Chapter 31
Gilbert, who had become Professor Briana’s exclusive disciple, began receiving her teachings every morning. It was the start of a grueling daily routine that began before sunrise, but thanks to the maximum effect of the Honor Emblem, he began to grow at an astonishing rate.
Although Gilbert had become Professor Briana’s exclusive disciple countless times in multiple playthroughs, this was the first time he was seriously being taught the Winter Sword. In the game, he had only trained enough to obtain the Winter Sword, as the game’s adjustments made it relatively easy.
But now that it was reality, even with the game system, there were no such adjustments. When he obtained Lion Heart, the method of Mana Meditation Technique that came to his mind was different from what he had expected.
However, the skills of a Tactical Combat veteran didn’t just disappear. Even if he had only learned it moderately, Gilbert’s combat style was almost identical to Professor Briana’s, given that it was virtual reality.
Moreover, Gilbert, who had trained in MMA in real life, was skilled in full-body combat, so his rate of improvement was astonishing even to Professor Briana.
“Attack more sharply, Gilbert!”
“Hup!”
Gilbert, who had steadied his breathing, slipped towards Professor Briana and swung his mana-infused elbow like a sword. Professor Briana, who smiled faintly at the surprise attack from the explosive acceleration, countered with her own mana-infused elbow.
*Thud!*
The sound of heavy objects colliding echoed through the training facility. With that attack, Gilbert collapsed to the ground. The early morning training had drained his mana.
Professor Briana, watching the sunrise, signaled the end of the morning training.
“You did well. Do some Mana Meditation before you leave.”
“Understood.”
Briana sat quietly, watching Gilbert begin his Mana Meditation. She frowned at his defenseless state but soon sighed and shook her head.
This new exclusive disciple was a bit unpredictable. Aside from the fact that his swordsmanship style was similar to hers, he tended to trust her too easily. Even on the first day of training, she had scolded him for carelessly meditating like this, but his response had been something else.
He had said that the safest place was where his exclusive master was watching.
She had wanted to scold him further, but what could she say when a disciple trusts his master? Telling a disciple not to trust their master was a contradiction.
As the sun fully rose, Gilbert’s eyes slowly opened.
“Gilbert, I clearly told you not to meditate so defenselessly, didn’t I?”
Professor Briana, who had stayed until her disciple woke up, scolded Gilbert with a stern look. But Gilbert, with an unchanged expression, stood up and replied.
“I did it because you were here.”
“What if I had left?”
“I thought you would stay.”
Briana was at a loss for words at his unwavering trust and clicked her tongue. She felt like she was only digging herself deeper.
However, Gilbert had acted this way because he knew Professor Briana well. She was a highly responsible person who acted quickly in emergencies, so Gilbert had simply made the most rational choice.
But to Professor Briana, who didn’t know this, it seemed like Gilbert was placing excessive trust in her.
“Enough of this meaningless argument. I’m starting to regret taking you as my exclusive disciple.”
“Thank you for today’s lesson.”
“I just did my job.”
Gilbert, inwardly smiling at Professor Briana’s blunt words, grabbed the doorknob to leave the training facility.
“Gilbert, something just occurred to me.”
“What is it?”
Gilbert, about to leave, turned back at Briana’s words.
“Yes. It’s a notice for today, but the first General Assessment is scheduled.”
The Demia Empire Academy periodically conducted General Assessments to measure students’ performance.
The General Assessment was held seven times throughout the academic year, evaluating each cadet by creating an environment where they could apply what they had learned in their courses.
The first General Assessment usually began about a month after the new academic year started, which was exactly now.
Gilbert quickly calculated the date. It had been about a month since the Entrance Mock Battle, so it was time for the first General Assessment.
‘The start of the next main story.’
The main story following Professor Ian was the first General Assessment. It contained many events and was known among gamers as Chapter 1 of the main story.
“This first General Assessment will last for a week, so morning training will be temporarily suspended until the assessment is over. I don’t want to give anyone an excuse to blame my teaching for poor performance.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
“No need to thank me. As my disciple, I won’t tolerate poor performance.”
“Understood. Then, I’ll take my leave.”
Gilbert left the training facility, leaving Professor Briana’s cold gaze behind.
Returning to the dormitory, Gilbert took a hot shower and began reviewing his plans for the first General Assessment. Considering that the challenges of Tactical Combat began with the first General Assessment, there could be no room for error.
Even after finishing his shower and arriving at the lecture hall, Gilbert’s plan review continued endlessly, with constant revisions.
***
Ian knew very well that he was a genius. Since childhood, he had always reached a certain level of skill faster than others, and catching up to those who had started before him was never difficult.
Back then, he had wondered why others couldn’t do what was so easy for him, but as he grew older, he realized that everyone had different talents, and he understood that he was different from ordinary people.
Those around him were quick to praise him as a once-in-a-generation genius from the Linebarrel family, and as the youngest of the Linebarrel family, he naturally came to see himself as special.
And then came the event that solidified this belief: the day he piloted a Colossal Mech.
At the age of 15, Ian piloted a Colossal Mech for the first time. After contracting with an Artificial Spirit, he felt as if the Colossal Mech had become an extension of his own body. This sense of unity immediately led to the manifestation of his Characteristic Skill, and everyone who witnessed it was stunned.
While people on the continent could obtain Characteristic Skills through divine blessings, many died without ever manifesting one due to unknown conditions. Even if they did, many ended up with useless skills. But Ian had awakened a Characteristic Skill related to Colossal Mechs.
The once-in-a-generation genius was now hailed as the genius of the century. Naturally, the Linebarrel family provided him with the best teachers and spared no expense in supporting him. Whatever Ian needed, it was his.
With this, Ian came to a conclusion.
If there was a protagonist in this world, it was none other than himself.
His attitude changed around that time. He acted with the dignity of a protagonist, paying special attention to his behavior and treating everyone without prejudice. Whether they were nobles or commoners, they were all the same to him, existing for the sake of the protagonist.
With the full support of his family and the people of his territory, he cultivated the demeanor of a protagonist.
As time passed, the day came to prove his blue blood. The Demia Empire Academy, where the empire’s finest talents gathered, was no exception. But Ian believed in his genius and his protagonist theory.
Indeed, the Demia Empire Academy was filled with people more talented than anyone he had seen in his territory. While there were people who had been called geniuses at least once, he couldn’t shake the thought that none of them could surpass the protagonist—himself.
Even as the Entrance Mock Battle began, Ian’s belief didn’t waver. He was certain that he, the protagonist, would be the center of attention and earn the famous Commander’s Honor Emblem.
And so, the Entrance Mock Battle began, and Ian met him.
Gilbert Lion Heart.
Known in social circles as a troublemaker, Gilbert was the first to volunteer as a commander in the Entrance Mock Battle. Until then, Ian had thought of him as a supporting villain who would make him shine. But when he faced Gilbert’s Colossal Mech directly, he realized the truth.
Gilbert was no supporting character. His piloting skills, which pushed Ian, the genius and protagonist, to his limits, were too much to be dismissed as mere supporting. Despite Ian’s faster reaction speed due to his Characteristic Skill, Gilbert somehow managed to keep up and even block him.
In the heat of battle, Ian lost his composure and charged at Gilbert. In that moment, Gilbert performed an unbelievable evasion maneuver, causing Ian to lose control and leading his team to victory in the Entrance Mock Battle. Of course, Gilbert took the Commander’s Honor Emblem that should have been Ian’s.
Even worse, rumors spread that Gilbert had become Professor Briana’s exclusive disciple. Ian had thought it was just a malicious rumor and that Professor Briana would step forward to quash it, but she remained silent.
This could only mean one thing: Gilbert had truly become Professor Briana’s exclusive disciple.
From that moment on, Ian designated Gilbert as his rival, the ultimate antagonist he had to surpass.
Gilbert seemed to feel the same way, as he never missed an opportunity to subtly remind Ian not to neglect physical training whenever they crossed paths in the training facility. Even though it was common sense for a knight piloting a Colossal Mech to train in mana, Gilbert kept advising him to focus on physical training.
Ian smiled and brushed off the advice, biding his time. Ian was a genius, but he also had the self-control to smile and deal with his nemesis, no matter how much he disliked him.
Finally, the opportunity he had been waiting for arrived. The card he had prepared just in case was about to be played. The plan of the protagonist and genius was flawless.
Everything would go according to the plan of the “protagonist of the world,” and when it was all over…
The protagonist who overcame adversity would receive a standing ovation.
He truly believed this without a doubt.
