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The Demia Empire Academy’s competition tournament was one of the most important academic events at the academy. While the general assessment objectively evaluated the overall abilities of the cadets, the competition tournament was a place to distinguish the skill levels among the cadets.

Held as a grade-level tournament, the competition was both a festival and a contest where cadets piloted colossal mechs. Famous nobles, scholars, knights, and other prominent figures from across the empire attended in large numbers, and even the imperial family never missed it.

The reason they gathered here was simple: to scout cadets from commoner backgrounds or fallen noble families to strengthen their family’s power or expand their influence.

Even within the Demia Empire Academy, where all the empire’s talents gathered, the competition tournament was the event that could separate the true gems from the rest. It made no sense for the empire’s elites to miss such an opportunity to spot these gems early.

Of course, some nobles came to flaunt their family’s prestige, but that was a secondary reason.

The current state of the continent was extremely chaotic. With the emergence of colossal mechs, the nature of war had changed 180 degrees. While the need for better knights and more troops remained unchanged, the era had arrived where knights who could expertly pilot colossal mechs were in high demand.

If an outstanding knight in traditional warfare could match 100 soldiers, a skilled colossal mech knight could take on 1,000, even 10,000. That’s how indispensable colossal mechs had become in modern warfare, and the era had shifted to favor knights who could master them.

In such times, the competition tournament, where future colossal mech knights gathered to compete, was an event that anyone with even a shred of pride on the continent had to attend. Complacency led to obsolescence, and obsolescence meant downfall.

When the competition schedule was announced, the cadets attended lectures and trained harder than usual. It was only natural to want to shine when the empire’s eyes were all focused in one place.

Especially for commoner cadets or those from fallen noble families, this was a golden opportunity to elevate their worth. Securing the backing of a powerful noble family or a major faction could mean a future beyond comparison to their current lives.

But to achieve that, they had to step over their once-close classmates. Everyone was a potential enemy, someone to be wary of.

Even if they had performed well in the general assessment, there was no guarantee they would excel in the competition. Strategy, opponent analysis, combat skills, and even their condition on the day were all variables that kept the cadets’ tension rising.

Among them, Gilbert was the most closely watched. At the start of his enrollment, rumors painted him as a troublemaker with little talent, but that was no longer the case.

Having already been granted a knight title, it was absurd to dismiss him as a mere delinquent. Regardless of his personality, his skills were recognized by the empire as the real deal.

Naturally, he became the target of countless jealous eyes. From his personal training to his private time, every move was scrutinized. The cadets’ relentless pursuit of his weaknesses crossed the line.

Fortunately, Gilbert, who was largely indifferent to such attention, simply ignored them and focused on his tasks. He believed that achieving a decent result in the competition would be enough.

Unexpectedly receiving a knight title had already fulfilled the proof of opportunity that the Count of Lithuania had spoken of. Being granted the empire’s most honorable title as a freshman cadet was something even the Iron-Blooded Frontier Count couldn’t ignore.

In fact, Gilbert planned to let Ian take the spotlight in this main story—the competition tournament. Considering the main story after the competition, it was wise to hold back at this point.

However, receiving the knight title had drawn too much attention, so he wasn’t sure how effective his plan would be.

“Gilbert. You’re distracted. It seems like training with me is boring you.”

At Professor Briana’s icy words, Gilbert snapped back to attention. He had been thinking about the next main story, and his posture had slackened.

Professor Briana’s expression was mostly unreadable, but the slight lift of her brow told him she was displeased.

“My apologies. It’s been hard to focus lately, so my mind wandered.”

“Hmm. Be more careful. I acknowledge that your Winter Sword has improved beyond your training period, but you still have a long way to go.”

“Understood, Master.”

“Then, focus again.”

First, let’s do what needs to be done.

As Gilbert cleared his mind of distractions, Briana inwardly smiled with satisfaction.

Outwardly, she seemed unimpressed, but that wasn’t the case. The reason she, a former battlefield prodigy, had come to the academy was to nurture the next generation.

Having spent years on the battlefield, she had seen many young lives cut short. Some had their growth stunted by missed opportunities, while others never even had the chance to bloom due to lack of proper education.

Briana had come to the Demia Empire Academy hoping to reduce such tragedies. Her life changed the moment she arrived here. Unlike fighting enemies on the battlefield, she felt a sense of fulfillment seeing talented individuals blossom and less-talented cadets overcome their limitations through sheer effort and determination.

Once known as the “Blue Reaper” by her enemies, she had now become Professor Briana of the academy.

In the midst of her teaching life, she took on her second personal disciple. As talented as her first disciple, Seraphina, he became a new source of inspiration for her.

Despite the unfavorable rumors surrounding him, her second disciple was nothing like the gossip suggested. He approached her lessons with sincerity and never stopped training, even after class.

Whenever she visited the training facility to observe the cadets, Gilbert was always the last to leave.

Even after being granted a knight title, he didn’t stop training. Despite possessing talent that even Briana found astonishing, Gilbert remained humble, and she was proud of him.

Though she wasn’t good at expressing it, Gilbert had become her second proud disciple.

Their training ended around sunrise.

Drenched in sweat from the intense session, Gilbert collapsed onto the floor the moment Briana announced the end of class. While it might seem undignified for a noble, his sparring partner was Briana, so it was a different story.

When discussing the best in swordsmanship, Briana was always at the top of the list. No matter how monstrous his physical stats were, defeating her was currently impossible.

Even in a colossal mech, their win rates were about even. If this were a game, his characteristic skill buff might make a difference, but his current skill had a significant flaw.

Stealing someone else’s contracted colossal mech was not only difficult but also a taboo, something one simply didn’t do unless it was wartime.

However, if he could fully utilize his characteristic skill, “Your Mech is Awesome,” the next main story might be easier to clear. Despite its humorous name, the skill carried high risk but equally high reward.

During the general assessment, the exhilaration he felt when piloting Ian’s contracted colossal mech was indescribable. If he could master that skill, he might be able to complete the next main quest without issues.

Could he do it?

Gilbert watched Briana stretch as she wrapped up the training session, his eyes calm.

The morning sunlight made her long red hair stand out, almost like blood.

Briana Tepeo Malchirab, an unattainable character.

She was destined to meet her end defending the cadets during the academy invasion, the scenario following the competition tournament.

 

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