〈 Chapter 118 〉 Graduation Tournament (3)
*
The final event of Hero Academy: the Graduation Tournament.
It was a significant event where one could be chosen as a successor to another hero or receive relics from the Church.
At the same time, it was the only time of the year when outsiders were allowed to enter Hero Academy.
As a result, heroes began to gather from all over the world.
Most of them operated in small groups individually and would rarely be summoned unless there was a major crisis, so this level of gathering only happened during the Graduation Tournament.
Thus, many spectators flocked to Hero Academy to watch these heroes.
“Look at that sword. How on earth does he swing that?”
“Isn’t that the super strong Hugo?”
“Ranked 86th among heroes?”
The sword held by Hero Hugo was far too massive for a normal person to wield.
Yet he held it with ease.
“I heard that sword is the heaviest in the world.”
“No way, Gravitas is way heavier!”
“What are you talking about? I heard Gravitas is the lightest sword!”
To be precise, both statements were true.
The original Gravitas, which was the very essence of the Relic Gravitas Replicant, was indeed both the heaviest and the lightest sword.
“But why is that guy here? He’s not retiring yet, is he?”
“They say many heroes come even if they aren’t retiring. It feels like a reunion for graduates of Hero Academy.”
“Wait, does that mean we could see Saint-level heroes too?”
“Those guys probably won’t show up unless it’s absolutely necessary. I’ve been watching this for ten years, and I’ve never seen one. They must be extremely busy.”
As heroes began to arrive one by one through the crowd, the sheer number of heroes, excluding the high-ranking ones, was quite significant, making it difficult for the ordinary folks to recognize anyone.
They could only assume that anyone who passed the identity check was a hero.
However, it was possible to recognize heroes with a distinct presence or fame, like the giant sword-wielding Hugo.
A typical example was the Rose Knight Gwen.
Her long, red hair reached her waist.
And upon her small frame, she wore a cape symbolizing her status as a hero.
From what I heard her say before, wearing that cape somehow discouraged pesky bandits from bothering her.
Anyone could tell at a glance that it was Gwen Reedval.
‘She looks exactly the same as she did three years ago.’
It was due to her trait [Precocious (Large)].
Thanks to that trait, her skill proficiency rose rapidly, but her physical growth had effectively stalled.
‘By now, she should have reached Swordsmanship S+.’
When I first met her, her swordsmanship rank was S.
Considering that her swordsmanship limit was close to SS, it was more than enough for her to reach Swordsmanship S+ by now.
‘But…’
Currently, the Divine Seats were absent.
So, I couldn’t predict any variables that might arise.
‘Perhaps there might be something I need to intervene with.’
At that moment, Gwen suddenly turned her head.
At the same time, the people around her murmured.
“Did Gwen see me?!”
“She’s looking our way and smiling, right?”
But I knew.
What Gwen was looking at was none other than me.
‘Hello.’
I greeted her with a look.
She responded in kind.
‘Long time no see.’
That was the maximum conversation we could have at the moment.
I was just grateful that Gwen seemed to understand this fact too.
“But isn’t Gwen incredibly beautiful?”
“Is that your type? That’s a crime.”
“But even so, her real age… eek.”
Gwen’s sharp glare silenced the surrounding chatter, and other heroes continued to file in behind her.
Among them were some heroes I recognized, including Magician Stella, whom I had actually met before.
‘Stella feels a bit weird to see.’
I had seen her during the Trials.
There, she had virtually sacrificed her lifespan to bring down most of the Demon King along with half of Hailen.
Remembering the magic power she displayed and her final sacrifice made it feel somewhat awkward to see her walking around so casually now.
As many heroes entered Hero Academy, the time for closing the entrance to outsiders approached.
The number of people gathered continued to increase, reaching the highest point of the day.
It was the moment I had been waiting for.
‘I don’t really like to be in the spotlight, but…’
Having slipped out of Hero Academy earlier in the day to blend with the crowd, I finally took my step out from the throng.
Then I lowered the hood over my head.
Instantly, people’s attention began to shift towards me.
“Who is that guy?”
“He doesn’t look that special, does he?”
With hair of a dull, faded color unlike Elsie’s sunny golden hue, I had no notable physique compared to other heroes and was holding no weapon to speak of.
In fact, I wouldn’t even emanate the pressure that the other heroes did. My status was barely on the level of a strong ordinary person.
“Is he really a hero?”
“Isn’t he just some lucky graduate of Hero Academy?”
It seemed the crowd’s interest would slowly fade.
But I wasn’t targeting those simple commoners.
‘I’m sure there are some who would recognize me.’
Mostly, I was referring to the spies from the Demon King’s side.
They wouldn’t possibly miss such an event.
And I showed myself to them with the clear intention of proving something.
‘That Allen Pleuk and Sung Yoo-rang are two entirely distinct individuals.’
Allen Pleuk had been keeping a low profile for quite a long time.
From his previous achievements, one could say he was satisfied and practically retired, or perhaps he was just laying low preparing for the next operation.
However, I couldn’t be sure that the Demon King’s forces only predicted those two possibilities.
‘Basically, I must assume they can think of what I can think.’
Their spies embedded globally, and with Demon King Violet’s existence, their information network wasn’t much different from mine.
In fact, it was possible they understood the current world better than I did, with only my foresight of the future giving me a slight edge.
Assuming they wouldn’t figure out what I was contemplating would be a foolish judgment.
‘So, it’s necessary to further deceive them with unknown abilities that they’re not aware of.’
I pulled out a badge issued only to high-ranking heroes.
It was embedded with a gem specifically treated to respond only to the hero’s magical power.
I showed the badge to the gatekeeper of Hero Academy and said, “I am Hero Allen Pleuk.”
At the same time, the gem embedded in the badge gleamed faintly.
*
‘Will this catch their eye?’
As the temporary professor of the archery class and a high-ranking hero nearing retirement, Ludmilla chose a spot where she could see the tournament well.
Ordinarily, professors at Hero Academy must manage the candidates rather than watch the matches, but since she was still an interim professor and finding a successor was a priority, she had stepped away from her duties.
“Isn’t that Ludmilla?”
And those around her began to recognize her.
She was famous not only for being a high-ranking hero but also because most of those attending the tournament were her peers who were also nearing retirement.
“Wasn’t she here last year, too?”
“Yeah, she didn’t find a successor last year either.”
“From what I can see, you should lower your standards.”
“What about you?”
“I’m not a talented high-ranking hero like you. There are plenty of new faces better than me, so I don’t need to lower my standards.”
That was quite enviable.
It was at that moment when Ludmilla was just about to challenge that smug new face.
“Wait a minute…”
Suddenly, someone caught her eye.
With red hair and a small stature.
There was no way she wouldn’t recognize her.
‘What’s Gwen doing here?’
Gwen had never once attended the Graduation Tournament.
Even though many participants came for a reunion feel, Gwen had never wasted her time like that.
She had been actively traveling to become stronger and to regain the relics of the Reedval family.
‘Although at this point, I suppose that’s reaching its final stage…’
No matter how youthful Gwen seemed, there was no way she could remain as a hero forever.
Of course, the choice to appoint a successor or to spend her remaining life searching for the relics was entirely up to Gwen…
And she somewhat guessed what that choice would be.
“Gwen.”
“Hm? Is that you, Ludmilla?”
Her old-woman-like tone remained unchanged.
Or perhaps she was truly old by now.
“It’s been a while since I last saw you, after that time in Basilium.”
“Indeed. The last two years have kept me busy. I haven’t had the time to come to the Graduation Tournament.”
“I figured as much.”
I could easily understand that she hadn’t attended the tournament just in the last two years.
But the important question was why she had come this year.
“So, what made you come to the Graduation Tournament this time? Are you finally looking for a successor?”
But Gwen shook her head.
“No, it’s not that I’m looking for a successor. I’ve already found one.”
Her response that she had already found a successor was something Ludmilla partially anticipated.
After all, she had been somewhat suspicious about Gwen’s successor already.
“Is the successor that blond kid from back then?”
At that, Gwen, who had maintained a calm expression all day, suddenly turned her head.
“How do you know that?”
“Well, you were together when we met in Basilium.”
In that instant, Ludmilla became convinced.
That Allen Pleuk was indeed Gwen’s successor.
In fact, it had been strongly implied when Allen Pleuk was found wielding Gwen’s Relic Gravitas Replicant, but now it was confirmed.
“How envious. Where’d you find such a monster…”
“No, he isn’t my successor.”
“Eh?”
Gwen let out a sigh and replied.
“I proposed that he be my successor, but he refused, saying there’s someone more capable of teaching than me.”
“What the hell…”
Ludmilla thought Gwen was second to none when it came to swordsmanship, with only her relic and physical abilities being slightly lower than others.
Even considering how long it had been since she thought that, Ludmilla couldn’t even imagine how far Gwen’s swordsmanship had risen by now.
Yet, refusing the position of successor because someone could teach better…
“Is he out of his mind?”
“Sounds like he might be.”
Well, that wasn’t it.
“Then who’s the successor?”
Gwen casually raised her short arm and pointed to the center of the tournament arena.
“Her.”
In that spot stood a female candidate holding a sword.
‘That girl is…’
With a neat short bob that reached her shoulders and dressed in candidate attire.
Despite her soft appearance, there was something poisonous reflected in her eyes.
“Elsie, the candidate?”
“Yeah, that arrogant brat.”
*
