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Chapter 51
Knocking on the Door of the Class (3)
“What did you just say?”
“You want us both to come at you at the same time? You think that would make things fair?”
Claude and Mateus looked dumbfounded.
Of course, that was the natural reaction.
A trainee who had only just passed the second exam was telling two assistant professors to fight him together.
In real-world terms… it was like a sophomore in college challenging two assistant professors in their own field of expertise to a debate.
“Haha, you’re joking, right?”
“I don’t take kindly to these kinds of jokes, Ernas.”
Just as the two were saying this—
Heinrich, standing at my side, spoke up.
“I think the same, Professors.”
“……!”
Both of their eyes widened at Heinrich’s words.
“It’s unpleasant to admit I share the same thought as this guy… but yes. I want you both to come at me at once. I’ll take you on alone.”
“Heinrich…”
“These brats…”
It seemed Claude and Mateus finally realized we weren’t joking.
“Let me be clear. I didn’t come to this class because I particularly wanted instruction from the assistant professors.”
“……”
“So if you choose to leave us alone, I have no complaints. But if you try to block us from receiving guidance from Professor Yols, that’s something I can’t let slide.”
Heinrich spoke with arrogant composure.
“So let’s settle this with strength. Both of you—at the same time.”
“Phew…”
“Well, this is…”
The two of them seemed truly angry now.
Heinrich’s provocative tone had gotten under their skin.
“Heinrich, you shouldn’t speak so arrogantly.”
“Don’t pretend you didn’t start this, Ernas.”
Heinrich shot me a glare, but I ignored him and addressed Claude and Mateus.
“So, what will it be? Please pick one of us.”
“…That won’t do.”
Claude scratched his head.
“Let’s make it two-on-two. How about that?”
“That’s probably for the best.”
Mateus nodded.
“If we’re going to fix both of your bad habits, doing it together makes sense.”
So it became a fight: Heinrich and me versus Claude and Mateus.
Students and assistant professors clashing on the first day… what a promising future this looks to be.
We moved to the indoor training hall.
It would’ve been nice if it were clean, since it was a new building, but the construction wasn’t finished, and building materials were stacked all around.
“Now that I think about it—you two don’t have weapons yet.”
Mateus looked at our waists.
“You haven’t received swords?”
“That’s right.”
Normally, after passing the second exam, one is given a real sword along with a new elixir.
But due to the incident during the second exam, things at the academy were complicated, and distribution had been delayed.
“So what do we do?”
“No choice.”
Claude drew the sword from his belt and handed it to me.
“Use this.”
“What about you, Professor?”
“We’ll be fine with these.”
He bent down and picked up a length of timber lying on the floor.
“I suppose I’ll do the same.”
Mateus handed his sword to Heinrich and also picked up a timber beam.
“Not even training swords—don’t you think it’ll be hard to channel sword aura with a chunk of wood?”
“Don’t compare us to you students, Heinrich.”
Mateus’ voice was cool and sharp.
“We’re graduate intermediates. Even with timber, we can project powerful sword aura. Don’t worry.”
“……”
To be an assistant professor at the academy, one needed to be at least graduate intermediate.
A full professor had to be at least graduate advanced.
“Of course, real swords are better for channeling aura. But this handicap will make things fair.”
“Understood.”
Heinrich nodded and looked at me.
“Ernas, what do you think?”
“Well, since they insist, we can’t refuse.”
I answered calmly.
“For them to willingly handicap themselves—how admirable.”
“Don’t get cocky, Ernas.”
“Don’t act like you’re not, Heinrich.”
As we exchanged words, Claude and Mateus made faces of clear irritation.
“We can’t exactly get mad seriously at students, this is tricky.”
“Then we’ll just have to shut them down with skill.”
Claude and Mateus stood side by side.
Positioned as we were, I faced Mateus, and Heinrich faced Claude.
“……”
No one spoke, but each had already acknowledged his opponent.
Though it was a two-on-two fight, naturally it would unfold as parallel one-on-one duels.
“Then… begin!”
Claude’s shout signaled the start of the battle.
Heinrich advanced left toward Claude, and I moved right toward Mateus.
“Come, brat!”
Mateus stood still, taking stance, waiting to defend and counterattack once I struck.
‘The style Mateus will use… Gracius Rear Swordsmanship.’
It was a counter-based sword style.
Block the enemy’s attack, then immediately counter to decide the fight.
Thirty percent strength on defense, seventy percent on counter.
‘Mateus has strong arms and shoulders, and his core is solid. He can block most attacks with ease.’
In the novel, he had always demonstrated formidable defense.
And his knack for piercing the opponent’s openings with lethal counters made him dangerous.
‘He’s skilled at spotting and exploiting openings. Not an easy opponent.’
I knew exactly what level Mateus was.
Probably even more objectively than Mateus himself did.
Because I was the author of this world, and Mateus had exactly the strength I had written.
‘Which means… I know.’
Even if he’s a graduate intermediate assistant professor—
I can win.
“……!”
I drew up mana from my Mana Heart and redistributed it.
My physical balance shifted precisely as I wanted.
Then I kicked off the ground with full force.
Employing Liechtenauer’s footwork—to leap high.
“What?!”
I soared almost to the ceiling, leaving Mateus flustered.
In that instant, his stance faltered.
‘Gracius Rear Swordsmanship has no counter for an opponent dropping down from above.’
Of course, Mateus could switch to a different style.
But right now he was determined to subdue me perfectly with Gracius’ counters.
Switching last-minute would mean swallowing his pride.
“Urgh…!”
So he had no choice but to awkwardly block my descending strike.
He could have dodged—but dodging a student’s attack out of desperation would have been too humiliating.
And the thought that he shouldn’t fight students seriously was pushing him into a corner.
‘That’s exactly why I chose this.’
While airborne, I readjusted my mana.
I had to deliver a powerful strike to break through.
‘Here, I’ll use Valahail Heavy Swordsmanship.’
The northern style focused on brute power—the one I had used to defeat Carlyle.
I combined it with Liechtenauer’s movement.
Normally Valahail techniques required both feet planted—but I would channel it into a downward aerial strike.
“Wha?!”
Boom!
My attack met his aura head-on.
Though his timber was infused with aura, and his stance imperfect, Mateus still blocked me.
But he couldn’t unleash the signature counterattack.
His posture was too unstable.
“Ghhk…!”
He scrambled to steady himself.
He realized my blows were heavier than expected—he needed to set his stance or risk disaster.
But it was pointless.
‘Now.’
Landing smoothly, I launched my next attack.
This time, Valahail’s power combined with Kalesius’ Lightning Sword style.
As blue light crackled along my aura, Mateus’ eyes went wide.
“……!”
Then came the strike.
I wasn’t aiming to exploit his opening or break his stance—
I was simply colliding with his defense head-on.
“Ah…!”
Crash!
Our sword auras collided—
And cracks spread through his.
“Ugh…!”
The Valahail–Kalesius combination—this was the strike that had pierced even the protective magic of High Priest Carlyle of the Demon Cult.
How could timber reinforced with aura hope to withstand it?
‘If Mateus had focused purely on defense, he might’ve lasted longer.’
But Gracius was 30% defense, 70% counter.
Since he was preparing to counter, he couldn’t block properly.
‘He assumed my first strike was my strongest. That was his mistake.’
Crack!
At last, his timber broke.
As he stared wide-eyed in disbelief, I thrust my sword toward him again.
“Urgh…!”
Of course, I didn’t actually stab him.
I released my aura and merely pointed the blade at his vital spot.
“Shall we continue, Professor?”
“Kh…!”
Mateus hurriedly drew back his aura to prevent mana loss.
At the graduate beginner level, shattered aura meant losing mana, but once skilled, one could recover it as he did.
“Graah!”
Crash!
Behind me, a thunderous noise erupted.
Claude, who had been clashing fiercely all over the training hall, had been struck by Heinrich and slammed into the wall.
“Ugh, this… gah!”
Claude tried to rise, but froze.
Heinrich was already at his neck, blade poised.
“Shall we continue, Professor?”
“Ghhk…”
Shaking with humiliation, Claude lowered his head.
Heinrich withdrew his sword.
Though, truth be told, Heinrich hadn’t won easily.
Sweat beaded his brow—proof he’d pushed himself to the limit.
‘Defeating a graduate intermediate isn’t easy even for Heinrich.’
Still, the fact was Mateus had lost his weapon to me, and Claude had fallen to Heinrich.
Trainees versus assistant professors, two-on-two—the trainees had won decisively.
“Hmph, now our skill is—”
Heinrich was about to gloat when I spoke, returning the sword to Mateus.
“Thank you for your instruction, Professor.”
“What?”
“Because you kindly handicapped yourselves, we were able to gain great insight from this match.”
“……?”
Suddenly speaking so politely, I left both Mateus and Claude bewildered.
Heinrich too.
“Hey, Ernas, what are you—”
“If you had used real swords, the duel would’ve ended before we could learn anything.”
I ignored Heinrich and continued.
He wanted to step on the professors and assert hierarchy, but I had no need.
What mattered was that we’d be training in Yols’ class from now on—it was better to maintain good relations with the assistant professors.
Here, I needed to preserve their dignity.
“……”
“……”
Claude and Mateus exchanged looks.
They must’ve realized I wanted to smooth things over.
“Come, Professor Claude, let me help you up.”
“Ah, y-yes…”
I approached, took Claude’s hand, and pulled him up.
Still holding his hand, I said calmly,
“Please continue to guide us well, Professor.”
“Y-yes…”
He nodded stiffly.
“But… why are you still holding my hand—”
“But actually, Professor…”
I didn’t let go.
Because the real reason I’d chosen Yols’ class first—was Claude.
[Attempting “Ability Replication” of character ‘Claude Maelis’.]
As the message appeared before me, I bought time by continuing to speak.
“If we had lost, the condition was that we’d train by self-study and assignments, as you wished, right?”
“What?”
“But we won. And I don’t recall us ever discussing what happens then.”
I looked at Heinrich.
He nodded, as if to say, Exactly.
“So, Professors—shouldn’t you grant us at least one request? What do you think?”
“……!”
Yes, I intended to maintain a good relationship with the assistant professors.
Of course… with a little bit of leverage.
