13 – Life Bread

The gymnasium near Hall 2 of Reynolds Academy.

This gigantic gymnasium, which is made up of two football fields, was one of the prides of Reynolds Academy.

State-of-the-art equipment, an outer wall that absorbs mana to mitigate shock, and even the finest healing potion that can instantly treat injuries.

An environment equipped with everything necessary for training and sparring.

Class 2 A class was in progress in such a gymnasium.

40 students standing in line with Oh.

Their eyes were on the muscular man standing in front of them.

A bald man who appears to be in his mid-40s.

Professor in charge of the ‘Practice of Combat’ course.

Aaron Craig.

The large and small scars revealed on the sleeves of his clothes showed that his life was not peaceful.

“As announced last time, today’s class will be held in sparring between students.”

He said to the students who were standing at attention.

“Each of you pair up with the opponent you want, and I’ll give you an evaluation if you sparring with me one by one.”

Aaron gave me five minutes, told me to choose a partner during that time, and sat down in the chair next to me.

At first, the students hesitated and did not move, but after a while, they went around to rescue their partners.

Meanwhile, I stood still.

I don’t think anyone wants to be with me, but I’m just going to stay still and do it with one of the other kids.

So I squatted in the corner and stared at the students chatting with each other.

It’s just a matter of choosing a partner, but even that seems fun for kids of that age.

A smile blooms on your lips

……

…envy.

You guys are living your 18 years old like you are 18 years old.

My 18 years old is nothing but hellish memories.

Not just 18, but also 17 and 19.

Everything from the front to the back.

-rest? why do you need that?

-Don’t be afraid to wake up, there’s still a long way to go.

‘Damn, damn trauma…’

My throat tightens at the voice in my head.

I clenched my fists and calmed my trembling breathing.

Aren’t you working on the ‘Spirit of Iron’?

Does it make sense that it’s an SSS level skill but can’t block depression properly?

I grumbled inwardly and looked away.

Even though the time limit of 5 minutes was almost over, not a single person approached me.

‘Well… it must be obvious.’

While I was waiting for the 5 minutes to end, I saw a person approaching me.

Blond blonde hair and shiny blue eyes.

A graceful gait and gesture.

I stared blankly as she approached me.

It was someone I knew.

Strangely enough, someone I and Raiden knew at the same time.

“The princess…?”

It was Lucy von Rietro, the first princess of the empire.

A person who was Raiden’s best friend in the past.

At the same time, a supporting character appearing in [The Hero Beloved by Everyone].

Older sister of Alan’s heroine, the second princess, Anna von Lietro.

The girl I had only seen through the novel and through Raiden’s memories was approaching me.

She stood in front of me and took off one of her gloves.

Then, he threw the glove at me, who was squatting, and said coldly.

“Raiden Lisit. I challenge you to a duel.”

“Yes…?”

duel.

It is similar to Dalian, but distinctly different.

Unlike Dalian, which checks each other’s skills without any conditions,

A duel was about betting on something and bumping into each other.

Betting can be money or fame.

A duel was like a betting game in which each other bet on something.

Of course, just because the metaphor is light, the meaning of the duel is by no means light.

Usually, what is at stake in a duel is the same as life or family honor.

With gloves, anyone could challenge to a duel, but few actually challenged to duel.

It was an unspoken rule that requesting a duel was only done when the opponent had suffered an indelible insult or when it was an evil that must be punished.

Such a duel, bet on me.

Also, the princess of the empire.

“……”

As I put on a dazed expression, she shouted again.

“I, Lucy von Lietro, challenge Raiden Lisitt to a duel through sparring time!”

She pointed at me with her index finger and glared at me.

“The price of a duel… is to drop out of Reynolds Academy!”

“Ohhh!!”

“The princess has a duel…!”

“Withdrawal bread? You should see this.”

The surroundings begin to buzz.

Professor Aron, who was about to gather the students after the 5-minute time limit had passed, was also staring at them subtly.

Really pissed off, everyone.

I clutched my forehead at the throbbing headache.

Leiden, you little bastard.

Why are the karma of Raiden coming to me?

And dropping out of the academy?

Do you think I go here because I f*cking want to go here?

The main quest is gone, the main quest.

Damn happiness can be found here.

I said, suppressing the irritation that was about to explode.

“I refuse.”

“to…?”

Lucy put on a dumbfounded expression at my words.

What is that expression, did you think I would get it?

Naturally, the duel could have been rejected by the receiving party.

Of course, if you do that, the label of coward will follow you for the rest of your life, but…

Lucy shouted in disbelief.

“What a coward! Trying to avoid a duel!”

“Yes, he is a coward. So I refuse.”

Did you really believe that I would accept the duel?

He really… seems like he’s okay, but he’s lacking in some areas.

It seems that it was similar when I saw it through Raiden’s memories.

“Please don’t force a duel. No matter how much you say you’re the princess, I’m also the eldest son of a duchy. It’s difficult to put such ridiculous pressure on me.”

I said so bluntly.

Then Lucy froze on the spot.

The time when I was about to leave her like that and pass by.

Professor Aaron, who was watching us, opened his mouth.

“I’m sorry, Raiden-kun. It seems like sparring should be done, if not a duel, right?”

“Yes….?”

“Look around.”

I frowned at his incomprehensible words and looked around.

After the time to find a partner, all the students had found their partner.

The only ones without a partner right now were me and Lucy.

“Damn it.”

I muttered that and grabbed the back of my neck.

.

.

.

Me and Lucy were sitting side by side waiting for our turn.

Our turn number is 5th.

It was the turn right after the 4th Dalian, which is being done now.

Even while touring Dalian, Lucy occasionally glanced at me.

Seeing how my fingers twitched and couldn’t stay still, it must have come as quite a shock that I didn’t get a duel.

Well, I do or don’t.

I was only looking at where the sparring was taking place.

This Dalian was a confrontation between wizards, and it was interesting to see that it was magic that had never existed before.

Of course, while synchronizing with Raiden, he learned most of the knowledge about magic, but seeing it in person was on a different level.

I thought quietly while watching the scene where all kinds of flames and spray were swirling.

‘Should I practice some magic tomorrow too…’

While I was mumbling like that,

-Ding!

The bell sounded announcing the end of the battle.

Victory or defeat was decided.

“Next turn, come up.”

Aaron’s voice is heard.

We got up from our seats and walked towards the arena.

As we stood on the arena, Aaron asked.

“What kind of weapon would you like?”

Aaron pointed to the floor where various wooden weapons were placed.

“I’ll do it with a spear.”

Lucy picked up a wooden spear from the floor.

Then, as a test, he swung it around a few times, and soon put on a satisfied expression.

“Then, I will use this sword.”

I also reached out without hesitation and picked up a sword.

It was a sword in the shape of a Japanese sword.

Aaron’s eyes lighted slightly when he saw the weapon I had chosen.

“Oh, you use an unusual sword.”

this is familiar to me

Rather, I’m unfamiliar with the side swords you guys use…

As I was quietly opening and closing the sword I had chosen, checking the grip, Aaron spoke to me.

“Aren’t you going to remove the weapon from your waist?”

“Yes… Due to circumstances, I cannot drop my weapon and body.”

“Hmm, is it a dependent weapon?”

“It’s similar.”

Aaron stared at the Sword of Grief, then nodded.

“It doesn’t seem like there’s something that gives a specific buff. I’ll allow you to wear it when sparring. However, use only the wooden sword you picked up earlier.”

“all right.”

I replied and started walking.

In the middle of the arena, Lucy was already there.

I stood facing her.

“Paper Woollyman begins. Ready.”

At those words, I gave strength to the two hands that were holding the wooden persimmon.

Lucy also got ready and pointed her spear at me.

“……”

“……”

A confrontation ensues, followed by a moment of silence.

And what broke that silence was-

-Ding!

It was a clear ringing bell.

.

.

.

People say.

Modern kendo is said to be less practical.

Kendo is a kind of sport that focuses on fast swords and accurate strikes.

In practice, weapon wrestling with other weapons is lacking.

It is common for normally trained kendo fighters to be clumsy in kendo as a fight, not a sport, outside the rules of sports.

If it is the players who have been trained ‘ordinarily’ to the end.

– Wedge juice!

I lightly turned my head to avoid the spear blades rushing towards me.

Then, moving her body gently, she blocked the next attack that came right in.

-chin!

A sense of weight transmitted to the hand with a dull sound.

The corner of my mouth twisted upward at the feeling that felt familiar somewhere.

The days when I was Naru Kim.

I, who spent every day training, was bumping into the limit of growth around the age of 18.

Technology has already reached a peak where it can no longer grow,

Strength and speed have also grown to such an extent that it is difficult for ordinary people to catch up.

In a word, it was said that he reached the maximum limit of growth by taking the full lap.

No matter how much I trained, my skills didn’t go up anymore, so my father introduced a new training method.

That’s Dalian.

Not only sparring with general kendo, but also Western swordsmanship, spears, side swords, and rapiers.

He gathered masters of all kinds of weapons and had them fight with me.

My father decided that once I had reached the pinnacle of my skills, I would now imprint my fighting instincts and reflexes themselves.

Later, he had a one-on-five sparring with 5 masters, each with a different weapon.

……

…The real father was a crazy bastard.

At first, I couldn’t adapt to the kendo that deviated from the rules, so I was beaten all the time.

As time passed,

1 year passed

2 years passed,

when it was about 3 years old.

I have fully adapted to kendo as a fight.

Even the 1v5 sparring, which is done twice a week, can be combined to some extent.

When I was 22, when I went to world competitions, I even won a couple of times.

That’s how I became something other than a normal kendo player.

-chin!

He parried off another strong incoming attack.

The look on Lucy’s expression as she attacked stunned her.

A murmur began to echo around the area.

“I blocked you again!”

“Is that crazy Raiden?”

“How can the attack of the princess who is in the 5th place in Class A…”

I murmured as I strongly struck the spear attached to me.

This is the 5th place…?

How?

There’s definitely strength and skill, but that’s about it.

The gaze processing is messed up, and the staff is not concise.

The skills are good, but I can’t connect them one by one naturally, so I feel like I’m getting cut off in the middle.

“……”

The world qualifier opponent I beat 7-3 was better than this.

Clearly there is talent.

It also seems to have a sense.

But no effort

No calluses visible on the hands,

There are no scars from bursting blisters and cracked palms on her hands.

Sometimes there are people like that.

A person who rises to a high position only with natural talent without effort.

I felt a visceral dislike for such people.

What a hell of a time I had to go from being born with an ordinary talent to reaching the world stage.

How much have I cut myself off?

However, those who were born with talent climbed to a high place without any effort as if they were laughing at my efforts.

So, I destroyed all of them.

To the tower of pain that has been built for a long time,

They defeated all those who stood only with their talents in the competition.

-Wheein juice!

attack again.

I looked at it with empty eyes.

fast.

However, it can be easily blocked.

It was because I had been predicting where her attack would go from the time I took the preliminary action.

-chin! Grrrr!

I lightly let go of the attack that fell overhead with the back of my sword.

And at the same time, he dug into the arms of Lucy, who had become defenseless from attacking.

“I’m sorry…!”

I tried to move the window again belatedly, but it was already too late.

I firmly pressed the spear that was about to move with the back of my sword and put a middle kick into her belly.

– Pleasant!

“Heuk!!”

She groans and backs away.

I said to her who was standing on her stomach.

“Did you apply for a duel earlier? I will accept that request. But there are conditions.”

“Kuh… suddenly what…?”

Her expression darkened.

It is always fun to overwhelm those who are only talented with effort.

“Isn’t dropping out bread too futile?”

I twisted the corner of my mouth and looked at her.

“Let’s do it with each other’s lives. The price of a duel.”

Lucy’s eyes twitched.