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The sword path is like a living being. Therefore, to utilize the sword path, you must continuously refine it and wield your sword according to the situation. But how can you create those countless situations? Ultimately, to continue cultivating the sword path, real combat experience is absolutely necessary.

Hearing Ethans words, the students nodded their heads.

Ethan then gestured to the students who were standing in front of the special golems with confused expressions.

Those golems have a spell cast on them to strike down anything that comes near. If you get too close, they will swing their wooden swords at you. And they really look like theyre trying to kill you.

They just saw it. With just one blow, it could knock you unconscious. It seemed like the special golems ruthlessly swung their swords at anything that came near them.

They were the perfect enemy. An enemy that could provide endless real combat experience.

Nobody here thought of them as ordinary golems anymore.

In this class, you will learn the active footwork that is essential for real combat. And centering on that footwork, you will be able to make your sword paths more flexible and adaptable to the situation.

Ethan said.

You will possess a living sword path.

As soon as he finished speaking, the students charged towards the special golems.

Wham!

Bam!

The students who challenged the special golems tumbled down one by one. The golems movements were extraordinary. Their relentless motions were fitting for real combat.

If the things in the golems hands were real swords, the students would have died right there. The thought sent chills down their spines.

It made them realize just how gentle the classes inside the safety nets had been up until now.

Let me reiterate. Every class youve taken so far is fake.

Ethan said.

The real thing is in this combat. Although you learn many things to prepare for real combat, you never actually experience it. So when you go into the field, you become bewildered, and often end up badly injured or dead on your first mission.

Ethans words were realistic. Of course, among those present were nobles who didnt necessarily have to go into the field.

But even they needed field experience later on to be prepared.

They needed experience to be able to take control of situations in real combat.

This class is entirely for that purpose. But since this is still an Understanding the Sword Path class, we wont do any more lessons on real combat after today, except for this one time.

What!?

You wont do this combat lesson again?

I wont.

Ethan spoke decisively.

Then he folded his arms.

Instead, Im thinking of creating another class.

Oh!

A new class!?

The students eyes lit up.

Are you taking on an additional existing class, Teacher?

Even for Teacher Ethan, creating a brand new class from scratch seems difficult

From their discussion, it sounded like he was planning to create an entirely new class focused on providing real combat experience, not just taking on an existing class.

Adding difficulty to difficulty was like reiterating the saying that the impossible cannot be achieved.

The class I plan to create will be called Introduction to Combat Studies.

That orthodox name made the students eyes shine.

And I will reduce the enrollment even further than now. I plan to have a final 50 students.

That meant 25 students here would not be able to take it. But the competition was not just them. Ethan was currently regarded within the academy as a teacher whose classes were mandatory.

If Ethan created a new class, it was likely the entire Knight Department, or even some from the Magic Department, would try to register for Ethans class.

..When will you create it, Teacher?

When will you make the class, Teacher!

The students gazes became serious.

Ethans classes were like blood and flesh to them. They were the truest of classes, unlike anything they had experienced before.

They had to take this class no matter what methods they used.

Ill let you know about that later. Whats important now is todays lesson. As you all know, the midterm exams are coming up soon. I plan to test you on the various things Ive taught.

Ethan said.

And this part now.

He pointed at the special golems. Then he looked at the students again.

Will be on the exam.

The students who were sighing in fear of the special golems and reluctant just a moment ago changed their expressions.

The midterm exam period was approaching soon. Ethan mentioning the midterm exam now surely had meaning.

They thought he would reveal the timing of when he would open enrollment in the new class to those who scored well on the midterm exam.

And those students would certainly be able to take Ethans new class.

Some students had heard from a classmate taking Ethans Potion Manufacturing class in the Magic Department.

Supposedly Ethan told them he would teach how to utilize brle to students who got high marks in that class.

Which meant something similar would happen in the Swordsmanship Department Ethan would personally take students with high midterm scores.

Woosh-

The next batch of students immediately came forward.

Among them were Mason and the now slender Ron.

The students glanced at those two.

Those two were practically confirmed already. So the rest of them had to appeal to Ethan now in whatever way they could.

Haaah!

One student charged forward, recalling the parent observation class. He felt back then like he could do anything.

He was able to demonstrate all the swordsmanship he had learned. For a moment, he even thought he could do anything.

He believed his skills had greatly improved after taking Ethans classes.

Of course, it was true his skills had improved.

But at the same time, he realized it was because Ethan had accommodated his swordsmanship.

Wham!

Crash!

Although all the students showed motivation, in the end, they all got knocked down.

Seeing the special golems calmly taking their stances again, Yerica smiled slightly.

Now only Mason and Ron were left.

Ill go first.

The special golems for Ron and Mason had different movements programmed compared to the other golems.

Ron approached his special golem. The moment the golem recognized Ron, it swung its sword. It was a swordsmanship Ethan had programmed into it.

Swish! Swish!

It was swift swordsmanship, difficult to discern what were real attacks, like the swordsmanship Yuna Garnet had shown during the parent observation class.

Stab stab stab stab!

Of it all, the thrusts stood out the most.

They were tremendous thrusts that looked like they could pierce right through you.

Despite being wooden swords, the thrusts were so fierce youd think they would puncture a hole somewhere in your body if they landed.

Watching the golems movements, the students imagined what they would do if they were in that situation.

It was already too late to strike it down. If they tried to strike it down immediately, their own wooden swords would get deflected by the fierce attack, and the golems thrust would accurately target them instead.

So the textbook response was to dodge first.

But Ron did not dodge.

Instead, he took a step forward and swung his wooden sword at the golems fierce thrust.

Crash!

My god.

He smashed that just with brute strength?

Not just Mason, Ron had also blossomed spectacularly after the parent observation class.

There was no wasted effort seen in Rons earlier movement.

He had smashed the thrust head-on with all his might behind the wooden sword.

With Rons overwhelming strength applied properly, there was no way the fierce thrust could withstand it, however fierce it was.

Everyone now understood why Ethan had chosen Ron as the representative for the inter-department competition.

There was no longer a dead last in the Swordsmanship Department.

There was only Ron Bears with his mighty strength.

Phew.

Ron gently breathed out as he touched the golem, immediately stopping its motions.

You pass.

The golems movements would stop if touched like that. Hearing Ethans words that he passed, several students minds started racing.

That the midterm exam might consist of these special golems.

If so, then like Ron just showed, the passing criteria would be to dismantle the special golems swordsmanship and touch them.

The students concentration rose even higher.

Next was Mason.

Since Ron had raised their expectations so much, the students also anticipated Masons movements nervously.

Both Ron and Mason had been taught by Ethan.

Their strength demonstrated the excellence of Ethans teaching abilities.

As Mason approached the special golem, it took on that unique stance Max Jurod had shown.

Swish!

Soon Max Jurods swordsmanship unfolded. Mason calmly began blocking each movement. Then he took a step forward and fully unfolded his Yeld swordsmanship.

Students who had seen Mason unfold his Yeld swordsmanship before instantly got chills down their spines.

It wasnt the same Yeld swordsmanship as before. It was also different from the Yeld swordsmanship they saw during the parent observation class.

Something had changed. That changed form felt like the true essence of Yeld swordsmanship.

Ominous aura.

It was a blow that clearly revealed the advantages of Yeld swordsmanship, a domineering swordsmanship.

Slice!

Along with a tearing attack, the special golem instantly retreated back. It was the golem that had flexibly responded even in the fight against Ron Bears.

Yet it immediately retreated from Masons attack.

Oh ho.

Seeing that, Ethan smiled slightly. Yerica behind him was extremely angry.

Phew.

But thanks to the students movements, especially Ron and Mason, she was able to reconsider the special golems direction once more.

Crash!

Mason had no intention of touching and dragging the golem like Ron Bears did.

He directly met the golems downward diagonal slice head-on, smashing his sword up from below.

Crash!

With enough force behind that upward smash, the special golems arm was severed and flew through the air.

That upward slice just now was not original Yeld swordsmanship. It was the flexible sword path modified with Ethans advice.

Flexibly..

So thats the flexible sword path Teacher was talking about.

Mason had visually demonstrated what would happen if you properly followed Ethans lessons.

Just do as you saw. This isnt because Mason is strong. As you all know, Mason wasnt at this level until just recently.

Mason bowed his head after felling the golem. He did not forget to also bow his head to Yerica who had made the golem.

It was conduct unbecoming of one with Dukes blood, but that humility now felt like a virtue. His image had completely changed.

You can do it too. Since you took my class.

Ethan said.

Look forward to the midterm exam.

Those words made the students hearts race. There was nobody here who wanted to disappoint Ethans expectations.

Author's Thoughts

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