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Chapter 15 – Genius vs. Promising Talent

Chapter 15 – Genius vs. Promising Talent

This wasn’t a training session for young cadets learning the ropes or a final exam.

Just a friendly match. A mere event where neither party needed to go all out.

“….”

But from the moment Luciel stepped into the training grounds but the moment she faced her junior, Deus, all thoughts of a friendly match and event vanished from Luciel’s mind.

‘I can’t… breathe.’

She swallowed her saliva, she instinctively moved her hand to clutch her chest.

This wasn’t like any other juniors she’d seen. It was not like facing a fellow student either.

It was…like facing one of the Academy’s instructors?

‘…..No, It’s different. This is beyond even the teachers. This feeling… It’s like I am sparring with my master. That’s it. It’s exactly like that.’

Luciel’s master was Saber, who was hailed as the greatest Awakened. A figure unmatched by monsters or other Awakened alike.

And now she was putting this boy she first met on the same level as that legend.

She knew it was a silly thought. It was absurd.

But her instincts had already marked Deus as a top-tier threat.

She took a step then another. Closer and closer to him.

Every time she did that the suffocating sensation around her intensified.

A bone-chilling cold that made her whole body shiver with fear.

‘Hehehe.’

Even though she was a bit nervous a smile appeared on Luciel’s face.

The Empire, The emperor was truly blessed. Such exceptional talents kept emerging.

First her master then the reliable seniors and the hardworking juniors.

Now there was a freshman capable of surpassing most graduates!

“Senior Luciel.”

Deus stepped forward and bowed his head in a polite tone.

“I’m Deus, a new 1st year student. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“….”

He was even well-mannered. What a junior! If possible, she’d want to bring him straight into her dispatch team.

‘Of course, I’ll have to test him first.’

Luciel returned the greeting with a beautiful smile.

“The pleasure is mine, Junior Deus.”

Now being this close confirmed her suspicions. The thought she had turned into certainty.

Despite radiating such transcendent energy and pressuring her, a renowned genius.

The other students around them seemed like they didn’t notice at all.

‘Even the teachers look puzzled.’

Only she could sense it, who was facing Deus head-on as an opponent.

It means that this junior. He had complete control over his aura.

No, beyond control he could even conceal and reveal it at will.

The justified arrogance of a powerhouse she sensed. It seemed he showed his true strength only to those he deemed worthy.

Her admiration grew and so did her fear of this junior.

If he was this strong now, he would undoubtedly become stronger with more growth and experience. It was expected to reach remarkable heights.

“…Shall we begin?”

“I’m ready.”

Arrogance without strength or merit was a sin.

Arrogance with strength and merit was natural order.

Therefore, Luciel per natural order intended to do her best.

— Srrng!

With a clear sound, a flash of light erupted from her waist belt.

The moment Luciel’s hand gripped her sword, the bustling training ground fell silent.

From now on, all focus was only on this duel.

— Thud!

A light kick against the ground. The distance, easily 50 meters, closed in an instant.

Never allow a swordsman within striking distance.

From an ordinary swordsman to a weapon-based ability user.

It was a lesson that everyone must remember when facing anyone wielding a sword.

Luciel effortlessly overturned this principle in the blink of an eye.

She had already closed the gap, poised sword in a perfect stance to strike.

She aimed straight for Deus’s throat without any hesitation or concern.

— Clang!!

Waaaaaahhh!!!!

A deafening sound filled the training ground followed by the students’ cheers.

Luciel turned her body and took a step back, she let out a groan.

“Ugh…!”

A sudden groan escapes from her mouth without realizing it.

‘….’

She stared blankly at her sword. It was vibrating uncontrollably.

She shifted her gaze to Deus who was standing unmoved in front of her.

It was clear that she was the one who struck first. Her attack had landed as intended.

It wasn’t a feint or a probing strike.

She was in disbelief that she pushed back so easily.

‘The trajectory was perfect. The speed and the power. Nothing was lacking. But… did he just block that with his arm?’

Was that even possible? Luciel quickly steadied her wavering mind.

It was just the beginning. There were more moves to come. Doubts could wait.

“….”

She changed her stance and aimed to deflect and counterattack. I wonder if he read Luciel’s mind and decided to play along.

“Hmm.”

It came. A monstrous force. A mountain-like presence.

— Kwaaang!!

“…!”

She blocked it. She perfectly blocked it so she could launch a counterattack. That was her plan.

But she failed. She blocked it but couldn’t counterattack.

No, she couldn’t counter because she wasn’t capable.

Di-ing, her head buzzed. She had met the fist with her sword.

The shockwave traveled through her hands, up her arms, down her spine, and shook her bones.

‘This is… a freshman who just enrolled…’

Disbelief turned into laughter. But even as she laughed, her body moved instinctively to prepare for the next strike.

A blow aimed at her exposed torso. Her right abdomen.

If it landed, her liver would be ruptured.

The thought brought a mix of dizziness and exhilaration.

Just like her attack on his neck, he was targeting a vital organ.

A true battle, where both sides aimed for the kill.

Just like her, he was giving it his all!

— Kakagak!

The sound of a sword meeting a fist was like metal clashing against metal.

Could this truly be a human body? Or perhaps a monster?

As that absurd thought crossed her mind, Luciel couldn’t help but smile.

At the same time, she recalled a conversation with her master.

“My disciple. Do you believe it’s possible to possess two Awakened abilities?”

She had replied that it was impossible, as there were no known cases of dual abilities.

Even one ability was a burden for an Awakened body to handle. It was no coincidence that the hierarchy among Awakened was determined by the mastery of their abilities.

It wasn’t just about manifestation; it required immense effort and training.

To wield two abilities simultaneously? The body would surely explode.

“That’s right. It’s impossible to wield two abilities. No matter how much we train, we are still human.”

But her master, the Empire’s greatest Awakened, Saber, seemed to have a different perspective.

“However, a second ability isn’t entirely impossible.”

Master? Luciel had questioned, to which Saber smiled.

“It’s just a matter of approach. Transcendent durability with overwhelming physical strength that cannot be achieved through existing abilities, but forged through pure effort.”

That must be it. Wasn’t it the second ability that we, the gifted ones, had been longing for?

That day, Saber had chuckled and gently stroked her disciple’s head.

‘Back then, I didn’t quite understand Master’s words. But…’

But now she finally understood. No, she knew for sure. Her master had seemingly foreseen the emergence of such a being.

— Kwachik!!

“…!”

She barely held back a pained groan. For a moment her legs wobbled, nearly losing their balance.

This was the result even after not taking a direct hit and blocking every attack.

The damage was accumulating. A monstrous strength that easily pierced her defenses.

Retreating and catching her breath, Luciel slowly lowered her sword. Reactions erupted from all around.

Some students looked puzzled and others wore expressions of pity. A few even widened their eyes, murmuring, ‘Could it be, that…?’

There was a common misconception about Luciel. Because she was in the swordsmanship club and received high praise for her sword skills, people often assumed she was a Weapon-type Awakened.

But they were wrong. Luciel wasn’t a Weapon-type. Despite being skilled enough to impress even the instructors with her sword, her ability was far removed from weaponry.

— …Shaaaaa!!

A pure white light emitted from her hand and quickly took the form of a sword.

A sword of light. The image of an angel descended from the heavens. That’s right, Luciel’s ability was none other than the Luminous type.

“Whoa! S-Senior!?”

The announcer, familiar with Luciel, shouts.

She rarely used her ability along with her swordsmanship.

This meant she was now determined to give it her all.

The blazing light sword pointed at Deus. But he remained unfazed, not even a hint of surprise on his face.

As if he had known all along that this was how it would unfold.

***

The real show begins finally. Deus grinned.

Luciel, the Empire’s princess, was undoubtedly a formidable force.

Her swordsmanship was threatening and unpredictable. Yet something felt slightly off. Like a missing piece in a puzzle.

And now that piece had finally fallen into place.

‘This is good.’

This was the level of tension he needed. It made his role as a glorified gladiator worthwhile.

“You’re not surprised, Junior.”

“I had a hunch.”

“Is that so? Impressive.”

The promising talent and the genius. The genius and the promising talent. The two exchanged smiles and looked at each other.

As if they had made a promise.

At the same time. The two clashed head-on.