Chapter 9: Class Is Eternal (1)
After the monthly evaluation, a period of monotonous, grueling physical training awaited the cadets.
Then, exactly six months after enrollnt, a special occasion was granted.
To prepare for this event, Evan and the other cadets headed to the training hall under the assistant instructors’ guidance.
“Line up and follow.”
At the destination, instructors and assistant instructors were already lined up.
In the center, Head Instructor Everhart appeared and addressed the cadets.
“Greetings, cadets. Do you know why I’ve gathered you here today?”
No one easily answered the head instructor’s question, likely due to the overwhelming presence he exuded.
“It’s to choose the weapons we’ll train with at the Academy!”
Only Jaina raised her hand to answer,
and Everhart nodded with satisfaction.
“A perfect answer. Today, you will choose the path you’ll walk. But first, let ask: is there anyone here who believes they have a weapon that feels like an extension of themselves?”
At this question, Jaina and a few others raised their hands.
“I see. I recognize so of you. Most of you co from prominent families already walking a clear path.”
He was referring to noble families like the Vaberins.
“But most of you don’t know which weapon suits you and simply follow what others do.”
Evan agreed with Everhart’s words.
‘He’s right. In the gladiator training camp, most people start with a sword. It’s easy to use, and it’s the most common.’
But everyone has a weapon they excel with.
They just don’t know it because they haven’t tried.
It’s like a mage’s elental affinity.
In the Mage Tower and magic academies, they identify which elents suit a person.
Lansed Academy seed to aim to awaken cadets to this sa realization.
“So, today, I intend to guide you toward your path. I won’t force it, but I hope you take this opportunity seriously.”
Everhart finished and entered the training hall first.
Then, Instructor Nell Verind stepped forward to explain the procedure.
“This isn’t a test, so relax. When your na is called, enter the training hall one by one. Inside, the head instructor and others will observe you.”
As soon as he finished, a na was called.
“Elliott Harpman!”
***
On both walls of the training hall, all sorts of weapons were neatly displayed, each bound tightly with thick chains.
On a table in the center, only four weapons were freely available:
a sword, a spear, an axe, and a bow.
Opposite the table stood an unmoving, shapeless sli—a device for testing the cadets today.
Alongside these, three judges overseeing the process were chatting among themselves.
Head Instructor Everhart Mylon sat in the center, with dwarf blacksmith Akton to his right and history professor and mage Droran to his left.
“Ugh… Head Instructor, this batch doesn’t seem to have any special kids either.”
“Tch, half are still left, and you’re already jumping to conclusions, young man?”
“What? You dwarf geezer!”
“Enough, both of you. The test is still ongoing.”
Everhart diated between the bickering pair.
When a cadet entered, they all fell silent and faced forward.
“Jaina Vaberin! The daughter of the Vaberin family, renowned for swordsmanship.”
“Yes, that’s , Head Instructor.”
“We have high expectations for you. Now, let’s see your skills.”
After a brief exchange with Everhart, Jaina looked down at the weapons on the table.
Without hesitation, she picked up the sword.
“As expected, the sword. Droran, prepare.”
“Yes.”
Mage Droran raised his staff and chanted a spell.
A protective barrier enveloped the area, and the sli stirred, taking on a human form.
“The sli will move at the level of our assistant instructors. So, face it with all your strength.”
Lansed Academy’s assistant instructors were, on average, equivalent to centurions in the military.
The skill gap between them and new cadets was vast.
Most cadets who had gone before couldn’t even land a proper attack against the sli.
But outliers like Jaina were different.
“Let’s begin! Hah!”
The Vaberin family, who built their legacy on swordsmanship.
Their success stemd from the tempestuous Vaberin sword, striking like a whirlwind.
―Swish-swish-swish!
A storm of spinning sword strikes.
The relentless, ferocious assault left the sli no room to counter, forcing it to dodge.
―Splat-splat!
Judging retreat as the best option, the sli backed away to create distance.
Jaina, using her family’s signature footwork, closed the gap instantly.
―Splat!!!
The sli’s arm was severed.
At the sa ti, the sli struck Jaina’s abdon with its remaining arm.
“Ugh!”
Everhart, watching the Vaberin swordsmanship, couldn’t hide his admiration.
He hadn’t expected Jaina, not even the heir apparent, to display such skill.
“If it’s the Vaberin sword, can she defeat an assistant instructor at that age…?”
A relentless exchange with no quarter given.
The montum gradually tilted in Jaina’s favor.
―Slash!
She finally succeeded in striking a vital human point, rendering further testing unnecessary.
“That’s enough.”
Everhart praised her as she caught her breath.
“Truly splendid! Worthy of the Vaberin na!”
The others seated beside him felt the sa.
“Good grief…”
“She doesn’t need another path. She’s already certain.”
Today’s test aid to guide cadets on which weapon to train with at the Academy.
Since most didn’t have deep stories, they typically followed the head instructor and blacksmith’s recomndations.
Of course, so, like Jaina Vaberin, were already set on their path with firm conviction.
“Keep wielding the sword and strive forward. You may one day follow in Duke Vaberin’s footsteps.”
“Yes! I’ll keep that in mind, Head Instructor.”
As she left, the three judges continued their discussion, still caught in the afterglow.
“Haha, it’ll be worth picking up the hamr for her.”
“Wow—competing with a sli programd to assistant instructor level? That’s rare, isn’t it? I take back what I said about no special kids.”
“After seeing Jaina Vaberin, I’m looking forward to the rest.”
But contrary to their expectations, the cadets who followed left little impression.
Was it because Jaina’s performance was too outstanding?
They tried their best, but it was hard to feel inspired.
‘Is Jaina the clear first in this batch…? Oh, there’s still that kid Instructor Nell’s been eyeing.’
Then, finally, the mont arrived.
The cadet Instructor Nell Verind had ntioned multiple tis,
whom Everhart had deliberately saved for later,
Evan Lafard, entered.
“Evan Lafard! True to your word, you’ve forgotten the past and beco a new person. This instructor finds that comndable. Keep striving.”
“Thank you.”
“We have high expectations for you. So, which weapon will you choose?”
Everhart’s attention was fixed on Evan’s hands.
Evan picked up the spear.
“A spear! Droran, prepare.”
Everhart watched Evan and the test with great anticipation.
―Splat-splat.
Evan closely observed the sli’s movents and stepped back.
After a brief pause, he lunged forward, thrusting the spear.
‘Right. With the spear’s thrust accelerated, it could pierce the sli. But… this isn’t an ordinary sli.’
Power only matters if it hits.
The sli, mimicking an assistant instructor’s movents, read the spear’s path and twisted its body.
‘No way?’
At that mont, Evan’s spear curved,
precisely piercing the sli’s heart.
―Splat!
The three judges leaned forward at the attack.
‘Unbelievable! In a split second, he twisted his wrist to alter the spear’s trajectory and hit the heart. Twice, no less!’
The sli had sensed the spear’s altered path and moved.
Taking so damage was already impressive for Evan’s age.
But Evan didn’t stop there—he adjusted the trajectory again.
The sli, unable to anticipate it, took a direct hit to the heart.
All this movent and judgnt happened in re seconds.
‘An illusion that makes the spear seem to bend. Can he wield such technique at that age?’
A one-hit kill.
Evan’s unorthodox attack perfectly showcased the spear’s strengths.
“…”
For any other cadet, there’d be no need to see more.
They’d be told to train with the spear.
But blacksmith Akton thought differently.
For so reason, he wanted to see Evan wield another weapon.
Everhart felt the sa.
‘I’ve never heard of the Lafard family being tied to spears. Did he teach himself? If so…’
What would Evan look like with a sword?
Or another weapon?
“Evan Lafard. That was excellent. No empty praise. Changing the spear’s trajectory in an instant is remarkable, but your eyes, never missing a mont, are extraordinary.”
“Thank you for the praise.”
“Let ask one thing. Can you handle other weapons?”
“Uh… I can.”
“Would you show us?”
“Yes, understood.”
Without hesitation, Evan picked up the next weapon, the bow.
“A bow! I’m looking forward to this. Droran?”
Another test began.
Evan, holding the bow, grabbed an arrow and drew the string.
―Twang!
The sli easily dodged the incoming arrow.
―Ting!
The arrow hit the protective barrier and fell limply.
Seeing this, Everhart anticipated what Evan would show in this test.
‘His shooting stance is solid. As a noble, he’s got the basics down. But the sli won’t be easy.’
If he used the bow conventionally, unlike before, he’d struggle to hit the sli.
But Evan completely shattered those expectations.
“What?”
He placed two arrows on the string and drew.
―Twang! Twang!
The sli dodged the two simultaneous arrows.
Then, Evan grabbed three arrows.
‘No way, multi-shot? Even skilled archers struggle with that.’
Everhart, who had seen many wars, had rarely t archers who could shoot multiple arrows at once.
But here, he witnessed it—a near-miraculous feat.
―Twang! Twang! Twang!
At close range, dodging three arrows was near impossible.
―Splat.
One hit the thigh.
Yet Evan looked unsatisfied and
―Swish.
fired five arrows at once.
―Thud-thud-thud!!
Three hit the arm, leg, and a very sensitive male area.
“Uh, quick question—is the sli supposed to be female right now?”
Evan was serious.
But gender didn’t matter.
What mattered was that Everhart and the other judges decided no further testing was needed.
“S-stop… that’s enough. It was too excellent.”
Everhart stamred, visibly shaken.
He was starting to get excited by the staggering talent before him.
‘Nell was right. He’s been hiding his skills.’
Unaware of this, Evan didn’t leave after the test ended and picked up the next weapon.
“What… what are you doing?”
“You asked if I could handle other weapons, didn’t you? So I’m preparing.”
Evan’s test wasn’t over yet.
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