Dragonslayer’s Class Regression Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Zeke entered the Special Class building after easily defeating Slash Derban.

In his previous life, without receiving an Aura’s blessing, he was ranked low even in the regular class, let alone the Special Class.

Regular class students had to follow strictly set classes.

They had to move breathlessly according to a tight schedule from early morning until late at night.

The instructors’ educational policy for the regular class was to overcome lack of talent through effort.

As a result, Zeke, who couldn’t awaken as an Aura user and had weak physical strength, had to follow classes with all his might.

‘I really wanted to die back then.’

Zeke headed to the Special Class homeroom while recalling old memories.

He gasped at the luxuriously decorated homeroom that he couldn’t even imagine when he was in the regular class.

Moreover, premium desks were prepared for each Special Class student in the spacious room.

Zeke found and sat at the desk with his name on it.

Looking beside him, Reina whom he met yesterday was sitting at her desk with perfect posture and straight back.

Looking around, about half seemed to be Cradle students including Owen, Jacken, and Leon.

The rest were gifted students who received training from their respective families.

While Zeke was surveying and assessing other students, someone entered the homeroom.

Simultaneously, all students stood up from their seats.

It was none other than the Academy’s Principal entering with the homeroom instructor.

Reina, the class representative, shouted loudly.

“Salute to the Principal!”

All students saluted the Principal in perfect unison.

The Principal with his stylish Kaiser mustache received the students’ salute with a kind smile.

All other students were looking at the Principal with eyes of respect.

Except for just one person – Zeke.

‘Long time no see, Howard Draker.’

Howard’s Draker, the war hero who contributed to the Eastern Empire Invasion War 20 years ago.

Zeke knew his other side.

‘A petty bastard who only schemes while wearing the guise of a hero.’

Above all, he was the one who cruelly expelled Zeke from the Academy in his previous life.

Zeke gritted his teeth watching Howard giving a speech.

‘I’ll definitely pay back this debt someday.’

While he was grinding his teeth, Howard Draker’s speech ended, and students gave a standing ovation.

After the Principal left, the homeroom instructor delivered brief announcements.

Unlike the regular class, the Special Class could choose their desired subjects and create their own schedules.

It was a clear privilege different from the regular class.

However, there were still mandatory common classes that everyone had to take.

Special Class students moved together to the training ground for their first common class.

Befitting an Academy created by the Draker family, they started with practical training before other theoretical classes.

It was time to learn the basics of ‘Dragon Slaying Techniques’.

Over a hundred Special Class freshmen lined up in the vast training ground.

Then someone entered the training ground.

Thump! Thump!

A knight from the main Draker family wearing an official uniform embroidered with the Dragon Slayer emblem appeared.

The Special Class students had slightly puzzled expressions at the younger-than-expected knight’s appearance.

However, Zeke held his breath seeing the knight who entered.

‘The Red-Eyed Knight…! I can’t believe I’m seeing Sir Andrei here.’

Andrei Draker.

Although he didn’t achieve pure-blood awakening, he was someone who graduated early from the Academy with outstanding talent, graduated from Valhalla with excellent grades, and immediately became a knight of the main family.

In his previous life, Andrei gained enlightenment in his early thirties and became a Red Knight.

He earned the alias ‘Red-Eyed Knight’ because the red aura forming on his sword looked like eyeballs. 

‘Using a main family knight as a basic training instructor.’

It showed how much attention the Draker family was paying to the Special Class.

As soon as Andrei stood in front of the students, he opened his mouth.

“Everyone draw your swords.”

For a young knight with gentle features, his voice carried pressure.

The students obediently drew their swords.

Then something caught Andrei’s eye.

“Zeke. What is that sword?”

Andrei pointed at Zeke’s sword.

Zeke swung his claymore and said.

“As you can see, it’s a sword.”

Then Andrei said.

“Come forward.”

The atmosphere instantly sank.

Zeke walked to the front of the training ground holding his claymore.

Andrei looked down at Zeke and said.

“Student, did you not understand what I meant?”

Zeke started getting irritated at Andrei’s intimidating tone.

‘This bastard with every word…’

Suddenly text appeared.

[Sturdy Mental Defense has activated.]

Perhaps due to the skill’s effect, his anger subsided and his mind became calm.

‘Alright, since it’s come to this…’

He looked straight into Andrei’s eyes and said.

“I called a sword a sword, what’s wrong with that?”

The students in the training ground felt their skin tingle for a moment.

This was because the killing intent of the Red Knight, though faint, spread throughout the entire training ground.

Zeke clicked his tongue inwardly as he watched Andrei.

‘Still needs more training. Getting provoked so easily by what a kid said.’

Provocations from enemies were commonplace in real combat.

Even a skilled knight could have their head taken by a lower-ranked knight if they got excited and failed to demonstrate their true abilities.

Andrei slowly drew his sword and said to Zeke.

“Student. If your sword manages to graze my body even once, I’ll forgive your recent rudeness and exempt you from the basic classes.”

Zeke was surprised at those words.

‘Exempt from classes?’

This was a welcome proposal for Zeke.

For him, who urgently needed to train in intermediate combat, the basic dragon-slaying technique course was rather useless training.

‘I originally trained in basic dragon-slaying techniques for over two years anyway.’

Because Zeke didn’t receive the Aura’s blessing during the blessing ceremony, he had to study for two years what others could complete in three months.

While Zeke was inwardly pleased, Andrei took his stance with his sword.

“I won’t use Aura. Come at me.”

Zeke took his stance with his claymore.

‘So he’s saying he won’t use Aura.’

A battle plan instantly unfolded in his mind.

[Skill Combat Sense has been activated.]

His senses became more finely tuned due to the skill’s effect.

“Here I come.”

Zeke moved his body quickly using Flash steps.

His sword dove toward Andrei’s side.

Clang!

Andrei lightly deflected Zeke’s sword.

Zeke immediately turned his body’s direction and swung his sword again.

Whoosh!

The claymore, powered with his full body strength, clashed with Andrei’s sword.

Clang!

Andrei lightly deflected the large and heavy claymore with his sword.

Zeke’s fierce attacks were all neutralized by Andrei’s light sword techniques.

The special class students gaped as they watched Andrei’s movements.

‘As expected, a knight from the main family is different.’

Among them, only one person.

Only Reina Draker thought differently.

‘Even though he’s not using Aura, how can he cross swords with a knight from the main family for several exchanges?’

Andrei’s expression gradually hardened as he defended against Zeke’s sword.

‘This guy… what exactly is he?’

At first, he planned to make an example of this student wielding a strange sword and discipline the entire special class of overconfident students.

He thought they would tremble in fear after he released some killing intent a few times, but it irritated him that the student was meeting his pressure head-on instead.

So he tried to teach him a lesson to bring him to his senses, but something was going strangely wrong.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, Zeke’s sword came flying from a blind spot.

Clang!

Andrei swung his sword to block Zeke’s attack and deflected it sideways.

The strength behind it was unbelievable for a thirteen-year-old.

He thought this level of sword fighting would cause exhaustion after a few exchanges, but the boy showed no signs of tiring and was swinging his sword even more vigorously.

‘If I don’t use Aura, I might tire first.’

The only weakness of Andrei, who had enough talent to receive the Draker surname, was his weak stamina.

It hadn’t been much of an issue since his talent was so exceptional that fights never dragged on.

However, in real combat, stamina was often more important than swordsmanship itself.

Zeke, with his extensive combat experience, saw right through this point.

‘Young knights who only earnestly learned swordsmanship in a greenhouse are so predictable.’

While using Aura might be different, this was a golden opportunity for Zeke since Andrei kindly said he would only use swordsmanship.

With his passive skill Infinite Stamina, Zeke freely swung his sword without feeling any fatigue.

Whoosh!

He deliberately swung his sword irregularly left and right, up and down, depleting Andrei’s stamina.

If he had blocked the sword strikes head-on instead of using advanced techniques like deflection, it would have been more advantageous for stamina management.

But his arrogance in trying to teach a student a lesson led to the worst outcome.

Clang!

Suddenly, Andrei’s deflection of Zeke’s sword became subtly misaligned.

Zeke realized Andrei’s stamina had dropped significantly.

‘Taste the bitterness of life, you hothouse flower.’

Inwardly sneering, Zeke used Flash steps to rush quickly toward Andrei. Simultaneously, he activated the skill Fatal Strike.

Whoosh!

The power of Zeke’s strength, the acceleration of Flash steps, and the skill Fatal Strike combined with the claymore.

Andrei felt the power contained in Zeke’s sword.

‘That’s dangerous.’

He stepped back while sheathing his sword. At the same time, he stepped forward and performed an iaido draw. 

Zeke knew what this movement was.

‘Dragon-Slaying Technique 

Chapter 1, Verse 1. Sky Slash.’

Although it was the most basic movement among the dragon-slaying techniques, its power was different when performed by a Red knight.

Boom!

When swords clashed, an explosive sound rang out.

The students opened their eyes wide to see the outcome of the duel.

“Ugh…”

Zeke, holding the claymore, staggered backward.

Blood was trickling slightly from his mouth.

Meanwhile, Andrei maintained his stance while gripping his sword.

It was clearly Zeke’s defeat to anyone watching.

That’s when Andrei straightened his posture and sheathed his sword.

Then he turned around and spoke in a low voice.

“Student… you need not come to this class starting tomorrow.”

Upon hearing Andrei’s words, Zeke collapsed to the ground.

The healers who were standing by carried Zeke out on a stretcher.

The other students watching Andrei and Zeke’s duel gulped nervously.

Andrei looked around at the students and said.

“Is there anyone else who doesn’t want to attend this class?”

No one raised their hand at Andrei’s words.

He continued speaking with an intimidating voice.

“Pick up your swords. From today on, you will dedicate yourselves to training to become true knights of Draker.”

It was the beginning of the basic dragon-slaying technique course.

* * *

The healers carried Zeke on a stretcher to the infirmary.

Just as the healer was about to insert an IV with combined healing potions into the back of Zeke’s hand.

“It’s fine. I don’t need the potion.”

Zeke, who had fainted while bleeding, was somehow perfectly fine as he grabbed the healer’s hand and declined.

The healer, surprised, tried to make Zeke lie down again.

“You must have internal injuries, so lie down quickly. Otherwise, there could be serious side effects later.”

Although Zeke wasn’t actually injured at all, he had no way to explain this, so he just lay down and quietly received the potion.

The highest-grade potion was completely useless to him with his healing factor, but since it was Draker family money anyway, he decided to just take it.

He laid there thinking about the earlier duel.

‘Well, that should have been a decent performance.’

In the final moment, Andrei ended up using aura despite saying he wouldn’t.

The Draker family is famous for their unique aura training.

They train to maintain their aura at all times, whether eating, sleeping, or otherwise, regardless of time and place.

This makes using aura as natural as breathing.

Andrei too had been consciously not using aura, but in blocking the final strike, he unknowingly used it.

Though he didn’t even graze Zeke’s collar, making a Red knight use aura proved his skill sufficiently, and since Zeke collapsed, he also avoided embarrassment in front of the students.

It was the result of Zeke’s performance where neither party lost anything from the duel.

He started thinking about how to use his newly secured free time.

That’s when it happened.

“Well, well, what an interesting fellow.”

Zeke startled for a moment.

‘There definitely wasn’t any presence at all.’

He sat up and cautiously examined where the voice came from.

Gulp! gulp!

A man with a bushy beard mixed a potion with pure alcohol meant for disinfection and drank it in one go.

Then he wiped his mouth, appearing satisfied.

“Whew… burns going down. The taste really is different with highest-grade potions.”

The man continued speaking to Zeke while drinking the remaining alcoholic potion.

“Hey kid. How did you do that earlier?”

Zeke asked cautiously while watching the man.

“What do you mean?”

The man tilted the potion bottle to drink every last drop.

Then he smacked his lips regretfully and said.

“Tsk… kid, don’t play dumb. Man, you took an internal injury earlier.”

Zeke flinched for a moment.

“How did you heal instantly after taking a direct hit from aura?”