Luciel stood there for a moment, still processing what had just happened. A surge of joy followed the surprise—Cross swordsmanship? He hadn't expected the chip to offer such a valuable combat technique. The style was based on the very moves the magic puppet had used, drawing cross-shaped slashes in the air. It was powerful, probably a low-level combat skill, and a skill Luciel would be thrilled to learn.
The thought of saving 50 gold coins—the cost of taking an elective course for a low-level combat skill—made Luciel smile. He'd recently mastered basic swordsmanship and had been looking for something stronger. This was a stroke of luck.
"Calculate the time I just fought with the magic puppet," Luciel asked the chip.
"Sixty-three seconds," the chip replied.
"Not bad," Luciel murmured, satisfied. In just a minute, the challenge was completed, earning him thirty gold coins. But then, as he looked at the motionless puppet, a strange thought crossed his mind. The knight puppet had been fierce at first, but now it was completely lifeless.
It's broken... or maybe it's just out of energy? Luciel wasn't sure, but he comforted himself, thinking it didn't matter too much. After all, he had completed the challenge and earned his reward.
Just as Luciel was about to leave, the door to the small room opened, and a tall, thin, handsome boy emerged. His face showed a flicker of nervousness, but he quickly regained his composure.
"Someone's out!" someone in the crowd remarked, and people started glancing in Luciel's direction. The freckled boy who had been overseeing the challenge walked up to Luciel and sized him up with a new level of respect.
"Not bad," he said, impressed. "In just one minute and three seconds, the challenge was successful."
The crowd murmured in surprise.
"Really? He did it?"
"There are some hidden talents in the third grade."
"I wonder if the battle for the third-grade chief this year will be as exciting as this."
Even Maris, who had been watching from the side, gave Luciel a curious glance. Luciel felt the weight of everyone's attention, but he coughed lightly and quickly spoke to the freckled boy. "Um, thirty gold coins..."
The freckled boy beamed at Luciel's polite demeanor and handed him a small metal plate. "Here, take this to the lobby and collect your reward. By the way, are you interested in joining our Swordsmanship Association? We have credits and other benefits..."
Luciel nodded politely. "I'll think about it." With that, he quickly walked out of the room, looking almost like he was in a hurry to escape.
The crowd, still abuzz with excitement, watched him go. Then, everyone turned their attention back to Maris, who was preparing for her second challenge.
---
Maris strode confidently into the room, he eyes full of determination. The spectators' excitement built as they whispered, speculating on how long she might last.
"I bet he'll last at least two and a half minutes!" one person called out.
The freckled boy, who had been timing the challenges, was ready for the next one.
But, after only a brief moment, the door opened again. Maris stepped out, her face contorted in confusion.
"What's wrong?" someone asked.
Maris frowned. "The magic puppet... it's not moving anymore. Did the energy run out?"
The freckled boy walked in to check. After a few moments, he emerged with a look of confusion. "The magic spar should last for at least three days. I don't understand."
The crowd grew silent, wondering what could have happened. Maris crossed he arms. "Could it be broken?" someone suggested.
"Impossible!" the freckled boy insisted. "The outer shell of the magic puppet is made from rare magic metal. Even knight-level warriors would have trouble breaking it."
Maris shook he head. "It's impossible for me to have destroyed it. Only the president could do that."
As the crowd continued to speculate, an unexpected voice called out, "President Bowen is here!"
The crowd parted as a tall, handsome young man with pale blond hair entered. He carried himself with the natural grace of a noble, and everyone greeted him respectfully, calling him "Sir President" or "Senior Bowen." It was Bowen, the president of the Orland Swordsmanship Association.
"What's going on here?" Bowen asked, surveying the scene. His eyes quickly moved to the still puppet.
"Seems like it's broken," the freckled boy mumbled.
Bowen's brows furrowed slightly. He walked over to the magic puppet and, with a few quick taps, opened the chest. The crowd leaned in, eyes widening as they saw what was inside. The complex magic circle that powered the puppet was revealed—a sophisticated array of intricate runes designed to channel immense power.
Bowen continued to inspect the structure and soon paused, his gaze fixing on one specific spot. He pointed to the damage. "This part of the magic circle has been destroyed. It looks like it was caused by some external force."
Everyone turned their gaze to Maris, who was standing nearby.
"Marris!" Bowen called out, his eyes suddenly filled with admiration. "I didn't expect your swordsmanship to have improved so much. To break through the outer shell of the puppet and destroy its magic circle—that's impressive!"
Maris blinked, stunned by the praise. "Uh... what?" he stammered, caught off guard.
Bowen sighed, clearly amazed. "The power of your sword must have passed through the defense of the armor and shattered the delicate magic array inside. This is an advanced level of swordsmanship."
Maris was still in disbelief. "I didn't do that... My swordsmanship isn't at that level yet."
The crowd, however, was in shock. Bowen's words hadn't gone unnoticed.
"Wait..." someone whispered. "The last person who entered the challenge was the third grader who just left."
"The third grader did it?" someone else gasped. "Does that mean... he used junior-level swordsmanship to destroy the puppet?!"
Bowen's eyes widened as the realization hit him. "The third-year student did this?" he repeated in disbelief.
Everyone turned to the freckled boy, who was now staring with his mouth agape. He was stunned, his expression one of complete shock.
Maris walked up to Bowen, shaking his head. "I really wish I had done it, but I haven't reached that level yet."
Bowen blinked, now thoroughly confused. "So... someone else destroyed the puppet?"
The crowd's whispers grew louder, as the mystery of the magic puppet's destruction hung in the air.
---
To be continued...
(Thank you for reading! Stay tuned for the next chapter!)