The Genius Son-in-law of the Swordmaster Household—Blessed by Authority-Chapter 37 : Entrance Exam (11)

Entrance Exam (11)
Yuria, struck in the solar plexus by Frenzied Insight Style Extreme Point, completely lost consciousness.
With that, the match was entirely over.
"Waaaaah!"
"Ian! Ian Greysel!"
"Unbelievable talent!"
Thunderous cheers erupted.
However, as the direct descendant Yuria had lost, most of the nobles exercised restraint, watching the reactions of the direct lines around them.
Those shouting for joy were mostly Barbarians who paid little heed to such matters, or warriors indifferent to politics.
"The top scorer of the Entrance Examination is the guest of House Hisperion! Ian Greysel!"
With the announcer declaring Ian's victory, the entrance exam of the Sword Dragon Hall officially came to an end.
As soon as the exam finished, Ian rushed over to Yuria.
He laid the gasping Yuria out straight and first checked her consciousness.
He grabbed her cheeks and shook them, but she was utterly unconscious, her eyes rolled back.
Ian immediately checked her breathing and pulse.
Fortunately, her breathing grew steadier with time, and her pulse was strong and regular—perhaps owing to her robust physique.
As Ian breathed a small sigh of relief, the medical team ascended to the arena.
These were the elite medical staff directly under the Heavenly Sword Lord.
Yuria was lifted and taken to the infirmary by them.
Once Yuria had completely disappeared along with the medical staff, the announcer took the stage.
The announcer presented an audio amplification artifact to Ian and spoke.
"Top scorer Ian Greysel! Please share your thoughts on your victory!"
It was time for a speech as required by the ceremony.
If it were up to him, Ian would have much preferred to follow after Yuria, but in any case, he couldn't see Yuria without the permission of the Heavenly Sword Lord.
If he wanted to check on Yuria's condition, it would be fastest to wrap up the event quickly and then receive permission directly from the Lord.
"Ahem!"
Ian turned his head, cleared his throat, and recited a customary speech.
"It is an honor to be the top scorer."
.
.
"I will always do my utmost so that I may, even in small measure, repay the Heavenly Sword Lord for his boundless grace someday—and also be of help to my senior swordsmen of Hisperion."
Ian had no desire to make himself stand out with his speech, so he filled it with the most conventional remarks.
"Ian...! Th-this gentle fellow...!"
However, the Heavenly Sword Lord seemed deeply moved simply because Ian had mentioned him.
"Neat. It's as if he expected from the outset he would win. Well, with such skill, confidence is warranted."
"Ha ha ha. To be so composed even after toppling the famed genius Yuria—no arrogance, not a trace of conceit, remarkable!"
"You can feel Ian's sincerity toward the Lord. He's got both skill and character. The Lord has truly unearthed a rare talent."
"Right after the match ended, he immediately checked on Yuria's state. A truly rare boy. As good-hearted as he is skilled. How did the Lord find him? I envy his discerning eye."
"Ha ha ha. Saying he hopes to help senior swordsmen someday—how adorable, given such talent. By then, the seniors won't be able to keep up with him. He's a charming and endearing boy."
The martial lords and nobles in the audience lavished praise upon Ian, each attaching their own meaning to his victory speech.
"Thank you for your excellent remarks! Next, we will have the top scorer's reward ceremony!"
The next step was the reward ceremony.
–Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
With grand drumbeats, Ian followed the ceremonial protocol, kneeling before the Heavenly Sword Lord.
"Well done, Ian Greysel."
Amid applause and cheers from all.
Darkan handed Ian the 'Heavenly Blood Pill', the top scorer's reward, and patted his shoulder.
"And thank you."
"...?"
Thank you?
For what?
Ian had done nothing that warranted words of gratitude from the Lord.
In fact, he felt considerable embarrassment, having just knocked the Lord's youngest daughter, Yuria, unconscious.
But why say "thank you" now?
"A swordsman learns most from defeat. Today's loss will be a very valuable experience for Yuria. After all, it's the first time she's ever lost to someone her own age."
There were still many who were stronger than Yuria.
But since those were all much older than her, they couldn't deliver a "true" defeat.
In time, Yuria would surpass them anyway.
But losing to a peer was different.
If one's peer was more gifted, there was no guarantee she could ever win in the future.
In short, for the first time in her life, Yuria had truly tasted defeat.
And that happened today. To Ian.
"You are probably the only person in this world who could give my youngest daughter such an experience, Ian Greysel."
And once someone has tasted genuine defeat, they are faced with two paths.
Give up and slump down in place, or seek a way to overcome and move forward.
"Yuria will brood over today's loss and seek a way to grow faster. And it won't take her long to find it. She's as much a genius as you are."
"Ah..."
So it was about that.
Still, Ian's expression remained somber.
Seeing this, Darkan playfully disheveled Ian's hair and laughed.
"Ha ha, are you that worried about my youngest daughter?"
"... How did you know?"
"There are things you come to see naturally once you go beyond Grandmaster level."
"... I—I see."
As the Lord had said, Ian was brooding over Yuria, now unconscious.
Upon returning fifteen years to the past, he had sworn above all to protect Yuria.
"My poor skill failed me at the end and I couldn't control my strength. As a result, I harmed Lady Yuria more than necessary. I am deeply remorseful for that..."
"Hm? What? Wait. Strength... control? Hahaha! Ha ha ha ha!"
At Ian's words, the Lord threw back his head and laughed heartily.
"T-to think the Lord would laugh so freely!"
That wide laughter also struck the martial lords and nobles observing the stands in varied ways.
"... It's been ages since I saw the Lord laugh with such good cheer."
"You can tell how much the Lord cares for young master Ian. See how he ruffles his hair? It's almost like a father and son."
"To be favored by the Lord at such a young age—truly enviable."
"It's best not to become an enemy of young master Ian. Unless you want to incur the Lord's wrath."
The Lord himself knew that his every action could have political repercussions, but it was hard to keep up his dignity in front of this charming boy.
"Kah! To think of strength control, against Yuria! Ian Greysel! Thanks to you, I had a great laugh today. What a delightful remark."
Darkan straightened out Ian's rumpled hair.
"Even my youngest daughter was utterly lacking against you."
"... That's not true."
Quite the opposite.
"Lady Yuria... was indeed a formidable opponent."
It was precisely because the young Yuria was so gifted that Ian failed to control his strength.
'I must grow faster...'
If he advanced at a mediocre pace, he would keep injuring Yuria in this way.
That was the last thing Ian wanted.
'Even a day sooner. I must become strong enough to completely overwhelm Yuria.'
Then, he could subdue her without injury and monopolize the top scorers' rewards.
Deep in Ian's eyes, a fierce yet quiet flame blazed.
To Darkan, that made him seem very endearing.
'Hah, what a fascinating boy.'
Most youths at this time would grow conceited after defeating Yuria.
Yet rather than be arrogant, he reflects and hones his will even further.
As the lord of ten thousand swords, the Heavenly Sword Lord couldn't help but feel pride when seeing such a model swordsman.
'Moreover, it's not just his character that's exceptional—his talent is otherworldly. Perhaps even greater than Ragnar Hisperion, hailed as the strongest swordsman in history.'
How could such transcendental talent emerge from the House of Greysel?
Greysel and Hisperion had never mingled blood even once.
A child born of mere human lineage, yet with far greater innate potential than even a Hisperion born to be the Sword God.
'This cannot be simple coincidence. It can't be.'
What's more, this boy even summoned an unknown divine blade at Bladelake.
With his near-divine intuition, Darkan could feel it.
A certain destiny was beginning to revolve around this boy.
'However...'
Darkan felt that he himself was becoming part of that destiny as well.
'Ian. I do not know what great tasks the world will demand of you, but do not worry. As one who walks the path of the Sword God, it is my duty and role to protect and guide someone like you. Simply remain as you are and become the greatest swordsman. I will always stand behind you, watching over you.'
The existence called the Heavenly Sword Lord, as much as he loves the sword itself, must also love those who walk the path of the sword with sincerity.
* * *
The Frenzied Insight Style Extreme Sense is a technique that enables reaction speeds beyond one's limits, but as it entrusts all to reflexes, it has the fatal flaw of being impossible to control one's strength.
Because of that, Ian had harmed Yuria more than necessary.
'Haa...'
Ian, after watching over Yuria lying in the recovery room, had just returned to the Lunabreeze Mansion.
The image of Yuria, eyes rolled back and unconscious, would not leave his mind.
Even though, for the first time in both his past and present lives, he had triumphed over Yuria, he did not feel happy at all.
Because he never wanted to win by hurting her.
'However...'
Had he not used Extreme Sense, he would have lost.
With his current abilities, he had no means to counter Heavenly Flow 4th form, without Extreme Sense.
'I'm on my second life, and Yuria is much weaker than in her previous one...'
Yet even so, she was still such a handful to deal with.
It was a renewed realization of Yuria's strength and greatness.
'Yuria will grow strong rapidly in this life, just as before.'
No, she might even grow faster than previously.
Because Ian's presence had stimulated her.
After tasting defeat by a peer for the first time, she would now seek out faster paths to strength to never lose again.
She had already been growing rapidly—he had just given a genius an extra impetus with his victory.
'In other words, if I let my guard down, what happened today could repeat itself.'
Though Ian too was rapidly getting stronger, he felt that he would have a hard time losing to Yuria going forward.
However, if he grew complacent, he might continue to get these unsatisfying victories.
That was something he desperately wished to avoid.
'Never again.'
To gain the strength to protect Yuria, he had to continue taking the Sword Dragon Hall's top scorer rewards.
To do that, ironically, he had to keep defeating Yuria until graduation.
'Yet, winning this way must never happen again.'
He must become yet stronger.
'Strong enough to completely overwhelm and subdue Yuria without hurting her.'
Ian turned his gaze to the Heavenly Blood Pill on the table.
'This will be the first step.'
The top scorer's reward for the entrance exam.
A tonic made from the Lord's Heavenly Blood and aura.
It would be wonderful if he could just endlessly duplicate it using the Authority of Projection, but as it was made with demigod's blood and aura, the magic power required for copying it was astronomical. So, he had no choice but to give up on projection for now.
'It's a pity, but replicating the Heavenly Blood must wait for the future.'
Heavenly Blood of Hisperion was also something he absolutely had to copy using the Authority of Projection someday.
In this life, Ian planned to use every means possible to become stronger.
So that he would not lose a single precious person to the demon grand dukes.
But for now, his magic power was far too insufficient to properly project even rare items.
–Hawp!
So for now, he should just ingest it directly.
As he accumulated such experiences and honed his skills, one day he would be able to project anything.
Not only the Lord's Heavenly Blood, but also Yuria's True Heavenly Blood.
If he could select only the essence of the Heavenly Blood and project it, then within a few years, he could attain a body as powerful as Darkan's or Yuria's in her previous life.
His bones would be as sturdy as adamantium, his skin as tough as dragon hide.
'With this Heavenly Blood Pill, I take my first step.'
–Crunch!
Ian bit down on the Heavenly Blood Pill, swallowing it in one go.
Simply digesting this properly would grant him monstrous strength, allowing him to tear an orc apart barehanded, without aura.
His bones would become harder than steel, his skin as tough as leather armor.
The stronger the body, the more powerful the aura manifested from it.
Naturally, the efficiency of his aura manipulation would also skyrocket.
Ian sat cross-legged, savoring the taste of the Heavenly Blood Pill.
It was unexpectedly sweet.
A human tongue reveling in the power flowing from demigod's blood.
'Now, let's begin training.'
It was time to truly make all the power contained in the Heavenly Blood Pill his own.
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
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