42. Overwhelming Victory

“Now, we will begin the Platoon Leader Appointment Exam match between Reet’s team and Rand’s team,” the referee knight declared.

The four of them faced off against each other in the arena, arranged in a square formation.

Reet and Charlotte’s team.

Rand and John’s team.

Taking even a single hit from the enemy meant immediate disqualification.

Not even one mistake was permitted.

The tension was palpable.

And yet, Rand continued to wear that base smirk as he looked down on Charlotte.

“All right, John. Let’s wrap this up quickly,” Rand said.

“Understood,” John replied.

In name only, they were master and apprentice, but John was older than Rand and had spent many years active on the front lines. Because of that, there was no actual superior-subordinate relationship between them.

The only thing binding them together was money.

“Charlotte, let’s go,” Reet said.

“Yes, sir!”

Meanwhile, trust had already taken root between Reet and Charlotte. They had trained together constantly for the past three weeks, and having experienced the pain of not being believed in by anyone, they understood each other’s struggles.

Defeat was not an option.

All four took their fighting stances.

Then:

“Begin the match!” the referee called out.

The moment the referee spoke, Reet drew his sword and charged at Rand—

But in the next instant, Rand activated a Skill.

“Gravity Bind!”

An invisible pressure wrapped around Reet and Rand’s surroundings, rendering Reet nearly immobile.

“Ha ha! No matter how much a Holy Knight you are, under my Gravity Bind, you can’t move at all!” Rand laughed.

Gravity Bind was a rare Skill of the Swordsman-Mage Class. Not every Swordsman-Mage acquired it—only a select few could wield it.

“But, Rand,” Reet pointed out, “that pressure is affecting you too, isn’t it?”

Reet looked closely. The pressure had crushed the ground, but its range extended to Rand’s surroundings as well. In other words, both Rand and Reet were unable to move.

“That’s right. Gravity Bind is a defensive technique I normally use to deflect enemy attacks. But in a tag match, it’s effective, right? Because while you and I are locked in this stalemate, my partner over there can dispose of that little girl with ease!”

Reet nodded in understanding.

So this was “teamwork”—a tactic unique to tag matches.

“But, Rand,” Reet said, “I think your strategy has a fatal flaw.”

“What are you talking about?” Rand demanded.

“I’m saying your plan has a critical weakness.”

Reet gestured with a head movement for Rand to look behind him.

“What…?”

When Rand turned his gaze toward Charlotte—

An unbelievable sight spread before him.

Charlotte kicked off the ground and flew into John’s guard in an instant. John swung his sword down at her, but she easily slipped past it.

“Burning Knuckle!”

Charlotte’s fist drove directly into John’s massive frame, and his body flew through the air.

“Impossible!?”

Rand let out an involuntary cry at the sight. Charlotte had taken down the “mercenary” who surely could have passed a knight exam with a single blow.

“This can’t be real!”

All of Rand’s previous confidence had vanished. He stood wide-eyed and dumbfounded.

“But it is real,” Reet said with a smile, speaking as proudly as if it were his own victory.

†

Two weeks earlier.

While training with Charlotte at the training grounds, a visitor had approached Reet.

“Princess Iris!”

At the appearance of the First Princess herself, Charlotte bounded forward and bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle.

“I hear you’re taking the Platoon Leader Appointment Exam. Is she your apprentice?” Iris asked with a smile.

“Yes. This is Charlotte,” Reet replied.

“I see. Pleased to meet you,” Iris said, extending her hand with a gracious expression.

There was not the slightest hint of prejudice against dwarves in her gesture.

“I-It’s an honor to meet you!” Charlotte stammered, hastily grasping her hand in return.

But in the next moment, Iris narrowed her eyes.

“Hmm… this is…”

Iris studied Charlotte carefully.

“Is something wrong?” Reet asked.

“Ah, no. This girl’s stats are…”

Reet remembered that the princess had the Appraisal Skill.

“Her strength, her physical power, her magic—all of her stats are quite high. Almost knight-level,” Iris said.

Both Charlotte and Reet were stunned by this. Reet had felt that Charlotte’s abilities were strong, but he had never imagined they were at a knight’s level.

“That high?” he said in surprise.

But upon reflection, it made sense. Stat growth rates generally correlate with effort, and in that regard, Charlotte was more diligent than anyone. He could feel that strongly in their training together.

She had been considered “useless” until now, but the truth was she simply didn’t know how to use her stats—she was a gem left unpolished. Since Reet had begun teaching her, she had grown at an astonishing rate.

Moreover, the weakness that had been attributed to her likely stemmed from the prejudice against dwarves. Everyone, including Charlotte herself, had underestimated her abilities.

“To think such talent was buried in the ranks of apprentices…” Iris said, patting Charlotte’s shoulder. “Do your best in the Platoon Leader Appointment Exam—not just for your master’s sake, but for yourself. You will definitely become a knight.”

†

Facing Rand, Reet declared:

“Charlotte’s base stats were high from the start.”

Reet spoke while recalling his conversation with the princess, thrusting that desperate reality in Rand’s face.

“You were just a terrible teacher.”

“Impossible!!!”

Of course, Rand could not accept this reality.

But Reet pressed further with another attack.

“And another thing about that Gravity Bind of yours…”

The next instant, the sword in Reet’s right hand glowed.

“Sacred Blade!”

In the next moment, Rand’s gravity net shattered as easily as glass.

“Don’t think a low-level skill like this can bind me, you trash.”

Victory had already been decided the moment John lost to Charlotte, but Reet went further—he completely exposed the meaninglessness of Rand’s entire strategy. From the start, Reet could have defeated Rand instantly, but he had deliberately played along with the farce to give Charlotte her moment in the spotlight.

“Impossible… this can’t be…” Rand muttered.

But that was the reality.

Reet closed the distance in a single stride and swung his left fist.

“Burning Knuckle!”

Using the Skill Charlotte had given him, Reet shattered Rand’s barrier and sent him flying backward.

Just as before, the goddess’s voice echoed:

[You have acquired the Skill “Gravity Bind”]

[You have acquired the Skill “Magical Slash”]

It appeared Reet had already possessed most of Rand’s Skills, and the only new one he gained was that.

“The winners are Reet and Charlotte’s team!!” the referee announced, her voice echoing through the arena.