I Became The Academy’s Narrow-Eyes

Chapter 26: Enlightenment

Bauer’s sword.

I haven’t personally encountered it in the game, but I remembered what it was from the wiki because it had such an impressive description.

[The Prodigy of Swordsmanship]

[A Hybrid of Assassination Techniques and Swordsmanship]

[As indicated by this extreme expression, nobles, especially swordsmanship clans, face open contempt and discrimination]

I don’t know anything else, but I clearly remember the phrase [A Hybrid of Assassination Techniques and Swordsmanship].

I focused on that.

Combining assassination techniques with swordsmanship.

As someone with the talents of an assassin, I wondered if I might gain some kind of insight.

I felt a vague but strong conviction.

And so, here we are now.

The moment Mizu showed me Bauer’s sword –

‘Bingo.’

I silently celebrated within myself.

My prediction was correct.

When I glimpsed Bauer’s sword, I experienced an epiphany.

Not just a simple epiphany but a profound revelation, akin to an enlightenment.

‘I didn’t think it would be this good.’

It’s said that Bauer’s sword relinquished the identity of an assassin to merge with swordsmanship fully.

Indeed, it was more like swordsmanship itself.

No, it was swordsmanship.

The essence of assassination techniques lies in “interference” or “negation” toward others.

If swordsmanship is a technique to make oneself stronger, assassination techniques are about making oneself stronger and, one step further, weakening the opponent.

For that purpose, they interfere directly with the opponent’s senses, emotions, and mana through mana manipulation and movements.

They thoroughly negate the opponent.

The difference between assassination techniques and swordsmanship became evident in the reaction of Adryn when Mizu demonstrated the skill she called “Unraveling.”

“Oh…!”

Adryn had exclaimed in admiration.

But what if “Unraveling” was based on assassination techniques?

“Eh…?”

Adryn’s reaction was one of bewilderment.

However, despite its appearance, Bauer’s sword was grounded entirely within the realm of swordsmanship.

Even so…

Throughout Bauer’s sword, fragments of assassination techniques – remnants not completely erased – remained.

I could see those fragments with my eyes.

It was possible to give those fragments some meaning and relevance, connecting them into one.

And so, a core was created.

The core and the adjacent remnants of Bauer’s sword’s techniques.

They merged into one.

Within me right now, Bauer’s sword was taking shape, moment by moment.

Slowly but surely.

[Skill: Bauer’s Sword Lv.1 (Heroic)] (New)

[Skill: Basic Swordsmanship Lv.2 (Normal)] (New)

[Skill: Deceiver’s Sword Lv.1 to Lv.2 (Legendary)]

At this very moment, I roughly understood Bauer’s sword and swordsmanship.

Bauer’s sword – I had only glimpsed the fundamental technique once.

‘Does this even make sense?’ I thought to myself.

___

[Trait: The Thorn of Deception Never Dries Up]

[Grade: Unique]

Description: You have mastered assassination techniques.

___

The weight hidden within those thoughts suddenly took on a tangible form and weighed on my shoulders.

“…”

Over Mizu’s emotionless face, countless question marks seemed to appear.

I wondered how much effort Mizu had put in to achieve what I had now accomplished.

There must have been as much effort on Mizu’s part as the astonishment Mizu was feeling right now.

But what about my effort?

When I created my character, I just sat in front of the computer, chin in hand, and thought, “Wow, these skills are awesome.”

A bitter taste filled my mouth.

It felt like cheating in a game where everyone was supposed to compete fairly.

‘It feels thrilling.’

If I said I didn’t feel any sense of superiority at all, that would be a lie.

‘Shouldn’t I just think of it as being born with a silver spoon in my mouth? They strut around confidently too.’

To enjoy that sense of superiority, I tried to rationalize it in my mind.

Nevertheless, the bitter taste in my mouth didn’t completely disappear.

When I devoured assassination techniques and black magic as skills, it was fine.

Assassin, black mage. They were all sinister characters.

But devouring swordsmanship and Bauer’s sword?

There was no excuse.

My conscience received direct damage.

I momentarily felt like my mind was constipated, groaning silently.

‘Ah, screw it. Whatever.’

It’s better to just think that it’s a good thing.

Is there anything more foolish than pretending to be deep in thought and conscientious when you don’t really feel that way?

‘I’m just going to shamelessly embrace it.’

I decided to ignore the pain of my conscience and focus on a brighter future.

[Skill: Bauer’s Sword Lv.1 (Heroic)]

[Skill: Swordsmanship Lv.2 (Normal)]

[Skill: Deceiver’s Sword Lv.1>2 (Legendary)]

If I continue this growth trend, I might achieve excellent results in this year’s entrance exam and establish a solid position within the academy.

‘I thought as long as I got into the academy, everything would be fine.’

I had been mistaken.

The events during this exam came to mind.

The individuals who had tried to bring me down when I achieved the top rank – ‘Hey, why are you here, Miss Adryn?’

And the ones who had tried to pull me down as the weaker one – ‘Oh, Miss Adryn. Why did you choose him of all people?’

Those who believed the nasty rumors about me and treated me with contempt and discrimination.

I had been the target of various injustices during this exam.

I was the target of various injustices within this academy.

Because I had nothing.

I had no prestigious family to boast about.

I had no abilities to proudly display.

I expected that once I entered the academy, graduated, and thought my lifelong connections would be non-existent.

The injustices were actively clinging to me like those guys at the club who pester women after drinking.

So, it was time to change my mindset.

This year’s entrance exam—no, the most advantageous position I could achieve within the academy.

By achieving the highest possible results in swordsmanship and magic.

***

“What do you think? I tried it once.”

After demonstrating the Form of Unraveling technique and returning to his original position, Ceylon asked Mizu.

“…”

Mizu recalled his movements from earlier—the Form of Unraveling technique. Every time she tried to remember, her head tilted slightly.

Eventually, she nodded as if she had understood.

“Hmm. Luck. A lucky coincidence.”

It was a reasonable assessment.

The intricate secrets hidden within Bauer’s sword, a combination of assassination techniques and swordsmanship, took years even for those born with aptitude that aligned with the Bauer family’s standards to comprehend and master. Moreover, the secrets within Bauer’s sword were fundamentally different from those in other swordsmanship techniques. No matter how talented a swordsman was, they had to start from scratch and gradually learn it.

Even the academy instructors wouldn’t be able to perform the Form of Unraveling overnight.

However, this clueless guy managed to do it?

It was unbelievable.

But…

“Still, just in case. Give it a try. Retry. This time, I’ll concentrate as well.”

Mizu focused her entire attention on Ceylon’s movements.

Her petite body leaned forward ever so slightly, as if to get a closer look.

-Swish

She tidied her soft sky-blue hair that flowed down her back and clenched her fists.

It seemed like she wouldn’t move until Ceylon did.

“Is that so?”

Ceylon shrugged his shoulders and demonstrated the Form of Unraveling technique once again.

“…”

Shortly after, Mizu’s eyes, which hadn’t blinked for a while, blinked several times intensely, as if supplementing something.

Very intensely.

She was confident that this time Ceylon’s Form of Unraveling technique was different from the previous one.

Her expectation was only partially correct.

This time, Ceylon’s Form of Unraveling was indeed different from the previous one.

It was an advanced version of the previous Form of Unraveling technique.

“Mizu! Is he really doing it properly right now!?”

Adryn’s eyes widened at Ceylon’s technique.

After watching Ceylon’s technique, Adryn opened her eyes wide.

Even to Adryn, who was an outsider to Bauer’s sword, Ceylon’s movements didn’t seem ordinary.

“It can’t be…”

Mizu was so shocked that she murmured in astonishment.

“What… is this?”

Mizu looked at Ceylon with an expression that rarely revealed emotions.

“Oh, this reaction!? Could it be… you two saw through it again? Hahaha. This is a bit awkward, isn’t it?”

Ceylon scratched the back of his head with an embarrassed expression.

He exuded an air of nonchalance and cockiness.

It was the usual Ceylon.

“…”

“…”

But right now, it seemed so unfamiliar to Mizu.

The way Ceylon had done such a ridiculous thing, and then acted as if nothing had happened.

***

“What the hell is happening…”

Her hair was almost completely untied, with stray strands sticking out in various places.

It had a lifeless ashen color, like dusty silver.

Her hair was damp and her skin was pale.

Dark circles under her glasses.

It was a haggard look that showed how much work she was doing for the Academy’s entrance exams, and how much she was taking a beating for it.

Megan, the professor of the Academy’s Department of Magical Engineering, and her assistant, Myen, were discussing something seriously.

On this occasion, Myen was huddled up and looking at something with an incredibly serious expression.

It was the mana resonance measuring golem used in the first exam.

“Did you say that Drin Lebringer’s mana resonance measurement turned out like this all of a sudden?”

Myen asked the official who had been in charge of the golem during the first exam.

“Yes, that’s correct. When measuring Drin Lebringer’s mana resonance, it emitted an incredible light, and then suddenly it went out as if it had exhausted all its power. Ah, as expected from Drin Lebringer-”

“Is that all?”

“What? Yes?”

“So you measured Drin Lebringer’s mana resonance, it emitted an incredible light, and then immediately this happened?”

Myen, with a fatigued face, asked with a listless yet nervous attitude.

“Ah…yes! Um, before it went out, we conducted another mana resonance measurement.”

“Then practically, the golem turned out like this not after measuring Drin Lebringer’s mana resonance but after measuring the next participant’s mana resonance?”

“Well, yes.”

“What’s the number?”

“What?”

“What’s the number of the participant?”

“Uh…”

“…Then, What is the participant number of Drin Lebringer?”

“Ah, Drin Lebringer-ssi was number 347, I believe.”

Myen stood up from the chair and headed straight somewhere.

“Number 348…”

Muttering that number with a serious expression.