"Little Nero, you better watch out. Don’t get too close to that bitch—I an Azalea. She’s dangerous."
Nero didn’t imdiately react to Adam’s warning; for so reason, he felt a warm current spreading through him, a feeling he didn’t dislike.
Finally, he responded.
"Thank you," he said, smiling genuinely, clearly appreciating Adam’s warning.
For so reason, Adam felt that his warning was unnecessary, as if Nero was already aware of what kind of person Azalea truly was. But what surprised the dwarf was Nero’s smile; it was captivating. He was certain that if he were a female, he would have fallen for him on the spot. That was how dangerous Nero’s smile was.
In situations like these, when a friend who rarely smiled finally does, the next action should typically be to suggest that they smile more often. However, Adam wasn’t going to say that.
’Hell, no! If I encourage him to smile often, considering we’ll be spending more ti together, this little handso boy will charm every woman we et, leaving with nothing. I can’t have that. I must discourage him from smiling too often, or it will spell disaster for my future romantic life. Hmm! I should remain firm.’
Looking at Adam, who was repeatedly shaking his head as if struggling to make a hard decision, Nero wondered what was on his mind.
’Well, he must be thinking about sothing important; better to let him be.’
Indeed, Adam was contemplating how to avoid encouraging Nero to smile too often, fearing it would attract all the won. If Nero knew what was going through Adam’s head, he would burst out laughing, insisting that he wasn’t a collector aiming to pursue every girl, nor was he planning on starting a harem.
In silence, the duo walked forward, finally arriving at their destination: the Knight class. The classroom was uniquely designed like a coliseum, with a vast training ground at its center. This arena was filled with various pieces of equipnt—swords, axes, spears, bows, and more—each waiting to be wielded by eager hands.
Surrounding the training area, a high platform rose in tiers, creating ample seating for spectators. The seats were arranged in a semicircle, allowing everyone an unobstructed view of the action below. The atmosphere buzzed with anticipation, as the layout evoked the grandeur of ancient battles, blending the spirit of competition with the pursuit of mastery in a warrior’s craft.
Many cadets were already gathered in the coliseum-like classroom. When the duo arrived, they briefly caught the attention of their peers before everyone returned to their conversations.
Finally, once everyone was present, their teacher appeared like a shadow, startling them. Most cadets instinctively took a defensive stance, and Nero was among them. Adam, on the other hand, was trying to strike up a conversation with a girl with bobbed hair, though his posture revealed that he was alert as well.
It was the sa man responsible for Nero’s second test, so he wasn’t surprised.
anwhile, Balrog nodded, pleased with his students’ reactions. While not everyone responded as he had hoped, more than half of the class didn’t disappoint him.
"Not bad; I’m pleased with your reaction," he said. "For those who didn’t react, you better be alert. If this were the frontline, you could already be dead. Monsters can ambush you at any ti—don’t expect any chivalrous codes from them. You must be constantly on guard, and this vigilance must start here, not when you reach the frontline. I hope I’ve been clear."
Those who had failed to react nodded vigorously, taking their teacher’s advice to heart.
"This academy, while also a military facility, is not to be taken lightly. From now on, drills will be held every morning at 5 AM. If you don’t show up, I’ll give you a derit point. Accumulating these points not only risks your grades but also ans you won’t be able to use any of the facilities here. So, better behave."
"Ugh!"
Most cadets winced at the ntion of drills, feeling like crying but unable to voice their frustrations, so they buried them deep inside.
Balrog found their reactions amusing before recalling sothing. Scratching his head, he said, "My bad! I’m Balrog Cassius, your teacher for the Knight class for the next two years. I shall grind you—oops, I an, I shall train you to beco proper knights over the next two years."
The students’ faces twitched at their teacher’s introduction.
’This one will definitely torture us under the guise of training. ’ There was a dangerous glint in Balrog’s eyes that he didn’t bother concealing. Nero chuckled as he observed his teacher, while Adam shuddered.
"Tch! Why did they give us this madman? The Knight of Blood is truly insane. By the end of the first sester, most of the weak-willed ones will drop out. His thods are brutal but effective; they aren’t for the faint-hearted."
"I thought so," Nero agreed, surprised to learn that this person had a nickna. If soone had a moniker attached to their title, they must be an exceptional knight who had perford well on the frontline.
He decided to satisfy his curiosity by asking Adam a question.
"Why is he called the Knight of Blood?"
Adam wasn’t surprised by Nero’s inquiry. With a smile, he began to explain.
"It all happened during a mission when his team was ambushed by a group of harpies. He lost half of his n, and the remaining survivors were injured. Balrog stepped forward to confront those aerial monsters, slaughtering them. A lone man facing dozens of harpies, he used various thods to kill them, tearing them apart and bathing in their blood as he went on a killing spree, taking down nearly all of them—his count almost reaching three digits. For so reason, he would bathe in their blood as if it gave him strength while he slaughtered. Those who witnessed it said it was like he had gone mad; it was eerie, frightening, but undeniably effective. After that mission, he earned the nickna Knight of Blood. Since then, whenever he went on a mission, he would return covered in blood, using brutal thods to deal with the monsters. He was feared by his comrades and even more so by the monsters."
"I see!" Nero exclaid, picturing the scenes in his mind, which sent goosebumps down his spine.
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