It was because he was a little late in responding while he was thinking of something else.
He bit his lower lip to regain his scattered concentration.
He opened his eyes wide and did his best to predict his opponentâs sword.
However, it was difficult. Questions kept popping up in Lance Petersonâs mind.
He continued his thoughts while still trying to block.
When the hell did he learn it?
Have the two of them kept meeting without Lance knowing? Did Irene meet with Judith secretly and then appeared here to surprise him?
That couldnât be.
From what Lance knew, Judith has never been out of town.
Unlike Bratt and him, she didnât have parents or a home to return to.
That was why she stayed in the school for 5 years.
ThenâŠ
ââŠ!â
Lanceâs eyes widened as he blocked Ireneâs sword.
Because he finally found out. By dismissing the incorrect answers one by one, the only possibility remained. And that was the correct answer.
Five years back, 100 trainees gathered to show off their swords for the final evaluation.
If his memory was right, Judith found her sword at that time.
âThat makes it even more impossible!â
Kwang!
A roar rang out. The same as before, the roar of swords clashing.
Irene swung his sword wildly, and Lance blocked it.
What was different was the appearance.
For the first time since taking offense, Ireneâs stance collapsed.
It was impossible to fix the sword, which was out of stance because of the opponent who excelled in strength.
A gap was revealed for the first time!
Lance Peterson didnât miss it.
Crouching, he unleashed his sword.
âHmph!â
It wasnât an attack that was done with calculations.
Lance couldnât afford to take time.
The fact that the opponent in front of him was showing such talent and the fact that the deprivation he felt five years back could resurface if he lost broke his cold reasoning.
Replaced by hot anger. It was strength that came from resisting the previous attacks.
Equivalent exchange of power.
An attack that should have ended the battle.
Swoosh!
But it didnât.
Despite the raging attack, Lanceâs sword was beautiful.
No haggard movements.
Rather, he moved ahead for Irene Pareira, drawing the most beautiful sword path.
It wasnât a fluke.
It wasn't a coincidence.
It was the effort he has built till this very day and his strongest self.
The strongest blow to break down the wall he desperately wanted to break.
However,
Whoops!
Irene suddenly took a defensive posture and swung his sword.
Completely different from the sword he used a second back, soft movements.
Lanceâs attack didnât break through. In an unexpected counterattack, his sword flew high into the sky.
Wheik!
Clench!
The sword struck the ground at an angle.
Lance turned his head to confirm it.
And then looked at Irene Pareira.
The same expressionless face as the first and last time he saw him, 5 years back.
âHa, haâŠâ
Unknowingly, he smiled.
âReproducing Brattâs swordsmanship⊠no.â
Lance, who mumbled, denied his own statement.
The word âreproducingâ isnât correct.
Shaking, he thought of Bratt and Judith.
What would be the outcome if he had battles with Irene in the past?
Even if Irene was put in a 2 on 1 battle, he might win. That was a fact, not speculation.
âBecause I lost⊠saying he reproduced them might be rude.â
Irene developed the sword of Judith and Bratt, which he saw five years back.
Judith and Bratt have grown a lot compared to the past.
Behind all of the reproducingâŠ
âThere must be a lot of hard work.â
Lance smiled.
Not as a joke. A cheerful smile which acknowledged the opponent and accepted the result.
Irene Pareiraâs talent is real. And if people would watch him, they would feel jealousy boiling in their stomachs.
But still, Ireneâs efforts are real.
And one wouldnât know if they didnât see him.
Just how madly he wields the sword.
It makes people say.
â⊠that, that is Irene Pareira.â
Lance Peterson, who faced the greatest hard worker of the 27th batch of trainees, reached out.
And said,
âI Lost. It was a good fight.â
âIt really was.â
And the conclusion came.
The victory overturned the expectations.
Irene Pareira owned the victory.
âWo⊠ahâŠâ
ââŠâ
âThat was amazing. This⊠how is this possible? Was he one of the 27th generation kids? Right? Thatâs crazy⊠it really is crazyâŠâ
ââŠâ
Seeing the match between Lance Peterson and Irene Pareira, one man kept talking.
It was just that.
All the swordsmen who were in the hall were excited as they kept talking.
But Gilbert couldnât.
Because the moment he spoke, his current emotions would burst out.
âWhat? What is this feeling?â
He couldnât describe it.
For Gilbert, who was originally not good at talking, his current emotions were impossible to explain.
Something was overflowing.
But he wasnât sure what it was.
This was the best way he could express it.
A strange feeling, where he enjoyed the battle.
He wasnât the one moving the sword, but it felt like his heart popped out of his mouth.
That wasnât the end.
â⊠uh?â
âThe cat is flying!â
âWhy are you so surprised? The talking cat is flying.â
The swordsman mumbled.
Normally, Lulu would have reacted in some manner.
But not now.
Higher, higher, and higher, Lulu flew to the height of a three-story building and looked.
The most serious expression she had.
And mumbled.
âIs it that person?â
âHuh? That person?â
âWho are you talking about?â
âEing, is someone here?â
â⊠donât say cute things like Eing with such a vicious face.â
People were confused.
Most of them stayed silent, but people with good eyes shared their thoughts.
Perhaps the graduates who were worried about sending a trainee arrived. Some people talked and nodded.
And after a while.
An old man appeared.
ââŠ!â
ââŠ!â
The old man looked normal. He had a typical old manâs body with wrinkles.
A friendly smile which would remind one of a kind-hearted village chief.
However, not a single person could speak in front of him.
There were only two old people in Alcantra who could walk like they owned Krono.
And one is male.
The schoolmaster. Ian.
Everyone froze.
âHaha⊠this is an unexpected sight.â
Ian mumbled as he glanced at the hall.
Normally, Ian would joke around and release the tensed expressions of the trainees and swordsmen, but not this time.
He was too interested in something else.
Of course, there was no way oneâs attention couldnât be drawn.
âWhat is that black cat?â
Lulu was floating around wearing stylish clothes. Even Ian was shocked.
He was curious about its identity.
âBut that isnât important.â
The old man looked away from the cat.
He walked to the center and called out,
âIrene Pareira.â
â⊠schoolmaster.â
âIt has been a long time. Have you been well?â
â⊠yes. For the first time, I have been very well.â
âYou seem to have a lot to say.â
As Ian said.
There were many things he wanted to say, but he wasnât sure what had to be said first.
Ireneâs mind was confused.
However, he didnât have time to organize his thoughts.
Ian pulled out the sword on his waist.
âSince a swordsman met another swordsman, how about we let our swords talk?â
ââŠâ
âThis is right if you look at us as teacher and student. It has been a while, and I would like to see your skills.â
Woong!
As soon as he said that, Ianâs body released formidable energy.
Even the swordsmen who were indirectly exposed could feel a chill run down their spines.
Those who couldnât hold their ground took a couple steps back.
However, no one was concerned about that.
The fact that the schoolmaster of Krono had taken out his sword was more shocking to them.
âThe last time the schoolmaster took out his sword for an outsider⊠how long has it been?â
â4? 5 years?â
Everyone looked at Ian, the master of the sword, and Irene.
Who was that blonde?
Who was he that even the schoolmaster of Krono is bringing out his sword?
Of course, Irene didnât bother responding to those gazes.
Irene thought.
âSimilar to before.â
Just like Lance Peterson, Ian pulled out his sword as soon as he saw Irene.
Shocking and awkward.
If this is how a true swordsman looks, that meant Irene wasnât that good yet.
However,
âNot bad.â
It was fun.
Irene raised his sword.
And swung.
Woong!
The sound of something slashing the wind.
It was to relieve the tension.
But unavoidable.
It would be strange to maintain his composure against the strongest man on the continent. Irene decided to enjoy the moment.
A clear subtle change.
âI'm coming.â
âCome.â
The disciple paid respect to his teacher, and his teacher was ready to receive it.
Immediately, Ireneâs body moved as quick as an arrow.
He didn't realize it, but he was acting differently from when he met Lance Peterson.