068 Hesitation

"Weiss, what’s the plan?"

"Given how little time is left, people are going to start making reckless moves. We’ll let them come to us and then crush them. For now, we wait."

"Understood. I'll keep watch on our six."

Clad in her jet-black training uniform, Lilith drifted away from Synthia and me to scout the perimeter.

[Time limit: 10 minutes remaining. Time limit: 10 minutes remaining.]

A Magic Bird shrieked the announcement as it circled high above.

Currently, we were in the training grounds of the Noblesse Magic Academy—specifically, an area designed to look like a cluster of ruined houses and urban sprawl. Apparently, this place had originally been a small town, but the Headmaster had saturated it with special sorcery. He’d placed a permanent enchantment on the area so that any damage incurred would automatically repair itself over time.

To put it simply, this was a city-based combat test designed for practical application. Once you hit the latter half of your first year as a lowerclassman, these types of scenarios became much more frequent.

Real wars usually happened out in the open fields, but in a world crawling with adventurers and criminals, urban combat was an inevitability you just couldn’t escape. I remembered getting jumped by the three Bhutan brothers during a practical test a while back... though, if I’m being honest with myself, I was the one who went looking for that fight.

[Allen Team has defeated Beefy Team. Points are being transferred.]

The Magic Bird in the sky broadcast the update.

We were organized into "Teams" because this specific training session was being conducted in groups of three. At Noblesse, they alternated between individual matches and team battles to keep us on our toes. It was efficient, sure, but it also hammered home the importance of camaraderie.

My team consisted of Synthia and Lilith. Allen, as expected, was paired with Duke and Shari.

We were currently the points leaders. Ever since Synthia mastered the Glass Sword 《Glacies》, she had become damn near invincible. Lilith, too, was getting exponentially stronger by the day.

However, there was one team nipping at our heels with terrifying persistence.

Just then, I felt a surge of bloodlust from Lilith behind me. Or, to be more precise, she was intentionally flaring her mana to signal us: Prey located.

"Let’s move, Synthia."

"Right!"

We dashed toward the rear. Following Lilith's gaze, I saw a group of lowerclassmen locked in a frantic struggle. They were clearly desperate for points as the clock ticked down.

After surviving the Calamity, I’d been trying to prioritize learning tactics. I knew I wouldn't survive long in the future if I just brainlessly hit whatever was in front of me. Making the first move was important, but sometimes, you had to be the third party who swooped in to clean up.

"Now! Go!"

At my command, Lilith and Synthia lunged forward.

I caught one of the lowerclassmen with a strike from outside his field of vision, dropping him instantly. Synthia and Lilith moved to mop up the rest, but—

"Haaah!"

A Magic Cannon blast rained down from high above. It was Carta. The projectile slammed into the lowerclassman, causing his mana to leak out—the sign of a technical knockout. Without missing a beat, Pippin the squirrel darted in and finished off the last one.

"Tch. They stole our kills."

I looked toward the source of the attack. On the roof of a nearby ruin, a woman wearing glasses flashed a smug smile at me. Points earned by a teammate were shared across the group. Which meant...

[Cecil Team has defeated Fizz Team. Cecil Team is now in 2nd place.]

It was the trio of Carta and Olynn, led by Cecil.

Ever since the Calamity, Cecil had been deviating wildly from her role in the Original Story. The fact that she’d spent the entire school trip buried in strategy books was one thing, but now she was practically vibrating with motivation.

Between Carta’s high-altitude Flight Magic combined with her devastating Magic Cannon, and Olynn—who was so frustrated by his helplessness during the Demon fight that he was constantly pushing the limits of the monsters he could perform Subjugation on—they were a force to be reckoned with. And with Cecil’s monstrous intellect backing them up, they were a tactical nightmare.

In a direct individual match, I was undefeated. Cecil knew that, which was exactly why she refused to fight me head-on. She’d engage, retreat, and reposition. The Calamity had been the same way—real combat was a messy, chaotic scramble. There were no "Ready, Set, Go" moments; it was just a constant cycle of kiting and closing distance.

I used to think I could achieve a Clear as long as I was personally strong. I was wrong. I had to become the strongest in terms of tactics, too. Honestly, their team was probably the most balanced group among the lowerclassmen.

"W-Weiss?!" one of the defeated kids stammered.

"See ya."

I finished off the very last straggler just as the timer hit zero.

[Results: 1st Place - Weiss Team. 2nd Place - Cecil Team. 3rd Place - Allen Team.]

We won on paper, but I’m sure it was by a narrow margin. If things kept going like this, they’d definitely overtake us eventually. I can’t let that happen. Not a chance.

Still, a part of me was actually happy. The stronger they got, the more satisfying it would be to overcome them—and more importantly, the more I could rely on them.

Well, some people were taking the loss a bit harder than others.

"We lost... it's all my fault..."

"No, Allen, it’s my fault... my muscles just aren't developed enough..."

"It’s because I’m nothing but baggage..."

The usual trio—Allen, Duke, and Shari—were huddled together in a circle of misery.

Please, guys. I’m begging you. Don’t let your strength be inversely proportional to mine. Stop weakening!

"Do you think... they'll be okay?" Synthia asked, looking concerned.

"Don't sweat it, Synthia. They’ll bounce back. Besides, I'm pretty sure they're still hiding their real trump cards."

I knew for a fact they were doing Secret Training every single night. The use of Artifacts was permitted in these tests, but they probably hadn't mastered theirs yet, which is why they hadn't brought them out.

Then again, I didn't feel like I’d truly mastered mine either. My raw attack power had spiked, but I still didn't understand the unique utility of this specific weapon.

I looked down at the Dual Sword in my hand. A jet-black blade, supposedly the Strongest Sword, currently wreathed in light. But that was all it was—a sword.

“Build an arsenal that belongs to you and you alone,” Teacher Milk always said.

I’d been avoiding the whip to get used to the sword, but I felt like I was missing something overwhelming. I needed to train harder. I wasn't trying to be a Shonen Manga protagonist, but I found myself craving something like a Special Move.

Not that life is ever convenient enough to just hand me one.

---

Later that evening, after training wrapped up, I found myself wandering the schoolyard. The Noblesse Magic Academy really was beautiful. It was lush with nature, easily rivaling the Royal Capital National Park.

Tactics were a pain. You couldn't just build a tactical mind overnight; it required actual experience. And there were so many things I still didn't understand within the confines of this academy.

The world outside, huh...

Actually, the timing was probably perfect. If things followed the Original Story, it was almost time for that to happen.

As I was lost in thought, the last person I expected to see appeared right in front of me. I mean, she was a student here, so it wasn't a miracle or anything, but still.

"How’s it going, Junior?"

The invincible, strongest goddess herself: Eva Avery.

She was still undefeated in individual matches. She sat at the absolute peak of the intermediate-year students, a height no one could reach. Every student who entered Noblesse dreaming of greatness was told the same thing: “Don’t compare yourself to Eva.”

She was an anomaly. No matter how much talent someone had, I couldn't see a single Vision of a future where she lost. Because I knew the game's lore, I knew exactly how "broken" she really was.

But I didn't plan on being just another admirer. Surpassing Eva was one of my ultimate goals. And apparently, a chance to test myself had just fallen into my lap on a whim.

"I'm doing alright. Though, seeing you out here is a rarity."

Despite being a student, Eva was a total Shut-in who rarely left her room. Since her meals were always delivered, the game lore described her as someone who spent her days Indulging in Idleness on the Bed.

While the intermediate students usually wore the same uniforms as us, Eva almost always wore Casual Clothes. It wasn't technically against the rules, but nobody else really did it. Today, she was wearing a white one-piece dress, which only added to her Sense of Otherness.

She let out a sleepy yawn before speaking.

"I woke up at a weird hour, you see. I need something to wake me up. How about it?"

We Noblesse students all held Individual Points. You could challenge other students based on your rank, but because Eva was so high up, you usually couldn't even request a match with her unless you were in the top tier. However, if a senior nominated a junior and the junior accepted, those rules went out the window.

This was a stroke of luck I hadn't even dared to hope for. It wasn't an Official Match, so no points would change hands, but it was still the best possible development.

"I couldn't ask for more."

"Hehe. Well then, shall we?"

The Noblesse Training Room was located in the basement. It was designed to allow spectators, but unless it was an official bout, people usually didn't bother showing up.

Except this time.

"Weiss, go for it! Just try to stay alive!"

"It’s Eva-senpai! For real!"

"Weiss, don't die on us, man..."

The news that Eva and I were walking toward the training room together must have spread like wildfire. A massive crowd gathered in seconds. Some people were even in their Pajamas—I couldn't tell if they hadn't gone to bed yet or had just jumped out of it. Even some of the seniors I rarely saw were present.

Though, naturally, most of them were just worried I was about to get murdered.

"Hehe. You’re quite the Popular Person, aren't you, Weiss?"

"It’s your fault for being a legend. Anyway... what are the rules?"

"Anything goes. Use your subjugated monsters, use your Artifacts—whatever you like. Though, I won't be using any of that myself."

Eva never carried anything. Even in the game, she didn't use weapons. I knew she had a Magic Staff for travel, but that was it.

"...I won't hold back then. Debi!"

"Debibibi!"

With a pop, Debi appeared next to my head. I’d recently discovered that Debi could act as a storage space for a decent amount of items. Carrying a sword around all the time was a hassle, so having him hold my gear was incredibly convenient.

I grabbed the hilt of the Dual Sword. As I poured dark mana into it, the blade materialized. Since many of the spectators hadn't seen my sword—or Debi—before, they started shouting in excitement.

"What the hell is that sword?! And a servant monster? It’s... scary-cute!"

"Weiss can do Subjugation too?"

"Look at that mana density. It’s insane."

I’d been practicing with Debi, but the Coordination was still tricky. They say fighting with a summon is like having four limbs; imagining Olynn doing that with multiple summons was honestly hilarious. Since summoning consumed mana constantly, if I didn't nail the synergy, it would just be a handicap.

Still, I was dying to see how I stacked up against the Eva Avery.

"We don't need a bell. Just come at me whenever you're ready."

She tossed her silver-white hair. Her casual stance made it look like she was just waiting for a cup of coffee.

Alright. Let's start by testing the waters.

I lunged forward in silence. I wasn't stupid enough to try a straightforward frontal assault. Right before reaching her, I conjured an Unnatural Wall on both sides, using them as platforms to zigzag at high speed. Even for Eva, reacting to this kind of speed right after waking up had to be a challenge.

I sent Debi to her rear, flanking her from both sides. Then, I swung.

"Haaah!"

"Debibibi!"

My full-power strike coincided perfectly with Debi’s Dark Mana Cannon. It hadn't been long since I subjugated him, but his output was no joke. A normal lowerclassman would have been knocked cold in one hit. This was the Coordination I’d perfected under Olynn’s tutelage.

Even Eva wouldn't be able to—

"Hehe. Not bad. I like the energy."

Eva simply gathered mana into her bare hands. And with just that, she caught my blade and deflected Debi’s magic. No Barrier, no complex spell circles—just pure, overwhelming magic resistance.

"Eva-senpai is a literal monster!"

"She blocked Weiss's attack that easily?!"

"Forget that, look at the power of that demon's magic!"

...Seriously? She’s a walking cheat code. What kind of mana pool is she working with? This is totally broken.

Eva flashed a delighted smile. "You're strong. Really, truly strong."

"You've got a lot of nerve saying that after blocking me so effortlessly."

"I don't do empty flattery. By the time you graduate, you’re going to be something terrifying."

Coming from her, it was the ultimate compliment. But to me, it just felt like she was pointing out how much of a gap there still was. In other words, I was still "weak."

Heh. Fine by me.

"Is that so? Then how about this!"

The next one... I was going in with the intent to kill.

【Blessing of Healing and Impulse of Destruction】

I’d grown, too. The dark aura spread across the ground faster than ever before, reaching Eva in an instant. As the power flooded into me, I couldn't help but shudder.

It was bottomless. An overflowing surge of power that kept pumping into me even after I’d hit my limit. It was just like the fight with the dragon. If I just sat there and absorbed it, my body would eventually swell up and explode.

"Oh? Are you alright?"

But I wasn't going to let that happen. I just had to burn through the mana as fast as it came in.

My speed tripled. I felt dozens of times stronger than I had seconds ago. This magic was a double-edged sword that became more potent the stronger the opponent was. Since the mana was shared with Debi, he unleashed a Dark Mana Cannon even more powerful than the last.

I followed up with a flurry of sword strikes, but Eva continued to parry and catch everything with her bare hands.

Then, she let out a quiet laugh.

She hadn't moved her arms, but an indescribable sense of dread washed over me. I leaped back instinctively, putting a massive amount of distance between us.

In that split second, I’d seen them. The invisible hands.

"Impressive. You could see these too?"

In the Original Story, Eva dropped out of the academy, and her secrets were never fully revealed. But in that moment, I felt like I’d glimpsed the source of her power.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, we continued our dance.

To be blunt about the result: I didn't lose, but I definitely didn't win. My attacks were landing, but they were doing zero damage. Eva really was just using me for her morning stretches. It wasn't even that she was "holding back"—it was just exercise to her.

Still, looking at the other intermediate students, even "exercising" with Eva was considered an impossible feat.

"He’s actually trading blows with Eva... so that’s Weiss."

"Insane..."

"Yeah..."

The way they looked at Eva wasn't with a competitive spirit—it was pure, distant admiration. She was on a level where "winning" or "losing" didn't even make sense anymore. That realization felt a little lonely.

When the match ended, the crowd showered me with praise. Nobody approached Eva. She didn't seem to mind, though; she just looked satisfied.

She told me she had fun, and as she turned to leave, I pushed through the crowd to call out to her.

"Thank you, Eva-senpai."

"...No, thank you. It was a blast."

This hadn't been a real match. If this were Battle Universe, this would have been a "tutorial duel." I felt like Eva had been showing me the path—telling me that it was vital to never stop reaching for the top.

"Weiss-sama, that was incredible! Your movements were unbelievable!"

"Indeed, Weiss. You’ve made me very proud."

Strangely enough, I found I could accept the praise from Synthia and Lilith without any self-deprecation. I wasn't equal to the "strongest goddess" yet, but I had become strong enough for her to acknowledge me. I wasn't going to get arrogant, but maybe it was okay to give myself a pat on the back once in a while.

That being said...

"Synthia, Lilith, do me a favor. Skip the afternoon lectures and help me train. I want to refine my tactics with Debi while the feeling is still fresh."

"Of course! I’ll stay with you as long as you need."

"Let's skip! I’d much rather be moving my body anyway!"

I had no intention of slowing down. Not until I reached the top.