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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Mod7
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Arthur took a step closer. An oppressive wave of mana pressed down, causing the surrounding foliage to tremble ominously.
“Stay back, Arthur. I’ll attack if you come any closer.”
Seven spirits hovered around Tia, their gazes fixed on Arthur. Behind them, the glowing eyes of an intermediate-level spirit shone brightly.
“Ethan, are you badly hurt?”
I pointed to my side and chuckled. Everyone’s attention was on Arthur, their bodies tense.
Could I win if I fought Arthur now?
It wasn’t a sure thing. I was injured, and Tia was a ranged attacker.
The only advantage we had was that there were two of us, and Arthur was alone.
I gripped my sword tightly, ready to fight.
“Where’s Raynel?”
Arthur didn’t answer. He held up a necklace. It dangled in the air.
It was Raynel’s necklace.
“That Raynel guy. He shot an arrow at Reus, even though I was right there.”
Arthur chuckled, as if he knew everything. I had told Raynel about Reus’s weakness.
I had told him to shoot Reus, even if it meant being eliminated.
Raynel had relayed this information to Tesha. And Tesha had used Raynel as a pawn in her attempt to defeat Reus.
The tension in the air was thick.
“Ethan, we still have half a day left.”
Arthur smiled and withdrew his mana, noticing our apprehension.
“Ethan, Tia, I’ll watch your backs. If you’ll let me.”
Tia was taken aback by Arthur’s offer.
“You’re saying… you won’t attack us? Why?”
“There’s no rule against cooperation in this survival exam.”
Ah.
Tia’s eyes widened in understanding.
“But you could betray us at any moment.”
“Well… yeah, I could. But do you really not trust me?”
“This isn’t about trust.”
“Whatever. I’m not going to attack you.”
Arthur shrugged and sheathed his sword.
“Okay, Arthur Pendragon. I’ll trust you.”
The deal was struck. Tia lowered her hand and gave instructions to her spirits. Now, all they had to do was find Sonny and Anya.
“Undine, Diene, Neun, go find Anya, Sonny, and Raynel. Tell them what’s happening.”
The three water spirits dispersed, disappearing into the forest.
Soon, Anya and Sonny arrived. Sepia, her expression sullen, followed them.
Sonny looked at the unconscious Reus. He noticed that Ethan was holding Reus’s necklace.
‘That black-haired guy… he defeated Reus… He’s strong… Humans are interesting creatures…’
He found Ethan intriguing. Today had been full of surprises.
Anya’s expanding hammer and the black-haired swordsman who had defeated Reus had piqued his interest.
Sepia’s eyes widened.
“Ethan… your side…”
It was clear that Ethan had been stabbed. And she knew who had done it.
“I’m fine.”
The bleeding had stopped. It stung a little, like a minor burn.
“You’re fine?”
“Yeah, I’m okay. It’s bearable.”
Sepia’s words caught in her throat. She didn’t know what to say.
Tia chuckled.
“What? Why are you laughing?”
“Is there a reason I shouldn’t be laughing?”
“You’re annoying.”
“I don’t need your approval.”
Sepia gritted her teeth. She was annoyed. If it weren’t for the fact that they were on the same team, she would have unleashed her magic on Tia.
“Both of you, be quiet. I have a headache.”
I was bleeding and exhausted, and their bickering was making my head pound.
“Ethan, Tia started it…”
“I didn’t do anything! And Sepia, the injured person asked for some quiet.”
‘Ugh… I have to be patient… I shouldn’t react to her provocations…’
Sepia took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.
The last day of the final exams was coming to an end. There were no attacks from other teams.
None of the other Hero Candidates were brave enough to challenge a group that included Arthur, Sonny, Ethan, Sepia, and Anya.
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In Reus’s room.
Reus was replaying last night’s events in his mind.
He could cover his entire body in a mana shield. Ordinary attacks couldn’t penetrate it, except for strikes to his vital points.
He gritted his teeth.
‘That guy… he knew my weak spot.’
Very few people knew his weakness.
[The Sea Goddess is watching you with concern.]
Reus ignored the message.
[The Sea Goddess is pacing anxiously.]
[The Sea Goddess asks if you are alright.]
[The Sea Goddess…]
“Mom! Stop sending me messages!”
Reus shouted at the air.
He had a lot on his mind, and the messages were annoying.
[The King of the Gods scolds you for your tone.]
“Great-grandfather, please leave me alone…”
Even Reus, the stubborn demigod, couldn’t argue with the King of the Gods.
[The God of War asks if you’re going through puberty.]
“Great-uncle, I’m past puberty.”
He wanted to sigh. The constant messages were a nuisance. But he owed his strength to their blessings and support.
[The King of the Underworld asks why you bothered reincarnating if you’re just going to complain.]
“I didn’t ask to be reincarnated.”
He had been reborn into this world against his will.
Neither he nor the gods knew much about this world.
[The Sea Goddess has sent you 1000 points.]
[The Sea Goddess has sent you 1000 points.]
“Mom, I’m going to block you if you keep doing that.”
[The Sea Goddess protests.]
Reus waved his hand, silencing the messages. The room fell silent.
Finally, he could think in peace.
‘Ethan… he knew exactly where to strike…’
It could have been a coincidence.
But it felt deliberate.
It wasn’t easy to kick someone’s heel from the side.
“So, he might have known my weakness from the start.”
He suddenly remembered Hades’s words.
Some of the dead hadn’t arrived in the underworld. They might have been reborn into other worlds, just like him.
‘Why does Ethan remind me of Hector?’
Ethan’s parting words echoed in his mind.
‘Think about what you did wrong.’
He was strong and righteous. He was like Hector. He could have attacked from behind while invisible.
‘But he revealed himself and fought me fairly.’
While Reus had mercilessly attacked an injured opponent. He felt ashamed.
A theory formed in his mind.
‘That guy… could he be Hector reincarnated?’
He didn’t know much about the rules of this world. He was getting used to it, but it had been confusing at first.
“Does that bastard also have the blessing of the gods?”
Perhaps Ethan was his destined rival, growing stronger through divine quests and blessings.
“If he knows my weakness and has the blessing of the gods… then he must be Paris or Hector. Could it be that one of them reincarnated and came to this world?”
Achilles was on the wrong track.
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In Sylvia’s office.
The semester ended with the final exams. And rumors of the swordsman who had defeated Reus spread throughout the academy. Rumors were always exaggerated.
“Ethan, the strongest first-year swordsman who defeated Reus.”
Sylvia smiled.
She had overheard the rumors while walking down the hallway. News about Ethan seemed to reach her ears no matter where she went.
A hidden gem cannot remain hidden forever.
And a master always cares about their disciple.
The first rumor she had heard was about Ethan being the first first-year student to defeat a demon. Then she had heard about him defeating another demon.
And coincidentally, the third rumor was also related to a demon. He had single-handedly defeated an army of undead.
According to the rumors, Ethan had already formed a contract with an intermediate-level spirit.
‘He’s improving at an incredible rate.’
Very few first-year students could achieve such rapid growth.
It required both talent and hard work.
‘Could it be that Ethan… has been hunting demons?’
He had defeated two demons immediately after enrolling, and had been attacked by demons three times.
‘It’s… strange.’
Sylvia took a sip of tea and set her cup down.
‘He said he learned swordsmanship to survive, and the demons have targeted him three times.’
The Linchester family was famous for hunting demons.
Naturally, Sylvia, as a member of the Linchester family, was pleased to hear about her disciple defeating demons.
‘But fighting demons is dangerous.’
It was an undeniable fact.
It meant making enemies of the demons.
‘Why is Ethan being targeted by demons?’
Sylvia sighed. It was a question she couldn’t answer.
Ethan had gone to the women’s dormitory to defeat the second demon. Would an ordinary man break the rules like that, even if he was a Hero Candidate?
‘Could it be that Ethan… is hunting demons like a hunter?’
Or was there a connection between the three incidents that she wasn’t aware of? She was lost in thought. Just then, she heard a knock.
“Sylvia! It’s Dania!”
“Come in.”
Dania entered the office.
“Did you hear the rumors? They say Ethan defeated Reus in the final exam.”
“Yes, I heard.”
“Some say he won through skill, others say he used underhanded tactics.”
Dania chattered excitedly.
“It was a survival exam. It doesn’t matter if he used a sneak attack or fought him head-on.”
Sylvia’s tone was unusually curt.
An ordinary person wouldn’t have noticed, but Dania, who had served Sylvia for a long time, could sense her displeasure.
“Haha, that’s true!”
Dania chuckled awkwardly.
“Nia, contact Ethan.”
“What? Ethan?”
“I want to see my disciple.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
Dania nodded and turned on her communication crystal. Sylvia had a proposition for Ethan.
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Ethan’s success strikes again.