“I am truly sorry, Sister You’er,” Timobi began, his voice laced with regret. “I have failed to live up to your expectations.”
Timobi’s words, delivered with a forced smile, felt like a knife carving into You’er’s heart.
You’er took a deep breath, striving to maintain his composure.
He saluted Dannich with clasped arms, then pressed, “Master Examiner Dannich, I must ask, is it possible there was an error with your awakening magic?”
“Audacious! Ignorant!” Dannich thundered. “Do you even know to whom you are speaking? I, Dannich Tobirius, a Great Mage-tier expert, a royal guest minister of the Eastern Emperor’s Kingdom, and one of Gatarnia Academy’s chief instructors… and you dare to question my abilities?!”
You’er’s words instantly transformed Dannich into a tiger whose fur had been ruffled.
His reaction was hardly surprising; for any esteemed expert, having their abilities questioned, especially by a subordinate, was utterly intolerable.
You’er fell silent.
The chasm between his status and Dannich’s was vast, leaving him no right to negotiate, nor Dannich any obligation to engage with him.
Having somewhat gleaned Dannich’s temperament, You’er knew that simply apologizing or attempting to explain would be futile; he would not be so easily forgiven for his offense.
“Sister You’er, it’s your turn now,” Timobi urged.
“You traveled countless miles, crossing mountains and rivers to reach this place, all for today.
You cannot give up now.”
Timobi returned to You’er’s side, gently pushing his back.
A smile, bright as the morning sun, graced his small face.
“Sister You’er, please don’t worry.
From you, I have already learned so many useful things, and I can protect myself.”
“Although I, Tili, truly wish to grow stronger, to gain the power to protect Sister You’er, still… still… Sister You’er is incredibly powerful.
In the future, you will only become even stronger, far too strong to ever need protection from a useless fellow like me, Tili.
So… so…”
“I’m sorry… I’m sorry… Sister You’er, I, Tili, still… I still can’t help it… I’m sorry…”
By the end of his monologue, Timobi was sobbing uncontrollably, leaning against You’er’s back.
He yearned to stay with You’er forever, but he knew he couldn’t be so selfish.
He understood that You’er had poured his heart and soul into him, encouraging him when he was lost, and comforting him when he was sad.
He knew that every night, after he had fallen asleep, You’er would painstakingly expend his hard-earned elemental energy to nourish his body.
Yet, he also knew that his Sister You’er did not belong solely to him.
Sister You’er had his own life, his own dreams, and Timobi could not be so selfish.
Thus, it was time to bid farewell.
Timobi reached up, wiping away his tears.
He had to leave; otherwise, Sister You’er would be unable to move forward.
“Don’t cry, don’t give up,” You’er said, suddenly crouching down and embracing him tightly.
“Believe in your sister, and believe in yourself.
You are not useless; you are someone who will one day reach the pinnacle of this continent!”
His voice remained soft and gentle, as if he were pouring out his heart to a child weeping from injustice, yet it held not a shred of doubt.
He firmly believed that Timobi could, and would, reach that peak.
“The pinnacle of this continent?” Dannich scoffed from behind them.
“Little girl, do you even know where the pinnacle of this continent lies? Your younger brother is destined to be useless; no matter how much effort you pour into him, he will remain a good-for-nothing!”
“Chief Instructor Dannich of Gatarnia Academy,” You’er countered, turning her head, her eyes brimming with mockery.
“In your esteemed opinion, where does this pinnacle lie? At the mid-tier of Great Mage, the high-tier of Great Mage, or merely the Archmage level?”
At her words, everyone who heard was dumbfounded.
‘Merely’… an Archmage??
This was simply… too arrogant!
Did this masked individual, who dared not show her true face, not understand what a Great Mage or an Archmage represented?
Those were peerless figures, comparable to Sword Emperors and Sword Sovereigns!
****
“You…?!”
Only those directly involved understood that You’er’s words were a complete mockery of Dannich.
For Dannich’s own limit lay at that ‘mere’ Archmage or Sword Sovereign level; indeed, he might not even reach Archmage.
You’er’s statement had struck Dannich’s sore spot, incensing him with rage.
Dannich’s chest heaved continuously, and the elemental energy around him grew increasingly volatile, making onlookers fear he might suddenly strike You’er dead with a single slap.
Yet, You’er showed no fear.
She simply spread her arm, shielding Timobi behind her, her precious sword ‘Hidden Edge’ gripped firmly in her hand.
As dark elemental energy infused it, man and sword, sword and man, each exuded a sharp, unyielding edge.
“A Swordsman?!”
As elemental energy overflowed from You’er, her aura was revealed in that instant.
Dannich and Sifney’s faces registered shock, and they exclaimed, “Heavens! She actually comprehended sword intent at the Swordsman rank? This is equivalent to securing a stable ticket to the Sword Master tier!”
Their astonishment was warranted.
Throughout history, countless individuals had been halted at the Great Swordsman rank, unable to comprehend sword intent, which was the very stepping stone to the Sword Master tier.
Indeed, every Sword Master’s ultimate technique invariably involved the manifestation of sword intent!
“Let us go, Tili,” You’er said. “If this place won’t have us, another surely will.”
As Dannich’s oppressive aura dissipated, You’er and Timobi were freed.
You’er immediately sheathed Hidden Edge and withdrew her fleetingly displayed sword intent, clearly intending to linger no longer.
“Sister You’er…” Timobi, however, stood dumbfounded, unable to articulate his feelings or take a step to follow.
“Stop right there, come back!” Just as You’er turned to leave, Dannich slammed his hand on the table and rose, though it was clearly not to condemn her.
“Gatarnia Academy is the single most exceptional academy on the entire continent,” Sifney interjected, her words clearly an attempt to retain You’er.
“Only here can your talents be perfectly honed and unleashed.”
“Gatarnia Academy has always been my aspiration,” You’er began, drawing the bone-chilling air, left by her earlier displayed sword intent, deep into her lungs.
“It has been so since childhood, and remains so even now.”
She looked down at Timobi.
“But… I will never repeat past mistakes!”
For her to abandon Timobi and enter Gatarnia alone would be even more reprehensible than when she had cruelly abandoned Lilinai.
Still deeply regretting that decision to this day, she would absolutely never commit such an act again.
“Chief Dannich, is there truly no way to make an exception?” Sifney asked, glancing at Timobi, then turning her earnest brown eyes to Dannich.
“You know the academy’s rules cannot be broken,” Dannich replied, a troubled expression on his face.
“If I were to accept a ‘Magicless One’ today, then tomorrow, and the day after, even more ‘Magicless Ones’—or those who have been eliminated—would appear at our doors.
This pertains to the academy’s reputation, accumulated over thousands of years.”
Regardless, the academy absolutely had to retain a peerless genius capable of comprehending a Sword Master’s signature skill at the Swordsman rank.
However, Gatarnia Academy, while the foremost, was not the sole academy.
Precisely because of its preeminence, it was more susceptible to slander and gossip.
Dannich could not bear the grave accusation of tarnishing the academy’s reputation.
“If you cannot bear the responsibility, then allow me to.”
A low, yet magnetic voice suddenly resonated.
Everyone turned to see a tall man approaching from the side of the training ground, his hands casually tucked into his pockets.
The man, appearing to be around thirty years old, was dressed rather casually: a black jacket over a pair of brown leather trousers.
He had deep red, medium-length straight hair, a strikingly angular face, and tea-red pupils that seemed perpetually narrowed, an expression of utter disinterest in everything.
As the man walked towards them, each step caused the elemental energy swirling around him to tremble.
He removed a cigar from his mouth with a finger, exhaling curling wisps of smoke.
“Chilong?! You eyesore, what are you doing here?” Dannich, clearly at odds with the man named Chilong, eyed him with suspicion.
“Entrusted by another, I fulfill my duty.”
Chilong tapped the tip of his shoe.
The cigar butt he casually flicked away miraculously ignited in mid-air, turning to ash that scattered into the wind.
“Is it you?” Chilong asked, seemingly disinclined to engage in pointless bickering with Dannich.
His tea-red eyes shifted to You’er.
Producing a fresh cigar from seemingly nowhere, he snapped his fingers to light it, took a deep drag, and then spoke.
“I’m offering you an opportunity: a chance for both you and him to enter the academy.”
“Please speak, Senior,” You’er said, clasping her arms and bowing respectfully. “This junior is listening.”
“See that group of small fry sitting over there?” Chilong gestured. “Just pick one, and knock them out.”
Chilong was pointing towards the group of senior students from Gatarnia Academy.
“Alright!” You’er nodded without hesitation.
The instantaneous decision made by the two of them caused countless onlookers to lose their composure.
Especially the senior students, who had been leisurely sipping tea and chatting, nearly spat their drinks all over each other.
“Esteemed seniors, I await your guidance.”
You’er stood, sword clasped, ceding the choice to the senior students.
In truth, You’er had no deeper meaning behind her words; she was simply too lazy to pick them one by one.
Yet, in the eyes of the senior students, her actions were tantamount to declaring: “Any one of you can come up, and I’ll crush you in minutes.”
Consequently, the senior students were incensed.