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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Night]
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Chapter 6: Where the Hell Did That Kid Come From to Be So Skilled?
I fought goblins a long, long time ago.
Back when the hero party was first formed and they started feeding me combat experience.
The first monster I ever killed.
‘Well, I haven’t had much reason to fight them since then.’
While I must have occasionally cut them down as collateral when slaughtering other beasts, I never fought goblins exclusively, one-on-one.
After all, these creatures were dealt with by defense corps or mercenaries, not heroes.
By the time I grew stronger, my sword became far too valuable to waste on goblins.
— Kreek.
— Kik, krrrk.
Disgusting creatures, no matter how many times I see them.
Their green, twisted faces were bad enough, but their ferocity belied their small frames.
These insane breeding monsters constantly kidnapped villagers to increase their population.
They were considered humanity’s enemies in a different sense than demons—marked for immediate extermination on sight.
‘So, what should I do with these things?’
Since they were just illusions, I didn’t feel any hesitation about killing them.
The only question was how much of my power I should reveal.
A trivial dilemma stemming from the impression I wanted to give.
[‘Guardian of Order and Causality’ harbors great expectations for the hidden strength of the hero.]
Rather than a "hidden powerhouse," it just felt beneath me, as a former hero, to go all-out against goblins.
Sure, I was mindful of how I appeared, but ultimately, it was a matter of efficiency.
I could achieve miracles with only a fraction of my strength.
There was no need to display everything.
Tap, tap.
I lightly tapped my sword’s flat with my fingers and mulled over my decision.
Since I was currently at about 10% of the strength I had in my prime,
I decided to only use around 10% of my current power.
“May the goddess’s blessing be with me.”
I offered a habitual prayer to the goddess and muttered inwardly.
Honestly, even using 1% of my true power on goblins or hobgoblins felt like a waste.
Srrrng—
I drew my sword.
* * *
By the time the illusionary magic unleashed its monstrous projections and sent the students in the lecture hall flailing,
Professor Shin Arin of the combat department was no longer there—she had moved to the conference room.
Despite her fearsome titles as an S-rank hunter and high-ranker, she was ultimately a physical-type fighter.
While she could counter magic, she had little knowledge of its manifestation or observation.
“Oh, you’re finally here.”
“I was about to grow a beard waiting.”
“Hey, hey, hurry up. Get over here.”
In other words, she needed help.
As she entered the conference room, dozens of screens floated in the air, displaying the training exam.
Seeing more people gathered than she expected, Shin Arin clicked her tongue.
It was supposed to be just the magic faculty monitoring the illusion spell.
Instead, it looked like the entire combat department had shown up.
“You could’ve at least cleaned up the lecture hall first.”
“Yeah, yeah, we know.”
“Arin, hurry and sit. You’re the supervising professor—you can’t miss what the kids are doing.”
“Got it, got it.”
Grumbling, Shin Arin squeezed into a seat and stared at the screens glowing with a bluish hue.
The moment the goblins appeared and the confrontation began, several of the faculty members grew animated with excitement.
“Ah, so this year’s level test has started, huh.”
“Last year, it was golems. This time they lowered the difficulty by increasing the numbers instead.”
“Yeah, that was a tough one. Even if they couldn’t win, the students needed to show discernment. Golems were just too tanky.”
“Hmm, it’s better to face living creatures than constructs. You can smash objects, but living monsters induce real fear. It’s a better test of composure.”
“Besides, even against mere goblins, we can evaluate how they handle outnumbered combat.”
After confirming there were no issues with the exam, Shin Arin halfheartedly agreed with the small talk,
then subtly glanced at the magic professor who had designed the illusion spell.
Unlike the other excited, chattering professors, the spellcaster remained impassive, quietly observing.
Most mages were naturally sensitive types—was this one an exception?
“When inexperienced kids face a horde, they panic. Many can’t even respond properly to a higher-level hobgoblin.”
“Unless they’ve done special training at home, that’s only natural, right?”
“Well, kids from noble families come prepared. The world’s gotten easier for them.”
“Back in the 20th century, they used to say the world was doomed, cities were falling, and national economies were collapsing. Now, the young generation is practically coddled.”
“Pfft, kids these days will never know our struggles.”
The conversation suddenly veered into reminiscing about the "good old days," making Shin Arin narrow her eyes and lean back.
What the hell were these old geezers rambling about?
Were they taking subtle jabs at her, a "you kids these days" type of complaint?
Judging by their sly grins, it was likely meant as a teasing remark.
Their smug laughter annoyed her.
‘Honestly, if it weren’t for the fact that some of my old teachers were still around, I’d have flipped this whole place over.’
But she held her tongue.
After all, as the supervising professor, it was more important to assess the students’ capabilities.
Not entertain the old-timers’ nostalgia fest.
Even though she now outranked most of them in both ranking and combat power,
she was still their former student.
Griping about it would only seem petty.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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‘One more time. I’ll let it slide just once more.’
Suppressing her irritation, Shin Arin sighed inwardly and turned her attention back to the screens.
Even while bantering, the other professors were still watching the students carefully.
Before long, the battle between the freshmen and the goblins had begun.
The level of skill quickly became apparent.
“Hmm, as expected.”
“The well-trained ones stand out.”
Among the dozens of screens displaying the dozens of students,
a few individuals stood out—the so-called geniuses with exceptional talent.
With the background noise fading, Shin Arin’s eyes grew sharper as she focused.
— Wide-range targeting. Rapid, freezing.
The ice mage from the Blue Tower froze an entire group of goblins in a single cast,
demonstrating her rare magical power and casting speed.
Fast and precise.
Considering how many mages struggled with either,
this young talent, barely twenty, was already exceptional.
On other screens, students were wrapping up their battles, albeit less swiftly.
Some displayed raw, destructive power.
— Boom! Boom! Boom!
A summoner wielding the power of spirits ruthlessly crushed the goblins with sheer force.
Meanwhile, the summoner from the prestigious Alavad family commanded an iron golem,
methodically dismantling the goblins and even taking down a hobgoblin warrior.
─ Crunch.
But there was another, far more disturbing sight—one that involved the destruction of living beings in a far more unnatural manner.
Even if the general strategy was similar, this one carried a certain disquieting quality.
“Oh, so that’s this year’s top student?”
“As expected, black magic really is something else.”
“Just now, the spell execution alone was a fascinating approach.”
The goblin’s twisted corpse, blood gushing from its contorted body.
The hobgoblin warrior, shriveled and dried out in an instant, completely drained of moisture.
The darkness that had reduced them to this state slithered back into the shadows.
The girl, the master of those shadows, gazed at the glowing blue screen with the same gentle smile she had worn while reciting her declaration from the podium.
“When did the level test turn into a horror show?”
“She’s a chilling one, that girl.”
Hearing the murmurs of the professors, Shin Arin couldn’t help but agree, at least a little.
Black magic inherently carried the stigma of being easily exploitable for criminal purposes, but there was something else about this young woman—a subtle, conniving quality.
There was a chilling nonchalance in her demeanor.
‘…Still, she’s certainly skilled enough to enter this academy as the top-ranked first-year.’
Her spellcasting speed, from intent to manifestation, was remarkably swift, but more importantly, the spell’s sheer potency was staggering.
Unlike the prodigy from the Blue Tower, who held back, this girl’s magic seemed wasted on mere goblins.
It was the kind of destructive force that could easily take down gnolls, orcs, and perhaps even trolls.
“Someone called this year’s class the ‘golden generation.’”
“Hmph, people say that every year, but this time, it might actually be true.”
Muttering to themselves, the professors continued scanning through the various screens, seeking a hidden dark horse now that the anticipated prodigies had finished their trials.
And then, one particular screen caught their eye.
Unlike the other students, who were struggling with the goblins, this one male student simply stood there, calmly observing the green monsters with a composed expression.
“Who is that kid? Where did he come from to be that good?”
“Apparently, he entered as an independent applicant.”
“What? Really?!”
“Damn, he’s practically a walking magazine cover.”
As the professors remarked on his striking appearance, Shin Arin found herself almost nodding in agreement.
No, no—that wouldn’t do.
She had to maintain the dignity of a professor.
Shaking her head to regain focus, she turned her attention to a specific detail.
‘A swordsman, huh?’
The sword at his waist.
As if to intimidate the goblins, he leisurely ran his fingers along the hilt, watching them approach with cocky grins.
“Sure, he looks like a model standing there, but he’s far too relaxed for a swordsman.”
“He’s slower than Professor Arin.”
“Ugh, come on, focus, people.”
“Ahem.”
“Right, right. Apologies, Professor.”
After briefly scolding the professors, Shin Arin returned her focus to the screen, but she was a little too late.
Somehow, at some point—the sword was already drawn.
Like the crescent moon cutting through the sky, the gleaming blade flashed and sliced through the neck of the nearest goblin.
── Swish.
A clean, unhesitating strike, devoid of any excessive force.
Only when the first head fell did the hobgoblins finally realize the danger they were in.
The goblins, belatedly aware of the threat, flinched in shock.
But once the blade was in motion, it flowed like water, dancing effortlessly.
Linked Dance.
With each graceful swing, one or two heads tumbled through the air.
On the illusionary azure plains, the monster’s blood bloomed like crimson flowers, accompanied by wisps of smoke.
The breathtaking yet merciless spectacle revealed flawless, economical movements—each step and slash precisely calculated, with no wasted motion.
As someone who had spent her entire life training her body to reach the peak of swordsmanship, Shin Arin recognized the sheer skill on display.
Her eyes widened in astonishment.
‘…That’s a first-year? A new student?’
Without any regard for the reactions of the onlookers, the sword dance continued.
The blade, having carved through the outer goblins, plunged deeper into the fray, slicing through arms, legs, and the daggers thrust at him, before severing the heads holding them.
Even his elbow and leg movements were incorporated into the combat, seamlessly executing efficient strikes and grappling techniques.
─ Screech! Squeal!
As the terrified hobgoblin turned to flee, a sword pierced the back of its head.
“Ah…”
Shin Arin could no longer spare a glance at the other students.
She was utterly transfixed, completely captivated by the boy on the screen.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Night]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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