Demon King of the Royal Class

Chapter 380

Tana looked bewildered for a moment, but soon shook it off and looked at Ellen.

“If both fighters are using Mana Reinforcement, a headbutt would not be enough to take an opponent’s life. O-of course, it was a bit surprising...”

Tana had initially fallen for it because she hadn’t expected Ellen to headbutt her, and also because she knew that in a real fight, such a move wouldn’t be very effective.

If Tana had been focused on using her Mana Reinforcement properly, Ellen’s headbutt would have been the worst possible move, as it would be easily countered by someone more skilled. Tana had been so taken aback by Ellen’s sudden use of such a tactic that she actually stuttered.

She had probably thought, ‘Well, she’s the hero’s sister and supposedly very skilled, so surely she wouldn’t do that?’ It was a kind of complacency born from an unfounded belief.

“... I felt like I wouldn’t stand a chance otherwise,” Ellen said.

Tana fell silent for a moment. Ellen, who was sure that she would lose otherwise, had come up with an unorthodox and highly improbable plan. Whatever the case, she did manage to land a hit.

Tana seemed to agree. ‘Uh... she’s not wrong, is she?’ her expression said.

“It was a good, unexpected move. I couldn’t respond to it, after all. But don’t rely too much on such tactics. Still, it was an excellent move, and I was definitely caught off guard.”

Despite the unexpected and somewhat crude attack, Tana seemed to admire Ellen’s cleverness. It was the definition of what an adult’s response should be.

“I’m sorry,” Ellen said, bowing her head to Sabioleen Tana, thinking her actions had been rude.

Ellen had resorted to a headbutt because she’d felt there was no other way to win.

It was surprising to see her do something so cute. Of course, against an opponent not of Tana’s caliber, that headbutt would have broken their nose.

“There’s nothing to apologize for. Finding a way to deal with an opponent you can’t face head-on is also a skill.”

“... Yes.”

There was a nice sentiment behind them, but the words still grated on Ellen’s nerves. Of course, Sabioleen Tana probably wasn’t even aware of it. At her level, there was no need to conform to anyone else’s standards, but she was still doing her best to guide us while sparring.

Sabioleen Tana pointed her training sword at Ellen, indicating that such surprise tactics wouldn’t work again.

“Let’s go again.”

“Yes,” Ellen replied, squaring up to Sabioleen Tana again. She too seemed determined not to use any more shallow tricks.

Naturally, Ellen lost every match. However, there are levels to every defeat, and Ellen was never humiliated to the extent that the other three of us were.

***

Aside from the first time when Ellen had surprised Tana with a headbutt, Ellen did not attempt it again, and Tana was ready for any surprise.

In the end, Ellen lost all five practice duels, even though fierce blows were exchanged in each duel. Tana had not gone all out, as she was trying to gauge Ellen’s capabilities, but that made it harder for her to find openings in Ellen’s defense.

Once the five practice duels were over, Tana looked over at us.

“Ellen and Reinhart, stay. The rest of you can leave.”

Cliffman and Ludwig looked a bit puzzled, but they could hear the seriousness in Tana’s voice, and so they left the training grounds.

She sent the two of them away, and I remained behind, standing beside Ellen.

I had a feeling about what Tana intended to do.

“Bring ‘it’ out.”

“...”

“I need to see your true strength.”

This was the first time Sabioleen Tana was seeing Ellen Artorius’s skills. Ellen hadn’t participated in the tournament, and Tana wasn’t an official swordsmanship instructor. A practice duel was just that—a practice duel. Just as Tana couldn’t be completely serious, Ellen hadn’t been fighting with all her might either.

As the strongest swordswoman in the empire, Tana seemed intent on accurately gauging Ellen’s abilities.

Ellen silently summoned Lament, which appeared in her right hand. She possessed another relic, but she had only told me about it and did not seem to want to reveal it.

A blue aura enveloped the training sword Tana held. A flimsy training sword would break or be cut through if it clashed with Lament.

The mark of a Swordmaster: the Aura Blade... Ellen quietly observed the mana flowing through Tana’s sword. She was someone who had surpassed even a Swordmaster.

Sabioleen Tana regarded Ellen with a serious expression. This was no longer the time for games.

“Fight as if you’re trying to kill me.”

It was very similar to what had happened with Cliffman not long ago, but the situation was entirely different.

‘You can try to kill me, but you will never succeed.’

That was the implication.

“Yes.”

Ellen took a deep breath as she faced Sabioleen Tana. Ellen was not going to hesitate as she knew that no matter how seriously she fought, she was no match for her opponent.

Surrounded by mana, Ellen charged at Sabioleen Tana, Lament in hand.

Clang!

The clash of the Aura Blade against Lament produced a piercing sound that echoed through the training grounds, threatening to tear eardrums apart.

The sound was not the only effect of the clash of swords. Ellen’s hands, which were holding Lament, were flung upwards as if they were about to soar into the sky, leaving her torso exposed.

Tana didn’t miss the opportunity.

Thud!

“Ugh...!”

Ellen gasped as Tana’s left fist struck her solar plexus, causing her to collapse.

“Ha... ugh...!”

With her Mana Reinforcement dispelled, Ellen clutched her chest, gasping for breath, while Tana silently watched her.

“The Aura Blade is not just a sharp sword. By freely manipulating mana waves, a simple clash of swords can cause one’s opponent to feel an intense amount of recoil,” Tana explained.

Ellen was still panting.

“I intended to make you drop your sword, but you held on. I’ll commend you for that.”

I knew that Ellen was no match for her, but it was shocking to see her in such a state after just a single blow.

“Haa... haa...” Ellen continued to catch her breath.

Tana looked down at Ellen with a cold gaze. “You’re strong, and you will become stronger.”

“...”

“Just as the fundamentals of swordsmanship change when you use Mana Reinforcement, they must change again when you wield an Aura Blade. If your opponent is a Swordmaster, you can’t face them the way you face other opponents.”

“...”

“I’ll teach you how to face a Swordmaster when you’re not one, how to confront an Archmage, and how to deal with monsters, demons, and armies.”

Until now, Tana had spoken to Ludwig, Cliffman, and me at a level that we could understand, teaching us what we needed to do. Suddenly, though, she was teaching Ellen how to face a Swordmaster.

Tana’s sudden shift was likely because of the potential she had seen in Ellen during their practice duel.

“Stand up, Ellen Artorius.”

“...”

Ellen was focusing on her breathing, her gaze fixed on the floor of the training grounds.

“You don’t have the freedom to be weak.”

Ellen had no choice but to be strong. She wanted to protect what was precious to her. She had decided to bear this burden, and so she had to endure this level of harshness.

Ellen slowly rose to her feet. The light in Ellen Artorius’s eyes was not extinguished. The strongest knight of the empire was genuinely trying to teach her something, and her eyes showed a determination to learn.

Sabioleen Tana looked at Ellen. Her face betrayed no emotion, but I could still read her thoughts.

‘If only it were me instead of these young ones. That would be better.

‘Why did the gods choose you as adversaries of the Demon King...? Why must you be the ones to get hurt...? Do I still have no role to play...?’

“Here I come.”

“... Yes.”

Her sorrow stemmed from the tragic fate that she believed awaited the two of us.

***

Tana appeared anxious. She seemed to believe that if we didn’t become stronger quickly, while there was still time, we might suffer meaningless deaths when the moment of need arrived.

In the original story, Tana took charge of Ludwig and Ellen, the relic holders, after the Gate Incident had already occurred. Even then, Tana was a harsh teacher towards Ludwig, but could not focus as much on Ellen. At that point in time, Ellen was already somewhat complete, while Ludwig still had many shortcomings.

However, at this point in our timeline, there was still some leeway despite the sense of urgency, which was why Tana could focus on Ellen, who had greater potential for growth. Additionally, Alsbringer’s master had yet to be decided.

Tana had pointed out what Ludwig and Cliffman needed to correct at their respective stages, but she said she would teach Ellen how to fight—how to go up against a Swordmaster, an Archmage, demons, devils, and armies. She intended to teach her how to kill and destroy directly.

“Reinhart, you come here too.”

I too possessed a relic.

Sabioleen Tana, addressed both Ellen and me as we stood before her. “Who is considered a Master class?”

“Someone who can use an Aura Blade.”

“Then what is an aura?”

“I understand it as the ability to enhance not just the body but also weapons with mana.”

“Correct,” she said with a nod. It was a standard answer, and not incorrect.

“Then if your main weapons are your fists and feet, and you can envelop them with mana, are you considered Master class?” she asked.

If one could enhance your main weapon with mana, one was considered Master class. If close hand-to-hand combat was your specialty, did that mean that you’d reach Master class the moment you can enhance your fists and feet with mana?

Of course not.

“... I don’t think so.”

“That’s right. Generally, if you can enhance objects other than your body with mana, you’re considered Master class, but that is merely outcome-related. In reality, it’s a bit different.”

Sabioleen Tana set down her training sword, and blue mana gathered in her hand. Both Ellen and Tana were enveloped in mana.

Both were using Mana Reinforcement on their bodies, but their appearances were slightly different. Ellen, who had initially used a very explosive form of Mana Reinforcement, could now perform a more refined form of Mana Reinforcement, but Tana’s control felt extremely precise.

If what emanated from Ellen’s body was a blue light, then Tana’s body seemed as though it shimmered like a mirage. It was an extremely refined form of Mana Reinforcement. The light was faint, minimizing any unnecessary mana consumption. It was the most optimized form of Mana Reinforcement.

“One reaches the Master class when their active control of Mana Reinforcement is developed to the extreme. Come closer, and maintain your Mana Reinforcement.”

At Tana’s instruction, Ellen stepped forward and stood in front of her. I was expecting to see something impressive, but what Tana demonstrated was rather bewildering.

She put her right middle and index fingers together and put her hand close to Ellen’s forehead. She seemed to be attempting a flick.

Ellen’s expression was filled with confusion.

‘A Grandmaster’s flick? Is she trying to kill Ellen?’

Thud!

When Tana flicked Ellen’s forehead, it made a sound, but Ellen didn’t seem to be in any pain. Her head was knocked back slightly, but that was all.

However, it was strange for a simple flick to make such a sound.

“It felt like metal clashing against metal, didn’t it?” Tana asked.

Ellen nodded. “ Yes.”

“This is the Mana Reinforcement that you all are doing. Forming a powerful shield and enhancing physical abilities.”

At our level, that’s about all we could manage.

“Now, try this one,” Tana said, preparing another flick.

This time, something felt different. Ellen looked at Tana’s hand, poised to deliver another flick to her forehead.

“...”

‘Wait. Is this the first time I’ve seen her look scared? She’s trying to act calm, but her eyes are trembling! Ellen is frightened!

‘Then again, how can you blame her? It’s strange that a flick is scarier than a punch. Even I would be terrified of that!’

“...”

When Ellen’s shoulders began to tremble slightly, Tana seemed to decide it wouldn’t work and turned her gaze towards me.

“Uh... m-me?”

‘I might actually die from this, you know?’

My face turned pale.

Then...

“I’ll take it,” Ellen said calmly. Her trembling had stopped, and her eyes wide open as if she had steeled her resolve.

‘No way. Hey! What does that make me, then?’

“No, teacher, I’ll take the blow without dying,” I said, feeling compelled to step up since Ellen was willing to take it for me.

I wasn’t confident I wouldn’t die, but I said it anyway. Tana looked at Ellen and then at me, then lowered her fingers.

“... I suppose there’s no need to actually hit you. And I wouldn’t hit you hard enough to kill you anyway.”

Tana sighed, seeming a bit embarrassed. Both Ellen and I let out sighs of relief as she put away her fingers, which looked very much like a lethal weapon.

“Well, it’s just like that,” she said, flicking the air instead.

Bang!

The sound that erupted from Tana’s finger was more like an explosion than a flick.

‘What did I just hear?’

“That’s the difference in the Mana Reinforcement of someone who has reached the Master class.”

“...”

‘Were you really going to hit me with that?’ Ellen’s expression seemed to suggest as she stared at Sabioleen Tana.

Tana awkwardly avoided Ellen’s gaze. “Um, well. Anyway, I didn’t do it in the end...”

“How did you do that?”

The flick that had generated a sound like a tank cannon firing was impressive, but Ellen was curious about what Tana had just done.

“It’s called the offensive application of mana,” Tana explained.

“Offensive application...?” Ellen echoed.

“Yes. You and Reinhart are proficient in Mana Reinforcement itself, but only to the extent of internal physical enhancement and external mana emission for defense. This is the next level.”

The refined mana gathered in her right hand suddenly surged explosively from just her right hand, as if it were igniting.

“Once you reach a certain level, you might be able to explosively release mana from your entire body. Then, you refine it further. From the whole body to just the right foot, just the right arm, then only below the forearm, then just the hand, and finally, just the fingers.”

Tana raised her index finger. Only her index finger flickered with the blue flame-like aura of mana.

It was not just about defensive power. The more one refined their manipulation of mana, one could learn to explosively release mana. First from the whole body, then gaining gradually more and more refined control. The more concentrated the mana, the higher the destructive power.

The flame surrounding only Tana’s index finger began to focus into a single point.

“Gradually, you become accustomed to concentrating mana from the entire body to smaller units, then to an extreme point. Precisely. With focus.”

The light flickering about Tana’s finger began to gather at her fingertip.

“Eventually, your Mana Manipulation will grow so refined that you can concentrate mana only to your fingertips. And beyond this stage...”

She picked up the training sword she had set down.

The training sword she held was enveloped in blue flames, as if ignited by the mana flame concentrated at her fingertip.

“When you reach the extremes of Mana Manipulation, this becomes possible.”

An extremely refined and precise form of Mana Manipulation that allowed the wielder to enhance areas beyond the boundaries of their own body...

“That is the condition for one to reach Master class.”

Once someone could do that, they would reach Master class.