A massive explosion occurred.
Rudy's fist collided with Evan's sword, and the forest Evan had created was devastated.
Smoke billowed up.
Black sparks flew around.
Thud. Thud.
With a slight pause, the sound of ash being trampled on was heard.
"It's my victory... Evan."
Rudy, wiping the blood flowing down his head, spoke.
"Kuh..."
Evan lay on the ground, groaning.
At a glance, Evan seemed less injured than Rudy.
However, he had internal injuries, blood dripping from his mouth, unable to get up.
Rudy looked down at Evan.
Next to Evan lay his broken sword.
"Rudy... Astria..."
"With no direction and no conviction, you can't beat me."
It was a matter of willpower.
When Evan and Rudy last clashed.
Rudy suffered external injuries, while Evan was shocked by mana.
It wouldn't have been strange for either to fall.
However, their wills were different.
Rudy endured the pain attacking his body.
Even if it felt like his body was breaking, even if he wanted to escape the pain.
He punched out.
Evan was defeated by that will.
Evan's mana faltered before Rudy could escape the pain.
Evan thought to himself.
What is this guy, really?
He seemed strange from afar, but even stranger up close.
Even with great strength, one can fear the future and doubt their own will.
Rudy did not.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})He pushed forward with a straight will and pure conviction.
The difference between himself and Rudy felt even more pronounced.
Evan, aimlessly driven only by the desire to beat Rudy, felt different in his will from Rudy.
Evan had the word 'defeat' in his heart.
He repeated to himself that he shouldn't lose, but also wondered if it would matter if he did.
Evan wanted victory for the sake of victory.
He didn't think he had to do anything with his victories.
At the same time, he didn't believe any particular outcome would result from defeat.
Evan looked at Rudy with empty eyes.
"You... what exactly..."
What makes his will so strong?
What goal does he have, what is he looking at?
As Evan harbored these questions, Rudy sat beside him.
"Sigh, you really have a tough life."
Rudy sighed, looking at Evan.
"Stop wandering aimlessly, and find a proper place for yourself. What's going to change if you just sulk in the dark? Study and train at your own pace, and make friends, socialize a bit."
Though Rudy said this, these words were also meant for his past self.
Evan, as he was now, seemed no different from his past self.
He appeared to be running aimlessly forward, without any particular goal in sight.
“Don’t get involved with those weird rebels or anything.”
“…What?”
Evan's eyes widened at Rudy's words.
His investigations into the rebels were something Evan had conducted very secretly.
“If you think you align with the rebels' objectives, I won’t stop you, but from what I see, you and the rebels don’t really match.”
The rebels aimed to change the world.
They were willing to do anything for the future peace, even if it meant sacrifices now.
Such objectives didn't suit Evan.
Rudy felt the same way about himself.
Both of them just wanted their close ones to live peacefully and stably.
Rather than achieving sudden big changes, they preferred maintaining current peace, even if it meant changing things slowly.
Evan looked at Rudy, who lay there lazily, and said,
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})“What do you know about me to talk like that?”
“Probably more than you think?”
“We haven’t even had a proper conversation until today.”
“Often talking doesn’t really mean you know someone, does it?”
“Ha…!”
Evan laughed incredulously at Rudy's words.
Rudy knew he had been in contact with the rebels and claimed to know him well?
Evan silently glared at Rudy and then spoke.
“Are you gay?”
“You crazy…”
Rudy clenched his fist and looked at Evan.
“You need to be hit more, huh? Want more?”
“…No, that’s enough.”
After asking such an absurd question, Evan took a deep breath.
It had been a while since he had laid down so leisurely.
While lying there comfortably, Evan asked Rudy,
“Rudy Astria, you said you know a lot about me.”
“Yeah.”
Evan quietly clenched his fist.
“So, what should I do now?”
Evan had keenly felt the difference between himself and Rudy during this encounter.
Rudy had a goal and was working towards it.
That’s why his will was exceptional.
It was something Evan could not dare to surpass.
No matter how hard he tried, he felt he could never surpass that will, nor could he take the top position.
So, what should he do now?
He had nowhere else to go.
Thus, Evan asked Rudy, grasping at straws.
Rudy frowned at Evan's question.
“What kind of question is that?”
“You said it yourself. Living aimlessly without conviction. I have nowhere to go.”
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})Rudy tilted his head, puzzled.
“Do you really need somewhere to go?”
“What?”
“Just enjoy life, you fool. Relax a bit. Just go with the flow, and you’ll find your answer. You’re not powerless, nor worried about the future. Just take it easy, and if you see someone struggling, help them out. You’re not some great person who needs a strong conviction.”
Evan narrowed his brows.
“You were talking about convictions, weren’t you?”
“That meant you couldn’t beat me because you lack conviction, not that you necessarily need to have one.”
Rudy spoke lightly.
There was no point in elaborating on convictions and goals here.
What Evan needed was time.
Time would bring him his own convictions and goals.
Feeling it himself is better than being told a hundred times.
In fact, telling too much might even lead to someone’s downfall.
So, what Evan needed was time to think and rest.
Evan, who had always aimed for the top without any real purpose, must have been exhausted.
Taking a break from that burden and resting would surely bring some answers.
What comes next was not Rudy's job.
It was something Evan had to do himself.
“Well, then.”
“Hmm?”
Rudy stood up and looked at Evan.
“Now, just take one hit.”
“What?”
"That's the only way I can get your points."
Rudy grinned.
“I’ll go easy on you, so just pass out in one hit, okay?”
“Ah, no. Why can’t I just forfeit instead of being hit?”
“If you forfeit, I can’t take your score.”
“You’re going to be first anyway, do you need my score?”
“You never know. Some impressive guy might have scored higher than me.”
Rudy raised his fist.
“Here I go.”
“No!”
Rudy swung his fist, hitting Evan on the head.
“Cough! You crazy…”
“What, you didn’t pass out? Let’s do it again.”
Thump!
“Gah… You…”
“Hey, just pass out already.”
Thump!
“Agh!!”
“Pass out, will you?”
After about ten hits, Evan finally lost consciousness.
His forehead was reddened with bruises, and a few lumps were visible on his head.
Looking at the fallen Evan, Rudy had a pleased smile on his lips.
“Ah, that was refreshing.”
It was Rudy's own form of revenge.
A retaliation for all the frustrating actions Evan had taken until now.
And the headaches caused by Evan's attempt to contact the rebels.
Still, since Evan hadn't caused any major disasters, Rudy let him off with a few slaps and bumps.
Thus, Evan was carried away by the instructors and eliminated from the assessment.
“But when will this end?”
The sun was gradually setting.
Without a watch, it was hard to tell the time, but it seemed like it was reaching the end.
“I should just rest…”
Rudy staggered, looking for a sunny spot to sit on a rock.
Whoosh─
Just then, a small stone flew towards him.
"Ah?"
Rudy noticed the incoming stone.
But.
Thump─
He couldn't dodge it.
Having used too much mana and being in a disheveled state, he could only watch as the stone approached him.
The stone hit Rudy squarely on the head, and he immediately...
“Damn it…”
Collapsed.
“What?”
The culprit who threw the stone was none other than Yeniel.
Yeniel stepped forward and looked down at Rudy lying at her feet.
“……”
She hadn't expected him to collapse so easily from such an attack.
Yeniel had only come to check.
She had come to the mountain intending to challenge Rudy since McDowell had instructed her to achieve good results.
Of course, she had thought of taking advantage of the fierce battle that had occurred at the summit, but she hadn't planned on winning so easily.
Yeniel looked down at Rudy, clicked her tongue, and muttered to herself.
"Well, he's down, so he's down."
Beep─
Just as Yeniel was speaking to herself, a loud sound echoed through the mountain.
"The joint assessment for first and second years is now concluded."
“What’s he doing?”
Cromwell watched Rudy's situation with an incredulous look.
Who would have thought Rudy, who withstood a dragon ravaging half the mountain and Evan using an unbelievable technique, would collapse from a mere stone?
“If you win a fight, you should run away or do something.”
It was entirely Rudy’s fault.
Even if it hadn’t been Yeniel, whoever arrived there would have ended up in the same situation.
Rudy was a fool for letting his guard down after defeating Evan.
“That's just unbelievable.”
The instructors around Cromwell shared the same expression.
Rudy's performance during the assessment had been bold and wise, impressive enough to move even the instructors.
But what good was that?
Cromwell, feeling exasperated, spoke.
“So, Yeniel is the winner. The principal will be pleased.”
Having said that, Cromwell stood up and looked at the instructors.
“Take care of the students. Treat the injured ones. And send a good healing wizard to that foolish Rudy. So he doesn’t feel too aggrieved when he sees his injuries after waking up.”
“……Yes, understood.”
With that, Cromwell and the instructors headed towards the mountain where the joint assessment took place.
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