Chapter 186

“That was definitely not what I expected!”

Right after the preparation time was given, Iris Senior from Class 2 had a serious look on her face as she replayed the previous match in her mind.

“What was that all about earlier?”

“Honestly, we have no idea either.”

“Suddenly, my body felt heavy, and I could barely fight because of this overwhelming fatigue.”

And that wasn’t the only strange thing.

When I think about it, there were a lot of bizarre situations when the first defensive line was breached. Just as I was deep in thought about the cause…

“To be exact, I was just really sleepy.”

“Huh? Sleepy?”

“I remember staying awake for three days straight once, and this felt just like that.”

Ivella chimed in right after.

Some of the other students who had been scratching their heads also nodded in agreement.

“Yeah! Ivella’s got a point!”

“Thinking back, I was super sleepy too.”

It was a rare moment of unanimous agreement.

As soon as everyone finished sharing their experiences of the sudden drowsiness, Iris mumbled the most common guess.

“Could it have been some kind of sleep magic?”

“No, that’s unlikely. The magic detection device didn’t react at all.”

“Then it could be a magic tool…”

“But we passed through the detector before the match started.”

Kamila shook her head as if to say it was neither magic nor a magic tool.

Once again, the questions plunged into a maze.

Letting out a deep sigh, Iris suddenly seemed to recall someone and turned her head.

“Oh! Noa!”

“…Yes?”

“Do you have any idea about the bizarre incidents from the previous match?”

As the sorceress who had faced the genius mage, Delia Arpen, in the selection match, might Noa know something?

Iris looked at her with eager eyes, but all she got back was a negative reply.

“Well, I’m not sure…”

“Huh, I see.”

Iris’s expression darkened once more.

Of course, that was a lie.

Noa had realized before the match even started that Fertisha was using Spirit Art.

‘But there’s no way I can just say that.’

If News about Fertisha using Spirit Art spread, her true identity could be exposed.

‘So it’s better if she says it herself.’

That’s what Noa thought.

Perhaps Ulan had the same thoughts; despite knowing the truth, he remained silent. Just as the conversation seemed to revert back to square one…

“Get ready! The match is about to start!”

“Participants, move to your positions!”

The shouts of the judges echoed through.

It seemed Class 2 had completed their defensive setup.

Kamila patted Iris, who was still lost in thought.

“Iris, let’s just go for the match first.”

“Uh, then what about the formation…?”

“I’ll take the lead.”

At that moment, Ulan, who had been silent, jumped in.

No one dared to challenge the statement of the ace, who had shown off his dazzling prowess. Even the cautious Iris nodded in agreement.

“Understood. But with these mysterious phenomena, please be careful.”

“Right, be careful. I was really sleepy.”

As Iris and Ivella voiced their concerns, Ulan strode forward confidently.

Having completed their preparations, the second defense battle was about to kick off.

“Alright, the second half begins!”

“With Class 2’s disqualification, just crossing the finish line without exceeding the time limit means Class 3’s victory is practically assured!”

“Looks like Class 3 is fully aware of this and is charging ahead without hesitation!”

“Let’s see, Class 3’s vanguard is…”

The commentators’ eyes turned to the arena.

At the same time, a figure broke through the ranks with speed. A barbarian with red hair. Spotting him, Edeline’s eyes widened.

“Ulan! It’s Ulan!”

Her voice was filled with excitement, practically bursting with enthusiasm.

“The nightmare of the entrance ceremony! The loser of the sports festival! Ulan has taken the lead for Class 3!”

“Looks like he’s aiming to finish without holding back.”

“Correct! Charging in to crush hope right from the start, how will Class 2 respond to this desperate situation?”

As the heated commentary continued, the students in charge of the first defense line steeled their gazes, encouraging one another.

“Everyone, hold your positions!”

“We have to hold out to give the rear guard an advantage.”

“Even if we lose, we’ll fight to the bitter end!”

With grim determination and tension in the air, they held their ground.

Then, in a frenzied rush, Ulan suddenly exhibited strange behavior.

“Huh? He stopped in his tracks!”

“Stopped? Why?”

“Sorry, I can’t see that far…”

Just as the words were about to escape, a terrifying sound erupted.

WHOOM! CRASHHHH!

With the sound of wind tearing through, a fierce gust suddenly swept over the first defensive line.

“Guh! Wh-what’s going on?”

“Suddenly, the wind is…!”

With dust and dirt swirling around, a much louder noise struck their ears.

THUMP! CRACK! BOOM!

The sound of wood splintering filled the air.

As I reflexively turned my head, an unbelievable sight unfolded before me.

“…Huh?”

Right near the final defensive line, all the trees that had stood tall were now toppled.

Before long, a stick wedged into a rock peeked through the fallen trees. The students from Class 2 recognized it instantly.

“A training spear?”

A regular stick without even a spearhead.

While they were watching in a daze, a familiar voice rang in their ears.

“Looks like I missed…”

It was Ulan’s voice.

In that moment, everyone remembered.

The owner of the voice had set absurd records during the javelin throw.

They recalled the shock and fear they felt then.

“Next time, I’ll hit the mark.”

As Ulan readied to throw a second spear, before he could even launch it, the first defensive line crumbled as students, overtaken by instinctive fear, fled outside the boundary.

“Ah! Students are breaking ranks!”

“And just like that, the first defensive line collapses.”

The commentators shouted with disheartened expressions.

But it was only for a moment; Millian nodded and continued.

“Honestly, I expected this. The students deployed this time weren’t the main force of Class 2.”

The students who had been the main force had been defeated by Ulan’s roar in the last match. Thus, the students now participating were essentially the second string.

“But it’s still disappointing. They clearly seem like they’re just putting on a show, yet here they are, running away in fear.”

“Huh? Just putting on a show?”

“Precisely. Considering the javelin skills he displayed in the last match, there’s no way he could miss from that distance unless it was deliberate.”

Millian offered a plausible analysis.

However, this guess was wrong. Ulan bringing the spear was not a mere threat, but a calculated move with a clear purpose.

‘Just a minute ago.’

Right after the match started.

A fierce gale had struck Class 3. The ground shook as if an earthquake had hit.

The sudden anomaly was caused by Fertisha’s interference. Spirit Art’s range could extend up to a kilometer, making it plausible.

‘That’s why I borrowed a spear from Iris.’

After gauging the proper distance, Ulan aimed for Fertisha’s position and threw the spear.

Of course, he wasn’t planning to hit her, so he aimed for the forest near the final defensive line. Still, momentarily, Fertisha’s interference faltered.

Seizing this moment, Ulan dashed toward the second defensive line in the blink of an eye and stepped inside with no hesitation.

“Fool!”

“You dare come in on your own!”

“Get him! He’s unarmed!”

The waiting students charged in unison.

Yet, they were the ones who ended up caught.

“Huh?”

A massive palm clinching their face.

By the time they realized something was off, it was already too late. Ulan showed no mercy in his actions, and their heads met the ground with a thud.

CRACK! BOOM!

Students were piled upside down in the blink of an eye.

Whether fainted or simply immobilized, they lay still.

“Ugh, ahhh…!”

The remaining students belatedly recognized the truth.

Even without using Aura or Domain, no matter how unarmed, he was a Master.

A strategic weapon that transcended human limits.

Faced with his tremendous strength and stamina, the students succumbed to despair and fled.

“Ah! The second defensive line is falling!”

“It’s all over now, good effort everyone.”

Millian said nonchalantly while observing the commentary.

There was nothing more to see now.

Class 3 had no disqualifications, unlike Class 2, which had lost nine students. The situation had flipped compared to the last match.

And not long after that…

Ulan finally encountered Fertisha.

She was curled up in a tiny circle.

After spotting Ulan, Fertisha dusted herself off and stood up, her innocent eyes sparkling as she said,

“Wow, you really are amazing!”

“…?”

“I didn’t think you’d throw the spear all the way here.”

Pointing at the ruined forest.

Then she suddenly frowned.

“But that’s kind of unfair.”

“Unfair? What do you mean?”

“You’re a Master, after all.”

“Why’s that?”

“Your strength, stamina, and physical abilities are just on a whole different level compared to everyone else.”

Ulan understood what she was getting at.

However, if that’s the case, then Fertisha was just as guilty – he immediately countered her.

“If that’s the case, then you’re the same.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“You summon spirits, don’t you?”

“…!?”

Petrified like a startled rabbit, Fertisha’s eyes widened.

She glared at him in disbelief.

A short while later, she spoke in a hesitating voice.

“C-Could you see them?”

“No.”

“Then how…?”

“I have a colleague who can read the traces of Spirit Art.”

“Who? Someone I know?”

“That’s a secret.”

Ulan shut his mouth tight.

If he spoke the truth, Fertisha would surely press Noa for details, which would force him to explain Noa’s special ability, ‘the System.’

Meanwhile, as she hadn’t received the answer she desired, Fertisha’s sulky expression returned.

And then she countered, referring back to Ulan’s previous statement.

“Spirits are a part of me.”

“A part?”

“Yes, I was born Half-Human Half-Spirit, so Spirit Art feels as natural to me as moving my limbs.”

Fertisha responded confidently.

Ulan chuckled and replied,

“I’ll throw that same answer right back at you.”

“Huh? What do you mean by that…?”

Just then, Ulan extended his fist. An intense pressure surged forth, and a sudden blast of wind ruffled her hair.

“This power is also part of my body.”

“But that power was obtained only after you became a Master…”

“You’re wrong.”

Ulan shook his head.

In a calm tone, he replied,

“My power has been innate since birth. I didn’t get it by becoming a Master.”

“…Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Then, are your parents giants?”

“Nope.”

Of course not. Ulan shook his head again.

“And that’s enough chit-chat for now.”

At the same time, his eyes glimmered.

It was then that he finally realized Fertisha had been buying time while talking to him. Aware that only ten minutes remained, he warned her,

“I’ll give you one minute. Move aside.”

“What if I say no?”

“Then I’ll turn you into a totem.”

When he first said this, she had no idea what it meant.

But after cycling through various matches, she now understood that it meant he’d spin her upside down if she didn’t move.

“Ugh, you’re changing your tune now.”

“Different situation.”

“You said you hoped I wouldn’t get hurt.”

“That was back then, this is now.”

Ulan responded shamelessly.

He held up three fingers.

“Thirty seconds left.”

“…”

Fertisha bit her lip.

Her expression revealed that her innermost thoughts had been completely swept away.

And then, all of a sudden…

“Fertisha!”

“Give up and step back!”

“This match is already lost.”

“There’s no point in getting hurt!”

The cries from outside the arena echoed.

Pellion and the students from Class 2, who had been evacuated due to his ruptured eardrum in the previous match, shouted out.

But Fertisha shook her head.

“…No.”

“What? What do you mean no?”

“Even if I’m injured, even if the loss is definite, I don’t want to regret running away later.”

Her voice radiated with strong determination.

Then, her bright red eyes gleamed.

“So, I won’t give up until the very end!”

When their gazes met, brimming with stubbornness, a memory long forgotten surged back.

The memories of past life.

It was the moment when Ulan and other heroes fell into the trap set by the Lord of the Abyss, ‘Rakus,’ the howling eyeball.

‘Back then, it truly was a dangerous situation.’

Everyone had been prepared to face annihilation.

The mercenary band they fought alongside had made plans to buy time at the cost of their sacrifices; thanks to this, an opportunity to escape had emerged. However, the heroes hesitated.

The opinions split in two.

‘Let’s retreat and wait for reinforcements.’

Delia, Ian, and Sven.

The three most rational heroes argued that they should retreat, regroup, and wait for reinforcements before striking back.

‘In contrast…’

Ulan, Ivella, and Laurea.

The three heroes chose to fight, even if the odds were against them. If they ran now, the mercenaries would surely perish.

With opinions divided 3 to 3, only Fertisha’s stance remained, but Ulan had little expectations. She was the most timid of the heroes, reluctant to fight.

‘So I thought she’d suggest we retreat.’

But the response was a surprise.

“Let’s fight.”

Curled up like a scared rabbit, despite her complexion paled by death drawing near, her red eyes burned with unyielding resolve.

“If we run away now, I’ll regret abandoning my comrades for the rest of my life. It’s better to fight!”

A fierce resolve shone in her gaze.

Though timid and scared, at the critical moment for her companions’ lives, Fertisha wanted to overcome her fear and fight.

‘Ah, now that I think about it, she was like that back then too.’

The last memory of his past life.

When the heroes, having sustained serious injuries, stayed back in the cave of the Giant King to buy time for a retreat.

Bleeding and collapsing, Fertisha, just before losing consciousness from excruciating pain, had said to Ulan…

“…Don’t judge too quickly.”

As if she could read Ulan’s thoughts, with a voice that seemed about to break, she earnestly whispered,

“If we fight together, we will definitely find a way. So please, let’s not jump to conclusions.”

Ivella, the Sword Princess, was the only one who opposed Ulan remaining behind, but Fertisha was the one who saw through Ulan’s true feelings long before that.

Despite Fertisha’s earnest plea, Ulan chose to stay behind and fight alone. Until the present moment of regression, he had never regretted that decision.

“I see.”

After concluding his memories of the past, Ulan burst into a grin.

“You were the same from the very beginning, huh?”

“Same? What do you mean?”

She looked puzzled.

But Ulan gave no answer. He merely smiled and said something unintelligible.

“I’ll tell you when the time’s right.”

When everything was ready, and all the heroes gathered in one place, he would reveal the memories and truths from his past life without hiding anything.

Finishing his thoughts, Ulan stepped forward.

It was best to wrap up this match quickly.

“I’ll end this as fast as I can.”

And with that, he smashed the ground beneath his feet.

The moment he stepped in the direction of Fertisha, his instincts screamed danger.

Suddenly, he felt his body being lifted as the firm ground below vanished.

“…!”

Plummeting fast.

It seemed that while he was busy talking, the earth spirits had dug the ground beneath him. The triumphant smile on Fertisha’s face was evidence of that.

But there was more.

She had made additional preparations.

WOOOSH!

A gale pressed down on Ulan from all sides.

He twisted his body momentarily, attempting a last-ditch effort to divert and escape.

‘I fell for it.’

This was unexpected.

With a chuckle, Ulan fell without any means of resistance. Fertisha approached the hole, her expression turning to one of panic.

“Oh no, I didn’t mean to dig this deep.”

The bottom was nowhere to be seen.

But she felt no worry.

“But he’s a Master, so he should be fine, right?”

In the worst-case scenario, he could use Aura to escape.

In that case, Ulan would undoubtedly be disqualified, making the match favorable for Class 2. Satisfied with her thoughts, Fertisha turned away.

“Well then, let’s see….”

Should she face the remaining nine?

Just as she summoned her spirits…

Swoosh!

“Huh?”

Suddenly, a suspicious sound reached her ears.

The sound came from the hole.

It was akin to multi-legged creatures scuttling up the walls. Fertisha instinctively looked into the hole, only to suck in a sharp breath.

“Gasp!”

Before her, an impossible sight unfolded.

Ulan was scrambling up the hole with his arms and legs at an astonishing speed.

Fertisha, startled, took a step back.

By then, the earth spirits sensed danger and hurried to block the hole, but it was already too late.

“…!?”

A hand emerging from the ground seized Fertisha by the ankle. In the blink of an eye, she was sucked beneath the surface.

“Aagh!”

A brief scream escaped her lips.

Moments later, her body was buried up to her chest in earth. Having achieved his goal, Ulan emerged and stepped towards his final destination.

“Class 3’s Ulan has reached the destination!”

“With this, Class 3 claims victory in the second defensive match. Their win is practically assured!”

Shortly thereafter, the voice signaling the end of the match rang out.

Fertisha blinked slowly, still dazed.

As long minutes passed, she finally grasped the situation and let out a sigh.

“Phew, I’ve completely been outmaneuvered.”

She couldn’t believe he escaped the hole so quickly.

Seeing that he hadn’t been disqualified, he must have climbed out purely with his physical abilities.

“What a monster.”

With an awkward smile, Fertisha accepted the results without further complaints.

“I lost.”

She then reached her hand out towards Ulan.

As if asking him to pull her up.

‘And if I grab his hand…’

She thought of using the earth spirits to bury Ulan underground. It was a deviously subtle revenge she had just concocted.

However, her revenge would not come to fruition.

Ulan did not grab her hand.

“Huh? You’re not going to help?”

“Why would I?”

“Because you made this mess…”

“But you can get out on your own, can’t you?”

With a casual dismissal, Ulan drifted away toward Class 3.

Watching his retreating back in a daze, Fertisha wore a pout.

“Just you wait.”

Once she emerged with the help of the spirits, she brushed off the dirt on her body. Then, in a small voice, she grumbled to herself.

“When you become my knight later, I’ll make sure you regret today’s events over and over.”

Pouting lips.

With a stern frown, Fertisha turned away. Even though she had lost the defensive match, the final round was still ahead.

As such, Fertisha returned to Class 2 to discuss victory in the forthcoming match with her comrades.

And at that moment, in the secluded northern forest of the academy, a clandestine conversation began.

Chapter 43: Shared Dreams

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