Chapter 345
It was an expected outcome.
‘What does it matter if he’s the greatest talent of the Round Table? In the end, he’s nothing but a hothouse flower.’
Of course, Aiden’s own level of achievement was higher.
But there was a decisive difference between the two.
It was the difference in their accumulated experience.
How many times had Aiden experienced real combat?
Especially a real battle on the brink of life and death, where he had to be prepared to die?
He couldn't know for sure, but there were probably almost none.
He must have been too busy being praised by everyone.
‘Though if he could properly use his will-techniques and miracle techniques, he might be able to push through with raw power.’
But the use of will-techniques and miracle techniques was forbidden in Alliance duels. It was the same no matter how much Evan insisted on treating it like a real battle.
Therefore, fundamentals and real combat experience were much more prominent, and in these aspects, Evan possessed a sense that was second to none.
‘Still, it’s disappointing. To think that Aiden, the so-called greatest talent of the Round Table, is only at this level. If he fought a magus from the Magus Empire, his head would fly off in an instant.’
Chris swallowed a sigh.
It wasn't just Aiden.
The other talents, who were watching the duel with dumbfounded expressions, were all the same.
‘How long will it take to make these whelps useful?’
A sigh escaped him, but it couldn't be helped.
If he didn't want to suffer through hell himself in the future, he had to make these whelps useful.
Thwack!
Just then, the flat of Evan's sword struck the back of Aiden's head, and with a gurgle, Aiden collapsed.
It was a pathetic defeat.
At the unbelievable sight, everyone swallowed hard.
“…If there’s anyone else with a complaint against the professor, step forward. I will face you.”
Those who received Evan’s cold gaze could not give any reply.
Chris let out a smirk, then opened his mouth to the frozen talents.
“Then, I’ll take it that no one has any complaints. From now on, will you follow my teachings well?”
“…We will.”
At the sight of Evan, whose eyes were flashing beside him, the talents hurriedly nodded their heads.
“Good. First, Evan. I appoint you as my assistant to help me. First, hand out these documents to everyone.”
“Understood, Professor.”
The talents who received the documents tilted their heads.
“…What is this? A contract?”
“It’s to get your consent before we begin the lessons in earnest. You must have signed one when you attended an academy, haven't you?”
“W-we have, but the contents?”
“This is no different from a life and body waiver, isn't it?!”
That was right.
The contents of the contract were nothing short of terrifying.
Absolute obedience to the Hero’s instructions.
Consent to the possibility of injury and death during class.
Ceding the right over one’s own life and death to the Hero.
Permission for corporal punishment for educational purposes, consent to the use of mental-type spells, and so on.
“Impossible!! Do you think we would agree to such contents?”
“If you don't agree, you can leave. I have no need for whelps who won't risk something like this to get stronger.”
“!!”
Chris crossed his arms with an indifferent expression.
“First, let me ask you one thing. Why do you think I’ve set these conditions? To persecute you without reason? Do I look that idle? I, the Hero?”
The hall grew quiet.
In their honest hearts, they wanted to answer that yes, it seemed so, but the person before them was the Hero.
He had a weight that prevented them from opening their mouths carelessly.
“Everyone here must know that the movements of the Magus Empire are unusual. But how prepared are you?”
“……”
“Do you know how disappointed I was when I saw you? To think that the greatest talents in the Alliance are only at this level.”
A heavy silence flowed among the students.
“I intend to make you stronger. By any means necessary. If you lack confidence, then just leave now. Cowards wouldn't be able to endure it anyway.”
They bit their lips hard.
Although they were being utterly looked down upon by Chris, they, too, were talents who were considered the best from all over the continent.
There was no way they wouldn't be incensed after hearing such a story.
A young man with a hardened face stepped forward.
“Will you really make us stronger?”
“Your question is misguided. You should first ask yourselves whether you are capable of it or not.”
“!!”
Chris gave a crooked sneer.
“I certainly intend to make you incomparably stronger than you were before. However… I don't know if you will be able to follow my teachings.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
“It's because you all look so mediocre. I've said it several times, but if you lack confidence, hurry up and leave. It hurts my throat to talk any more.”
At the provocative statement, the students looked at each other with resentful expressions, then, one by one, they began to sign the contract.
It wasn't that they had readily believed Chris’s promise to make them stronger.
Rather, it was defiance that had moved them. As the greatest talents, their pride was second to none.
“You think I’ll be scared?”
“Right, what does he take me for, the heir of the Vineyard Ducal House? I don't know what he’s planning to do, but I’ll show him.”
At the sight of the students, Chris inwardly rejoiced.
‘Naive fools. To sign that contract so thoughtlessly without knowing how terrifying it is, just because I provoked their pride a little. They're the type who wouldn't have a word to say even if they were sold into slavery.’
In truth, when someone had protested that it was a ‘life and body waiver’ earlier, he had felt a pang of guilt.
Because it was, in fact, a contract for that very purpose.
He had felt guilty and had pushed them by provoking their pride, and it was a relief that they had naively fallen for it.
‘Well, to draw out achievements in a short period, some side effects are necessary. It's all for your own good, so don't resent me.’
After roughly getting things in order, the lecture began.
They all wore expressions mixed with curiosity, wonder, and skepticism, wondering what kind of lecture it would be.
‘Since he made such a fuss, it probably won't be an ordinary lecture.’
‘Well then, let’s see just how great you are.’
Finally, Chris opened his mouth.
“The subject I will be teaching is Hero Studies. Does anyone know what Hero Studies is?”
No one could answer.
It was a subject Chris had created on the spot, so there was no way anyone would know of it.
“It’s simple. Hero Studies is about beating up the wicked minions and tribes of Gehenna. In that case, let’s begin with a practical exercise right away.”
“…A practical exercise, you say?”
“Yes, we have no time to waste on useless chatter.”
The moment they saw the object Chris took out, everyone’s faces filled with alarm.
It was an artifact, one that possessed an incomparably sinister aura.
“What… is that?”
“It is a demonic artifact that forcibly opens a passage to the border of Gehenna.”
“!!”
In an instant, the color drained from everyone’s faces.
“…The bor… what did you say?”
“I said, the border of Gehenna. Didn’t I tell you? That we would begin with a practical exercise right away.”
Gwoooo.
The demonic artifact vibrated, and a jet-black, evil energy began to stretch out from it.
Realizing it was not a joke, everyone fell into a panic.
“Stop!! What is this?! Gehenna!!”
“Didn’t you sign the contract? That you were fine with dying.”
“How can you even say that?! We cancel!! Take it back!!”
“Too late. It’s already been activated.”
“You didn’t say you were going to pull something like this, you son of a bitch!!”
“All of you, shut up. How dare you speak to the professor like that. Do you want to die?”
“You shut up!”
With the uproar and the curses flying out, even Evan’s face hardened.
It was a cauldron of chaos, but Chris continued to speak nonchalantly. In an incomparably irritating voice.
“The Hero Studies lesson is four hours long. Survive for that time. I will summon you again in four hours.”
“Kuaaaaaaaack!!”
Paaaaaaah!
With a scream, the students were dragged into the border of Gehenna.
It was the beginning of the first lesson.
* * *
A devil has appeared in the Keinper Training Center!
It was a story about Chris.
It was a nickname he had earned after he began shoving the students into Gehenna for every lesson since the first one.
‘Well, are they making a fuss over something like this?’
Chris shrugged his shoulders.
‘The real lessons haven’t even started yet.’
That was right.
The Gehenna field trip (?) was merely to build a basic foundation.
To fight against the demons and monsters in the Age of Ruin, becoming familiar with Gehenna was essential.
‘Well, it’s not a truly dangerous area. Devils and the highest-ranking demons can’t appear on the border. Evan and Ranya are there, too.’
Although he had threatened that they could die, he had no intention of actually letting them die.
He planned to raise every single one of them into a sucker he could use.
‘Even if there are injuries, I can just treat them with the secret arts of the Healer Noble House. The best real combat experience, with warm treatment afterward. Where else would you find a professor as excellent as me?’
It was a thought that, had the students heard it, would have made them so mad they would have drawn their swords.
‘This is nothing more than basic physical training. It’s about time to move on to the next stage.’
Although it had only been about ten days, a venomous glint had begun to appear in the students’ eyes.
It was a satisfactory change.
Just then, there was a knock on the door.
“…May I come in, Professor?”
“Enter.”
As the door opened, an unexpected figure appeared.
It was Aiden, the Pulverizing Mace!
“…Why did you call for me?”
Aiden asked with a wary expression.
“Does a professor need a grand reason to call for a student? I called you for a counseling session.”
“…A counseling session?”
“Yes, because it seems you have a problem.”
Aiden frowned.
‘A problem, my ass.’
The biggest problem Aiden currently had was the devilish bastard right in front of him.
But he couldn't dare to say such a thing and answered politely.
“I have no particular problems. Please do not concern yourself.”
“Is that so? You seem quite calm for someone on the verge of Qi Deviation.”
“…What did you just say?”
“Don’t tell me you didn't know? You, you’re on the verge of Qi Deviation. From forcibly intervening with the laws of nature while the completion of your microcosm was flawed.”
Aiden was at a loss for words.
As a matter of fact, there was something that had been bothering him.
Chris shook his head.
“It seems you pushed yourself too hard recently to gain an achievement.”
“……”
Aiden clenched his fists tightly.
It was true.
It was because of his family’s expectations for him.
The Morning Star of the Round Table. The greatest of the Round Table’s next generation.
Those dazzling titles had been eating away at Aiden for a long time.
The reason his personality had become so twisted was also due to the pressure from those excessive expectations.
In the end, it had led to this disaster.
“If you continue like this, far from setting foot into 8-Star, you will become no different from a cripple.”
It wasn't a lie.
In his actual past life, Aiden had not played any role at all during the Age of Ruin. Because he had become a cripple before that.
“…So what are you telling me to do?”
As if his emotions had been stirred up, Aiden growled.
“Are you telling me to give up the achievement I’ve built up until now?”
If what Chris said was true, there was only one solution.
To rebuild the foundation of the wrongly built tower from the very beginning.
That was the only solution, but it was a story Aiden could not accept.
“I am the Morning Star of the Round Table. I can never give up the achievement I’ve built up until…!”
“You don’t have to.”
“…What did you say? To solve my problem?”
Chris let out a smirk.
“Normally, what you said would be the right thing to do. But who has the time for that? Even ten years wouldn't be enough.”
He had to use him as a sucker right away; he didn't have that kind of time.
“…Is there another way?”
“Yes. However, there is a condition.”
Chris crossed his arms.
“You are to agree once more to the contract you signed when the training began.”
Aiden wore a bewildered expression.
He was talking about the life and body waiver contract.