A battle drill with the sixth training ground.
Burren had already heard the rumors about it. The story originated from a pub two months before, but he shrugged it off as a groundless rumor since nothing happened since then.
Yet he was told it was tomorrow. Tomorrow!
Burren thought he had a problem with his ears. Because it was simply unimaginable that he would've actually heard that.
"Instructor."
"Mhm."
"Did you just say it was tomorrow?"
"Mhm."
"Stop copying Runaan. Please tell me clearly. Is it really tomorrow?"
"Argh. I told you, yes."
Rimmer nodded immediately. His shameless face deserved a beating.
"It's not just a spar, but an all-out war. Yet it's tomorrow?"
"Since there's not that many people involved, you should consider it as a local war instead of an all-out war…"
"You know that's not what I'm talking about!"
Burren stomped on the ground.
"Tomorrow is the day of the battle, and you just told us about it now. How could you even do that? Was the rumor from the pub really true?"
"Oh, so you knew about it. That story was about me and Metun."
"God damn it!"
One-on-one spars would've been a different story, but an all-out battle was a competition of pride. Announcing such an important matter the day before was so preposterous that he couldn't close his mouth.
"Haaa, that's why you're called novices."
Rimmer clicked his tongue, squatting on the ground.
"Does a war or a battle start after politely greeting each other with a 'Nice to meet you, we will start fighting you. Be careful!'? No, it doesn't. Most battles start suddenly, from an unexpected situation."
His sharp pressure overwhelmed the surroundings, despite his shabby posture.
"Once a war starts, you have to run out to participate whether you are eating, sleeping, or taking a shit. In a situation where you don't even know who the enemies are or how many of them there are, you have to draw your sword and fight. I'm giving you plenty of time to prepare by telling you a day before."
"Uhh!"
"That's…"
Burren and the trainees shut their mouths, unable to retort.
'He's right.'
Raon nodded.
'Most missions are sudden.'
Assassination was the same.
Naturally, assassination was a lot more likely to succeed when the target was outside, rather than in their home.
Devising a plan and starting to move once the target left the house was a common occurrence.
Improvising a plan of action was an indispensable quality of an assassin.
"Moreover, the sixth training ground was also informed last night. That's not much different from you."
"Y-you should've said that earlier."
"You got angry before I even explained. It was my first time seeing you that angry."
Rimmer giggled.
"Ugh! I'm sorry."
Burren lowered his head, ears completely red. It looked like he was embarrassed.
"Since I think everyone understands now, I'm going to start the explanation."
Rimmer stood up, his hands behind his back. It seemed like he was trying to look dignified, but he didn't really.
"The battle starts tomorrow at 6 am. The forty-three of us will be participating, and they will have sixty people. The victory is…"
"By the way, why are there sixty of them?"
"That's almost 1.5 times our numbers…"
The trainees' throats tightened upon hearing that the sixth training ground had a lot more people.
"I told you already. A war isn't something you fight with equal numbers. Are you going to complain once you meet a more numerous enemy? Say that it was unfair for you? You aren't!"
"Ugh…"
"Th-that's true, but…"
The trainees tilted their heads and went back to their positions. They felt like they were being played by Rimmer.
"I'm going to start explaining again. The forty-three of us and the sixty of them will start moving at the same time. The victory goes to the team that incapacitates all the enemies or seizes the flag in the opposite camp. It's simpler than spars in some ways."
Murmuring that it was too easy, he told them to be thankful that he didn't tell them about it the next morning.
"Hmm… Now that I think about it, it doesn't seem too hard."
"Well, I guess… Since the sixth training ground's trainees are mostly the dropouts from here, there's no members of the direct line among them either."
"Didn't you know? Sir Kein joined the sixth training ground a few months ago."
"Sir K-Kein Zieghart is a whole two years older than us! How can we win against him?!"
"It's fine. He was seriously injured and was bedridden for an entire year. I don't think he's even fully recovered yet."
"Oh, then that's a different story."
The trainees breathed a sigh of relief, hearing that he hadn't completely recovered yet.
"That's not true."
Burren shook his head.
"Kein Zieghart has already fully recovered from his injuries. Because he continued training his aura and senses, his might is currently at that of an advanced level Sword User."
"A-advanced level Sword User?"
The trainees' faces went pale upon hearing it.
"Hmph. So what? Chicken out if you are scared. I'll take care of the Kein guy or whatever."
"I'm not scared. I'm just telling them the information. And you can't do it alone."
"Haah?"
The trainees' pale faces recovered upon seeing Martha and Burren's argument.
"We also have Sir Burren, Lady Martha, and Lady Runaan. Well, we also have Raon."
"Honestly, I feel like we are going to win without too much difficulty. Those two can handle Sir Kein, and we can deal with the rest."
"We can do it. We've won against the Owen Kingdom's knights, and we've also completed a mission."
The trainees smiled, saying that the sixth training ground's trainees were a piece of cake.
"Hmm… You'll pay dearly if you look down on them too much."
Rimmer smiled frighteningly.
"There's a training called Hell Week that highly improves the swordsman's abilities. The sixth training ground's trainees have completed Hell Week without a single dropout. And that was thanks to you guys."
"Thanks to us?"
"Because the fifth training ground has been getting the most attention from the house. Their eyes are blazing with the desire to catch up to you. If you look down on them, then you will just end up losing before doing anything."
He was seriously advising them after a long time.
"No way! Every day has been a Hell week for us."
"They are dropouts from here. They can't have gotten that strong. We are born with different talents, after all."
"That's right. We've never lost or failed so far."
"As long as Sir Kein is stopped, we can win for sure!"
The trainees didn't lose their arrogance despite hearing his advice. They looked even more motivated, instead.
"That's some nice confidence."
Rimmer smirked and nodded. His smile seemed to say that he didn't care if they ended up losing like that.
"Finally, the all-out war is like a small warfare. Which means that the leader's orders are of primordial importance. Everyone should follow Raon's advice tomorrow."
"Yes!"
"…Yes."
"Understood."
The trainees that usually followed Raon answered immediately, and those who followed Burren or Runaan responded a little bit later.
'That's annoying.'
Raon frowned. Defeating the sixth training ground wasn't a big deal, but controlling the trainees was bothersome.
"Today's training is free. You can create a plan here or just keep training to prepare for the incoming battle."
Rimmer returned with the usual light and loafing atmosphere.
"Head instructor, you didn't tell us the most important thing."
Burren raised his hand.
"What is it?"
"Where is the battle going to take place?"
"Ah, that."
Rimmer clapped his hands.
"The Northern Grave Mountain over there, behind the main building."
He gave a sly smile to Raon. It felt like he was saying, 'You know the Northern Grave Mountain well enough, I'll leave the rest to you.'
"Haa."
Raon shook his head. It looked like Rimmer had bet on their side's victory.
Betting on the fifth training ground after creating the worst circumstance for them, he really was a funny man, or rather, elf.
'That's why he gets ruined every time.'
There was a reason he was losing money in gambling houses or racetracks all the time.
"I'll be going then."
Rimmer waved his hand like a kid on a picnic and left the training ground.
"Line up."
Raon sighed and gathered the trainees at the center.
"We are going to devise a plan now, in preparation for the team battle tomorrow. Anyone have information about the sixth training ground?"
"I-I know a bit about them."
Dorian, who had hand tremor syndrome, gulped.
"As everybody knows, the current top trainee of the sixth training ground is Sir Kein Zieghart. He is sixteen years old, which is two years older than us, but he'd been bedridden for an entire year from a serious injury he got on a mission. He has recovered."
"Injury, huh…"
"Like you heard before, his might is at the level of an advanced level Sword User, and he is rather popular since every trainee in the sixth training ground follows him. There are three collaterals that are exceptionally strong…"
As expected of someone that had lots of connections, he kept telling them about the sixth training ground.
"I guess we don't even need a plan if that's all they have."
"I knew it. We can ignore the rest except for Sir Kein."
"That's right. Two people among the four strongest should deal with Sir Kein, and we can wipe out the rest."
The trainees giggled and clamored that they didn't even need a plan.
"Certainly, we are going to win without much difficulty as long as Sir Kein is dealt with."
Burren also suggested moving individually. It seemed he also didn't think they could lose.
"Fuck the plan. There's no need to wreck your brain over it when you can just crush them with power. Just leave it to me and I'll wipe them all out on my own."
Martha raised her clenched fist.
It seemed they wanted to display their abilities in the upcoming battle, since they hadn't done anything in the mission two months ago.
"Hmm…"
After hearing everyone's opinion, Raon nodded.
"To summarize, since we are a lot stronger than them, we don't need anything like a plan or a strategy. We can just wipe them out. We just need to deal with Kein somehow, am I right?"
"Yes."
"We are going to win regardless."
"Let's finish it in the morning so we can eat lunch afterwards."
The trainees smiled as if they'd already won. The only silent ones were Runaan like always, and Dorian who'd finished saying everything he'd wanted.
"Alright, let's do that."
After looking around the trainees, he nodded.
"Oh, that's cool for once."
"Then is it time for the personal training?"
"Let's make a bet about how many people you are going to defeat tomorrow."
The trainees moved out for the individual training while laughing.
What a bunch of idiots.
'Indeed.'
Raon nodded with a cold gaze.
'They don't realize at all how scary the people who are chasing after them are.'
It looked like they'd only learn after paying dearly for it, just like Rimmer had mentioned.
* * *
Sixth Training Ground.
The Same Day.
Around one hundred trainees, covered in dust from head to toe, were gathered at the center.
"Every single one of you has completed Hell Week, which has more than a 70% dropout rate."
The trainees straightened their backs when they heard the sixth training ground's head instructor's dignified voice.
"And that was your choice. Do you remember the reason why?"
"It's because of the fifth training ground!"
The trainees shouted at once. The voice was loud enough to shake the sixth training ground, which was bigger than the fifth training ground.
"That's right. The fifth training ground has been getting the most attention from the house, and the Owen Kingdom that looked down on you requested a spar with them. Your choice was made in order to defeat them."
Metun examined the trainees one by one. His eyes were stronger than ever.
"And the time has come. After all the time you've spent getting no attention whatsoever, you finally got the opportunity to defeat the fifth training ground."
As his voice resounded throughout the training ground, the trainees' eyes shone.
"Even if it's a forty-three versus sixty battle, everyone in the house will expect their victory. However, I believe the odds are even. Show them what you've been accumulating so far!"
"Yes!"
The trainees shouted their throats off.
"Kein Zieghart."
Metun called the only member of the direct line in the sixth training ground forward. A blond, blue-eyed boy that was standing at the center stepped up.
"I'll leave it to you."
"Consider it done."
Kein bowed confidently.
"I'll show everyone that the sixth training ground is stronger than the fifth training ground."
"That's not all."
Metun shook his head slightly.
"As the sixth training ground's top trainee, you have to defeat Raon Zieghart, who is the fifth training ground's top trainee."
"..."
"Are you not confident?"
"Yes, I am."
Kein's eyes glowed fiercely.
"I just didn't answer since it was obvious. That guy can't win against me. I am stronger than him."
"That's great confidence."
Metun nodded in satisfaction.
"Kein isn't the only one. Everyone should do their best, so their efforts so far won't be in vain."
"Yes!"
The light didn't turn off until late at night in the sixth training ground.
***
"Hmm…"
Raon nodded, reading the Northern Grave Mountain's map, checking out the location the battle was going to take place.
'I know all of those places.'
Since he'd been training by running around the mountain ever since he followed Rimmer there, he was well aware of the geography. He had a huge geographic advantage compared to the sixth training ground.
'However…'
The others were in a bad state.
The trainees were too carried away by their continued victories and successes.
Even though some of that stuff was achieved by Raon alone, the trainees mistakenly believed that they'd gotten stronger by having been with him.
'Well, they are strong.'
It was a fact that the trainees were stronger than the other swordsmen or knights of their age, thanks to Rimmer's training method. However, the difference wasn't overwhelming, and they couldn't afford to look down on others.
Since children grow up quickly when they are unnoticed, if they were careless, they could end up losing.
All that's because they have never experienced actual battle. They will only learn after getting almost killed by someone weaker than them.
Wrath sneered, realizing Raon's line of thoughts.
Those idiots remind me of devildom back then. The King of Essence plucked out the horns of a high devil that was acting arrogantly…
"Ah, there he goes again."
The King of Essence is telling you a story that will become your flesh and blood, yet you interrupt me…
"Yes, yes."
Arrrgh! Raon Zieghart!
Raon shook his hand and laid on his bed. He blocked his hearing and closed his eyes.
Well, he wasn't wrong.
Teaching them that they weren't actually special by letting them experience defeat wasn't too bad.
Rimmer must've been aiming for that, too. Of course, he must've wanted them to win after almost losing, instead of actually losing.
'Interesting.'
Raon smiled lightly.
'It's a good opportunity.'
It was an opportunity to show the trainees that didn't follow him yet what kind of role a leader could play.
After the battle, every single trainee in the fifth training ground would follow his orders without exception.
"Then let's steal some information for now."
Raon's eyes shone faintly, like the moon in the sky.
***
On the mountainside of the Northern Grave Mountain, the Next Day.
Kein Zieghart and the fifty-nine trainees from the sixth training ground were gathered around a yellow flag.
"Lastly, I'll tell you the plan."
Looking at the Northern Grave Mountain's map, Kein spoke in a sharp voice.
"The fifth training ground trainees are located in the west. They are still not united. Raon, Burren, Runaan, and Martha are separated into four factions."
He was aware of the fact that the fifth training ground's trainees weren't united.
"I'm sure they will move separately. Martha is going to rush in on her own, especially. Dunn."
"Yes."
At Kein's call, a trainee with a big build that was standing next to him nodded.
"As we've practiced, stop her and with the first group. If you induce her into a fight of endurance by alternating her opponents, you can win."
"Understood."
"Burren uses sharp and systematic swordsmanship. Decal!"
"Yes!"
A trainee with long arms and legs like a monkey raised his hand.
"You will take care of him. You will be able to defeat him along with the second group that has learned the Intuition Sword. Since he will be with the collaterals, bring the third group with you."
"Yes!"
Lastly, Kein looked at the girl with short green hair on his right.
"Karin, your opponent is Runaan. She is an unpredictable one, but she seems to listen to Raon. You should stand by here, then follow my orders along with the fourth group."
"Mhm."
"Finally, the fifth group and I will stay here and stop Raon."
Holding the map, Kein Zieghart straightened his spine.
"How are you going to find their locations? Nothing's going to work out if you fail to locate them."
"It's okay."
He smiled confidently.
"Since I'll use the 'Observing Eye'."
The 'Observing Eye' was a special ability that could perceive an enemy's location and presence from far away. It was the perfect skill to use in a local war like that.
One-on-one was a different story, but in a local war like that, information and scouting was the most important aspect. He was confident that his scouting abilities were superior to Raon's, and even the instructors'.
"It's time to display our willpower as people that have completed Hell Week. The best training ground of Zieghart will be the sixth training ground from today onward!"
"Wooow!"
At Kein's powerful voice, the sixth training ground's trainees raised a battle cry.
However, there was one thing they didn't realize. Kein, with his clenched fist, and the trainees with their burning passion alike.
There were red eyes looking down on them from the top of the trees.
____
A/N: Hey Readers!!!
Make sure to add this book to your collection and vote with your power stones to show your appreciation for this work.
Reviews and comments are truly appreciated.