The Company Commander has returned

Chapter 14 - Breaking Limits

Even though I hadn't done anything...

"Come to think of it, ever since I gained the lake, it hasn't rained even once..."

I felt the rain differently.

I focused on the falling rain.

Trying to perceive it more precisely.

Each time a raindrop struck the ground, the puddles trembled in response.

The "lake" was just a nickname Kinjo had given it.

"…What I was sensing wasn't the lake but the ripples."

The ripples were stronger than when I used the lake.

There were far more of them, too.

Counting raindrops would be impossible.

I closed my eyes.

The words of the knight from earlier naturally resurfaced in my mind.

"Go to environments that actually exist, feel them, get used to them. It'll make sensing mana easier. The easier it is, the more you'll grow."

A real environment where ripples existed.

For me, it was the rain.

He had given me a hint.

He'd probably think he hadn't shared anything with me, but...

He'd shown me the way forward when I didn't know how to grow.

Feel it and get used to it—that was all.

Now that I knew the way, all that was left was to move forward.

With my eyes shut, I immersed myself in the rain.

The countless raindrops became my allies.

Nature was on my side.

The lake had clear limits.

Twice a day.

Five minutes. Fifty meters.

The heavy rain was fundamentally different from the lake.

The lake felt like a sensation confined within a circle.

The rain, on the other hand...

"Endless ripples."

Infinite.

Under the storm clouds, it filled every space without gaps.

It deepened the colors of the ground as it poured down.

Falling and splashing.

Ripples spreading.

I dashed back to the room.

Excited, I shook Kinjo awake.

"Kinjo, get up!"

"Ugh... What...?"

"I think I can push further. With this feeling..."

"What are you even talking about? So noisy..."

Kinjo rubbed his eyes.

"Come outside, quick."

"No, I don't want to. I'm going back to sleep."

He pulled the blanket over his head.

"Right now."

"Just five more minutes."

"Stop spouting nonsense."

"What do you mean you can push further? What's that supposed to mean?"

"I think I can break my limits."

"Break what?"

"The rain—it makes me feel like I can."

"It's just your imagination."

"Ugh, so much for help."

"Exactly. I'm no help. I'm sleepy, so do it yourself."

"Well, if that's the case..."

I drove my fist into his side.

"Ugh...!"

I went back outside.

Standing still, I let the rain fall on me.

Closing my eyes, I used the lake twice in succession.

And then I stood there for ten minutes.

Normally, it would have faded by now.

But the black-and-white world persisted even after that.

"It wasn't necessary."

A third usage began to flow seamlessly.

"Having a teacher or anything."

***

"The third test will proceed as planned."

The head instructor began the briefing in the parade ground.

This time, there were no maps or written materials.

That could only mean one thing:

The third test had already begun.

Although there was a fourth test to come, this third one was essentially the final challenge.

The fourth test…

I remembered that day.

"Vel, calm down!"

"I'm going to kill that bastard myself!"

"Vel!"

Pressing my forehead, I banished the intrusive thoughts.

Now was the time to focus on the third test.

The instructor raised his right hand.

"For this test, you will form teams of three. It will primarily be a 3-versus-3 format."

He spread three fingers of his raised hand.

Teams of three?

In my past life, the third test was a four-person team tournament-style duel.

The content of the test had changed.

What in the world altered the future this time?

"This new format is thanks to someone who caused chaos during the first test. To prevent a repeat, the 66th batch will undergo a specially designed test, introduced for the first time."

It was my fault.

I never expected my actions to come back like this.

Now I had to face a test I knew nothing about.

"This will feel unfamiliar. Because of someone's antics, the instructors brainstormed and devised something completely new. If it proves effective, this test might become a staple for future batches."

The instructor gestured with his wooden pointer.

"The name of this test is Mago Chess. By the way, I didn't come up with that name."

Even he seemed a bit embarrassed after saying it.

For the first time, the instructor's expression wavered.

"They're being pretty direct about who's to blame..."

Amon muttered quietly beside me.

"They call it Mago Chess because it feels like playing chess blindfolded."

The instructor shifted his gaze, leading us to follow his line of sight.

A grid pattern covered the parade ground, divided into squares like a chessboard.

However, the layout wasn't a standard chessboard.

It had more squares, and it was significantly larger.

"When the test begins, turns will be assigned. You may only move during your turn," he explained.

"Pay close attention. Here are the modifications: each team will have one King. The King cannot move and must keep their eyes closed."

The cadets nodded in understanding.

"During each turn, the King will control the movements of the other two team members—referred to as chess pieces. How far they can move depends on the King's judgment and the pieces' abilities."

"Excuse me, Instructor, does that mean faster chess pieces can move farther…?"

"Questions later, Kinjo. But since you brought it up, yes, you're correct. Just like different types of chess pieces have varying movements, how far you can go depends on the abilities of the cadets assigned as chess pieces. The King's strategy will determine how effectively they're used."

After clearing his throat, the instructor continued.

"Another rule differing from standard chess: you can skip your turn. You don't have to move a piece."

He extended his index finger.

"One more thing. The King is allowed to open their eyes twice during the test. When the King's eyes are open, the opposing team cannot move. Victory is straightforward: a chess piece must capture the opposing King. Physical contact ends the game immediately. A word of advice: the King must act as the brain."

The instructor tapped his temple.

"But relying on brains alone won't secure victory. The King cannot see or move and must depend entirely on the two chess pieces for information. This test is designed to evaluate your command and communication skills. As you experienced in the first test, any unmentioned details fall outside the rules. It's up to you to find loopholes and devise a strategy to win."

With that, the explanation concluded.

"Any questions?"

I raised my hand first.

"Instructor."

"How will the scores be distributed?"

"The winning team earns 50 points. The losing team gets nothing. It's all or nothing."

The cadets murmured among themselves.

"Team composition will be critical…"

"It's make or break."

"Rankings could flip after this."

"Quiet. Any other questions?"

I raised my hand again.

"Instructor."

"What's the criteria for team assignments?"

"Good question. This time, teams were balanced based on skill levels. Let's begin the assignments."

The team selection started.

I waited patiently for my turn to come.

"Group 5, Mago."

As soon as my name was called, I responded loudly.

"We're applying an exception rule for you. Mago, you're fixed as the King."

"Why is that...?"

"I don't like to say it, but it's necessary to maintain balance."

I had no choice but to accept the role of the King.

Next, my partners were announced.

"Oscar Cita, Louis Murphy."

Oscar and Louis, her hair tied in twin braids, approached me.

And so, the three of us formed Group 5.

"Next, Group 6."

This would be the group we'd face.

"Kinjo Shua, Amon Coster, Vel Red."

So much for their talk about balance.

Group 6 was overwhelmingly stacked.

"Are they seriously pairing them up like that?" Oscar muttered in disbelief.

"Mago, can we even win this? Plus, you're fixed as the King, so you can't use your body properly. If you were a chess piece, you'd be a Queen, no doubt..."

"Well... we'll have to try and find out."

"In the first trial, you might've been alone. But this time, you've got me." Oscar pointed his thumb at his chest.

"If you're a plus, I'm the minus."

"How can you say that with such confidence, Oscar?" Louis rebuked him sternly.

"Anyway, Mago. If we're being honest, Group 6 is full of pluses," Oscar added.

Kinjo, Amon, Vel.

They were undoubtedly formidable opponents.

Kinjo would naturally take the role of King.

With his clairvoyance magic, Kinjo's penalty of closing his eyes wouldn't even matter. He could lightly see through his own eyelids, eliminating the usual drawbacks of the King role.

If he timed his moves to open his eyes and stop Oscar or Louis at critical moments, victory was practically assured.

To make matters worse, Amon and Vel were his protectors. Their composition left no openings.

Group 6's chess pieces were arranged with perfect synergy.

As I thought about it, my eyes met Kinjo's.

We understood each other.

The lake and clairvoyance.

It was a battle to see whose vision would prevail.

"Mago, let me apologize in advance," Oscar said, lowering his head.

"I'm making things harder just by being here. If we win, it'll be solely because of you."

"Harder? What are you talking about?"

"Compared to you and Group 6, I'm just average."

"Someone who dedicated their life to their country is far from average. There's no one average here. So stop the nonsense and start thinking about how to protect me."

"Even so, I'm probably the least impactful here..." Oscar sighed.

Oscar had exceptional talent in crafting but little combat ability. Meanwhile, Louis, holding a wooden sword for close combat, was less effective compared to her skills with a bow.

"And Kinjo knows all my weaknesses..."

However, I had one advantage: Kinjo had no idea what had transpired during the rain last night.

That critical information gap could be exploited.

There was one way to beat Group 6.

"Oscar, on the tenth turn, move straight ahead. No matter what, even if I order you to go sideways, just keep going forward."

"Why...?"

"You'll understand how advantageous it is to be overlooked in chess. I'll show you."

As the lead instructor said, how chess pieces were used depended entirely on the King's judgment and skill.

Mago, I'm sorry, but...

Kinjo touched his chin, deep in thought.

...it's been bothering me that I'm the only one who dropped from the top spot.

He recalled the past.

The time when he and Mago waited to join the training center in the capital.

Together, they had tested the lake's powers and defeated bandits.

Kinjo knew Mago better than anyone else.

Duration, range.

I know the weaknesses.

Only I do.

The lake's limit is twice a day.

I just need to endure ten minutes.

"Kinjo, isn't this suspiciously easy?" Amon asked, breaking the silence.

"I try not to make premature judgments, but if I'm honest..." Kinjo glanced at Amon.

"You're right. It's ridiculously easy."

"Of course it is. A mage with clairvoyance as the King? That's a no-brainer."

"Ah, but Mago can see with his eyes closed too," Kinjo pointed out.

"What? I thought all his victories so far were just luck."

"If it were luck, it would've only happened once."

"How does a former slave even manage something like that...?"

"He's talented in magic. He uses mana flow to replace sight. It's complicated to explain and not relevant now."

Kinjo clapped his hands, signaling attention.

"Alright, let me explain Mago's weaknesses. Vel, come here."

Vel, who had been building a toad house with wet sand, destroyed it and joined them.

"The magic he calls 'the lake' works twice a day for five minutes."

I feel like Mago mentioned something about last night... but it probably doesn't matter.