NOVEL NEXT Ch. 121
Chapter 121. Three Strikes Were Given (2)
“P... Patrick Schneider is the winner! So stop hitting him!”
“Huh? Already?”
Patrick looked at the referee with a disappointed expression.
Then, licking his lips, he said.
“He hasn't surrendered yet, though?”
Surrendered?
The referee looked at the being that was once a Magic Swordsman, a gruesome object that should now rightly be called a bloody pulp.
‘Forget surrendering, I don't even know if he's alive.’
The referee said firmly.
“The match is decided.”
“Well, if you say so, I can't help it. Tsk... I could have hit him twenty-seven more times and he wouldn't have died.”
A very specific number emerged with conviction.
Truly, without mastering the art of beating someone up, such a precise estimate couldn't have been made.
Patrick spoke to Georg, who was twitching and collapsed at his feet.
“Hey, you and I need to have a private chat later.”
In that instant, the referee saw it.
Georg's body, which he thought had completely lost consciousness, trembled violently.
“My word, is that just now….”
“How can it be so one-sided?”
“No way. His opponent was a Magic Swordsman who wielded three Soul Weapons.”
“Besides, didn't that man named Patrick also use something similar to magic?”
“Then, is he a Magic Swordsman too? But he didn't have a Soul Weapon?”
“Maybe he's a real Magic Swordsman.”
“Oh... Ooooh….”
The audience stirred greatly.
Patrick had already defeated Jayton, one of the favorites to win this tournament.
Prince Jayton of the Magellan Kingdom was considered the strongest contender this time, excluding the three major powers.
However, when Patrick defeated him, the assessment was less about Patrick being great and more about Jayton being overhyped.
Seeing him lose to an unknown competitor, people thought his previous evaluations had been too generous.
The fact that it wasn't just a loss, but a completely one-sided one, also played a part.
But this time was different.
Georg Austin had activated three Soul Weapons right in front of the audience.
To put into perspective how amazing this was, most of the past champions from the Tower of Truth had wielded around 3 to 4 Soul Weapons.
In other words, if he had participated in a slightly lower-level Arcana tournament, he was skilled enough to aim for the championship.
And such a Georg was defeated one-sidedly.
Naturally, public opinion shifted.
“As expected, it wasn't that Prince Jayton was weak.”
“It's just that his opponent was a monster. Wasn't our prince known as a 5-star knight?”
“That's right. He was.”
“Wait, then what level is that young man Patrick? At least 6-star... could it be?”
“Nah, no way. That's going too far.”
“Hahaha. Right. No matter how grand the Arcana is, it's a place to identify the next generation of young talents.”
“Right? It must be, right?”
The audience thus estimated Patrick's level to be around the tail end of 6-star.
But if that prediction was correct....
“Patrick Schneider….”
“The emergence of a strong championship contender.”
“At that level, even the Sword Saint's grandson or the Holy Theocracy's hidden talent couldn't afford to be careless, could they?”
“Right. Absolutely.”
Patrick emerged as a strong contender for the championship.
The audience thought that perhaps, for the first time in decades, the winner of the Arcana might come from outside the three major powers.
And among the fellow contestants, those who had their sights set on victory became wary of Patrick.
“Patrick Schneider….”
“He's strong. This one is the real deal.”
“To think such a talent would emerge from the Kingdom of Atronia.”
Among those contestants, the ones from the Tower of Truth showed a particular interest in Patrick.
They looked at Patrick with an emotion that went beyond simple rivalry.
“Could he really be a Magic Swordsman?”
“It doesn't make sense. To reach a high level by training in both sword and magic simultaneously. That's impossible unless you're a dragon.”
“Then what about the illusion and wind-attribute magic he just showed us?”
“That is….”
Among the personnel sent from the Tower of Truth to lead the Magic Swordsmen were mages.
Upon seeing the techniques Patrick displayed, they broke into a heated debate.
One who wields both sword and magic.
Originally, this was the definition of a Magic Swordsman.
But in reality, mastering both sword and magic simultaneously was an impossible feat.
How could one possibly achieve true mastery while straddling two fields, when dedicating oneself to just one of them was an endless pursuit?
Especially in the case of magic, it was far more dependent on talent than the sword.
After all, without aptitude, one couldn't even begin to learn magic.
“In the first place, if we could nurture such Magic Swordsmen, why would we have created Soul Weapons?”
“That's true, but we saw it with our own eyes, didn't we?”
“Could he have utilized an ancient artifact?”
“To deceive all of our eyes? No matter how ancient the artifact, such an item does not exist.”
“Ummm….”
They were on pins and needles.
These were mages who would do anything for the sake of their quest for magical knowledge.
If they had their way, they would run to the Kingdom of Atronia's waiting room right now, grab Patrick, and question him about every single detail.
But that was not possible.
“Ugh... To think this is happening during the Arcana....”
“For now, we have to wait until it's over.”
“Tsk, this is driving me mad.”
During the Arcana tournament, contact with people from the opposing camps was forbidden.
This was a rule established to prevent match-fixing through threats or bribery.
So, no matter how curious they were, they couldn't even approach the Kingdom of Atronia's side right now.
If they were caught trying to do so secretly, it would be a humiliation that would spread across the entire continent.
“Do we have no choice but to endure until the tournament is over?”
“No, there is another way.”
The mage who spoke up turned to a red-haired man wearing glasses on one side and said.
“Riman, if you happen to have a match against that Patrick Schneider, drag it out as long as possible. Can you do that?”
At that, the young man named Riman pushed up his glasses and said.
“Of course, if it's an order, I will gladly carry it out.”
“Good, you should be more than capable. No, who else but you could do it?”
Riman Ciera.
A slender frame with sharp, handsome features.
Looking at this man with his glasses and strong intellectual impression, anyone would let their guard down.
But the world didn't know.
This Riman Ciera was the genius the Tower of Truth had sent out into the world, aiming for victory in this Arcana.
If it were Riman, he would surely be able to grasp the depths of Patrick's abilities while facing him.
As the mages of the Tower of Truth nodded in agreement, Riman opened his mouth.
“However, there is one problem.”
“A problem? What could be the problem?”
“What if that man named Patrick gets caught by Garcia or Antorius and loses before he gets to fight me?”
“……”
“……”
The mages, who hadn't considered that part, fell silent.
Then....
“We should just go and beat it out of him right now.”
“I told you, you can't!”
“It's fine if we don't get caught. No, it doesn't matter even if we do.”
“Why wouldn't it matter? Who's going to handle the fallout if they raise hell?”
“I don't know!”
The Tower of Truth.
The forefront of cutting-edge knowledge, where the wisest sages from across the continent gathered to explore the unknown and lead the world toward progress.
It was, in reality, a rather chaotic place.
The second round was over.
The 28 contestants were reduced to 14, and in the process, several had shown impressive performances.
First, Garcia and Antorius.
These two, the top contenders for the championship, defeated their opponents with overwhelming skill.
Their opponents were strong enough to have reached the second round of the Arcana, but they were no match for these two.
Besides them, the Tower of Truth also advanced three contestants, one of whom showed the strength to easily defeat a top-year student from the Venator Empire's Academy.
“Riman Ciera….”
“It was him. The real contender the Tower of Truth prepared was that young man.”
“To have that level of skill using only one Soul Weapon….”
“And that was against a top-year student from the Venator Empire's Academy, no less.”
Riman, despite possessing multiple Soul Weapons, had defeated the Empire's representative using only one.
This was proof that he still had plenty of strength in reserve.
Other than that, one of the Elves from Evergreen remained, and representatives from other nations also displayed quite respectable skills to win their second-round matches.
But at the end of the second round, the one who left the strongest impression was, without a doubt, a single person.
Patrick Schneider.
That name began to spread beyond the Kingdom of Atronia, across the entire continent.
Patrick Schneider, the name that had become the eye of the storm in the Arcana.
So what was he, the man himself, doing right now?
“Oh... that feels good. Kalin, not there, a little lower. Oh, right there... ahh... good.”
“...Is that... so?”
“Yes. But Gerard, your fanning is a bit strong. I can feel some kind of emotion in it....”
“Is that so? You can... feel that?”
“Yes. So don't clench your teeth. Relax your body and do it gently. Like a gentle spring breeze, very softly.”
“Is that even... possible?”
“Yes, it is. Think of this as sword training too and do your best, paying attention to the modulation of your strength.”
“……”
Kalin Trinaldo, the top student of the 4th year, was massaging Patrick's legs, while Gerard Teseira, the second-ranked student of the 5th year, was fanning him from the side.
And to top it all off....
“Bella·.”
“……”
“Isabella. When I call you, you should answer, shouldn't you?”
“...Yes.”
“Your words are a bit short….”
“Did you call for me? Patrick... brother.”
“Yup.”
And Patrick opened his mouth wide.
“Aaaah….”
Grit!
Seeing Patrick's wide-open mouth, Isabella felt the urge to shove her fist in there.
But what she had to put in that mouth was not her fist, but the fruit she had clumsily peeled.
“H... have some. Brother.”
“Uh-huh.”
Isabella, the top student of the 3rd year and a princess of a nation, personally fed the peeled fruit into Patrick's mouth.
Patrick received it with his mouth and chewed it deliciously.
“Tsk tsk, look at this peeling skill.... Are you ever going to get married like this?”
“……”
“This is all because your older brother is worried about you. You know, you shouldn't think of what an adult says as nagging, but take it to heart. Got it? Bella.”
“...Yes. Brother.”
Isabella sincerely wished for the world to end.
So, what about Alex, the top student of the 5th year?
Someone came running into the waiting room, out of breath.
That someone, with his bangs soaked in sweat, was Alex Rowensky.
In his hand was a small ceramic bottle.
“Hey, what took you so long? Lex.”
When Patrick chided him, Alex ground his teeth, but managed to control his expression and said.
“Hey, Patrick... brother?”
“What?”
“I got the rice wine you asked for... yes.”
“Ooh. Good job. Bring it here.”
“Okay. But there's no ice.”
“Huh? Really?”
“Yes. Can't we just drink it as it is?”
“Tsk tsk tsk, Lex. Lex….”
“...Why?”
“You probably don't know because you're still young. You can't give up so easily.”
“……”
“If you give up, that's the end of your life.”
It sounded like a cool phrase, but it definitely didn't seem like the right time to use it.
“Believe in yourself. You can do it. This big brother guarantees it.”
“No, I really searched the entire market, but there was none! ...I did.”
“Tsk tsk tsk, that's because your sincerity and effooort were lacking.”
“...Is that... so?”
“Yes. So go back and get it.”
“……”
“Huh? Is that emotion on your face perhaps meant to say, ‘I'm just going to kill this bastard’?”
“No... I don't think so.”
“I see. Then it's settled. Go get some ice. Oh, and they say the apple wine in this town is famous. Get that too.”
Griiind.
Watching Alex run off while grinding his teeth, Patrick smiled brightly and said.
“Aah... this is nice. I wish every day was like today.”
Griiind. Grit! Crack!
Why was Patrick living like a carefree immortal?
And why were the seniors enduring humiliation and shame, risking damage to their teeth in real-time?
The reason could be found by turning back the clock a little.
***
The day after the second round ended.
Patrick seemed to be in a very good mood.
Well, since he won the second round of the Arcana, it was natural for him to be in a good mood, but....
“Hehehe, well this is....”
“……?”
“Ayyy... I'm getting shy at my age.”
“……?”
“Well, it's the thought that counts. You don't have to worry too much.”
“……?”
“Just something small. You know? Something small is fine.”
“……?”
What was this? This was a different state.
Seeing Patrick grinning foolishly at his companions whenever he saw them, with a look that said, ‘I know everything, you rascals,’ his companions felt an inexplicable sense of unease.
As a result, they held an emergency meeting.
“What's wrong with him?”
“Did he finally go crazy?”
“Isn't he always like that?”
“He could have gone even more seriously crazy….”
“Is that possible?”
“...Hm, that was a slip of the tongue on my part.”
Alex calmly admitted his slip of the tongue.
No matter how he thought about it, it was impossible for Patrick Schneider to get any crazier than he already was.
Doesn't everything in the world have a limit?
“Then what on earth is the reason for this bizarre phenomenon?”
“I don't know? Thinking normally, wouldn't it be because he's happy about passing the second round of the Arcana?”
“Kalin, are you still trying to connect Patrick with normalcy?”
“...I'm sorry, senior.”
They wracked their brains, but no answer came.
Finally, Isabella spoke.
“How about we ask him directly?”
“Princess?”
“That's too dangerous.”
“Please reconsider.”
When a natural disaster strikes, one should first think of avoiding it.
What's the point of going to an approaching typhoon and asking, ‘Why are you coming this way?’
But Isabella wasn't just saying this without any thought.
“It's not a disaster we can avoid anyway.”
“Aah….”
“Hmm….”
“That makes sense.”
Isabella's words hit the nail on the head.
It would be one thing if they could avoid it, but this was a natural disaster that was impossible to escape from the start.
“In that case, it's more beneficial to identify the cause and gather information for an appropriate response later on.”
“Hooooo... I see. Is there no other way?”
“Senior. This is the best choice.”
“We can't help it.”
“Please make a decision!”
And so....
“Hey, Patrick?”
“Hm? What is it, senior?”
Alex approached Patrick as the representative.
In fact, a fierce debate had broken out over who would go and ask, but Alex was entrusted with this dangerous mission because he was the top student of the highest year.
‘They only call me senior and top student at times like these. Damn bastards....’
Alex let out a deep sigh as he looked at his juniors and classmates who were studiously avoiding his gaze from behind.
Then, he cautiously spoke to Patrick.
“You seem to be in a particularly good mood today?”
“Hahaha. Senior, you know everything and you're still asking.”
Know what?
I wish I really did know something, you bastard.
Alex spoke in the most cautious voice possible.
“Well, unlike you, we don't really know the reason, you see?”
“Huh?”
“So, we would be very grateful if you would please tell us the reason. I mean, not just me, but us. Including the princess over there, I mean us. Us.”
Alex's desperate struggle to avoid taking the fall alone was revealed.
And Patrick's expression slowly hardened as he said.
“Uh oh... senior. Is this also part of the plan? Or just? No way... really?”
“...What is?”
“Weren't you guys preparing a surprise event?”
“...What do you mean?”
“Isn't today my sixteenth birthday?”
“……”
“The once-in-a-lifetime coming-of-age ceremony.”
Seeing Patrick's face, full of emptiness, Alex and everyone else thought.
We're screwed.