I am the Monarch Chapter 111 : Tron Academy (3)

The greatest spearman of the continent.
The greatest genius of the continent.
There were many nicknames attributed to Pierce.
But before Pierce, there was a swordsman that held the nickname as a genius.
His name was Brian Miles.
As the firstborn of Viscount Miles's house, Brian showed exceptional talent in swordsmanship and achieved the level of an elementary swordsman before he attended the academy.
For Brian, who may become the kingdom's first swordmaster, the Rinse royalty provided advanced swordsmanship and mana techniques, as well as various herbs known to increase the understanding of mana.
Possibly thanks to this total support, Brian achieved the pinnacle of swordsmanship within the first year of Tron Academy.
The expectations, that the Rinse Kingdom's first swordmaster may be born at this rate, bubbled.
But.

'He stopped just there.'

Roan made a short sigh.
The reason Brian was called the unfortunate genius.
For some reason, Brian's growth stopped in his second year at the academy.
Although achieving the pinnacle of swordsmanship at the age of seventeen was an amazing achievement, to Brian who looked towards a greater height, the inexplicable halt in his growth was a torment.

'Little by little, he slowly crumbled and……'

Ultimately with the appearance of Pierce, another genius, no, a genius on a different level, he completely collapsed.
In the end, the genius who received the Kingdom's expectations to become the first swordmaster ended his own life at the young age of twenty eight.

'Is it the second year after the halt?'

Roan looked at Brian.
A face full of fatigue.

'It seems he's already began to burn out.'

He needlessly felt pity for him.
Then.

“Thank you for the special lecture. It was an interesting topic. But doesn't Sir Baron Tale's real worth lie as a warrior who commands battlefields? I heard that your spearmanship is incredible.”
“The rumors tend to be exaggerated.”

Roan smiled.
Still with a weary look, Brian spoke.

“Please have a duel with me.”

He deeply bowed from his waist.
A very polite and respectful attitude.
And to Roan who knew his future, he felt some desperation from that sight.

'He's probably looking for a breakthrough.'

Roan deeply inhaled.

'Perhaps, this duel could help him.'

An event that happened to neither Roan nor Brian in the last life.

“Sure. Let's have a duel.”

Soon as he finished his words, Brian raised his head.
A crack appeared in his worn-out expression.
Although very slightly, his joy could be felt.
On the side, several students pumped their fists in delight.
They were the brats who ridiculed Roan when he had first entered the Tron Academy.

'It's the work of those brats.'

A bitter smile formed.

'Most likely, they babbled something about possibly feeling something if he fought with a warrior who fought in real battles.'

And Brian likely agreed feeling like grabbing at straws.
But either way, it was true that he himself wanted to help Brian.
If this event went well, the Rinse Kingdom's first swordmaster may be born.

'He could be a good rival for Pierce too.'

For course, he would have like to keep him by his side and use him if there was a chance.

“Wow! This is big!”
“A duel between the expedition's hero, Sir Baron Roan Tale, and our academy's best swordsman, Brian!”
“Who do you think will win?”
“Even if Sir Baron Tale has incredible spearmanship, Brian's mana control should be much better.”
“Eey. It's a duel, a duel. Use of mana isn't allowed in a duel. They will be fighting purely with swordsmanship and spearmanship.”

The students became greatly excited at the suddenly decided duel.
Without minding the reactions around him, Brian walked towards the stage.

“Brian! Brian!”

The students chanted Brian's name.

“This is completely unexpected.”

Principle Fred Brown, who was watching the events from the side, made a difficult expression.
Soon, he turned his head toward Professor Rambel Valley from the knight school.

“Professor Valley. Please prepare the duel.”
“Yes. Understood.”

Rambel quickly nodded his head and stood up.
Quickly, he sent several students to training field's shed to bring the weapons and armors for training.
The table on top of the stage was moved aside and an arena was soon prepared.
The academy's professors, including Fred, made a peculiar expression.

'I should be able to see those rumored skills.'
'If Brian can take a complete victory, he could pull back the interests that were waning until now.'

All the while, Roan and Brian stared at each other on top of the stage.

“Thank you for accepting the duel.”

Brian deeply lowered his head.
Roan faintly smiled as he shook his head.

“It will be a good lesson for me as well.”

A meeting between the young geniuses that will lead the Rinse Kingdom.
Just that made this duel worthy enough.
Amongst several wooden swords, Brian picked one up.

“Sir Baron Tale.”
“Yes. What is it?”

Roan, who likewise was choosing a wooden pole, looked at Brian.

“Since we will be having a duel, why don't we have a real duel?”
“Hhm.”

Roan slightly frowned.
There was a big difference between a regular duel and a real duel.
If a regular duel was like training where the two compared their skills and matched their moves, a real duel was more like a fight that always ends with a clear winner and loser.
The only difference simply being the use of edgeless weapons, it was a duel where one's life could be in danger with a small mistake.

“Is that truly necessary?”

Brian awkwardly smiled at those words and replied.

“I want to feel the true spearmanship as it is. The spearmanship……”

A strength went into the light in his eyes.

“That Sir Baron Tale used on top of the battlefields.”

A polite yet desperate voice.
In truth, Brian had already dueled with countless knights.
But even so, his growth remained stalled, and he felt an unknown need.
A thirst like a burning throat.

'If I fight against skills from real fights, wouldn't something be different?'

There was such an expectation.
Because of that, he requested a duel to Roan despite knowing that his juniors' temptations were simply immature.
Brian stared straight into Roan's two eyes.
Feeling that stare, Roan exhaled a short sigh.

'It seems he is quite frustrated.'

He slowly nodded his head.

“Sure. Let's have a real duel.”
“Thank you very much.”

Brian lowered his head once again.
Swinging a wooden sword around, he stretched his body.
On the other hand, Roan, who had been choosing a wooden pole, walked up to the leather armors.

“Un? Armor?”
“Is he actually going to wear armor when they are having a duel?”
“Is he perhaps afraid of getting hit by a wooden sword?”

The students clamored.
That was the same for the professors.
Most of all, the knight school professors squinted their foreheads and criticized.

“Armor despite having a duel. This is a first.”
“Yes. Sir Baron Tale isn't being manly at all. To wear armor in a duel with a student.”
“That's not chivalry. As expected of someone from a common soldier background.”

Principle Fred Brown, who was quietly listening, shook his head.

“It's a real duel. It isn't a problem whether he wears armor or not.”
“But, but there's no knight who actually does that.”

The knight school professor shouted in protest.
Fred shook his head.
Somehow, a sigh leaked out.

'Huu. Those knights' empty rituals…… cht. They're people who'll search for courtesy even when life is in danger.'

Fred, who originally was from a civil official background, became speechless at the knights' stubbornness and useless courtesy.
All the while, the clamor slowly became louder.
But without minding it, Roan scrupulously put on the leather armor.
Not only that, Roan didn't forget about leather gauntlets and helmet and put them on.

'It's looser than I thought.'

After swinging his wooden pole several times, Roan once again tied the armor's strings.
Lightly jumping and bowing his back, he carefully checked if there was anything uncomfortable.

“Are you wearing leather armor in a duel?”

Roan smiled at Brian's words.

“Because it's a real duel.”

Tapping his leather armor, he continued his words.

“In real fight, protection is a must.”
“Hmm.”

Brian quietly sighed.
For him who received the knight school's teachings, it was something hard to understand.

'Doesn't he feel that it's cowardly and dishonorable?'

The traditional thought pattern of knights.
At such Brian, Roan inwardly shook his head.

'This era's knights, especially the students, were focused on useless and empty rituals and looks.'

A real duel was the same as a real fight.
Not properly wearing protection in a situation where life could come and go was reckless.

'Pierce and Brian's difference. Perhaps that was the difference between experience in real fight and one's mindset.'

Pierce began as a common soldier running on the battlefields and fought on the frontlines and raised merits even after becoming Reil Baker's student.
On the other hand, Brian entered the academy and received training in swordsmanship and trained as a royal knight after graduating.

'If my guess is right……'

A faint smile hung on Roan's mouth.

'I should show exactly what a real fight is like.'

He planned to change that mindset immersed in empty rituals.
After a short bow, Roan and Brian took their distance.
The wooden pole and sword pointed at each other.
The preparation for the duel was finished.

“Ready!”

Rambel raised his right hand.
Suddenly, the light in Roan's eyes changed.
Within the calm eyes, a fire sparked.
At the same time, a breathtaking pressure exuded from his entire body.
That was a chill and a killing intent that brought a razor-edged blade to mind.

'Hph!'

Rambel, who was about to announce the duel's start, nervously swallowed.
The hairs on his body stood up and a cold sweat ran down.
But comparably, his situation was better.
Brian, who was facing Roan, momentarily couldn't breath.

'Mana? No. This is aura.'

This kind of experience was a first.

'Is this what a real warrior who walks the battlefields look like?'

His eyes sharply trembled.
On the other hand, the professors and the students away from the stage didn't notice the change.
The ones who could feel Roan's breathtaking killing intent and pressure were only Brian and Rambel.

Gulp.

Brian swallowed with his dry mouth.
Somehow, his heart thumped.

'This. This is what I wanted.'

Strength went into the hand holding the wooden sword.
A strange silence continued.
But the students who didn't know what was happening on the stage tilted their heads and complained.

“What? Why aren't they starting?”
“What happened?”
“What's going on?”

The clamor slowly became louder.
Only then, Rambel took hold of himself a step late and roared.

“Begin!”

At the same time, he escaped to a corner of the stage.
Even he, who was the knight school's professor, had hard time taking on Roan's pressure.

'He's like someone who has only been on battlefields for decades.'

It just wasn't a pressure that matched Roan's age.
At that moment, the students' cheers exploded.

“Waaaaa!”

They became feverishly excited when the duel began.
Feeling the heat from the students, Brian slightly bent his knees.

“'I'll attack fir…….'

He aimed for the first strike.
But the one who moved first was Roan.

Tat!

Roan kicked the floor and threw his body toward Brian.
The tip of the pole sharply shook and cut the space.
Brian quickly moved outside of the pole's range.

'Good.'

In that brief moment he relaxed.
The length of Roan's pole suddenly extended.
In that short moment, he had kicked the ground once again.

'Hph!'

Swallowing empty air, Brian twisted his body.

Pat!

The tip of the pole scratched his side and passed.

'Certainly, there's no waste.'

With a single strike, Brian realized that Roan's spearmanship was extremely efficient.

'Is this the real spearmanship? Then I'lll……'

Rubbing his foot against the ground, he turned his body.
The tip of the sword cut through the space and danced.

'This is the royalty and nobles' advanced swordsmanship!'

It was the strongest swordsmanship made from the core and the quintessence of the kingdom's best swordsmanship.
To create this, the royal knights as well as all the powerful warriors and scholars gathered their strengths together.

Pat!

The sword dizzily moved and drew a complex path.

'Hmm.'

At the sight of the sword that looked like it would immediately break his entire body, Roan clenched his teeth.

Zing.

Kalian's Tears activated.
Suddenly, the movement of Brian's sword as well as the entire world slowed down.

'It's certainly a fancy swordsmanship.'

Looking at the sword's trajectory that seemed like there was nowhere to run from, Roan clicked his tongue.
Quickly, he swung his pole and stabbed into the node of the sword's trajectory.

Tung!

With a clean sound of impact, the sword bounced off.

'Heavy.'

Roan was shocked at the heavy weight that was felt along with the impact.
Brian's sword wasn't simply fancy.

'It seems he wasn't called a genius for nothing.'

Roan too would had a hard time winning without the Kalian's Tears.
On the other hand, Brian was greatly surprised as well.

'He cut the sword's movement with a single strike?'

He pushed exactly into the link between his sword movements.
This had never happened even once before.

'The rumors were actually lacking.'

Biting his lips, Brian twisted his shoulder.
The sword that bounced off, twisted once and headed toward Roan once again.

Tang! Tudung! Tung! Tung!

Along with the sound of impact, a fierce battle ensued.
Actively using Kalian's Tears, Roan easily blocked Brian's ferocious attacks.
Perhaps because of that, Brian's movement became more and more aggressive.
No, to be exact, he became more excited.
Even though he attacked from whichever direction, whatever technique, and with varying strength, Roan blocked them with unbelievable ease.
Thanks to that, he could bring out all the swordsmanship and techniques he knew as much as he wanted.

'This is a first.'

Until now, all the duels couldn't pass fifty bouts.
Within fifty bouts, either his opponent or he himself lost.
Thanks to that, he didn't have any memory of swinging the sword as much as he wished.
But now, it was different.

'If it's now, I think I can bring out everything I know.'

He naturally became exhilarated.
Forgetting that this was a real duel, he purely focused his mind on the tip of his sword.

Ssk!

As his focus reached the peak, his mana unknowingly flew down the sword.

Pat!

A bluish mana faintly shined along the edge.

'Hm!'

Roan, who had been easily bouncing off the sword, frowned at the sudden change.
He tried to step back and push away, but Brian furiously attacked instead.

'Can't be helped.'

Shaking his head inwardly, Roan used the Flamdor mana technique.
From the mana hole, a calm and powerful strength flew out.

Pat!

Along the pole, a clear light of mana took place.

Tang! Tadang! Tang!

Even the sounds of the impact changed.
A sharp sound hit his ears.

'Kuuk!'

Roan clenched his teeth.
A stinging feeling on his hands.
As Brian began to actively use mana, it became hard to take him on.
Certainly, if they only compared their mastery of mana techniques, Brian was a step or two ahead.

'But even so, I can't simply back off like this.'

Roan poured mana into the Kalian's Tears.
Suddenly.

Pat!

The entire world was colored in a golden light.

'Hm. So that's how he's using the mana.'

Looking at the mana swirling in Brian's body and the sword, Roan smiled.
Just by understanding the flow of mana, he could predict when and how Brian's attack will come.

'Un?'

At that moment, Roan's eyes caught a strange flow.
The mana that was smoothly flowing in Brian's body momentarily twitched and bounced off everywhere as if it hit a wall.
The bounced off mana soon collected together as one, and followed the mana road down the sword.

'What?'

An extremely short moment.
It suddenly and momentarily happened.
Without Kalian's Tears, he wouldn't have been able to notice.
Then.

Pat!

The sword passed by his ears.
But Roan, to whom the entire world's movement felt slow enough to yawn, easily dodged.

“Uak!”
“Did you see that?”
“I thought his head was going to break apart from the sword!”

The students, who were watching, shouted out in surprise.
This was the same for the professors.

“Did he use mana just now?”
“To use mana in a duel! It's too dangerous.”

The ruckus was loud.
But on the other hand, Fred was calm.

'Did I ever see Brian be that passionate?'

He didn't.
Especially recently, Brian always looked tired.

'For now, let's wait and see.'

Fred shook his hand toward the professors to calm them down.

“If the situation becomes dangerous, let's step in at that moment.”

At those words, the professors tried to mumble and say something, but soon nodded.
All the while, Roan and Brian's fight become even more fierce.
And as it went on, Brian's focus reached its height.
Now in his eyes, even Roan wasn't seen.
The only thing that was seen was the end of his sword.

'Just a bit more! Just a bit more!'

If this went on just a little bit more, he felt that he could break through his stagnation.
Below the extremely high concentration, a sweet expectation slowly arose.
That was the problem.
The desire took hold of Brian's concentration and shook it.

'Just a bit more!!!!!!!'

In that one moment, Brian's movement changed.
The fierce yet stable movement changed to a raw madness.
The one who realized this change first was Roan.

'His emotion quivered!'

Blocking the attacks that fell like a storm, Roan stepped back.
The mana inside Brian's body jumped as if insane.

'If this goes on, his mana will overflow!'

Becoming crippled was certain, and he could lose even his life if not careful.
Roan put strength into his hands holding the pole.
But he couldn't carelessly attack.

'Killing him would be much easier, but……'

Suppressing him was a problem.
At that moment.

'Un? Again?'

The mana inside Brian once again bounced off everywhere as if it was blocked.

'It's an extremely short instance, but Brian's movements become unnatural whenever the mana bounced off.'

Bouncing off the attacks that rained down, Roan raised his focus.
Waiting for the moment the mana inside Brian bounced off.
Thankfully, once Brian lost his consciousness and rioted, that instance became more common.

Tung!

Once again, the mana inside Brian bounced out.

'Now!'

Dizzily moving his two feet, Roan twisted his pole.

Pat!

Cutting through the space, the pole's tip hit Brian's chest.
Truly a lightning-like attack.
Brian, who was in middle of an attack, couldn't dodge or block.

Puck!

“Kuuk!”

Lowering his left shoulder, Brian felt pain.
Roan turned his body just like that and swung his pole.

Puck!

The pole powerfully hit Brian's left side.

“Kuk!”

Grabbing his side, Brian stepped back.
But the light in his eyes was still ferocious, and the mana inside his body, as expected, was jumping as if insane.

'Just a bit, just a bit more!!!!!'

While exuding a mad aura, Brian charged towards Roan.

'Poor kid.'

Roan exhaled a short sigh.
From Brian, he could feel the incredible pressure and weight a genius must carry.

'He must've been desperate to live up to the others' expectations.'

That desperation must have led to this rampage.
Roan squinted his eyes at the sword that was cutting through the air and about to halve his face.

Ssk.

Brian's sword almost touched Roan's nose and closely passed by.
A perfect calculation of distance.

Ptt!

But even though it didn't touch, the nose was cut and the blood flew.
It was because of the mana.

“Uuhuk!”
“Uwah!”

Cries exploded amongst the students.
Roan slightly squinted his eyes, but didn't pause or hesitate.

Tat!

Stomping down on the sword that slid down, he jumped toward Brian's chest.

“Un?”
“Eh?”
“A spearman attempting close combat?”

The students as well as the professors had confused expressions.
On the other hand, Roan's expression was clam.
He pushed his body below Brian's right arm.

Spt!

As if swinging around a tree, Roan turned to Brian's back.
At the same time, he wrapped Brian's arm and neck with his right arm and grabbed his right shoulder with his left arm.
A perfect choke.

“Kuhuk.”

Suffocated, Brian made a painful gasp.
He struggled to push Roan off, but Roan moved closer instead.

'This is the choke hold of the Reid battle technique.'

Roan poured mana into his two arms.
The muscles expanded tautly.
In the end, Brian couldn't take it despite struggling and fell on his back.

“Kuhuk. Kuk!”

Brian drooled as his eyes flipped.
Word for word the very moment before fainting.
All the strength in his body went out.

“Huu.”

Only then did Roan let go of his choke hold.

“Keek! Keek!”

Brian breathed roughly as he coughed.
Roan stood up from the stop and fixed the loose armor.
Of course, his eyes were on Brian.

'For now, the mana is just about stable…… un?'

When he thought up to that point.
Brian's mana that was calming down bounced off here and there within his body, and once again began to boil.

“Kuluk!”

Coughing deeply once more, Brian stood up.
His lips shined with a bloody light.

“It's not over yet.”

He spoke with a common tone, but madness could be felt.
Brian was still on a rampage.

'What a pain.'

Roan creased his forehead.
At that moment.

Ssun!

Brian gathered all of the mana inside his body.

Zzk.

The wooden sword couldn't hold on and cracks appeared here and there.

“Uuaaaahh!”

With a horrible shriek, Brian kicked the ground.
He planned to put his all into this final strike.
It certainly wasn't a good plan.

'He'll be crippled if this goes on!'

Roan quickly took up his wooden pole.
He observed the stream of mana inside Brian running toward him.

'Just once more! Let the stream stop just once more!'

There was only one way to stop the rampage.
Stabbing in his own mana the very moment when Brian's mana momentarily bounce out.
If not careful, Brian's entire mana could be lost, but it was better than becoming crippled or dead.

'Just once, just once.'

Holding the pole, Roan squinted at the stream of mana inside Brian's body.
By then, Brian was already right in front of him.
If not careful, his head could be broken apart by a wooden sword full of mana.

Gulp.

Dry spit was swallowed naturally and a cold sweat ran down his forehead.

'Should I dodge?'

A critical moment.
Then.

Tung.

The mana inside Brian bounced out in every direction.

Flinch.

Brian himself didn't notice, but the tip of his sword faintly shook.

'Now!'

Stepping forward with his left foot, Roan quickly lunged with his pole.

Boom!

Straight on.
With a blast, the left foot crashed into the stage.
The wooden pole cut and flew through space and hit the tip of Brian's wooden sword.

BOOM!

A blast rang out once again.
Brian's wooden sword exploded out everywhere.
Because the mana's stream was momentarily cut off, it couldn't take on Roan's attack.
Just like that, Roan pushed the pole forward.

Puk!

The tip of the pole stabbed Brian's stomach.
At the same time, a string of mana entered his body.

Paat!

Roan's mana tore through Brian's mana road.
Thanks to that, Brian's mana that momentarily blasted out couldn't clump again and returned to the mana hole.

“Kuhuk!”

Grabbing at his chest, Brian fell down just like that.

Kung.

A kneeling posture.

“Kuluk! Kuk.”

He threw up several dry coughs.
Putting away the pole, Roan looked inside of Brian's body.

'Huh. Thankfully, it seems to have calmed down.'

He leaked a sigh of relief.
Roan's mana that tore through Brian's body was also naturally dissipating.

Puk!

Roan planted the wooden pole next to his foot.

“Kuluk!”

Brian, who was continuing to cough, turned to Roan with a troubled face.
The madness that had filled his face was completely gone.

“I, I'm sorry.”

Brian knew well what he had done.
He quickly lowered his head.
Looking at that sight, Roan made a faint smile.

“Student Miles. I think……”

A gentle voice.

“You shouldn't use that mana technique.”

He couldn't be sure, but Brian's stagnation in his growth was probably due to that damned mana technique that the kingdom's geniuses made.

'The mana inside his body didn't flow naturally and was bouncing off bit by bit. It definitely isn't something natural.'

Because they inputted this and that and everything known to be good, it resulted in an unexpected problem.

“And……”

Roan tapped his armor.

“Next time, please wear an armor. The basics are always important.”

Exhaling a long sigh, he stepped back.
Somehow, he didn't feel quite satisfied.

'I feel like I helped him, but why do I feel iffy?'

He shook his head and looked toward the students.
The students were shocked half out of their minds at Roan's win.
That was the same for the professors.
The breathless silence continued.
In the end, Roan awkwardly smiled and open his mouth.

“The duel is over.”

Only then, quiet exclamations sounded here and there.

“Ah!”
“Woaaah…….”

The exclamations soon turned to cheers.

“Woaaaahh!”
“Amazing!”
“What, what was that last move?”
“What about that choke from before!”

The sound of claps poured down.

“Roan Tale! Roan Tale!”
“Roan! Roan!”

Roan cheerfully smiled and waved his hand.

'Is it finally over……'

The day felt too long.
Roan lightly bowed toward Rambel, who was standing off at the edge of the stage, and moved his feet.

eet.
Then.

“Sir, Sir Baron Tale!”

He heard Brian's voice.
Roan simply stood at the end of the stage and turned his head to look at him.
Brian was still kneeling.
His face somehow looked relieved yet empty.

“I have a request.”

A powerful voice.
At the same time, it was a desperate voice.
Brian planted his two hands on the floor.
He looked straight into Roan's two eyes and continued his words.

“Please take me with you!”

< Tron Academy 3 > End.

Translator : CSV

Proofreader: st8_lupe.

Chapter end