Chapter 62: If You Pull Out, You’ll Be Killed for Sure

“Phew… It was a complete defeat, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah, it sure was. As expected of Ishud.”

“…”

The three of them were resting on beds in the infirmary.

They had received healing magic and potions for magical and physical recovery, so the dizziness from magical and physical exhaustion had already dissipated.

However, among the three, Dustin alone remained with a somber expression.

“What’s wrong, Dustin-senpai? After this, isn’t there the ‘Well Done’ party? You know, with that gloomy face, it’s not gonna work.”

“I know. I know, but… I just can’t shake off this frustration.”

A crushing defeat.

They couldn’t even stand in the ring until the end.

Those experiences were not easily accepted.

“…I understand how you feel. He really… really went easy on us.”

“Yeah, he did~. He occasionally used magic, but only on certain parts. He didn’t cover his whole body with it. And probably, he didn’t use any strengthening skills… and also, he didn’t use any martial arts skills, I think.”

“If you were fighting with your bare hands, I think you would benefit from physical techniques, but as Philip said, he didn’t use any techniques at all.”

Christille didn’t reach this level solely on talent and sense.

She honed her skills through immense effort and practical combat, shaping her talent like a raw gemstone over a dozen years.

And just when she thought she had reached the top of her generation, a incomprehensible monster from the generation below suddenly appeared, proclaiming, “I’m the real top!!”

“In the end… I couldn’t even make him use his Berserker Soul, his greatest weapon as a berserker.”

“!!”

Since Dustin also pursued a warrior-related occupation, he had some knowledge about other derived occupations.

Berserker Soul… a technique that epitomizes the words “berserk warrior.” It’s only when this is activated that the true potential of a berserker is unleashed.

Yes… despite fighting Ishud with all three of them, they were unable to bring out even a fraction of his true power and ended up losing.

“Well~ It’s not a big deal, is it? I mean, if Ishud were to use his Berserker Soul, we’d be instantly defeated and the match would be over in no time.”

“…Are you okay with that mindset?”

“Whether I’m okay with it or not doesn’t matter. Ishud had his own reasons for holding a special match… and then, despite that, he chose to fight us while bearing those constraints. If we were somehow able to bring out Ishud’s trump card as a berserker, it might be a remarkable achievement, but then the match would end in an instant and the audience wouldn’t even understand what had happened, right?”

“Hmm. That’s… true. I hadn’t thought about it that way.”

Philip’s explanation may sound reasonable, but a loss is still a loss.

Despite their efforts as a trio, they were soundly defeated.

“Alright~ Let’s get treated~”

“Well well, look who’s the real champion. Sure thing, sit right there and I’ll fix you up.”

“Uhh, yeah. Oh, look at Phillip, our president… such nice muscles, senpai.”

“M-Muscles, senpai?”

Dustin tilted his head at Ishud’s nickname.

As the true champion berserker, Ishud didn’t remember the faces of those he wasn’t interested in, but the opponents he had just fought… combined with their well-toned, battle-hardened muscles… yes, individuals with impressive muscles tended to stick in his memory.

“That was fun, all three of you.”

“Easy for you to say. You didn’t even use your enhancement skills in the end.”

“Heh~ Philip, I never expected those words to come out of your mouth.”

As Ishud chuckled at Philip’s words while receiving healing magic, Michela smoothly embraced Christille.

“Sister Christille! Are you okay?!”

“Yes, I’m fine, Michela. So please don’t make that face.”

Michela worried over Christille like a true sister.

Then her expression quickly hardened, and she shot a sharp glance at Ishud.

“Ishud!!!! Just you watch your neck until next year, I’ll make you regret it!!!!”

“I’ve been washing my neck properly in the bath, you know.”

“Hehe… I’ve seen a similar exchange in the waiting room.”

“Michela, did you say something similar to Philip…? Well, you lost to Philip in the semifinals, so shouldn’t you be saying that to him instead of me?”

“Ah!! Right! Philip! Next year, I’ll chop off your head myself!!!!”

“…Damn, Ishud. This girl, all the nutrients went straight to her chest and made her a total idiot.”

In swordplay… During an intense close combat, a blade might accidentally go there, but deliberately aiming for the neck is considered foul play.

“Hahaha!!!! That’s ridiculously easy to agree with.”

“What!! I-I always rank at the top in written exams too, you know!!!!”

(…Is that what you’re worried about?)

Ishud couldn’t help but think sarcastically in his mind.

If it were the Michela he first met, she would undoubtedly have reacted strongly to indirect remarks about her chest size. However, spending time with Ishudo and the others seemed to have dulled that sensitivity.

“Well, it’s fine if you’re fixated on me or Philip, but in our grade, there’s also Gulf and that fifth prince. And then… there’s that damn noble who seems like the type to pick fights and ended up in a double knockout with Gulf.”

“Are you talking about Dimna?”

“Yeah, that’s the one. That name sounds about right. Anyway, during this time… well, from middle school to high school, you never know who’s going to rise up and when, or what might trigger it. Just because you made it to the semifinals this time and let your guard down, doesn’t mean you won’t end up getting knocked out in the first round next year.”

“Wha-! I-I’m well aware of that!! Every student at the academy, to varying degrees, naturally has ambition. I’ll just show them that I can grow even further than they can!!”

“Well… whether you get knocked out in the first round next year or not doesn’t really matter to me.”

“What!!!” 

Michela explodes with anger, her veins almost popping at Ishud’s attitude, despite him being the one who brought up the topic in the first place!!!

“…Phillip. Is he really a Berserker?”

“I totally get where you’re coming from, Dustin-senpai. Sometimes I wonder if he’s not a Sage or something instead of a Berserker.”

While Phillip speaks calmly about the age-related growth rates, Dustin can’t help but feel a sense of unease when he remembers the smile Ishud had while facing them with his self-imposed shackles, which doesn’t quite match the image of a Berserker.

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