Chapter 6 : Training like the real thing

When his patron constellation, White Tiger Vajra, uncharacteristically trailed off at the end of his sentence, Atrox was overcome with tension.

“That guy is beyond imagination….”

“You mean he’s a hidden powerhouse whose strength surpasses imagination? No wonder he brushed off my gaze so naturally. Master Sangun always said never to judge an opponent’s strength by appearance alone.”

“No, I mean he is beyond imagination in how weak and talentless he is.”

“…Excuse me? What did you just say, Master Sangun?”

“I mean it literally. I observed him multiple times, just to be sure, but there’s a reason he’s been dead for ten thousand years. I couldn’t find a single outstanding talent in him. Physically, he seems even weaker than an average adult male. The only thing that bothers me is his name.”

“Kim Sunghoon. Since it’s a name from a remote planet like Earth, I did find it a bit unfamiliar.”

“It’s not just about being unfamiliar. You wouldn’t know this, but the word ‘Sunghun’ in Earth’s language is synonymous with ‘Stigma.’ And a Stigma is an extremely rare talent one is born with. But then, to also have the name ‘Stigma’? It’s far too bizarre to be a mere coincidence.”

“Then should I try persuading him to join as a disciple?”

“No, it’s strange, but that’s all there is to it. His body is so fragile that if he tried to train in martial arts, he’d shatter like glass immediately. Even if he has some hidden trump card, the compatibility is just too poor. Let’s just wait for the next batch of students.”

After my meeting with Instructor Atrox, I immediately returned to my dormitory and activated the consciousness of the constellation ‘Nameless God 1602.’

Then, I witnessed Iris diligently cleaning the restroom and carrying materials to repair the damaged outer wall.

Being excessively diligent to an almost inflexible degree was both Iris’s strength and weakness.

She only returned to the dormitory at dusk.

And even though she should have been exhausted, instead of resting, she strapped weights to her arms and legs and started squatting while practicing Moonlight Divine Art.

Her hardworking and disciplined nature made me feel ashamed of myself for not making any effort just because I lacked talent.

As I was debating whether I should at least do some push-ups after deactivating the constellation’s consciousness and returning to my real body, I noticed a suspicious shadow near the window.

For a moment, I wondered if Iris had a stalker who blindly worshiped her.

Just as I was about to issue a warning, the window burst open, and a tall, beautiful woman appeared.

“Yoohoo~ My little puppy, have you been well?”

“Miss Kate! Why are you coming in through the window when there’s a perfectly fine door?!”

“I just wanted to spy on our dear Iris and see what she usually does. But hey, why is the carpet so damp? Don’t tell me you peed yourself?”

“W-What kind of nonsense are you saying?! I just sweated a little while exercising!”

“Puhahaha! I know, I know. I was watching the whole time—I was just joking. But with a reaction this fun, how could I not tease you? That aside, isn’t Iris’s thigh getting too thick? At this rate, she’s going to turn into a log.”

The only person in Pantheon Academy who could freely grope Iris’s bare thigh and casually make remarks about it was undoubtedly Kate Redfield.

As Iris’s savior and mentor, she maintained a relationship closer than family until the mid-game.

Since I was seeing her in reality for the first time rather than through holographic graphics, I took a brief moment to admire her.

Despite being 177 cm tall, she had a model-like figure with flawless proportions.

Her sophisticated face, accentuated by her sunglasses, was a clear testament to why she consistently ranked in the top 10 of heroine popularity polls—even though she didn’t have an official romance route.

To my past self who used to dismiss women in their 30s as “old ladies”—repent! Repent!

“Ugh… stop teasing me and tell me why you came here.”

“Well, there have been some unsavory rumors going around lately. But seeing you in person like this, I can tell those rumors are nonsense. You’re the most talented student in the academy, yet you’re working two or three times harder than everyone else? At this rate, you’re going to surpass me soon.”

“Oh, now that you mention it, I apologize for missing the recent swordsmanship training match. I was just too busy with other things…”

“Whoa, whoa, don’t worry about it. It’s no big deal. Honestly, at your level, sparring with junior students isn’t even beneficial for your training. But on the other hand, if I were to personally duel with you one-on-one, it would come off as favoritism.

“Well, since we’re on the topic, how about a sparring match for old times’ sake? I’m curious to see how much you’ve improved. It’ll also be a good chance to bond. Of course, we’ll use wooden swords, not real ones.”

“Ah, um… this might sound strange, but I’ve decided to stop practicing swordsmanship.”

You’ve decided to stop practicing swordsmanship?

Are you switching from martial arts to magic?

Well, you are incredibly versatile, so I always thought that walking the path of a magic swordsman would suit you.

But I have to admit, it’s a little disappointing.

I was actually planning to pass down a very special secret technique to you once your mastery of the Grandia Imperial Swordsmanship reached its peak.

But choosing your main combat style before advancing to the senior division is an important decision.

“Could you tell me what path you plan to take instead?”

At Kate’s question, Iris hesitated to answer and instead glanced warily into the empty air.

It was obvious to anyone that Iris was gesturing as if seeking my opinion as her constellation.

I fell into brief contemplation.

It was true that Iris was undoubtedly the top student in the junior division.

However, precisely because of that, she had many who were envious, jealous, or wary of her.

My philosophy had always been that she should conceal her strength as much as possible.

After all, isn’t there a saying that the hawk that hunts best hides its talons the most?

However, it felt too heartless to hide the truth from none other than Instructor Kate Redfield—the person who had saved Iris’s life and guided her to Pantheon Academy.

So, I immediately agreed.

“You may reveal to Instructor Kate that you are training in kicking techniques. However, never mention Moonlight Divine Art or Moonlit Flash Step.”

“I’ve actually decided to focus on kicking techniques as my main fighting style.”

“Kicking techniques? You mean a martial art that primarily revolves around kicks?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Kicking techniques… This feels like I just got hit on the back of the head with a hammer. Iris, you recently signed a contract with a constellation, right? Did you decide to learn kicking techniques based on that constellation’s advice?”

“Yes, it had some influence.”

Would it be possible for me to have a short conversation with that constellation?

To be honest, I believe that people should carve out their own paths.

However, this is a decision that will impact not just your academy life but your entire future.

I think it’s worth discussing.

“Of course, that doesn’t mean I don’t trust the constellation you chose. With your judgment, I’m sure you didn’t pick some flashy but useless one—you must have chosen a truly valuable constellation.”

“I have no interest in speaking with anyone other than you, Iris. Reject her outright.”

“Ah, I’m sorry. My constellation says that they’re not in the mood for a conversation right now.”

“Hmm… I see.”

Kate Redfield looked down at Iris with an expression of subtle suspicion.

Then, she suddenly grabbed a wooden training sword from the wall and thrust it toward Iris’s knee.

Clang!

However, despite the sudden attack from her mentor, Iris did not panic.

Instead, she blocked the wooden sword using the weighted anklet on her foot like a shield.

That marked the beginning of an intense exchange—ten, twenty, thirty strikes back and forth at a rapid pace.

If it had been the human Kim Sunghoon standing here instead of the constellation “Nameless God 1602,” he would have never been able to keep up with the countless attacks even with his eyes.

At any rate, the sudden sparring match between mentor and student only came to an end when Iris, gasping for breath, fell to one knee.

Kate clapped her hands.

Clap clap clap!

Wow, this is incredible! Iris, you actually have talent in kicking techniques too!

I never even considered it because your swordsmanship skills are just too exceptional.

No, to be completely honest, I had always looked down on unarmed combat a little.

I thought of it as nothing more than a side skill—a last resort for swordsmen in case they ever lost their swords.

But I also thought that losing one’s sword in the first place was a disgrace, so I never gave it much thought.

Now, I see I was just a frog in a well.

“But the academy has instructors who teach fist-based martial arts, yet none specialize in kicking techniques. Will you be okay with that? If you want, I could recruit a master of kicking techniques from another dimension.”

No, I’ll be fine.

To be honest, I also felt something was missing when practicing on my own.

But during this sparring match, I got a sense of it.

If I can keep training with you, Kate-sensei, I think I can refine my kicking techniques by myself.

So, could we continue sparring in the future?

“Of course! How could I refuse a request from my adorable student? That is… as long as our silent constellation is okay with it.”

There’s nothing to refuse.

In martial arts training, real combat experience is more important than anything else.

Of course, you can’t just start fighting demons right now, so your intuition to spar regularly with Instructor Kate shows that, deep down, you understand the necessity of practical combat experience.

“However, make sure to keep up with your fundamental training as well.”