All-Master Player Of The Academy [EN]: Chapter 74

74. Recognizing the Strong – 2

After cleaning the temple, Ian attended the service as usual.

The solar energy he obtained during the prayer meeting was very small compared to what he had received before.

But as the saying goes, many a little makes a mickle [every little bit helps].

He needed to gather it steadily like this to avoid troublesome situations later.

As he quietly attended the service and gathered solar energy, Rakid approached him when he visited the Hui Seong Hall.

“Ian, do you have a moment?”

“What is it?”

“Did something happen during the vacation?”

At his question, Ian nodded.

“It seems you’ve gained some enlightenment. I knew it the moment I saw you.”

He realized that Ian was on a different level compared to when he had seen him before the vacation.

He had become much greater.

“You’re not even trying to hide it.”

“Yes. But many people don’t seem to recognize it.”

They just thought his face and body had improved.

Ordinary people only thought of it at that level.

“Only those who have climbed a mountain know the height of another. Perhaps the Masters have all felt it.”

Ian’s sense of incongruity [feeling out of sync with others].

That he was greater than they thought.

Rakid was also a Master, so he noticed it and could say it.

“Is that why you called me?”

“No. Instructor Skrandar came to see you earlier. He asked you to come to the training ground after the service.”

He had entrusted Adamantium [an extremely hard, almost indestructible metal] to Skrandar before the vacation.

What kind of sword would be made?

As Ian became interested, Rakid looked at him and asked.

“By the way, where did the sword I gave you go?”

“……I used it well in a good place.”

As soon as he left the temple, Ian went straight to Skrandar.

Arriving at the smithing practice area, the clear sound of hammering steel echoed.

“Instructor.”

Skrandar glanced at him and tapped the box next to him.

Opening it, he saw a sword wrapped in a dark black scabbard.

Ian lightly gripped the sword.

The length, handle, width, and weight of the sword were all made according to the design.

“The cost of making that one sword was considerable.”

“Give me the bill.”

“That’s alright. Let’s go to the Dwarven City sometime.”

“I was going to go anyway…… Is something wrong?”

“They want to see you in person in the Dwarven City.”

They didn’t believe that a human possessed skills comparable to a dwarf.

Even after showing them the iron ingot Ian had made.

“I see. I understand. I’ll visit sometime soon.”

He answered lightly and slowly drew the sword.

-Sreung [sound of a sword being drawn].

The sword is drawn with a low hum.

Was it because the dwarves put their heart and soul into making it?

The new sword looked quite good to Ian.

‘It’s hard to ignore the dwarves in this world too. They are born blacksmiths and architects.’

“Good.”

Much better than Rakid’s sword.

Ian flicked the blade a few times with his finger and nodded.

Of course, it would be difficult to go all out.

He tapped the sword or swung it a few times before returning it to its scabbard.

“Tell me honestly. Do you not like it?”

“No. I like it.”

Only a select few chosen ones in the Polvar Underground World can make a 1st class weapon.

As such, this sword can be said to be the highest grade among the swords that can be made with the technological level of this world.

As Ian made his judgment, Skrandar finally relaxed his tense expression and filled his pipe with tobacco.

“We’ll go according to your schedule.”

“Alright.”

He turned his eyes to his work as if he had nothing more to say.

He received a new sword and visited the temple.

As soon as Ian returned to the dormitory and was reading a magic book, the door opened and Valla entered.

“Hey! Ian! Are you here?!”

“When did you get here?”

“Just now. Ah. Never mind that. A priest from the Order of the Moon is looking for you outside the academy.”

As Kirke reported after scanning, Ian got up from his seat.

“What is it? Why is a priest from the Order of the Moon looking for you?”

“It’s nothing. He’s here to deliver a relic.”

“A relic? What have you been doing during the vacation?”

“I’ve been traveling around diligently.”

“It would have been better if the south was among the places you traveled to.”

“I didn’t have enough time.”

If he had time to go there, he would have entered the Tower of the Forgotten City.

As he talked about what happened during the vacation, he arrived in front of the academy, and as Kirke said, Out was standing there.

“Saint Ian!”

He was standing there with a box, with a reverent face, and soon smiled brightly when he saw Ian.

As he quickly ran to him, Ian bowed lightly.

“Thank you for coming all the way here.”

“So you were really an academy student……. Ah! I brought the relic I mentioned before.”

It was a crude but carefully made box.

Inside the box was a bracelet.

‘I’m just grateful.’

“This is a bracelet used by the great saint of the Order of the Moon in the past, Edsilro.”

“Such a precious thing……. Thank you.”

“It’s nothing. And the Order has decided to think positively about the partnership with the academy.”

“That’s great.”

“So…… I think I’ll have to stay here for a while. I need to select the location where the Order’s temple will be built, and I also need to negotiate with the people from the academy.”

“That’s even better. Let’s go together when you’re figuring out the temple site.”

“Oh!? Really!? That’s perfect. I wanted to see you once on the next holiday anyway.”

“I promise. Let’s go together then.”

It seemed like he was nervous about going alone.

That’s why Out smiled happily.

“I look forward to working with you in the future.”

He wiggled his rabbit ears, bowed politely, and left.

As soon as Ian returned to the dormitory, he took out the bracelet, and Valla exclaimed.

“Hey. This looks really precious? You could sell it for a lot of money.”

“Are you crazy? Sell this?”

“By the way, Edsilro’s bracelet…… Grajin would be interested in it, right? It’s from three hundred years ago.”

“Oh. That. Let me see it too.”

The two turned their heads quickly.

Grajin was standing there with data in his hands.

“When did you get here?”

“Just now. But Edsilro’s bracelet? It’s a relic that the Archaeological Society has been constantly requesting from the Temple of the Moon but never received. How did you get it?”

As Ian explained the situation, Grajin’s eyes sparkled.

“Can I study it a bit? Or sell it to me.”

“Later.”

Ian wasn’t very interested in historical value.

So once he’s extracted the lunar energy, he’s done with it.

Then he can sell it for a good price like the Full Moon Necklace he got from the ruins.

At Ian’s words, Grajin clenched his fist tightly.

“Alright!”

“Alright, alright. Hey. But did you hear the news? About the exchange event that the Empire Academy is sending.”

Valla, who was watching him rejoice, sat on the bed.

Hugging Myane [Valla’s pet], who was sitting next to him, and placing her on his lap, he stroked her fluffy fur and said.

“What news?”

“You just got here, but you heard about that?”

As Grajin and Ian said a word each, Valla waved his hand.

“It’s just something I heard when I went to my hometown? It seems like the Empire Academy is planning to send people to the exchange event this time.”

“So who’s coming?”

“Well? But there’s one definite piece of information.”

“What.”

“The Empire Knight Commander Vilfrot retired and became an instructor at the Empire Academy. He’s coming up to lead the exchange event personnel himself.”

Empire Knight Commander Vilfrot.

The strongest person in the Empire, called the Emperor’s First Sword, is coming.

For such a strong person to lead the exchange event personnel meant that there was a student worth leading.

“Within the Empire Academy, such a student would be……?”

Grajin muttered briefly and shrugged his shoulders.

“Osnen, the Crown Prince, will come after all.”

“Yeah. Ah…….”

Valla lay down on the bed and rolled around.

“I’m probably going to be very tired for a while.”

It was as Valla had predicted.

As the news that Vilfrot would be leading the exchange event personnel himself became officially known, the academy was put on high alert.

And that emergency affected the students’ schedules as well.

“Even so, I don’t think it’s right to go straight into class right after the opening ceremony.”

As Widia grumbled, Blanche, who was next to her, sighed.

“I guess they wanted to improve our skills as much as possible by taking as many classes as possible. And from this semester, some of the senior instructors will be teaching the intermediate students too.”

“Oh? Who?”

At that moment, Aranse, who came in, tapped the blackboard.

“Everyone, grab your weapons and come out to the training ground.”

As he said, everyone grabbed their weapons and went outside.

Arriving at the training ground, there was a man standing there.

Senior Swordsmanship Instructor Pridion.

Aranse said something to him, one of the Masters of the academy, and Pridion held up a list.

“Those whose names are called from now on will receive special classes.”

It seemed like what Blanche had said earlier was about to begin.

He checked the list and said immediately.

“Park Bare, Widia.”

And he slowly lowered the paper with the list and turned his eyes.

“And Ian. You will receive special classes.”

“Until when do we have to take special classes?”

To Park Bare’s question, he gave a simple answer.

“Until you can hit me even once.”

‘I guess so.’

“But even if Ian is, why are we the subject of special classes?”

To Widia’s question, Pridion explained nonchalantly.

“Because you two are right in front of Expert [a level of skill]. And besides you, some others will be able to reach Expert soon. Some have already reached it.”

Park Bare and Widia clicked their tongues briefly.

They had expected that they were close to Expert.

They were going to train secretly and show them after becoming Experts later.

As expected, it was not easy to escape the eyes of the academy instructors.

“Honestly, I was a little surprised. I thought there were no talents worth paying attention to in Class B other than Ian.”

He had seen the Class B students training last year.

He just thought they were mediocre brats, but after the vacation, their skills had greatly improved.

“Us?”

“Yeah. It seems like the way you control Aura [a magical energy] has increased quite a bit.”

They had heard it while being taught by Ian.

Aura users think that they just need to use Aura, but in reality, control is important to implement Aura.

Pridion was telling the same story as he had.

“Being able to use Aura only when necessary is the shortcut to becoming an Expert.”

Park Bare and Widia looked at Ian.

At that gaze, Pridion twitched his eyebrows.

“Did you teach them?”

“I just gave them a few words of advice.”

“I see. Good. Alright. Let’s start right away. Ian. You’re excluded.”

As he stepped back, the two took up their weapons.

As they took their stances with a mace and dual swords, Pridion held up a wooden sword.

“I need to check your skills, so do your best.”

“……Yes.”

Aura rises from Park Bare and Widia’s bodies.

Seeing that, Pridion wiggled his wooden sword without even using Aura.