Chapter 36: The Uncrossable Bridge (2)
KEzsoI’m sorry. We have to make a living too.IBW6imt
i61d5YQThe male student closed his eyes tightly and teleported to Shirone.DUqM772
C0CzT7Fatal injuries were inevitable in the event of a collision.iP0Xz
si53Eek!…… Huh?MKedf
XPHNvenHe cried out in fear, but he did not feel the impact he was preparing for.LcxeZ
JpSWhen he opened his eyes, Shirone was exactly 10 meters away from where he was.eDVOv
gbeeOLHe dodged?eOWA
TUi743GIn the process of traveling forwards, Shirone abruptly curved right to avoid a collision. It was better than dropping out due to a collision, but he still took a speed loss nonetheless.TpE
ZjIQThe female and male students plunged down with satisfied looks. They had successfully slowed down Shirone.hexdY
PEEZt9jNo!aXz
cCuUWkShirone, whose repetitive compulsion was cut off by the dodging he did just now, gritted his teeth and focused his mind to try and raise back his teleportation tempo.yR2V
fHfp“Hey. Just now, the movement of those two kids. Wasnt it kind of weird?”uLhZv
YZdQUA kid from the Intermediate class said with a frown.mpBzdp4
owjK2I thought so too. Maybe they just got tangled in a rush? No way they tried to crash on purpose.2Ror
p1vHYuBy no means was that an accident. They did it on purpose.M0ZR2
szbThe person who made that comment was a student from Class 5, Yiruki Mercodine.JFSW
WKKjUScShe was the same person who had given the advice to Shirone back then when he was in the Image Zone. She was thin as a rail, had heterochromia, jagged teeth, and a pointed nose.X12f
yZpdPHow are you so sure? Sure, it was suspicious, but you cant be positive unless youre part of the accused party.fElsGB
nTogmXWith one palm spread open, she collided it with her other hand which was clenched in a fist.mWV
eGXNWTxOne person blocks the road. The other hits from another side. Its a great strategy to block both the instantaneousness of teleportation and the space leap aspect of it. If Shirone didnt dodge by modifying his usual cycle, he would have fallen down. Well, I would have found some other way using equations of motion.Yx5OO
OdW3bHer classmates turned their heads towards the training ground again.YezX4
hOixSEGosh, what a poser.6jZgH
BKAJ5Meanwhile, Shirone began to get a little nervous after looking at the growing distance between him and Mark.tIac
9P7hs1350 meters remaining.Gg5n
bZWK01TBy the halfway point, the only competitors left were Shirone and Mark.pYE
34Kw9I won! Im first!nJzN
UVFUO6kConvinced that he was going to win, Marks body vibrated with excitement.X9JLez
ROEMudAlthough he had leaped about 40 times, seeing as how there was no one standing in his way, he did not feel fatigued.NBRrlc
DRpIm the one who will pass!Ltgg
kFfUkDHigh-speed promotion to Class 5. The faces of envious classmates and the sour faces of Class 6 upperclassmen crossed his mind.Dz9jO4
FfoHAHAHA! Im first!qp4cAg4
SmykMVAAs Mark sped up the tempo of his teleportation, the distance between him and Shirone began to widen even more.DlX
fk8M4sCMark is in good condition. He will complete the exam by the looks of it. At the rate Im going, I wont be able to retake first place.krX
gLnFThere was only one possible method left for Shirone.jY32
oytjaoGAcceleration.xrY
FhzWhile he might be able to get closer to Mark, the risk of breaking his routine was high.aKk2
3njKd7However, the only solution was to increase his teleportation link rhyme by a beat faster.z5lAi19
Ohvs3esHEUP!uYOA3mX
FhToWith clenched teeth, Shirones rhythm suddenly accelerated. The sound of the teleportation wave resounded like the beat of a drum.gfXb
ANYTbVThe excitement of the students reached its peak.b1pz
2wXwdShirone is starting to catch up! The winner is going to be decided soon!pIARkD4
MsLMark! Faster! Faster!cDwq
3YEh5sLike the last spurt of track and field, everyone’s adrenaline shot up as the distance shortened.tofLy
Wx3JThen, something strange was detected by Mark.E98vDvt
dkcThe iron bar of the Bridge That Cannot Be Crossed started fluctuating like waves.isV0qf2
frzNq3xMark frowned.BLfrKV
0wRcu8mAt first, he thought he was mistaken, but now he was sure that the bar was squirming around like a living creature.sesuRD
FP7m2What the?6ZJm
KEMpThe material of the Bridge That Cannot Be Crossed had alchemical components to it. It was a special material that could change its shape in response to electromagnetic force.XkpV
frLThere should be no obstacles though It should be set to level 1.wUm4
JVVShattering Marks belief, the bar bent like rubber and turned into a lasso.roeKJk
E3GBeAAK! What the hell!nAQGZ
lZdIZCAt the same time he freaked out, Marks body passed through the huge circle and came out the other way.sTZ
PVPOyThough the situation was not too dangerous, since the bar completed its transformation, it was now as solid as steel.kl5Lj
pqgvWhy is this happening?SWR1J
TYxIThen, the mechanical voice of a woman rang out within the training ground.yFOE
nqWGWarning. Warning. The engine system of the Bridge That Cannot Be Crossed has been activated. Level 10. Level 10.0yHhHG
tBW6What?x68W
Ua2TrI4While Mark was questioning who exactly was operating the engine system, he was also doubting if he had heard the system right. He heard it say level 10.tW5O9n
M3CThe black iron bar that bent and twisted created an ugly-shaped obstacle.ynB
O9jJUnWh-What is that?XV8iVE
2xNrKqSince Class 4 trained on a difficulty level of 6, The class 4 students watching couldnt help but fear for Mark and Shirone.GjKsZP
Ja5How the hell did this happen?! Why did the engine activate all of a sudden?!Jbs
kLrThe instructors were in disarray.I9H
Th8j3It was not enough that the safety device was turned off, but the difficulty of the traps was also at its highest.S1yOUWI
L3n0JThe advanced-class level obstacles had complex shapes and their speed was also very fast, so the risk of injury was extremely high.83B7aD
nK1IDamn it! Engine room!8XC
FiDIRAThadd was the first to teleport to fly off to the engine room, while the rest of the instructors questioned what to do now.AYKeEGS
GIBKoHeadmaster, what should we do now? The promotion examWOZVF
mCCThe only students left were Shirone and Mark. They had come so far.6Fgy3
z8xrMQyIf the exam was interrupted while there was no clear winner, some people might speak ill of the academy.PK73y
GnCTTA5In particular, since this was a promotion test, they would have to suffer pressure from many nobles.j8neD4m
uQuvLThis is not a simple promotion. Students who have already dropped out will insist on fairness as well.ZE2P4x
FmLAKIn that sense, the instructors questions were understandable, but Alpheas shouted in outrage.urJCK
MrhHXbAre you all really asking that right now?! Halt the exam immediately and signal the participants to stop!IOc6
6HyU4* * *evkT
RknES1bThadd, who came down to the ground with a boom from teleporting, frowned and headed towards the engine room.d9v1zGf
YvBdWhoever it is, if I catch youZ9Rio
J8L3biFor the prestigious Alpheas Magic Academy to have an engine system malfunction Its probably a mistake done by staff.jLi
OV33He roughly twisted the door to the engine room.iofXO
OSKHuh?ab8z4k
BWSHThe door was locked.OT8
lQWOThinking that maybe this whole thing was not a mistake, his eyes turned hard.bUx8GDe
rG1tOh, so you want a piece of me?w819mU
zwR4While he held up his right hand that held a big fireball, he felt the inside of the room with his Spirit Zone.40DaYk2
G8bP3lPWhat?hyz
hbkSomeone had their back against the iron door.jd9
ooB9bAIf he released his fireball like this, it would put that person in danger, so he first sent a warning.PzSVB7
nbpvOpen the door. Now. Im going to cast Fire Strike. If you dont open the door, youll die.kkWEWy9
nEnQcVdI dont care. In fact, please do it.MWK
qrJ5You Are you Maria?EvF
JDO68Although Thadd had never been her instructor, she had entered the academy while he was in the Advanced class.j1RMQ
ErZIt is Maria, isnt it? What are you doing? The promotion exams a mess. This has turned into a huge problem.aYaMTR
jYYkIbIm sorry. I troubled everyone once again.e89AUBL
FLCNCVIFirst, let’s talk face-to-face.nAaU
YuOEMr. Thadd, am I going to be expelled? Will I go to jail?xLJsm
Mxznt5gNo, Maria. I dont know what your circumstances are, but Ill listen.bHiz
W3twX8I dont think I was thinking straight. I only came to my senses after I did everything. I mustve gone mad. Im sorryJEpn0
jSLaukSo open the door. I dont want to use harsh methods.25Do2q
nl7vWWBut the thing is I dont want to live, Mr. Thadd. What should I do?JQUmcVr
By3Ee……0lqfrN
dXLHearing Marias cry, Thadd quietly put out the flame in the palm of his hand.jcxkdw6
uP0rmHe no longer thought of turning off the engine system to turn the promotion exam back to normal. He knew it was going to get canceled anyway and that the students would be fine.1wGt3M2
zDPLMaria Earlin.6Qn
viuWhat kind of a student was she?jYcDVN
WW0DTnA quiet, timid child whose name had never once appeared on any paperwork at the academy.rNdF
nsur3All right, I understand.1Uzna
vdard* * *KCQ1KB
ggY* * *CVB8
JdGx5Thadd scratched his head and turned his back. He just leaned against the railing as if to say he didnt want to think further.dm1qxZ
tetADGvIf you dont want to come out, dont.Zt3
XR6ImMaria did not answer.7uK3EZ
3f4yH8However, the fact that he didnt try to turn the handle and start yelling at her calmed her a little.7eu
oUL7CAmidst the silence, Thadd looked up at the sky.U6Ub
R1RBrpStill the same.EMdY
xZRlIThe blue sky of the Alpheas Magic Academy that he so hated during his academy life.nTV4N1
6RGMIMr. Thadd.GAa
tqh3IYes?o6XI
Ggf3tYou hate me, right?Clj
63WDont you know? I dont hate girls.fmPY
G9UWhy is the world so unfair?O63ky
bxBF6zWhy? Cases where someone is born as pretty as you are rare. Youre not lacking in any way.qi7
MRn6You, someone whos called a genius mage, wouldnt know what it means to have no talent. Even if I do my best, despair is always waiting for me ahead. It feels like anything I do just goes down the drain. Nothing feels like its working, I cant seem to do anything. Do you know what that feels like? Do you know how daunting that is?xofgk
wgi…Of course. I know that feeling very much.RaSbIr
CK2Maria turned her head toward the iron door.krT
POQYou do?aww
KIqI graduated when I was 22, so its already been four years since Ive become an instructor. When you entered the academy, I must have been in the Advanced class. You know Im a graduate from here, right?iBRI
n9TW4XuYes.fj9Ix
hM2cYThen do a bit of thinking. Have you ever heard of a student named Thadd attending this academy?O9o9Fn8
FpOIE6Now that she thought about it, she couldnt remember a single time she heard his name during his time as a student.xiRym
OTIiwCShirone was an outlier as he was the topic of the students gossip as soon as he entered the academy.qJOO5U
L0FlKNo, never.Ro6K
xz4tAnd that makes perfect sense. My grades were low, I didnt have any talent, and in addition to that, I wasnt from a big, rich family. In fact, I used to always go start fights outside of the academy.VvBoB
AvV5HYou did?GL9ZJr
Os8Yeah. It took me an average of two years to go up a class. Hell, when I got into the Advanced Class, it started taking me three. Though, I know things are a little different for you.lAx5C
azJvThadd continued while imagining Maria sulking.WwQVenN
iz5But arent our situations quite similar? Unless you are the best period, everyone is bound to fail or be defeated someday. The same principle applies to me. I had gotten into the Advanced Class, but I flunked my classes every time without fail.oW3jP
G3M4IdlBut howvLL5
o3ZHow did I become who I am now? Its all luck. Luck. I met a wicked mage who yelled and scolded me. You know, I convinced myself that I was doing my best, but compared to others, that best was nothing. And struggling to defeat someone was something I got sick of. But one day, that same wicked mage, told me thisajT51Hq
QkDUBrThadd recalled that time.0Vv9j6
YmETo dream of success while not having the courage to give up something in order to achieve it is arrogance.H7MzFN
vLvMaria kept silent, but a lot of thoughts were going through her head.NAqbe
U7kTMaria, you dont need to compete. You dont always have to win over someone. If you like magic, there you go. Thats all you need. There are people in this world who dont wish to compete with anyone. Like me. While it may be a tougher path than the one most tread, you have the courage to take that path. Its something you can do.woH
uFk9Something I can doad6
aZqMaria asked.RB3e7R
t1nx7What kind of person was he? The mage that scolded you?mJHfYS1
klZlhWHes someone youre very familiar with. The headmaster of the Alpheas Magic Academy.VTzi
mAZReally? The Headmaster?tN19ihG
pFu3Thadds eyes dimmed at the memory.5oW
GanjXYes. From that day on, I became his full-time student and received private tutoring. It was a great privilege. Well, thanks to that, my life worked out for the best. Doesnt that explain why a dirtbag like me gets called a genius? Its because I was taught by a man whose name is known all around the continent. Hows that? Jealous yet? Life is all about luck. Hahaha!7D6X
sniVMaria once again felt blue.dRE
ZiSBSo, what Im really trying to say is, the world isnt fair. Some people are born with talent while most arent. Some, whether its because theyre dim-witted or laid-back, jump into any competition. Some just work their butts off. But for someone like me who has no talent or anything like it for that matter, sometimes, very occasionally, a miracle happens. Thats why I find life worth living.p0pI
aJfEDYaThadd rose from his seat and turned around.JbJLHJj
8kwtj3What do you think, Maria? Wouldnt ending things here be a waste and an affront to the effort you put in to get this far? How about trying just a little bit more?3doz4Z
FKxMaria dug her face into her knees.OqVgu
ZG5OWhat more are you saying I should do? That miracle you mentioned I dont even know if it will ever come Like, what if it never comes? Then what would happen to me?lUKbHy
Hy3w1What are you saying, Maria?ziwkG
y3KWjKpThadd spoke with his hand against the iron door.60VnU
M5gThe miracle youre looking for? Youre looking right at it.w8pd8
k83u……zVjtI
3cQCZoMaria’s face scrunched up.cQeOePP
Gty95BHeukP1NTnO
gMrtgPerhaps those were the words she’d been hoping to hear her entire life. Warm tears dripped down her face.Ua4
qkFHNlwCan you trust me and try one more time? Ill help you become an outstanding mage.HGXkPg
2LVFX2Really? You think I can do it?BfNGzIO
hU4AWgTOf course. Talent isnt being good at something. Its having the heart to love that something so much your body devotes every facet of its being into it. That heart makes everything possible. Maria, youre an excellent student.IwqSCeS
jYH0Maria started sobbing.hcQte
kprFJ6She, who was pouring out her emotions, suddenly realized and opened the iron door.tmjf1n
wurxxHMr. Thadd, quickly, the system!8m2H4Nf
vK4wIts already too late. When I got here, an Illumination magic flashed. The promotion exam is canceled.iePG
41e4Th-ThenHzcEN5D
PPprL5yThe situation has gotten a little complicated, but Ill take care of it.ImFg
9642zp4At that moment, a person suddenly appeared in front of them. It was Siena.Ouq
TcGnMr. Thadd! What in the world are you doing?aOx3Bo
JiM3Ms. Siena?HU8M
Hllw6cqShe first glared daggers at him, but after seeing Maria, her face was full of shock.KlnL0Ml
3OQhThadd questioned.kO5RJON
tvxIcWWhy? The exam is already over. More than that, the person responsible for this incidentqLSy
L9jdEIts not over!eSG26N
gnoEmWhat?Oua
NbGBoth of them did not give up. Im saying the competition is still ongoing!nbu
O37Was that even possible?UF2yqO
FKNLevel 10 of the Bridge That Cannot Be Crossed was a practice assignment for the Advanced Class.ruiBs
A4O5Of course, it was not an assignment that those in the Advanced Class really worried about, but for the two who were in Class 7, completing it was nigh impossible.Ucj
xKOImAH! FUCK!RCxCYm
IB17THThadd, who grasped the magnitude of the situation, was about to turn to the engine room, but a flash caused by Spatial Warp turned up near them.N3eU6b
HHY8cdiEthella rushed over.hCbNKN
QKUS6Instructors! Something big happened!YZMw
JwqsPSeeing her pale face, Siena asked while trying to hide her anxiety.hgH
byV1xAWhat happened?rlU
O6kbEthella shouted.E7I0kGY
U1bRAShirone, Shirone is!ahX8T
What did you think of this chapter?
Report comment
Please select the reason for reporting this comment. False reports may result in account suspension.
0 Comments
There are no comments yet. Be the first!