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Chapter 12

Thwack! Crack! Thwack! Thwack! The unnerving sounds of their duel rang through the air.

She dodged. She blocked. She began a precise counterattack but had to stop mid-swing to dodge two violent, consecutive strikes.

“I suppose you’re more spirited than usual, but everything else is the same. Are you gonna keep running?” No. 1 taunted.

No. 2 didn’t take the bait and kept her eyes on his ever-elusive sword. No matter how many times I’ve faced him, I still can’t follow it. Just what kind of ability does this monster have?

Usually, No. 2 never lost to anyone. She could see inside them and see when, where, and how they were planning to attack. There had even been a time when she sincerely believed she would be the strongest in their class.

However, that confidence shattered when she met No. 1 and he told her, “This is a fine ability. I’ll treat you generously if you become my subordinate.”

It was the first time she’d lost to someone her age, and that was humiliating enough. However, the day No. 1 tried to make her his servant was the day he had become her sworn enemy.

Because she could see everything, No. 2 had never had much interest in people. Perhaps that was why she had begun to foster a resentful interest in someone she couldn’t predict. It was for a similar reason that she was interested in No. 25.

But No. 25 isn’t like No. 1, either. I can see everything No. 1 does; he just looks different from everyone else. But I can’t see anything from No. 25.

Furthermore, No. 25 could put up that veil so casually, making it clear who was more powerful. If she had to fight No. 25 instead of No. 1, it was very likely that she wouldn’t even be able to dodge and counter like she was right now.

No. 2’s thoughts cut off, and an amused smile appeared on her face. Hey, that means No. 1 isn’t invincible.

No. 1 no longer felt like a wall she would never overcome. As she started to feel less intimidated, No. 2’s movements grew lighter.

No. 1 noticed this and narrowed his eyes.

“Hmph!” He scowled and broke No. 2’s momentum. His swings became more vicious. He moved faster than No. 2 could process even with her special ability, and his strikes grew stronger, making it harder for her to dodge and counter.

And yet she continued, moving as she avoided his blows as they traveled across the battlefield.

“What a pathetic tactic,” No. 1 growled. He knew she was up to something, but instead of stopping, he only advanced with more vigor. The sudden change made the trainees who’d been following their duel yell and scatter.

No. 2 felt as if she could breathe a little easier now. She assessed her standing. I can read his movements and make use of them, which will restrict his actions.

A loosening grip. An interrupted trajectory.

No. 2 took advantage of countless slips and closed the distance between them little by little. However, she was keenly aware she still couldn’t win, so she lured No. 1 to the location she, No. 4, and the other girl had agreed upon—the place where her and No. 4’s most powerful forces were gathered, the place she’d been watching even in the midst of battle.

Your arrogance will be your downfall!

Just as No. 2 gave a satisfied smile, No. 1’s sword stopped mid-air. He whipped around, taking in the other trainees. He’d been so focused on No. 2 that he hadn’t noticed them until now.

Adding to his shock, a stocky, fearless boy blocked his way, twitching with excitement.

“You barely survived, No. 7. And now you have the audacity to challenge me again?” No. 1 exclaimed.

“You should’ve finished the job when you had the chance!”

No. 1 narrowly dodged a blow coming at him from behind and put all his strength into pushing No. 7, making No. 7’s sword fly away. Then, No. 1 threw No. 7 back with a kick to the solar plexus and swung his sword again without turning to look back.

Thwack!

The wooden swords created within the Cardenas family were more durable than common iron, but the strike was so powerful that it created a dent in the wooden blade.

“Wow. You really are a monster, No. 1,” No. 6 said from behind him with a malicious grin.

Even though No. 1 had blocked it, the force of the impact rattled his bones.

More trainees from Groups 2 and 4 came out and surrounded No. 1 to take him down together.

“No. 2, 6, 7, 9, 10... and I can’t see him, but I know No. 4 is waiting for an opening somewhere,” No. 1 muttered to himself, trying to assess the situation. Even he was nervous in this position. He could easily win one-on-one fights and probably even against two or three people, but with this many opponents, a single blunder could cost him the battle.

Under his golden hair, his eyes burned with a thirst for battle, like a hungry predator.

“I suppose I’m at an impasse. This is just another obstacle I’ll have to overcome,” he concluded.

As long as he survived, he would win the field mission. The two groups had sent their best fighters to handle him, so they had a lot less fighting power on the actual battlefield.

Group 1 had its own elite squads, and with the clever No. 5 in charge, they would never lose. And seeing how the instructors were hastily running around, it would all be over in perhaps ten minutes.

“But!”

As the symbol of the Cardenas’ direct descendants, his golden eyes flashed even brighter, filled with an insatiable thirst for victory.

“I refuse to be satisfied with a draw! I will defeat you all!” No. 1 cried. He didn’t shrink back even though he was surrounded by five, maybe six, people.

No. 6 flinched from his sudden vigor and...

Crack!

No. 1 moved like lightning and broke No. 6’s sword in a diagonal cut.

“No. 6! Fall back!” No. 7 yelled, immediately taking his place, but he was far from enough to stop No. 1, who was now more determined than ever. All No. 7 did was block his attack, but it made his heels dig into the ground.

No. 1 took the chance to kick No. 7’s knee.

No. 7 collapsed from the unbearable pain, but then No. 9 and No. 10 rushed toward No. 1 from two different directions.

“With one hand?”

“Gah?!”

No. 1 grabbed No. 9’s charge with his sword and dodged No. 10’s attack before striking No. 10’s chin with his elbow.

No. 2 was lurking in the shadows. When No. 10 lost consciousness, a blind spot was created, and she struck No. 1’s shoulder, taking him by surprise.

“Ha! Very impressive!” No. 1 cackled.

“You’re still looking down on us? Truly, your arrogance knows no bounds,” she snarled. Though she hadn’t hit him hard enough to break a bone, it was enough to make all the strength leave his arm. The little victory made her smile maliciously.

No. 1 barely managed to lift his sword, his left arm trembling for all to see.

“This is it! We can win!”

“I’ll take the front!” No. 7 faced him with his large physique and sturdy build, and No. 6 and No. 9 came in from the right and left, having retrieved their swords.

If No. 1 created an opening for No. 2 while fighting them off, No. 2 would instantly move in and end the fight. She and the other three were so skilled that they’d successfully carried out an impromptu joint attack, and it was likely they’d do so again.

Crack!

No. 7 barely met No. 1’s hit and retreated. But before No. 1 could take a step forward, No. 6 and No. 9 swung at his hip and neck.

To everyone’s shock, No. 1 jumped straight into the air and twirled almost horizontally to avoid them. His move seemed more like an acrobat’s than a martial artist’s.

Idiot! Why would you leave yourself open like that! No. 2 thought. She and No. 4 were still here, and this was the opening they had been waiting for. It was difficult to block someone’s attack while in midair, and it was also impossible to dodge.

No. 2 seized the opportunity and viciously thrust out her sword. I caught you!

No. 4 didn’t miss the chance either and unconcealed himself. Unlike normal stealth tactics, he hadn’t simply covered up his presence. He was visible and made sound, but his ability allowed him to simply go unnoticed. He came in from the opposite direction as No. 2 and swung his sword in a wide arc with all his strength.

At that moment, something occurred to No. 2. Wait, would No. 1 really be this careless?

Though her special eyes told her that No. 1 was defenseless, No. 2 had developed a separate instinct after fighting No. 1 so many times and witnessing his full power.

Her instinct was warning her that it was a trap.

“Urk!” She forcefully shifted her weight and took half a step back. She couldn’t do substantial damage from this distance, but that also meant that No. 1’s sword couldn’t reach her.

And then...

Fwoosh!

She didn’t know how, but No. 1 accelerated midair and knocked away her sword with precision, making it fly out of her hands. The force was so great that it bent two of her fingers in the wrong direction. If she had been half a step closer, he would have directly hit her wrists. In that case, he would have broken more than just two fingers. He would have shattered her entire wrist.

The pain finally caught up to her, making her face contort. “Ahh...!”

However, No. 2 wasn’t in as much danger as No. 4.

“Just as I thought. No. 2 really is better than you,” No. 1 noted. It wasn’t clear what happened, but No. 1 seemed to have accelerated in the air to perfectly counter two of No. 4’s attacks. He looked over his shoulder to the other boy.

No. 4 looked at him with disbelief, glaring. His sword, which he was sure was damaged, was in No. 1’s hand. “How did you do that?”

“I knew you would use this moment to attack. If you plan to attack someone at their most vulnerable moment, they’ll see you coming. Idiot.” No. 1 sneered and tightened his fist, making the tip of the sword splinter.

No. 4 lost his will to fight and took a step back. He was so sure they would win, and now he didn’t know how to react to their defeat.

“Your power is very formidable, but it’s wasted on you. I can’t believe you rushed in so quickly when you saw an opening I made on purpose. Tsk. I’ve never seen anything more pathetic,” No. 1 scoffed.

No. 4 began to tremble. “If I hadn’t fallen for your trap, you would have lost, No. 1!”

“Of course,” No. 1 agreed, as if it were obvious. “Naturally, if you fail, you lose. But predicting your probability of success is a skill in itself. You relied too much on your power and neglected your martial abilities. That is the price you paid.”

No. 4’s power was something to be contended with, but No. 4 himself wasn’t very remarkable. Unlike No. 2, who was able to pull back her momentum even if belatedly, No. 4 had jumped straight into the fire, none the wiser.

Now that No. 4 was weaponless, No. 1 kicked No. 4 in the stomach.

“Gah?!” No. 4 doubled over, clutching his stomach.

“You won’t be able to move for a while,” No. 1 advised. He ignored No. 4 and turned to the other children who still hadn’t given up: No. 2, No. 6, No. 7, and No. 9. Their resolve was admirable, but the outcome had already been decided.

No. 2 can’t fight because her fingers are broken, and the rest of these dregs don’t stand a chance against me. It’s over. No. 1 smiled triumphantly, confident in his victory.

But when he slightly turned his attention away from the four, he realized something was wrong.

“What’s happening?”

Group 1 should have been dominating the battlefield, but they were losing.

However, No. 2 and No. 4 weren’t exactly winning either. All three groups seemed to have received a similar amount of damage.

“No. 5! Where are you, No. 5?! Report!” No. 1 screamed, calling out for his right-hand man. He couldn’t make sense of what he was seeing. He’d been too caught up with fighting No. 2 and the others to watch the battlefield. No. 5 would know what was going on.

However, someone else answered, and a certain boy somehow emerged from the two groups.

“You’re looking for No. 5?” he asked coolly, dragging someone by the nape.

“You? No. 25?! Why are you here?!” No. 1 realized that the one No. 25 was holding was No. 5. No. 25 had somehow knocked him unconscious.

“He was very useful,” Leonard said, mockingly praising the opponent he’d defeated with his own hands. He put down No. 5, then he saw that No. 1 was practically unscathed. He realized what had happened. “No. 4’s surprise attack didn’t work. I expected as much.”

The moment a person went in at the sight of a perfect opening could also be the most dangerous. Knowing this, Leonard knew that No. 2 and No. 4 would fail. Unlike them, No. 1 had a great capacity for martial arts and didn’t have to rely on a special ability. As long as he could think several moves ahead, no amount of good timing or special abilities could stop him from counterattacking.

“No. 25! Are you saying you’ll steal victory from me?!” No. 1 growled.

“I guess so, yeah,” Leonard said casually.

“Ridiculous! Even if that was some attempt at a pathetic joke, I’m not someone you can handle alone!”

“What makes you think I came alone?”

“What?!”

“Look closely. None of you were paying close enough attention.”

At that, No. 1 and the other children turned their gaze.

“That’s...!” No. 2 was the first to understand. After all, she had her special eyes to survey the area. Her jaw dropped.

There were trainees with white sashes on their arms, perhaps to identify themselves, moving around in groups of three, taking down children from other groups. After fighting tirelessly for so long, the other three groups were exhausted and couldn’t fight off the unexpected attacks, and their badges were being stolen.

No. 1 flew into a rage, finally realizing what was happening. “Group 5! You useless scum would dare...!”

He had seen right. The calvary Leonard led was none other than Group 5, the children everyone else had thought would be easy prey.