Chapter 301: Chapter 258: We Can’t Be Without the Sword Maiden Chapter 301: Chapter 258: We Can’t Be Without the Sword Maiden Trajectory University, Flash Track Hall.
Like the Starfall Hall of Sword Flower University, the Flash Track Hall also opened its ceiling. The difference was that Starfall Hall used mirrors to reflect the starlight into the interior, whereas Flash Track Hall had glass tracks–when night fell, the stars would wrap around the entire hall in loops along the ceiling’s glass tracks, the interior harmonized by the accelerated starlight into the semblance of daylight, imparting an added solemnity.
On stage, two young students were locked in fierce battle, with the slightly shorter male student being a Sword Master from Sword Flower University, and the taller female student a Gun Master from Trajectory University.
The spear, as the undisputed ruler of the Cold Weapons era, thrived uninterrupted; before guns were invented, the spear was the leader among all weapons, with swords, axes, and hammers all bowing down to it.
However, with the rise of firearms, the nimbler sword gradually replaced the spear’s position, and in turn, the Sword Technique Faction became the most powerful weapon faction in the Kingdom of Stars.
But no former ruler of the old era would willingly exit the stage; through generations of Gun Masters’ improvements and optimizations, the standard spear gradually evolved into a three-section Mechanical Stick spear, more flexible, more portable, and incorporating more diverse killing techniques of other weapons. Today, the new-era Gun Masters not only retained the power of ancient spears but also skillfully utilized the oddities of Mechanical Sticks, never falling behind even when facing the gun technique faction.
On the other hand, ax technique and hammer technique factions had completely fallen from grace. Such is the cruelty of the Mage world: those unable to keep up with the times and knowledge would be heartlessly swept into the trash heap of the Void Realm, only to set foot on the historical stage again when a future Mage would pan and refine them.
Gun technique had always been the ace faction of Trajectory University, and the team leader in charge of the university’s friendly exchange, ‘Spinning Sakura Fierce Saint’ Belger, was a Holy Sanctuary Mage known for his gun technique.
The thought that she would have to fight Belger in the final performance match made Sonia’s heart pound–you rarely got a chance to draw your sword against a Holy Sanctuary Mage in broad daylight!
The female student’s spear suddenly transformed into a Mechanical Stick, locking onto the male student’s long sword like a slippery snake. With a pull and a hoist, she not only sent the long sword flying but also quickly returned to spear form, targeting the male student’s throat!
“The victor is decided!” the host announced loudly: “The winner is Cathy McIntosh from Trajectory University! Next, please have our instructing professor provide comments!”
Watching the poised host control the audience, Sonia couldn’t help but feel dazed–she was supposed to be in that position, first responsible for hosting at school, then becoming the host for the league matches, earning audience favor through appearances and then transforming into either a Songstress or a Shadow Actress, embarking on the blissful path of living off one’s appearance.
Yet now, she was sitting in the guest seat, as head of the friendly exchange delegation, under the watch, appreciation, and hostility of the other students from Trajectory University.
Trajectory University, along with Sword Flower University, was among Jiale City’s top three institutions, and the competition between them was extremely intense. Coupled with Sword Flower University’s narrow victory over Trajectory in last year’s college league total points, the students from Trajectory had been holding their breath, eager to win back the title this year; this friendly match was essentially a precursor to that.
This time, Sonia had no chance to become the most dazzling supporting role, but she could become the sole protagonist.
“Cathy’s use of the ‘Separation’ Technique Spirit is far too crude, not utilizing the characteristics of the Mechanical Stick at all, focusing too much on the thrusting ability of the spear…” ‘Spinning Sakura Fierce Saint’ Belger seriously critiqued the female student’s combat mistakes; clearly, Cathy must be a student Belger was quite familiar with.
This was common, though it was theoretically said that the exchange match team should fairly select outstanding students; outstanding students often turned out to be the professors’ favorites, just as Sonia became the head because of Reonie’s recommendation and especially because the leading professor was the ‘Hidden Hand Sword Saint’ Trozan.
Had the leading professor been ‘Rhythm Sword Saint’ Nidara, Sonia would have at most made the team, but the head position would undoubtedly belong to Reonie, who was Professor Nidara’s Apprentice.
The so-called friendly match was like a War Pet battle, where professors naturally wanted to use the War Pets they were familiar with.
After Belger finished his critique, the pressure shifted to Trozan’s side. The renowned ‘Hidden Hand Sword Saint’ now appeared a bit impatient, scratching her seemingly unwashed messy hair, suddenly turning to the side to address the head of Sword Flower: “Did you understand everything?”
“What?” Sonia was startled.
“If you understood, then you talk about it,” Trozan said boldly, “I can’t be bothered to repeat my critique.”
The Village Girl was bewildered–how could she speak as if she had just shared her critique with me!?
Yet, seeing everyone looking at her, especially the Vanguards from her own school eagerly waiting for her to speak, Sonia cursed her professor’s shamelessness in her heart, and stood up against her will.
When it came to teaching, Trozan rarely lectured on swordsmanship theory, insisting ‘pain is better understood than words.’ Her method of educating Sonia and Felix was through real combat, and not the kind where she suppressed her strength for a friendly spar, but by the crushing might befitting a Holy Sanctuary Mage.
Trozan was like pouring a swimming pool’s worth of water into their buckets, allowing them to clearly feel every inch of their shortcomings, every leak. However, this method of teaching was undoubtedly very strict; Sonia and Felix only just managed to accept it. Others would have been left with deep psychological scars by now, not just detecting the leaks–the bucket would have burst.