Academy’s Genius Swordmaster

Chapter 49: Special Adventure Club (1)

[A group that engages in additional training to gain practical experience through proactive external activities and aims to become individuals who can contribute to the Empire.]

Under Kratir’s signature, the ‘Reason for Club Establishment’ was written like that. Varen smirked.

“Special Class Adventurers Club…?”

“You surely won’t pretend not to know about it now, right? You asked me to rescue that blue furball in return for a favor. Now, Become my guinea pig.”

“No, I remember that, but… why is there only this information written down?”

The document should have contained much more information than this. Philleon’s club establishment evaluation was known to be stringent.

As the academy fully covered the activity expenses, one had to detail the purpose and value of the club as extensively as possible to be officially recognized as a club.

However, the application brought by Ronan had all the sections empty except for the club name, reason for establishment, and the name of the supervising professor. Ronan extended his index finger and pointed at the top of the paper.

“Oh, don’t worry about the trivial things. The Headmaster’s signature is there.”

“That’s true, but…”

The contradictory fact was that Kratir, the final inspector, had signed under Ronan’s scribbles. Varen looked at the signatures one by one after a moment of surprise. Astonishingly, it wasn’t a forgery.

“Um, alright. It’s practically a club already, so my opinion won’t change anything. But what exactly does this club do?”

“Well, we have a lot of diverse ideas, so it’s hard to put it concisely. Still, I’ll do my best to ensure that the professor doesn’t get arrested.”

“Arrested?!”

Varen’s eyes widened. Seeing his mane slowly rising, Ronan clapped his hands.

“Haha, it’s a joke. Why would you get arrested?”

“…It’s hard to understand student jokes these days. I must be getting old.”

“Well, there’s something I’m curious about. Do you happen to know about a monster called ‘Curse Eye’?”

“Curse Eye? The hex-eating hexapod, you mean?”

Ronan nodded his head. Indeed, Varen knew about Curse Eye. He seemed surprised not just that Ronan knew about the monster’s existence, but also by the fact that Ronan was aware of it at all, given the rarity of information about the creature compared to other fantasy species.

“You must have read some monster-related guidebook recently. Information about it is scarce in the first place.”

“Well, yeah. So, here’s the thing, Varen. Do you happen to know where they live? If you don’t know exactly, maybe just some characteristics of their habitat?”

Ronan asked again. Varen delved into various books and provided information about what he knew. Ronan nodded.

“Thanks. I guess my first activity should be to go there.”

“Hmm? There?”

“You’ll find out soon enough, Professor. See you.”

Ronan turned his back, leaving behind an ominous laugh.

Thud!

The door of the office closed.

Varen, who stood still for a while, picked up his teacup. A droplet of overflowing tea landed on Marpez’s head.

Phew!

“Oh, sorry Marpez. Why am I acting like this…”

He wasn’t even shivering, but his hand trembled gently. Somehow, he didn’t feel quite right.

****

“Hmm? What’s that?”

“Wow… look at the size of the text. Even a mole could read it.”

That morning, a large poster was attached to the notice board in Philleon Plaza. It was so huge that students walking around the plaza were compelled to glance at it.

[Recruiting members for the Special Class Adventure Club. Gender and grades are irrelevant. Brief interviews will be conducted at the First Arena. / Author: Ronan]

That was all that was written on the poster. Even looking closely, there were no detailed explanations. The students who saw the poster buzzed with excitement.

“Isn’t that Ronan? The one who defeated the Empire’s rising star in the practical test.”

“He’s the crazy guy with nothing above and below… Word is that Karudan withdrew because of that bastard.”

“I heard he’s connected to the prisoner escorted to Rodollan yesterday.”

“Hmm… I wrote him a letter a few weeks ago, but he didn’t reply. Seems like he’s got some attitude…”

Whether good or bad, Ronan was the person whose name was most frequently on students’ lips at the moment. Since the entrance ceremony, his remarkable actions had always been the center of Philleon’s gossip.

“But what’s the Special Class Adventure Club? He should explain.”

“Is it similar to a travel club? It sounds interesting…”

Naturally, Ronan’s recruitment notice garnered explosive interest. Students flocked to the location where interviews were being held at the First Arena, where Navirose’s classes were usually conducted.

The First Arena was already packed with a huge crowd. Ronan had set up chairs and tables in a corner of the arena and was conducting interviews.

“Okay, show me a demonstration of your skills.”

“Yes. Fire Arrow!”

A young mage who had come for the interview chanted the spell. Five fire arrows flew towards a makeshift magic technology scarecrow prepared in advance.

Kwaaang!

The arrows hit the scarecrow, causing a small explosion. Ronan nodded, touching his chin as if satisfied.

“Having a fire element mage around might be convenient… Now, I have a question. Can you shoot the magic you just showed at a person or a monster?”

“Yes, yes?”

“Oh, assume that a person is a deserving criminal who deserves to die. And is it okay if you come without taking a bath for about three days and wander around? You might have to wipe yourself with leaves.”

The boy’s pupils shook in response to the unexpected question. After exactly ten seconds, Ronan licked his lips in a disappointed manner. He bid the boy farewell and called out the next candidate.

“Ugh… be careful when on your way out. Next!”

Ronan’s interviews were straightforward. He simply verified the applicants’ skills and asked a few questions related to survival and resilience. However, if an applicant’s gaze wavered or their answers faltered, they were immediately disqualified. The interviews continued.

“Alright, I’ve seen enough… If you join, you’ll have a lot of tasks to do as I instruct. Is that alright with you?”

“I can do it. But why should I follow you? Rumor has it you’re still an inferior student who can’t even properly sense mana.”

Of course, there were students who didn’t quite favor Ronan. The higher-level students tended to have this tendency. Ronan responded consistently to such friends.

“It’s a duel. Come out and face me.”

“What? A duel?!”

“Yes. If you have any objections, we can appoint witnesses and have a sacred duel, shall we?”

The reason Ronan chose the First Arena as the interview venue became apparent. This time, his opponent was Sanda, a third-year student from the Martial Arts Department.

Without waiting for Sanda’s response, Ronan stood up first. He walked towards the center of the arena and positioned himself.

“Even though I’m busy, you damn punk… come on, then.”

“Do you really think you’ll be safe doing this to your senior?!”

“Don’t worry. I’m on good terms with the real seniors. Besides, don’t you worry about the ones above you.”

Courtesy was nowhere to be found in the reversed speech. In fact, Ronan had a good relationship with most of the seniors he had contact with.

Unless they were crossing the line like Karudan or Sanda did, he was a more reliable and talented junior than anyone else. Ronan patted Lamancha as he spoke.

“Come out before you become more pathetic.”

“Fuck you…”

Sanda’s complexion turned pale. He had intended to put up a decent fight and then withdraw, but the situation had changed. All eyes were on him, so he couldn’t refuse. He clenched his hand in his pocket and shouted.

“D-Do you think I’d be intimidated by you coming out like that?!”

Walking with trembling legs, Sanda stood in front of Ronan.

Thud!

Before the duel even began, Ronan lunged forward frighteningly, sending a sword strike towards Sanda’s body.

Without a hint of hesitation, Sanda closed his eyes and flinched from the countless sword strikes coming at him.

“Eek!”

It was hardly worthy of being called a duel. Sanda, who was not as skilled in practical combat as Karudan, couldn’t even put up a resistance against Ronan.

In the place where Lamancha had passed, numerous thin lines appeared, and Sanda’s uniform and underwear exploded and scattered like a burst of cherry blossoms heralding the arrival of spring. Seeing Sanda’s scrawny body, Ronan furrowed his brow.

“It’s disgraceful.”

No one brought him a blanket to cover himself.

Spit!

After spitting on Sanda’s head, Ronan returned to his spot. With this, no one among the gathered students would make a scene.

The faces of the waiting applicants were all pale. Whether they liked it or not, Ronan continued the interviews.

“It took a bit longer. Next?”

Hiccup!

The freshman who was waiting for his turn immediately burst into hiccups. The interviews that started at noon continued until late at night.

Exactly 512 applicants went through the interviews, and three losers like Sanda acquired emotional scars that would stay with them forever. There was only one successful candidate on the first day.

****

“Ugh…”

The girl finally got out of bed after the sun had set. Outside the window of Netia Hall, the dormitory for mid-level students, the sight of Philleon bathed in darkness unfolded. Stretching herself, she mumbled in a drowsy voice.

“It’s finally night…”

As time passed, she didn’t like how the days were getting longer. The girl opened the window and stretched her arms wide. With each cool breeze hitting her face, her eyelids that had been half-lowered slowly rose.

“How refreshing…”

Eventually fully awake, the girl leaped out of the window. Even though it was the fifth floor, there wasn’t a sound as she landed.

The girl began her nightly stroll as usual. Her favorite route was endlessly circling the empty Philleon Square. While she was walking through the square as usual, her attention was caught by a huge poster attached to the bulletin board.

“Recruiting members for the Special…Class Adventure Club?”

The girl tilted her head in confusion. The poster was as unfriendly as it was intriguing to someone who was indifferent to everything. Curiosity piqued, she immediately headed to the location mentioned on the poster.

Though the interviews probably weren’t being held at the moment, she stepped into the Galerion Hall where the First Arena was located.

“Yeah. By the way, what was that creature sitting on his shoulder? I don’t think I’ve seen anything like it even in Professor Varen’s class.”

The girl furrowed her eyebrows at the murmurs that pierced her ears. Many students were still walking out from the corridor connected to the arena.

‘What’s going on?’ The girl defied the waves of students and headed towards the interview location.

“Thanks for your help, Adeshan.”

“It’s nothing. You’re the one who went through a lot.”

In the empty arena, two boys and a girl were having a conversation. Both boys and girls had hair as black as the night, but the girl was taller. A male student who had been moving a desk turned his head towards the girl.

“Hmm? Did you come for the interview?”

“······!”

The girl’s body stiffened. It wasn’t just anyone who spoke to her.

Her gaze was fixed on the creature perched on the boy’s shoulder, picking its feathers—an utterly unidentifiable creature. The round, plump-looking creature’s pupils were the same bright pink as the girl’s. Cita smirked.

“Are you curious?”

“···Later.”

After a while of staring at Cita, the girl turned away. With a gentle motion as if flowing like moonlight, she walked out of the arena. Ronan furrowed his brow.

“···What? Do you know who she is?”

“Well… I’ve never seen her before either. What grade is she in?”

Shrugging their shoulders, the two boys resumed tidying up. Lost in thoughts about the club, Ronan didn’t realize that the girl’s footsteps made no sound as she left.

****

Perhaps the greatest advantage of having a spacious campus with many buildings was that it allowed for various spaces dedicated to student activities.

Furthermore, the robust Philleon Academy, with its strong backing, truly showcased student welfare befitting its nickname “City of a Hundred Towers.” One of the most representative examples was the support for student clubs.

Most of the clubs in Philleon were gathered in an area called “Nest.” Along the curved road, unique buildings lined both sides. Each one of them was a club building. Aselle, marveling at the fact that every single one was a club building, sighed.

“I-Is it like this in other academies too?”

“Of course not. Usually, they just give you a messy room.”

On the day after the recruitment was announced, Ronan, Aselle, and Marya were walking along Nest. They were looking for the building assigned to them.

According to rumors, it used to be the building used by the “Dungeon Exploration Club” in the past, but the club disappeared when all its members went missing. Ronan grumbled.

“Damn it, there’s no talent. How can there be just one person who’s decent?”

Shullifen had yet to return from Gracia. Elizabeth, who they had considered recruiting, declined. Well, even if Ronan didn’t know, the other two had their own reasons for not getting along with the rest of the group.

“We’ll somehow secure those two… and as for the rest.”

Ronan sighed. In truth, even if they weren’t geniuses like the other two, as long as they showed some potential, he was willing to accept them. However, most were filtered out during the interview questions. Aselle, who was fidgeting with the bracelet Doron had given him, spoke up.

“Since we just started recruiting yesterday, more people will gather over time. But, Ronan. Why the sudden club…? I haven’t heard anything about it…”

“Yeah. What’s going on with this all of a sudden? What kind of club is it?”

“I’ll explain once we get inside. And you two can write down that you’re founding members. I mean, I can’t kick you out even if I wanted to.”

Aselle and Marya’s expressions stiffened. It was only on that morning that Ronan finally informed them about the club.

Before long, the trio stopped in front of a two-story wooden building. A couple of flower bouquets were placed in front of the worn-out door, in memory of the missing students. Aselle’s face turned pale.

“Eek…”

“Tsk, you’re so unlucky.”

Ronan snatched the flower bouquet and opened the door. Ahead of him spread an interior reminiscent of an adventurer’s guild.

A dusty bar table, a massive oak barrel piled with layers, and a cork board covering one wall, filled with a giant map of the continent and various mission requests for dungeons. Ronan whistled.

“Not bad at all.”

“Yeah, um…”

“Just one more person to come.”

It had been a while since he’d interacted with others, but with a little guidance, they could improve considerably. As they explored the corners of the club building, suddenly the door creaked open, and a young man swaggered in.

“Hahaha! Is this the club building? Not bad at all!”

“Welcome, Braum sunbae.”

“Oh! You guys are already here. Nice to meet you all!”

Second-year student in the Martial Arts Department. Braum, the only successful applicant, waved his hand energetically. Aselle and Marya received his greeting with awkward expressions. Braum, who had been wandering around, shouted at Ronan.

“But seriously, what exactly does this club do? Of course, I joined because it seemed interesting, whatever it is!”

“Oh, right. I guess I should start explaining. Do you all want to gather around?”

Ronan led the members towards the massive map. As he was about to begin his explanation, he suddenly looked at Braum and said,

“By the way, I forgot to mention something. We use informal language among club members. Is that okay?”

“This is a new one for me! But it’s fine!”

“You’re easygoing, Braum. That’s why I chose you.”

Using formal language could become a hassle during training later on. Ronan looked at each member and began to speak.

“Okay… let me explain. We’re a top-tier adventure club. Our goal is to become stronger by taking on life-threatening adventures periodically, gaining practical experience, and preparing for the day that’s yet to come.”

“A day that’s yet to come?”

“That’s right. Look at this.”

Ronan pointed at the map with a stick. Along the blade were illustrations of mountains lined up. It was the Baydian Mountain Range rising in the northwestern part of the Empire.

“Our first destination, so remember it in advance.”

“Baydian Mountain Range? What’s there?”

Ronan nodded. It was a place he had discovered during his previous life’s journey. At that time, it was already occupied, but now it was likely still uncharted territory.

– “The habitat of the Curse Eye” … Well, basically, it’s a place where human feet rarely tread, a mana-rich area. After all, curses are ultimately a type of mana.

Ronan raised the corners of his mouth, recalling his conversation with Baren from the previous day.

“I’ll try everything I can.”