Chapter 342: Tradition of the Inter-Academy Tournament (5)
HDBlLThe carriage we were riding in sped through the air at full speed. And this was already the fifth lap.NkKW
4jgH1This race ended after ten laps around the colossal battlefield. We were exactly at the midpoint between the first and second halves.6cr5aRE
WE1j99“Ah, what a shame! Once again, Joaquin Academy fails to overtake Parsy Academy by the narrowest of margins!”rDcKkz
y52Us8The announcer sighed with a voice that didn’t convey even a hint of regret. In fact, he sounded excited.Uz1h4
Q3bVEy‘Joaquin has awakened in its own way.’ezLFct
awKtnWith Victoria’s strengthened mental fortitude, Sköll and Hati, who had been running like tortoises, transformed into hares. However, even now in the second half, a comeback still seemed distant. The flow of the race remained under Parsy’s control, with only a barely noticeable lead.0dj0c0
J6n6ntThe announcer.tha9s5
aeIGA man destined to keep the fire of interest burning in the hearts of the audience, the spectators, and the sponsors.dUvG7
Y34DZtf“Ah! That was the perfect chance! And they let it slip away again!”YXQ
LT8U“This will make the rest of the race even tougher!”44xTMrx
njLNI know he’s just doing his job, but he’s getting on my nerves. Because of him, even the carriage’s speed seemed to be dropping. Victoria’s mental energy—so difficult to raise—was starting to wane.UoLQ
DMVN4I7It’s not like I can jump out mid-race to go after the announcer.fmmmk
ti3Maybe afterward, but not now. In the end, it’s my decision.XFj
2QaxpVictoria had already shown her full potential. She had placed a seemingly lost race back on the right track.e23
fgA8XO9Now it was the teacher’s turn.xba13OF
VkDhMO‘Only by containing my spirit can I make a comeback.’wAD
jAZswIf only I had the Raven’s blessing.v4FDM
9dEYCBut that possibility had already been ruled out. No point regretting it now, idiot. Even if I had received it, there was always the risk of incompatibility.Atm
GsaIf complementary blessings exist, then so do opposing ones. When blessings clash, the result… well, I don’t even want to imagine it. According to the wiki, it starts with soul destruction and ends with the body slowly disintegrating.i1Q
cOZo‘I must control my power in my own way.’yrKXB22
TXPI wetted my lips. The harsh taste of sand filled my mouth as I focused.uD7WcH
srfoXI also recalled something Knox had once said.NWpfd
R9TfHkU— What does using the Raven’s blessing feel like? Hmm, well… first you mark a point in your mind. Fix it as a target and then imagine focusing all your energy into that point.cyR
Osg8so“Parsy has just completed their sixth lap! And right now, Joaquin crosses the line with a 2.14 second delay!”YsPZywY
F6n5H7w— It’s important to detach your awareness from the present. Heavenly Sword, in your terms, it’s like turning off a local TV signal. You should only think of one thing. channeling your power.Qqxgz
TFTrq“Parsy seems to have completely changed their strategy! At first, it looked like they wanted to devour Joaquin’s Sun and Moon, but faced with fierce pursuit, it seems they’ve shifted their focus to the finish line…”Xyz
obaX— There’s a common misconception. That the more you concentrate your power, the weaker it becomes. That’s not true. The principle of power—of spirit—is just the opposite.PJjgu1R
FI1O“…!”BY1R
Jv0g— A water gun shoots better when the hole is smaller.mVtAcpy
UyDoBOOOOM!BFmx
qxuQkWith a deafening roar, the carriage nearly flipped.vXem
SeISVictoria held the reins and managed to keep the balance, and Parsy barely managed to regain theirs as well.gR4QU
eutA“Incredible! It’s incredible, ladies and gentlemen!”3RYrCh
lLVp3bsJoaquin’s carriage rammed into Parsy’s.a5Zw
LEB6CuThe wheels and metal panels of both scraped against each other, sending violent sparks flying through the air.OI5
zbbj“Joaquin! The carriage carrying the Heavenly Sword and Princess Victoria is cornering Parsy!”XF2q
8FDpYRkThe distance between the two was nearly zero.9p6LQT
XQgGIt would’ve been ideal to devour the Sun and Moon right then, capitalizing on the momentum.VpaAPGj
gib‘A single mistake and we could lose all the ground we’ve gained.’j9ZJ53U
kIeMnThe difference between ambition and greed, Kang Geom-Ma.QKdmY
BmQ5QThat’s the essence of the “focus on a single point” that Knox mentioned.dZUeO
Gur9hJj“The real battle starts now, ladies and gentlemen!”SL7
lBvqM“And now, a word from our sponsor—Blackbull! An energy drink that helps maintain focus. Available in all convenience stores!”7oxe
bdiZ***zd7
GG1nVW“Tch, damn it!”yTHAN
yJ2KThe curses struck the faces of Kang Geom-Ma and Victoria with force.rLP1
rWuZEdward was on the verge of an emotional outburst, but when his eyes met Kang Geom-Ma’s, he swallowed his words.BOcq
b05“Princess, you always rely solely on your halo. Always!”lAf5hMd
17AbcIt seemed he had decided that instead of resorting to crude insults, it was more effective to attack her mentally.rqhzkg
GVZAnd unintentionally, it was indeed an effective strategy from Edward’s point of view.uS8FeIO
i18RyKang Geom-Ma and Victoria were mentally linked, trying desperately to close the gap.msRp
Jt4fUKang Geom-Ma and Parsy’s instructor remained silent by unspoken agreement.USa
95SDgParsy’s instructor didn’t dare intervene in a real dispute between royals, while Kang Geom-Ma was simply curious about Victoria’s lineage.ddJ8
RGuThe British Imperial royal family kept most of its internal affairs under wraps.wDTSbO
GcEsEven during the clash between the 6th Corps Commander Basmon and the Seven-Star Hero, or the Second Human-Demon War, they remained silent.7LXhgNa
U4MToStill, no one but a few noble factions like Nibelung dared criticize them.Nmn
RBAEY‘More than pressure, it’s likely because they’re deeply entangled with Victoria’s royal lineage interests.’ulJgu
gF37hThat secrecy began to unravel in this conversation.Zr3D8dE
gLMXw39Kang Geom-Ma restrained his aura and sharpened his hearing. Edward’s voice pierced like a thorn.BMzVW1C
9TPW“How is it that yesterday and today, you always rely on others—on your family? Doesn’t that shame you, as a member of royalty?”0bf6
oTx2eK“……”AWlU1LE
ju30Hn“His Majesty must be watching this competition too. Do you really think he’ll be pleased with what he sees? You clinging to the Heavenly Sword like a parasite!”GxE6Ho
TEzXOD2“…Shut your mouth…”qTl
ts6Victoria bit her lower lip hard.O9uxkD
21FE“Did you think no one would know why you’ve fallen out of His Majesty’s favor despite being first in line? That fake virtue of yours!”dkw
Shlh“I said… shut your mouth!”xSECAS
4O70NR“That abolition of privilege you preach… His Majesty knows your hypocrisy better than anyone.”lK80V
wSi99A deep crack formed on Victoria’s face. Edward, sensing he’d hit the mark, continued.9l6NfN
Wee“Every word, every step within the royal family reaches His Majesty’s ears. Princess, even your beloved nanny wasn’t an exception! She was the one who confessed your most intimate thoughts!”XCczMRZ
TsNEverything gets relayed to the Emperor.72JU
oo2sCThat’s the core reason no rumor escapes the royal family’s walls.QZ9a9X
0vHVtUIt’s a system where the Emperor monopolizes all matters of lineage, lasting over 400 years.qS2O6Yi
8AE6nXVictoria’s royal family was especially centralized.9RJ
9QqhqeThe leader was called Emperor, and his children were simply princess or prince.aZj
jW08That was the structure.vNoXivQ
dLGwjThey were subjects before being children—technically, his property.o4Q9Gy
kBlWhoooosh.FU8y7vT
2UoJZWithout realizing it, a gust of dusty wind swept across Victoria’s face. The gritty wind momentarily pulled her from reality.Sam
vs5o‘Everything is a piece of the Emperor.’TMJM
nPU0CDRThe royal family is a colossal machine.gRM14
4ccDThe Emperor is the pilot. The rest are just components executing orders.a6Dqv51
zynFOne of the gifts passed down the royal line is the Blessing of the Owl. Its ability is absolute memory.VRYn
JeXhCXIt’s the blessing that determines the heir—birth order comes second.Q0F
6lePrincess Victoria inherited that blessing. That’s why, even the moment she first opened her eyes in the cradle remains etched in her memory.52wGAz
LXwA mobile made of springs, a metal crib that even blocked the top like a cage, and the Emperor’s sharp gaze watching her through the bars.44WhG
RHyeChills. Just remembering made her chest tighten.Mq1
vM5g‘The Emperor is a machine.’eL0
T7ZS26All the monarchs in her family’s history ended up the same way. Machines. The blood in their veins was nothing but oil to keep functioning.IvWG
H5GEljxThanks to the “Blessing of the Owl,” which remembers and possesses everything, they eventually stopped being human—becoming biological artificial intelligences.Wvr5Qx
KAnqfmOnly thinking and issuing orders for the royal family’s continuity.Q0v4Dc
kdmUzxK‘I was destined for that too…’vVbBGJ
3XfWKzTwo people changed her fate of becoming a monstrous machine.SUqi
3MbyHer nanny—a fiery presence in the cold imperial palace.ihYuVQ
YJO0x‘And the other person is…’ic7f5
I3gbmShe glanced sideways.z5v5zyP
RKuB40The one beside her now. It was to connect with him directly that she entered Joaquin Academy.kaY
VAcRa1Ten years ago, on that day—oUBG
sIVenH‘To us…’73lRMkd
BnVThe breath of Heavenly Sword before the war.VUazWa
uTcOBD***R6B
HOToCGy‘May the blessing of the gods be with us.’F8ZXvNV
6TLAt nine years old, Victoria felt her heart tremble for the first time. It was the first time she heard the word “us.”HtW76U
rB4RjFlash.Uzew
vm30kaThe dust that had blocked her vision cleared. Reality dragged her mind back.RXJPnDK
RWx9m“Seven and a half laps! Both chariots have collided and are still completing a lap and a half like that!”8nQM
A70qa8“Not even in the last two tournaments was there such a fierce showdown!”o5yg
WqxQEdward’s face was filled with impatience.bIXIxj1
c4cD5‘So Victoria took emotional damage.’XwcNK
ycDVictoria had lost strength; the reins in her hand hung loose, like a sagging curve. If you’ve landed a solid hit, you need to follow up with another.lMp7B3
6BUxaVC“Eight laps completed! Two to go!”Ixy
VRKJust as Edward was about to continue speaking—ADnSdH1
5C2Voooom.SLQ
GNKKang Geom-Ma’s, the Heavenly Sword’s, gaze turned a vivid red and enveloped him.Fl0EB1E
0ayYZOgEdward’s fingers tensed and he momentarily lost control of his speech.ivMO8
jPZt‘Damn monster…!’1Hv
kV2HBut the metallic scent that had been irritating his nose faded slightly. Kang Geom-Ma had lost focus and canceled his “single-point concentration.”9dqMJ
X6qQ8“Now—!”X8tAS0b
7hJsgLaEdward sharply leaned his torso to the left. The chariot, which had been charging straight ahead, swerved diagonally.6jpF
UPJCrash!hJh
IZTedFHe rammed Joaquin’s chariot into the outer wall of the combat field.FV92
PnaKTNThe path they left behind was scorched and blackened.74CaRg0
SAjDdFThe audience stood as one and leaned forward.TQiFR
ogKx“Princess, you’re not worthy of Victoria’s royal line! Here and now, you and the Heavenly Sword will lose to me!”8u8
6u9PrnXClack!HBYYu3Z
x9emeA bolt popped off and the left wheel of Joaquin’s chariot came off its axle. Edward used the momentum to keep ramming their chariot.NTb
atd“You’ll lose to me, and the Heavenly Sword will lose to Victoria’s royal family!”D2cL
CoMThe right wheel was also shattered, and Joaquin’s chariot, dragging through the dirt, finally collapsed.cUgFGr0
0sTOGl9Parsy’s chariot pulled away calmly, shaking its rear arrogantly.SWUGXv6
pjMqy6K“P-Parsy! Widens the gap and heads straight to victory!”NS71
SWMX“A match that once seemed even has been decisively settled!”oPvoG0
ujG3DI5“Behold the cunning of the third-year student from Parsy Academy!”V0yV
eGYWoooooo!zKE
tDImNDThe crowd erupted in boos and thumbs-down. But Edward, having stranded Joaquin’s chariot, didn’t even flinch. He kept driving with pride.L6E
xeKSe3lMeanwhile, a sudden silence hung over Joaquin’s stopped chariot. Sköll and Hati, exhausted, hung their tongues out.4jLc4
ZYzzAmid the looming defeat, Victoria calmly opened her mouth.VZ8BP
hMl“Heavenly Sword… I’m sorry. I lost focus for a moment.”ATXq6YP
twK“No. Actually, I zoned out for a second too. So this one’s on us.”2OX
ELD“…‘Us’?”7DcmBtG
Dd5Why? Why did those two syllables resonate so strongly in her chest?EoiMKp
5P8“Ninth lap! Parsy Academy’s chariot is just one lap away from finishing the tournament!”FPahO
WKfM“Ah! At this pace, they might devour Joaquin’s iron wheel and win outright!”6GIBxBx
sI4zVLQ“If that happens, it’ll be the most humiliating defeat for Joaquin Academy!”jBpi
jDBHJLVictoria let out a faint laugh.eARp
BIwJ“We’re already on the eighth lap. That’s how long it took us to sync our strength.”nH6i3wx
wh7“Remember the beginning. Princess.”Zh4w
PLG8“Victoria.”z1mC
5l1JHer firm gaze startled Kang Geom-Ma. At the correction, Victoria gave a small smile.pdxzeT
qBh8jnW“Victoria… At first, we only growled at each other. Closing the gap this much in just fifteen minutes is already an accomplishment.”yGoR
2oI“And that’s enough for the Heavenly Sword?”cralx
xyIwUP7“…”KFyxE
zKD“Is it okay to lose like this?”MqsXJ
oVn“No. You don’t want to lose either, right?”M7x
zVulE“No. I don’t. Arrogant as it may sound, I’ve almost never lost in my life.”73F
I2z“Me neither.”d0P
KNcfCVBoth of them smiled broadly. Instantly, Kang Geom-Ma drew his sashimi knife and slashed the anchor connecting the chariot to the wolves.tZEd
JOvBSlash!L43c
EoMVictoria leapt nimbly from the chariot. She united the Sun and Moon—Sköll and Hati—and activated her blessing. Then she threw away everything except the long pole they used as the chariot’s yoke.cO9a
u3bgwFSköll and Hati tilted their heads in confusion. Realizing their new role, they mounted the twin wolves.1CYC
9QkF“Bite this.”zyFu
J1HCGeNVictoria shoved the pole into Hati’s mouth. He bit down, still puzzled, and Sköll also clamped onto it firmly.Lfw
qAxThe move was so unexpected that the commentator—and the entire audience—were in shock. The announcer screamed, representing everyone:jx9Q0k
49EAG9“What the hell is that!?”KYKAA
g81sHV“An improvised chariot.”IbM
MGQCUIn sync, Kang Geom-Ma gently tapped Sköll’s side with his heel. The wolf shook off fatigue, regained his momentum, and locked eyes with Hati.F9o
F1kTVwThey both nodded. In their slitted eyes, a fighting spirit flared, and they lunged forward, unleashing their full power.2UBWf
XaCnZDThe new chariot shot forward like lightning. The heavy iron hoop that had once only been dragged now lifted slightly from the ground from the speed.wd9I3Wz
yXwDThe wolves’ front and rear legs crossed beneath their bellies like shadows. Their breaths synced, and Kang Geom-Ma softly stroked Sköll’s nape and ducked low. Victoria did the same.Yt2il
VVydKGAuuuuuuh! Auuuuuuh!Ptl
l6XTSköll and Hati howled loudly.pIM43dH
LAxThey moved so fast it was hard to believe they were living beings. Like cheetahs, they stretched their bodies like springs, pushing every fiber of muscle to its limit.srFJp
QLHvGR“It’s impossible… impossible!”W62mB
cCYwWS0“Joaquin’s ‘chariot’ just completed a full lap in an instant!”pqo
U14qcz“Parsy’s chariot was half a turn from the finish line!”p9R
YCSUA“But now they’re being caught from behind!”zzb0m
g0a“An unpredictable match! A true classic to close the tournament!”ZeA2Wd
zLiPKKPEdward and his instructor turned suddenly. Their lips were pale from shock.WgHJ
uu0c“Damn it! What the hell is this!?”qsF3
qeObrTheir wolves were still running, but they began to lose speed. Joaquin’s wolves had recovered a bit from the break, while Parsy’s had never stopped.ia6A
VLaGTheir endurance had reached its limit.qfcD4
G0cYjQpAnd seeing the finish line near, their muscles began to relax with a sense of relief. The one fleeing always uses more energy than the one chasing.royuv
dle5B“The distance between them is about one meter!”n9BwSd
RzQV“Only 10 meters left for Parsy to cross the finish line!”ytaS
rRo6mThe gap closed sharply. Sköll and Hati of Joaquin crunched down on the pole with a dry snap and opened their jaws wide.NwH
YF4pGFTheir sharp fangs bared just before reaching the enemy chariot’s wheel.2URJM
LPuCEDkBoom!CKzk
dKK5HSThe tip of Joaquin’s chariot and Parsy’s rear finally collided.X7pX
TKfW6x“T-The match is over! The winner is…!”FgUP
6icxvAt***rAJ2Reu
S5sThey had given it their all. Exhaustion loosened his abdomen, and a silly laugh escaped.JFwr2Za
pWowLSticky warmth trickled down his cheek. Sköll and Hati, snuggled against his sides, licked his face.xOO
XiZRi“It’s okay, boys. It wasn’t really your fault.”pzED
6red“Kehgehgeh.”12S1N
0XcF“And if it was, it was forgivable.”yF1ftyR
cXETA“…”XNyjp
uwhQJ“You guys never let me joke around. It just burns inside.”LV4yM
HwUDqjHe brushed away their muzzles and turned his head. Victoria was staring at him without blinking.9Dh
jd4i0“Good job. Really, we almost had it.”Dt3i
fXgiesN“No.”xtqukuh
6TkYLJ2Victoria looked up at the audience. Their cheers weren’t for Parsy—they crashed like bricks onto their shoulders.2QXk
mjgOThe victors, Parsy, left the stadium booed and dishonored.q50I
6omyT5“————!”cjNTu
JwTOzThousands of voices chanted their names. Static electricity seemed to course through every corner of his body.QWRf
qu95JTsAnd if he felt like that, having been through it many times—how must Victoria feel? Better to leave that to the imagination.vQN
uoP5TVictoria turned her gaze from the crowd to him.G3SGMo
m7b3fX5She dried her hand on the hem of her skirt and offered it for a shake.1Mu
IuXT“It was an honor to share this with you.”VRe
2gwhsMu“Win no matter what in the final match.”wUsuHd
9SoHe gripped her hand.NxDpQ
kwc0“Yes.”pBd
AErqZVictoria smiled without any shadow.WludU
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!