How to Survive at the Academy - Chapter 188

Ed’s Subjugation War (11)

As the rain splashed up upon collision with the Sword God, Taely once again stomped on the muddy ground as the droplets touched the earth. The speed was so fast it was hard to follow with eyes alone. After another splash of mud, there seemed to be a moment where the world stood still. Wrapped in various martial arts of the Sword Saint, Taely perceived the world as moving at a slower pace. In reality, it wasn’t that the world had slowed down, but Taely’s senses had become so sharpened. This fact only became clear to those who stood against him.

– Huwaaaaaaaak!

– Kkagagagak!

Ed Rothtaylor rolled back significantly and scattered magitechnology devices on the ground. Just as several of his magitechnological devices hit the ground, Taely swung his sword again, slashing them all apart. With his great sword, he precisely targeted and cut through the small devices. Not just once, but two, three times. The speed was so fast that, by the time Ed Rothtaylor regained his posture after retreating, all of the devices he’d spread were already neutralized.

Taely had enough experience dealing with these magitechnology devices on the battlefield, having faced Elvira on the first floor. Above all, he could not afford to give the enemy the opportunity to place magitechnology devices at will. Through experience, Taely had learned this counter-strategy, making him a troubling opponent for Ed.

“Where is Aila?!”

Taely asked amidst the pouring rain. Ed, flicking his sleeves to shake off mud, grinned bitterly.

“Who knows?”

 

Right before Taely arrived, he had subdued Aila and shoved her into a wooden shelter, sealing the entrance. Maybe Taely missed seeing it because their arrival times didn’t sync up. If Taely witnessed Ed using the Holy Magic to restrain Aila, it would’ve only served to excite him more, so maybe it was a blessing in disguise. Ed, casting a sidelong glance at the firmly sealed wooden shelter, tightened his grip on his dagger.

 

“I suppose you’ll have to find her yourself.”

“… You’ve completely lost it in your research into Holy Magic,” Taely said, grabbing his great sword and glaring at Ed with burning eyes.

“I know Aila is sensitive to such special magic power, but was it really necessary to take it to such extremes for your research?”

“The more extreme the methods, the greater the progress,” Ed replied matter-of-factly.

“No doubt you’ve been influenced by Professor Glast…”

Gritting his teeth, Taely launched himself at Ed once more. There was only so much time one could benefit from the increased physical abilities due to the ‘Life-ending Technique’. Taely’s allotted time was almost up.

“I should’ve cut you down in the underground waterway,” Taely remarked as he charged, showing greater potential in a life-or-death moment. However, the inevitable end is steadily approaching, and nothing can stop it. What’s necessary is a swift and decisive conclusion.

If Ed doesn’t reveal Aila’s location, Taely will have to take down Ed Rothtaylor, the perpetrator of the abduction. Then even if Taely himself loses consciousness here, he can at least ensure Aila’s safety. That was his conclusion. The most important thing was to knock down the blond noble before him.

He possesses the strength to do so. No matter how powerful Ed Rothtaylor has become, capable of attaining the top spot among third-year students, the protagonist of this world remains Taely McLore. Destiny might be the same, but their paths are different. The world smiles at Taely McLore. There’s no spotlight for a supporting role like Ed.

Ed took out another magitechnological device from his bosom and threw it on the ground. At the same time, a considerable amount of smoke started to rise throughout the camp.

– Kwaaaaaang!

“Cough!”

A smoke bomb, a temporary measure to obscure visibility. However, due to the pouring rain, its effectiveness was significantly reduced. The smoke, completely dispersed by a stroke of Taely’s sword, didn’t buy enough time.

– Pabak, Pak!

But it did give Ed Rothtaylor just enough time to grab the bow he had stored in the corner of the camp. A couple of arrows shot through the smoke in an instant, but…

“Hup-! Haa-!”

With a deep breath and a light shout imbued with magic power, the crudely made self-crafted arrows were all deflected. The arrows didn’t even warrant a swing of the sword. Instead, Ed had exposed his position. It was the path leading towards the cabin.

Taely kicked off the ground and quickly closed the distance towards Ed. Crossing to the other side of the campfire, Taely reached out to grab Ed’s neck.

But his hand did not reach Ed.

– Pwook

The moment Taely’s hand got close, his foot got stuck deep in the mud.

“Argh!”

Losing balance, Ed lifted his foot and kicked Taely’s thigh. Taely tumbled through the mud, writhing in agony.

This is Ed’s cabin camp. Only Ed knew where the muddy swamps formed during rain or what tools were available where. Ed then kicked Taely’s great sword far away.

– Kaang!

And the moment Taely’s shoulder was targeted with a dagger held in reverse grip, a blade of magic power manifested and repelled Ed’s dagger. The subsequent magic swordskill was aimed directly at Ed’s body.

– Taang!

Ed managed to manifest a basic defense spell, but its power wasn’t even half of what it should be in normal circumstances.

– Kaaaang! Kagagagak!

Despite the urgency, the magic power behind Ed Rothtaylor’s defensive magics couldn’t withstand the impact. Ed was flung away by the blow of Taely’s sword, rolling along the muddy ground until he fell near the cabin.

Ed, soaked through by the rain with mud smeared all over, cuts a sorry figure. Yet nonchalantly, he wiped the mud from his face and stood up. Taely also rose from the mud, gripping his aching right calf.

“Pant, pant…”

His body is at its limit. It won’t be long before he loses consciousness. The distinct sense of fear grips Taely.

But a curious doubt had been plaguing his mind.

‘He’s… not using magic…?’

The blond noble boy standing opposite him in the rain seemed to have minimized his use of magic since a moment ago. Even Taely’s recent sword strike, hastily manifested, lacked the usual potency. Yet, Ed failed to block it with a defensive spell – an unworthy performance for a top magician of the third year.

Furthermore, the same was true when shooting the arrows. Ed Rothtaylor doesn’t use such primitive arrows. He had elevated his magical affinity level enough to manifest magical arrows himself.

Even more strikingly… he hadn’t used spirit magic. His elemental spirits, a core element of his arsenal, were nowhere to be seen.

This strange conservation of magical power baffled Taely.

‘He’s… conserving power…’

Was it because Taely could be subdued even without using magic? That level of arrogance didn’t fit Ed, who was known to be a cautious man.

A magician who doesn’t use magic is like fighting with hands and feet tied – more than a handicap.

Gritting his teeth again, Taely glared at Ed.

“Whatever you’re planning, I don’t have the luxury of accommodating your circumstances!”

The power of the Sword Saint surged through Taely’s body once more. For Ed, who already strained to manifest even the most basic defensive magic, this was a painful ordeal.

Yet Ed Rothtaylor murmured with an air of ease.

“Empty Sword Technique…”

It was the very sword skill Taely was proficient in and had just used. Ed recited it as if ticking off a checklist, whispering quietly to himself with no trace of fear. It should’ve been a new technique for Ed, yet he handled it as naturally as if he’d practiced it hundreds of times.

Taely, perplexed by Ed’s composed demeanor, felt an increase in his impatience.

The reason Ed Rothtaylor, who barely used any magic, was unknown. Yet, with the power of the Sword Saint at its peak, Taely was at a distinct advantage.

Despite that, Ed showed neither panic nor fear.

Instead, he urged Taely on as if confirming something yet to be checked off.

“Go on, show me more.”

Ed’s tone was like that of an examiner testing Taely.

One might think it was either a bluff or a sign of a mind breaking under fear in a normal situation.

But this was Ed Rothtaylor.

The possibility that he had a hidden plan or ulterior motive was too great. Taely was momentarily confused, but what he knew he had to do was to subdue Ed before he lost consciousness.

There’s no time to hesitate.

The effort must be made to take him down, whether he’s concealing his strength or whether he’s in circumstances that prevent him from using it.

That didn’t matter.

Magic power surged through Taely’s body once more. The reserves seemed endless.

It was the limit. The end had come. Taely had been on the cold ground multiple times, seemingly defeated, yet he rose again and again. Now he was exasperated.

The great sword was far out of reach. But for a true Sword Saint, the form of a sword was unnecessary.

With a sword, it was good; without a sword, he would still strike. Just as Luden McLore once said, Taely McLore was the same.

– Kakagagagagak!

The sound of scraping metal vibrated through the air. This was not an ordinary blade sound but that of a power scraped from the very bottom of reserves, far exceeding any normal measure of force.

Sword Saint’s Technique – Spatial Severance.

To be struck by it means certain death. Before the body is cleaved, existence itself vanishes.

One of the Sword Saint’s Technique that boasts extreme potency, but the recoil to the body is not to be underestimated. Teslyn McLore, the disciple of the great sage Sylvania, lost sensation in her right arm due to the backlash from this technique, despite having been a battered mess.

Different opponents result in different levels of strain on the body. It’s not a technique to be unleashed carelessly.

However, Taely McLore was born with the bloodline of the McLore family, imbued with the strongest lineage of the Sword Saint. Even the recoil from the Sword Saint’s Technique was overpowered by sheer will, as he swung his sword towards Ed.

– Huwaaaaaaaak!

Merely the aftermath of the magic sent the scattered raindrops flying.

With a crackling sound, the surging magic left a twisted, bloody trail, severing the area around it.

It was an unstoppable force. That moment was filled with certainty.

– Pack!

Accordingly… Ed’s body was split in two.

The moment Taely saw Ed’s cleanly severed body, both relief and dread flooded through him.

Guilt over having committed murder coupled with relief at having finished off Ed and the assurance that no one would now reach Aila.

Feeling all this as he was on the brink of losing consciousness…

– Huwaaaaaaaak

Ed’s body vanished like an illusion.

“…?!”

Due to the intense rainstorm, the visual obstruction from the smoke, and his nearly overwhelmed mental state, Taely hadn’t realized it.

It was a magitechnological device, an ‘Illusion Disc’, and now, having served its purpose, it rolled on the ground.

Ed had already perfectly understood the structure of that device during the freshmen team assignment exam.

Having improved his magitech skills to an advanced level, emulating it was no difficult feat.

The momentary smoke screen wasn’t just to make room for archery – it was because, after seeing that Taely would destroy any magitech devices without question, Ed determined he couldn’t afford to be caught installing one.

From his battle with Elvira, Taely had learned not to ignore the magitech devices left on the field.

The moment Ed witnessed Taely dealing with them in such a way, he had already planned his next steps.

And the careless arrows, along with the spreading smoke, were smoothly followed by concealment – a move that demanded acknowledgment for its quick wit.

Ed Rothtaylor was a master of improvisation.

Though Taely knew this, he’d not expected such a strike at the very last moment.

Even the defense magic that blocked Taely’s Empty Sword Technique was to protect this illusion. Sincerely guarding against it was the only way to deceive Taely into thinking the illusion was his true body.

Then, where was the body?

– Kwang!

Before the thought could fully form, the door of a wooden storage next to them burst open as if kicked from the inside in haste.

Emerging from the hut was Ed, soaked in mud, staggering through the rain. Even that minimal use of magic seemed to have drained him severely.

But the toll on Taely, who had pushed his body to extremes, was no less significant.

Losing his balance, Taely was vulnerable. Ed, seizing the opportunity, grappled with him and threw Taely onto the muddy ground.

– Kwack!

“Aaargh!”

Screams of agony escaped Taely as rainwater seeped into his mouth. Ed Rothtaylor then stomped on Taely’s stomach.

“Pant, pant… To go as far as using Spatial Severance… you really did a number…”

Satisfied yet slightly breathless, Ed spoke, resembling the ultimate antagonist on the climax stage.

Whether those concealed emotions were of contentment or the thrill of victory was something Taely couldn’t discern.

“Cr… Aaah… Pant, pant…”

Was this truly the limit? Taely was powerless to shake off Ed’s foot, crushing his own stomach.

From the muddy pit, Taely clenched his fist…

But, unable to even lift his forearms, he muttered.

“Right, I should do that much…”

Ed Rothtaylor also wore an expression of utter exhaustion. At this point, Taely was certain.

Ed Rothtaylor wasn’t choosing not to use his magic; he simply couldn’t.

──A magician unable to use magic. How absurd the idea.

Yet, despite this, Ed Rothtaylor possessed something Taely did not: quick reflexes, situational judgment, and experience.

With those alone, he maintained the composure to subdue Taely… creating the gap between them. With his magical abilities unresponsive, subduing a desperate Taely was something only he could do.

“Ed… Rothtaylor…! Why… why go to such lengths!”

Without a moment to wipe away the falling raindrops, Taely clenched his teeth.

“There’s no need… no need to sacrifice Aila like this…!”

“Taely McLore. I know your story all too well.”

Ed Rothtaylor’s tone was as cold as ice, overlaying the fiery rage of Taely.

“But what can we do.”

Taely, his eyes wide with resolve, focused on the blond youth looking down at him against the backdrop of storm clouds.

“Who in the world doesn’t have a story? I have mine too.”

Taely McLore’s eyes trembled at Ed Rothtaylor’s motionless expression.

What Ed Rothtaylor was carrying on his shoulders, Taely had no way of knowing.

In contrast to the gaming world, where good and evil are clearly defined, the problems of reality are filled with ambiguous shades of gray.

As with all conflicts, they inevitably boil down to a clash of beliefs and convictions.

“You’ve had quite the journey to get here.”

This was the final stage prepared by Ed Rothtaylor. No way forward past this point.

Now to bring it to a close.

With those thoughts, the moment came to lift the dagger.

Once again… Taely clenched his teeth.

– Kwang!

A surge of magic power bloomed explosively once again.

The endless pattern of Taely’s desperate flailing was becoming nauseating for whoever opposed it.

Poison flickered in Taely’s eyes as they appeared to lose sanity. Magic then began to bloom around him, transforming into various forms of weaponry.

From a small dagger to a longsword, broadsword, two-handed sword, up to a gargantuan greatsword… A plethora of mana-armed swords began to cover the field.

And in that form, with blood as his power, Taely only became stronger… Now, even a strange eeriness settled upon him.

He had absorbed and adapted the Blood Swordsmanship of Clevius and the Mana Armament of Zix, to shape them into his own form.

This world would not allow him to accept defeat, as if it was telling him so.

As he was cornered, he only grew stronger, an awe-inspiring sight.

– Parak!

Pushed back by a wave of magic, Ed Rothtaylor was thrown out. Rolling through the mud several times… he groaned as he rose again.

– Hwaaaak!

– Kwang! Kwang!

Sword Mastery – Desperation was about to be lifted.

It was nothing more than a last-ditch effort now. Taely McLore, who couldn’t even recognize the direction, was left with only wild swings of his sword.

Raising his greatsword, Taely sank down in the mire. His vision blurring, he could no longer see where Ed Rothtaylor was.

“Ha-euk, ha-euk….!”

He bowed his head, trying to push himself up from the ground… but intuition hit him.

The final Sword Mastery – Desperation was coming to an end. This was truly the end. With this last strike, he must finish Ed Rothtaylor.

With that in mind, Taely squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his teeth.

The first Sword Saint Luden McLore called the flow of his technique a “Heart Sword.”

Simply observing a sword technique once, imprinting it in his heart, allowed for its use at any time… a privilege of a library accessible only to those who had reached the extreme of the sword.

Taely bore the memories of numerous mighty foes he had encountered while roaming the lawless zone of Keheln.

And those memories were inherited by blood, embedding themselves firmly in Taely’s body.

To be the successor of the Sword Saint was to be born of that blood.

“I can’t see….”

His vision was blurry. He couldn’t spot where Ed Rothtaylor, his true target, was.

The sound of pouring rain made it impossible to use his hearing to judge.

Now, as Desperation was coming to its end, he no longer had the means to continue fighting to protect Aila.

If that was the case─he would have to cut down everything in the area.

The chances of Ed Rothtaylor getting hit by a haphazard attack were slim.

He must have already judged the situation. There was no need to counter Taely’s blows, nor engage with him.

If he stayed far enough away, Taely McLore would self-destruct.

Nevertheless, Taely couldn’t sit still. If there was even a sliver of possibility, he would exhaust every means to subdue Ed Rothtaylor.

Gripping his sword with renewed force, he swung with all his might.

He cut through everything indiscriminately. At the end of his blade was Ed Rothtaylor.

– Whack! Crack!

A succession of sword strikes. There was no sensation of cutting flesh, only craft tables and woodworking tools falling apart around him.

Yet Taely continued his frantic attacks.

Despite knowing that Ed Rothtaylor was unlikely to be affected by such blind aggression, he continued to grit his teeth and swing his sword.

If only once, if the heavens lent their aid… If there was a god watching over this scene.

If you have witnessed my wretched life,

Please, let my attack reach Ed Rothtaylor.

With that prayer, he unleashed his last desperation just before Desperation was extinguished.

– Kwang!

– Kang!

As his already fading vision threatened to go completely dark,

Suddenly, as if in answer to his plea, Taely raised his head and saw his greatsword pushing into Ed’s shoulder.

– Fwush, fwuk.

Blood sprayed, with droplets flying onto Taely’s face.

“Kuh, ha-euk… Hoo…”

Trying to hold back the greatsword with a small dagger, but that tiny blade couldn’t possibly stop such a blow.

Naturally, Taely’s greatsword penetrated deep into Ed Rothtaylor’s shoulder area. The trembling dagger only prevented deeper wounds.

Had god indeed helped Taely?

But, life’s events rarely turn out as conveniently as that.

“Hey, Taely McLore.”

The posture of Ed Rothtaylor which came into Taely’s view… clearly showed him rushing into the range of the greatsword voluntarily.

Had he stepped outside the range, he could have watched Taely McLore self-destruct and easily claim victory.

Yet despite this, Ed Rothtaylor deliberately entered the strike zone.

“When you swing a sword, you should know what you’re trying to cut. You dumb brat.”

What did that even mean? Clinging onto fading consciousness, Taely focused on the sight before his eyes… Ed Rothtaylor’s back was visible.

─He was in front of a wooden shelter, its entrance firmly blocked.

Whatever was inside, Ed risked entering the strike range to protect it.

-Kang!

“Kuh… Hoo…”

Pushing the greatsword aside, Ed Rothtaylor slumped in his upper body.

-Tadang, tang!

His dagger rolled on the ground. Blood flowed down from his shoulder, already drenching the ground.

“Yeah. You must have been through quite a lot too.”

Gritting his teeth, Ed Rothtaylor spread his arms and displayed them in a big “X,” as if announcing his presence.

Already barely able to stand, Ed struggled to maintain his posture while speaking slowly.

“I’ve already accomplished what I intended. Given that, I can afford to take a hit from a sword… out of a sense of duty.”

An antagonist must exit the stage cleanly, it seems.

While he had no hobby of deliberately taking a loss, Ed understood Taely’s situation.

Therefore, let himself be cut cleanly.

After all, Taely, given a chance, could never kill a person. With the power he had left, he couldn’t even manage a proper cut, let alone endanger a life.

With the final Sword Mastery – Desperation flickering out, Taely’s hand gripping the sword hilt trembled as if to loosen at any moment.

Still, there would undeniably be a sense of severe pain. Being slashed by a greatsword is dangerous, even if the opponent is in a terrible state.

However, to neatly conclude Taely’s journey, it was only proper for Ed to make a clean exit here.

It’s knowing when to exit that defines a life of value in a supporting role.

When one’s role ends, it’s time to step behind the stage.

That way, he could finally receive the diploma he so desired… and embark on his own life.

Ed Rothtaylor quietly mused with his eyes closed.

Now, let’s end it here.

March on, hero.

I as a supporting character will retreat behind the stage.

In the prepared audience seats, pre-guests are waiting—those who have completed their roles. Familiar faces abound.

The seat waiting for Ed Rothtaylor remains empty. The supporting characters who came down earlier are there, chatting amongst themselves.

It was supposed to be Ed Rothtaylor’s seat from the start but due to twisted events, it’s a bit late.

Still, having arrived at his place eventually… there was no reason to voice any complaints.

“Ed Rothtaylor! You are… finished now…!”

– Kwang!

– Fwaaaak!

– Fwush!

The final strike, given with a clenched jaw by a hand that was nearly depleted of strength.

From the left shoulder to the right waist, Ed’s blood blossomed.

While not a deep wound, the bleeding indicated a life-threatening situation.

The downpour of rain. And the blood.

Slowly, strength drained from Ed Rothtaylor’s legs.

-Thud.

In a night showered by rain,

Ed staggered backward several times then… with his hands gripping the bloody wound, he leaned against the entrance of the wooden shelter.

Gradually… sliding down the wall, his body slid down.

“Cough.. cough… alright…”

Ed, his eyes tightly shut, suddenly spoke anew.

“Well done….”

And so, the final boss of Act 5… Ed Rothtaylor fell.

A single stream of rainwater dripped down his chin and fell onto his blood-drenched school uniform shirt.

Despite having rolled in the mud countless times, the face that lay resting against the entrance of the wooden shelter was now peaceful and orderly.

*- Soaring rain

Thus, the curtain closed on the stage.

Taely McLore, the Sword Saint of Hardships, had overcome all obstacles and ultimately saved Aila McLore.

Much as the last lines of a traditional fairy tale suggest, this story also ended happily, something that had not been expected.

After all, things seldom unfold according to plan. One could only hope that the general direction somewhat aligns.

Taely could not fathom the inner thoughts of Ed.

Looking upon Ed’s figure, lying dormant against the entrance of the wooden shelter, one could only wonder about the burden he carried.

But ultimately, it was Aila’s safety that mattered most.

Taely gritted his teeth and maintained consciousness.

While there was still awareness left within him, he wanted to find where Aila was.

“Ugh… cough… ack…”

All challenges had passed. What seemed impossible had been overcome by Taely as he reached Ed’s location and prevailed.

It had been a trying path, but he had arrived at its end. Such is the life of a hero.

Everything concluded, a time for discussion would come. Why had Ed Rothtaylor behaved as he had? Perhaps the reasons would come to light later.

But at this moment, what mattered was finding Aila.

“Then… find Aila… somehow…”

At that moment, as he tried to lean on the sword to stand up again,

– Bang!

The world flipped upside down.

Momentarily, Taely couldn’t process what happened.

Vision spinning and a wave of nausea hit him. Feeling his head scrape the ground, he realized he had fallen back into the mud.

Strange indeed. Despite trying to breathe, no air entered his lungs.

Finally, catching his breath amid the rain, he realized someone’s knee pinned against his solar plexus.

“By all means! Medic! Call a medic quickly!”

“I’ll request support from the academy immediately!”

Then his vision began to focus on the grand procession that seemed to have just arrived.

At the edge of the Northern Forest entrance, a carriage stood waiting. Within the escort slipping into the woods… even the third princess of the Clorel Empire, Phoenia, was present.

Her voice echoed through the rain, reaching Taely’s ears as his gaze settled on the figure pinning him down.

In the muddy pit, a young girl drove her knee into Taely’s solar plexus, gripping his collar.

Her face hidden in the shade of a witch’s hat, but the glow of her eyes shone fiercely in the darkness.

Beyond the prickling of the skin, a sheer sense of horror overwhelms as their eyes meet.

Although small in stature and lacking any imposing presence one would expect from a girl.

Taely forgot to breathe once again.

– Rains are pouring

– Thud, thud.

Lucy Mayrill hates rainy days. She has few pleasant memories associated with them.

As she trampled on Taely’s solar plexus, her eyes, wide open, were even streaming with malice.

“You…”

The words that followed were drowned out by the noise of the rain.