Kuff Granz sat collapsed on the floor and looked up at Gale, who was holding the shining jewel sword.
‘Even magic swordsmanship failed. There’s no way he can break it with something like that.’
As Kuff watched Gale, he recalled the conversation he had shared with Tarun before the training began.
Tarun, the instructor in charge of this training, had shown him the evaluation sheet for the exercise and said,
The high-scoring category is the protection of survivors, so if you wait at the shelter and simply stop the flying slimes, you should be able to take first place without issue.
As Kuff looked at that evaluation sheet, he had seen it clearly.
Among the many categories, there had been one item that looked the shortest and most enticing.
[Destruction of the sacred relic]
When Kuff asked what that was, Tarun shook his head.
In Pontey, an incarnation’s sacred relic has been recreated with a high-purity mana stone. If you destroy it, you can receive a good evaluation, but... destroying it is nearly impossible....
At Tarun’s claim that it was impossible, Kuff’s competitive spirit had flared, and he had raised his fist.
He had declared that he would be the one to destroy the sacred relic.
Now, in this moment, the self who had made that boast back then regretted it bitterly.
Because the hot mana waves radiating from the enormous mana stone made Kuff feel as though he might lose consciousness at any moment.
At that moment, Gale, standing before him, murmured in a small voice.
“Dominate, Tyrant.”
Soon, intense light poured out of the jewel sword.
When Kuff closed and opened his eyes, the hot wind that had been surrounding them vanished in an instant.
“What... happened?”
Bewildered, Kuff looked around.
It felt as though he had been thrown alone into a world made of black and white.
His focus slowly returned, and he saw Gale standing neatly before him.
The instant Gale muttered quietly— the enormous amount of mana pouring from the mana stone and the mana around them began being sucked into him in an instant.
“Hey, what the hell are you doing...?!”
Because Kuff had handled magic swordsmanship since childhood, he knew very well how dangerous mana was.
Strictly speaking, mana was closer to a poisonous substance that attacked the human body.
In other words, absorbing the mana contained in the mana stone as it was would be no different from suicide.
Yet before his eyes, Gale was absorbing mana as if none of that mattered, and Kuff could not hide his astonishment.
“He’s... insane.”
The mana flowing from the mana stone was moving according to Gale’s will under the effect of Spatial Domination.
Gale drew mana out of the mana stone, mixed it with his own mana, then immediately absorbed it into his body and began the process of increasing his circles.
‘Kgh, as expected... trying to create circles in a rush makes the pain enormous.’
A terrible pain continued, as though his organs were being scraped out from inside his body, but the work of increasing his mana circles proceeded smoothly.
‘If I didn’t have Tyrant, I would’ve died immediately.’
Gale inwardly thanked Count Orhan once again and quietly focused on creating his circles.
How much time had passed?
The mana flowing from the mana stone gradually decreased, and soon cracks began spreading through it with a sharp crackle.
As if determined not to leave behind even a handful of mana from the mana stone, Gale absorbed the mana until the very end.
Not long afterward, the mana stone, robbed of all its mana, turned ashen, and a smile rose to Gale’s lips.
Gale gestured toward the mana stone, which was now no different from an empty shell.
‘Air Buster.’
The instant the intangible wave bursting from his fingertip touched the mana stone, it shattered as if exploding.
BANG!
As he watched the mana stone break apart and scatter into pieces, Gale smiled.
‘With this, I’m at the 3rd Tier... no, am I nearly at the 4th Tier?’
After confirming the circles engraved inside his chest, Gale released Spatial Domination.
Piiiiiiip!!
Along with the whistle announcing the end of training, Dumbir Mansion returned to being an ordinary house.
Having obtained everything he wanted, Gale turned around with a satisfied expression.
Kuff, who had been sitting collapsed on the floor, widened the distance between them with a face like he was staring at a monster.
“Looks like you can breathe a little now?”
“D-don’t come near me...!”
Gale unfolded the mana he had just absorbed all at once.
Then an energy comparable to the mana waves that had been pouring from the mana stone moments ago surged out.
Gale slowly approached him and said,
“Then shall we finish the conversation we didn’t get to have last time?”
Each time Gale took one step closer, Kuff’s face became drenched in fear.
***
The Pontey training ended.
In the Imperial Army Commander-in-Chief’s office, Wilhelm Schulhauser spoke as if he could hardly believe his ears.
“Is that true?”
“It is.”
The communication crystal orb flickered.
The one speaking with Wilhelm was Tarun, the instructor in charge of the mock urban training.
He had just explained what had happened during the urban training.
Wilhelm listened closely, feeling considerable interest in the contents.
“The incarnation’s sacred relic implemented with a mana stone was destroyed....”
This was not the first time combat training set in Pontey had been conducted.
In terms of years alone, roughly five years had passed.
Over that time, countless cadets had passed through the training camp and undergone the training, but he had never once heard of anyone destroying the incarnation’s sacred relic in Pontey.
“Things had been quiet for a while, and now all sorts of incidents are happening. Was anyone injured in the process?”
“That is....”
“What is it?”
“There was another candidate at the site where the sacred relic was destroyed. His name is Kuff Granz. He is currently unconscious and has been transported to the medical unit. All the remaining candidates have been moved to the barracks.”
Kuff Granz?
Of all people, a child of House Granz.
Wilhelm let out a small sigh as he imagined them protesting to the training camp.
“How did that happen?”
“We are currently investigating, but... we suspect it was due to the influence of the mana waves coming from the mana stone that had been implemented as the sacred relic.”
“I see. Inform me once the remaining investigation is complete. And if I recall correctly, we were supposed to give a reward to the outstanding squad that distinguished itself in this training. Has the evaluation been completed?”
Tarun answered that it had, but trailed off at the end.
“What is it?”
“The evaluation itself has been completed, but... the candidate who destroyed the incarnation’s sacred relic does not belong to Squad One.”
Wilhelm immediately understood why Tarun had gone out of his way to mention that fact.
The Imperial Army was also an institution within the Empire, and it could not be free from pressure from high-ranking families.
Wilhelm did not like getting entangled in such things, but Tarun was effectively saying that they could not simply ignore them either.
Wilhelm sighed and continued speaking.
“The Imperial Army is equal beneath rank. You know that as well, do you not?”
“...Yes, sir.”
“Gather the candidates. I will head there shortly.”
Then the light of the communication crystal orb went out, and Wilhelm rose from his seat and approached the window.
Unlike his complicated state of mind, the blue sky spread beyond the window looked endlessly peaceful.
‘He destroyed the incarnation’s sacred relic....’
Wilhelm smiled.
***
“I’m asking how exactly you did it.”
Joseph asked in frustration from the bunk bed.
“I told you, I just tapped it, and it broke.”
“No. There’s no way a sacred relic would break like that.”
Even if Gale said it broke because he had absorbed all the mana inside it, it would not matter much.
But that would make it sound like he was bragging about how amazing he was, so he decided to hide it.
At that moment, a loud voice rang out from the corridor.
“Cadets, attention!”
“Attention!”
“As of this moment, all personnel will assemble at the parade ground in front of the barracks. Execute.”
At the candidates’ booming reply, Gale’s heart began to pound.
Gale rose from his seat and looked at Joseph, who was only sticking his head out from the bunk bed.
“Let’s go, Joseph.”
When he opened the door and went out into the corridor—
a girl with sharp eyes was standing there, staring in his direction.
Joseph, who was behind him, startled first and spoke.
“A-Anesia?”
“…….”
She quietly stared at Gale, then soon turned and headed for the stairs.
“What was that?”
“Good question.”
Does she have a problem?
Thinking that inwardly, Gale left the barracks.
Once he stepped outside, many candidates were already assembled in proper formation.
Gale and Joseph stood at the very back.
A moment later, Instructor Tarun, who had been in charge of the training earlier, appeared on the platform.
“Is everyone here?”
The drill instructor counting the candidates drew a large circle above his head, and Tarun nodded before continuing.
“In the training that just took place, you showed well how you should act as members of the Imperial Army. Although there was a small issue, I believe all of you did well enough.”
Tarun swept his gaze over the candidates standing in formation one by one.
The look he cast in Gale’s direction did not feel particularly friendly, but Gale reassured himself that there should be no real problem.
“In this training, the instructors watched the candidates’ performances and filled out evaluation sheets. Accordingly, the squad that achieved outstanding results will receive a reward from the Commander-in-Chief.”
At that, quiet murmurs arose among the candidates.
Since it was the Commander-in-Chief’s reward, most seemed curious about what the reward would be.
“The announcement of the outstanding candidates will be made by Commander-in-Chief Wilhelm, who has joined us here. Everyone, applaud.”
The Commander-in-Chief?
Amid thunderous applause, Imperial Army Commander-in-Chief Wilhelm Schulhauser appeared on the platform.
“Good to see you, soldiers.”
Gale had known from the beginning that the reward was something he would grant, but he had never imagined Wilhelm would appear in person.
When he appeared, the candidates’ murmuring grew even louder.
“You performed your missions extremely well during this training. As Commander-in-Chief, I could not be prouder of you. I would like to praise your performances a little more, but... everyone seems curious about which squad is the best, so I will announce it immediately.”
His words stopped, and a thick silence followed.
“The best squad in this mock urban training is Squad Two, commanded by Candidate Anesia Kindelly. Candidates belonging to Squad Two, come up onto the platform.”
There was no upset.
No matter how much Squad One, packed with high nobles, had chosen and acted according to high-scoring categories, it had been inevitable that Squad Two, which had destroyed the sacred relic at the very core of the training, would win.
Gale, who belonged to Squad Two, went up onto the platform with the other candidates and saluted him.
Wilhelm accepted their salutes and opened his mouth.
“Squad Two showed excellence in this mock urban training. You are outstanding talents who will illuminate the Imperial Army, and with the meaning that you should develop even further, I, the Commander-in-Chief, will grant you this reward.”
Beside Wilhelm, Tarun held out a luxurious box, and Wilhelm opened it, taking out the red badge inside and showing it to them.
“This is a medal awarded to capable talents who distinguish themselves at the training camp.”
Known as the red badge.
It was an honorable medal that could only be received by candidates who revealed their talent at the training camp.
Wilhelm continued with a solemn expression.
“All of the generals currently active in the Imperial Army wear this. I hope you will once again engrave the meaning of this medal in your hearts, devote yourselves even further, and become better members of the Imperial Army.”
It might look like an ordinary badge, but— the red badge served as a kind of bonus point, providing advantages in important events such as promotion reviews.
Gale was certain it would help him, given the high goals he had within the Imperial Army.
‘Since they missed this, the bastards in Squad One must be twisting with anger.’
Gale glanced at the Squad One members grinding their teeth below the platform and smiled.
Wilhelm personally pinned the badges to the squad members’ chests, and soon Gale’s turn came.
Before Gale’s eyes stood the dignified figure of Wilhelm.
‘It’s been quite a long time since I faced him like this.’
Wilhelm Schulhauser.
With neatly swept-back hair and a benevolent impression, he had been the person most heavily checked by the Golden Dawn Society in Gale’s previous life.
To the Golden Dawn Society, which sought to control the Imperial Army, Wilhelm’s existence, backed by the powerful foundation of House Schulhauser, had been like a thorn in the eye. In the end, Wilhelm had been assassinated in his own office and died there.
As Wilhelm pinned the medal to Gale’s chest, he spoke.
“You must be Candidate Gale.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Your performance in this training was excellent. Had you been in Pontey, you could have saved it.”
“...You flatter me, sir.”
“You are modest. It would be unfair to give the savior of Pontey the same reward as everyone else. This is something I prepared personally, so it may be lacking, but please accept it.”
He took a golden circular token set with a blue sapphire from inside his clothes and handed it to Gale.
“This is our family’s proof token. If you use it, you should receive good treatment anywhere within the Empire.”
Gale’s eyes widened when he saw it.
House Schulhauser was a family with tremendous influence here in the Ravion Empire.
The facilities managed by House Schulhauser alone numbered in the dozens, and it would not be an exaggeration to say their influence was second only to the Imperial Family.
‘A proof token... His intentions are obvious.’
Gale judged that Wilhelm was giving it to him in order to use the image that House Schulhauser supported him, since he would become a topic of conversation within the Imperial Army for the time being.
The intent felt somewhat uncomfortable, but there was no reason to refuse, so Gale accepted the reward Wilhelm offered.
When he raised his head and looked at Wilhelm—
“I look forward to seeing your future performance.”
Wilhelm said it with a small smile.
With Gale as the last recipient, the reward ceremony came to an end.
Then Wilhelm shouted,
“This concludes the reward ceremony. You, too, should take them as examples and do your best for the remainder of the training period.”
A booming reply followed, and once Wilhelm left, Tarun came forward and shouted.
“This concludes the reward ceremony. Drill instructors, lead the candidates back to the barracks. Afterward, candidates are to conduct personal maintenance. That is all!”
After the reward ceremony ended, among the candidates moving in disarray, Gale lifted the proof token in his hand and looked at it.
‘House Schulhauser, huh.’
Since he had received it anyway, Gale vowed to make valuable use of it, and just as he was about to move along with the other candidates—
“Wait there.”
At the voice from beside him, Gale stopped and turned his head.
Between the golden hair shining under the sunlight, blue eyes glittered.
It was Anesia Kindelly.