Chapter 101. And Who Are You? (2)

“Pfft!”

“Heh… Kaaargh. Princess. Posture. Posture!!”

At the voice of his heart that had slipped out unknowingly, Matthew and Isabella burst out laughing.

Patrick, however, scrunched his face and thought.

‘I hereby confirm your impending doom.’

Then Patrick gracefully stepped down from the stone slab and said.

Before beating him to a pulp, shouldn’t I find out the circumstances?

‘That way, it will be more unfair and painful.’

Is this man even human?

In any case, Patrick attempted to start a conversation with a crooked and delinquent attitude.

“That’s a bit harsh for a first meeting. And who are you?”

“I am Alex Rowensky, a 5th-year student at the Academy.”

“Oh? Really?”

Alex Rowensky?

I’ve heard that name before.

‘Hmm, so this brat is that Alex?’

Patrick looked him up and down.

Then, with a disappointed expression as if to say, ‘Of course, it would be like this,’ he let out a sigh.

“What are you doing?”

“Aaaah… It’s nothing. I’m just blaming myself for being a fool for having even the slightest expectation.”

“You brat… Can you not introduce yourself properly? Show respect between seniors and juniors.”

“Yes. Yes, yes. Nice to meet ya, Senior. Name’s Patrick Schneider. Please taaake care of me.”

It was the most delinquent self-introduction in the world.

It was a posture that would make thugs exclaim, ‘Ah, that is the epitome of delinquency. The peak of swagger,’ and feel the urge to learn from him.

Alex’s eyes widened as he spoke.

“Straighten your posture! And speak again with a polite tone.”

“Don’t want to.”

“Do you not know that a knight must always be an example to others?”

“Don’t know.”

“…You don’t know?”

“Yup.”

Really? You don’t know?

To the dumbfounded Alex, Patrick made a face that sincerely said, ‘I’ve never heard of such a thing. What are you going to do about it?’ and spoke.

“Was that what a knight was?”

“……”

“I just thought they had to be good at swinging a sword.”

“If you know… then from now on… correct your attitude.”

Seeing Alex barely managing to speak through gritted teeth, Patrick also put on a serious expression.

And then he said…

“It’s a hassle, so let’s just move on.”

“……”

I’ve never seen anything like it.

In his roughly 20 years of life, he thought he had seen and experienced a fairly diverse range of human characters.

But he had truly, sincerely never met a guy like this.

Seeing the jaw-dropped Alex, Patrick let out a smirk and spoke.

I was curious what kind of guy the current top prodigy of the Academy was. But this…

‘He’s just an overly rigid model student. He also gives off a strong impression of a little kid forcing himself to act like an adult when his mental cultivation is still far from complete.’

Setting aside his skills, with a personality like that, how could he live by swinging a sword?

Of course, if Patrick put his mind to it, he could shatter the discipline of high monks or Taoist masters who had cultivated their minds for decades in a single blow and make them spew curses.

But this wasn’t even an intentional provocation, just a slight test, and he was already boiling like this…

“Apologize to the princess for your rudeness at once. Your punishment will be discussed after that.”

“Aaaah! So that’s it. That’s what it is.”

Seeing Alex fuming, Patrick realized.

Right. No matter how young, a kid who has trained to some extent shouldn’t boil over this easily. As I thought, there was a reason.

“Senior, you like Senior Isabella, don’t you?”

“What… Wha-what? What?”

“I see, so that’s it. Right. It can be like that when you’re young. Haaah… Those were the days.”

“Wha-wha… wh-wh-wh… What nonsense are you spouting!?”

“Huh? Aren’t you angry because you like Senior Isabella? That’s what I thought.”

“That’s not it.”

“…It’s so obvious, though.”

“I said it’s not!”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, how frustrating. What’s going to change if you deny it here?”

“Shut up!”

Alex finally drew his sword.

And on his longsword, which flew towards Patrick without hesitation, the aura of a 4-star swordsman was clearly formed.

Kwaaaang!

‘No.’

Immediately after the attack flew, Alex was greatly flustered.

What have I just done?

I was arguing with a 1st-year and ended up drawing my sword and attacking first.

Without holding back any strength at all.

It was an inexcusable mistake.

No matter what disciplinary action the Academy decided on, he couldn’t complain…

“Cough, cough, that’s a lot of dust.”

It was then.

Parting the thick cloud of dust, Patrick emerged with a nonchalant expression.

“You… you?”

“Me… me?”

“……”

“What about me?”

Alex was horrified to see Patrick joking around, perfectly fine.

Did I subconsciously control my strength?

No, even so, he was hit directly by aura. How could he be so unharmed?

The 1st-year student who took his attack didn’t even have a single collar out of place.

And when Patrick extended a hand to one side, two wooden swords that had been rolling in a corner of the training ground were naturally pulled into his hand.

Seeing this sight, Alex shouted.

“Are you a magic swordsman? Were you sponsored by the Tower of Truth?”

“What nonsense are you talking about? First time seeing psychokinesis?”

“……”

“Ah, you probably are seeing it for the first time.”

Come to think of it, it was plausible that it was his first time.

“Well, that’s not important…”

Patrick said, brandishing the wooden swords in both hands.

“I was actually wondering how to make an excuse, but it’s quite thoughtful of you to come find me on your own and even throw the first punch.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Hmm… It’s just something. In return, I’ll hit you gently. Just a little bit gently.”

“What… Kaaargh!”

Alex hastily retreated.

It wasn’t that Patrick had done anything.

He was just standing still in his spot. But…

“Ooooh, very well done. You can even read killing intent.”

“……”

“But you’re too slow. You’ve already died three times.”

“……”

Alex found it hard to breathe.

What on earth was this?

Even when facing the professors at the Academy with a sword, it didn’t feel like this.

And Patrick spoke.

“Shall we begin in earnest then?”

“Wha— Hup!”

In that moment, Alex saw it.

He saw Patrick’s wooden sword, splitting into dozens of copies and extending towards him.

Alex hastily swung his sword to assume a defensive stance. But…

B-b-bam!

“Kaaargh…”

Patrick’s wooden sword broke through Alex’s defense so naturally and landed several hits on his entire body.

“Tsk, tsk, don’t just swing wildly in a panic. You have to look carefully first. You lack the basics. The basics.”

Grind.

At Patrick’s critique, Alex gritted his teeth.

Nothing else mattered now. Clearing his mind and gripping his sword tightly, he shouted loudly and rushed towards Patrick.

“Don’t you dare look down on me!”

“We’ll see.”

Patrick smirked and met Alex’s charge.

Kwang! Kwaaaang! Kwang!

Patrick’s wooden sword and Alex’s longsword, both fully imbued with aura, clashed.

“Uwaaaaaah!”

“Get back! Get back quickly!”

The 1st-year students, who had been training a short distance away, had to move far back.

Isabella and Matthew, who were watching the scene from the closest, also distanced themselves.

Then Matthew spoke to Isabella.

“Are you alright, Princess?”

“Senior.”

“Yes. A-aye. Senior. So, are you alright?”

“About what?”

“About what Patrick said earlier.”

Patrick had said that Alex liked Isabella.

And judging by Alex’s reaction, it didn’t seem like a complete lie.

So Matthew was curious.

He’s obviously handsome, skilled, and his family… well, that part is a bit ambiguous.

Alex was the son of Marquis Rowensky, but he was illegitimate.

Anyway, aside from such minor issues, Alex was the perfect man that every lady would dream of and cherish in her heart.

Isabella’s reaction upon learning that such an Alex had feelings for her was…

“Indifferent.”

“…Indifferent, you say?”

“Yes.”

“Why? Isn’t Senior Alex the epitome of a handsome and capable man?”

“He is.”

“And you’re still not interested?”

“No.”

“Not even a little bit of a flutter or anything?”

“No.”

“……”

“There are plenty of men who like me anyway.”

“……”

“I’m a princess, and I’m pretty.”

Ah, right.

That is true.

I didn’t expect her to say it so confidently with her own mouth, but the statement itself is correct.

Faced with this overwhelming truth, Matthew shut his mouth, and Isabella, as if she didn’t want to answer anymore, fixed her gaze on Patrick and Alex.

Right now, her only interest was in what Patrick would show in that duel.

‘Not bad. He has talent and has trained diligently.’

Patrick thought as he received Alex’s sword.

This level isn’t bad.

Of course, in Patrick’s eyes, there were more than a few weak spots, but he was the most outstanding among the students he had fought since entering the Academy.

If he trained diligently, he would probably reach the 6-star realm by the time he was Professor Leyte’s age.

‘Well, that would be his limit, though.’

Having finished his evaluation, Patrick switched his sword from defense to offense.

The sword that had only been blocking the enemy’s attacks began to counterattack, and Patrick’s steps also began to move forward one by one, pressuring Alex.

“Kuk… Kaaargh…”

“Focus. Focus. Don’t be scared, just focus.”

“Shut up!”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, when an adult speaks, a child should listen. Where does a brat with nothing but pride get off yelling like that? Huh?”

“You’re the junior… Keok!”

“I told you to focus.”

Patrick’s wooden sword struck Alex in the abdomen.

He had withdrawn the aura just before it made contact, but it was still painful enough to knock the wind out of him for a moment.

To Alex, who had forcibly swallowed the vomit rising to his throat, Patrick spoke.

“Breathe and fix your posture. I’m coming again.”

“You… are you being leisurely with me?”

“Yes.”

“……”

“Why? Do you think I shouldn’t be?”

“……”

Alex gritted his teeth.

If a weak person acts leisurely, it can be seen as negligence or arrogance. But the leisure shown by an overwhelmingly strong person when facing a weak one is not even a subject for criticism.

Patrick smirked and said.

“Actually, from a senior’s perspective, it must be unfair. Having your share taken by some guy who popped out of nowhere must be frustrating.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Well, I’m saying I feel a liiiiittle bit sorry in my own way. What I’m doing for you now is a kind of compensation.”

“……?”

“Raise your sword. And watch closely.”

Patrick dropped one of the wooden swords in his hands.

He then gripped the remaining sword with both hands and assumed a formal middle guard stance.

Right. You have talent.

You probably worked hard too.

And the achievement of being one step ahead of your peers within the same Academy must have given you a sense of fulfillment.

But do you know this?

That in the shadow of that fulfillment, the poisonous mushrooms of satisfaction and arrogance are growing?

For a swordsman who must stake his life on a single sword, satisfaction is poison.

“A swordsman is one who constantly yearns and polishes himself daily to overcome the self of yesterday.”

“What do you mean?”

“A person who has lost his initial resolve and fallen into the swamp of arrogance does not realize it himself.”

“Stop spouting nonsense!”

Alex shouted and rushed at Patrick again.

But then…

Patrick’s raised sword comes towards him.

A perfectly formal and clean downward strike.

I have to raise my sword horizontally to block it.

But…

“Uh… uh uh…”

My body won’t move.

He could clearly see Patrick’s wooden sword flying towards the crown of his head to split him in half, but he couldn't react at all.

His whole body froze, like a person facing a collapsing landslide right before his eyes.

[ Samjae Sword Art: Mount Tai Crushing the Top ] .

Paaaaaaang!

With the sound of clear air bursting, a shockwave erupted in ripples from the space around the two.

Patrick’s wooden sword had stopped right in front of Alex’s brow, and Alex could only stare at it blankly.

Patrick slowly withdrew his sword and said.

“Do you get it now?”

“Just now… just now, what… was that?”

“It was a vertical slash. Why are you asking something you already know?”

“No, that’s not it. What is this…”

“Why? Did you think it was some special technique?”

“……”

“It’s just Samjae Sword Art… Ah, you wouldn’t know even if I told you. Anyway, it’s a basic skill. You saw it, right?”

“That was a basic skill?”

Alex wore an expression of disbelief.

Speed? Power?

That wasn’t the problem.

It was an ordinary sword without a single point of aura, but for a moment, he felt a crushing pressure.

That feeling of his whole body freezing, unable to lift a single finger, as if facing a natural disaster right before his eyes.

He would probably never forget this for the rest of his life.

Patrick said to such an Alex.

“Don’t forget what just happened. It’s a gift from me.”

“A gift? Why?”

“Didn’t I tell you?”

“……”

“I have a conscience too.”

And Patrick turned his back without a second thought.

“See you next time then.”

“Wai… wait a minute.”

Alex tried to call out and stop him from behind, but Patrick simply left.

And the spectacle that unfolded in the 1st-year training ground that day was witnessed by countless people and quickly spread throughout the Academy.

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