SWNOVELXO Chapter 45 - Changing the Dragon Plaque (4)
Chapter 45 Changing the Dragon Plaque (4)
Most likely, the majority viewed this changing of the Dragon Plaque as a festival and a time of reward for the second-year cadets.
Yuri had initially thought so too.
But he was wrong.
There was just one thing.
A reward prepared in the Cradle for the cadets.
‘Or is this a reward for me?’
Yuri had only guessed it from a clue that came up by chance during a conversation with Jerry.
Even now, as he raced southward, Yuri wasn’t entirely sure if it was something the Cradle had prepared for the cadets.
Despite that, the reason Yuri kept running was because he was convinced he could obtain that item.
‘Whether it’s prepared for the cadets or not, I just have to get my hands on it by any means necessary, right?’
So Yuri chose to abandon the option of hiding safely and instead emerged into the forest where the Dragon Plaque changing was in full swing.
To obtain that gift that no one else could get their hands on.
Yuri’s eyes shone brightly in the darkness.
‘I must reach the target point without causing too much commotion.’
By now, most of the 49th batch were probably furious, catching hollow golden goblins with no points.
In such a situation, Yuri, wandering around with a large box, was highly suspicious.
Not wanting to stir up unnecessary trouble, Yuri moved stealthily to avoid being seen.
Swish, swish, swish—
Yuri moved discreetly from tree to tree, crossing the darkness.
The red alert came when Yuri was about two-thirds of the way through the Forest of Beginnings.
Just as Yuri crossed a shallow stream.
A small shadow jumped out from behind a tree.
Whosh—
At the same time, a faint popping sound accompanied a sharp force aimed at Yuri’s thigh.
Thud—
“…?!”
If it had been an ordinary cadet, they would have had their leg pierced by that attack long ago.
But Yuri was different.
Magic Flow.
The sense of the Magic Flow, which had been open as he crossed the forest, detected the threatening presence approaching against the peaceful flow.
Cloud Step.
This extreme technique that pursues ultimate freedom allowed Yuri, who was moving forward, to defy the laws of physics and retreat backward.
Swoosh—
Back on the other side of the stream, Yuri landed on the ground, leaving a long mark on the gravel path.
Having successfully evaded the attack aimed at him, Yuri’s expression was far from bright.
“Hmm…”
Yuri looked down at his leg with a hardened face.
Through the ten-centimeter torn trousers, his solid thigh muscles were visible.
‘Even though I used Cloud Step, I couldn’t completely avoid it?’
Yuri, expressionless, looked up and stared straight ahead.
The assailant stood as if confronting Yuri across the frozen stream.
A slim figure about 160 centimeters tall.
Emerald hair, roughly tied up and fixed with a twig.
Crimson eyes that exuded strength.
And a long spear slung diagonally.
Looking at the beautiful girl who seemed about his age, Yuri recalled his last conversation with Jerry.
[Someone to be careful of? Of course. There are two Platinum Dragon Plaques and six Golden Dragon Plaques among the 49th batch, but the one to be most wary of is not them. It’s the one with the Golden Dragon Plaque. Let’s call them the strongest Golden Dragon Plaque holder.]
The top of the 49th batch.
The strongest Golden Dragon Plaque holder.
And…
[The 49th batch members with lower-ranked plaques have been biding their time for this Dragon Plaque change. It’s a chance to change plaques for free! So, that person is particularly desperate.]
The person who would be most desperate in this Dragon Plaque change.
Jerry had told him the name of the person with the same external features as the assailant in front of him.
“…Theresia Winchester.”
Yuri’s muttering lingered softly between the two.
—
In the Dragon’s Cradle, the Golden Dragon Plaque represented the lowest tier.
Though they made up the largest proportion of the incoming cadets each year, they were the first to be eliminated in the Cradle’s trials.
About 90% of the Golden Dragon Plaques were weeded out in the Bug Compost of the Forest of Beginnings.
The chances of the surviving Golden Dragon Plaque holders becoming official cadets and enduring for one year, let alone five, were close to zero.
Such was the purpose of the Golden Dragon Plaque—to be given to those deemed unfit to enter the Cradle.
However, there were occasional exceptions.
For instance, if a family had two members entering the Cradle but only one recommendation plaque.
In such cases, one would enter with a recommendation plaque, and the other with a donation.
Even in those cases, it was rare for the one with the Golden Dragon Plaque to thrive in the Cradle.
A family would naturally use the plaque on the more talented member.
The less talented would be weeded out.
In that sense, ‘Theresia Winchester’ was an anomaly that disrupted the ecosystem of the 49th batch.
Despite holding a Golden Dragon Plaque, she rose to prominence, widely recognized as the strongest of the 49th batch.
Yuri scratched his cheek as he looked at her.
‘She feels a bit different from what I imagined.’
The image Yuri had of her from Jerry’s description was that of a typical fighter.
A rough and fierce fighter.
But in person, Theresia lacked that impression.
Though expressionless, she had a delicate and pure appearance.
If Yuri hadn’t heard about her from Jerry and hadn’t experienced her spear techniques firsthand, he might have thought she was just a beautiful girl.
‘She’s strong.’
Despite the stark contrast from his imagination, Yuri could sense much from her crimson eyes that stared at him.
Determination.
Strength.
And…
‘Ferocity.’
Theresia’s eyes held a ferocity that only someone who had pushed themselves to the extreme could possess.
Yuri recognized it instantly.
For the past six months, Yuri’s own eyes had looked like that as he rigorously trained.
Hence, he could not underestimate Theresia.
Yuri clicked his tongue softly.
“Tch… I thought I was doing well avoiding trouble, but I ran into the person I should avoid the most.”
In his efforts to avoid unnecessary conflicts, he ended up facing the most dangerous person.
Theresia muttered quietly to herself, as if talking to herself.
“Do you know me?”
If she hadn’t misheard, the opponent had clearly called her name.
But she didn’t know such a person among the 49th batch.
Theresia observed Yuri.
‘Not even a shoulder patch.’
A boy with black bangs hanging down, half-covering his face.
Without the yellow shoulder patch that symbolized the 49th batch, it was clear he was a new cadet.
Hence, she was surprised.
‘A mere cadet avoided my stab?’
It had been a perfect ambush.
She hadn’t gone all out, but she had aimed to injure his leg with a powerful thrust.
Yet, the boy had avoided it.
No one among the 49th batch could evade her ambush this perfectly.
Not even the Platinum Dragon Plaque holders.
‘Skill?’
Or was it luck?
There was a simple way to find out.
Whosh—
Theresia’s long spear, which had been circling her torso, aimed at Yuri.
She lightly twisted the spear in her hands, shifting her weight back.
Crunch—
The gravel beneath Theresia’s feet screamed.
Yuri clicked his tongue inwardly at the sight.
‘Tch, it seems I can’t just pass by.’
Though he wanted to leave without a confrontation, Theresia’s aura was ominous.
And she was blocking the path he needed to take.
Despite being in a hurry, it seemed a clash was inevitable.
‘This is dangerous.’
The moment he saw the spear aimed at him, Yuri felt a chill.
Yuri put down the wooden box he was carrying and drew his sword.
Theresia’s eyes glinted coldly at the sight.
“I hope that wasn’t just a fluke.”
With that warning, her legs kicked off the ground.
Crunch—
The gravel under Theresia’s foot couldn’t withstand the pressure and shattered.
The weight that had been pulled back suddenly shifted forward.
The force of her kick-off sent her body shooting forward.
Thud—
Theresia’s charge sounded like an arrow being shot.
At the same time, her figure blurred.
In the blink of an eye, Theresia crossed the stream, and her sharp spear tip was already aiming for Yuri’s leg.
‘You’re aiming for the same spot again?’
Did the earlier failure wound her pride?
Theresia targeted the exact same spot.
Moreover, there was no hesitation in her attack.
She thrust the spear with the single intent to pierce her enemy.
Of course, Yuri wouldn’t just take it.
Swoosh—
Yuri’s form wavered like a mirage in spring.
Theresia’s pupils trembled slightly in surprise.
At that moment, her spear pierced through what seemed like Yuri’s leg.
No, it appeared so.
Clang!
The leg that seemed to be pierced was intact, and his sword swung like lightning.
The struck spear shaft was thrown off balance, but it soon coiled like a snake and aimed at Yuri’s leg again.
‘Persistent, aren’t you!’
Yuri responded calmly.
Clang, clang, clang—
The trajectory of the snake-like spear was deflected thrice by Yuri’s strikes.
As Yuri closed in on the spear’s path, Theresia stepped back.
The whole exchange took less than three seconds.
It was a bout too fast for the ordinary eye to follow, yet for them, it wasn’t even a full effort.
Just a light skirmish.
Having exchanged blows, they stood about four meters apart, watching each other
.
In the brief silence, Theresia spoke first.
“It wasn’t luck… it was skill.”
The boy with the dangling bangs was indeed skilled.
Though it was just a light clash, it was enough to gauge his ability.
‘At least a Platinum Dragon Plaque level.’
If he could handle her attacks so effortlessly, he had to be at least at the level of a Platinum Dragon Plaque holder among the cadets.
Theresia’s lips curled into a faint smile.
‘Lucky me.’
Her goal in this Dragon Plaque change was to shed the label of the lowest-tier Golden Dragon Plaque holder.
And if possible, to obtain at least a Golden Dragon Plaque or higher.
For that, she needed luck.
The luck to meet a high-ranked plaque holder in this vast Forest of Beginnings.
In this context, meeting someone who seemed to be a Platinum Dragon Plaque holder was indeed fortunate.
Seeing Theresia’s faint smile directed at him, Yuri shrugged his shoulders.
“I’m naturally skilled.”
“It seems so. You’re a new cadet, right?”
“Have you seen anyone like me among the 49th batch?”
“No.”
“Then I must be a new cadet, right?”
Yuri’s lips, the only visible part beneath his hair, twisted slightly.
Seeing this, Theresia’s brow furrowed.
“I’m from the 49th batch. If you pass this test, you’ll be the 50th batch.”
“So?”
“Show respect to your seniors.”
“Is that important when we’re fighting with swords?”
“It is. That’s the way of the Cradle.”
“Hmm, really?”
Yuri stroked his chin and nodded.
‘This Cradle place is quite strange.’
Considering how they were trying to kill each other, it was absurd to think about seniority.
The fact that this hierarchy was maintained even in the outside world was even more ridiculous.
Yuri nodded roughly.
“Well, alright. If I’m in the Cradle, I should follow its rules. But, Theresia-senpai…”
He paused for a moment.
Yuri’s eyes, hidden under his bangs, scanned the surroundings quickly.
Theresia had crossed the stream.
The distance between him and Theresia.
And the location of the wooden box.
Having calculated everything instantly, Yuri’s lips curved into a provocative smile.
“Hmm, Theresia-senpai… that name really doesn’t roll off the tongue. Anyway, Tetsha-senpai.”
“…What?”
Theresia’s brow furrowed at Yuri’s playful tone.
Ignoring her reaction, Yuri continued with a grin.
“Isn’t it funny? Tetsha-senpai is trying to take my plaque, right? Isn’t that right?”
“Don’t call me Tetsha.”
“But if Tetsha-senpai takes my plaque, I won’t become part of the 50th batch… so I won’t be your junior, right?”
“I told you not to call me Tetsha.”
Despite the repeated warning, Yuri persistently called her ‘Tetsha.’
Meanwhile, he moved his legs towards the wooden box he had put down during their fight.
Keeping Theresia distracted with his chatter.
“Tetsha, you don’t like being called that? Senpai?”
“…”
“Why? It’s short and easy to remember… and it’s cute, isn’t it?”
“If you don’t want to regret it, stop. This is a warning.”
“Why? Tetsha. Tetsha. Tetsha. Tetsha. Tetsha. TETSHA!”
At the peak of Yuri’s taunts, Theresia’s eyes flared with cold energy.
“I told you…”
Theresia’s voice turned chilling.
“Not to do something you’ll regret.”
Theresia’s body drew back, her torso leaning backward.
Her waist bent like a bow.
The spear in her hands resembled an arrow ready to be shot.
And.
Thwap—
Like a released bowstring, Theresia’s spear shot forward.
Simultaneously, her figure vanished with the spear.
As if she melted into the shadow of the spear.
The secret magic body technique of the Winchester family.
Shadow Bounce.
A warning bell rang in Yuri’s mind.
‘Fast!’
Theresia’s weapon was a spear.
Similarly, the only other spear wielder Yuri had faced was Muche.
But the two pursued completely different paths.
Mucci, inheriting Ralph Schnell’s physical prowess, used a spear technique that crushed opponents with overwhelming strength and skill.
Theresia, on the other hand, used a spear technique that pierced through opponents with fluidity and extreme speed.
From Yuri’s perspective, Theresia might be a more challenging opponent.
And this very fact excited Yuri.
‘So, you’re confident in your speed?’
As Theresia hid in the shadow of the spear, a small bolt of lightning sparked around Yuri’s body.
‘Unfortunately for you, I can’t lose when it comes to speed.’
The secret magic body technique of the Redner family.
Thunder Wing.
Zap—
A flash of strong light, and Yuri’s figure disappeared entirely.