The moment Reinhardt used Magic Body Strengthening, the match was decided even before their swords even touched..
Reinhardt’s body was engulfed in blue magic flames, and Scarlett had already lost her grip on the sword the next moment.
-Boom!
Reinhardt’s sword rushed forward in a flash, knocking Scarlett’s sword away.
Most martial arts techniques were designed to deal with opponents of the same level. Therefore, a fight between someone who was on the level of a superhuman and someone who was not could not actually be called a fight not because of the difference in skill but rather sheer physical ability.
Loss of weapons.
In other words, unable to fight.
‘The third set is a victory for Reinhardt of the Royal Class, what an upset!’
The third set ended with a shout from the referee.
“What the hell is going on?”
Olivia didn’t seem to understand. She didn’t know that Reinhardt could only use Magic Body Strengthening with the help of Self-Suggestion, so she could only think that he was deliberately not using it until now.
Ellen and Scarlett were the only ones who knew that.
Ellen was the only one in the audience who could see exactly how much Reinhardt had grown in this brief moment.
Ellen clenched her fists.
‘Reinhardt….’
Reinhardt took the next step. No one knew, but Ellen knew all too well how big a step forward that was.
She was so happy about it.
She couldn’t help but want to jump up and run to Reinhardt.
Despite Ellen’s excitement and the stunned silence of the crowd, the game went on anyway.
The score was 2:1.
Even if Reinhardt succeeded in Magic Body Strengthening without the aid of his Self-Suggestion, it’s a double-edged sword.
In the next two sets, he’ll be forced to rely on it against Scarlett, whose very presence sealed away his supernatural ability.
But if he won, would he be able to carry on towards the finals?
He might win this match, but his chances of winning the championship were dwindling by the second.
‘And now, on to the fourth set….’
However, while Scarlett and Reinhardt were facing each other, Scarlett suddenly raised her hand.
‘Yes, something is wrong… Ah.’
The emcee’s panicked voice echoed throughout the stadium.
‘Scarlett of the Royal Class has conceded!’
Withdrawal.
The out-of-the-blue declaration stunned the audience, as well as her opponent, Reinhardt.
In the waiting room.
‘Reinhardt has to win, so he should conserve his power here..’
Scarlett abstained after saying that.
She seemed satisfied.
She wanted to see me persevere. She wanted to see how I would act once my most potent weapon, my supernatural ability, was neutralized.
She wanted me to overcome her, to always show conviction, to never give up, and she hoped I would be able to do it against her this time.
I somehow fulfilled that expectation..
That was Scarlet’s purpose in the first place.
The moment I succeeded in using Magic Body Strengthening without the aid of Self-Suggestion, the moment I overpowered her, she stopped testing me.
Had the set continued, the outcome would have been unclear.
A split second.
I activated the enhancement briefly, but without the aid of my supernatural ability.
My fingertips were tingling and a bizarre pain coursed through my body, as if every muscle in my body had been torn.
Even with the aid of Self-Suggestion, I couldn’t use this power for long, and using it unassisted would only burden my body even more.
Scarlett could have beaten me. But in the end, after seeing the results she wanted, she gave up.
Well after this and that happened..
She didn’t want to, but she was in the tournament to push me to the next level.
She went all out. What she couldn’t do in the sparring arena, she could do in this stadium.
The crowd went wild, but I went back to the waiting room, and Scarlett went back after telling me to win.
It was a gaze that imposed expectations, uncomfortable yet somehow conveying a sense of responsibility. If I were an ordinary person, if I were just the usual Reinhardt, I might have just spouted nonsense telling her not to expect too much.
But I felt that I owed Scarlett, in more ways than one, so I could just nod my head.
Ludwig and Gladen Amorelle had left to prepare for the next match.
That’s why I was the only one in the waiting room where the first-year students were, and I had the bleachers all to myself.
Whoever I came up against, I would be able to use Self-Suggestion this time. Scarlett, my biggest unexpected adversary, dropped out when I fulfilled her expectations.
Ellen was probably the only one in the audience who noticed the change.
It was only a few months ago that she had been nagging me to use my powers, and I had whined that I couldn’t do it.
But this time, I succeeded in Magic Body Strengthening without the help of Self-Suggestion.
…Would she praise me?
What?
Am I just some kid who did something good and wanted a pat on the back from his teacher?
No, actually, Ellen was my teacher, so it’s not that different, is it?
Anyway, I’m alone in the waiting room.
I sat down to watch the semifinals, which would determine my final opponent, while continuing to play around with Self-Suggestion so that I could get used to it again..
It felt like a long time since I’d last use it..
‘Alright ladies and gentlemen! The last match of the Gardias Temple First Year Tournament semifinals is about to start…!!’
Ludwig and Gladen Amorelle walked into the arena.
In the original story, Ludwig didn’t take a single set from Gladen Amorelle.
And Ellen doesn’t give up a single set to her.
But Ludwig was stronger than he was in the original.
Still, he’ll have a hard time defeating her. She’s roughly at my level, somewhere below Ellen, by this time. If she ever awakens Magic Body Strengthening, she’ll soar past me in a heartbeat. Scarlett was a bit of a special case..
Willpower does not equal power.
The moment my Self-Suggestion was sealed, I felt uncomfortable knowing that the power I wished for had disappeared.
I had gotten used to my supernatural ability.
I realized once again how ridiculous it is to try and power up using a sense of belief that is inherently unanswered.
But Ludwig decided to never think about losing again.
The screen flashed on Ludwig’s face.
Ludwig’s face was always slightly smiling, his expression easygoing and personable.
But this time, his face was set, cold and hard.
It was a look I had never seen before.
Gladen Amorelle.
A-1 in the first year of the Orbis class, with a skill set that was nothing short of Royal Class, and therefore a strong prospect for the next generation of the Orbis class.
‘You can do it.’
‘You can defeat the Royal Class. Just keep doing what you’re doing. No, you can do better, you can reach further.’
She had kept hearing those words until they were ringing in her ears.
She’d always done what she’s been told, what she’s been asked to do, and she’s done it better than anyone else.
Gladen Amorelle.
A person who, in a false desire to improve, thought it was something she had to endure, only to realize that it was hell and escaped it.
Gladen Amorelle found laughter and ease.
Now that she realized that there was no reason to live the life that was imposed on her, Gladen Amorelle found that she could be gentle and kind to others like never before.
She no longer felt like she was being pursued.
But that didn’t mean she became lax. In fact, her growth had improved tremendously now that she could focus on the things she wanted to do at her own pace.
It was the satisfaction that came from self-discipline.
So while Gladen Amorelle’s personality had changed, her skills haven’t regressed. In fact, it’s safe to say she’s improved.
The unsmiling girl found her smile again.
But her opponent.
Ludwig, Royal Class B-11.
Usually good-natured, gentle, and friendly to all, but Ludwig had no smile on his face now. It’s as if he had had a conviction.
He looked at her as if she was a wall that he had to surpass, and by doing so relieve himself of some heavy burden.
Without a smile, Ludwig pointed his sword at Gladen Amorelle.
Without a word, she replied in kind.
Gladen Amorelle finally spoke.
“It seems like you’re serious.”
“….”
After a moment of silence, Ludwig replied to Gladen Amorelle, his expression still stern.
“Among my classmates in the Royal Class, I’m considered the weakest and while my talent may be good enough to get me into the Royal Class, it’s the least valuable talent in that place.”
“What’s… your talent?”
“[Stamina].”
Normally, Ludwig would have laughed like an idiot and scratched his head, but now he was stoic, his face calm.
“But I have a friend in Class A without any sort of talent, but possessing infinite aptitudes. Even in Class B, there were a lot of people who thought that he should have been Class B-11, although I didn’t think so.”
“But the point is, he really, really didn’t have anything, not even the tiniest advantage of physical endurance like I do.”
“But although that friend may have been weak, he wasn’t cowardly. It may not have been a good thing, but he never backed down from any trials he had faced. Even if he fell, no matter how many times he fell, he got up again. Even when it might have been okay to give up by then, even if it may have been better. He never stayed down for long.”
Gladen Amorelle seemed to know who Ludwig was talking about.
“I’m the opposite,” he continued.
“I worked hard. Whatever it was, I put in effort. If I worked hard, I could someday stand shoulder to shoulder with my classmates who each have outstanding talents, even if I was behind for now. I believed that.”
“I was living in defeatism without even realizing it.”
Always putting it off for the future.
He had always thought of himself too objectively.
‘I still can’t beat him. I’m still inferior to him. So I’ll work hard.‘
‘I’m still behind, but someday I’ll be able to stand together with them.’
‘For now, I can’t help it.’
“He always knew he shouldn’t, but he did it anyway. He fell, hurt himself, and believed he could win even though he couldn’t. He spent this year making unreasonable and reckless attempts.”
“Now, I’m much weaker than him.”
“I’m sure I was originally stronger than him, but while I rationalized a lot of things based on the idea that I was putting in effort, he had passed me by and reached so far away.”
“Clearly, I should have been stronger than that friend. But while I rationalized my losses just by thinking that I’d get strong someday, he overtook me by a great distance by doing unreasonable things believing that he could make it happen.”
“Yeah. I admire Reinhardt.”
“To catch up to the distance that separated us.”
“I think that’s what I have to do from now on.”
“I know I can’t, but I’m going to do it, believing I have to, because Reinhardt said I have to believe it.”
“I’m not going to hide behind the excuse that I’m trying harder now, because that’s only going to make it worse.”
Ludwig gripped his sword and looked at Gladen Amorelle.
Gone is the Ludwig, the weakest of Class B, who was resigned to the status quo in the name of hard work.
He had changed.
No longer did he console himself with the words “I’m going to try hard”.
‘Not to work hard, but to do better.’
‘Not to do my best, but to win.’
“So.”
Scratching his head at every loss, telling himself that it’ll work out better later.
He was done with that.
Willpower does not equal power.
There is only one person in the world who knows the truth of this.
Willpower does not equal power, but Ludwig is the protagonist of this world.
The center of everything.
A protagonist, by nature, can turn willpower into power.
And towards such a hero.
Ludwig declared.
“I.”
“Will.”
“Win.”
The world is, and always will be, on his side.
What the fuck is this guy?
I couldn’t help but widen my eyes at the result of the semifinals.
It was 3:0 in Ludwig’s favor.
They seemed to be having a conversation, but when the duel began, the result went beyond my expectations.
Ludwig’s sword struck Gladen Amorelle with overwhelming force.
Not even using Magic Body Strengthening.
Nor did he tap into any supernatural ability.
Ludwig blocked and countered every blow Gladen Amorelle threw at him through sheer physical strength alone.
An overwhelming difference in physique.
Ludwig had done something that could only be done under Magic Body Strengthening, and he had done it only with his body.
The people in the audience stared at Ludwig, who had just defeated Gladen Amorelle with monstrous strength.
‘Wow!’
While it may have just looked like an overwhelming and incredible fight to the ordinary person, I was stunned.
That’s not the kind of speed and reaction I’m capable of without any abilities activated.
I don’t know what he did, but Ludwig was different.
If he’s this strong without enhancements, he’s going to be even stronger with them.
I could see that my words from yesterday have had some effect on Ludwig.
Willpower does not equal power. Except for me, who had the power of Self-Suggestion and Word Magic.
As I watched Ludwig stand tall amidst the cheers of the crowd, his face stony, I realized what I had overlooked.
The world’s strongest knight, Saviolin Turner.
Ellen, who would one day stand above even the world’s champions.
Olivia Lanze, another candidate for the world’s strongest, who should have died but survived.
Harriet de Saint-Owan, the most talented mage in the history of magic.
And me, who possessed infinite aptitudes, who had grown tremendously in under a year.
What the hell.
‘Waaaah!’
Even against all that, the protagonist was Ludwig.
He could turn his willpower into strength. He could turn anger, sadness, vengeance, and desire into strength, which gave him unbelievable power. The world bends to Ludwig’s wishes, even if it doesn’t have to.
In situations that require strength, use strength.
In situations that require determination, use determination.
The power I had.
Self-Suggestion was a degraded version of Ludwig’s power.
The power to turn willpower into strength was Ludwig’s in the first place.
This world was built for the protagonist, and Ludwig will have everything he needs.
Ludwig looked somewhere.
To be precise, he looked at the VIP seats.
I looked down at Ludwig through the window.
Ludwig looked up at me.
The guy who promised to meet me in the finals, kept his word..
Nothing had gone according to my expectations.
Even though I wasn’t foolish enough to believe that a 10,000 achievement point challenge would be easy in the first place, the difficulty still caught me off guard.
I had struggled against Scarlett, who I hadn’t given much thought to, and when it looked like I was going to lose, her withdrawal had put me in the finals.
Gladen Amorelle was overwhelmed by Ludwig.
If I work hard, I can stand beside you guys one day.
Ludwig had believed that, but he was too weak.
The situation was so different from the original plot that it was now impossible to predict, and had become meaningless.
He hasn’t awakened his magical powers, and he doesn’t have any supernatural abilities.
He was just the protagonist.
That one advantage made Ludwig stronger.
After a short break, the finals begin.
I wasn’t at my best, but it doesn’t mean I’m in serious trouble.
With Self-Suggestion, I should be able to match Ludwig, and with Magic Body Strengthening, I should be able to overwhelm him.
However, I don’t know if it’s possible to continue it to three sets.
If I couldn’t pace myself properly, I would be in the unfortunate position of losing not because I lost to Ludwig, but because I failed to maintain my body.
‘The long-awaited final round is about to begin: the match between the Royal Classes, A and B!’
At least they didn’t call it a battle of the dead-lasts.
Ludwig and I looked at each other while the emcee spoke. Our faces, which had been grinning from ear to ear, were serious.
He’s finally making a face I like.
Ludwig, who had always been jovial, became serious.
“I guess it worked, huh?”
“… I think so.”
Ludwig seemed to have a hard time believing what had happened to him. Ludwig gazed at me.
“I wonder if I can reach you.”
“You still don’t get it, you bastard.”
Holding my sword, I grinned at Ludwig.
“Don’t you dare think you can reach me. No, don’t you dare think you can trample on me and stand triumphant.”
“Hahaha… Yeah. That’s right. Just like that.”
Ludwig looked at me with a smile. But it’s not the silly smile he had been showing me so far.
“But it’s strange, Reinhardt, you’re strong, sure, but there are many people stronger than you…”
Ludwig grips his sword and sighs.
“But even still… I can’t see it.”
“See what?”
“Me beating you.”
The smile faded from Ludwig’s face again.
“I just can’t picture it.”
That look on his face, those words, I knew.
Because there is a person I see that way too.
She’s looking at me from the audience.
There are many people stronger than her, many people better than her.
But. I can’t imagine myself beating Ellen Artorius. She will always be the same, looking down on me from a vantage point far above me, and teaching me swordsmanship.
In the original story, Ellen was that to Ludwig.
A wall he couldn’t overcome, no matter how hard he tried. Someone he always had to look up to.
But this time, it was me looking at her.
“You’re growing stronger so quickly,” he said, “that no matter how hard I try to keep up, you’ll always be way ahead of me.”
That’s true.
Ellen was already strong, but I started out weaker than Ludwig, and now I’ve surpassed him.
That’s why Ludwig’s eyes were on me, and not Ellen.
He can’t help but wonder why he couldn’t be like me.
To him, it was me, not Ellen, who became his wall and forced him to make me his objective.
Ellen may be stronger than me, but Ludwig’s goal was to overtake me.
An insurmountable wall.
For Ludwig, that wall was me.
Ellen’s place in the original story was now mine.
-’The long-awaited finals of the first grade tournament is here!’
The protagonist’s eternal rival, the object of their admiration.
Was that my role in this world?
“I don’t think I can, but I’ll do it anyway.”
Ludwig took a deep breath.
“I can beat you.”
I unsheathe my sword. I turn to face Ludwig.
If I’ve taught Ludwig anything, it’s this.
To make a resolve for victory, not to prepare excuses for defeat.
It’s not much, but it’s what I taught him, after all.
“No.”
And that’s my specialty.
“You can’t beat me.”
Ludwig looked at me and declared.
“I….”
I looked at Ludwig and rebutted
“I….”
And we looked at each other and said at the same time
“I will beat you!”
-Fwoosh!
Blue magic flames enveloped my body, and Ludwig leapt at me, using the floor as a springboard.
-Cla-Clang!
At the moment our swords collided, they shattered as if they had made a promise to each other.
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