Chapter 231: Combat Evaluation (5)

Perhaps it was the prolonged silence that had settled over the arena.

The piercing scream cut through the air with even greater clarity.

Every eye turned toward the combat field.

There stood Brew, who no one had noticed entering, shouting toward the instructors and professors.

“I can’t accept this match’s result!”

His voice, raw with fury, startled Louis, who descended from his Transcendent form to stare at Brew.

”…Why is that bastard causing trouble again?”

As if sensing Louis’ gaze, Brew turned his head. His eyes were bloodshot, veins bulging as if they might burst.

His face contorted, Brew jabbed a finger at Louis.

“A tech team student competed instead of a Flight student! That’s a blatant violation of the rules! He should be disqualified immediately!”

Brew’s sharp cry snapped the students out of their reverie from the previous match.

“Huh…? Come to think of it, you’re right!”

“I told you! How can some tech team punk be allowed to compete?”

“So what happens now?”

“Do we really have to disqualify him?”

As the reaction of those around him shifted in his favor, Brew’s face lit up with a triumphant grin. Now brimming with renewed confidence, he glared at Louis.

Louis clicked his tongue in response.

That damn bastard is completely useless, completely.

Even after being thoroughly thrashed by me every time, he keeps bouncing back like a roly-poly toy. I have to at least acknowledge his tenacity.

Well then, guess I’ll have to knock him down again today.

What’s the fun in a roly-poly if you don’t get to knock it over?

Just as Louis, a wicked smile playing on his lips, was about to approach Brew, someone else moved first.

“You bastard!”

A deafening roar shook the air as a man charged forward, radiating a sinister aura.

It was none other than Master Agus.

His already menacing features were contorted into such a grotesque expression that anyone who saw him couldn’t help but feel a shiver down their spine.

Brew, who had been so confident just moments before, stumbled backward the instant he saw Agus’s face.

Seeing Brew’s stunned reaction, Agus advanced menacingly, as if about to strike him down.

No, it truly seemed he was about to cleave Brew in two. His hand hovered over the sword hilt, ready to draw it in an instant.

“You… how dare you!”

“Ma, Master? Wh-why are you doing this?”

“Do you even need to ask?!”

“But… I don’t understand…”

“After experiencing the single greatest moment of your life, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, all you can utter is… what?! Disqualified?! How can you still call yourself a student of the Transcendence Academy and a lover of the Transcendent arts after this!”

“W-What on earth…?”

“You dare spout such drivel instead of paying homage to the one who showed you the ultimate paradise as a practitioner of Transcendent Techniques! If you lack the vision to recognize greatness, why do you even have eyes?! Today, I’ll cut out those useless eyes of yours and that lying tongue of yours!”

“M-Master!”

Agus’s venomous words poured forth.

Brew’s face turned deathly pale under the murderous aura directed at him.

In response, the instructors rushed forward to restrain Agus.

“C-Calm down!”

“Master, you must not strike a student!”

Three or four instructors desperately grabbed Agus’s arms and legs.

Yet Agus remained unyielding.

“Let go, you fools! Do you want to be cut down along with him?!”

Swish.

The moment Brew saw the silver glint of the sword slipping from its scabbard, his mind went blank.

I’m going to die!

Agus’s murderous intent was no pretense. In his current state, he might actually cut Brew down.

But at that critical moment, a voice saved Brew.

“Calm yourself, Agus.”

The instructors holding Agus, their faces brightening at the low but commanding voice.

And no one’s complexion improved more than Brew’s.

Anyone else might be helpless, but Harold—a fellow Master—would surely stop Agus from his berserk rampage.

For Brew, Harold was his only lifeline.

Agus scowled at Harold’s appearance.

“Harold, you saw it too, didn’t you? That glorious, magnificent moment! And yet, after hearing that idiot’s drivel, you still intend to stop me?”

“It is our duty to embrace even foolish children and guide them onto the right path.”

”…”

Whether because of Harold’s words or not, Agus’s momentum seemed to falter.

If Brew hadn’t foolishly intervened, the situation would have ended there.

“M-Master Harold!”

“Do you have something to say?”

“W-well…”

Brew, glancing nervously at Agus, bit his lip and spoke.

“T-to be fair, what Agus said is true. The match earlier was indeed extraordinary.”

“Extraordinary? Extraaaaaordinary? Is ‘merely extraordinary’ all you can say?!”

Instructors swarmed Agus, who had bristled up again, grabbing his arms and legs.

Meanwhile, Harold glanced at Brew, his expression slightly displeased.

“So?”

“W-well, even so, rules are rules! We can’t just send someone who broke the rules to the finals! That would be unfair, and if we overlooked it, many students would feel unjustly deprived!”

“Fairness…”

Harold paused, as if savoring Brew’s words, then snorted. “What ‘rules’ are you talking about?”

“Why, of course, it’s that a student from the tech team competed instead of a Flight student!”

“Was there such a rule for this competition?”

“Huh? But… of course…”

Brew’s face froze, mid-sentence, as he realized he was about to answer in the affirmative.

Harold watched Brew’s hesitation, a slight smirk playing on his lips.

He turned to Agus and the instructors.

“Am I misremembering? I’ve never heard of such a regulation.”

“Of course not! There’s no such rule to begin with!”

“To my knowledge, no such regulation exists.”

“Same here.”

As instructors who had overseen the practical assessments for years, they were more familiar with the rules than anyone.

Their testimonies hardened Brew’s expression.

Harold glared at Brew.

“Listen carefully. The reason Flight students appear in the practical assessments is simply because they handle Transcendent skills exceptionally well and fight effectively.”

Harold raised his voice, making sure every student in the audience could hear him clearly.

“If any of you believe you understand Transcendent techniques better than the Flight students, or that you can fight better than them… feel free to challenge a Flight student to a duel after reaching a mutual agreement. There’s no rule at Transcendence Academy against tech team students using Transcendent techniques.”

Harold’s mana-charged voice reverberated throughout the arena.

The students, who had been listening intently, nodded in understanding.

“Ah, so it wasn’t a formal rule,” one student murmured. “It’s just been an unspoken convention that Flight students always compete.”

“Makes sense,” another replied. “With grades on the line, what kind of madman would step up to replace a Flight student?”

“Did those weaklings from the tech team even have the guts to enter the competition? I bet they’d collapse after a few swings of their swords.”

”…Are you looking down on the tech team? Why don’t you call our Louis a weakling too?”

“L-Louis is different. He’s… he’s an exception.”

Murmurs rippled through the crowd.

Harold turned, his gaze landing on Kani, who had appeared unnoticed moments before.

“Do you think that child won the match unfairly or by cheating?”

“Pssh, our Louis? No way!” Kani chuckled dismissively. She shot Brew a contemptuous look, as if he were some insect.

Meanwhile, Harold asked Louis, “Did you use any unfair methods in the match?”

“Did you use any unfair means in this match?”

“Of course not.”

“Then there’s no problem, is there?”

Louis smiled in satisfaction at Harold’s settlement.

He was pleased that Harold had taken the initiative to resolve the situation so efficiently on his behalf.

With the matter resolved, Agus shook off the instructors who had been clinging to him.

“Let go, you brats.”

The instructors peeled off, looking embarrassed.

Meanwhile, Agus glared at Brew and asked, “You… what’s your name?”

“B-Brew. My name is Brew.”

“Brew… I’ll remember that.”

At his chilling tone, Brew’s face turned pale again.

Though the Master said he would remember his name, Brew knew it could be for no good reason.

Unable to meet Agus’s gaze, Brew kept his head bowed.

Agus, displeased with Brew’s timid posture, turned to the instructors and barked, “What are you all standing around for?! Get the remaining semi-final matches ready! Do you want to spend all night here?!”

“Y-yes! W-we’ll prepare them right away!” The instructors scrambled to obey Agus’s stern command.

Just then, a voice stopped them.

“Excuse me…”

Tania had been slowly making her way onto the competition grounds.

When all eyes turned to her, she raised her hand and announced, “I’m forfeiting.”

Her unexpected withdrawal stunned everyone.

In response, Tania gave a bashful smile and replied, “Heh-heh.”

“Honestly, I just needed to beat that stupid Kendrick. I was so annoyed by how smugly he bragged about being better at Transcendent techniques than me. Now that I’ve proven I’m better, I don’t care about the rest of the competition. I don’t think I could beat Khan-oppa anyway.”

The loser remained speechless.

Kendrick, standing a distance away and trembling, couldn’t muster a reply to Tania’s mockery.

Agus, observing Tania’s cheerful grin, asked, “Hmm… Does your teammate agree with this withdrawal?”

“Probably?”

“Probably?”

At Agus’s sharp retort, Tania glanced to the side.

Her male teammate stood awkwardly nearby.

“I… I’m withdrawing too?”

“Uh-huh… Oh, alright.”

Under Tania’s steady gaze, he nodded reluctantly.

It seemed like someone had discovered their weakness.

Agus summarized the situation after hearing from both sides.

“Excellent. With Team 56’s forfeit, Team 63 advances to the finals.”

Just then, Khan arrived, his face lit up with joy after hearing about Tania’s withdrawal.

“Ooh! So now it’s just me and Louis in the finals? Let’s get it on!”

Having watched Kani and Louis battle so fiercely, Khan was already itching for a fight.

Louis frowned at this display.

You want me to go through that again?

Identical twins, both bonded to dragons.

It was highly likely that Khan’s dragon-enhanced control skills were on par with Kani’s.

If the final match proceeded like this, the exact same situation from before would repeat itself.

Ah, this is annoying…

Louis, finding it increasingly irritating to deal with twins who didn’t know the meaning of “enough,” sent a message to Khan.

Khan stared at Louis with a bewildered expression, as if to say, “What kind of ridiculous threat is that?” He clearly wasn’t about to concede easily.

Louis fired off another message:

Before Louis could even finish his sentence, Khan suddenly screamed:

Khan convulsed, collapsing under the stunned gazes of everyone present. Amidst the chaos, he shouted:

I-I concede!

What?!

Tania’s withdrawal had been surprising, but Khan’s was even more baffling.

When Khan declared his withdrawal, an uproar erupted.

“What nonsense are you spouting?!”

The main instigator of the protest was Olivia, Khan’s teammate. She glared at him furiously and shouted, “A sudden withdrawal! I can’t accept this!”

Given that this hadn’t been discussed beforehand, Olivia’s reaction was understandable. But there was also a calculated motive behind her outrage.

He’s been fighting so fiercely, and with the other semifinal canceled, he hasn’t had time to rest. Even Louis must be exhausted, being human. If we clash now, I have a good chance of winning!

While Louis was undeniably a formidable opponent, having observed Khan up close, she was convinced he could defeat a fatigued Louis. With the championship so close, she couldn’t let this opportunity slip away.

But that was Olivia’s situation, and Khan had already made up his mind.

“Sorry, but I have to withdraw due to personal reasons.”

“Don’t talk nonsense! What’s the real reason?”

“That’s a secret.”

“You think I’ll accept a withdrawal with such a flimsy excuse?”

Khan’s gaze turned icy at her words.

“What if I don’t accept it?”

”…What?”

“What will you do if I refuse?”

”…”

“If you’re so desperate to reach the finals, go yourself. Isn’t it allowed for a tech team student to substitute?”

Olivia gnawed on her lip, frustrated by Khan’s unwavering refusal.

Just then, a voice rang out from the side.

“He’s right! A withdrawal? Unthinkable!”

The speaker was none other than Agus.

He had been eagerly anticipating seeing Louis’s masterful control once more in the final match, so Khan’s withdrawal left him bitterly disappointed.

Olivia’s face lit up at the prospect of Master Agus’s assistance.

Of course, Khan wouldn’t be swayed by such trivial matters.

What lay buried beneath the Pruzia Tree meant far more to him than this paltry competition.

Khan waved his hand dismissively, as if brushing off something bothersome.

“Ah, I don’t care. I forfeit.”

“Ugh…”

Agus groaned, watching Khan’s nonchalant demeanor—as if this had nothing to do with him.

He turned to Olivia and asked, ”…What will you do? The child won’t compete. Will you take his place?”

Olivia’s face fell at Agus’s question.

The look in her eyes told me she had seen the earlier match.

Even if Louis was exhausted, how could someone like me, who didn’t even know how to control Transcendent techniques, possibly be a match for him?

Khan, her teammate, had suddenly declared a strike—for reasons unknown—leaving her powerless.

Truth be told, their very presence in the tournament was due to Khan’s capabilities.

Olivia answered with a resigned and resentful expression.

”…I forfeit.”

And that was that.

The unexpectedly prolonged practical evaluation tournament concluded on time, with the semi-final and final matches resolved by default victories.

Unsurprisingly, Team 33—Louis and Sierra—emerged victorious.

As Agus watched Louis and Kani with clear disappointment,

“Since it seems to be over… you and I need to have a word.”

Seeing Harold’s gaze fixed on him, Louis pointed to his own face.

“Me?”

“Yes, you.”

“Now? But I’m about to go have dinner!”

“I have something urgent to discuss with you.”

“Can’t it wait until after I eat? I’m starving.”

”…Please. Could you spare me some time?”

Harold’s polite request startled those who were watching nearby.

Master Harold.

Who was he?

A notoriously stubborn craftsman.

And now he was asking a student for a favor?

Of course, Louis’s status had shifted slightly after the recent duel.

But regardless, for those who knew Harold well, the very word “Please” seemed foreign coming from his lips.

“A… request? Harold, did you just say ‘please’?”

If even Agus, a fellow Master, was astonished, you can imagine how extreme the situation must have been.

Yet the main character, the one who received the request, remained utterly calm.

“Hmm… Well, if you insist so strongly.”

“Come along. Let’s go to my laboratory.”

As Louis nodded in understanding, Harold led the way with a relieved expression.

Once they were gone, Louis turned to his travel party. “We’ll eat together later. Don’t you dare start without me!”

“We’ll wait for you!”

“Hurry back!”

At their replies, Louis nodded and scampered after Harold, trailing behind like an eager pup.

As the others stood dazed, watching the pair disappear into the distance, still not quite believing what they’d just witnessed—

“Hey, why did you suddenly forfeit?”

Kani’s sudden question startled Khan, making him flinch.

He looked visibly flustered, stammering an evasive answer.

“Uh, just… just! I-I’m hungry! Ah! So hungry!”

“Hmm…” Kani’s gaze turned languid, and Khan subtly averted his eyes.

His downcast stare and trembling pupils.

How did you know that?! Khan inwardly roared at Louis’s vanishing figure.

The Brain Spirit Soaking Wine, aging for a century beneath the Pruzia Tree.

A peculiar brew that matures only near living Pruzia Trees, it’s renowned as a potent tonic for boosting the stamina of dragonkin males.

A century ago, Khan had stealthily pilfered a Braingras from Carlos’s warehouse.

After the second sleep cycle ended, how much trouble had he gone through, sneaking around his father, his mother, and Kani, just to hide it so he could drink it alone?

If I could just let it age another 50 years…

If Kani, who put everything in her mouth, discovered it, not a single drop would be left—she’d drain it all.

My secret weapon for my honeymoon is in danger!

As soon as he finished his game and returned home, the first thing he’d do was move the Brain Spirit Soaking Wine.

Khan resolved to do this.

But he didn’t know that Louis had already smuggled the Brain Spirit Soaking Wine, the one he cherished so dearly, away to somewhere.

If Khan had found out and confronted him, Louis would have answered with a smirk:

I just picked up what fell on the ground! Finders keepers, right? Heh heh heh.