Chapter: 29
Kailo Maxinert watched Jian as he trained, his eyes shining brightly.
What incredible talent.
He had heard that Jian was gifted.
But he never imagined it would be to this extent.
To think there would come a day when my own talent would feel insignificant…
Level 86.
That alone—having surpassed the limits of the human race—was enough to prove how extraordinary Kailo’s talent was. Even his own master, a Transcendent who had reached level 80, had clicked his tongue in amazement.
If Kailo hadn’t lost his entire family in the past and turned into a man consumed by vengeance, he might have become the tenth human in history to reach level 90.
That was how far beyond others his talent stood.
With talent like mine, I thought it would take twenty years… no, at least ten years for someone to surpass my level.
Yet Jian’s talent utterly crushed even Kailo’s.
He had picked up a sword for the first time and swung it only about ten times, yet he already wielded it with the proficiency of someone who had trained for a full year.
Kailo had merely shown him how to move mana lightly, yet Jian already controlled it perfectly—like someone who had known the method all along.
Astounding. Truly astounding.
Normally, when someone begins moving their body in earnest, there are always issues—an unbalanced center of gravity, awkward movements in certain limbs.
But Jian adjusted his balance effortlessly, moving his body with flawless precision.
As if his very body had been designed for swordsmanship.
This isn’t “learn one, understand ten”… it’s “learn one, perfect ten.”
Not talent that understands ten things when taught one—
But talent that completes ten things when taught one.
“Heh.”
It was talent so ridiculous that all Kailo could do was laugh.
Thinking about it, it’s only natural. The Master now possesses the factors of countless higher races… he’s practically become an absolute species standing above all others.
Jairon had awakened the power of an ancient spirit, elevating the very grade of his physical body.
Having talent like this was only to be expected.
A month won’t even be necessary.
He’d thought it would take at least a month to teach him properly.
How foolish that had been.
He had underestimated his Master’s talent.
Three weeks. Maybe even two.
Within that time, all of the sword techniques would be passed on.
Slash! Slash—!
Jian swung his sword in a state of complete absorption.
After showing him a single demonstration, Kailo hadn’t offered much guidance at all.
Yet Jian’s sword was rapidly beginning to resemble his own.
Without realizing it, Kailo gave a slightly bitter smile.
My Master has given me more than I can ever repay… and all I can offer in return is this trivial swordsmanship.
Kailo had been given a new life by Jairon.
A debt so great that even after death—no, even in hell—it would take a lifetime to repay.
How can I repay this kindness?
Drawing on what he had previously heard from Jairon and Reaper, Kailo seriously considered what he could do.
Normally, my involvement would cause more harm than good… but now…
With so many variables already having thrown the plan into disarray—
Perhaps now there was something he could do.
A way… a way to be of help to my Master…
Kailo continued thinking as he watched Jian swing his sword.
“Master. Let’s stop here for today.”
How much time had passed since Jian began swinging his sword in a trance?
Snap.
Suddenly, Kailo grabbed Jian’s hand just as he was about to swing again, stopping him.
“Beyond this point, the harm outweighs the benefit.”
Only after being forcibly stopped did Jian finally come out of his trance.
“Haa… haa… haa…”
His heart pounded wildly.
His entire body was drenched in sweat, like a soaked rat.
It wasn’t just up to his chin—his breathing felt like it had climbed all the way to his nose.
He’d pushed his body so hard that even his fingers barely moved.
I… didn’t even realize I was in this state and kept swinging my sword?
Clinging desperately to consciousness, Jian focused on regulating his breathing.
“Now is important. Steady your mind and—hm?”
“Hooo… haaah…”
He’d learned that long, deep breaths were best at times like this.
He repeated deep breaths, sending as much oxygen as possible to his heart and brain.
“Heh heh. Exactly. When you’ve pushed your body that hard, it’s best to circulate as much mana as possible to the brain and heart. It seems you knew instinctively.”
Kailo smiled with deep satisfaction as he watched.
What is he talking about…
Maybe he was just too exhausted.
Kailo’s words barely registered.
Jian ignored him and focused solely on breathing.
After about three minutes of steady breathing, his breath finally stabilized, and the trembling in his body began to subside.
I can finally breathe again.
With fresh oxygen, his foggy mind cleared.
Only now did he have the余裕 to look around.
“Your recovery speed is remarkable. A normal person would’ve been half-dead for at least thirty minutes in that condition.”
Kailo stroked his chin, looking at Jian with extreme satisfaction.
At the same time, system messages flooded into Jian’s view.
[Kailo Maxinert has been officially registered as your ‘Master’.]
[Kailo Maxinert imparts his teachings as your Master.]
[You have learned Kailo Maxinert’s unique sword style: ‘Maxinert Style’.]
[Current rank of ‘Maxinert Style’: E-Rank.]
[The rank of ‘Maxinert Style’ can only be raised through direct instruction from your Master.]
Oh…?
These were very welcome messages indeed.
Then I’ll see you again tomorrow at this time.
With those words, Kailo left first.
After replying, See you tomorrow, Jian followed more slowly.
Ugh, this is gross.
On the way back to the dormitory, he grabbed the front of his sweat-soaked training clothes and shook them back and forth, trying to relieve even a bit of the damp discomfort.
Air flowed through the fabric, making him feel slightly better.
When am I getting there…
But that relief was short-lived.
Realizing it would still take another ten minutes to reach the dormitory, his mood sank again.
I’m seriously exhausted.
He’d pushed himself so hard that even walking was difficult.
His legs didn’t feel like his own.
Maybe this was what a newborn deer’s legs felt like.
Should I sit down for five minutes?
Seeing a bench along the path, the urge to sit surged.
No. Roll call is soon.
Garum Hall’s roll call was at 11 p.m.
If you returned late without a special reason, you’d receive penalty points.
The current time was 10:47.
He had to keep moving to avoid them.
Man, I really want levitation magic right now.
If he could just float with magic, this would be perfect.
Too bad he couldn’t use levitation yet.
I need to learn it somehow.
Judging by today’s training intensity, this wouldn’t be the last time he returned like this.
Better to learn it in advance.
Let’s see… could Rosalin use levitation at this point?
He didn’t remember her using it in the game at this stage.
Was it because she didn’t need it—or because she couldn’t?
At this level, not being able to use levitation was normal.
But considering Rosalin’s overwhelming talent…
Maybe she could.
Who knew.
As he shuffled forward like a zombie—
“Hey. What’s wrong with you?”
“…Senior Rosalin?”
He ran straight into her.
Judging by the direction she came from, she must’ve been returning from late research at the academy’s main building.
“What the—did you fall into water or something—ugh.”
Rosalin rushed over with concern, then suddenly stopped, frowning.
“Don’t tell me… that’s all sweat?”
She covered her nose with her forearm.
The smell must’ve been intense.
“Yes. Sweat. I was training a bit…”
“With your ability, training hard enough to end up like that—wait. The only person who could push you this far would be…”
Her eyes widened in realization—then narrowed sharply.
“So the rumor was true.”
“…Rumor?”
“What, you didn’t hear? People are saying Kailo Maxinert came here to make you give up magic.”
“…?”
What kind of nonsense was that?
“When I first heard it, it did sound plausible. Otherwise, why would the Sword of the People suddenly show up at the academy?”
As Jian stayed silent, trying to process this—
Rosalin’s expression grew more confident.
“If that rumor’s true, then the other one must be as well.”
“What other rumor?”
“Oh, right—you hadn’t heard. People are saying you left Kailo Maxinert because you wanted to learn magic.”
“…What?”
What kind of baseless rumor was this?
“My Master and I get along just fine.”
He didn’t know how these rumors started.
But letting people think he and the Sword of the People were on bad terms was dangerous.
This needed to be corrected immediately.
“Oh? I guess so. If you weren’t on good terms, you wouldn’t have been training together this late.”
Rosalin lowered her gaze, resting her chin on her hand.
“Then the latter rumor must’ve been deliberately spread by people with ill intent. The only true one is that Kailo Maxinert is trying to make you quit magic.”
No—that wasn’t true either.
“No. That rumor isn’t—”
“Aah!”
Rosalin suddenly widened her eyes.
What now?
“There are only six minutes left!”
Jian’s eyes widened as well.
Six minutes until roll call.
“Sorry! I need to go! I’ll get penalty points if I’m late!”
She hurriedly turned and activated her mana.
Wind swirled around her body.
Rosalin lifted about ten centimeters off the ground.
A simplified levitation spell?
Not true free flight—
Just a lower-tier levitation that lets you hover slightly above the ground.
Since full levitation wasn’t possible yet, she’d modified it.
Smart.
“Oh, and you didn’t forget what I said last time, right? About research collaboration. I want to talk about that in detail later, so make some time.”
Jian half-listened as he replayed the spell formula of the simplified levitation magic she’d just used.
“And about the other thing you asked for—setting up a meeting with my father—I have a few things to say about that too—”
He felt it.
Jian reproduced the spell formula.
Bwoong!
His body lifted slightly into the air, just like Rosalin’s.
Her eyes bulged.
“Y-you! How did you do that!?”
“How else? You know I can perfectly reproduce magic after seeing it once.”
“That’s not what I’m shocked about!”
Her expression grew deadly serious.
“Levitation magic isn’t something you can use immediately! Balancing your center of gravity alone— it took me over a month just to get the hang of it!”
Ah—right.
There was that setting.
Levitation magic is extremely hard to control due to gravity, friction, and countless other factors.
That’s why it’s known as a spell you can’t use immediately after learning it.
Even dragons can’t fly right after they’re born, and all that.
“How did you get the feel for it? Don’t you feel nauseous? Like your body’s spinning?”
“No. Not at all.”
He was perfectly fine.
To prove it, Jian performed a quick aerial flip, moving freely in three dimensions.
“…That’s impossible.”
Rosalin stared at him in utter disbelief.
What should you even call that expression?
Ah—right.
The look of a believer who just realized there is no god.
Or rather, the look of a scholar who just discovered that everything they believed was wrong.
“…”
Rosalin looked away, staring blankly into the air, deep in thought.
Probably forming some magical hypothesis.
“Is it really okay for you to just stand there? There are only four minutes left until roll call.”
“…Ah!”
She snapped out of it.
“Right…! Sorry! Let’s talk later! I really need to go!”
Rosalin flew toward the dormitory.
As she quickly grew distant, Jian followed behind her—flying.
“That speed is ridiculous—no, more importantly, why are you following me!?”
“Didn’t you hear? I’ll be staying in Garum Hall for a while.”
Rosalin, an elite among elites, naturally lived in Garum Hall.
“You? You haven’t even taken the first exam yet!”
“Well… a few things happened.”
Explaining it all would be complicated.
And unnecessary.
“Then explain those ‘few things’. The only people I know who could skip procedures and put someone in Garum Hall are the vice-principal or the principal—”
“At this speed, we won’t make it. I’ll speed up.”
To avoid the hassle—and make roll call—
Jian accelerated.
“Hey—! Wait—!”
The pressure of the wind slammed into his body.
I can go even faster.
Rosalin’s voice faded into the wind—then disappeared completely.
