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Chapter 116: Final Evaluation (6)

‘Yeah, I figured it wouldn’t be that easy.’

I chuckled slightly, looking down at my body tied in webs, unable to move a finger.

Even though our party is made up of people whose skills are far beyond those of mere candidates, our opponent is none other than Elisha Baldwin.

‘I would have been a bit disappointed if we just got overpowered like that.’

I gazed at Professor Elisha as she calmly walked toward our party, bound in her web.

Her violet eyes, sliced horizontally by a dark pupil, resembled the eyes of a reptile.

That was the characteristic sign of her using the "Blessing of Insight."

‘Now that Professor Elisha has pulled out her blessing…’

It was time for me to reveal a little of the power I’d been keeping hidden.

“Hahh…”

I slowly inhaled.

I drew on the power of the "Primordial Flame" that lay dormant deep within my heart.

“Awaken.”

Whoosh!

Ashen flames flared up, igniting my body.

The webs that had bound me melted away in the fire.

“Ho.”

Professor Elisha\'s eyes glimmered with interest as she watched me.

Facing her directly—

Thud!

I charged at her with a forceful stomp.

“As always, Candidate Dale never ceases to amaze me.”

Professor Elisha smiled faintly, flicking her fingers.

Whoosh!

Dozens of silver threads shot from her fingertips, intertwining and forming sharp spikes aimed directly at me.

‘Ashen Blade, Second Form.’

Fire Edge.

The blade of fire cut through the spikes of silver thread.

I threw myself through the scattered strands, closing in on Professor Elisha.

“Excellent!”

Professor Elisha leaned backward, retreating while crossing her arms.

Rumble!

Her silver threads burrowed deep into the ground, erupting like a fountain.

Dirt and debris exploded upward, as though hidden bombs beneath the earth had detonated.

A massive wave of dirt, weighing tons, crashed toward me in the blink of an eye.

“Hahh…”

I inhaled sharply, pulling my right leg back.

I gathered my mana into a single point and kicked fiercely.

Berald’s Martial Arts.

Thunder Kick.

Boom!

With a deafening roar, the tidal wave of dirt exploded.

A thick cloud of dust filled the air.

‘Where’s Professor Elisha?’

I turned my head, spotting a shadowy figure through the dust cloud.

I instinctively slashed my sword toward it.

Swoosh!

“Huh?”

The dark figure unraveled and quickly wrapped around me.

‘She shaped her threads into a human form.’

I frowned as I glanced at the webs coiling around my body.

“It’s over.”

From the other side, Professor Elisha appeared, sending silver threads toward me.

At that moment—

“Aaaahhhhh!”

“…!”

“I—I have a role to play too!”

Albert, who had been trembling in a corner throughout the battle, threw himself toward the incoming silver threads.

Elisha, who hadn’t considered Albert a threat at all, widened her eyes in surprise at his unexpected move.

“Tch!”

She would have let him get caught in the silver threads if this were a real enemy.

But the opponent here was a candidate, after all.

And Albert, in particular, was far weaker compared to the others.

“Hmph!”

Professor Elisha quickly withdrew the mana infused in her silver threads.

The threads, which had been speeding toward us like bullets, lost their power and fluttered to the ground.

“Nice one, Albert!”

I ignited my ashen flames again, burning away the threads binding me, and dashed toward Professor Elisha.

“Hahh!”

Just as I was about to reach out to the still-reeling Professor Elisha, who hadn’t yet recovered from recalling her mana—

Beep! Beep beep beep!

A loud alarm suddenly blared.

“…Looks like time\'s up.”

Professor Elisha sighed softly and shook her head.

“To think I’d end up showing such a clumsy display at the end.”

She glanced over at Albert with a wry smile.

“Well done.”

With a snap of her fingers, the webs binding Yuren, Camilla, and Iris lost their strength and fell to the ground.

“And…”

“You’ve passed the test.”

Professor Elisha handed me a diamond badge, like one worn on her chest.

“W-Wow! Dale! It’s a diamond badge, a diamond badge!”

Albert yelled in excitement, jumping up and down.

“Hmph.”

“Ugh… it doesn’t feel entirely satisfying.”

“Well, still, we’re guaranteed first place now.”

Camilla, Iris, and Yuren, who had just been freed from the webs, smiled wearily.

“You all did wonderfully. To be honest, it didn’t feel like a candidate party at all.”

Professor Elisha smiled at us with satisfaction.

“Candidate Yuren.”

“Yes?”

“You truly lived up to the name of ‘Sword of the Sun.’ However…”

With her arms crossed and her eyes narrowing, Professor Elisha continued.

“You haven’t fully mastered the use of your mana yet.”

“Ugh…”

“The amount of mana you have even surpasses mine. You\'ll achieve great results if you learn to control it better.”

“Thank you for your advice.”

Yuren bowed his head respectfully to Professor Elisha.

“Next, Candidate Camilla.”

“Yes, Professor.”

“Your sword is too straightforward. It might be worth learning a bit more technique.”

“…I’ll keep that in mind.”

Camilla bowed politely and stepped back as Professor Elisha approached Iris.

“You were quick to cast blessings as soon as the battle started, and your support with protective magic throughout was well done.”

“Thank you.”

“However, in a party, support members are often the primary targets. You should learn how to protect yourself better.”

“I’ll take that to heart.”

Iris clasped her hands together and bowed her head respectfully.

“And Candidate Albert.”

“Y-Yes!”

“You made a bold decision at the end. I must admit, I was caught off guard.”

Professor Elisha smiled bitterly, recalling what had happened with Albert.

“Th-Thank you!”

“But, if this had been a real fight, you wouldn’t have survived. Keep that in mind.”

“Hiiiek!”

Albert’s face turned pale as he trembled.

“And lastly…”

Professor Elisha turned her gaze toward me.

"Cadet Dale, can we have a word in private?"

"Oh, yes. Of course."

"Follow me."

Professor Elisha led me behind a crumbling rock wall, the result of the recent battle.

"Are you planning to give me some feedback that requires a private conversation?"

"Hmm, feedback, huh..."

With a bitter smile, she shook her head.

"I don\'t think I\'m in a position to give you feedback."

"What?"

"Cadet Dale, did you give it your all in this test?"

"Well..."

I hesitated, my expression awkward.

Professor Elisha nodded knowingly.

"As I thought. You were holding something back."

She was right.

I hadn\'t shown all my cards in this test.

I hadn\'t even used the power of the Demon Sword, let alone \'Ignition.\'

"I wasn\'t trying to hide anything on purpose. I just didn\'t have the opportunity to use it."

The test was to survive for five minutes in a fight against Professor Elisha.

There was no need to win the fight, so why reveal all my cards and go all out?

\'And if I had gone all out...\'

As I awkwardly smiled at Professor Elisha, her eyes narrowed.

"Are you sure that\'s the only reason?"

"......"

"Hmm."

Professor Elisha leaned in closer and spoke again.

"Or was it because you were worried I might get hurt if you went all out?"

"......"

Damn it.

Her Insight Blessing was annoyingly sharp.

"Haha! Hahahaha!"

Professor Elisha burst into laughter, clutching her stomach.

She wasn\'t laughing because my cheeky thoughts were funny.

No, she likely knew better than anyone else that if I went all out, she might not be able to win.

After all, she had the Insight Blessing.

"Who... what are you, exactly?"

She placed her hands on my shoulders as she spoke.

"I’ve seen many talented cadets in my time. A cadet stronger than a professor? Rare, but it has happened."

But—

"I’ve never seen anyone as ridiculously strong as you, Cadet Dale. Not in the entire 500-year history."

There\'s a limit to brushing something off as irregular.

A five-year-old solving high school math is called a genius.

But solving one of the seven great mathematical problems?

That makes them a monster.

Dale wasn\'t a genius.

He was a monster.

A monster of a level far beyond understanding or common sense.

"Well, I guess."

I gently took hold of Professor Elisha’s hand on my shoulder as I spoke.

"Just because something has never happened before in history doesn’t mean it can’t happen in the future, right?"

"...You."

"If I ever get the chance."

I slowly removed her hand from my shoulder.

"I’ll explain it to you then."

"......"

Professor Elisha stared at me with trembling eyes, her lips tightly sealed.

"Haa."

She let out a deep sigh and shook her head.

"I thought I was nurturing a sapling, but it turns out it was already a fully grown tree."

A tree so large that its shadow loomed over her.

"But don\'t forget."

Professor Elisha smiled mischievously, lightly pressing a finger to my lips.

"Sapling or fully grown tree, I’m still the one who nurtured you."

"...I\'ll keep that in mind."

Suppressing a laugh, I smiled as I watched her feign innocence with a playful shrug.

"Anyway, the test is over, so let\'s head back."

"Yes."

"Haha. But Cadet Dale, are you really fine with the test ending like this?"

"Sorry? Why?"

"If you rank first, you\'ll no longer be in last place. Won\'t that put you in a difficult position?"

"Who would be in a difficult position?"

"Hmm? Weren\'t you deliberately keeping your score low?"

"......"

No. I didn’t choose to be in last place.

"Hmm. I naturally assumed you were intentionally clinging to the bottom spot..."

"Sigh. That\'s not it."

"Well, if you say so. In any case, congratulations in advance for escaping from last place."

With a sly grin, Professor Elisha turned and walked back to where the other party members were waiting.

"Oh, by the way, I was curious about something."

"Hmm? What is it?"

"Those riddles written at the entrance... were they your idea, Professor?"

"Haha. Didn’t you find them fun?"

"What\'s fun about that?"

I chuckled dryly and shook my head.

"Sigh. And the fact that you smashed the guardian golems to give us a hint... I don’t quite get your sense of humor, Professor."

"...Hmm?"

Professor Elisha tilted her head at my comment.

"Smashing the guardian golems to give a hint? What are you talking about?"

"Uh, the dozens of broken guardian golems in front of the entrance to this secret chamber. That wasn’t you?"

"Do you have any idea how expensive one of those golems is? Why would I do something so reckless?"

Professor Elisha frowned and shook her head.

"...So it wasn\'t you, Professor?"

If that\'s the case...

Who destroyed dozens of golems without leaving a trace?

I narrowed my eyes as I continued to think.

Rumble—!

Suddenly, the basement trembled violently, as if an earthquake had struck.

Thick, red liquid began to cover the surrounding space.

"Is this... a barrier?"

"D-Dale! Are you alright?!"

My party members, who had been far away, came rushing over.

"Professor Elisha, this isn’t some kind of surprise event you prepared, is it?"

"...No."

With a heavy expression, she shook her head.

Her fingers tensed as she began drawing silver threads, scanning the surroundings cautiously.

Then—

Thud, thud.

The sound of footsteps echoed softly.

I turned my head and saw a boy standing at the entrance.

"Hey! You\'re Dale, right?"

The boy smiled innocently and waved at me.