Helmut: The Forsaken Child - H.F.C Chapter 388 (Part 1):

Unlike Helmut, who had secured victory without much difficulty, Sian’s day was far from smooth. His match, held on the same day, proved to be a challenging ordeal.

First of all, the combat situation was unfamiliar to him. He had rarely engaged in sparring matches at the academy. The confined space, coupled with an opponent wielding a sharp, real sword, was enough to make anyone nervous. A single graze could result in bloodshed.

To make matters worse, his first opponent was a hulking figure, roughly three times Sian’s size, with a menacing appearance that suggested he had slaughtered countless people. Although Sian had faced stronger opponents like Asuka, Asuka was a friend, which made him less intimidating. Now, Sian’s body stiffened with tension.

On the other hand, the opponent, underestimating Sian, who was unarmed, sneered, “A mage? Lucky me.”

As soon as the signal to start the match rang out, the opponent charged at Sian, aiming to subdue him before he could cast any spells.

However, without Sian needing to do anything, the spirit he had pre-summoned intercepted the opponent’s attack.

“What the hell is this? What’s blocking me?” the opponent growled, frustrated.

Spirits, once summoned, prioritize the safety of their summoner. They instinctively know what to do to protect their master. But since Sian had little combat experience, his spirits also lacked experience in attacking opponents. One-on-one combat was even more unfamiliar to them.

Despite Sian’s commands, the spirits, each with their own will, struggled to coordinate. Today, it seemed particularly chaotic.

‘Am I too tense?’ Sian wondered.

Until now, he had only sparred a few times with Asuka, and each time, he had been overwhelmingly defeated, leaving him with no sense of accomplishment.

Still, his first opponent wasn’t as strong as he had feared, and Sian soon defeated him.

The invisible power of spirits was tricky for an average swordsman to handle. While distracted by the unseen force, the opponent was struck by Sian’s offensive magic and sent tumbling off the stage.

After defeating a few more opponents, Sian began to get the hang of it. After all, he was the second-ranked graduate of the magic department. Even if he wasn’t skilled in one-on-one combat, his abilities as a mage were not to be underestimated.

‘This is just the preliminaries. I should be able to pass easily.’

Confidence began to build in Sian, but he overlooked one crucial fact: even in the preliminaries, unexpected strong opponents could be lurking. Opponents who could not only advance to the main tournament but even aim for victory.

That opponent was Sian’s fifth match. By this point, Sian was within reach of qualifying for the main tournament. But something felt off.

‘Golden eyes…? Interesting.’

The young man before him was a stark contrast to the rough, bandit-like swordsmen Sian had faced so far. With a refined appearance befitting a noble and deep, piercing eyes, this opponent seemed less intimidating.

But the moment they stood across from each other on the stage, Sian’s assessment changed completely.

Though not particularly large in stature, the man exuded a quiet, formidable power. He didn’t blatantly release his Vis, but the pressure he emitted was palpable. He was a strong opponent.

‘Someone like him could easily make it to the main tournament. Why did I have to run into him now?’

Sian’s body tensed with caution. Before the match began, Sian observed the man closely and at one point their eyes met.

The man’s eyes were not only unique in color but also gave off an eerie feeling. They were deep and heavy, as if they contained a vast, hidden power.

‘What in the world…?’

This was no ordinary swordsman. But Sian couldn’t quite put his finger on what exactly felt off. As he tilted his head in confusion, the signal to start the match rang out.

And in that moment, Sian experienced what countless others had faced when fighting Helmut.

The man was as fast as a flash of light. Sian’s spirits moved without waiting for commands, but the man’s sword effortlessly slipped through their defenses and closed in.

A brief flash of light erupted from the man’s sword before fading. Sian froze as he looked down at the cold blade resting just below his neck.

It took a moment for the reality of what had happened to sink in. A chilling shock ran through his head.

‘How is he so fast?!’

Sian hadn’t let his guard down, but he couldn’t react in time. The man’s eyes briefly gleamed with a sharp, almost predatory light, as if he had considered cutting Sian down but stopped himself.

“I dislike mages,” the man said coldly. “But I can’t commit murder in a place like this, no matter how much you irritate me.”

With that, he sheathed his sword. This was Sian’s first defeat.

The man showed no sign of triumph or joy as he calmly left the stage, as if he had known all along that he would win.

Though Sian’s pride was wounded, the gap in their abilities was undeniable. He felt dazed.

“How… did he see it?” Sian muttered to himself.

Before leaving, the man’s gaze had fixed on the spot where Sian’s shadow spirit was hidden. It seemed as though the man could see the spirit, even though it was invisible.

‘But he’s not a spirit mage! How could he see it?’

Only those who had reached an extraordinary level of skill or possessed special abilities could perceive spirits without being a spirit mage themselves. Was it a coincidence? Maybe he had simply sensed the spirit’s presence due to his heightened sensitivity.

But the way he moved… It was as if he had accurately read the spirit’s movements. It didn’t seem like mere intuition.

‘One thing’s for sure: he’s an incredible fighter.’

A shiver ran down Sian’s spine. Those golden eyes didn’t seem human.

‘A demon? No, it’s different from that.’ Demonic energy instinctively instilled a sense of threat in humans. But what Sian felt from this man wasn’t exactly ominous. It was more like…

‘Majestic, perhaps?’

Otaku_Tensei

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