Entering the training grounds, under the gaze of so many people, Isha and Aurora remained composed. Celia, however, couldn’t help but grow nervous.
The noble etiquette ingrained in her since childhood unconsciously made her movements exceptionally ladylike, even causing her steps to shorten considerably as she walked.
Some of the warriors lining the sides were seeing them for the first time. While marveling at their youth and loveliness, they couldn’t help but feel a sense of pity.
If their examination opponent hadn’t been a wyvern, perhaps they would have had a chance to become warriors. But now…
Meanwhile, Dorothy also noticed the wyvern restrained in the center of the training grounds. She merely cast a fleeting glance at it before leaving Celia’s side and walking over to Sharlene.
After Dorothy settled into a chair, Butler Orl, leaning on his staff nearby, chuckled as he asked, “Instructor Dorothy, do you believe the young ladies can win?”
As he spoke, the servants beside him also directed their gazes towards Dorothy, their expressions of smugness evident to anyone who saw them.
“They can.”
Dorothy’s calm reply caused Orl to narrow his eyes slightly. Despite having made meticulous preparations, a rare flicker of panic stirred within him.
“Why?”
“Because I believe in them.”
“Heh, I didn’t expect that answer. I like it.”
Hearing Dorothy’s words, Orl burst into laughter, and the panic in his heart vanished like smoke.
‘Too naive. Does she truly believe that simply trusting them will lead to victory?’
‘Such plots only exist in fairy tales.’
“However, wyverns are still a type of dragon. Those who haven’t studied them will suffer a terrible defeat,” he added, his words laden with deeper meaning.
Dragons are exceedingly rare creatures, meaning very few warriors have ever faced them, and knowledge about them remains superficial.
The same holds true for wyverns. While they are encountered more frequently than true dragons, public understanding of them is limited to the most basic level.
Defeating such an unknown beast is virtually impossible for warriors encountering them for the first time.
“They’ve worked so hard for so long. They won’t fail.”
“Is that so? Then let the facts speak for themselves.”
The Silverbloom Sword Princess’s words caused Orl to lose interest in continuing the conversation. This was reality, and soon, the facts would reveal its cruelty to her.
‘Celia’s team could never defeat a Tier 4 wyvern!’
****
On the other side, Celia and her two companions meticulously scrutinized the wyvern from head to tail, a subtle tension and pressure building within them.
They hadn’t anticipated that the beast for their assessment would be a rare wyvern. Their understanding of it was considerably less than that of other magical beasts, introducing a slight risk of failure.
Yet, even if a true dragon had appeared before them at this moment, retreat was simply not an option.
“Assessment begin!”
At the distant referee’s command, the magical chains binding the wyvern shattered with a thunderous roar. Celia instantly drew her longsword and cast a Mana Ward upon herself.
To confront a wyvern with mere physical strength would undoubtedly be a death wish.
Behind them, Aurora clasped her hands tightly, as if in prayer. A pale blue magic circle simultaneously manifested beneath her feet, and another Mana Ward enveloped her.
Only with this double ward did Celia feel confident enough to withstand the attacks of a Tier 4 wyvern.
However, to everyone’s utter surprise, the moment its chains vanished, the wyvern did not immediately charge at Celia’s team. Instead, it spun around and lunged towards the spectator stands!
Its speed was astonishing, and the immense pressure it exuded caused many warriors to lose their composure, initiating a panicked scramble. Some even resorted to using magic, throwing the stands into utter chaos.
Naturally, the wyvern did not manage to breach the spectator area. As it approached, a transparent magical barrier materialized, blocking its path.
*Thump, thump, thump—*
The sounds of it smashing against the barrier resonated continuously throughout the training grounds. The barrier’s magical tier exceeded Tier 5, making it impervious to all of the wyvern’s attacks.
Left with no other choice, it angrily turned its head, shifting its target to Celia’s team.
Following this sudden assault, the warriors had a clear understanding of the wyvern’s ferocity. Even as they calmed their nerves, their concern for Celia’s team only deepened.
Forget defeating it; whether Celia and her companions could even emerge unscathed now seemed a pressing question.
Taking a deep breath, Celia gripped her sword hilt tightly, wary of a rash advance. The wyvern, after circling them like a lizard and observing their movements, suddenly propelled itself forward with all four limbs, charging straight at them!
“So fast!”
The observing warriors couldn’t discern the wyvern’s speed at all. By the time they located its fleeting form, its sharp claws had already collided with the longsword!
*Clang—!*
A crisp clang echoed through the training grounds. A gust of wind whipped Celia’s long hair, and the immense force pressed her legs into a bend.
Nevertheless, aided by the Mana Ward, she merely grunted, not yielding an inch.
This sight caused the other warriors’ eyes to nearly pop out of their sockets.
‘That was a Tier 4 wyvern’s claw attack! A Tier 3 warrior actually managed to block it head-on, without being pushed back?!’
However, they weren’t the only ones stunned. The wyvern clearly hadn’t expected such a slender girl to withstand its attack. After a moment of stunned paralysis, it spread its wings, took a step back, and then whipped its tail towards Celia!
This tail attack was even more forceful and heavy than its claws. If Celia were to take it head-on, she would sustain injuries, even with the double Mana Ward.
Yet, they had anticipated this. The moment the dragon’s tail swung, a shimmering silver ring blade flew from behind Celia, striking the tail heavily. This caused a brief pause in its movement, allowing Celia to seize the opportunity and escape the tail’s attack range.
With its tail swing missing, the wyvern adjusted its posture, glaring intently at them, the fury in its slit pupils growing ever more intense.
This seamless coordination drew gasps of astonishment from the surrounding warriors, particularly from the team that had previously failed the assessment. Their faces flushed crimson, seemingly with shame over their past performance.
Soon enough, however, they found a sense of relief.
The team before them was simply beyond their league. From their instructor to the members themselves, they were far too formidable. Only by acknowledging this disparity could they hope to continue improving.
Orl, however, showed no significant reaction, only a slight surprise.
Calm and skillful—in Celia, he could already vaguely discern the qualities a true powerhouse should possess.
To have grown to such an extent within half a year, even with the blessing of Demon King bloodline, Celia’s progress was undeniably thanks to the Silverbloom Sword Princess’s tutelage.
If not for the fact that a demon princess could not become a warrior, he might truly have chosen to let her remain by the Silverbloom Sword Princess’s side, advancing towards peak strength under her guidance.
‘What a pity.’
Even so, he still didn’t believe Celia could defeat the wyvern.
After all, they had only just completed one round of confrontation with the wyvern. What would happen next remained entirely uncertain.
The servant beside him still wore a smug expression. In his view, the wise and mighty Lord Orl could never fail. Princess Celia would undoubtedly not pass today’s warrior assessment.