Chapter 178. Swordsmanship Festival (5)

Some time after the Seton Swordsmanship Hall’s banquet, the youth division of the swordsmanship festival began.

It was a golden opportunity to see the southern continent’s future stars in one place!

Indeed, many talented young swordsmen appeared, and a 34-year-old young Graduate showcased impressive swordsmanship to claim victory. The runner-up also displayed remarkable vigor, earning much applause. Thus, the youth division concluded successfully.

“That was fun.”

“Yeah, there were a lot of strong young people we didn’t expect.”

“Right? I thought Hilus would win for sure this time.”

“Speaking of which, why didn’t Hilus participate in the youth division? He’s still within the age limit, isn’t he?”

“Yeah. And what’s with Ransel Grantz not participating either? What’s going on?”

Despite the satisfying conclusion of the tournament, the audience couldn’t help but feel puzzled by the absence of two top contenders: Hilus, the genius of the Seton Swordsmanship Hall, and Ransel Grantz, the Nadan Kingdom’s prodigy.

Of course, not everyone was ignorant of the festival’s circumstances.

Some who had heard from the competitors already knew. They knew that Nigel Nunez, the head of the swordsmanship hall, had appeared at the pre-festival banquet, that a young man had caught his eye, that this young man’s name was Harang, and finally…

“They say Harang is competing in the main event, not the youth division.”

“What? The main event? Not the youth division?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“Not because of the age limit?”

“Age limit, my foot. I heard he barely looks like he’s in his early 20s.”

“Huh… Now I get it. That’s why Hilus chose the main event. His pride must’ve been hurt.”

It was a natural conclusion.

A much younger man had earned the approval of the strict head of the Seton Swordsmanship Hall. How must Hilus have felt witnessing that up close?

He must have been eager to defeat Harang.

But since Harang was competing in the main event, not the youth division, Hilus had no choice but to follow him there to face him.

“I heard Ransel Grantz also moved to the main event because of that.”

“Makes sense. Ransel’s got a strong desire to beat Hilus… So that’s how it happened. That’s why neither of them showed up in the youth division. Haha, this is getting interesting!”

“Right? The youth division was fun, but nothing beats the main event!”

Most people discussing the swordsmanship festival thought this way.

Watching the young talents who would shape the southern continent’s future was entertaining, but seeing the “real powerhouses” of the present was far more captivating.

“Plus, it’ll be interesting to see how far Hilus, who was unmatched in the youth division, can go in the main event.”

“I’m curious about Ransel Grantz too. Beating Hilus might be tough, but I hope the gap has narrowed. I’m a sucker for underdogs. Though… realistically, one of them will likely fall before they even meet.”

“Don’t forget, the biggest prospect this time is that Harang guy. He was handpicked by the head of the Seton Swordsmanship Hall. If his bracket is favorable, he might make it to the round of 16, or even the quarterfinals.”

“Come on, the quarterfinals? He’s barely in his early 20s, isn’t he? Even if he’s a Graduate, as the head showed interest, all 128 swordsmen in the main event are Graduates too, right?”

“True. And they’re likely veterans who became Graduates long ago.”

“Yeah. A kid who just became a Graduate climbing to the quarterfinals among those monsters? No matter how you think about it, that’s absurd. I’d say it’s a miracle if he even passes the first round.”

“Hmm, maybe…”

“Well, the head probably saw his future potential, not his current skill.”

In the end, the men’s conversation about the festival concluded thus:

The veterans would take the championship.

Hilus and Ransel Grantz would struggle among the main event’s powerhouses but wouldn’t fall immediately. Hilus might even make it to the upper ranks.

But Harang would likely struggle to pass the first round.

“That sounds right.”

“Yeah, can’t argue with that.”

“Exactly. That’s gotta be it. Probably what others are predicting too.”

“But if nothing unexpected happens, it’ll be boring…”

“Of course, you never know. Who knows? Maybe Hilus will beat all the veterans and win the main event too…”

“This guy’s really hyping up Hilus, huh?”

“He’s the top talent in the southern continent’s greatest swordsmanship hall. If you don’t bet on him, who else would you bet on?”

“Fair point.”

“Yeah, true. If I had to bet on a young guy, I’d pick Hilus too. Ransel Grantz or Harang? Too risky.”

With that, the men downed their beers.

They weren’t the only ones.

Seeing people at various tables in the tavern having similar conversations, Hagio, drinking alone, gave a faint smile.

I can’t wait to see how they’ll react later.

***

The main event of the Seton Swordsmanship Festival had begun.

A tournament with 128 Graduates competing!

The first round was scheduled over four days, with Harang’s match on the second day. Thus, on the first day, he was watching from the stands with the Eddy Mercenary Corps, Sheratiya Viyan, Hagio, and the orphanage kids.

“What do you think?”

“Of what?”

“The swordsmen’s skills. Can you handle them?”

“So far?”

“…What’s that supposed to mean? You’re saying you can beat everyone who’s come up so far?”

“Pretty much.”

Harang nodded readily.

Sheratiya gave him an odd look.

“What’s with that expression?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Brushing it off, Sheratiya turned her gaze back to the stage.

But her thoughts were still on Harang.

Just how strong is he?

It was a question that had persisted since the moment she met Harang.

Just how skilled was he?

She knew he was beyond most Graduates. Even Philip Portville, Marzen’s strongest, deferred to him, and Ransel Grantz, the Nadan Kingdom’s top prospect, seemed wary of him.

But this was the heart of the Seton Swordsmanship Festival.

A place where the southern continent’s finest powerhouses clashed, a battleground of monsters among monsters.

Yet, after observing nearly a quarter of them, he claimed he had no rivals?

How?

I almost want to see him fight the head or deputy head of the swordsmanship hall.

That seemed like the only thing that could shake Harang’s confidence.

“Hmm, it’s the last match now.”

“…Oh, right.”

She was lost in thought when the 15th match of the first day ended, and the final 16th match was about to begin.

The first to step onto the stage was Hilus, the genius of the Seton Swordsmanship Hall and the top contender for the youth division.

Though his chances of winning the main event were slim, many praised his decision to compete there as courageous, boosting his popularity even more.

He’s pretty good-looking too.

But Sheratiya didn’t like Hilus much.

The rumors she’d heard while working with the merchant guild weren’t favorable.

Of course, the general public wouldn’t know such things, so it was natural for him to receive such enthusiastic cheers.

I wish he’d lose in the first round to stun his supporters… but that’s unlikely, right? Since the Seton Swordsmanship Hall organizes the brackets.

Of course, the brackets were likely set based on past performances and public evaluations, with seeds assigned accordingly.

But since the “public evaluations” included the swordsmanship hall’s discretion, Sheratiya figured Hilus wouldn’t be matched against a tough opponent.

Sure enough, the next person to step up looked clearly outmatched.

No, it wasn’t just skill—her appearance was strikingly young.

She looks almost as young as Harang? A Graduate at that age?

It wasn’t just Sheratiya’s thought.

The audience, seeing her face magnified on the magic screen, reacted similarly.

“What? Isn’t this the main event?”

“Yeah, why’s someone who looks like she belongs in the youth division here?”

“Is this legit?”

“It should be. I heard 100 spots in the main event were allocated to kingdoms and major organizations like swordsmanship halls, and the remaining 28 were selected from a preliminary round two months ago. Since she’s unaffiliated, she must’ve passed the prelims, which means…”

“The swordsmanship hall verified she’s a Graduate-level swordsman.”

“Exactly, that’s what I mean.”

“That’s incredible, isn’t it? She looks like she’s in her early 20s… A Graduate at that age? Is a new name being added to the next generation?”

“Pretty much. That’s impressive.”

“Didn’t they say Harang is in his early 20s too? There are a lot of young folks in this main event.”

Murmurs of excitement spread.

And for good reason. Most participants so far were familiar faces from the last festival. Though there were some surprises, they couldn’t completely erase the sense of familiarity.

But not now.

Hilus, who had graduated from the youth division.

And a purple-haired woman who looked even younger.

Though the odds seemed tilted toward Hilus, the discovery of fresh young talent in the main event satisfied most of the audience.

“Impressive. At such a young age.”

Sheratiya Viyan felt the same.

Though she thought Hilus would win, she couldn’t help but respect the young female participant. Becoming a Graduate in your early 20s wasn’t something achievable by talent alone; it must have required bone-breaking effort.

I need to work harder too.

Whipping herself into shape by watching someone from a different field, Sheratiya turned to look at Harang.

She was curious.

What did Harang think, seeing a participant his age in the main event?

But…

“Harang?”

“…Yes?”

“Are you okay?”

“Oh, uh? Yes, I’m fine.”

“But your expression…”

“…I was just a bit surprised.”

“That doesn’t look like just a bit. Wait, Hagio too?”

Sheratiya looked at Hagio with a startled expression.

Like Harang, he was staring at the magic screen with a hardened face.

It’s probably because of that female participant.

Sheratiya glanced between the two.

Why?

What was the issue that made them look so serious?

Curious, she looked at the magic screen again and read the participant’s name.

“Cecilia… that’s her name. Do you know her, Harang?”

“…Yes.”

Harang answered in a stiff voice.

Seeing Cecilia, the 7th-ranked Godok, his expression grew even graver.

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