The Academy’s Hard-Headed Swordmaster

I got scouted.

By the Sacred Weapons.

I don't remember them well, so they probably aren't that famous.

‘A hidden secret organization, or something like that?’

Even in the game, it was a hidden element, a secret organization whose name you wouldn't even hear unless you really dug deep.  

It's only natural that I wouldn't remember such an organization.

It would be foolish to accept the scout offer right here. I have a living, breathing wiki that remembers everything about this world.

“Can I think about it?”

“Of course. But I can’t give you too much time. I'd like an answer in two days, before the finals begin.”

“That’s enough time.”

I waved my hand lightly, about to leave, when I realized I hadn't asked something yet. I stopped.

“Ah, right. Mister. You said Bow, right?”

“So?”

“Then… are your eyes good too?”

“I pride myself on them.”

“Okay, got it.”

How he knew Arthur was a girl, and why he suddenly scouted me. Now I roughly understood.

Neither Arthur herself, nor the person who cast the Polymorph spell on her, would have known this.

‘Her gait is like a woman's.’

Of course, it's a very subtle difference, one you wouldn't notice unless you looked closely—but it seemed to be clearly visible to an expert who had specifically trained their eyes.

‘And me too.’

I can hide Aura and Skills.

However, I couldn't hide my trained physique, the body that had been completely transformed after becoming a Master.

If someone has a keen eye, and if they've had ample opportunity to encounter Masters, they could figure out that I'm a Master.

‘They won't say anything.’

This is an unforeseen circumstance, so neither the principal nor the Duke would say anything.

After all, they wouldn't have expected Master-level experts to be so common.

* * *

Kenneth, gazing intently at Kyle's receding figure, reached into his pocket and pulled out an artifact.

A communicator capable of real-time two-way communication regardless of distance.

This relic, discovered in ruins, was an artifact possessed by each member of the Sacred Weapons.

“Staff. Are you there?”

[What is it?]

Having summoned Staff, the leader of the Sacred Weapons, Kenneth recounted what he had seen.

About the student using Secret Techniques despite being only an Aura User level, and about Kyle.

Staff, who hadn't shown much interest in the story about Arthur, perked up upon hearing about Kyle.

[…Are you sure?]

“Are you doubting my eyes?”

[No, if you saw it with your own eyes, there’s no need to doubt. If that’s true… that guy will go crazy.]

“He’s a battle maniac who jumps at any fight.”

Thinking of the man who currently held the title of 「Sword」, Kenneth imagined his reaction to the story about Kyle and gave a wry smile.

Knowing Sword's personality, it was clear that if the two met, one of them would die or suffer a similar injury.

“Either way, the survivor will become stronger.”

If one becomes the stepping stone for the other's growth—that wouldn't be bad either.

Ultimately, it would benefit the organization.

Ending the communication, Kenneth turned his attention to the next match that was about to begin.

This generation has many interesting individuals.  

He felt a thrill just imagining the chaos they would unleash upon the world once they finished growing and stepped onto the larger stage.

* * *

“What? Sacred Weapons?”

“Yeah.”

“I… don’t know them.”

Kyle looked at Sera with a bewildered expression.

Seeing his face, Sera scratched her cheek and turned her head, as if at a loss for words.

She had claimed to know everything about this world, yet she was faltering at such a crucial moment.

Watching Kyle sigh, Sera insisted it was due to a lack of information.

“Hey, do you think you can just hear one thing and immediately recall everything!?  I need more information!”

“First, the person who scouted me called himself 「Bow」. His name is Kenneth, a Master. He said he was scouting me for the position of 「Sword」.”

“…A Master who uses a Bow?”

“Probably. I didn’t actually see him use Aura, so I could be wrong. But there’s such a thing as a Master's intuition.”

Those who have reached a certain level have a way of recognizing each other. Just as Kenneth had recognized Kyle as a Master simply by looking at the muscles hidden beneath his clothes, Kyle had realized Kenneth was a Master by his extraordinary eyesight and observation skills.

Such superhuman skill wasn’t achievable through mere training. It required innate talent combined with arduous effort.

And usually, when such geniuses put in the effort, most of them become Masters.

“Kenneth, Kenneth….”

“Do you know him?”

“I’ve never heard the name. —But if he’s a Master who uses a bow, I know him.”

Although Sera had figured out Kenneth's identity, she maintained a serious expression instead of a smug smile. Seeing this, Kyle looked at her as if asking what was wrong.

Meeting Kyle's gaze, she carefully opened her mouth.

“I didn’t recognize them because of the name Sacred Weapons. That’s not their official name.”

“Then what is it?”

“The Iron Zealots. A terrorist organization… composed entirely of Masters.”

Hearing those words, Kyle’s eyes lit up with interest.

* * *

The Academy Tournament takes place over three days.

The first day is the preliminary round, determining who advances to the main tournament.

The second day is the main tournament, where those who advanced compete against each other.

And the third day is the semi-finals, where the final four compete to determine the winner.

This was a measure to accommodate scouts coming from afar.

While it was true that those who discovered gems early on had an advantage, those from well-known territories or organizations didn't need to act that way.

They relied on their reputation, arriving late and leisurely, easily plucking the largest fruits.

On the second day, as the main tournament began, those with resounding reputations arrived at the Academy.

“Hmm… Is this it?”

They watched the main tournament, groaning as if dissatisfied.  

Even if there were students they liked, this attitude wouldn’t change much.

Getting overly excited about a talented student would diminish their own reputation and increase the student's value.  

Nothing is more attractive than an air of unfounded confidence.

Knowing this well, the scouts maintained an indifferent demeanor, as if afflicted with an incurable case of coolness, no matter how outstanding the students performed.

—The winner, Arthur!

“Wh-what?”

However, they couldn't maintain that composure upon seeing Arthur.

A commoner with no family name.

An Aura User who couldn’t even imbue their weapon with Aura had defeated promising successors of knight families and students who had reached the level of Aura Expert, continuing her winning streak.

If that were all, it wouldn't be so surprising, but the crucial point was that Arthur used a Secret Technique every single time.  

Normally, Secret Techniques aren’t revealed in front of so many people.

Revealing a Secret Technique in public meant the possibility of it being stolen by others.

Not only stolen, but those who learned it would develop countermeasures, rendering the technique useless.

Thus, while most students were reluctant to use their Secret Techniques, Arthur alone used them freely—naturally attracting the attention of the scouts.

“If our organization scouts that commoner…”

“His Aura remains consistent despite using Secret Techniques like that, does that mean he has a large Aura capacity?”

“Judging by the sheer amount, it’s enough to imbue a weapon…?”

As the scouts from various organizations dissected and analyzed Arthur, she triumphantly raised his hand, basking in the cheers.

Turning his back to the cheers directed at him, he returned to the waiting room and sighed at the sight of the scouts crowding the entrance.

After telling them all to leave, she shut herself inside the waiting room and lay down on the sofa to rest.

‘Ah, I’m tired.’

A Secret Technique that mimics the power of a Master's swordsmanship using Aura.

Repeatedly using it consumed a tremendous amount of stamina and Aura.

It made her Dragon Heart, which constantly generated a vast amount of Aura, beat violently.

Perhaps this is how it feels to sprint at full speed for several minutes without rest.  

Stroking her pounding heart, Arthur carefully took a deep breath.

Closing her eyes and sinking into her own world, Arthur recalled the knight who had visited her the other day.  

Introducing himself as a knight of the Royal Knights, he had told her she could join the Knights anytime.

It meant she was a talent worthy of their attention.

She was purely happy.

And at the same time, she wanted to express her gratitude to the person who made this happiness possible.

‘Kyle.’

If it weren't for him, she wouldn't be participating in the tournament, nor would she be receiving this attention.

She wanted to thank him.

There was only one way to do that.

Win the tournament and split the prize with him.

‘Where is he and what is he doing?’

She wanted to show him her impressive performance, but Kyle was nowhere to be seen.

She was worried he might be causing trouble somewhere…

‘He’ll be fine.’

Kyle is a Master.

There’s nothing in the Academy that could endanger him.

…There shouldn't be.

* * *

Spotting Kenneth, I grinned and approached him.

Seeing my face, he looked around and cautiously came closer.

“So, Kyle. Have you made up your mind?”

“Yeah, well.”

I pulled out a magic tool from my pocket.  

A kind of speaker that only worked within the Academy.  S

eeing it, Kenneth tilted his head, looking at me quizzically.

Shrugging as if it were nothing, I tapped the speaker, and a woman on the other end began to sing according to a prearranged signal.

[La, lalala]

With the singing as background music, I looked at Kenneth.

“Mister, you’re a terrorist, right?”

“…What?”

“I heard you commit crimes and stuff, a bad guy.”

Aria’s singing began to gently repel the people around us.  

Watching the others quickly disappear, Kenneth seemed to sense something was amiss and glared at me.

“What is the meaning of this?”

“Nothing much.”

‘Sling’—My sword was drawn.

No audience.  

I immediately unleashed my Aura Blade.

“—I don’t negotiate with terrorists.”