So You Have Been Hiding Your Strength All Along?!
Luciel nodded.
Anderson was torn between frustration and excitement. He threw an arm around Luciel's shoulders and exclaimed joyfully, "Brother, tonight at Clear Water Heaven, it's my treat! You must come!"
"Lanster, you're a genius! The heirs of all the noble families will be eager to befriend a knight of your caliber!"
Anderson had always longed to enter the elite circles of Baifeng City's noble class. However, coming from a nouveau riche background in the countryside, he had always been looked down upon. Now, he saw a golden opportunity in Luciel.
Luciel had dominated the strength assessment, securing first place without suspense. He was now one of the strongest competitors in the mid-term evaluations, standing on equal footing with Joey. If he could achieve an excellent result in the swordsmanship assessment, he had a high chance of ranking first overall.
The Swordsmanship Test Begins
"There is no such possibility."
Joey tightened his grip on his apprentice sword, his eyes burning with determination.
"Instructor Julian himself praised my swordsmanship. Getting an excellent evaluation shouldn't be a problem. And Luciel? He's just another pampered noble. How skilled could he possibly be with a sword? Hmph…"
Instructor Julian, the overseer of the swordsmanship assessment, stood before them, holding a standard apprentice sword with effortless ease. Despite its simplicity, the weapon radiated an inexplicable aura of power.
His voice was calm yet commanding. "I will suppress my strength to match each of you. This test is purely about technique. If you can last thirty seconds against me, you will pass."
"Thirty seconds?!"
"That's too easy!"
Excitement spread among the students.
If Julian fought at full power, lasting even ten seconds would be impossible. But since he was lowering himself to their level, surviving for half a minute seemed simple. Even Joey smirked with confidence.
Anderson let out a sigh of relief. "So the swordsmanship test is easier than the strength test! Worst case scenario, I take a few hits—lasting thirty seconds should be a breeze!"
Many shared Anderson's thoughts. However, Luciel remained cautious.
A knight-level magic puppet from the Swordsmanship Association, which followed fixed rules, was already enough to challenge and defeat many so-called geniuses. Julian, however, was no mindless puppet. His vast battle experience and deep understanding of swordsmanship made him far more dangerous.
And as expected—
The first student to step forward didn't even last five seconds before being effortlessly defeated.
"Result: Unqualified."
Julian's cold voice echoed through the training ground.
The students were stunned. This participant had illuminated four and a half crystals in the strength test, yet he had still failed miserably here.
"Result: Unqualified."
"Result: Unqualified."
Again and again, Julian's indifferent verdict rang out. Most students failed, with only a handful managing to scrape by.
"This is way harder than expected…" murmured one student.
"Joey!"
It was Joey's turn, and the students perked up in anticipation.
"Joey's swordsmanship was praised by Instructor Julian himself—he should do well!"
"I bet he can last over a minute!"
"He might even score an excellent rating!"
Joey exuded confidence as Julian gave him a subtle nod of encouragement.
"With respect, Instructor!" Joey saluted like a knight before gripping his sword tightly and stepping forward with a precise stance.
"Rock Swordsmanship!"
The crowd whispered excitedly.
"Joey is using Rock Swordsmanship!"
"That's a powerful low-level technique!"
"I can't wait to see his results!"
Luciel's eyes flickered with interest.
"Chip, record this swordsmanship."
"Recording in storage…"
As Joey launched into his attack, his movements were broken down and analyzed by the chip, reconstructing and recording his Rock Swordsmanship.
Julian, however, remained unfazed. He wielded his sword casually, effortlessly countering Joey's aggressive strikes. No matter how fast or fierce Joey attacked, Julian deflected each blow with minimal effort.
A Critical Mistake
Gradually, Joey became impatient. His footwork became sloppy, his movements less controlled.
"Joey, you're going to lose," Luciel noted internally.
Sure enough, in the next instant, Julian's sword darted forward like a viper, striking precisely at Joey's wrist.
Clang!
Joey's sword slipped from his grasp and clattered to the ground. His face turned pale.
"Pass."
Julian's voice was as cold as ever.
The students were shocked—Joey had barely lasted more than thirty seconds.
Julian sighed. "Rock Swordsmanship is a defensive style that waits for the right moment to counterattack. But you abandoned its essence, attacking recklessly instead of waiting for your opportunity."
He shook his head. "Joey, you have disappointed me."
Joey's hands trembled slightly. His face darkened, but he took a deep breath and silently stepped back.
Luciel watched carefully.
"Joey has the strength, but his mind was unsettled. His technique fell apart under pressure."
At that moment, the chip gave another update.
"Rock Swordsmanship has been recorded. Integrity: 78%. Optimization possible."
Luciel didn't hesitate. "Optimize."
The optimization process would take twelve hours. Once complete, Rock Swordsmanship would be another valuable addition to his arsenal.
"Next—Luciel Lanster."
Finally, it was Luciel's turn.
All eyes turned to him.
He had shocked everyone in the strength test, emerging as an unexpected powerhouse. Now, everyone was curious—how skilled was he with a sword?
Luciel took a deep breath, gripped his sword firmly, and stepped forward.
"Analysis: Determine the best strategy to defeat the target."
"Analyzing…"
And with that, he faced Instructor Julian.