Chapter 15 – Last test

I woke up with Alice still sleeping next to me. She’s like younger sister to me. Ah, I so miss Sylvie. I never thought I won’t be able to meet them in these 2 years. She will hate me even more. At least they live better now. I must stay strong, for them. Anyway, why is that strange feeling still there? Did I miss something?

I concentrated again and I was surprised.

Skill Soul MindRankN/AYour mind was being destroyed for reasons unknown. To protect itself, it created link with your soul.

Link shields you from all kinds of mental status effects and lessens your mana backlash.

Mind being destroyed? Mana backlash? What the HECK! I know it is useful but seriously? I can’t be happy with knowing that my mind was on the verge of breaking. Sigh.

Well, I can’t do anything about it now so let’s just let it be.

I don’t know if I explained mana backlash but let’s say it. Mana backlash happens when you are close to using all of your mana. The closer to the bottom you are, more sluggish your mind becomes and all mana related activities are hampered, meaning it’s possible your skills or spells won’t activate. For pure mages when that happens outside its death sentence. The worst thing on it is, when you reach 0 you lose consciousness but before that you will experience terrible headache. This skill is godsend for my survival in the future, but it just lessens it but to experiment on it is, well let’s just leave it be for now.

My mind feels strange. It’s like it is sharper, quicker and I’m much calmer. Is it the effect of shielding me from status effects? Is angry, stressed and such status effect? It really will need experimentations, but before that, let’s change.

I was just in my underwear. Alice was probably embarrassed so it’s not good if she wakes up. Before I could change though, someone knocked on the door.

I went to the door and opened them. It was Lili, Sani and Teach.

When they saw me just in my underwear, Sani was smiling with a brilliant smile, cool queen look of Lili quickly changed to blushing and Teach did not say anything.

It did not take long though and all three of them forced their way in. When they came in, they looked around and saw Alice sleeping on the bed. What would you think when you will see guy in underwear and a girl with maid uniform that is opened on few places, well instead of that let’s just say showing glimpses of Eden? I will tell you that!

Sani was still smiling with a huge, beautiful smile but in fact was frozen at the spot. Lili had cool look, blushing look and then dejected look. Teach well like always, grumpy look not! Teach was the best. He put his hands before his face and was embarrassed! The guy that is instructor from hell is blushing! Can you believe it? I sure can. Such beautiful expressions, this will be fun. Well, let’s not keep them waiting.

“I’m sorry for my appearance but I had tough, hot night yesterday ’that headache was tough for me and I sweated a lot because of the nightmare’ and constant movement ‘of my eyes’ took a lot out of me and finally after that the soft sensation ’of Alice’s hands’ just did not let me to change properly.”

I finished this with innocent smile. Let’s continue with how they responded to it.

Sani defrosted and loosened her smile, then had tears in her eyes and then it was dripping like crazy.

Teach got his wits back but his cheeks were red and as I continued with my story they became redder.

Lili was still looking dejected and then angry. Not at me or Alice, at herself but that did not last long and then as she shook it, I could see her eyes starting to become moist and before she started to cry she turned around, small tear droplets falling behind her and she ran straight to the door.

I did not let her. I used phantom step and got before her and she stopped. She looked at me flustered and I slowly, step by step, went to her until I reached her. She wanted to get away but it was too late. I poked her forehead.

She calmed down and looked at me.

“Baka, what did you think happened? I just had terrible nightmare and so I sweated a lot and it took a lot from me so I was fatigued and Alice took care of me. That’s why I said it was hot, touch and soft. My bed is, after all, really soft. We must try it once together sometime.”

She brightened up and as I said together she became flustered. Before any of us could say anything, Sani jumped between us.

“Mou, why did you do that to us?”

Play dumb. In such situation, it is the best option.

“Huh, what are you talking about? I just say what happened. What you thought of is not my fault.”

She puffed her cheeks but was much happier then when she came. She probably was worried about me and wanted to brighten me up.

Lili took her cool look again when I looked again. Dammit Sani, it was such a great time to tease her more. Well, there’s still a way. Let’s use it!

I hugged both of them and started to pet them.

”You must have been worried about me, I’m sorry.”

Ha ha. Lili was blushing again and Sani too. If they had tails, they would be waving them from side to side.

“Ehm.”

That was Teach. Mood killer, oh well it’s time to take care of business he has with me anyway.

“I hope you took care of your thinks so can we start with why am I here?”

Ok, the teasing cannot be stopped.

“Of course we can’t.”

They did not expect that. Those eyes are nice.

As we were talking, sleeping princess started to wake up.

“Ris?”

Ha ha, that cold feeling emanating from both of them is something. By the way, I never told them about Alice before so it is their first meeting.

“Good morning Alice.”

It strengthen.

I came closer to her and meanwhile, she started to look around. When she saw me, she jumped at me and hugged me. We both fell. I can’t say I did not expect that. Chance for that was 99% after all.

“Release Ris!”x2

Yep, Lili and Sani. When that happened, they both yelled at the same time but Alice did not release me. Lili and Sani forcefully separated us.

Alice finally took in her surroundings and became flustered. She started to apologize. Cute, all three of them.

“It’s ok Alice. Anyway, can you take our quests to the kitchen and prepare something for us? I’m quite hungry. Meanwhile, I will change.”

Yep, standing before her in underwear made her blush. She really is sleepy head not finding out while hugging me.

So she took them into the kitchen and I changed to my uniform. Last test is today after all. I went to them and took a seat.

“So Teach, do you have some business with me?”

On side note, he was still red from embarrassment.

“Ehm, because you passed out yesterday, I couldn’t give you token so I came here to give you token and tell you, you reached first rank.”

“I see. Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it just don’t do something stupid like that again. Making so many divisions at such age can kill you. Just be careful.”

Teach is kind and really good at teaching. That’s why I like his classes even though it is like military training.

“I will take my leave now. Oh and don’t forget about your last test.”

And so he went away but before that.

“Teach you must be hungry. Take these sandwiches at least.”

I pushed several sandwiches into his hands and practically forced him out of the door so he would not decline.

I went back to the table and slowly sipped my tea and ate. During that Sani and Lili started to eat too.

“Wow, it’s so delicious.”

“So good.”

And they started to stuff their mouths. So cute. Alice joined us too and both of them were surprised but with a quick explanation it was over.

“Ris, it’s time for you to go.”

Ah that cold feeling again.

“Ok, so let’s go then and take care Alice and thanks for taking care of me.”

I made it so I am blushing and she blushed too. When she could not see me I was smiling from ear to ear and went my way with Lili and Sani.

We talked for a while about this and that but it was like interrogation about my relationship with Alice. I just said, master and maid. Those piercing eyes after that were quite something. I fear they will put me at leash after this. More teasing for me.

We had to split up because we had different final tests and so I went to my martial arts test.

When I got there, there were many people, much more than normally and I could see my classes’s instructors and some I never saw so I immediately understood that it is joined test.

Not like yesterday, today I was feeling good, even better than ever before and I was hyped up to finally get it done so I went to see the master and prepare myself.

When I finally found him, he was arguing with instructor. I don’t know if you remember him, but it is the one in full plate armor. Because we had several dealings with him in these 2 years, I remember his name. It’s Michael Broadsmen and no, I still don’t know master’s name.

The reason they are arguing is simple, they are rivals or they like to be called that. I leisurely went to master because next to Michal was Irel. I have bad feeling about this.

“Hi master.”

“Hi Ris, it’s good time you came. I was just telling this ‘got all the wisdom’ type of guy how you will squash his disciple in a sec.”

Michael did not let it go.

“And I was just telling this ‘don’t know how to wear clothes’ type of guy was just telling how my disciple will easily take first place.”

They both were grinning while releasing their killing intent making it look like they will rip each other’s throat any second but in fact, they are good friends, no best friends. I don’t know what really happened between them but it must have been woman. You just notice it through their interactions.

If you didn’t already notice, the disciples they were talking about are Irel and I. Disciples is just term for the one who is personally trained by instructor, nothing more to it so you could say it is the best one the instructor has. I was the only one who joined master so I got this title by default.

“Today we will see who the best is!”x2

Master and Michael said it at the same time and went their way. Meanwhile, Irel went to me.

“Today is the great opportunity to finish the promise from two years ago. I hope you did not forget?”

“No, I did not but are you sure? We won’t be able to show our full power. After all, I don’t think magic will be allowed.”

“Take it as a handicap from me. With my fire magic, you could not even lift a finger against it, after all your void magic is useless in combat.”

“I will take it then but don’t come crying you want a rematch when you lose because of it.”

“We’ll see who will lose.”

“Ris|Irel come here.”

We were both called by our masters and went to them, waiting to finally settle everything.

I went to a secluded are with master and then he stopped.

“Ris, today is the day when you stopped being initiate of phantom style and finally became my ‘true’ apprentice. As a gift, I want to give you something.”

Master, out of nowhere, pulled beautiful black sword that even through its beauty, held deadly feel. It looked exotic and even though it was black it did not consume light but more like repelled it. The blade was curved slightly and handle was covered in some type of black leather. I never even heard of black metal.

“This is apprentice sword every practitioner gets. It’s given by master to disciple. It is nothing grand but it will serve you well. Now go and win it, but before that, do not use Phantom style sword arts until it will be absolutely necessary and limit your usage of mana strengthening, in other words, don’t go all out but just be around the same level. Without that, you would never master the sword and just would rely on your mana.”

“Thank you, master.”

“Now go.”

Master really cares for me, I won’t let him down.

I went back to where others were and the test finally started.

“All of you, listen! Today is the last testing day, many of you don’t have any chance to get to the tournament and thinks they can do half heartily in this test. Those like this will be expelled so do your best. You who already cleared condition should not do any worse because your participation in the tournament isn’t clear yet, because from you who cleared conditions only few will be selected into the tournament. This is your last chance to prove yourself. Anyway, test is simple. There are 300 of you and everyone will be paired with someone and fight. Winner will continue, loser can go cry to mama. It will continue like this until the best wins.”

After this we all were assigned a number and did pairs. My first fight was against thin kid in leather armor. He was agility type fighter. With my unstrengthen body I could not match his speed but I could see his movement and even react to them. Because movement would be pointless I just stood my ground and when he wanted to stab me, I dodged and counterattacked, hitting his hand and then changing the trajectory to slash his chest. I won.

Next fight was against strength type then, stamina, defense and just all kinds. It was probably meant that way so you could get feel of all styles. I found out one thing, master does not have any other pupil and I mean it in all years. I’m in my third year so I thought he had some in higher or lower years but there were none. I heard it from ridiculing instructors after my first fight. They thought I won by mistake and so blamed master.

There were many fights so I won’t tell them all but just know I reached top 20. When all that were left reach it, instructors said.

“You 20 that were left already past this test. Those of you who want to continue may do so, those do not can step aside but be warned, those of you who won’t continue will all get the last place, diminishing your chances.”

The reason for this is simple, after so many fights some are injured or exhausted and can’t continue so no reason to look at such fights. Even so, no one left. Soul of a warrior, is it?

I and Irel were mostly okay and just cut through the lines until only we two were left. Oh and I did not mention it but all fights were fought with wooden swords not to kill others but our fight will be with real swords. It was our choice and we both wanted it. Now then, let’s look at my sword with magic identification.

Phantom style apprentice swordDurability100/100RankCThis sword is given to those who survived initiation of phantom style. This sword boasts of its durability and cutting power but because it is used to train those who reached rank apprentice in phantom style, it is created to force the user to bring his potential, diminishing the ability to use this sword and so its strength in combat.

So this sword is created with faults to make you adapt to it in the best way possible. So master wants to make me a guy who can kill dragons with a tooth pick. That should be fun.

I went to the platform and Irel right before me. Michael was giving him last minute advice and my master just nodded to me, fully believing me.

I definitely won’t fail you, master.

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Yeah I lost spark for writing so because I did not want to write half assed I just stopped and the other reason why I did not write for so long is because I was reading LNs. List is:

Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyousoukyoku

Tensei Shitara Slime datta ken

Desolate Era

Overlord

Shen Yin Wang Zuo

Konjiki no Wordmaster

Sendai Yuusha wa Inkyou Shitai

They’re really good so I recommend them. If you can recommend me something, I would be glad.

Hope you enjoyed.