The Academy’s Doomed Young Lord Dies Ten Thousand Times

Chapter 15 - Sparring Test (3)

To be honest, I didn't particularly have any feelings of pity for Rain Enlight.

He was just a character in a game, after all, and there were countless characters who lived pitiful lives and were consumed that way.

There were, of course, many characters who had lived more pitiful lives than Rain.

Even after this world of became reality, I thought so. I had thought so.

But after experiencing over 200 regressions……. I couldn't help but feel sympathy for Rain.

The daily mistreatment, contempt, and ridicule. That torment was not confined to the House of Enlight. It was the same after arriving at the academy.

During the 200 regressions, I had only tasted a fraction of it, yet I felt great pain. Then what about Rain, who had fully accepted it for 17 years?

Therefore, I thought.

I would elevate the honor of Rain Enlight.

For the original Rain, who was no longer here.

I know. This might just be the influence of the original. Just as I inherited Rain's way of speaking, or just as I unknowingly flinched at memories I didn't know, I might have inherited that anger as well.

It might be something close to hypocrisy. It might be that I'm just attaching grandiose reasons to the things I'm doing to live comfortably from now on, just because I myself have suffered.

As I said before, there were countless people more unfortunate than Rain.

But I thought this way.

‘Who cares.’

I wanted to do it. So I will do it.

This was the first step.

The first step in making it so that no one could ever laugh at the name Rain Enlight again.

Certainly, even if I fought Milo right now without any preparation, victory was guaranteed.

Although there was some difference in physical ability, I could have figured him out with a bit

of probing and overcome him with my combat sense and swordsmanship.

But what I needed was not a simple victory. It was an overwhelming victory.

Simply put, I could have used 『Moment of Decisive Battle』 to end it in one blow, but there was no need to reveal my trump card.

For this overwhelming victory, only a little preparation was needed.

On the day of enrollment, taking a seat near Milo in the training hall wasn't just to provoke him.

Although that was the main reason. There was another reason.

And that reason was to grasp the techniques he used.

On the first day of the entrance ceremony, what was the reason for the freshmen flocking to the training hall? Wasn't it to appeal their level to the professors?

Yes, Milo had laid bare his own foundations with his own hands for the sake of self-PR. What kind of swordsmanship he used, and what characteristics that swordsmanship had.

And, due to my high-rank combat sense and swordsmanship proficiency, I was able to grasp it quickly.

‘He has just memorized the techniques and uses them as they are; he has no application ability. What he showed here is everything.’

Once that judgment was made, all that was left was to burn his swordsmanship into my eyes. About what attack follows from what stance.

It is known that if you know yourself and your enemy, you will win a hundred battles……. but the original text says if you know yourself and your enemy, you will not be in peril in a hundred battles.

But having completely figured out Milo's swordsmanship, I dare say.

In this fight alone, I am confident that I can win a hundred times out of a hundred, overwhelmingly.

As the spar began, Milo slowly closed the distance towards me. I also slowly closed in.

Then he stopped at a precarious distance where our swords couldn't reach. I also maintained a certain distance.

‘I will not attack first.’

That was my strategy. Not so much a strategy for victory, but a strategy for presentation.

First, I will show a perfect takedown of his techniques, and then win overwhelmingly with a single blow.

That was the most heated picture I could show.

The technique Milo would use was obvious. A swift two-step approach to steal the tempo, and a single strike aimed at the legs, which are relatively hard to pay attention to.

Whoosh-!

Since I knew what was coming, all that was left was to simply dodge it.

The following attacks were the same.

Whoosh-.

Whoosh-.

Swoosh-!

If he swung his sword wide to the left, he would then swing it to the opposite side. Then he would bring it down vertically.

Various techniques were mixed in to deceive the eyes, but for Milo, that pattern was absolute. Why?

Because that's how he would have been taught.

His swordsmanship was truly rigid. It was a swordsmanship that only repeated what was learned, without application.

With just that, he could have acted high and mighty among the riffraff. His innate physical ability and the excellence of the swordsmanship itself would put him above average.

‘But that's it.’

“Uwaaaaaah!!”

As his attacks continued to miss, he attacked while shouting as if to burst out his frustration.

But if he couldn't hit me when he was composed, how could he hit me when his composure was broken?

Swoosh-.

I lightly parried a sword strike and distanced myself from Milo. And I looked at his face. His face was distorted, flushed red and blue, and sweat was pouring down like rain.

The triumphant and condescending attitude from before was nowhere to be found.

“……Hah.”

Seeing that, I couldn't help but let out a dry laugh. The guy who had been picking fights with me at every turn was in such a state now. There was a limit to how pathetic one could be.

“You……!”

And seeing that expression, he either got heated or realized something, and charged at me fiercely.

“Were you…… toying with me!!”

Clang-!

But Milo's sword strike never reached me. I raised my training sword diagonally again and deflected his attack.

“Toying with you.”

I muttered as such. It was ridiculous.

“Am I not allowed to do so?”

Clang-!

“No, before that, do you have the right to say such things?”

Clang-!

While lightly deflecting Milo's continuous attacks, I continued.

“You, who looked down on people just because of their background, and played with the weak as if they were your toys?”

“Shut your mouth!!”

Thinking rationally, it was an unnecessary remark.

He was just an NPC in a game. He was data that acted that way because he was set up that way.

Therefore, there was no reason for me, who was just a player, to lash out at him like this.

No one gets angry at data.

Then, why am I angry right now?

Clang-!

After parrying all of Milo's 4-hit combo, I distanced myself from him again.

I was thinking of ending it soon.

Flick.

I flicked my hand opposite to the one holding the sword, my left hand, at Milo.

“I will end this with the next attack. It seems you don't particularly enjoy being played with, for all your worth.”

At those words, Milo gritted his teeth and said.

“You filthy blood……!”

A truly cliché……. stereotypical line that you could tell was from a game.

Even after hearing that, a feeling of disgust still welled up, and I could feel it.

‘This place really is my reality now.’

I am really feeling this place as reality.

And, I am grieving over what Rain experienced.

Realizing that, I raised my sword.

It was time to end it.

My proof.

The provocation, which had a bit of sincerity mixed in, was successful. I could see from his stance that he was preparing a big move.

I could already see what attack was coming. I had figured it all out yesterday.

I corrected my stance. The upright stance that was the basis of all swordsmanship, which I

learned from my first master, Jeduin.

There is no need for flashy techniques. Concise, and accurate.

Dash-!

Milo, who now had an expression that seemed to feel even hatred, rushed out.

His one step, and another step, were so slow.

I'm not saying they were actually slow. It was just that every single movement was so clear……. as if I could grasp it in my hands.

3 steps until he reached me.

His left foot, first step. He pulled his sword back to the maximum.

His right foot, second step. He began to swing.

His left foot, third step.

He's aiming for the head.

No, the torso.

A sword strike that feints at the head, then instantly twists the entire body's angle to aim for the side.

This was probably the highest-difficulty technique he had, and his trump card. It had taken more time to get used to than his other techniques.

But, it was a technique I had already ‘seen’.

Without any hesitation, I extended my sword towards the sword strike heading for my torso.

My sword held diagonally.

Screeeech-!

Following the shape of the blade, that powerful sword strike slowly slides down. Towards the

hilt of the sword.

And just before the impact was fully transmitted to the hilt.

Once, I turned the sword in a circle to absorb the shock.

This was the basic technique in the empire's formal swordsmanship taught by Jeduin, the

Alles Sword Style, that formed the basis of the act of ‘parrying’ all attacks.

Wind Parry.

The impact from Milo's attack was thus scattered into the empty air…….

And Milo himself lost his balance from the aftermath. If he had perfectly controlled the center

of gravity of his technique, that wouldn't have happened. But that was his limit.

Thud-!

Milo, who had lost his balance, dropped his sword and rolled on the floor.

“You said earlier that you despise those who crawl up.”

I placed my sword on the fallen guy's neck and said quietly.

“I feel the same way.”

Right after those words.

I raised my training sword and accurately struck the back of his neck.

Thwack-!

With that one concise strike, he lost consciousness…….

“Spar concluded!”

The supervisor's declaration was heard.

“Winner, Student Rain Enlight.”

It was a declaration that my proof had been successfully made.

“…….”

But there were no heated cheers or thunderous applause as depicted in other media. No, rather, the spectator seats were shrouded in silence.

Was it because they had witnessed an unbelievable scene? Probably even the guys who didn't know me felt that the atmosphere was strange and were influenced.

I let out a small sigh.

And just as I was about to turn around and leave the examination hall.

Clap, clap.

A languid, yet elegant clapping sound was heard. From the front row of the spectator seats, closest to the sparring stage.

And in that seat…….

“Oh my, have you forgotten to applaud the victor? You honorable knight students…….”

There was Regina, clapping lightly with a satisfied smile. It was a sadistic smile that seemed to be enjoying this chaotic situation.

And at those words, the sound of applause was heard from another place. This time, it was a disciplined clap, reminiscent of a soldier's applause.

Clap, clap, clap.

In that seat was the green-eyed blonde girl, Serene.

Starting with those two who had strong influence within the academy…….

Clap, clap, clap-clap-clap-clap-clap-!

A rather listenable sound of applause began to be heard.

“Ha.”

I let out a small laugh at that sight.

Yes, it wasn't applause filled with admiration or enthusiasm. But this was clearly applause of acknowledgment.

Applause that acknowledged that the path I had walked so far was not in vain.

“……This kind of applause is also quite comforting.”

Can Rain hear it, this applause?

Did he ever imagine the sight of himself receiving everyone's applause after his victory?

The thought that he might have imagined it countless times came to mind, and a corner of my chest felt a little sore.

[System : [ Episode 2. Entrance Examination ] - Clear!]

[System : Overcoming Ten Thousand Deaths has reached a checkpoint!]