When Lee Han kicked dirt into Derku's face, Professor Ingeldel's first thought was one of admiration.
"Do not discriminate between means and methods. Only life and death matter."
Nobles who learned swordsmanship for the sake of dignity and refinement looked down on undignified methods, but swordsmen who risked their lives in real combat valued only victory.
From that perspective, Lee Han kicking dirt into Derku's face wasn't bad at all.
In fact, it was good.
Moreover, what deserved even higher praise was the fact that all the students of the same age were watching.
They were all in their mid-teens, an age full of vigor and pride.
Not just nobles, but even knights disliked using cowardly methods.
Most students, bound by their fragile pride, wouldn't resort to such tactics even if they knew them.
But Lee Han didn't hesitate for even a second before kicking dirt into Derku's face.
And this was despite him being from the most prestigious family here! Only a swordsman who instinctively understood what swordsmanship was and was prepared to sacrifice everything for it could do such a thing.
"Argh!" Derku, caught off guard, cursed loudly.
Dirt had gotten into his eyes, nose, and mouth, leaving him disoriented.
"Damn it! Falling for such a cheap trick!?" Derku was more angry at himself for being careless than at his opponent for using a cowardly method.
He had been warned multiple times during his family's swordsmanship training that such situations could arise! But he had foolishly assumed that his opponent, being a noble from a prestigious family, would use proper, dignified swordsmanship.
"I'll finish this quickly!" Lee Han charged toward Derku, whose stance had crumbled.
Lee Han had trained in swordsmanship for a long time, but so had Derku.
In fact, Derku might have trained even harder and more rigorously than Lee Han.
It was evident just from his stance.
If they fought properly, even Lee Han himself couldn't predict who would win.
So what? He had to create a situation where he could win.
Of course, Alarron hadn't taught him to kick dirt.
But thanks to that, Alarron was unknowingly earning Professor Ingeldel's admiration.
"To teach such things, his master must be a ruthless person indeed!"
"Ugh... damn it!" Derku kicked the ground hard, flipping backward in the air to create distance.
There was no stance or form left.
In his haste to create distance, Derku lost his balance and tumbled backward, rolling on the ground.
Lee Han hadn't expected his opponent to flip backward and roll like that.
"What the hell is this guy doing, fighting like his life depends on it...? Well, I did throw dirt at him."
Being from a knightly family, Lee Han hadn't expected Derku to roll around on the dirt like that.
Everyone seemed shocked, as even the cheering had stopped, leaving the area silent.
Only Professor Ingeldel clapped.
"Well done, young students!"
Derku wiped the dirt off his face with his sleeve.
His face was somewhat clean now, but his entire body was a mess from rolling on the ground.
However, his eyes had grown even fiercer.
Lee Han clicked his tongue.
"At least there's some gain."
His opponent had taken dirt to the face and rolled on the ground, so he was likely agitated.
In fights, those who are agitated tend to make mistakes.
When things are evenly matched, you need to play psychological games like this.
"Argh!" Derku roared and charged forward.
"He fights really well!" Professor Ingeldel marveled once again.
Earlier, he had admired the students' willingness to use any means necessary, but now his admiration was purely for their swordsmanship.
He had thought they were among the best of the freshmen, but he hadn't expected this level of skill.
First, Derku of the Choi family was showcasing the Gosanwol Sword technique beautifully.
With a swift and light rhythm, his wooden sword whistled through the air as he thrust toward Lee Han.
Normally, the movements would slow down with each thrust and withdrawal, but Derku maintained his speed.
This was possible because he infused a bit of magical energy into his sword.
Even without the magical energy, it would have been hard to block, but with each strike infused with magic, it was an excessively harsh attack for a freshman.
However, Lee Han of the Wodanaz family was no pushover either.
Thud. "!" Thud. "!!" Thud— "!!!!"
The more Derku attacked, the more his expression filled with anxiety and frustration.
Derku was stepping quickly and continuously to avoid being counterattacked.
When he attacked, he tensed his entire body and thrust as if throwing his sword.
Otherwise, he couldn't achieve the necessary speed.
His attacks were flashy and fast, but they drained his stamina.
Derku already felt like he was running out of breath.
But... his opponent stood still like a rock, moving minimally, and with each thrust, he simply deflected it to the side with a light tap.
It was as if he could see every attack coming.
"Damn it!" Derku felt like he was trying to pierce a rock with a needle.
Even if he predicted the attacks, he hadn't expected his opponent to deflect them so easily.
"Is the force behind my thrusts insufficient? Why isn't my opponent tiring!?" Derku screamed internally.
At the same time, Lee Han was thinking something similar.
"This guy looks like he's about to collapse, why isn't he stopping?" The Byeokam Sword technique Lee Han had learned was a heavy and powerful swordsmanship style.
Even if he wanted to land a single blow on Derku, Derku was moving around so frantically that it wasn't easy.
The only saving grace was that Lee Han had the advantage in stamina.
His opponent was agitated, had rolled on the ground, and his movements were much more intense.
Moreover...
Lee Han didn't tire easily even when infusing his sword with magical energy.
Since he started learning magic, he had become aware of his own magical energy, and even he was surprised by its extent.
"I've been infusing my sword with a lot of magical energy for quite a while now, so why aren't I tiring?" But even though Lee Han had the advantage, he wasn't at ease.
Honestly, Derku's attacks were quite fierce.
Each time he deflected a strike, the heavy force behind it sent chills down his spine.
If this had been a real sword, even a graze would have cut through his clothes.
From the outside, it looked like Lee Han was calmly deflecting the attacks with minimal movement, but in reality, he was pouring all his focus into blocking.
"Ugh...!" In the end, it was Derku who broke first.
He held his breath and endured the screaming of his muscles, but mentally, he was the first to falter.
It was because his opponent seemed unshakable.
That emotionless face, blocking attacks as if it were nothing—the guy from the Wodanaz family! When Derku met those eyes, he felt as if he was already playing in the palm of his opponent's hand.
"What a pity," Professor Ingeldel thought to himself.
Derku had broken first, but Lee Han was also under considerable pressure.
That's how fierce Derku's attacks had been.
If Derku had known that, he might have pushed himself harder.
But Derku had overestimated his opponent and crumbled under the pressure.
It was a mistake born of youth.
Moreover, Lee Han of the Wodanaz family was already exuding the cold and imposing aura unique to a high noble.
A handsome man who wouldn't shed a drop of blood even if pricked by a needle—such a person had many advantages in swordsmanship.
Thud! As Derku collapsed, Wodanaz immediately swung his wooden sword, knocking Derku's sword away and stopping his own sword at Derku's throat.
"Enough! Wodanaz has won," Professor Ingeldel said softly but firmly.
His tone carried the resolve to allow no further fighting.
The students of the White Tiger Tower let out sighs of disbelief.
Their best, Derku, had lost! "This can't be!" "It's because he threw dirt..."
"Derku rolled on the ground too."
"What are you gonna do about it, punk? Is it Derku's fault?" "Ah... no. Sorry."
Professor Ingeldel ignored the murmuring students and spoke.
"Today, both students showed truly excellent swordsmanship. Winning today doesn't mean you'll always win, and losing today doesn't mean you'll always lose. The winner should remain humble, and the loser should strive to improve. Bow to each other."
Lee Han extended his hand and looked at his opponent.
Honestly, Lee Han expected his opponent to glare, spit, tighten his grip, or do something else outrageous.
From what he had seen when Lee Han came to attend the lecture, Derku's temper was far from ordinary, and now he had been defeated in the area he took the most pride in—swordsmanship.
"If he throws a punch, I'll low kick to destabilize him and counter immediately."
Lee Han narrowed his eyes and watched his opponent, preparing for a potential sneak attack.
Even though Professor Ingeldel was nearby, Lee Han had learned long ago that professors couldn't be relied on, and he had relearned that lesson at this school.
"... It was a good fight. I apologize for underestimating you. You have every right to attend this lecture." "!" But Derku apologized sincerely.
Lee Han checked to see if Derku was trying to lull him into a false sense of security before launching a sneak attack, but there didn't seem to be any such intention.
In that case...
"You were just worried. I won't hold it against you." "......"
Thud— Derku shook Lee Han's hand and nodded.
His eyes held a look of respect.
Clap clap clap— Professor Ingeldel, moved by the beautiful scene he had envisioned, clapped with a touched expression.
Of course, the students of the White Tiger Tower looked very uncomfortable.
"What are you all doing? Not clapping?" "......"
Swoosh— When Professor Ingeldel sternly drew his sword, the students hurriedly began clapping.
Clap clap clap clap clap!
"After such humiliation, you're not just going to let it slide, are you? Crush him."
At the cold voice, the other White Tiger Tower students nodded.
But Derku shook his head with a heavy expression.
"I lost because I was lacking."
"No! You lost because that guy threw dirt!" "No. Even if he hadn't thrown dirt, I would have lost. And if I lost because of such a trick, then it's still because I was lacking."
Derku's words caused a stir among the students.
As the most skilled in swordsmanship, Derku's words carried weight among the dormitory students.
But the golden-haired student spoke coldly.
"I don't care about that. What's important is that the honor and pride of our tower have been shattered because of you. Take responsibility, Choi family." "......"
Giselle of the Moradi family spat out coldly.
At her words, Derku's face hardened.
The Moradi family wielded significant influence among the northern knightly families, so Derku couldn't easily ignore her.
"I lost because I was lacking in skill. How am I supposed to take responsibility?" "It's simple. If you lost alone, then go as a group."
Before she even finished speaking, two students stepped forward and stood beside Derku.
"Don't worry, Derku. I'll help you."
"Three should be enough." "... Isn't it shameful for knights to gang up on one person?" Derku struggled to defuse the situation.
Giselle chuckled.
"If you're going to say that, you should have won. You lost, and now you're saying this?" "......"
The White Tiger Tower students were divided in their reactions.
Half sided with the Moradi family, while the other half thought this was going too far.
But even that half didn't step forward.
Derku bit his lip and said, "I refuse."
"You'll regret it."
Giselle turned her gaze away, as if she wouldn't persuade him further.
"Cowards are out. That makes three. Go and crush Wodanaz."
"Understood, Moradi."
"Don't worry." "......"
No matter how well Lee Han fought, three against one was too disadvantageous.
Especially since all three had been steadily training in swordsmanship.
Derku made a decision.
For honor, he would stand by Lee Han.
Thud! "Wodanaz, you bastard!! How dare you!!" "... If the next one wants to die too, come closer."
Lee Han spoke coldly.
Intimidated by his presence, the two students involuntarily stepped back.
Derku, who had rushed over belatedly to help, looked in shock at the fallen student.
What on earth had happened?