Chapter 58 - John’s Growth
Day 2 of the entrance test. Aberick was watching from the spectator seats again.
“It looks like they’re pairing up yesterday’s winners against each other.”
“They probably want to match up people with similar skill levels. If the difference is too big, the match will end quickly, and you can’t see much.”
“Where’s your son, Aberick?”
“He’s the one with the red hair over there.”
“Oh, even from a distance, you can tell he looks like you.”
“The third one might look even more like me.”
“What! You have a third child too? When did that happen?”
"He's almost three years old. I haven't introduced him to the public yet, so it's still a secret."
"Oh, right, I see...."
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"Begin!"
John started his second match. Unlike his previous opponent, this time his opponent used a more orthodox swordsmanship, but it didn't seem to pose a problem for him. Aberick's son seemed to be doing fine as well. The way he swung his sword with such confidence was just like him.
"There's someone with a powerful sword-swinging style. He looks like the type who relies on brute force, but he's quite fast, too.”
Arnold said while looking at a certain test taker.
“That’s Dassel’s son.”
"Dassel? The commander-in-chief of the kingdom army?"
"That's right."
"That means...."
"Yeah, he's my nephew."
Dassel Blanks was the husband of Aberick's sister. He was also the head of the Marquisate and the commander-in-chief of the kingdom army. Arnold didn't particularly like the warlike Dassel. This man was one of the reasons he was worried about Gail being taken away by the military.
"So he has a son who is the same age as ours."
"It seems they will be classmates."
"Yeah, what a pain...."
Arnold muttered, almost spitting the words.
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The afternoon session began. John’s turn was near the end.
"By the way, your son.... what is his name again?"
"It's Alpha Rammel."
Arnold though it was such a long and difficult name.
"When is Al's turn?"
"It's fine here, but don’t call him by a nickname in an official setting."
"I know that much!"
"Al’s turn seems to be near the end, too. He might go up against John.”
"That's possible. Well, whoever wins, both will definitely pass."
"What, have you already given up on winning?"
"Who's given up!? John's strong!"
"Well, we will see later."
Aberick said confidently. Arnold remembered how he’d always disliked this part of him since their adventurer days.
"Dassel's son's also hasn't gotten his turn yet.”
"Looks like it."
"I don't have a good feeling about this...."
Arnold's bad feeling came true. Not long after, Dassel's son and John's names were called together.
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On the arena.
“You’re the son of the hero Arnold, huh. I wondered what kind of guy you’d be, but you don’t seem like much.”
Dassel’s son, Dozul, said to John.
“I don’t know how I look to you, but Arnold is indeed my father. So what? Did you want his autograph or something?”
John shot back.
“What!? Who’d want the autograph of a mere ex-adventurer? My father is a marquis and the commander of the kingdom army!”
“Whatever your father is, it doesn’t affect your own skill. Or is your father going to fight in your place?”
“You…."
“Begin!”
“Take this!”
The moment a signal to begin was given, Dozul immediately attacked John with a wide swing, but he dodged it with ease.
"Did you really think such an obvious attack would hit me? I thought you'd put up more of a fight, but it seems your noble lineage is the only impressive thing about you."
John appeared calm, but he was actually angry at Dozul for belittling Arnold.
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"What are they chatting about in the middle of the fight?"
Arnold grumbled.
"Dozul must have said something. He’s got that arrogant personality, just like his father. You can see it in his swordsmanship."
So Dassel’s son is named Dozul, huh. That's certainly the swordsmanship he inherited from his father.
Dozul swung his sword with all his might and John dodged it swiftly.
"Stop running around like a coward! If you’re a man, fight me head-on!"
As soon as Dozul said that, John instantly closed the distance and landed a blow on him.
"Do you have time to talk? Is your only attack with your mouth?"
"Damn it.... I won't forgive you for this!"
Shouting that, Dozul wrapped himself in Fighting Spirit and raised his sword overhead.
"Hey, Arnold!"
Aberick shouted.
"Yeah, no doubt about it. That's Fighting Spirit."
"Why are you so calm? We have to stop the match right now!"
"It's fine. I've taught John how to use Fighting Spirit, too."
"But if he gets hit by that, even with a wooden sword, he could die!"
"Just watch."
Dozul swung his sword down with a speed and power completely different from before. John dodged it with a backstep, but Dozul instantly closed in, swinging his sword upward while reversing his downward strike.
"Watch out!"
Aberick shouted.
*clang*
A sound you wouldn't expect from wooden swords rang out as John knocked Dozul's sword away. He then placed his sword against Dozle's neck.
"That's enough! The winner is John Dinoslayer!"
““““Whoaaaaa!!!””””
Cheers erupted from the audience. Even among the many test-takers, John seemed to be attracting a lot of attention.
"Arnold, what did your son just do? He knocked away a sword imbued with Fighting Spirit!"
"He just knocked up the sword from below. We practiced that move over and over."
"You trained him yourself?"
"Of course. Good thing he didn't have to face Al, right?"
"Grrr...."
Aberick looked frustrated. Meanwhile, Alpha Rammel won his match as expected.
"That was cheating! You did something, didn't you?"
Dozul shouted with John's sword at his neck.
"Did something? All I did was deflect your unskilled sword."
Ignoring Dozul, who kept whining about unfairness, John left the arena.
"Well done, John. That was splendid."
"This is all thanks to your training, Father."
"Since your opponent used Fighting Spirit, you could have used Fighting Spirit, too."
"Even when he was using Fighting Spirit, I didn't feel the same pressure like when I was facing you, Father, so I thought it would be fine."
"I see."
Arnold was genuinely pleased with John's growth. Meanwhile....
"That's Arnold's son, huh."
A certain man who had been watching John's fight muttered in a voice so that no one could hear.