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“Those who wish to challenge the next heir of the Winter Sword, please line up here!”

Hans was enthusiastically calling out to people in his usual cheeky tone.

Though it wasn’t exactly a sales pitch, it still had the vibe of drawing a crowd.

“Looks like you’ve found your calling, Hans.”

Angelina watched the unusually energetic Hans with a somewhat pitiful expression.

Despite his skills in piloting the Colossal Mech, Hans seemed more lively than ever, making her wonder if this was the better path for him.

“What are you talking about! I’m just reminiscing about my hometown and giving it my all. I’ve decided to follow Lord Gilbert, so please refrain from such strange remarks!”

Despite his outburst, a smile never left his face as he naturally guided other academy cadets to line up.

How could this not be his calling?

Angelina shook her head and looked at the mastermind behind this chaos.

What are you thinking this time?

Angelina couldn’t understand Gilbert, who was warming up in a corner of the duel arena.

Most of Gilbert’s actions could be considered eccentric.

At first glance, it was hard to understand why he did what he did.

But those actions always had a purpose and were based on rational judgment.

A prime example was the comprehensive evaluation and the Lion King’s Birthday Celebration Event.

Even during a sudden attack by the Resistance, Gilbert quickly assessed the situation and gave concise, clear orders to Angelina and Hans.

Points that seemed empty often had supplies or people in need of help.

Yet, he didn’t hesitate to face the terrorists alone, a seemingly reckless act.

For anyone else, it would have been suicidal, but for Gilbert, it was different.

The justification for recklessness.

Or perhaps, confidence in his own abilities.

He did what he believed he could achieve, even if others saw it as reckless.

In conclusion, Gilbert’s eccentric actions always had a basis.

That’s why analyzing his decisions and actions was one of Angelina’s hidden pleasures.

But…

Angelina began to analyze Gilbert from multiple angles as he prepared to face the next challenger.

What could he possibly gain from this eccentric act?

Angelina twirled her hair, lost in thought.

First, she considered the superficial benefits. Unlike Hans, who preferred quiet, Gilbert’s noisy actions suggested he was aiming for something.

With the academy’s major event, the Exchange Meeting, underway, causing such a stir without prior agreement must have a purpose.

Drawing attention in front of other academy cadets was likely to focus people’s gaze. Hans’s excessive calling out was probably tolerated because it effectively drew attention.

So, if the primary goal was to attract attention, what could he gain from it?

As Angelina’s thoughts reached this point, another duel began.

Watching the wooden sword duel, her thoughts spiraled.

Gilbert was drawing attention by dueling with cadets from other academies. While he often dueled, his skills were already recognized by the Empire.

Considering his usual opponents were his master Briana, Princess Seraphina, and the Grand Warrior Brynhild of the Sigurd clan, dueling with cadets didn’t significantly aid his growth.

Given his outstanding abilities, gaining experience through many duels didn’t align with his goals.

Thus, a different perspective was needed.

The benefit wasn’t from the duel itself but from drawing attention and focusing on the reason for the duel.

This Exchange Meeting was unusual, with heirs of the Four Seasons’ Weapon Techniques participating. Duels between cadets from different academies were common, but duels between heirs were also expected.

According to her sources, even the Student Council considered duels between heirs a significant event.

Gilbert, as one of the heirs, must have known the importance of these duels.

Therefore… Angelina began to vaguely understand Gilbert’s intentions.

The reason Gilbert drew attention and dueled.

It was a display of confidence as an heir and a declaration to other heirs.

It also showed that he was always ready to accept challenges, demonstrating the Demia Academy’s strength to other academies while asserting dominance.

Realizing Gilbert’s strategy, Angelina couldn’t help but admire his cunning.

A genius uses one action to achieve multiple goals.

Gilbert truly lived up to her recognition of him as a genius.

Angelina watched Gilbert, who had just secured another victory, with renewed amazement.

Meanwhile, Gilbert, having won the duel and sheathing his wooden sword, smirked at the system message that appeared.

[Victory in the duel.]

[100 Kills Achievement in progress. (20/100)]

Gilbert Lion Heart.

Formerly known as Kang Do-jun.

A veteran who was the first in the world to achieve 100% completion in Tactical Combat, he was now pursuing achievements here as well.

***

Tactical Combat had numerous achievements, and the most challenging was undoubtedly the 100 Kills Achievement.

This achievement required defeating 100 opponents in duels without rest, without killing them, making it notoriously difficult.

The conditions for the 100 Kills Achievement were threefold:

First, duel 100 opponents, with no more than a minute between each duel.

Second, the duel must be conducted entirely alone, with no direct or indirect interference.

Third, opponents must be subdued, not killed, for the achievement to count.

While it might seem manageable in a game, gathering 100 opponents was already a hurdle, and even with good stamina management, it was no easy feat.

Especially since opponents had to be subdued, not killed, making it a brutal achievement.

Moreover, as duels progressed, opponents often gave up, leading to failures. Gilbert had to attempt this achievement multiple times.

But he found the optimal scenario during the Exchange Meeting.

With cadets from other academies present, they couldn’t stop challenging him to protect their academy’s pride.

In noble society, rumors spread quickly, and failing to defeat even one person would tarnish their academy’s reputation.

Thus, they had to keep challenging Gilbert, even if it seemed cowardly.

Of course, if the character wasn’t well-developed, winning duels and achieving the goal would be impossible.

But Gilbert’s physical abilities were nearing superhuman levels. Even if it seemed reckless or impossible, Gilbert had the ability to make it happen.

In short, the Exchange Meeting was the perfect condition for Gilbert to achieve his goal.

In other words, the Exchange Meeting was a treasure trove of experience.

“Next.”

Gilbert turned his gaze from the defeated cadet and indifferently called for the next challenger.

The duels that started early in the morning were still ongoing.

His current record was undefeated.

He was on a winning streak without a single loss.

Perhaps because of this, the cadets lining up looked as if their pride had been wounded.

They seemed to know that if the duels ended like this, it would tarnish their academy’s reputation.

This was also part of Gilbert’s plan.

By showing that he wasn’t tired despite numerous duels, he subtly scratched their pride.

Now, this duel was a battle of wills.

It wouldn’t stop unless Gilbert declared surrender.

Seeing the smooth progress of the achievement count, he welcomed the next challenger.

Fortunately, the one-minute interval between duels didn’t start until a challenger appeared, giving him enough time to prepare.

Without this flexibility, achieving the goal would have been impossible, so Gilbert was grateful.

The rewards and title from the 100 Kills Achievement were among the best in Tactical Combat, so he had to secure it at this point.

Moreover, considering future achievement rewards, the title from the 100 Kills Achievement was essential.

This opponent was a cadet from Pim Academy, which was somewhat inferior to Demia Academy.

Since they mainly used spears, he picked up a wooden spear instead of a sword.

Not bad.

Gilbert briefly assessed the cadet’s stance.

While Pim Academy was a step below Demia Academy, it wasn’t a significant flaw.

Being invited to the academy exchange meeting itself proved Pim Academy’s reputation.

The cadet in front of Gilbert was quite talented, with almost no gaps in his stance.

This level of skill would easily place him in the upper ranks of Demia Academy, so Gilbert remained vigilant.

Soon, Brynhild, the referee, signaled the start.

The Pim Academy cadet was the first to move.

He closed the distance precisely and thrust the spear sharply.

It was a skillful strike, utilizing the spear’s reach.

-Clang!

Gilbert deflected the spear aimed at his heart. The force was stronger than expected.

This meant the cadet hadn’t neglected physical training.

The foundation of all weapon techniques, physical training, was commendable.

-Whoosh!

Instead of retracting the spear, the cadet used the recoil to swing the lower part of the spear shaft towards Gilbert’s head.

But Gilbert, already prepared, tilted his head slightly to dodge.

Using the entire spear as a weapon, not just the blade, showed excellent training.

Impressive.

Gilbert’s excitement grew. Among today’s opponents, this Pim Academy cadet was the most skilled.

Physical training, force distribution, balance, and weapon utilization were all top-notch.

With further refinement, he could become one of the continent’s top spearmen in a few years.

Of course, defeating the current Gilbert was still out of reach.

Gilbert moved forward to disrupt the cadet’s rhythm.

Falling back would only give the cadet the advantage again.

When facing a spear, closing the distance was crucial.

Even for a skilled spearman, it would be challenging, but Gilbert was also a skilled swordsman.

Moreover, the Winter Sword he learned was designed for sword wrestling.

He deftly blocked the spear shaft aimed at his head with a cross guard and slightly twisted his sword.

The spear shaft and cross guard clashed, producing a scraping sound.

The Pim Academy cadet seemed surprised by Gilbert’s sword wrestling but calmly adjusted his grip.

-Thud!

“Ugh?!”

The cadet, likely experienced in dueling swordsmen, tried to counter the sword wrestling but was thrown off balance.

It was like an infantryman hit by a cavalry charge.

“Winner. Gilbert Lion Heart.”

At Brynhild’s declaration, Gilbert relaxed and caught his breath.

Even with experience against swordsmen, facing Gilbert was different.

His physical abilities were nearing superhuman levels.

Without using aura, few could match his pure physical strength.

The Pim Academy cadet, seemingly shocked, staggered to his feet.

Biting his lip in frustration, he tapped his chest twice in acknowledgment and left the arena.

A cadet with both skill and mental discipline.

“Next.”

But admiration was just that.

Gilbert, obsessed with achievements, only sought the next opponent.

***

[100 Kills Achievement in progress. (99/100)]

“So, you’re the heir of the Winter Sword? I, Miyum Yar, heir of the Spring Shield, challenge you to a duel.”

The heir of the Four Seasons’ Weapon Techniques, whom he had hoped to avoid, challenged him at the last moment.

 

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