LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 228
Chapter 228: The Second Hundred Steps Ceremony (2)
“Hundred Steps Ceremony?”
“What is that?”
At Duran’s shout, the 51st batch wore bewildered expressions.
That was the last moment of leisure they would enjoy.
The Hundred Steps Ceremony had already begun.
Boom-!
The Sword Master’s red aura, which had filled the sky, struck down into the arena.
And then.
Thud-.
Thump-.
Plop-.
Without even knowing why, a large number of the 51st batch fainted and collapsed on the spot.
Only 27 remained standing.
Duran shouted his prepared speech at them.
“There is only one task you must accomplish in this Hundred Steps Ceremony. Walk. Walk towards the Great Sword Master. This is the trial the Sword Master bestows upon you!”
Then he stepped back, taking a stance to observe.
‘Not many from the Forest of Beginnings made it through… but those who survived seem to have decent skills.’
Compared to last year’s 50th batch’s Hundred Steps Ceremony, where 27 out of 85 remained, it was a good ratio.
Of course, that alone couldn’t determine the quality of the 51st batch.
For the Hundred Steps Ceremony had only just begun.
‘Now, let’s see how far you can walk! I’ll gladly cheer for someone who surpasses that monster from last year!’
Someone, anyone, please emerge to outshine Yuri!
Receiving Duran’s earnest encouragement, some of the 51st batch began to take their first steps.
* * *
Thud, thud-.
As the Hundred Steps Ceremony began, the 51st batch fell like rotten stalks of hay.
Many foamed at the mouth as they fainted, while some wet themselves, causing the 50th batch to flinch their shoulders involuntarily.
‘…Damn, was I like that too?’
‘I, at least, didn’t wet myself!’
In last year’s Hundred Steps Ceremony, only about 50 had managed not to faint from the beginning.
Which meant that roughly half of the 50th batch currently seated in the stands had been just like those collapsing 51st members now.
Amidst the group recalling unpleasant memories with pale faces sat Gunther.
He couldn’t help but marvel at the Sword Master’s aura, which only affected the arena.
‘To control such immense energy with such precision… That’s indeed the Sword Master for you.’
Last year, he had struggled in the dense waves of that aura, but now, observing from afar, he could see things he hadn’t noticed before.
He could also more deeply feel just how extraordinary the Sword Master’s power was.
While Gunther was gazing down at the arena.
‘They’re moving.’
A few among the 51st batch began to move.
At the forefront was Mucci Schnell, with his sturdy physique.
“Uwaah!”
Mucci, his face flushed red, took a step forward.
Following his lead, other members of the 51st batch also began to walk.
It was reminiscent of how he and his peers had chased after Yuri last year.
Gunther watched Mucci, leading at the front, with astonished eyes.
‘Mucci Schnell, was it?’
Gunther had first seen Mucci just an hour or two earlier.
Upon returning from the Forest of Beginnings, he found a 51st batch member eating comfortably in the Demon King’s castle.
Introduced as Yuri’s acquaintance and someone who would live in the Demon King’s castle from now on, Mucci was Gunther’s junior.
Gunther’s first impression of him was that he was a kind and gentle person.
So gentle that it was hard to believe he was associated with Yuri.
After parting ways with Mucci to participate in the Hundred Steps Ceremony, seeing him again now changed Gunther’s view of him.
‘He’s not just a gentle pushover.’
Mucci Schnell.
Gunther knew well enough whose family name “Schnell” belonged to.
He figured that someone bearing that name wouldn’t be ordinary.
Also, even with a quick comparison earlier, Mucci’s aura was no joke.
Though he had seemed like someone too soft and gentle to fully use his abilities… that didn’t seem to be the case.
Walking ahead of his peers.
That alone made Mucci a suitable fit for this cradle.
As Gunther made his assessment of Mucci.
“Hang in there, rookie!”
“Go, our youngest!”
“I’m hungry!”
Voices erupted from beside Gunther.
Theresia, Arin, and Poppy were loudly cheering for Mucci.
Gunther mumbled, dumbfounded.
“…Have they already become close enough to call him ‘youngest’?”
He had only been away for about a day.
In that time, Mucci had blended into the Demon King’s castle so well that there wasn’t even a hint of awkwardness.
This made Gunther feel slightly irritated.
‘Some of us don’t even get cheered on after months together.’
To hide his slight pout, Gunther redirected his gaze back to the arena.
Just in time to see Mucci taking his third step.
The irritation disappeared from Gunther’s face, replaced with seriousness.
‘Still holding up.’
While those trailing behind fell one after another, Mucci had already taken three steps and still seemed strong.
As if to prove it, while others barely managed their second step, Mucci was already taking his fourth.
Boom-.
“Ugh!”
At last, Mucci succeeded in taking his full fourth step.
“Huff, huff-.”
He was breathing heavily.
And then.
“Hup!”
He inhaled deeply and took another step.
Gunther clicked his tongue in amazement.
“Impressive.”
Gunther didn’t know much about Mucci’s talent.
But in terms of physical training and level, Mucci was far beyond where Gunther had been at this time last year.
‘No, it’s not just that. In terms of physical toughness and level alone, he’s comparable to the upper ranks of the current 50th batch.’
To have achieved such a level upon entering, on par with the top ranks of the 50th batch that had spent a year in the cradle.
Recently, few cadets had entered the cradle as complete as him.
‘Of course, the outcome of the Hundred Steps Ceremony isn’t determined solely by that…’
If it were purely based on physical training and level, Poppy, and Gunther himself, should have walked more steps than Yuri in last year’s ceremony.
Also, Yuri wouldn’t have made it even halfway to fifteen steps.
‘That’s what makes Yuri so amazing.’
With only around an unofficial first-grade level of skill, Yuri had managed fifteen steps in the Hundred Steps Ceremony.
And within a year, he had reached an unfathomable level.
And what enabled him to accomplish all of that was Yuri’s mental fortitude.
The indomitable, unyielding will.
‘Mucci Schnell… I wonder if you have that too?’
Gunther watched with interest as Mucci struggled to take his fifth step.
He glanced at the ones behind him.
“Gah!”
“Ughhhh!”
Most had already collapsed behind Mucci.
Only three were barely keeping pace.
Still on just their third step.
But that didn’t last long.
Boom-.
“Ugh!”
As Mucci took his fifth step, two of the three failed to take their third and fell.
Boom-.
“Aaaagh!”
As Mucci attempted his sixth step, the last one collapsed on their fourth.
And then.
Boom-.
“……!”
Mucci, who silently screamed, successfully took his sixth step.
Now, he was the only one standing in the arena.
Six steps.
Last year, both Poppy and Arin had fallen before fully completing their sixth steps.
Only Gunther had managed to take a full six steps.
Which meant Mucci’s record matched Gunther’s.
But Mucci was still standing.
His back was hunched.
His skin was flushed red.
His legs trembled.
It was clear he was at his limit, but he pushed himself to take another step.
Towards the seventh step.
“Mucci!”
“Hang in there, youngest!”
“I’m hungry!”
In the quiet, their cheers echoed loudly.
Boom-.
“Ngh!”
Mucci finally managed to take that heavy seventh step.
But as he did, his knee buckled, and he fell forward.
“Ugh!”
Mucci struggled to get up.
But he couldn’t rise easily.
The spectators thought this was Mucci’s limit.
That the highest record for the 51st batch this time would be seven steps.
They nodded, impressed.
Just when they thought the 51st batch’s Hundred Steps Ceremony was over.
Step-.
He appeared.
Step, step-.
‘He’ entered the arena through the passage the 51st batch had come through.
At this, the noise in the spectator seats fell silent.
‘He’s here.’
‘It’s him.’
‘The real show… starts now.’
Under normal circumstances, the 51st batch’s Hundred Steps Ceremony would have been today’s main event.
But last year, a boy had made a bold request to the Sword Master.
[“Let’s do this a few more times.”]
Because of that, this year’s Hundred Steps Ceremony had changed in meaning.
From an initiation for the newcomers……
[“I want to be allowed to participate in the Hundred Steps Ceremony every year until I leave this cradle. That’s… what I want.”]
…to a time of annual challenge and growth verification for one boy.
Everyone who knew this couldn’t take their eyes off the star of the Hundred Steps Ceremony, Yuri Holland.
“…….”
Gunther Ryder, who had been standing with his arms crossed and eyes closed until now, snapped his eyes open at Yuri’s arrival.
He watched the arena with a sharp gaze.
* * *
On the outermost edge of the arena.
Among the fallen 51st batch members who had collapsed
at the start of the Hundred Steps Ceremony, one person remained conscious.
‘Hmm.’
Lisa, who had feigned unconsciousness to keep a close eye on everything, was the only one left standing.
Opening her eyes fully to get a closer look at Mucci struggling to rise, she observed with interest.
‘You’re really trying, huh?’
Lisa smiled at the sight of Mucci desperately fighting.
‘Beautiful…’
The sight of someone struggling against the inevitable was remarkably beautiful in her eyes.
Pain.
Desperation.
Struggling.
Only these things brought any color to Lisa’s otherwise completely gray world.
As Lisa watched Mucci with bright eyes.
Step-.
A sound from behind startled Lisa, making her turn her head.
She had forgotten she was pretending to be unconscious, and let out a gasp.
“Ah…….”
A black-haired boy, whose golden eyes shone brightly even in her gray world.
When Lisa’s gaze met his brilliant golden eyes, she felt like her soul was being drawn in, and she couldn’t help but gasp in awe.
“…….”
“…….”
A brief, silent exchange of glances.
His golden eyes quickly turned away, as if deeming her not worth further attention.
The indifference in his gaze sent a shiver down Lisa’s spine.
‘…Who is he?’
An unexpected presence in the Hundred Steps Ceremony.
Someone she didn’t even know the name of took a step forward, and only then did Lisa notice the red epaulet on his shoulder.
‘Red epaulet? A 50th?’
The 50th batch seniors who had ‘hunted’ her peers in the Forest of Beginnings wore those red epaulets.
Knowing this, she was understandably confused.
‘Isn’t this the initiation ceremony for the 51st batch?’
Why had a 50th batch senior suddenly appeared?
As confusion filled Lisa’s eyes.
The black-haired boy took his second and third steps.
That’s when Lisa finally realized something was off.
‘Huh?’
He was simply ‘striding’ forward.
Walking so ordinarily.
As if on flat ground.
‘Is he just… doing it that easily?’
Lisa had just watched her fellow 51st batch members struggle to take those steps.
Seeing him walk so casually felt unreal to her.
‘…Did the pressure disappear?’
That thought crossed her mind briefly, but she shook her head.
‘No, it hasn’t disappeared.’
Even now, look.
The pressure weighing her down was still present.
That’s why it was even more puzzling.
‘How can he move so… normally?’
Lisa’s eyes widened as she watched.
All she could do was stare blankly at the back of the figure who was slowly moving away.
Step by step.
Passing by the collapsed 51st batch members.
Yuri, walking as if on a leisurely stroll, was now……
Step-.
…standing next to the fallen Mucci.