Chapter 208
[Translator – Kie]
[Proofreader – Kawaii]
Chapter 208: Shocked (2)
***
The next day, the injured people began to wake up one by one.
Thanks to Damien’s generous use of medicines and the addition of his divine power by dawn, the party’s wounds were all neatly healed.
“Wow…”
“Whoa…”
Michael and Veronica couldn’t take their eyes off the aurablade that Damien had created.
When Damien tilted the aurablade to the left, the two of them followed. When he tilted it to the right, they moved in the same way again.
“Do you believe me now?”
With that, Damien deactivated the aurablade. A look of longing appeared on the two people’s faces.
“Brother…! You’ve really become a Master Class! You’re truly amazing!”
Michael’s eyes sparkled with admiration.
When they first met, both of them were Low-Class, but now Damien had become a Master Class in less than a year.
So Michael’s sense of awe was greater than anyone else’s.
“……Master Class? You’re already too strong, and now you’re even farther ahead.”
Veronica, on the other hand, grumbled as if she didn’t like it.
Then, her eyes suddenly lit up and she asked Damien,
“But Master Class’ defenses are supposed to be incredibly tough because of their protective aura armor? Can I test it out just once?”
“You’re crazy.”
“Why not? It’s not like it’s going to wear out. So, just once, okay?”
Damien hit Veronica on the forehead with an exasperated expression.
“Ouch! Why are you hitting me!”
“You need another hit if you don’t know why.”
“Ow!”
After he hit her a few more times, Veronica finally shut up.
“Brother, so you’re going to participate in the Helian tournament as a Master Class?”
“That’s right.”
“Wow, wow, wow…….”
Michael exclaimed again.
The Master Class category was so important that it was called the flower of the Helian tournament.
To think that Damien would be participating in such a prestigious event. As a fellow knight, he couldn’t help but be impressed.
“So I have something to ask you two.”
At Damien’s words, Michael and Veronica tilted their heads.
“Now that I’ve become a Master Class, the High-Class spot is empty. So one of you will have to become a High-Class and fill the vacancy.”
The moment they heard the request, a look of dismay appeared on the two people’s faces.
“Brother… Is it… that easy to become a high-class?”
“Of course not.”
“Then how exactly are we supposed to become high-class….”
“Don’t worry, I’ll help you.”
Damien opened a subspace and took out the club again. As soon as Veronica saw the club, she recoiled in fear and hid behind Michael.
Michael looked back at Veronica with an annoyed expression.
“From today until the day we arrive in the empire, I plan to personally train you two.”
In reality, even if Damien was extremely talented, it was impossible to turn a Middle-Class into a High-Class in such a short time.
However, these two were different. Michael and Veronica were talented enough to make it happen.
“Brother… even so, becoming a high-class by the time we arrive in the empire…”
“Why do I have to become a high-class even if it means getting beaten by you?”
Michael seemed insecure, and Veronica seemed to dislike the decision itself.
Damien added another condition to boost their motivation.
“Michael, if you become a high-class, I’ll grant you one wish.”
At those words, Michael’s eyes lit up.
“A w-wish?”
“Yes.”
“Ho, by any chance, the range is…”
“Anything.”
Michael’s eyes grew even wider.
“Veronica.”
“Why?”
“If you become a high-class, I’ll let you stab me with your sword.”
At those words, Veronica’s face turned blank.
“Anywhere?”
“Yes, anywhere.”
Damien nodded easily. He was planning to protect himself with his aura armor anyway.
“However, I will only grant the wish of the first person to reach high-class.”
Michael and Veronica glared at each other, their eyes burning with determination.
“Get out of here.”
“Heh, who asked you to step aside? You get out of here.”
“You still don’t get it, do you? You’re weaker than me.”
“What nonsense are you talking about? In a real fight, you’d already be dead by my hand.”
The two of them glared at each other, seething with anger. Damien watched them with a relieved expression.
‘I was worried about them, but… they’re both fine.’
Michael and Veronica, as Middle-Class knights, had almost been killed by the monster known as a Master Class.
An ordinary knight would have had their spirit broken, but these two were even more enthusiastic and motivated.
‘These two definitely have talent.’
Damien valued mental strength just as much as swordsmanship. That was because he had seen many talented individuals who had been ruined by weak mental strength.
“Let’s start now while we’re at it.”
Damien said, tapping his palm with the club.
“Yes, brother! I will work hard!”
“Can I use a real sword? Please?”
Damien nodded.
“Alright, then both of you attack at the same time. Today, let’s just get a general idea of your skills.”
Michael and Veronica immediately charged at Damien.
And they got their asses handed to them.
“Eugh…”
“Ugh…”
Michael and Veronica collapsed to the ground, beaten to a pulp by Damien.
“Michael, your senses are dull. Sharpen them a bit more. Veronica, your field of vision is too narrow. Widen it a bit more.”
Damien pointed out the problems of the two people one by one.
“I’ll give you until tomorrow to fix them. Make sure you get it right.”
From that day on, Damien trained them rigorously all the way to the empire.
“Michael, I told you to step back there. Veronica, why aren’t you blocking?”
He helped them fill in their technical gaps.
“You’re out of your mind. I told you to open your eyes wide.”
He helped them gain more experience through sparring.
As a result, the two of them had to be beaten up by Damien every day.
“Brother! Please take care of us today too!”
“Today… today I’ll definitely cut you!”
Their attitudes were polar opposites. Michael cheerfully accepted any harsh training Damien threw at him.
In contrast, Veronica attacked Damien with a vengeance.
‘She’s kind of annoying.’
Damien secretly put more force into his club when sparring with Veronica.
“You… honestly tell me. Are you only hitting me hard?
“Of course not.”
“Don’t lie!”
“I said I didn’t.”
“Ack! Stop hitting me!”
Veronica occasionally rebelled, but it didn’t become a big problem. That’s because Damien would ‘refresh’ her each time.
And after a few weeks, the party arrived in the imperial capital.
***
Damien sat on his horse, gazing out at the distant view.
A massive wall stood tall over a vast grassland. It was on such a scale that the royal castle of the Apple Kingdom would look like a rural village.
‘It’s still incredible to see it again.’
Even though he had seen it once in his previous life, Damien couldn’t help but be impressed.
“This is the second time I’ve seen this place.”
Liam Bluegreen murmured with a nostalgic expression.
“Have you been here before?”
“I came here at a similar age to you to participate in the Helian tournament.”
Liam Bluegreen stared at the capital city for a moment, his face lost in memories.
“Then let’s go in.”
There were only twelve gates leading into the capital. People were crowded at every gate, all of them trying to enter the city.
Damien’s group was able to enter relatively quickly because they were flying the flag of the Apple Kingdom.
“We should split up for now. You guys go find some accommodations. We’ll go to the Colosseum and change the registration list.”
The Helian tournament was an event on such a scale that all the kingdoms of the continent participated.
There were so many participants that they couldn’t expect any help from the empire. They even had to find their own accommodations.
Liam Bluegreen divided the group.
The soldiers and knights went off to find accommodations.
Liam took Damien, Michael, and Veronica to the Colosseum, where the tournament was held.
The inside of the Colosseum was filled with knights who were eager to participate in the tournament.
“Brother, look over there. They’re wearing strange armor.”
Michael looked around with a curious expression.
Meanwhile, the group arrived at the imperial official who was taking applications. The official, wearing large glasses, spoke.
“Where are you from?”
“We come from the Apple Kingdom.”
At Liam Bluegreen’s words, the official began to rummage through the paperwork.
“Ah, here it is. Michael Ryanbloom, Veronica Sanchez for middle class, and Damien Haksen for high class. Is that correct?”
The attention of the surrounding knights was drawn to the name Damien Haksen.
Damien Haksen? Is it that guy from the Apple Kingdom?
I heard he became a high class even though he hasn’t been holding a sword for very long.
People began to murmur as they looked at Damien.
-Hey, idiots. You don’t believe that nonsense about him becoming a high class in less than a year, do you?
-There’s no way that’s possible. That guy must have been spreading rumors.
-We need to expose that guy’s true colors at this tournament.
The majority of them were not friendly towards Damien. Some even seemed hostile.
“We want to change the registration list a bit.”
“Change it, you say?”
“We had some changes along the way.”
Liam Bluegreen said with a sly smile.
“We want to have Michael Ryanbloom participate in the high class instead of the middle class.”
Veronica clicked her tongue. Michael looked down at her with a smug expression.
“It seems you have gained a stroke of luck along the way.”
The official said with a curious expression.
“Congratulations. Then the Apple Kingdom will have two participants in the high class.”
“Oh, that’s not quite true. Damien Haksen will be participating in a different event.”
“A different event?”
“He will be participating in the tournament as a Master Class.”
At that moment, the official froze. He looked up at Liam Bluegreen and blinked.
“M-May I speak frankly, sir?”
“Go ahead.”
“Deception of rank is strictly prohibited in the Helian tournament. If discovered, not only the knight in question but the entire kingdom will be punished…”
“It seems you don’t believe me.”
A wry smile appeared on Liam Bluegreen’s face.
“I’m afraid I’ll need you to do me a favor, Sir Damien.”
Damien raised Dawn high into the air.
A blue light burst forth. The aurablade enveloped the blade of Dawn.
-…….
In that instant, the entire Colosseum fell silent.
– Oh, oh… the aurablade!
– H-he’s really a Master Class?
Then, in a matter of seconds, the entire Colosseum was shaken by the screams of the crowd.
***
[Translator – Kie]
[Proofreader – Kawaii]
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