had finally gotten over his embarrassment, listened quietly and answered her questions one by one. After nearly ten minutes of conversation, Ioline said she had no more questions.
¡°If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.¡±
¡°Thank you,¡±
Ioline replied and continued to eat. Abel had also finished his meal, and when Ioline was done, they stood up together. On the way to return their bowl, Ioline said something as if it suddenly urred to her.
¡°See you in the evening.¡±
Feeling the cadets gaze on him once more, Abel nodded with an awkward smile. Only a few people knew that the two of them trained together in the morning, using a training room that was practically inside the training grounds. But from now on, the word will spread like wildfire.
¡°Dude, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever heard Ioline talk for that long.¡±
¡°Yeah.¡±
Abel responded moderately to Daniel¡¯s remark. Feeling tired, Abel returned to the training center with Daniel.
?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
¡°You all look so excited!¡± Karl eximed in a booming voice.
¡°Yes, we are!¡±
¡°Yes.¡± Daniel replied in an equally cheerful voice, and Abel responded moderately.
¡°¡Yes.¡±
May replied in a half-choked voice. Looking closely, you could see the annoyance and regret swirling in her eyes. Karl looked hurt for a moment at the sight, but recovered quickly and continued.
¡°This is a very important opportunity. You¡¯re going to be learning martial arts directly from me! Now, before we get started, I have a question.¡±
Karl looked at Daniel and asked,
¡°Daniel, why do you think there¡¯s nothing about martial arts in your first semester sses?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know!¡±
¡°I like your booming voice! And Abel, what about you?¡±
Abel met Karl¡¯s expectant gaze and answered briefly.
¡°Because we¡¯re not ready.¡±
¡°Exactly!¡±
Karl smiled, pleased with Abel¡¯s answer. He then gave a more detailed exnation for Daniel and May, who still didn¡¯t seem to understand.
¡°Most cadets are trained in one way or another before they enter the Academy. There are, of course, some cadets whoe to the academy already practicing martial arts.¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°But that¡¯s not a good thing. It¡¯smon for a cadet to learn a new technique only to regret itter.¡±
Karl continued with a serious expression.
¡°In the end, the most important thing for a gigant rider is how well they handle their gigant. That¡¯s where the problems arise.¡±
¡°What kind of problems?¡±
Daniel asked, his eyes sparkling with curiosity at Karl¡¯s words. Karl answered simply.
¡°The martial arts that you¡¯ve mastered are actually hindering you when dealing with a gigant.¡±
¡°Huh? Hindering?¡±
¡°Yes. The reason is simple. The human body and the gigant are not the same.¡±
Gigant has a humanoid shape, but its essence is a lump of cold metal.
¡°It takes a lot of effort to make a movement that the human body can easily do.¡±
Karl said, raising a finger.
¡°But there are movements that are impossible even with such effort.¡±
¡°Ah!¡±
Daniel eximed, nodding his head as if remembering something.
¡°You¡¯ve probably heard of them in other sses, right? Like bending your back all the way.¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
¡°That¡¯s because of the range of motion of a gigant joint. A gigant has a bit more range, but most can¡¯t keep up with the range of motion of a very flexible human body.¡±
Karl exined other differences between the human body and the gigant.
¡°Also, the nature of the gigant is important. Abel, do you understand what I mean?¡±
¡°Yes. A gigant¡¯s vital parts are different from that of a human. Unlike humans, they don¡¯t stop working when their head is crushed or their throat is pierced, and they don¡¯t have a heart in their left chest.¡±
Abel added that gigant can also fight, using their arms and legs as bait.
¡°Exactly. Gigant can be repaired. On the other hand, when the cockpit is broken, it¡¯s not just the gigant but also the riders in danger. It can be said that it¡¯s the most vital part of a gigant.¡±
Daniel let out an exmation of admiration, after hearing Karl¡¯s exnation as if he understood Karl¡¯s words. Karl smirked at him.
¡°I see you understand now. That¡¯s why half-learned martial arts are not good. No, not exactly. It¡¯s only bad if it¡¯s unlearned. There are certain skills a gigant rider has to learn. It¡¯s a technique that ispletely focused on the gigant.¡±
¡°Oh, there are other problems as well. Of course. Learning how to handle a gigant is much more efficient after you¡¯ve mastered the basics. Even if it¡¯s a gigant-focused technique, you shouldn¡¯t learn it beforehand unless you¡¯re good at it.¡±
Having said that, Karl returned to the very beginning of the story.
¡°That¡¯s why you start learning martial arts in earnest from the second semester. By then, everyone will know how to handle a gigant to some extent, but you three will learn it from me right now. Why?¡±
Karl said, smiling.
¡°Because you three already have the basics. Do you understand?¡±
¡°Yes!!!¡±
¡°I understand.¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
Karl made eye contact with the three of them before speaking.
¡°The martial arts you are about to learn are slightly different, but in the grand frame of things, theye from the same root.¡±
Karl continued with a grave expression, ¡°This is the art of Allon.¡±
Everyone looked surprised, and Karl nodded.
¡°That¡¯s right. He is who you think he is.¡±
Allon. The name of one of the Empire¡¯s greatest knights and founders of the Academy. Abel was astonished.
¡®This is where the Hidden Piecees from?¡¯
[To be continued.]
Chapter 38:
Chapter 38:
¡°What you are about to learn, as the name suggests, is a martial art devised by Lord Allon himself.¡±
Karl exined slowly, ¡°Naturally, all of you will wonder how I know this.¡±
¡°To begin with, I have no blood rtion with Lord Allon. Special skills such as martial arts are passed down through blood or family members. They are rarely taught to outsiders.¡±
Karl stretched out his hands before continuing, ¡°But Lord Allon passed on his martial art skills to all five of his students at the time.¡±
¡°All five of them?¡±
Daniel asked in surprise because that was so unusual. Karl nodded.
¡°Yes, and what I learned was taught to me by one of them, Wolfred of the Iron Wall.¡±
At the name Wolfred, everyone looked surprised once again. Though not as famous as Lord Allon, he was in his own right.
¡®An appendix who made his name during the Great War.¡¯ And Abel was familiar with his name.
Wolfred was themander of the Northern Army, and despite his old age, he was a force to be reckoned with. It was said that without him, the current empire would have been reduced to two-thirds. Karl smirked at the three¡¯s reactions and continued.
¡°Judging by the look on your faces, I can tell you are wondering what his rtionship with me is.¡±
No one denied it. So Karl exined further.
¡°During the great war, I participated as a member of the Imperial army, and I was under him then.¡±
At the time, Karl said he had received some lessons directly from Wolfred. Martial arts was one of them.
¡°So technically, the name of the art is the Allon-Wolfred art. Sir Wolfred once modified it.¡±
Karl pointed out some of the differences.
¡°He redefined the martial art to be more linear in its movements and more geared towards dealing withrge groups of people, but that doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s easier to learn.¡±
After warning them they¡¯d probably have difficulty mastering it, Karl turned to Daniel.
¡°As we discussed earlier, Daniel will be learning the defensive part of the martial arts.¡±
His gaze then moved to May, ¡°And you, May, will learn the movement and offensive part. Finally,¡±
Karl looked at Abel.
¡°Abel, you¡¯ll learn everything in general. However, how much you can learn from it depends on your effort and determination. Do you understand?¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
Abel answered vigorously. Daniel and May did the same. Karl observed everyone¡¯s reaction and continued.
¡°That¡¯s all for the exnation, so everyone, let¡¯s get started,¡±
Karl said with a vicious grin stered on his face.
¡°Let¡¯s begin the hell training.¡± ?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
Exhausted students were scattered all over the training ground after the physical training. Typically, they would have copsed on the floor and staggered back to their dorms like the undead, but the situation was different this time. Most of the students were looking in one direction with sympathetic eyes.
¡°Hump, huh.¡±
¡°Wow¡±
Their gazes fell on three students. Daniel, May, and Abel.
¡°This is hard¡¡±
Abel, May, and Daniel were pale and groaning from the exertion. Even Daniel, customarily called a monster in terms of physical strength, was groaning in pain. Just then, Karl¡¯s sharp voice pierced their ears.
¡°Daniel, your posture is horrid! Concentrate.¡±
¡°Yes, yes!¡±
Infamous Scans
Daniel, whose shoulders sagged slightly, came to his senses and straightened his posture. Abel watched out of the corner of his eye and thought to himself,
¡®This is going to kill me.¡¯
There was no exaggeration about the ¡®hell¡¯ that Karl had described. As soon as the training started, Karl showed no mercy. Compared to this, his usual behavior in ss was merciful.
¡°Abel! You too!¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
Distracted for a moment, Abel straightened his posture to Karl¡¯s sharp reprimand. Abel was now in a positionmonly referred to as the Mabo. That alone was hard, but something else bothered him even more.
¡°None of this means anything if you don¡¯t harness your mana!¡±
Karl reminded him. Maneuvering. Even Daniel, a physical fitness freak, was struggling because he had to do the mabo stance and use his mana at the same time. Mana operation is originally an act that consumes a lot of mental and physical strength¡ªtrying to do it simultaneously as Mabo was too much to handle. In addition, they couldn¡¯t even rest for a moment, thanks to Karl pointing out whenever their mana management was disrupted as if he had seen it with his eyes.
¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa,¡±
Abel breathed heavily. Of course, this training wasn¡¯t forced. Instead, it was a reward. It was just so hard that he felt weak, even knowing that. But Abel thought as he gritted his teeth,
¡®I can do this.¡¯
It¡¯s only hard if you keep thinking it¡¯s hard. Abel consciously cleared his mind, concentrating on Mabo and his mana management, just as he did when raising his synchronization. How long has it been?
¡°Stop!¡±
Karl¡¯s voice snapped Abel back to reality.
¡°Ugh.¡±
His concentration went off, and at the same time, his legs lost all of their strength. Abel nearly fell to the ground but held on and stood upright. Daniel and May did the same. Karl looked at them and spoke in a stern voice.
¡°From now on, you will do this for two hours in every training session until you get used to it. Do you understand?¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
Karl smiled with satisfaction only after hearing their loud reply.
¡°Well, you all did well on your first day. It¡¯s not much of a reward, but I¡¯ll show you something nice.¡±
With that, Karl began to assume his stance slowly.
¡°Keep your eyes open.¡±
Karl spoke with a serious expression, and suddenly the atmosphere was different. The air around him seemed to weigh down on the cadets. Karl stood in that position for a moment, then slowly, very slowly, he extended his fist forward. Abel¡¯s eyes widened involuntarily. It felt as if a massive tsunami was crashing over him.
Thud-
At that moment, Daniel was seen stumbling backward. He must have felt something simr to Abel because he also stepped back. All Karl did was extend his fist forward slowly. It was only when he slowly withdrew his fist that the feelingpletely disappeared.
¡°I know it looks like I¡¯m just throwing a punch, but that¡¯s the essence of what you¡¯re about to learn.¡±
Karl said, his voice heavy and hushed.
¡°Physical training may seem less important than martial arts. Even if you operate a gigant, you still fight with a weapon, but that¡¯s a case of knowing one and not the other,¡±
Karl continued in detail, ¡°Proper training is the foundation of everything¨Cwhen you swing a sword, thrust a spear, and hold a shield. It applies to everything. Do you understand?¡±
¡°Yes!¡±
¡°Now, that¡¯s it for today. Get some rest. Rest is part of the training. Understood!¡±
¡°Okay!¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
With that, the training was over. Abel waited for Karl to leave, then turned to Daniel.
¡°Let¡¯s get cleaned up and go get some food.¡±
¡°Okay¡ May, let¡¯s go!¡±
Daniel picked up the half-conscious May. The three of them quietly walked back to the dormitory, unlike usual.?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
They didn¡¯t miss a single day of training. Even on Saturdays, when there were no lectures, they had to train. This was due to Karl¡¯s im that if they took two days off, they would lose their touch.
¡°I guess I should be thankful that I get at least one day off.¡±
Abel muttered in a strained voice. Whatever training you do, you get used to it, and it bes lessplicated as you get used to it. But Karl¡¯s martial arts was an exception. When you think you¡¯ve reached the hang of it, he tightens the difficulty. Thanks to that, every training session was always as hard as the first.
¡°That¡¯s how much the instructor is serious about what he¡¯s teaching us,¡±
Daniel muttered in response to Abel¡¯sment. Daniel seemed to be in a better mood than usual, and the reason was obvious.
¡°You seem to be in a pretty good mood today, don¡¯t you?¡±
¡°Am I? Why?¡±
¡°Why? Because you¡¯re off training for the next week.¡±
Daniel smiled at Abel¡¯s words. True to his word, there was no training for the next week. It wasn¡¯t because Karl suddenly became merciful or because he had other things to do.
¡°Resting is not an option. We¡¯re supposed to be practicing.¡±
¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡±
Next week is a field trip. Naturally, since they¡¯d be outside the academy, they couldn¡¯t train.
¡°Still, I¡¯m excited to go outside. And I¡¯m also worried.¡±
¡°It¡¯s probably not going to be easy. I¡¯ve heard stories of people going out to practice and returning with all kinds of hardship.¡±
Abel said in a dry voice. Many first-year students were as excited as Daniel about going out on a field trip. Of course, they didn¡¯t do it without realizing they were going to face hardship. Despite what they know, the very idea of operating a Gigant on a mission outside is something that is expected of them.
¡®But¡¡¯
Abel¡¯s face stiffened as if he¡¯d just remembered something. But then, someone ran into the cafeteria and shouted.
¡°The location of the field trip is out!¡±
Everyone¡¯s attention was drawn to the boy who brought the news. With his slightly flushed face, the boy eximed loudly.
¡°It¡¯s the Telif in!¡±
Telif in. The moment those words left the boy¡¯s mouth, the Cadets¡¯ reactions were precisely twofold¡ªthose still looking forward to it and those stunned. The reason for thetter¡¯s stony faces was simple. They were familiar with the infamy of the Telif in.
It was where the most significant battles took ce during the Great War, and after the war, it was the ce of the Colossus. Initially, It was once a home for some people and a small city, but now it is almost entirely uninhabited. It is an unusual ce for a ce to train. But Abel wasn¡¯t surprised by the location of the Telif in.
Of course, the Academy didn¡¯t choose the location for the training without thinking. An area that had already been perfectly ¡®cleaned¡¯ and strictly for training purposes. It wasn¡¯t the location that Abel was worried about. Instead, it was something else.
¡®The enemy outside.¡¯
In this practice, something far more dangerous than the Wall of Glory was scheduled to happen.[To be continued.]
Chapter 39:
Chapter 39:
On a Monday morning. The front of the dormitory was bustling with activity, which was understandable. This was because it was the first time the first-year cadets would leave school for outdoor practice.
¡®Half are excited, half are nervous,¡¯
Abel, who was done with his preparation, thought as he observed the cadets. As the day of departure approached, the percentage of nervous cadets increased, but overall the atmosphere was buoyant.
¡®Well, it¡¯s better than everyone freaking out and trembling in fear.¡¯
Everything might turn out fine if they are calm and rxed. But if they¡¯re all freaking out, it might be a whole different story. While Abel was thinking so positively, someone touched his shoulder.
¡°Abel, how long have you been out here?¡±
It was Daniel. His hair was half wet from his haste.
¡°Not too long. What were you doing that made youte?¡±
¡°I was practicing martial arts and didn¡¯t realize I was alreadyte.¡±
¡°Did you go to the training grounds again today? Do you still have any stamina left?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
His clear answer left Abel speechless for a moment. Abel shook his head before speaking.
¡°Let¡¯s not talk.¡±
¡°Huh? Why?¡±
Abel didn¡¯t answer, knowing that talking would only hurt his mouth.
¡°Alright, alright, everyone organize yourselves!¡±
It wasn¡¯t long before the teachers appeared and quickly took control of the situation. The cadets quickly settled into an orderly manner, and after about 10 minutes, they were perfectly organized. After taking a head count, the teachers shouted in a loud voice.
¡°Everyone Move!¡±
The cadets began to move along with the leading teacher. Their destination was the main gate of the academy, where a long line of transportation greeted them. They were called horsepower vehicles, automated carriages, and more.
¡°All right, ss A, get in first!¡±
The cadets were divided into sses. Abel followed the other ss A cadets into the leftmost car and was soon joined by a teacher. This time, since they were going outside, each ss had a teacher in charge, and it was none other than Mr. Karl, who was in charge of ss A.
¡°Hurry up and take your seats! We¡¯ll be leaving soon!¡±
Karl said, clenching his fist. The cadets quickly took their seats as if they were being forced.
Woo~woo!
Not long after, a loud magical resonance rang out. There were no windows, so they couldn¡¯t see the outside but could feel they were slowly moving forward.
¡®I¡¯ve noticed this before. This is like an armored vehicle.¡¯
In this world, most of these horse-powered vehicles were mostly for military purposes. The focus was on efficiency rather thanfort.
¡®Well, some aren¡¯t, but you wouldn¡¯t use that on a first-year cadet.¡¯
Usually, Abel wouldn¡¯t feel dissatisfied with such things, but it was true that he felt a little unhappy whenever he thought of the destination of the outdoor training session. This is because it takes at least 12 hours to reach the Telif in. In other words, he would have to sit in this hard, narrow seat for the next 12 hours.
¡°We¡¯re off. It¡¯ll take us quite a while to get there. We won¡¯t be there untilte evening.
Just then, Karl spoke, shooting a piercing re at the cadets.
¡°Once you get there, you will only have a little time to rx until the practice ends. So while you¡¯re on your way, don¡¯t make a fuss and just sleep.¡±
If he¡¯d left it at that, it wouldn¡¯t have been very convincing, but Karl added a few words.
¡°Talking attracts a penalty.¡±
Karl seemed to have shut the cadets up with that. Then, he folded his arms and closed his eyes. Abel, who had no intention of chit-chatting in the first ce, also quietly closed his eyes. Time passed, but he couldn¡¯t sleep. This was because he had gone to bed earlyst night to prepare for today.
¡®Guess I¡¯ll just meditate.¡¯
Infamous Scans
Abel eventually gave up the idea of sleeping and started meditating. He often meditated to clear his head, but after learning the Optirum breathing method, he rarely missed a day.
The Optirum Breathing Method emphasizes two things: assimtion and inner contemtion. The former was the literal core, closely rted to how to build mana. Thetter was a bit more ambiguous.
ording to the book¡¯s content, practitioners could get to know themselves better through inner contemtion. The more you know yourself, the more efficiently you can perform the same actions, and the more instinctively you¡¯ll know what to do when practicing.
It certainly has a significant effect, but the problem was that it didn¡¯t resonate with him. Naturally, Abel needed a better sense of what it meant to be inwardly focused.
¡®It¡¯s probably because I¡¯m not practicing enough.¡¯
Abel thought and slowly began to take the steps of meditation. The first thing he did was to clear his mind. He cleared his mind of wandering thoughts. He erased the idea of having to focus on meditating, and eventually, he got rid of the idea that he was meditating. He emptied every thought. Once he had that empty space, he started to imagine.
He imagined Abel himself. It was as if he was observing from a third-person perspective. This is something that many people struggle with, but Abel didn¡¯t have any particr difficulties with it. This is because he was a certain extent, a stranger to himself.
How often has he observed his body since he first woke up here? Wondering who the original owner of this body was, how he had lived, what he had done. He had observed his body endlessly to find out. And now, the result of his observations was right before him.
¡®Abel.¡¯
An orphan wandering the streets. That was what he knew. Or, more urately, it was all he knew. Abel¡¯s gaze fell on the pattern engraved on one side of his body, which didn¡¯t exist in the game. He¡¯d never heard of it nor seen it. And so he guessed this must be a new clue rted to Abel¡¯s identity.- Created when I first encountered the de Tail.
- Absorbed its power when I defeated the de Tail.
Those are the only two things he knows for now. There were more things he didn¡¯t know than he did, which was why he was looking forward to this practice, as it would allow him to encounter many more fragments of the gigant. Of course, there were concerns, but he put those expectations and worries aside and focused on examining his body. He focused on not just looking at its exterior but looking at its interior as well.
What is contemtion? Contemtion is the act of observing something with a detached and calm mind. So Abel cleared his head of all the bits of information and preconceived notions and observed with clear eyes. The fact that he was an orphan and that he might be hiding a special secret. Once he cleared that out of his mind, only a creepy strange boy remained before him.
He observed the boy for a while. But his gaze drifted to the pattern engraved on his chest at some point. He tried to look away a few times, but as if he had mas in his eyes, he couldn¡¯t look away. At that point, he gave up trying to force himself to look away and followed the flow. The pattern gradually grew in size right in front of his eyes.
It grew bigger and bigger. At one point, the pattern was engraved on a massive wall, not his body. A wall so huge that Abel had to crane his head almost all the way up.
Throb
As Abel stared at the wall, a sound like a heartbeat echoed from somewhere.
Thump, thump, thump
Abel stepped forward and reached out to the massive wall.
Shhhh
The moment his fingertips touched the wall. His heartbeat started beating loudly and booming like thunder pierced his ears. The moment the pattern felt Abel¡¯s presence, an indescribable presence pressed down on Abel.
¡°Hmph!¡±
Abel breathed uncontrobly. Immediately afterward, the presence pressing down on him, the giant wall, the pattern, and even his own body disappeared in an instant. When everything had disappeared, his eyelids opened of their own ord.
The first thing he saw was a dim light, and when he rolled his eyes, he saw some boys and girls dozing. He didn¡¯t immediately understand what was happening, so he nkly stared at the scene. It wasn¡¯t long before he remembered that he was traveling by a horse-powered vehicle for outdoor practice.
¡®We¡¯re in the vehicle.¡¯
Sitting around him are cadets from his ss. Abel turned a little further and saw Karl seated at the entrance. Yeah. They were still in the vehicle. Abel involuntarily breathed a sigh of relief as soon as he realized that.
¡°Abel, are you okay?¡±
Daniel, sitting next to him, whispered in a low voice. Abel nodded slightly before replying.
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°You were sweating like you were having a nightmare for a long time.¡±
¡°Me?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
Hearing that, Abel touched his forehead, and he felt cold sweat. Soon after, he could feel sweat dripping from under his clothes. A sticky feeling of displeasure ran through his body.
¡®For a long time?¡¯
Sensing the doubt, Abel asked Daniel.
¡°What time is it?¡±
¡°Huh? I don¡¯t know what time it is, but the instructor said it would be mealtime soon.¡±
In other words, mealtime meant that at least three hours had passed. This surprised Abel. Three hours had passed quickly in what must have been a brief meditation. He tried to recall his memories of the meditation, mildly suggesting to Daniel that he might have had a nightmare.
¡®Something was different.¡¯
He¡¯d practiced inner contemtion before, but this was the first time he¡¯d experienced something like this. Or rather, it¡¯s the first time he has been able to focus this intensely in the first ce. Usually, he would wake up losing all his concentration for at least an hour. Thinking about it, he wondered if seeing the pattern and the wall had the most impact. Usually, he used to end up imagining his own body.
¡®The strangest thing was the wall.¡¯
At some point, the pattern was engraved on a huge wall, not Abel¡¯s body. The wall also had old and broken traces everywhere, just like a real wall. Abel had never had such an imagination like it before.
¡®A pattern on a huge wall.¡¯
Perhaps this was a clue to the identity of the pattern engraved on Abel¡¯s body. Abel remembered one of the sentences he¡¯d read in a breathing method book.- Through inner contemtion, the practitioner may discover something of himself that he did not know before. What goes beyond the body and mind and sinks deep into the soul.
Perhaps, it reminded him of the memory of this body called Abel. He swiped one hand imperceptibly across his face. It is troublesome in more ways to think about questions that cannot be resolved immediately, and so, as usual, Abel pushed the questions to the back of his mind. The vehicle continued on its way without stopping, except at mealtime. The sun, which had risen high in the sky, slipped back over the horizon and was reced by a bright moon.
¡°We¡¯re here!¡± Karl shouted in a loud voice.
One by one, the cadets followed his lead and stepped out of the car. Abel joined the others and stepped out of the vehicle before looking up at the sky, where the round moon held an ominous glow.[To be continued.]
Chapter 40:
Chapter 40:
After a 12-hour journey, they arrived at a camp prepared for the outdoor practice. The cadets who got out of the vehicle immediately gathered at the center of the base and listened to an exnation from Fletta, the general instructor of the practice.
¡°This ce, as you know, is unsafe within the borders. There are no small towns, let alone cities.¡±
Fletta is a woman with light gray hair and scars all over her face. Like many teachers and instructors, she had fought in the Great War. Perhaps that¡¯s why her voice had the power to draw people¡¯s attention.
¡°So go to bed early and don¡¯t think about doing anything stupid in the middle of the night. Departure will be early tomorrow morning.¡±
Fletta finished her exnation with a brief warning and stepped back. Afterward, the teachers and instructors led them to the building where they would spend the night. The building they were guided to wasn¡¯t looking nicepared to the academy¡¯s dormitory, but at least there was no problem sleeping overnight.
¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve slept with many people.¡±
Daniel spoke up after the instructor had stepped back. Abel nodded. Only the boys in the ss shared the same room.
¡°You should probably go to bed early tonight.¡±
¡°Huh?
¡°Because you¡¯ve been sleeping in the vehicle all day long?¡±
At Daniel¡¯s question, Abel thought for a moment before speaking.
¡°Now that I think about it, you probably won¡¯t sleep.¡±
Daniel had no problem pulling an all-nighter. Abel left Daniel to do his thing and then sat upright on his bed, not nning on sleeping himself. Fletta said they wouldn¡¯t start practicing until early morning, but Abel knew the truth.
¡°Maybe in the next four hours.¡±
The practice will begin at dawn, and it¡¯s just after midnight. Abel guessed the time to be around 2:00. So they had four hours left. At that level, it was often better to meditate than sleep, making his body sluggish.
Thest thing he wanted was to fall asleep like other cadets. It¡¯s a n that was anticipated in the first ce, their first outdoor practice. The cadets, who fall asleepte with tension and excitement, would be unable or too sluggish to wake up for the practice that would be starting early in the morning.
That¡¯s where the assessment will begin. It is to see how you respond in an unexpected situation. In that sense, Abel is already at a different starting line than the others.
¡°Inhale, exhale.¡±
Abel took a long breath and began to meditate slowly. It was a deeper meditation than the one he had done in the vehicle. It was just a way for him to pass the time while staying awake.
He tuned out the chatter of the cadets in his quarter, and as time passed, it wasn¡¯t long before his quarter became silent. Everyone had fallen asleep. It was quiet but not peaceful. It was more like the night before the storm. Abel felt a sharp sense of uneasiness rising through him, and when it reached its peak.
Wooooooo~!
A loud noise pierced his ears. As soon as Abel heard the noise, he opened his eyes.
¡°Ugh¡¡±
¡°What the¡¡±
There were groans everywhere. Some quick-witted people opened their eyes and seemed to be trying to figure out the situation, but their eyes were still full of drowsiness.
On the other hand, Abel gathered up the things he had set aside and headed outside. The sound that still resonates loudly was one of the things he had learned in ss.
The meaning is simple. An enemy invasion is expected, so everyone should assemble immediately. The location of the meeting point must be found yourself. It¡¯s usually marked in a way that¡¯s immediately noticed, like the redntern that was shining off to one side. Abel headed in that direction without hesitation and soon found himself in a rtivelyrge clearing.
¡°Abel!¡±
Upon arriving at the clearing, a booming voice greeted him. It was Karl. Karl looked at Abel and smiled.
¡°You¡¯re the first to arrive. Excellent.¡±
¡°Thank you.¡±
Abel simply thanked him and stood in front of him. Karl then turned to him and asked.
¡°Did you guess this would happen?¡±
It was a bottomless question, but Abel didn¡¯t have a hard time answering it.
¡°I was considering a number of possibilities.¡±
¡°Possibilities?¡±
Infamous Scans
¡°Yes. What you said to us earlier was a hint. You said we wouldn¡¯t have any time to rest once we arrived, but as soon as we got here, we were given amodations and was told to get some rest.¡±
¡°Hmm.¡±
Karl nodded with an amused expression.
¡°So you didn¡¯t think it would be anything ordinary?¡±
¡°Yeah. Considering the dangers of outdoor practice, I thought it was to nt alertness before starting properly.¡±
¡°You¡¯re correct about that.¡±
Karl was about to say more when he saw the cadets running toward the clearing. Abel turned slightly to look at them as well. There were quite a few familiar faces among them. Ioline, Hannah, Daniel, Lian, and others. They were all cadets belonging to the same special ss. Of course, there were others in the group that he didn¡¯t recognize. There were other cadets who had arrived around the same time as them.
What was surprising was that May arrived quite early.
¡®Wait, is she being dragged out?¡¯
Looking closely, May was dragged half way by her ssmate Darin. After that, other cadets arrived at the clearing one after another. Daniel naturally came to the stand next to Abel and spoke.
¡°I dozed off.¡±
Abel smirked at those words. He had just seen Daniel fall asleep while sitting up when he was going outside.
¡°Now, pay attention!¡±
Abel was about to say something, but Fletta, standing at the front, drew their attention with a loud voice.
¡°I see the cadets stilling. Listen as theye.¡±
Fletta continued in a cold voice.
¡°We are outside. Outside the Academy¡¯s walls, outside the strong walls of the Empire. Your training has already begun the moment we arrive.¡±
Her voice instantly drew the cadets to attention.
¡°Even if you are not practicing, you must not let your guard down for a single moment outside. Look at the cadets now,¡±
She said, pointing at some of the cadets who were still approaching.
¡°If this was a real battle, at least half would have died. In a real battle, there are no loud beeps or friendly lights.¡±
If this were a real situation, if they had made a loud noise or shed lights where monsters were approaching, it would instead attract more attention.
¡°Some people might think it¡¯s unfair of me telling them to get some rest and then suddenly being bitter.¡±
Contrary to the content of her words, her tone was still hard and cold.
¡°Let such people reflect on themselves. You can¡¯t be a gigant rider with such a dull spirit.¡±
The cadets¡¯ faces hardened even more at the harsh vitriol. But Fletta was unfazed and continued her speech regardless.
¡°Well, that¡¯s enough verbal training for now. This exercise aims to learn how you would adapt in a real life battle.¡±
Fletta turned to someone else and stepped back. It was none other than Karl who stepped forward next. He spoke in a booming voice.
¡°Everybody get in the vehicle. Let¡¯s start the practice!¡±
This time, the cadets¡¯ had a bewildered expression. But instead of repeating himself, Karl pointed to one side with a decisive gesture.
¡°Go!¡±
Abel didn¡¯t hesitate to run in the direction Karl pointed. It wasn¡¯t long before he saw a row of horse-powered vehicles lined up by the side. Each ss was clearlybeled as to where to board. So, without hesitation, Abel got into the vehicle with thebel of his ss, followed by a row of cadets from his ss. It took about five minutes at most to get there. The vehicle doors closed by itself, and a heavy silence lingered in the car.
¡°Where¡¡ are we going?¡±
One of the cadets spoke up shortly afterward. It was a cadet named Kalian.
¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure. But since they said we will start practicing right away, shouldn¡¯t we be heading to where the Gigant is?¡±
Another Cadet answered. It was a reasonable answer. They¡¯d been told that the gigant to be used for the practice was moved to the practice ce in advance, and there were no gigant for practice at the camp.
¡°Is that right?¡±
¡°I think so. I wonder how the practice would go.¡±
Once the silence was broken, each cadet said a few words. It wasn¡¯t necessarily because they wanted to say something, but it was to calm their fears and nerves. Abel, on the other hand, stayed out of the conversation and waited quietly. This was not the time to chat leisurely.
It would be easy for them to think they could just hop aboard their gigants and fight real battles, but the Del Mordor Academy is not that easy. As Fletta had said, their training had already begun. Abel hugged his pack tightly as he reflected on that. And what he had expected happened less than 20 minutes after their departure.
Whooooo!
A deafening sound echoed, and simultaneously, the car shook violently. The cadets, who had been chatting earlier, were frozen in ce by the unexpected noise and shock.
¡°Everyone get off! The vehicle is broken! We have to move!
Then came the voice of the driver. Most cadets were hurrying to leave the vehicle because they couldn¡¯t understand the situation properly, but a few weren¡¯t. First, Kalian, sitting closest to the door, shouted as he hit the cadet about to open the door.
¡°Wait! It could be a trap!¡±
¡°A trap?¡±
¡°Yes! You heard the exnation at the beginning: the safest ce to be in times of danger is inside this vehicle. We must stay inside until we have clear guidelines for what¡¯s happening !¡±
He was right. The horsepower vehicles prepared for the cadets were not just moderately sturdy but also had a level of protection. It was enough to serve as a temporary barrier in case of emergency. In the event of an attack, the cadets were taught to assess the situation from within before taking action rather than getting off hastily.
¡°Huh, but the driver told us to get out!¡±
¡°That¡¯s right!¡±
However, the cadets¡¯ whose faces had turned pale at the unexpected incident, tried opening the door with a fight. Then, Abel spoke up.
¡°Kalian is right.¡±
¡±What?¡±
¡±Let¡¯s get one thing straight before that. Has anyone here heard the driver¡¯s voice?¡±
At Abel¡¯s sudden question, everyone became mute. They had to be because none of them had heard the driver speak. Before this, the driver of the horsepower vehicle hadn¡¯t said a word even after 12 hours of driving. At that time, Abel had just thought he was rtively silent and let it go, but when he was in this situation, he had other thoughts.
¡°The cry just now could be a trick. You all know, right? The driver¡¯s seat is rtively less protective.¡±
Unlike the back, the driver¡¯s seat¡¯s protective ability is considerably lower because the field of view has to be wide open. Therefore, there is a high possibility that the enemy pretends to be the driver and tries to lure the cadets outside.
¡°Then¡.¡±
¡°What are we supposed.¡ to do?¡±
Abel¡¯s words caused the cadets¡¯ to mumble nkly. The better ones merely looked around with cautious expression, unable to offer any solutions. Seeing this, Abel added another word.
¡°It is a principle to stand by inbat posture,¡±
It was simply a word based simply on principle. The reason he didn¡¯t offer another solution was simple. There was no need to do anything more.
¡®We just have to wait,¡¯
It wasn¡¯t necessarily because he knew the game but because he could think about it calmly enough. There were too many weird things to be an enemy attack.
Squeak-.
Abel hadn¡¯t even thought about it for less than a minute when the vehicle¡¯s back door opened. Not only Kalian, who had been blocking the door but also the cadets around him quickly backed away. Although he had no weapons, he was determined to fight even with his bare hands.
But that vicious spirit quickly dispelled. This was because the person who appeared through the open door was none other than Karl.
He looked at the cadets and said in a bright voice.
¡°That was a calm response. ss A all passed.¡±
The cadets all had confused expressions.[To be continued.]
Chapter 41:
Chapter 41:
As the cadets exited the vehicle, they looked at Karl with bewilderment, astonishment, disbelief, and doubt. Karl continued to speak casually even though he was under such gaze.
¡°Well, we¡¯re just starting, but let¡¯s all disembark and assemble at the front.¡±
After a moment of hesitation, the cadets got out of the vehicle and gathered in front, still maintaining their alertness. Abel scanned the area as he got out. There had definitely been a loud bang, but there was no sign of it on the vehicle or in the surrounding area. A few people questioned it, and nced at the vehicle in front. It was Karl who exined how the sound came about.
¡°The sound is just made up. Don¡¯t worry, everything is fine.¡±
Even after the exnation, everyone¡¯s doubt still remained unresolved, as they hadn¡¯t been told why they would do such a thing. Then, Karl spoke again.
¡°That was just a light test.¡±
¡°A test?¡±
¡°Yes. To see how you¡¯d react in an emergency.¡±
However, the doubt in the cadets¡¯ eyes refused to go away, Karl smirked as if he understood them all.
¡°You all seem to have a lot of questions, but I can¡¯t answer them all right now,¡±
Karl continued with a smile.
¡°You¡¯re already in the middle of the practice.¡±
Abel turned to Karl and asked a question.
¡°You said we passed, so what then happens to those who didn¡¯t?¡±
¡°That¡¯s an important question. It¡¯s simple. Those who failed have nothing. On the other hand, those who passed have a major advantage.
As if waiting, Karl pulled two pieces of paper out of his pocket and handed them to Abel.
¡°And this is the advantage¡±
The papers Abel received turned out to be maps.
¡°This is thest time I¡¯ll be so kind as to tell you whether you¡¯ve passed or failed.¡±
Karl said, pointing to the map in Abel¡¯s hand.
¡°It shows the destination you should arrive at. Of course, since there are two destinations, you will have to travel in groups.¡±
Abel didn¡¯t bother to ask what was at the destination. If he did, Karl wouldn¡¯t have told him anyway, but it didn¡¯t matter. Abel already knew what was there.
¡®Gigants.¡¯
Where the destination pointed, there were Gigants, so he had to get to where the map indicated at all costs. And it wasn¡¯t just to get a good grade on the test. This practice was going to have some unwee guests. And he could never ovee that danger with his bare body. While Abel continued to think and calcte, Karl exined a few more things and then said,
¡°Well, then, do your best.¡±
With that, Karl walked away, leaving the ten cadets, including Abel, alone. By then, Abel had finished his thoughts and turned to the perplexed cadets.
¡°Everyone, we need to focus¡±
Everyone¡¯s gaze turned to Abel in an instant. Abel waved the two maps in his hand. Though he was taking on the role of the leader, no one protested. Seeing his calm demeanor and judgment earlier, everyone was implicitly acknowledging him.
¡°Two maps. Ten people.¡±
There were more than one or two worries and a lot of things to pay attention to, but he knew what they had to do right now.
¡°Let¡¯s divide into groups of five and get moving.¡±
To secure the gigants first.?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
The grouping was quick. Firstly, they discussed and shared a map with different destinations, then split up ordingly. The maps pointed to different goals. One looked safer, but the destination was farther away, and the other was more dangerous, but the destination was close.
¡°We¡¯ve all decided.¡±
Of course, Abel chose the closer location. Once Abel had made his choice, Daniel and May didn¡¯t hesitate to join the group, followed by Darin, who had an acquaintance with May. So far, it was as expected, but thest person to join was a bit unexpected.
¡°I¡¯ll join too.¡±
It was Kalian, a cadet with red hair, just like Hannah. It was a surprise because Kalian had often shown hostility toward Abel. They never openly quarreled, but you could tell by the look in his eyes. However, Abel nodded in approval, as there was no reason to dismiss the idea of being in the same group.
¡°Well, now that the group has been decided, let¡¯s make a n right away.
Abel put aside his thoughts about the group and spread out the map for everyone to see. The map was not as precise as the modern ones, but it was at least recognizable.
¡°This is where we are now.¡±
Abel first pointed to the left corner of the map, then tapped the top right corner.
¡°This is our destination.¡±
¡°There¡¯s a forest in the middle.¡±
¡°Yeah. We could go around it straight to the right, but that would take a lot of time.¡±
¡°It would be much shorter to go straight through the forest, but it would slow us down as we would have to move cautiously, right?
Abel nodded at Kalian¡¯s point.
¡°I suppose so, but we must also consider that it was Instructor Karl who handed us this map.¡±
Everyone immediately understood what he meant without adding a detailed exnation. Darin spoke in a timid tone.
¡°So, you¡¯re saying there could be traps?¡±
Infamous Scans
¡°Yes. Taking a detour means prioritizing safety; right now, I¡¯m not sure that detour is safe.¡±
Originally, they could choose between taking the risk and shortening the time or ying it safe, even if it takes a little longer. But now it was different. They had to consider the Academy¡¯s intentions, not just the environment and the map. Kalian narrowed his eyes before speaking.
¡°But on the other hand, they could be hiding bigger traps in the forest, and even if we took a detour, we¡¯d still be faster than the other group since we¡¯re so much closer to our destination.¡±
¡°That¡¯s true,¡±
Abel nodded obediently. Karl has been pessimistic about Abel¡¯s opinion, but there is nothing wrong with his attitude. Sentimentality or not, one of us needed to approach this with caution.
¡°Hmm.¡±
Abel feigned to be troubled and recalled the information he already knew in his head.
¡®If we go through the forest, we¡¯ll definitely arrive very quickly. We¡¯d be among the fastest of all the other ssesbined.¡¯
Conversely, if they took the detour, they¡¯d likely arrive at a simr time to the other groups, even if they did well. Of course, both assumptions are based on whether they pass well.
¡®The problem is, there are traps on both sides.¡¯
There was no safe path.
The Academy has set up traps along every path, meaning there¡¯s no way to get to their destinationfortably in the first ce. However, not all traps were of the same level.
Abel turned his attention back to the map. The detour would take longer, so the traps would be less dangerous. The forest, on the other hand, would be more difficult. It was practically halfway to the point of being a no-go area, and with that in mind, the answer was obvious.
¡°Let¡¯s hear everyone¡¯s opinion. Let¡¯s have a majority vote .¡±
Abel made his decision and then spoke.
¡°I think we should go through the forest.¡±
Although it¡¯s perilous, it also means that if they can get past the danger, they can get through it very quickly. That¡¯s what was necessary. The faster they go, the higher the score. This was important because the initial score would count towards their grades no matter what happenedter in the practice.
¡°What does everyone else think?¡±
Abel asked, already knowing the oue. Going with the majority meant that Abel would get his way.
¡°Yeah. I¡¯ll go through the forest too.¡±
¡°Me too.¡±
Daniel and May generally deferred to Abel¡¯s judgment.
¡°I¡¯ll go too¡¡±
Darin also decided to follow the trend. Kalian gave in to the general direction with a dissatisfied expression. As soon as the decision was made, Abel drew attention by pping his hand.
¡°Okay. Then let¡¯s move right away.¡±
A smile tugged at the corners of Abel¡¯s mouth.
¡°I¡¯ve got a n, and I want everyone to listen carefully.¡± ?¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª- ¡ï ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-?
Five Cadets were crossing a dark forest. It had been over half an hour since they¡¯d entered the forest, but it was oddly quiet. ording to the map, they should be able to reach their destination in about an hour if they travel in a straight line. In other words, this meant they were already halfway there. But they couldn¡¯t be too happy.
¡®It¡¯s almost time,¡¯
They were about to encounter the danger they¡¯d been prepared for. There was no one who didn¡¯t know that, so everyone picked up their pace with a lot of tension. After another ten minutes of traveling.
Susskk-!
Abel heard the rustling of the grass not far away. As soon as he recognized the sound, he raised his sword. The others also noticed the anomaly and raised the weapons they received as supplies. At the same time, everyone exchanged nces.
Susk!
Abel listened for the approaching sound, waiting for the right moment as soon as something unidentifiable was within earshot.
¡°Now!¡±
Abel shouted in a loud voice, and at the same time, Daniel, who was in the middle of the line, sprinted forward.
Grasp!
Just then, the man hiding in the bushes and approaching revealed himself. Abel saw that the man was headed toward Daniel and immediately crashed in front of him.
Kaaang-!
Swords collided with swords, and sparks flew. The one who emerged from the grass was a man in dark clothes. The man swung his sword at Abel; fortunately, Abel blocked it.
Kang, Kang, Kang-!
Abel struggled to block the blows and looked at his opponent.
¡°There are two more next to you!¡±
Darin shouted in a loud voice. While the first one toe out from the grass drew attention, two other people secretly approached and swung their swords. These were the traps set in the forest. And Abel already knew that their identities were the academy¡¯s assistants.
¡°Everyone gather at the center!¡±
Abel shouted, gathering the four of them in the center. Sure enough, the raiders unleashed a barrage of vicious attacks that prevented them from sticking together quickly. It wasn¡¯t as if their lives were at stake as they had been against the fragment of the gigant, but that didn¡¯t mean they were easy opponents.
Abel smiled, though. Their purpose is simple. To keep the cadets tied down for as long as possible, so there was no reason for them to be impatient.
¡®But now I have no choice but to be impatient.¡¯
The reason is simple: he missed one.
Kang-!
Swords shed once more. The raiders swung their swords at the cadets to take them down. But Abel and the cadets were not easily threatened. There was a huge disparity in skill between the assistants and the cadets, but they couldn¡¯t hurt the cadets much. Knowing that, the cadets were using that very point to preserve better than the raiders could have expected.
Of course, the average performance of those in Abel¡¯s group also yed a part. There was May, not to mention Kalian, who they could count on with their physical strength. So, the fightsted longer than expected.
¡°Haha!¡±
But eventually, the end came. Darin, who seemed to be in danger, lost his grip on his sword and fell. With one man down, the raiders immediately picked up momentum and pressed the remaining three.
Bang!
¡°Crunch!¡±
Next, Kalian was punched in the stomach, sending him to his knees. Abel felt his hand gradually twisting, and for a moment he thought,
¡®At this rate, it won¡¯t be long before everyone is subdued.¡¯
¡°Ugh!¡±
Kalian groaned and bounced backward. He was kicked on his back while swinging his weapon, even on his knees.
¡°Argh!¡±
Following that, Darin fell to the ground while screaming. A sharp knife was pointed to his throat. In the blink of an eye, two men had been subdued.
Only May and Abel were the only ones left. On the other hand, the masked men were all unharmed, so at this rate, the rest of them would be subdued in no time.
¡°Shit!¡±
Just then, a shadow fell across Abel¡¯s face.
Thud-!
A loud sound echoed in the distance.
Thump! Thump!
The sound came at regr intervals, gradually getting closer.
¡°Sheesh!¡±
Disappointed raiders who saw it clicked their tongues and instantly ran somewhere. Everyone nkly turned their heads toward the sound, unaware of what was happening.
Abel breathed a sigh of relief and looked toward the source. In the distance, something was sticking out of a tall tree, one arm raised high and swaying from side to side. Daniel had brought the Gigant just in time.
¡°We did it.¡±
In other words, Abel¡¯s group was the first to secure a gigant.[To be continued.]
Chapter 42:
Chapter 42:
A gigant was walking toward the cadets, the moonlight glowing on its back. The ambushers, fiercely wielding their swords a moment ago, scattered as the Gigant approached.
Thud, thud, thud
Abel thought as he watched the approaching gigant before entering the forest. He had quite a few ns in his head. Some of them wereplicated, and he was initially more inclined towards them.
This was because he knew there would be an ambush waiting for them on their way to their destination. However, once he saw the faces of his team members, he immediately changed his mind.
Did they need an borate n? If the goal is to take down all the ambushers, then all we need to do at this stage is to board the gigant within the theoretical time. More importantly, everyone didn¡¯t need to arrive at the destination.
¡®This is because even if one got on the gigant, the prepared trap would be meaningless.¡¯
Even if a huge rock blocks the road or trained hounds chase after them, even if the ambush assistantse swinging their swords, all traps be meaningless the moment a gigant appears. So Abel deduced a straightforward n. He sends Daniel, the fastest and with the best stamina, out first, and the rest of the group will hold out till he returns. And Abel¡¯s n worked perfectly.
Kuoong!
The gigant approached the right distance, then carefully bent over and held out his hand.
¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±
After exchanging nces with the others, Abel climbed onto the palm of his hand.
Regardless of believing in Daniel, it took a lot of courage to move while riding on Gigant¡¯s palm. Abel was the first to climb aboard and looked at the other cadets.
¡°Come up carefully.¡±
May climbed up, too, without saying a word, and Kalian followed right behind, as if he didn¡¯t want to be thest.
¡°Darin.¡±
Finally, Darin, who had a frightened look on his face, climbed up with the help of May and Abel.
Woooo-
Daniel maneuvered the Gigant very carefully to lift them, then started walking back to the other side again. The cadets in the palm of his hand could see their destination, hidden by the trees.
¡®There it is.¡¯
The destination was closer than he had thought. A red g was nted in the middle of the clearing, and the giants were right there.
¡®They¡¯re all low-end machines.¡¯
Abel thought. He would have to go up close to see, but he could guess just from the appearance. That there was no high-level aircraft dedicated to each cadet. Of course, he already knew this, but he couldn¡¯t help but be disappointed because it was true that he had high expectations. But Abel quickly calmed the disappointment deep in his heart.
Kuoong, kung!
The gigant moved all the way forward. Unlike when they were moving alone without the gigant with a heavy sense of tension, the scenery they saw from the Gigant¡¯s point of view was very refreshing. Not long after, Daniel stopped at their destination and ced his hand on the floor as carefully as before.
¡°Whoa.¡±
The cadets sighed in relief as theynded on the floor.
¡°There are only Gigants¡±
Abel said, looking around. In the clearing they arrived at, four gigantsy side by side. There may have been others here before. Abel was convinced by the footprints left behind.
¡®I guess it hasn¡¯t been long since they withdrew.¡¯
Maybe they¡¯ve been watching the clearing from around here. Not that it matters.
Abel spoke again, ¡°There doesn¡¯t seem to be much difference between the gigant, so we¡¯ll start from the left and work our way up.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
¡°Alright¡±
¡°Uh, yes.¡±
Daniel stood guard, looking around as Abel climbed aboard the gigant.
Thud-
Infamous Scans
Climbing into the cockpit, he ced both hands on its core and infused it with magic, and it responded immediately.
Wooo, wooo, wooo.
The magic in his body spread to the aircraft through the core, then returned and spread again. As the link formed, Abel¡¯s senses began to expand. It was a familiar sensation, and Abel started moving the gigant.
Kwang-!
With both his arms on the ground, he raised himself, and his vision shot upward instantly. As he bnced himself and nted his feet on the ground, information about his surroundings flooded his mind like a tidal wave. This is a forest. The fact that there was a fairlyrge forest meant that this was the beginning.
¡®To be exact, it was an uphill forest, right next to the Telif in.¡¯
So far, Abel and the other cadets have gone through two stages. The first was the raid when they got in the vehicle. The second was arriving at their destination and boarding the gigant, and now they were facing the third. The practice was divided into several stages, and the first two were only mere light warm-ups, meaning that the real practice was yet toe.
The other cadets finished activating their gigants and rose to their feet one by one. When everyst one of them had done so.
Thud-
A small vibration echoed from not far away. Turning in that direction, a Tito-ss gigant appeared, dropped something on the ground, and disappeared. It was such a quick movement that it was hard to get a word in, let alone chase after him. The cadets on the gigant exchanged nces, then turned to stare at the ck cube on the floor.
¡°I¡¯ll¡ I¡¯ll check it.¡±
Darin, who was standing closest to the cube, said, then walked over and reached for it. Darin carefully picked it up as if it were an explosive. Fortunately, the cube didn¡¯t explode. Instead, it emitted a small beam of light.
Pah-
The light emanating from the cube pointed in one direction and soon disappeared without a trace. Darin didn¡¯t show it outwardly but paused in surprise, then fiddled with the cube again.
Pah!
Then, the light came out again. Darin confirmed it and said.
¡°It seems like lightes out when magic is injected to it.¡±
At that, Daniel made a suggestion.
¡°Hmm. Can you move it around while still injecting it with magic?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
Darin slowly walked sideways and swung his arm around. The cube kept pointing in the same direction as he changed positions. By this time, everyone had realized something.
¡°Is that light pointing to the next destination?¡±
¡°I guess so.¡±
In other words, the cube is a form of navigation. The cadets discuss the cube and what to do next and soone to a conclusion.
¡°Well, let¡¯s keep the cube with Darin and continue to move in formation.¡±
¡°Alright.¡±
With that conclusion in hand, they set off on their journey. Of course, they didn¡¯t put all their worries aside just because they were on a gigant. Even though nobody said anything, the Cadets were more on alert than before. This was because there was a high possibility that the test ahead was likely to be dangerous as long as they were on giants.
Abel, of course, knew what wasing.
¡®We¡¯re safe until we get out of the woods. There¡¯s no ambush, no traps, but¡¡¡¯
The moment they get out of the woods and onto the ins, their training will begin in earnest. Gigantbat practice.
Kung, kung , coo-
The five Gigants with the Cadets soon reached the outskirts of the forest. Abel said to the other cadets before heading out of the forest.
¡°My guess is that there¡¯s a good chance we¡¯ll have a full-scale battle from here on out. It¡¯s been so quiet up until now, hasn¡¯t it?¡±
The cadets nodded, though they didn¡¯t have a clear idea on what is toe next. Abel then continued.
¡°I¡¯ll move forward first and check for any other signs. In the meantime, everyone should keep vignt on both sides and behind.¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
¡°Okay.¡±
¡°Alright.¡±
¡°Mm-hmm.¡±
After hearing everyone¡¯s answers, Abel stepped onto the in ahead of the others. The in was silent. He couldn¡¯t hear any other Gigants footsteps, no sounds from the fragments of the gigant, and the silence made him feel even more uneasy.
¡®It¡¯s quiet,¡¯
Abel thought as he strode forward, his sword, his basic weapon in his hand. The in was littered with giant footprints. There were so many of them that it seemed quite difficult to distinguish the important ones, but Abel did it without difficulty. This was because he studied rted knowledge for ¡®survival¡¯ even before entering the academy.
¡®The only recent traces are the footprints of a Tito-ss gigant.¡¯
Naturally, Abel thought of the Tito, who had left the cube earlier. Of course, the gigant belonged to the Academy. So, the presence of Tito¡¯s footprints in the area meant that there was a high probability that something was not far away, most likely a fragment of the gigant. But it was impossible to determine exactly what species it was.
¡®Even in the game, it was random in which fragment would appear.¡¯
Regardless of the route, the fragments of the gigant that were avable were randomized. This maybe because the game was basically designed for the assimtion of many rounds. It would be boring to have to take the same route and deal with the same monsters over and over again, which was, of course, an annoying factor for Abel, who entered the world of such a game.
¡®At least we¡¯re not all underpowered, so we shouldn¡¯t have too much trouble at this stage,¡¯
Abel thought, and continued to walk forward. The distant horizon began to slowly brighten as if the morning sun was about to rise.
¡®Hopefully, we¡¯ll be able to fight after the sun has risen.¡¯
The moon was bright enough to provide some visibility, but there was still a big difference between the morning sun and the moonlight. Especially since most of the gigants¡¯ fragments had bright night vision. But Abel¡¯s wish was not granted.
Dueddddddd-
Suddenly, the ground began to vibrate. The eyes of the cadets, including Abel¡¯s, turned to a single point.
¡°It¡¯s not just one!¡± Kalian shouted in a loud voice, and true to his word, a single creature could not have caused the earth-shaking vibrations.
Abel could see what appeared on the horizon as the others quickly formed into battle formation.
¡°A pack of Ironwolves!¡±
A pack of silver-shining wolves were furiously charging towards them. Although, the power of each one was far inferior to that of a ded tail. However, their danger was iparable. Ironwolves, as the name implies, have characteristics and appearance simr to that of a wolf, meaning they are species that hunt in packs.
¡°It¡¯s dangerous from the start.¡±
Abel raised his sword and stepped forward. It was clear that this was not going to be an easy battle. Excitement overcame nerves as he approached the battle, and at the same time, the pattern engraved on his chest flickered lightly.
¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±
Abel raised his sword and shouted without realizing it.[To be continued.]
Chapter 43:
Chapter 43:
When the Gigants and the Ironwolfs closed some distance
Awooooooh!
With a howl, four of the Ironwolves rushed forward, two to the left and two to the right. The others continued to run ahead, but Abel was more wary of the detouring Ironwolves than the group in the center, so he quickly changed formations.
Im on the left, May on the right! Keep your eyes on the detouring ones!
Although the position was changed, the Cadets held the formations in a rhombus. The first is Kalian at the front, on the left is Abel, May on the right, Daniel in the back, and then Darin in the middle. Keeping the formation as simple as possible, considering their sum was barely matched.
Swoosh-!
As Kalian settled into position, two Ironwolves leaped high from the center of the pack. Seeing them, Kalian didnt panic and swung his spear with both hands.
Caanng!
The two Ironwolves, which had leaped forward, were struck by the spears in turn and sent flying to the side. Meanwhile, the other Ironwolves werent ying around. Within moments, four of them were charging, aiming for Kalians lower back and side. Then, Darin stepped in.
Whew!
Darin, just like Daniel, used a spear and shield as his primary weapons, but now he put down his shield altogether and thrust his spear with both hands.
Bang!
Charge!
The first Ironwolf to strike to the left was stabbed in the neck with a spear and then fell back as if it were on fire. Instead of attacking that Ironwolf again, Darin immediately followed up and aimed for the other Ironwolfs leg.
Whoo-!
The Ironwolf, halfway through the gap between Kalian and May, leaped upward to avoid the spear. But May took advantage of the opportunity.
Kwajik!
May thrust both swords into its head as the Ironwolf leaped upward. With the head pierced, the Ionwolf died on the spot without even screaming, so the one-sided battle continued.
Whik!
A single Ironwolf crouched down and lunged at Kalians knee with the speed of lighting. It looked like a rare species that had awakened a unique ability.
Ugh!
Kalian quickly swung his spear, but it was toote. But there was someone who reacted in time.
Back!
As if Abel had been waiting, he extended his sword diagonally. The Ironwolf couldnt turn in time at that exquisite timing.
Kwazik!
As a result, the sword dug into Ironwolfs mouth and popped out through its throat. Kalian, who was thankfully unharmed, said to Abel.
Phew thank you.
Huh, youre wee
Abel smirked at Kalians first thank you and then looked ahead. There would have been a lull if there were only six Ironwolves right before them. But that wasnt the case.
Here theye again!
Tadak-
While the six in front of them drew attention, the ones that had broken away from the herd earlier were closing in. Abel did not take his eyes off the Ironwolves while helping Kalian. There are two frightening things about Ironwolves.
The first was their rare pack life and the fact that they were a species that fought based on it, and the second was that the entire species was born with special abilities apart from the inherent powers. This ability ismonly referred to as stealth or assimtion.
Sussuk-
Abels eyes darted quickly. His eyes were chasing after two Ironwolves, their fur the same color as the grass in the meadow. They repeatedly backed away and moved to the side as if trying to avoid Abels gaze, but when Abels gaze clung to them, they gave up hiding and charged forward.
Awooooh!
It was at that moment that the pack in the middle, which had backed away once, began to charge again.
Swoosh!
Abel shed the Ironwolf side, which was trying to attack Kalian first, with his sword. He could have easily sliced its neck If he wanted to, but instead, he quickly ducked to his left.
Kwak!
An Ironwolf that leaped up was seen biting hard on the air before falling back to the ground. Abel didnt let it go and drew his sword down.
Caang!
However, the Ironwolf twisted his body wildly before it was released from the sword.
Watch out!!
Daniels shout came from behind him. One of them lunged for Daniel instead of Abel, but Daniel, who hadnt let his guard down, swung his spear effortlessly and pierced its hind leg deeply.
Whoa!
Abel let out a hot breath. They hadnt been fighting for long, and he could feel the fatigue building in his body.
Im sure the others must feel the same way.
Infamous Scans
Especially in the case of Darin, who is rtively weak, it would be worse for him.
It was clear that prolonging the battle would do no good.
ng!
Just then, all four Ironwolves charged at Abel at once. The attack was so sudden that neither Kalian nor Darin could react in time. But Abel didnt panic.
Woooo-
He squeezed new mana into the core and conjured up a clear image. The image of himself walking in the shadows.
Swoosh-
In an instant, the Gigant operated by Abel turned into a blur, then stretched.
Whik!
The Ironwolfs ws, which had rushed at him with furious force, sliced through thin air
Bash-
Its sharp teeth bit into the air. Instantly, the Ironwolves realized something was wrong, but it was toote.
Kwajik-!
A sword flew out of the darkness and pierced the Ironwolfs skull as it bit into the air. That wasnt the end. The sword quickly moved again, as if it could stretch into two, and stabbed the other Ironwolf in the nape of the neck.
Kehek!
The Ironwolf let out a faint sound and then fell to the ground. The other died on the spot without making any sound. The Ironwolves, who had lost two of their own within a short time, panicked.
Die!
Ugh!
Kalian and Darin seized the opportunity and charged, each striking at the Ironwolves with their own spears.
Keng!
One was gored in the side by Kalians spear, which he swung viciously. The other narrowly escaped death but was left with a disabled leg. Together, they had created a huge gap difference between the Ironwolfs.
Caang!
Abel took advantage of the gap, stepping out of the shadow and swinging his sword wildly.
Kwajik!
An Ironwolfs thick neck was cut and fell to the ground. Then, with his other hand, he grabbed a nearby wolf and mmed it to the ground.
Banng-!
As the massive body of the Ironwolf mmed into the ground, a loud bomb-like explosion rang out. Although its often overlooked, the gigant is a powerful weapon. It has the raw strength to tear through a normal monster with its bare hands. So it wasnt surprising that the Ironwolf shudders and shrivels under the blow. The remaining Ironwolves realized they were no match and began to flee.
Theyre trying to get away!
Dont let them get away!
Of course, Abel wasnt about to let them get away.
Im going to chase after them, everyone run to the right!
Abel, who gave a quick instruction, moved and drove the remaining Ironwolves in one direction, while the others followed at a distance and swung their weapons at the Ironwolves running toward them. One by one, they were killed.
Kwajik!
Thest one was killed by Daniel. Disemboweled by the spear, the Ironwolf copsed, unable to take more than two steps.
Is it finally over?
Darin muttered at the sight.
Normally, they would have scolded him for saying anything ominous, but Abel was too exhausted and just simply nodded.
Yes.
Abel said as he gazed over the in where the Ironwolves corpses were littered about.
Its over.- -
It was an overwhelming battle. But it was not without casualties.
I have some damage on my left shoulder joint. Its not easy to move.
Kalian said in an irritated voice. His role as a frontline had left him vulnerable to damage. It was impossible to avoid damage to his aircraft. Grumbling even more, Kalian looked at Abel momentarily, then muttered in a low voice.
Thank you.
Without Abels help, he probably would have lost not only his shoulder joint, but his entire foot. He would have had a hard time moving around, let alone fighting.
Abel replied lightly, Youre wee.
Thats surprising,
Able thought to himself, given his usual rude demeanor, he thought he wouldnt say anything.
Or that he would just say he didnt need help.
Abel smirked from inside the cockpit.
Okay. So lets move away from this ce and then take a break. Its not the best idea to rest here.
Yes.
Okay.
Yes.
Alright!
Considering this is a practice area, Abel didnt think they would have another Ironwolf attack. He was sure that no other monster woulde in after smelling Ironwolfs blood. But aside from that, the idea of resting in a ce where gruesome corpses littered the area was unappealing. They dragged their exhausted bodies along and soon settled down near a small hill.
Lets rest for 20 minutes and then get moving.
Abel said and stopped to one side. Although he wanted to rest, he had to check out something. It was the messages that appeared before him right after the battle.
[Notifications]
The first message that came to mind was this. The moment the message appeared, Abel felt a sphere of light being sucked into the pattern on his chest, just as the des tail had been. He felt the heat and pain. The only difference was that the color of the sphere was green instead of white.
Green and white.
Abel didnt know exactly what that means yet, because at most, he has only experienced it twice. However, if he continued to experience simr things in the future, it would certainly help him understand the phenomenon. With that, Abel checked the following message.
[Absorb part of the abilities of the Ironwolf]
[Leg strength slightly increased]
[Acquired the skill Assimtion]
Leg strength and assimtion. Leg strength literally referred to the strength of his legs. He felt the power in his leg slightly increase after the battle and assimtion. This was a unique ability of the Ironwolf species that allowed them to kill their own existence and change to look simr to their surrounding environments. He didnt use it because he didnt want others to see it, but its definitely a useful skill.
The reward is nice for just one battle.
There were still many more fragments of the gigant to be dealt with during this practice. It would be a great benefit even if only one or two of them were like this one. Abel smiled at that. But the joy was short-lived.
Abel!
Darin called out to him in an urgent voice.
Over there! Gigants are approaching from a distance![To be continued.]
Chapter 44:
Chapter 44:
Darins warning signaled the end of their short break, and a rumbling sound was heard not long after. The cadets, including Abel, silently looked in that direction while holding their weapons. The rtively high ground allowed Abel to spot them first.
There are five of them.
Abel breathed a sigh of relief on realizing who they were, there were only five of them, but they were ordinary supply nes. Judging by the way they were moving, they didnt seem to have noticed Abels group yet.
Abel gave his group a signal before acting. It was nothing tooplicated. Do we stay hidden or make contact? Their answers came quicker than expected
The group decided to make contact. Abel also belonged to thetter. This was because he thought it was better to gather as much information as possible rather than act rashly.
Theres no reason to fight among the cadets in the beginning anyway,
Organizing his thoughts, Abel shouted in a loud voice before getting closer.
Whos there?!
He could see the other side looking around, searching for where the voice wasing from. Two turned their heads around to find the sound source while the other two crouched down to look first.
This is bad.
However, not everyone felt that way. There was someone who replied in a voice that was beyond calm, and it was cold.
This is Ioline from ss B.
Why are you approaching this way?
Abel didnt bother to reveal his identity, instead, he asked another question. Ioline stared at him for a moment, then opened her mouth.
Its not like I noticed you or anything. Our paths simply ovepped.
I see.
There was a moment of silence. An easy opponent would have tried to dig some information, but Ioline was not like that at all.
Its obvious that she wouldnt be willing to talk about cooperating or exchanging information.
Making a quick decision, Abel spoke again.
Well, donte anywhere near here and just pass by.
Okay.
As expected, Iolines answer was brief, and she began to leave that area with the other cadets. Abel made a mental note of the direction she was taking when they were out of sight.
I guess the scope of the training grounds isnt as wide as I thought since we crossed paths with ss B.
Kalian spoke first, and Abel nodded.
Yes. We may have topete against other groups during this practice.
It was just a guess but what Abel said was true. The practices were technically just as important as the midterm exams. This is because the midterm exam is mostly theoretical, and the evaluation received during the practice period is reflected in the grade at a fairlyrge rate.
Thats why Im evaluating everything.
Abel chimed in with a few words, and everyone else chimed in as well, exchanging opinions. After a five-minute break, Abel spoke again.
Now, lets get moving. Oh, and Darin
Uh, yes?
Surprised that he was suddenly called, Darin answered, startled. Abel then said to him.
Do you feel anything around you?
Uh I dont?
Alright.
Darin replied as if he didnt know why he was being asked such a question, but Abel knew he had a talent for the seeker position. It wasnt a coincidence that he was the first to notice Ioline and her group approaching earlier. He had yet to be properly trained in that position, and though he was clumsy, his talent was real.
Abel thought as he slowly maneuvered his craft, The more I think about it, the more amazing theposition of the group is.
Darin who is in the position of a seeker, which is essential in the mission. May is an attacker with maximum offensive ability. Daniel is a tank with excellent defense and great stamina. Kalian and Abel, who are both great in the offense and defense.
In addition, three out of the five members belonged to the special ss which is pretty much unrivaled in the entire game. Of course, that didnt mean they had an automatic advantage with such power. However, the evaluation criteria would be demanding. Its a bonus that theyd be given tougher tests.
Just look at how the Ironwolves were deployed right from the start.
Letting their guards down was not an option and its not like theyd be caught off guard by the fact that Ironwolves were deployed right from the start.
Darin, keep an eye out for anything approaching.
Oh, okay.
Abel gave Darin an instruction before continuing toward their destination. - -
In arge tent, there was a long table at the center of the tent, and seated around the table were the instructors. Vice Principal Fletta, sitting at the head of the table, looked at the map on the table before speaking.
Well, theres certainly a bit of a gap at the beginning.
Thats right. I guess its because its more of an assessment of the strength of each group until Phase 2.
Fletta nodded in agreement with one of the instructors. The beginning of the practice was focused on checking the overall level of each group rather than specifically evaluating the cadets.
The practice was the same ordeal for all cadets. It presents a test suitable for each level. In other words, the groups with a higher overall level will have to pass more difficult tests.
Infamous Scans
Fletta said, tapping the map with a pen, Well have until the midterm period to evaluate each cadets level of achievement. The practice should focus on their disposition and how much more they can grow. Everyone keep that in mind.
Yes!
Upon hearing their response, Fletta brought up another topic instead of continuing the conversation.
Which groups are in the lead right now?
Two groups. Group A, which Cadet Abel leads from ss A, and Group B, which Cadet Ioline leads from ss B.
Hmmm. Are the two groups on a simr level?
The pace of progress is simr, but technically, Group A is ahead. In the case of Group B, the route itself is shorter.
I see.
Fletta checked the faces of Abel and the cadets in his group before speaking.
For now, well call it a day, and well meet again tomorrow morning.
Understood!
When she gave the order to disperse, most of them left, and only a few remained. Fletta spoke up a momentter.
I dont see any signs of anything yet, but I need you all to keep an eye out.
Alright.
Understood.
Those who remained were the ones who focused on patrolling the perimeter and ensuring a safe environment instead of directly intervening in the practice process. The ce where the practice takes ce is a safe space that the academy has carefully created. But there are no absolutes in life. In reality, you never know when or where variables will pop up.
Well, then, everyone can leave.
Fletta dismissed the remaining people who stayed behind, and shortly afterward, she was the only one left in the tent. Sitting alone in the tent with everyone else gone, Fletta wiped her face.
Haah.
To her, overseeing the practice was like walking on a thorny path. The practice didnt have a long history. It had only been created five years ago. At the time, she was very negative about the idea of a practice course, and the reason was simple. Because it was dangerous.
It was not until the second semester of their second year that theyre supposed to go on a mission in the field, and before that, no matter how great the cadets were, it was considered that they werent ready. But the Academy eventually created a practice course.
Thats not all. The practice was just the beginning, and all sorts of dangerous activities were added. The reason was simple. The situation was dire.
After the Great War, the Empire enjoyed a brief period of peace. However, it was built on blood and corpses. Regardless of that, peace is peace. But that peace began to falter five years ago, and a lot changed after that. The Del Mordor Academy also failed to resist the tide of change.
Some people said that the Academy is not changing, but returning to its original ideology.
The Del Mordor Academy began as a training center for outstanding knights. However, as soon as the era of peace ended, the academy was transformed into a training center for Gigant Riders.
Young children, barely out of their teens at best, were being sent into dangerous ces in the name of bing a gigant rider. She didnt like it. In particr, she didnt like that they pushed ahead with the practice at a time when all sorts of dangerous groups were on the rise in the Empires territory.
Tsk. What the hell was Master thinking?
Fleta muttered to herself and put down her pen. Her gaze returned to the map. Sunlight was peeking in through cracks in the ceiling.
The sun has risen.
Turning her head slightly, she saw the sun rise above the horizon, and for a long moment, she stared at it as if longing for light.- -
Silver gigant, glistening in the scorching sun, were galloping through the wilderness.
Kung, kung, kung!
The ground shook as if there had been an earthquake as the five gigants ran. However, Abel, who was running in the lead, didnt seem to mind and focused on running faster. Soon after, Abel spotted arge building up ahead.
Thump!
Abel raised his hand to signal a stop and slowly slowed down beforeing to a halt.
There is a building ahead.
At those words, others also noticed that the buildings were lined up. The navigation was also pointing to those exact buildings.
It could be a trap, so lets approach it slowly.
Everyone nodded silently at Abels words. Everyone already thought of Abel as the leader. Of course, Kalian still had a bit of defiance left. In any case, Abel slowly approached the building with his sword in his hand. He soon noticed someone standing in front of the building.
Hey! This way! Stop right in front of me!
A very familiar voice shouted. It was none other than Karl. Karl didnt just stop at shouting, he also gave a signal that had been sent before practice.
That signal it meant that it wasnt a trap or anything in that scenario.
The other cadets saw it, too, and after exchanging a few words, they followed his instructions and got off the gigant.
Woo-
A cool breeze cooled Abel as he stepped out of the cockpit. Abel was tired from operating the gigant for hours. Although he was tired, he walked towards Karl without making it obvious.
Good work, everyone!
Karl eximed, spreading his arms wide. Of course, no one ran into his arms for an embrace. Abel kept his distance and asked,
Where are we?
Hmmm. Its an intermediate base. Youve heard of it in ss, right?
Oh, yes.
The intermediate base had its own meaning. The longer you operate a Gigant, the more fatigue you umte. If youre without a Gigant, you can sit somewhere and rx, but while on a Gigant, you cant.
Even if you stay still on the gigant, you will only umte less fatigue and will not be relieved. Therefore, an intermediate base was essential for operating Gigants. Its a ce where you can get off the gigant and rx safely and even do simple repairs.
You all can take up to six hours of rest here. However, if you leave in the middle, thats the end of the rest.
Karl continued to exin to the cadets.
Intermediate bases like this one are located throughout the practice site. And its the cube that tells you where it is.
He was referring to the cube that Abel had been calling navigation in his mind.
Whats next after this?
Daniel asked Karl, raising his hand. It was a question Abel hadnt asked in the first ce because he didnt think hed get a proper answer, but Karl answered surprisingly.
Endless battles.
An evil grin hung on his lips.[To be continued.]
Chapter 45:
Chapter 45:
Despite the apparent joke In Karls voice, no oneughed at those words. After a while, Kalian asked with an awkwardugh.
Haha. Youre kidding, right?
No.
Karl answered, then looked at the Cadets with a serious expression.
The process of getting here was just a warm-up. From now on, it will be a real battle-like experience.
If its a real battle, I assume it wont end with simply fighting the fragments of the gigant.
At Abels words, Karl stared at him and nodded his head.
There are many types of battles a Rider engages in. As Abel said, the battle with the fragments of the gigant is only a small part of it.
Having said that, Karl exchanged nces with the Cadets.
You will experience all types of battles during this practice.
There was silence after those words. Karl waited a moment and smiled again before speaking.
Even after saying this, no one wants to give up. I guess everyone is confident?
At that, Darin gave him a wistful look, but Karl didnt seem to notice it and continued.
Well then, I wouldnt want to disturb your short break, so lets talk about a few things, and then Ill leave you be.
Karl briefly exined the midpoint. First of all, there would be a few engineers at the ce to fix the gigants. Rest breaks would be taken in the tented barracks which were fully stocked with food and water.
Now, Ill leave you to get some rest. Report to me before leaving.
Yes!
After Karl had left, Abel gathered the other cadets to talk.
I think we should take a four-hour break. What do you think?
Four hours? Not a full six?
Yeah. Somethings bothering me.
Abels words caught everyones attention. Of course, he wasnt simply speaking out of unfounded anxiety.
Whats bothering you? Kalian asked with a doubtful expression
I feel that the instructor didnt exin all the rules about this base?
Abel slowly organized his thoughts. There was no lie regarding what Karl had said. But hed omitted a few crucial pieces of information. First of all, Karl had said they could spend a total of six hours here. He also said they could leave at any point in between, but the six hours was not limited to just this location.
Six hours is the total amount of time you can spend in a base per day. Once youve spent all six hours in one ce, you cant take a break in another.
Naturally, this posed a number of challenges. You cant stop for food and water, and you cant get your gigant repaired. But Abel couldnt tell this to the other cadets. This is something that Abel who had no experience, shouldnt know.
He thought about asking Karl about it, but he refrained from doing so because that might raise Karls suspicions. Abel realized hed been silent for a while and calmly exined.
So, I dont have any definite reason. I just want us to be cautious about this, and I dont think this is the only ce they have a base.
Hmm, I see.
Kalian and the others didnt look entirely convinced, but they didnt argue either. It wasnt unreasonable to be cautious when there were so many unknowns. Abel spoke up again, just to rify.
If youre tired, I dont mind resting a bit more. Although Im not that tired yet.
Neither am I.
As soon as Abel finished talking, Kalian replied immediately, as if those words aimed at his pride, and it hit the spot.
Well, Im still fresh.
Daniel nodded without a second thought, like a fitness freak, and so did May.
Me too Im good for now.
Infamous Scans
Darin looked tired, but he didnt want to go against the trend.
I guess Ill have to keep an eye on him,
Compared to the others, Darin was a bit weaker than the others and needed to be watched.
Okay, then lets get some rest. Everyone can eat when they want.
With that, Abel went straight to bed. Instead of meditating this time, heid down and closed his eyes, knowing there was no danger, at least not here. And just like that, he was fast asleep. - -
When Abel opened his eyes, the first thing that greeted him was the hot sunlight that stung his eyes.
What time is it.
Blinking a few times, Abel checked the time and sat up. There was still about half an hour until the appointed time. He looked around and saw that everyone else was still fast asleep.
I think Ill eat first.
He made his way to where the food was being prepared, and in less than ten minutes, he had finished eating and was out of the tent. He didnt have a specific destination in mind, so he wandered around the base aimlessly, and before he knew it, he arrived at a ce where gigants were lined up. Abel looked up at his own gigant and thought to himself.
Come to think of it, Ive gotten pretty good at the Milles ss.
Abel had first gotten into the Gigant as a Midget. It hadnt even been a proper Midget ss but was made by scraping together parts one by one from a broken aircraft. Unsurprisingly, its level didnt reach that of an average Midget.
But the first time I rode it, I was so excited.
Although it was a very long time, the memory is still vivid. When he woke up in a strange world and started his life at the bottom, every day was hell. He lived begging in half desperation for a long time.
But the thing that gave him the motivation to get on with his life was gigants. He worked by reducing the time of his sleeping hours to make his own gigant somehow, and when he finally got on his first gigant he barely made after years of work, he felt like he had the whole world. However, it was a Tito-ss Gigant, not a Milles-ss Gigant.
The old me would have said Im being too greedy,
Abel thought, smirking. But he has no intention of reducing his greed. Greed and desire were his driving forces, and he had no intention of settling for a mere Milles level. The Militum ss is called the flower of the battlefield, and at the top of the Militum ss that goes beyond is the Kenturio ss, the king and master of the battlefield.
If possible, I could perfectly customize a Militum
Just thinking about it made him excited. Abel had been smiling at the Gigant for a while, and suddenly,
Mr. Abel?
Someone called his name. Abels eyes widened in surprise as he turned his head at the unfamiliar yet familiar voice.
Temarin?
Standing there was none other than Temarin. He hadnt seen her since the battle with the de Tail.
I wanted to say hello when I saw you earlier, but I didnt have the time to do so.
Temarin said with an embarrassed look on her face. Abel smiled and then replied.
If I had known you were here, I would have greeted you first.
Oh, really.
There was an awkward silence for a moment. Abel pondered for a moment, then spoke up.
You still remember what we discussed the other day, dont you?
Oh, abouting to the workshop? Of course!
Thats good, because I have something Id like tomission.
Something you want tomission? Oh, the Academys workshop is definitely reliable, with excellent craft, and their price is quite reasonable
To be precise, Id like to ask you to handle it.
What?
Temarin eximed in a loud voice in surprise, then looked around in panic and said in a low voice.
Im not qualified to take on big projects yet Im only halfway through my apprenticeship, so I can only do mediocre work.
Its a simple renovation job. Of course, if it makes you ufortable, Ms. Temarin, you dont have to do it.
Of course not, its not inconvenient! Id wee it with open arms if it were a personal request!
A personal request from an engineer from the Academy was a great pleasure. The structure of the academy is a little different from that of a normal workshop, as the engineers in the workshop work exclusively for the workshop and are more direct, while the academy can be said to be semi-frence. They can take charge of the academys work but can only make money through personal requests.
To be precise, if you dont take on a personal request, you only get paid in pennies.
The reason for such a structure was simple. A skilled engineer could take on requests from hundreds of cadets, earning not only money, but also a reputation. Once theyve built up a certain reputation, they usually open their own workshop. In some cases, they would even be a full-time employee of the academy.
In that sense, a personal request is a big deal for Temarin, who has a short career ahead of her. The first time would be the hardest, but the second time would be much easier once youve produced results.
So youll take on my requests?
Yes! Oh, and of course, Ill let you know if its anything beyond my skill.
Alright.
Abel smiled and nodded. He wasnt worried about her skills. In a few years, shed be a goddess threatening the famous Vulcanus.
Well, its almost time to go, so Ill see you again when I get a chance to.
Yeah! Oh, and
Yes?
Well, its not a big deal, but theres been talk that the monsters around here have gotten more vicioustely, so be careful.
Abel paused for a moment before answering.
I will. Thank you.
Then, take care.
As he walked away, Abel thought about what Temarin had said.
Could it be that the signs are already starting to appear?
Temarin may have just said that without thinking, but it meant something to Abel, because he knew. Something big was going to happen during this practice. In the game, signs of that event appeared in intervals between practice, and one of those signs was the fragments of the gigant bing more vicious than they were.
Hmph.
Abel realized that he would have to be more careful, and slightly adjusted his n.
We might as well try to get there in two days even if it meant overdoing it,
He thought, referring to a ruin inside the Telif ins, the training area because
I need to find the ancient artifacts sooner rather thanter.
There was an artifact lying dormant.[To be continued.]
Chapter 46:
Chapter 46:
Karl appeared again in front of them at the appointed time as they gathered before the Gigants to leave the base.
Before you leave, let me exin the final objective of this practice.
It was abrupt, but the cadets listened with a glint in their eyes.
You have five days to survive.
With that, Karl closed his mouth as if he had nothing more to say. Daniel looked at him and spoke up.
Well What exactly does survival mean.?
It means not to be left behind. Any cadet who bes incapacitated will be sent to the rear, and thats the end.
In other words, as he said earlier, they need to hold out until six dayster. Karl smirked and spoke up again.
It probably wont be easy. Okay, thats the end of the question. Good luck, everyone.
Karl said and turned to leave. The cadets stared nkly at his back and got on the gigant one by one. Abel spoke for everyone to hear.
First, as weve already agreed earlier, lets move to the next base.
Okay.
Alright.
There wasnt necessarily a reason to head for the next base, but it wasnt like they had any other destination either. Unlike the previous stage, which had given them some sort of goal. This time, they only had the vague objective to survive for six days. Therefore, they decided to move to the next base and look at the situation. Of course, that was the only reason he gave to the other cadets, but Abel had another idea.
The ruins should be further away from here anyway.
Their current location is the beginning of the Telif ins, which is the main stage. Abel didnt know exactly where the navigation will take them next, but it will be deeper than their current location.
For that reason, he decided to head to the next base first and figure out how to get to the ruins. He already had several options in mind, so all he had to do was choose the appropriate one depending on the situation.
Kung, kung, kung-
Having decided on a destination, Abel began to lead the others. They moved for a while after leaving the intermediate base, and nothing happened. They hadnt encountered a single small beast, let alone a fragment of a gigant which allowed them to travel at a fast pace.
But their luck was short-lived. After about two hours of traveling, the fragment of gigants suddenly attacked.
Left! There are three on the left!
Theyreing from behind!
Once again, it was the Ironwolves who attacked. Darin responded without panicking, thanks to his quick recognition, but there was no time to spare.
Lets finish this quickly!
Another fragment might run at them if they extend the battle for too long.
Last one!
With the battle over, Abel quickly moved on, hoping to avoid another battle.
Damn it, here theye again!
However, his efforts were wasted, as he was attacked again less than ten minutester. After defeating one, another attackes again. After fighting a total of four battles, Abel and his group were able to rest finally.
Phew.
In the gigant, Abel sighed and wiped off his sweat. Individually, none of the battles had been that threatening, but the problem was that they fought continuously without rest.
Everyones stamina and concentration dwindled as the battle continued, and Abel had to push harder to make up for it. But something else bothered him more than his immediate fatigue and pain.
Its more threatening than I expected
Infamous Scans
The practice is usually pretty intense, but four raids like this one were way out of scope. Abel didnt know if the others thought it was normal, but it wasnt for him. The practice was supposed to be under the Academys strict control. But there were those who slipped through the cracks.
The United Kingdom
Abel murmured the name. The United Kingdom is the only power on this continent to rival the Empire. Looking at the external power, it appears to be inferior to the Empires. But in reality, that was not the case. This is because there is a considerable amount of power that is not visible from the outside.
At the moment, they were trying to avoid conflict with the Empire, but behind the scenes, they were plotting all sorts of things. The incident that happened at this practice was one of them.
Although technically, it was perpetrated by a group affiliated with the United Kingdom,
And Abel knew the name of the group. The Pilgrims. One of the most powerful and unstoppable organizations in the United Kingdom. In the original game, it is best to prevent them from intervening in the training and causing major damage to the Academy.
To be exact, its close to minimizing damage.
However, Abel, who delved deeply into the game, knew that there was more to it than meets the eye.
They have a different goal.
It wasnt the Cadets who participated in the practice that they were targeting. It was the artifacts lying in the ruins. The disruption of the practice was a smokescreen to hide the fact that they were looking for the artifact. Thats why Abel knew he had to get to the ruins as quickly as possible.
If I get the artifact first, I can set aside most of the events that will follow.
Just thinking about that,
Abel, times up!
Daniels voice Immediately brought Abel back to reality. Abel immediately raised his upper body and ced both hands on his core.
Wooo-
After awakening the Gigant through a familiar process, Abel slowly rose to his feet. They werent entirely out of danger yet, so they took turns resting. Abel was thest of them, so it was time to move again.
Were going to move right away, right?
Yes.
Abel wouldnt say that he was well-rested, but it was risky to stay in one ce for too long. A short break was also a risk.
Lets aim to get to the next base as soon as possible.
Mmm.
Alright.
Abel picked up his weapon and resumed his walk. The situation wasnt looking so good, but they would be much better once they reached the next base.
It wasnt just that theyd be able to rest, though. The base theyd be heading to after the first one would be muchrger. And there would be several groups gathering there. It would also be an excellent opportunity to replenish their energy.- -
The fragments of gigants continued to attack, and Abel had to fight three more battles. Fortunately, there was no major crisis, but everyone could feel their fatigue reaching its peak. And just like that, everyone was exhausted.
Its the base!
Finally, they reached the next base. At Darins shout, Abel turned his head to look in the direction of the base. There was an artificial structure erected there that could be seen at a nce.
Lets go!
Abel led the others in that direction, and it wasnt long before they realized they were in the right ce. Even from a distance, the base was at least three or four timesrger than their previous one.
Wow, its huge, Daniel eximed in admiration.
Kalian, who has been quiet, chimed in, A base of this size must be different from the previous base in terms of facilities and other stuff.
He was right. Certainly, the base ahead differed in many ways from the one theyd stopped at before. Abel knew it, but instead of exining, he walked faster. A few minutester, they arrived in front of the base.
This is the way to go!
This time, it wasnt Karl who weed Abel and the cadets, but an Academy man on Tito. He walked ahead and led them to a spot to store their gigant.
There are a lot of Titos.
There were a lot of Tito riders guarding the base. The reason for using the Tito ss was efficiency. The power to operate a single Miles-ss could move five Titos, and a Tito-ss was more than enough to deal with most enemies even at the Tito level.
If theres an opponent we cant handle, well stall with the Tito in the meantime, and bring in a higher-ss craft.
As he considered how to defend the base, Darin dismounted from the Gigant and walked over to them. When he saw they were all assembled, Abel spoke up.
Lets get some rest first.
Okay. Are we going to rest here for a few hours, too? Or are we going to keep.
Excuse me.
While Daniel questioned Abel, the man who had initially guided them returned. The man who disembarked from the Tito was a young man with a sad expression, and his uniform suggested he was a soldier from the Academy.
Since you used up four of your six hours at thest base, you can only stay for two hours at this one.
What?
The cadets were stunned to hear this, and Kalian shot back in a sharp tone.
Ive never heard anything like that. There must be a mistake.
Its a directive from the top. Arguing with me wont change anything,
The soldier said firmly as if he wasnt going to be opposed.
Well, then, what would you do? Would you like me to take you to a ce where you can rest right away?
Yes. Well eat there as well. Abel answered, wasting no time, already aware of the time limit.
Then follow me this way, then.
The other cadets looked dissatisfied but followed without anyment. Not long after, they arrived at a fairlyrge temporary quarters, and as the soldier left, they all spoke up.
Did Instructor Karl leave this out on purpose to give us a hard time? Kalian asked.
And Abel answered him calmly, That might be possible, or maybe he left it out on purpose.
On purpose? Come to think of it, earlier you said something was bothering you earlier, right?
Yes. I mean, this whole practice is very different from the tests we took at the Academy.
Abel continued.
There are no clear goals, rules, just a bunch of cadets on a in.
Why is that?
Thats why I said it bothered me.
The goal of this exercise is to present various situations, and then learn how to respond to them. We need to be very cautious.
Once Abel finished talking, Daniel, who had been quietly listening, spoke up.
I know what you mean. If we had gotten a full break at thest base, we would have gotten kicked out of here without even getting a chance to rest
In that situation, I could have gotten a pretty intense reaction. Hmph.
Kalian snorted in displeasure as he finished off Daniels sentence. It seemed like he wasnt really in a good mood. The reason was that he could only rest for 2 hours even if he was very tired.
Well, since we only have two hours, dont you think we should get some rest?
Darin said in a timid voice, and the slightly heated atmosphere quickly subsided after those words. This was because everyone realized that even as they were just talking, the clock was ticking.
Yeah talking about it isnt going to change anything.
But this time, Im going to ask a few questions before we leave because I dont want to get into any kind of trouble.
Okay, lets get some rest and then well get up and organize our questions.
Abel ended the conversation neatly and walked to the bed. However, he had no intention of falling asleep right away. He still had work to do and that was to make contact with the other group.
There didnt seem to be any other groups in the base yet, but Abel was sure hed run into at least one before he left. So he sat up in bed, closed his eyes, and waited. How long has it been since he hasst waited? He wondered.
Kung, Kung-
In the distance, Abel heard the sound he had been waiting for. [To be continued.]
Chapter 47:
Chapter 47:
Everyone who had been sleeping opened their eyes to the vibration of the ground. Their nerves must have been sharpened by their continuous battles, so even if they were resting in a safe base, they still wouldnt have been able to sleep peacefully. It hadnt been long since they had fallen asleep, so Abel checked the time.
Its been about 10 minutes.
There is still quite a bit of time left. Abel briefly gathered his thoughts and opened his mouth.
Now that everyone is awake. I have a suggestion.
Huh, suddenly?
Daniel, who was the first to wake up, asked puzzledly. Abel nodded his head.
Yes. I thought about it aftering to this base.
What is it? Lying down with his eyes open, Kalian slowly raised his upper body and asked.
Abel answered briefly, How about coborating with another group?
Coborate? With another group?
Yes. As we approached, I noticed the base was too wide for just one group to stay in. So I thought that several groups could stay in it at once.
Abel continued with his words.
So, after thinking that another group mighte here, I suddenly wondered what cooperating would be like.
Its a bit unexpected, Kalian spoke in an uneasy tone, but Abel didnt mind.
Honestly, it wasnt that easy to get here, was it?
There was no denying it. Although no one was fatally injured, there were dangerous moments.
Still, I dont see any reason why we need to cooperate with other groups,
Kalian replied, still sounding displeased. Instead of replying with an equally sulky tone, Abel spoke calmly.
Then why dont we cooperate for a day or so? If there are many people, we can have a lot of rest, plus it would be less dangerous. Although we can only get two hours rest here right now.
At the mention of the physical aspect, Kalian didnt say anything.
As everyone gains experience, it would be much easier, but its not something we should discuss right now.
Abel thought and waited quietly for a response. After a while, Kalian spoke up.
Okay. One day, then.
Alright. Im in.
Me too.
Then, Im in.
After Kalian spoke in favor, the others chimed in. The vote was unanimous.
Well, Im going to go out now.
Now?
Yeah. That vibration you heard earlier sounded like a gigant moving.
Oh, right. Do you want me toe with you?
Thats okay. Its not like Im sure of it anyway.
Abel dismissed Daniels offer and rose from his bead. He arranged his cor and stepped outside where he could see the gigants standing not far away. There were five of them in total. All of them were of the Milles ss.
Just as Abel expected, another group arrived. The battle must have been fierce because all the gigants were in bad shape.
Judging by their condition, they should be heading to the workshop,
Abel thought and headed for that direction. It wasnt long before he reached the workshop, where he found the group disembarking from their gigants. Some of them were familiar to him. One of them had ming red hair. It was Hannah.
Hannah!
Huh, Abel?
Hannah turned to Abels call, and her eyes widened in surprise.
Why are you here?
Why are we here? We came here to rest.
Oh, its kind of spacious.
Hannah nodded in agreement at Abels words.
Then, why did youe out of your rest to say hello to your sister?
Hannah asked, lifting her chin in a haughty manner. It was a joke they often yed as they grew closer. Abel smirked.
What sister? Youre too short.
Infamous Scans
What?!
Hannah red at the sudden outburst, but Abel didnt seem to mind.
We dont have much time, so Ill cut to the chase. Why dont youe with me for a while?
Hannah was about to say something harsh, but Abels suggestion shut her up, and she narrowed her eyes.
Together?
Yes. Your group and our group. Oh, do you have a leader?
Not really, but Ill decide with them whatever we discuss. But why do you want to cooperate all of a sudden? Is there a problem?
Im sure youve noticed that the practice is harder than we thought.
Abel gestured to Hannahs gigant with his chin. She and her groups gigants were in worse shape than Abels. Hannah rambled for a moment, then answered honestly.
It has been a little rough. Is that why youre asking me to join you?
Yeah. It will be the same whether were facing five or ten enemies, and theres nothing in the rules that says we cant cooperate.
But
Im not saying we have to stay together till the end. We can stick together for a while and then split up if its not as dangerous as we thought.
Abel didnt intend to stay with them till the end in the first ce, knowing that the academy would step in if things got out of hand.
I guess they are not yet intervening because they think its still within their control.
But that thought wouldntst more than two days. Hannah thought for a moment, then spoke up.
Lets talk about itter. How many hours do you guys have left?
An hour and forty minutes?
Its not much. Which way is the resting tent?
Abel gave her a quick location, waved goodbye, and returned to his resting tent.
Shell probably take the offer.
At first nce, neither Hannah nor her group seemed to have much of an option. It was a ndbination. Since Hannah seemed optimistic about the proposal, there was a good chance she would ept.
The important thing is to find the artifact by tomorrow.
First of all, once Hannah epts the offer, things will get a lot easier. Even if ess to the artifact wasnt a regr urrence, the Milles-ss gigant is a powerful source. Abel went into his tent, organizing the information in his head.
Howd it go? Daniel asked as he entered the tent.
Oh, youre here. Its Hannahs Group.
Hannah? So its ss C?
Yeah. We made an offer, but she said shell talk to me about itter.
With that, Abely down on the bed. He took a short nap, got up, and ate when he had about twenty minutes left.
Abel.
Hannah came to meet him outside.
The offer. I ept it.
Thats great. When are you leaving?
The same time as you are. Luckily, the Gigant is only damaged on the outside, so we should be able to make it just in time.
Thats good.
It was good news because he had prepared to wait briefly.
Ill meet you out front, then.
Yeah.
They talked briefly, and Abel headed back inside since theyd be seeing each other again when theyll be leaving anyway. Abel told Daniel and the others that Hannah had epted the offer, and within ten minutes, they were ready and out of the barracks, where they ran into Hannah and her group trying to get on their gigant. They were not in a hurry, so they exchanged a quick greeting and boarded their gigants. Abel and Hannahs group left the base and traveled together.- -
I thought there would be more of an organized system.
Hannah said not long after they left the base. It was just a lightint, but everyone added a word to see if they could rte.
I know. I didnt think itd be like this, telling us to survive and all.
I agree. To be honest, it was a little disappointing.
Those were the words of Daniel and Kalian. And honestly, it was understandable.
No one knew the details of the practice until they got here. At least, since it is conducted by the academy, they would have thought of doing something ording to the schedule. However, in Abels view, the practice program itself was effective enough.
This exercise is strictly focused on practical experience.
During the practice, cadets have to operate a gigant for a long period of time under tension. In addition, it ismon to fight one battle after another without proper rest.
Thats why your group or your own Gigant may break down or get lost. Or you may not be able to operate the gigant due to exhaustion of physical and mental strength, and this practice is to help you learn such an experience in advance.
Thats right. Whatever we can learn is normally included in the academy curriculum anyway.
So, the practice itself is fine. The problem is that during this practice, an ident could ur outside the scope of the academys system. Abels purpose was to stop it, and he couldnt say anything out loud. He couldnt tell them to endure it and work hard because it would help them with the practice.
I know.
Abel replied moderately and continued on his way. Surprisingly, they did not encounter any fragments for about three or four hours after they left the base. Although they didnt say it openly, Kalian and others secretly expressed dissatisfaction.
We decided to move together because it was dangerous, but nothing dangerous happened. However, Kalian didntin in the end. The moment they tried to rest, they were attacked on arge scale.
Whoo!
With a roar, dust scattered in all directions. Even Darin, who has good eyesight, couldnt see thising, for the attack came from beneath the ground.
The attacker was a fragment of a gigant named Razorw. It is oval in shape and covered in silver skin, with three sharp, elongated ws on its forepaws. They actually looked more like weapons than ws.
Dont get too close. Keep your distance!
Abel shouted as soon as he realized what it was. Its sharp ws may have been the most dangerous thing about it, but there was something even more dangerous.
Kijin!
One of the Razorw grabbed the unresponsive Gigant tightly, and in an instant, the ground beneath it gave way.
Crrrrrrr!
Ahhh!
The nameless cadet struggled in terror. But the Razorw didnt budge, and their bodies gradually sank into the ground. As soon as Abel saw it, he lunged for the gigant, pulling it before it waspletely sucked in.
This was the most terrifying thing about the Razorw. They travel by building burrows beneath the ground, and when they hunt, they habitually drag their prey down those burrows. The Razorw wasnt a small beast, nearly the size of a two-story building. You cant let your guard down even if youre riding a gigant.
Theres also a story about an entire vige being wiped out overnight because of it,
Abel thought, reying the danger in his mind as he was about to begin the battle. The battlefield was confusing. No one was exceptionally skilled against a Razorw that could burrow in and out of the ground at will. Most of them were out-skilled and panicking.
Whoa.
Abel took a deep breath. At this rate, the damage was going to be way worse. It wasnt enough to simply fight hard, so Abel opened his mouth.
Everyone!
His gravelly voice boomed and got everyones attention.
Dont get too close, keep your distance! And as long as you dont get wed and grabbed, theyre not too hard to deal with!
The voice continued.
If anyone else gets caught, sh its sharp ws immediately, or pull the captured person out, and dont panic because youre on a Gigant, so you wont die immediately if you get sucked in!
Bluntly, It wasnt much of afort, but surprisingly, those who heard it gradually regained theirposure. The situation gradually stabilized as Abel frantically swung his sword to kill the Razorws. When the number of Razorws was reduced from a dozen to three, Abel could catch his breath. But then.
Thump-
Suddenly, the pattern on Abels chest heated up, and his heart began to pound furiously. Abel instinctively turned his head to one side, and in the distance, he saw a human figure. It looked at him and disappeared instantly, and his heart stopped pounding viciously.
Abel, are you alright?
Daniels voice snapped Abel out of his panicked state. Abel answered, slowly turning his gaze.
Yes.
But his expression remained unchanged. [To be continued.]
Chapter 48:
Chapter 48:
The battle that started as a surprise attack eventually ended in aplete victory for the cadets. After the battle was over, Hannah regained herposure and spoke up.
Hows everyone doing?
Im okay.
Me too.
I think I have some damage to my arm, but I can still move it for now.
Fortunately, the damage was not that serious. There were two aircraft with damaged parts that affected maneuverability. The rest had only minor damage to the external part. Meanwhile, Abel, who should have been sorting out the situation with Hannah, was deep in thought.
What was that?
The changes in his body that urred near the end of the battle and the slim figure that appeared from a distance were issues that could not be ignored. First of all, there were only two cases in which the patterns engraved on his body heated up. When faced with fragments of a gigant and when that fragment is killed. But neither of them happened.
Was that human-like figure a fragment of a gigant?
Abel frowned at that thought. He knew all the fragments of gigants that appeared in the game, but none of them were like that. Many were shaped like humans, but they wererger than that. But this time around, it was not much different from a human. Even though he saw it from afar, it was clear.
Ill have to take a look around that area on our way.
Abel quickly concluded. Fortunately, they were heading in the same direction where the human-like figure appeared. He had no time to sit around and wonder.
Well, then, lets leave this area and then rest.
Hannah said after organizing the situation. Abel followed her words without saying anything and began to move. On the way, Abel scanned the area where the human-like figure had been, but there was no trace.
Theres no sign of it,
He couldnt find anything to the point where he wondered if he was just seeing things. The rest of the time, they continued to move, repeating battles and resting, and though there were a few dangerous moments, their increased numbers allowed them to get through them with rtive ease. Time passed quickly, and they came to arge forest after a few more hours.
Ive found it.
Abel thought. It was the forest where the artifacty, where Abel had been searching for it.
The direction of the base points towards this forest. What should we do?
Hannah turned to Abel with a question, asking for his opinion as a fellow leader. In the forest, a Gigantsbat power is limited. Its difficult to see, and there are many obstacles around. Perhaps thats what Hannah is worried about. But Abels answer was fixed.
I think we should go in. We dont know exactly where base is. It could be in this forest.
Hmm. Well, thats true.
Hannah nodded as if that had been on her mind. Abel said to Hannah.
Why dont we ask the others?
That sounds like a good idea.
Abel and Hannah asked their group for their opinions, and it wasnt long before they came to a conclusion.
Well, lets be careful. Lets go in.- -
The forest has many faces. It can be cozy when the sun is shining through the leaves, but wandering alone in the dark forest takes a lot of courage. Its a cradle for many creatures and a food chain for others.
Kung kung kung-!
Uninvited gigants of steel strolled through the forest with different expressions on their faces. As Abel walked through the forest, he thought to himself,
Come to think of it, all the trees here are really big.
Ten gigants are moving around. And yet, they had no trouble walking through the forest. Each tree was huge, and they were spaced quite far apart. It wasnt the kind of forest that you couldfortably fight in, but if it were a forest with small trees, they wouldnt be able to enter it, much less fight.
Well, most of the forest I have seen so far looks like this.
However, not all trees and forests in this world are like this. In general, in a ce where there are many gigant and their fragments, everything isrge. Not just nts but also beasts.
The exact cause of this is not known, but schrs have spected that the concentration of mana has something to do with it. Generally speaking, the concentration of mana is denser where the fragment of gigant resides.
Its quiet.
As Abel pondered for a while, he heard Daniels voice.
Yes. Its strangely quiet. I dont think it was this quiet when we first came in.
Hannah, who was walking ahead, picked up on thement. The forest was indeed strangely quiet. Even when riding a gigant, theyre bound to hear the surrounding sound to an extent.
Infamous Scans
I wonder if the sound of the gigants movements scared everyone away?
A cadet then voiced a different opinion. But it was quickly dismissed by Darin.
I dont think so I dont sense any life beyond my line of sight.
Darins senses are better than most. It had taken him several battles to the forest before he realized it, and the others also noticed it. Abel sensed the slightly tense atmosphere and then spoke up.
Well, theres nothing we can do about it now, is there? Lets just try to keep our nerves in check and move carefully.
Youre right.
The device indicating the bases location still pointed deep into the forest. Theyd already been in the forest for two hours, so there was no way they could turn back. Agreeing with Abel, the group continued to walk into the forest.
Their immediate goal was to find the base at least through the night and then go in and rest once the time limit was reset. Meanwhile, Abel thought to himself.
Are we getting close?
He thought, noticing the other cadets uneasiness. The game depicts something simr. The closer the cadets get to the artifact, the more ufortable and anxious they be because the energy emanating from the artifact blocks the approach of the ordinary.
Something is about to happen.
The description doesnt just end there. It was said that while the artifact repelled ordinary life forms, they also attracted abnormal creatures, and given that, it wouldnt be surprising when a battle would break out.
Abel kept moving forward, his hands on his weapons. The deeper they went into the forest, the more nervous everyone became when that tense atmosphere reached its peak.
Kuguhugugoo-!
The ground suddenly shook. The cadets looked at the ground, frightened by what they had experienced earlier. But there was no change on the ground.
Darin!
Hannah quickly regained herposure and called out to Darin. Darin responded in a panicked voice.
Huh, something huge ising!
Something huge?
Hannahs voice suddenly became serious. Meanwhile, the rumbling in the ground was getting worse. When Hannah tried to speak again
Ruugoooguugoo!
With a loud sound, a section of the ground rose up, revealing something.
Is that?
It was so huge that it made the Gigants look like a child.
Giriririk-
The sound of metal shing could be heard, and Abels expression hardened. The enemies that appeared around the artifact were random. However, it wasntpletely unexpected; it was a form where one would pop up from another.
The problem was that they were all on different levels. From the weak to the extremely strong, the range was unimaginably wide. And the one that had just appeared was thetter, which meant it was an absurdly strong individual.
Ah, ah, ah
A voice of terror was heard. Even Hannah, who had been in charge of controlling the cadets, could only utter a word in a trembling voice.
Oh God!
A colossus. It is the enemy of mankind and, at the same time, an object of terror. It was at least three times the size of the gigant they were riding, and its body was covered in silver-colored metal. It looked more like a snake than a beast, but in reality it resembled an imaginary dragon. The long legs, the red glowing eyes.
Thump!
The furious pounding of his heart woke Abel from his momentary stupor.
Thump thump thump
His heart was beating furiously, and at the same time, a zing, intense heat emanated from the pattern engraved on his chest. Typically, he would have been struggling with pain, but in his half-crazed state, it was actually helpful.
Using the intense pain as fuel, Abel regained his senses and grasped the situation.
The colossus that had suddenly risen from the ground was looking down instead of attacking right away.
Abel thought quickly.
Its impossible to fight it head-on.
Even though there were ten Gigants, it wouldnt be enough to deal with it. Normally, it would take at least ten Miles-ss Gigants, fully armed, to take on a Colossus.
It would also take a skilled rider to operate it, and all that was present here was a bunch of novice riders who were just starting to get the hang of operating a gigant. In addition, the aircraft were entry-level with minimal armament.
Itll take a while for help to arrive.
Now that the Colossus has appeared, the Academy will surely send help. It wouldnt be simple topare it with the game, but if it was simr, it would be around 10 minutes.
10 minutes.
Abel opened his mouth.
We just have to hold out for 10 minutes, and help will definitelye!
Abel shouted in a loud voice. Loud enough to be heard by the half-fazed cadets. It was enough to jolt some of the cadets back up, but there were many who were not motivated, so Abel gripped the sword tightly in his hand and strode forward. His steps toward the colossus were heavy. But Abel didnt stop. Instead, he picked up his pace, eventually running.
Whooo
When the Colossus saw Abel running toward him, he flicked his tongue and moved slightly. The moving of its silver scales exuded a sense of intimidation. Abel gritted his teeth and increased his speed.
Whisssss
At that moment, the colossus raised its tail high in the air.
Kwaaang!
Immediately afterward, a loud bang and a cloud of dust rose, causing the onlookers to turn pale. However, their expressions quickly changed as Abel emerged from the dust.
Of course, that wasnt the end of the attack, as the colossus swung its tail to crush him repeatedly. Each time, Abel used his Shadow Step to avoid the attacks narrowly. The distance narrowed instantly, and Abel used another skill as he moved.
[Skill overload]
His body heated up, and his senses expanded. It was as if he had pushed himself to his limit, but Abel didnt care and raised his sword.
Shrrrrrrrr!
The colossus twisted its body in anger as Abel closed in on it. But Abel did not back down. Now, it was time to move forward.
Puuhh!
A faint glow began to emanate from his pattern[To be continued.]
Chapter 49:
Chapter 49:
A powerful energy that he had never felt before filled his whole body. Abel knew that the light emanated from the pattern, making him wonder if it had something to do with the current phenomenon. But he didnt have time to think too deeply about it. There is only one thing he needs to do now. All he had to do was swing his sword.
Whoosh!
Abel grasped his sword tightly and kicked the ground, leaping high into the air.
Huuuuuung-!
The behemoths tail narrowly passed by just below him. Abel raised his sword and lowered it regardless of the wind pressure hitting his aircraft.
Kwak-ga-ga-ga-gak!
With the sound of metal shing, the sword scraped the behemoths skin. But Abel was not surprised because he knew the skin was closer to the Gigants outer armor than to leather.
Crrrrk-!
That was why he activated the double attack skill from the beginning.
Kwasik-! Shhhh!
Blue blood spurted out with a bursting sound from the area where the sword first struck. The behemoth let out a sharp scream and shook its body. Even if he held out once, it was unable to block the second attack due to the skill effect. Originally, Abel thought it would take four or five attacks to inflict harm, but it was easier than expected.
Its bursting with power.
By the looks of it, it felt like the behemoths power had at least doubled.
Whisssss!
Perhaps because of the wounds on its body, the behemoth began to target Abel intensively.
Quang-! Boom!
The continued attacks exhausted him, but Abel dodged them all like an acrobat.
I might just be able to do this!
He was secretly pleased. His goal hadnt been to defeat the behemoth in the first ce but to stall for time, and the more it charged at him, the more likely his n was to seed. But he wasnt necessarily optimistic about the situation.
I cant just keep running from it.
This sudden burst of energy could vanish at any moment, just as it had appeared, so he had to cause more damage to it as much as possible before it disappeared.
I wish I could use assimtion,
Abel thought to himself as he looked for an opening to strike since he needed to get in closer to deal a fatal blow. The problem was that the behemoth was focused on Abel, so he had no chance to use his only stealth skill, Assimtion. If he tried to use it when his opponent was fully focused on him, hed be spotted immediately. He was trying to figure out how to create an opening.
Bang, boom, boom!
Suddenly, a blue streak of light flew out of nowhere and struck the behemoth in the head. The behemoth staggered from the impact, though it managed to twist its head just in time to avoid the fatal blow.
If you run, youll only be caught and killed! Buy as much time as possible, just like Abel, and if you think youre in danger, fall back!
Hannah was heard shouting.
That was Hannahs magic cannon. She still had poor close-rangebat skills but an outstanding long-distance attack skill, which Abel knew her for. The attack was enough to damage the behemoth, and the nervous cadets joined in one by one. They were still few in number, but it was enough. When the behemoth regained hisposure, Abel was long gone.
Dont overdo it. Just draw its attention!
Hannahmanded, firing off shot after shot, and the others followed suit. But the situation was not always favorable. If the battle continued like this, there was a very high probability that they would be defeated before the reinforcements arrived. In the meantime, Abel moved cautiously as possible. The behemoth had slightly different characteristics from creature to creature, but basically, there were certain traits that simr species shared. Among them were weaknesses.
Typically, behemoth has two weaknesses.
One is the jewel on its forehead. The gem, glowing a subtly green, seemed to be glowing as if it was brazenly targeting this ce. The problem was that destroying the gem would result in instant death. Destroying it was extremely difficult. In other words, no one here had enough destructive power to destroy that gem right now unless they were on a high-level gigant. So it wasnt the forehead that needed to be targeted now, but its other weakness.
Shhhh!
The behemoth, which several people were attacking, stood upright in anger. Abels eyes widened at the sight. That was the stance it typically took before unleashing a widespread attack. If they did nothing about it, it would sweep them away, so Abel increased his speed to the maximum. Fortunately, its second weakness was revealed as it raised its body up.
The behemoths second weakness. It was a weakness that all Behemoth typically have. It was its heart.
Abel leaped toward the behemoths body when he was within striking distance. Hended hard on the behemoths torso, causing it to jerk and twist in surprise, but Abel didnt stop.
As the behemoth struggled, Abel continued to climb on top of it. The Behemoth, sensing danger, stopped its defense mode and began to target Abel alone. The other cadets realized that Abel was up to something.
Now!
With Hannahs shout, the Gigantsunched an all-out attack as if they had been waiting to do so. Among them, Mays attack stood out. She leaped high, stepped on a nearby tree, and shed deeply into the behemoths neck with her two-handed sword. The others attacks also made a few scratches on its body.
Kyaaaaaaah!
The behemoth cried out in pain again, and Abel managed to get right underneath it.
Phew.
Exhaling a hot breath, Abel raised his sword high toward the behemoth. He didnt care about anything other than inflicting damage to it. This was hisst chance. If he didnt inflict as much damage as possible, hed be swept away if not killed by the enraged behemoth.
Woooooo!
Abel put some more magical energy into his core and used two skills simultaneously.
[sh] [Double attack]
Quang-!
Kwajik!
Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Infamous Scans
As Abels powerful sword struck the behemoth one after another, the behemoth let out a frantic scream and twisted its body. Abel was on the verge of falling off at any moment, but he held on desperately.
This attack was only a preparation to create a stronger attack, and the real attack was different. Abel tightened his grip on the sword and simultaneously pushed all of his remaining magical power into his core.
Purrrr! Boooom!!
A thunderous sound echoed around the sword. At that time, the behemoth decided it had enough and tried to flee underground.
The behemoth quickly began to flee underground, but Abel calmly waited for all his energy to gather. Just before Abel and the behemoth disappeared underground,
[Thunder Spear]
Abel jumped to the side and threw the sword full of lightning energy towards it. Light shed and.
Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
This was followed by a loud roar. Even as Abel fell, he watched the sword shattering the behemoth and digging deep into it. It trembled as if it had received an electric shock and stopped moving.
It worked out better than I thought.
Abel thought as he blinked his eyes that were suddenly closing. An unbearable drowsiness had overtaken him after hisst attack. His onlyfort was that he hadnded a good blow on the behemoth. At this rate, he didnt see the need to worry anymore.
Abel!!
It felt like someone was calling him, but he couldnt answer.
Thud-!
Something seemed to have hit his aircraft, but Abel could no longer ovee the pressure and closed his eyes.
Paaaaat-! - -
After a while, blue light surrounded him.
Chirp, chirp-
A bird was heard, and Abel tossed and turned his body at the sound. Then, he felt something soft touch his head.
Was the pillow this fluffy..?
Abel, who wondered, half asleep, suddenly opened his eyes. But what came into view was not a pillow but something dark blue.
Its just like the color of my training uniform.
As he looked closer, he saw the Academy emblem engraved on one side.
Is this also the pattern on the training uniform?
Only then did Abel realize something was wrong and quickly raised his upper body.
Ugh.
A strong feeling of dizziness and pain swept through his body as he stood up. It felt like a hangover and muscle pain all at once.
Is this magic exhaustion?
Even in his painful daze, he could guess why his current condition was like this. Ultimately, the aftereffects of using his magic to its limit came. Just then, a voice came from behind.
Youre awake?
Abel turned his head around to see May sitting up.
May?
Yes.
Abel was surprised by her calm voice, and then he looked around. They were in the middle of the forest. There was no one else in sight, and he saw two Gigants lying not far away. May spoke up as she saw Abel looking at their gigants.
The damage to the aircraft was severe, and you seemed to be in bad condition, so I pulled you out first .
Oh. Really ?
Yes.
There was a pause in the conversation for a moment, but Abel could not resist the urge to ask a question and immediately opened his mouth.
Where am I? Where are the other kids?
There are no other kids here. And I dont even know where we are.
That is
Unable to speak, Abel stared into space for a moment. Afterposing himself, his eyes caught the message window in the corner of his vision. There were messages he never expected to see
[An outstanding achievement has been achieved!]
[The title Behemoth Adversary has been earned. All abilities will increase by 10%.]
[Double Attack proficiency has reached 100%. The skill evolves when the conditions are met.]
[The Thunderbolt Spear has exceeded 30%. Its power is strengthened.]
Up until this point, the messages were understandable. After all, he was only a mere first-year student who fought a behemoth on a supply Gigant. But the message that followed was a little different.
[You have absorbed some of the Behemoths abilities.]
[Physical abilities have increase significantly.]
[Skill fear has been acquired.]
[The soul of the behemoth resides in the pattern (1/3).]
These were messages rted to the behemoth.
Isnt this something that only appears when an opponent has been defeated ?
Abel frowned at the iprehensible situation. But as he thought about it carefully, other possibilities came to mind.
Did the support team arrive and defeat the behemoth after I passed out?
He thought that might be the case. Although the support team took it down, he may have been ssified as the most significant contributor to taking it down, and the above messages appeared. Although it seemed too game-like, it wasnt that far-fetched since the system itself was game-based.
How much do you remember?
While he was lost in thoughts, May asked him a question. Only then did Abel stop thinking to himself and answer her question.
How much do you remember?
Before you passed out.
Ah.
Abel understood what was being asked and answered.
I fainted right after the attack. I thought something hit me.
I thought it would be dangerous if you fell like that, so I caught you. Thats why the arm of my Gigant ispletely damaged.
Really? Are you alright ?
Abel asked in surprise, and May paused for a moment before answering.
Yes Whats more important is what happened next.
What happened next?
Suddenly, a blue light spread around you, and before I knew what was happening, we were here.
Ah.
In response to Mays question, he finally understood why they were alone in a secluded ce. A strange phenomenon urred around Abel, and May, who was with him, was also affected by it. After listening to everything that had happened then, he thought of something.
The artifact!
Only one thing could suddenly cause a spatial transition in this forest.
The artifact called for him.[To be continued.]
Chapter 50:
Chapter 50:
Abel wanted to explore his surroundings right away, even if it was just a small area, but he couldnt even walk properly, so he had to sit back down because his physical condition was at its worst.
Arg..
May looked at Abel as he sat down groaning before speaking,
Dont overwork yourself. Are you worried about the other kids?
Huh?
I heard Gigant approaching In the distance just before we got swept away.
Oh..
May guessed that Abel was overdoing it because he was worried about the other kids. When, in fact, it was Abel who confirmed through the message that the behemoth was defeated, but it was a misunderstanding that did not need to be corrected, so he nodded.
Really? Thats a relief.
Yes.
May answered briefly and didnt speak again. An awkward atmosphere lingered in the air. No, to be exact, it was only Abel who felt that way. It wasnt that he didnt have a close rtionship with May. He saw her more often than the other kids in the ss. But this was the first time they were together like this.
To begin with, May is the kind of person who doesnt talk much.
Even in the game, May didnt talk much. She found everything annoying and dozed off a lot, so theres nothing much for her to say.
Thats because she has her own story.
While he was lost in thought, May spoke to him again.
What are you going to do?
Huh?
We cant keep staying here .
True to her word, the ce they were in was too open. They could be easily spotted.
I see. We dont know how long well have to wait, so lets get to a safe ce.
I think we should leave the gigants behind. Theyre both too damaged to maneuver.
Both Abel and Mays gigant were in bad shape. Their cores had been damaged in the sudden movement, and exposure to the powerful surge of energy seemed to have caused an overload.
Alright. Lets see if we can hide in caves or other ces nearby.
Yeah.
May nodded in agreement. Just like Abel, she needed to rest.
It would have been better to rest after finding the artifact.
Abel thought he could at least rest since he had been moved closer to the artifact. After all, the original goal was to find the artifact by the end of the day.
Then.. Alright .
Abel staggered as he stood up. Hed been thinking so hard that hed momentarily forgotten that he wasnt in the best shape. He lost his bnce and stumbled badly, but fortunately, he didnt fall, thanks to May, who came over and grabbed his arm.
Oh, thank you.
Can you walk?
I think Ill be fine if I walk slowly.
With that, Abel cautiously took a step. But he quickly grimaced at the stabbing pain. May looked at him and suddenly tugged on his arm. As Abel looked at her in confusion, May spoke calmly.
I can help you.
You dont have to
Its best to find a safe ce to rest as soon as possible.
At that, Abel fell silent. Even in his mind, it would be much faster to be helped than just walking alone and slowing them down.
I ept your help.
Alright .
Abel began to walk with Mays support. It was ufortable because of the slight height difference, but it was much better than walking alone.
Smooth,
Abel thought to himself without realizing it, then looked down at May and made eye contact with her.
Are you ufortable?
Huh, no.
Abel quickly looked away and began to scan his surroundings. He diverted his attention by looking around, hoping to get a clue as to where they were, but unfortunately, he couldnt figure it out.
It all looks the same.
The only thing around them was a giant tree. Nothing special. As they continued walking, his heartbeat began to beat faster. Abel ignored it and just concentrated on walking. He wondered how much time had passed. At this point, he thought of climbing a tree to rest if they continued like this.
Abel.
Huh?
Look.
May pointed off to one side, where there was a tiny hole they could barely fit through by lying on their stomach.
Hmm. Lets check it out .
It would be difficult to rest if the interior was that size, but things may differ from what they seem on the outside. May nodded at Abels words.
Ill go in first.
Okay.
May carefully ced Abel on one side and then went inside. Abel thought to himself, leaning his back against the hard stone wall.
Magic exhaustion Its scarier than I thought.
He knew that exhaustion would make him physically weak, but it was much more than that. He might have lost his life on the spot if he had failed tond a fatal blow to the behemoth. He reflected on himself.
Ill have to act more carefully next time.
Given the situation, he thought it was the best choice, but he still had to reflect.
Abel.
Infamous Scans
His self-reflection was almost over when May called out to him, sticking her face out from the hole.
Its bigger inside than I thought. Can youe in?
Yeah. Ill be fine .
May nodded her head slightly and went back inside. Abel waited for a moment, then bent over and crawled inside.
At this rate, Im going to die.
His physical condition was already bad, and he was crawling. He felt like he would die, but he couldnt help it. He had no choice. If he stayed outside and encountered even a gigant fragment, he could die. Fortunately, within a few minutes, the passage became wide enough to squat down. Abel started duck-walking again, and it wasnt long before he could stretch to his waist.
I made it.
May was in sight. Abel spoke, walking slowly.
Its wider than I thought.
Yes.
He wondered how wide it would be, but when he reached the end, he saw it was very wide. Inside, there was a spacerger than the living room of most houses. The floor was t, and the ceiling was quite high, so there was no problem at all with resting here.
I think spending a day here at this rate would be okay?
Yes.
May nodded her head without much change in her expression. After that, the atmosphere became quiet again. Abel casually went to one side and sat down, and then she spoke to May.
Im going to meditate.
Okay.
Part of him wanted to lie down, but in his current state, he had to focus on recovery through meditation. Since his mana is depleted, once he recovers even a little bit of it, his physical recovery will be elerated. Abel held his cross-legged and closed his eyes. Usually, he was supposed to close his eyes and concentrate immediately, but the pain in his body made him think.
The spatial transition phenomenon should mean that no one entered the inside of the ruins right away.
The artifact in this forest summons those nearby who are eligible. Of course, the artifact does not have any intelligence to select qualified people, but those with special qualifications are teleported through space. And that qualification is the synchronization rate.
In the game, the same thing happens if the synchronization rate is A or higher. However, this does not happen if there is even a single person in the ruins. In other words, at least at the moment Abel was transported through space, there was no one inside the ruins.
Well, first of all, it means that there is still time.
The ruins are not a space that can be ovee in just one or two hours. It takes at least 6 hours. This also applies to the user. In the game, the average time it took for a group called the Prophet to pass through the ruins was more than 12 hours.
If I subtract this and that time, I can say that I have at least 8 hours to spare.
Afterpleting the calctions in his head, Abel fought his impatience rising in his head. Now, hell have to focus on recovery. If he acts hastily, hell end up doing things wrong. Isnt there a saying that impatience is a recipe for disaster?
Phew.
Abel took a long breath and tried to clear his mind and then began practicing a breathing technique he had recently learned. Slowly, very slowly, he fell into a state of deep meditation. - -
bel
A voice from nowhere made him narrow his eyes as he slowly drifted out of his meditative state.
Abel!
And when he was sure he heard his name being called, he opened his eyes. The first thing that caught his eye was someone with gorgeous eyes with white skin, and long eyshes.
May?
Shh. Be quiet.
Abel shuddered. This is because the distance from May was so close that he could feel her breath on his face. Abel asked her in a small voice.
Whats the matter?
This ce. Its not an ordinary cave.
What do..
May pointed to one side. Abel tried to ask what she meant by that but then kept quiet. This is because there was an open passage where she pointed. It was a ce blocked by a wall until he started meditating. It was definitely surprising. However, that didnt exin why May was so close to him.
But why..
Shh!
Abel tried to ask her, but May put her finger to his mouth again and told him to be quiet. The warmth of Mays proximity to him reached Abel. But the cold sweat dripping from her forehead caught Abels attention more than anything. When he looked closely, he saw that May was stiff with tension. And the mystery of her closeness was quickly answered.
Kung-! Kung-! Kuung-!
With the sound of heavy steps, a huge figure appeared at the end of the passage. It walked on two feet like a human, covering its entire body in thick armor. There was nothing strange about it, but the problem was that it was over 2 meters tall.
Kung, Kung, Kung!
It left after looking around for a moment, and only then did May open her mouth.
Its a guardian. You know what it is, dont you?
Yes.
Abel nodded his head. It looks like a human, but it is not a human. The Guardian is an armament that is only asionally found in these ruins. In other words, that passage was a road that led to the ruins. For Abel, this was an extremely happy moment.
Of course, he couldnt show it. The ruins are an extremely dangerous ce, and he just confirmed the existence of the guardian. It was a normal reaction to be as nervous as May. Trying to figure out how to enter the ruins, Abel asked a question.
What do we do?
We cant go outside.
Why?
I checked while you were meditating, and there were tons of gigant fragments around.
May said as she wrinkled her eyebrows.
I think it would be better to look for another exit here. What do you think?
Thats a wise decision. Of course, I agree. Abel said, nodding in agreement.
May looked at Abel with a strange expression when he answered right away.
Are you sure its a good idea?
You said its more dangerous outside? Then, we have to go in there.
Thats thats true. How are you feeling now ?
Huh?
Abel btedly checked his physical condition and realized he felt much better than before meditating. Although the pain remained, it was not to the point where he needed support like before. Recovering mana through breathing techniques seemed to have an effect.
Its much better.
Alright. But just in case, Ill take the lead for now.
Okay.
May nodded and stood up. Abel stood up after her and thought to himself.
Now that I think about it, her personality seemspletely different from usual.
Hed noticed she had been acting differentlytely. He wasnt just talking about the fact that she was talking more. Despite the situation, she seemed to feel a strangely strong sense of responsibility. It was almost like she was a different person. As he thought up to that point, Mays past suddenly came to mind.
Maybe Im ovepping with a memory from the past
Abel.
Abel, who had been lost in his thoughts, came to his senses at Mays call. She was gesturing to him as if she wanted him toe quickly. Abel put aside the thought he just had and followed after her. There were more important things to do right now.
It was time to explore the ruins.[To be continued.]
Chapter 51:
Chapter 51:
There are two things in this world whose origins have yet to be discovered: colossus and ruins. However, the colossus is overwhelming when ites to what ordinary people are more familiar with. Unlike the colossus, which poses a real threat to humanity, there is a high possibility that ordinary people will never see ruins in their lifetime.
When ites to being a rider, you will often be mobilized to explore ruins.
However, this only applied to Abel and May, who had only been in school for less than a semester. Thats if things were to go their way. Abel looked at May as he thought to himself,
Does this apply to May and I?
Abel has visited all the ruins implemented in the game. Although its not an actual experience, an indirect experience is still an experience. Thanks to that, he knew theyouts and the risk factors. And as far as Abel knows, May has also explored the ruins. It had been about 30 minutes since they entered the ruins through a passageway in a cave. May spoke up.
I dont think there are any Guardians around here.
Really ?
The traces on the ground were cut off from the back. I guess that means they dont usually take this route.
Abel listened and then decided to say something hed been thinking about.
Umm. Actually, I already knew that.
What?
May looked at Abel, wondering what he was talking about. Abel carefully chose his words and opened his mouth.
I have explored the ruins before. As an errand boy.
May looked confused at Abels sudden confession.
An errand boy? What kind of crazy people take a child to the ruins?
Its not necessarily the ruins, but it happens often. No one can do anything morefortably than a child from the slum. Abel said bitterly.
No one cares if you die.
Of course, he was making that up. No matter how much he wandered the street, he knew that exploring the ruins was a high risk of death. But that actually happenedMany slum kids are hired to do dirty work, even if its not necessarily exploring the ruins.
This was because they didnt have to take responsibility even if they were to die, and it saved money. Thats how the world is. Mays mouth dropped open a few times at Abels words, then she spoke again.
What else do you know?
A few things. For one, there are traps where the Guardians dont roam.
I see.
At that, May scanned her surroundings thoroughly.
I guess well have to be careful.
Yeah. We should scan our surroundings as thoroughly as possible.
The two exchanged a few words, then slowly began to move forward. The origins of the ruins are uncertain, and there are various theories. In the past, the theory that an ancient civilization simply left behind the ruins was strong, but in recent years it has been undermined by evidence to the contrary.
This was because there were quite a few traces of colossus in the ruins,
The same goes for the Guardian of the Ruins. Guardians are often mistaken for golems, but in reality, they are much more simr to the Colossus. They cant be created with current technology, but they contributed a lot to the creation of the Gigant. So what exactly are these ruins? From a gamers perspective, even Abel doesnt know. This was because the ending doesnt reveal its identity.
So, its the next game, or its going to be sold as DLC, or its just a Macguffin. There were a lot of different stories.
This is something that he was extremely unfortunate in. It would have been of much greater help if he had known earlier. Even with those thoughts in his head, Abel did not neglect to look around him.
Ah! Here!
As he continued further, he noticed something strange. May, walking right next to him, froze at the sound of Abels voice. Abel pinpointed a spot so May could take a good look.
The ground right there sticks out a little. Can you see it?
Huh.. yeah .
Lets just keep some distance and pass by.
May nodded, and the two walked past the protruding block while keeping some distance. After a while, they discovered several more traps, some of which could only be detected with magic. If May hadnt moved while spreading her magic powers, she would have been stuck. While moving at a snails pace, May pointed to the floor as she spoke.
Here, its the Guardians trail.
They had finally passed the dangerous trap section. But that didnt mean they could rx. In terms of risk, the Guardian was more dangerous than the trap.
Lets move as quietly as possible.
Okay .
The two agreed and walked forward cautiously. In general, when exploring ruins, it is rare to explore without a gigant. Even Civilians tend to bring at least a Midget ss somehow, and when working for the government, they bring a Tito ss. Otherwise, they would have to deal with the guardian with their bare body.
Right now, if we were to encounter the Guardian, wed die.
Infamous Scans
Although the Guardian was smaller than a Tito, its fighting power was simr to that of a skilled rider and an outstanding knight riding the Tito. Therefore, the two had to walk forward slowly while breathing quietly. How long has it been? At that time their forehead was wet with sweat from tension.
Kung! Kung, Kung!
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps was heard not far away.
Its close!
There must have been a curved road ahead, but the sound was very close. Abel, realizing it was impossible to get away, pulled May into a tight hug. May looked at Abel in surprise, but he was already concentrating with his eyes closed.
Kung, kung, kung!
The sound of footsteps got closer, and it wasnt long before the guardian appeared in front of them. Mays breath caught in her throat as she looked at the Guardian, who was holding a sword that looked terrifying at first nce, And after a while
Kung, kung , kung, kung
The guardian passed by as if he hadnt seen anything. Abel and May took a breath long after they stopped hearing the Guardians footsteps.
Whoa.
What just happened?
May asked Abel, who took a long breath. Abel briefly answered.
Its a vision.
Did you have a vision like that?
Yes. Its a vision within a vision.
What he used was none other than the assimtion ability. He had obtained the assimtion after defeating the Ironwolves, but Abel said that without thinking.
I see
May eventually nodded as if she was convinced and spoke to Abel with an expressionless face.
Do you think you can let go now?
Oh, yes.
Abel realized that he was still holding her and quickly stepped back. May didnt seem to mind.
Lets go. We dont know when itlle back.
Okay.
With that, the two walked toward the direction the Guardian hade from. For some hours, the trap section and the guardian patrol section were repeated several times.
I dont know if were going in or out.
Abel thought as he walked forward. If they had entered through the main entrance, he would have at least had a rough idea of where they were going, but the two entered through a side passage. So they decided on a path and kept going, not knowing where it would lead to
We must be heading inward.
Abel thought as he took a step forward.
Boom!
A strange sound was heard from somewhere. Abel turned his head towards the source of the sound. It was Mays right foot. Abel and Mays eyes met.
This is a mistake
Run!
Abel held onto Mays hand and immediately ran forward.
Kugugugugugugung-!
A loud noise began to sound from behind as if it was on cue. Abel looked back for a moment and saw that the pathway was copsing from the point where May had first stepped on the trap. Abel immediately turned his head forward and started running again with all his might. May also ran eagerly with a pale face.
Kugugoogung!
They didnt know how far they had gone, but the sound followed them. Thanks to this, the two had to run forward like crazy without paying attention to other traps.
-crrrk!
There was also a time when a guardian broke in. However, because the trap had already been activated, he was unable to enter the copsed passage.
Aaaah!
Abels legs were hurting as if they were going to burst, but he gave his legs more strength as he released his energy.
Kugung.
They had been sprinting like that for almost 10 minutes. Slowly, the noise began to recede.
Hyuk, whoa. Abel, I think its over.
Abel, who was running frantically, looked behind him at the sound of Mays voice. Just as she said, he could see the copsing pathway slowly approaching a halt. Abel didnt let his guard down and he moved forward a little more before he stopped.
Whoa, whoa.
Whoa.
For a while, the only sound that could be heard in the passageway was the sound of the twos heavy breathing. They ran so hard that their lungs felt like they would explode, and they were drenched in sweat. When their breathing calmed down a little, May opened her mouth.
Im sorry .
At her apology, Abel shook his head.
Its fine, I didnt notice it either.
It wasnt just ament. It was true that Abel had been scanning the floor and hadnt spotted the trap beforehand. Before May could say anything else, Abel changed the subject.
Where are we anyway? Its loud, and if theres a Guardian nearby, theyll be here soon
Abel, who had been talking, suddenly dropped his mouth in disbelief. May, who had been watching him, turned her head to follow his gaze at Abels strange reaction, and soon did the same. Where their gazes were directed, there was a small door. It was the same color as the walls of the passageway, and it was dark, so they didnt notice it immediately.
A door
Its a door.
The two turned and made eye contact again. Abel said with sparkling eyes.
Lets go.
It was a moment of happiness for him. - -
kuguguguguugu
The passage shook with a distant sound, and a man in a white robe holding a cane narrowed his eyes at the sensation.
Sounds like itsing from quite a distance,
He muttered, and a simrly robed figure behind him bowed as he replied.
Yes, thats right .
Didnt you say there was no sign of anyone elseing in first?
Thatsthere was certainly no sign of any entrance.
So youre saying this just happened for no reason?
The man in white said with a sharp reprimanding tone in his voice, and the man at his back replied, sweating profusely.
Ive heard that some of the ruins are so old that the traps or guardians malfunction due to age.
Hmm,
The man with the cane gritted his teeth in disapproval and looked ahead.
Well see if thats true or not as we go on. Lets go.
Yes, yes.
The two ended their brief conversation and moved forward, leaving the remains of a destroyed Guardian.[To be continued.]
Chapter 52:
Chapter 52:
Not too far from a small door, a boy and girl stood and exchanged nces.
Shall we go now?
Yeah.
May nodded in response to Abels question, and it had already been ten minutes since they first spotted the door. Initially, they would go in right away, but since they didnt know what was beyond the door, they decided it was best to rest a little, even if it was dangerous. Regardless, it was time to move again.
Whoa.
Abel let out a short breath and grabbed the doorknob. Abel didnt know what was beyond this door. It was a ruin that he had been to dozens of times in the game, but now he had no clue what to expect.
The entrance we followed was a passageway I had never seen in the game.
Because of that, he couldnt tell exactly where he was in the ruins and didnt see anything to pinpoint his location as he moved on. And at the very end, he ran like. Even if they brought in someone else who was a better gamer than Abel, he would have no clue what was behind the door.
I hope there is nothing dangerous in there.
Abel thought and gathered his thoughts as he slowly pulled the door open.
Crrrrek-.
The door was slightly firm, so it took quite a bit of force to open. Abel heard the door scrape against the floor, and he peered through it with a nervous look. The first thing that caught his eye was the long pathway. Then he spotted a strange painting drawn on one side of the walls.
Thats it!
Abel had to control his expression as soon as he saw it, this was because May was right next to him, and she might find it strange. Abel pointed to the open door with a grim face before speaking.
Lets go. It doesnt look like there are any traps.
Okay.
May nodded and followed Abel through the door. At first nce, the drawing on the wall looked like a child had done it. But Abel knew precisely what it was.
Its actually a message.
It was a message with a deep connection to the ruins, meaning they had reached a specific section of the ruins.
The Trial Zone.
Here, the ruins were divided into three zones. Zone 1 is where they had just left, and it ismonly referred to as the Labyrinth. Right now, they were in the second zone, the Trial Zone.
So, for Abel, this was not a bad thing, and it was actually a very good thing. Thanks to his unintended detour, hed made it through the Labyrinth Zone faster than expected. However, he couldnt be too happy about it:
In terms of difficulty, this zone is harder than Zone 1.
Zone 2 was not a ce you could pass simply by luck. If you dont meet the various conditions, you might continue to wander around, no matter how quickly you cleared Zone 1. However, thats the case for an average person, not Abel.
Firstly, the difficulty of this zone plummets when one condition has been met: the ability to interpret the text. Initially, youd have to bring a character with special abilities to the area, but Abel found that inefficient, so he deciphered the in-game messages and memorized them.
These are texts.
Huh?
Looking at the text engraved on the wall, May looked puzzled by Abels words. Abel continued shamelessly without changing his expression.
The ruins I visited before had the same thing; I can do some simple interpretation.
You can interpret?
I learned it while looking over my shoulder.
Is that even possible?
It was because at that time if I knew one more thing, I had a better chance of surviving.
When Abel used his history as an orphan to prevent him from getting caught there, May fell silent, although he had learned it by staying up all night for several nights to make the game easier
Abel slowly deciphered the text.
He who embraces the fire sees on high. Worship sincerely, and the path will be opened.
.What does that mean?
I dont know the hidden meaning. Is it a riddle?
Abel feigned ignorance, but in reality, he already knew the answer.
Its a pattern Ive seen many times.
It was faster to show it than to exin it with words.
Lets go to the front first, and it could be a hint rted to the surroundings.
Okay .
Infamous Scans
May nodded in agreement. Thinking Abel had a point. So, they slowly moved forward. Along the way, they saw a trident on the road ahead and could feel an intense heating from it. They realized the heat wasing from the right when they reached it.
We are supposed to go right from here.
Unless the meaning of the text is known, the reasonable thing to do is to go to the left, which seems safer, and find a way to get through. However, that wasnt necessary right now.
Lets see whats there first.
Abel said, and without giving May time to think, he walked off to the right. May was a little hesitant, but she followed him, and it wasnt long before they spotted something: a giant stone statue. It didnt seem like an ordinary statue, and mes were zing across its chest.
May stared at Abel, realizing that this was no ordinary statue. Abel whispered in a low voice.
The one with the fire. Dont you think the text was referring to this statue?
I think so.
Then what does it mean to see high?
At Abels words, May thought momentarily, then pointed to the statues face as if she suddenly realized something.
The pupils are looking slightly upward.
Oh. Youre right .
At Mays words, Abel pretended to think meticulously while looking at the statue before speaking.
The texts up until now were all pointing to something. The one who embraces the fire sees on high. Then shouldnt thest sentence be simr?
Worship sincerely, and the path would be opened ?
Yes. Speaking of worship, isnt it usually
Abel prostrated himself t on the ground as he spoke. It was the exact posture that was usually associated with worship. May looked at him with a questioning look, but Abel didnt care. He looked ahead and continued.
If you worship, the path will be opened.
You can understand the sentence by looking around while lying t on the ground.
I found it!
He could actually see the path.
Your voice is too loud.!
May said in surprise, but Abel didnt care and gestured to her.
You too, get down.
At Abels urging, May got down on the ground beside him, then looked in the direction he pointed, her eyes widening in surprise. Once she was t on the ground, she could see a door on the floor behind both legs of the giant stone statue.
He who embraces the fire sees on high. Worship sincerely, and the path will open. I think thats the way.
But how do we get there?
Abel said simply in response to Mays question.
Shouldnt we go in a prone position like this? It was written that the statues point of vision is upward, and it says it sees high ces.
Abel added a word to that.
Ill go first and see if its dangerous.
But.
Instead of wasting time arguing with May, Abel pushed past May, who tried to stop him, and continued forward. The closer he got, the more intense the heat radiating from the statue became. Abel was sweating profusely, but he didnt stop. Luckily, the distance wasnt too far, and it wasnt long before he could pass through the statues leg and reach the door.
Whoa.
He pulled on the doorknob with a little bit of force on the floor, and with a squeak of hinges, the door opened.
Its open! May,e in like I did!
May, who had been watching nervously, looked determined at Abels words. May Crawled forward, t on her stomach. Luckily, the statue didnt react until she reached Abels side.
Whoa.
May breathed a sigh of relief as soon as she arrived. Although she always had a calm personality, she was really nervous this time around.
Looks like Ive seen more of you today than I have in the months weve spent at the Academy.
Abel thought and pointed toward the door.
Do you want me to go first this time?
No. You dont look well.
May shook her head firmly, and Abel smiled awkwardly at her. In reality, his physical condition was still down, to put it mildly. It was better than it had been when hed meditated, but the pain was slowly creeping back up because he had to move again, pushing himself hard just after a little rest.
Okay. Ill be right behind you, then.
Alright .
Beneath the open door was adder. May nced at the statue and carefully ced her foot on thedder. Abel waited a moment, then did the same and climbed down thedder. Thedder was long, and they were halfway down when something urred in the surroundings.
Pah, pah, pah
Their surrounding area suddenly lit up. Abel looked down and saw that May had already reached the bottom, and he eagerly climbed down and soon found himself on the ground as well, looking around.
Its wider here. Too wide to be just an east road for pedestrians.
The old pathway wasnt exactly narrow either. He could pick up a Tito-ss gigant and still operate it, but this ce was more than that.
Theres only one direction to go.
May said, quietly looking around.
Thats right. Its good because we dont have to worry about which way to go.
Were probably heading deeper.
Abel paused for a moment at Mays words before answering.
I guess so.
It must be toote to.turn back now. The passage in the middle also copsed.
May said, looking up at thedder and then lowering her head again,
Theres a way out at the end of the ruins. Do you know that?
Yes.
Do you think we can get there?
Abel suddenly realized that May was shaking slightly. May always looked dazed, and in reality, this image of her was surreal.
May is the kind of person who doesnt freak out much, no matter what. But that wasnt because she was inherently a strong person; it was just a defense mechanism to protect herself from the memories of her past, and the current situation was a reminder of those memories. So Abel spoke with conviction.
Im sure we can.
Really?
Of course, Im sure welle back with some great artifacts.
At his deliberate exaggeration, May looked puzzled for a moment and then smiled softly.
Yeah. I hope so.
Alright, then lets go.
Ill lead the way.
You dont have to.
Its easier that way. If you get hurt, Ill have to help you again.
Okay .
The two walked forward, making small conversations.[To be continued.]
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