The Second Salvation Myth of a Retired Regressed Hero

+++

Many students and a small number of instructors crowded around Doyun and Torn’s arena.

Unlike the students unaware of the details, the instructors weren’t particularly interested in this match.

The instructors expected a close fight. While Torn was a promising talent with a bright future, Doyun was an Earthling with mana deficiency.

In this world’s combat, mana held absolute supremacy. Although Doyun had mana deficiency, Torn and the others had cultivated mana over the past 3 weeks.

Moreover, Torn was evaluated as a considerable talent. It was expected that his current level would match what Doyun had demonstrated during the mana test.

A cost-effective, immediately deployable talent suited for medium and small guilds. That was Doyun’s assessment at this point.

Doyun, the Cradle’s top student in the first week but with mana deficiency. And Torn, the prodigious talent who had grown terrifyingly during that time.

It was quite an interesting big match. But nothing more than a sideshow, neither greater nor lesser.

In any other batch, most instructors would have crowded around, but now they were focused on the far more important task of finding the boss monster killer – particularly the matches of the swordsmanship students.

Hence, not many instructors had gathered at Doyun’s arena.

“Want to place some bets on who will win?”

“100 on Torn.”

“Then there’s no bet. I’m also betting on Torn.”

“You guys don’t know the thrill of an underdog bet? 10 on Student Han Doyun. Let’s gang up on him.”

“That’s a rather paltry amount for someone who enjoys thrills?”

The only ones watching Doyun’s match were countless students and instructors from medium and small guilds who couldn’t even dream of scouting top-tier talents like the boss monster killer. And even they weren’t watching seriously, just enjoying some idle gambling.

Torn stomped his way into the makeshift arena drawn on the ground, his hooves making heavy thuds.

After letting out a sigh, Doyun straightened his gaze and shuffled into the arena.

‘…Right. I shouldn’t think too negatively. This could even be a good thing.’

It would be ridiculous for Doyun, who had lived over 200 years, to harbor resentment towards a fledgling like him. Rather, Doyun held positive feelings towards Torn.

No matter how much he harassed him, it hadn’t actually caused any real harm – just childish mischief. Torn was so foolish, he couldn’t even mentally harass people intelligently.

However, Doyun kept feeling concerned about Sophie being tormented by Torn.

Being harassed himself wasn’t an issue, but he didn’t want to see a talent he had decided to nurture going forward suffer any hardship.

Doyun steadied his rising annoyance.

He should establish the hierarchy during this opportunity, so Sophie wouldn’t have to endure further troubles.

The instructor overseeing the match asked Torn:

“What will your armament be?”

“Hammer.”

The curt response made the instructor frown, but he didn’t make an issue of it and simply shook his head exasperatedly. That was just how he was. Pressing the matter would only trouble himself.

Another assistant instructor brought over the pre-prepared massive two-handed hammer suited to Torn’s stature.

Seeing Torn receive his armament, Doyun felt quite invigorated – it had been a long time since he could wield a sword.

Possession of weapons was strictly prohibited within the Cradle. The only exceptions were the training javelins used during position-based classes.

However, in this tournament, free use of armaments was allowed. This was what Doyun had been waiting for.

“Student Han Doyun. What will your armament be?”

A formality. Just as Torn’s hammer had already been prepared, the students’ armaments were effectively predetermined based on their usual equipment.

Torn wasn’t about to suddenly ask for a dagger, was he? The same applied to Doyun, from the javelin class.

Hence, their assigned weapons had been prepared in advance before the tournament.

An assistant instructor entered the ring carrying cloth-wrapped javelins – a total of 3, including Doyun’s throwing javelins.

“Ah, I…”

Before Doyun could respond, the instructor unwrapped the cloth from the javelins. And his body stiffened.

Doyun, who had been about to request a sword, also fell silent at the sight of the revealed javelins.

“Eh, eh? Why are they like this?”

The inexperienced assistant instructor stuttered in bewilderment.

The partially unveiled javelins meant for Doyun were essentially trash.

It was difficult to find any part not rusted over. The javelin heads were half-broken, and what remained was heavily chipped.

These weren’t javelins but mere old sticks. They would shatter instantly upon clashing with Torn’s hammer.

“J, just a moment…!”

The assistant instructor hurriedly unwrapped the cloth from the other two throwing javelins. But they were equally decrepit.

Not just one, but all three javelins assigned to Doyun were in this wretched state, while the armaments of the other javelin students were perfectly fine. This was unlikely a mere coincidence.

The watching students stirred restlessly.

“Why are they in such a state…?”
“Shouldn’t they be replaced?”
“…What’s this? Are they trying to help Torn win by running the tournament like this?”

The instructors’ faces hardened. It was just an offhand remark from one person, but it carried considerable weight. The Cradle’s fairness was being called into question – not a trivial matter to brush aside.

Just as the presiding instructor opened his mouth to address the situation…

“Pffhuhuhuhu.”

A strange, cow-like snorting laughter came from somewhere. The gazes of those watching the ring turned towards Torn.

“Good. Just as pitiful as you are, human. It suits you well.”

Pffhuhuhu. Torn continued laughing, oblivious to the surrounding stares.

Only then did the muttering cease.

Torn, who had always openly expressed jealousy towards Doyun over the mana test, Sophie, and other matters. And his unsurprised, even nonchalant reaction as if he had anticipated this from the start.

Even a fool could plainly see how the situation had unfolded, the circumstances were so blatant. Torn had sabotaged Doyun’s javelins, likely by intimidating a goblin specialized in thievery or a similar race.

‘…So this is the kind of fellow he is.’

Doyun felt the slight fondness he had held for Torn dissipate in the face of this childish sabotage.

“The way for a powerful male to claim an excellent female! The winner takes Sophie!”

His public declaration, completely disregarding Sophie, drew all eyes towards her. Doyun briefly glanced over, studying her complexion.

‘…She’s quite angry.’

Sophie’s expression was icy cold. So much so that the surrounding students edged away warily, sensing her ominous demeanor.

‘I didn’t know she could make such an expression.’

Quite an unexpected sight. She had shown no particular reaction to Torn’s usual provocations.

It seemed the sabotage of Doyun’s weapon had angered her considerably.

Belatedly, Sophie and Doyun’s eyes met. She flinched in surprise, quickly dispelling her icy expression to give a dimpled smile and wave her hand. Doyun nodded back in acknowledgment.

“Stu, Student Han Doyun. My apologies. It seems there was an issue on the management side. New javelins will be brought shortly…”

“Just give me a sword instead.”

“Pardon? A sword?”

Doyun calmly recited with a cold gaze, his demeanor suggesting this situation was no issue at all.

The assistant instructor tilted his head in puzzlement. Torn, the watching students, and instructors were also perplexed by Doyun’s request.

“Uh… Then, I’ll quickly retrieve one, so let’s briefly delay the match…”

“What nonsense! He received those javelins, so he must fight with them!”

At Torn’s outcry, the assistant instructor looked at him with an incredulous expression.

“Changing armaments is special treatment! I’ll raise an objection!”

It was an absurd claim. There was no reason he couldn’t change his armament before the match began, and Doyun had never stated he would choose javelins – the Cradle had simply prepared weapons for him in advance based on their predictions.

The watching eyes grew cold. Like witnessing a child throwing a tantrum.

The instructors gritted their teeth at the ridiculous scene.

‘Raise an objection? What utter drivel.’

It seemed the recently lax discipline at the Cradle had caused the students to go completely off the rails. After this tournament ended, they would have to give the students a thorough dressing-down.

In the suddenly quiet atmosphere, Torn frowned. The surrounding reactions were strange – not the celebratory mood for his impending victory. The students looked at him with disdainful muttering, as if he were pathetic.

Just as the incensed Torn was about to shout at them…

“Unsightly.”

An unusually calm and cold voice pierced Torn’s ears.

Unlike the other students’ quiet muttering, this was a loud declaration directly addressing Torn.

Torn turned his head in that direction.

The vampire, Dewshy.

“…What did you just say?”

“I called you unsightly, cow.”

Torn’s teeth ground audibly. He glared at Dewshy viciously as he snarled:

“I’m… not a cow.”

Torn also disliked this bat bastard. The disdainful look and attitude, as if he considered himself nobility. Whenever he uttered the word ‘cow’, it really grated on him. He wanted to smash his head in.

Moreover, it irritated him that this guy was also being amicable only towards Han Doyun. No, he simply disliked the entire atmosphere.

The negative gazes directed at him, the pitying and sympathetic looks towards that human bastard. Everyone was on the human’s side.

Torn glared viciously at Dewshy.

“Bat. You want to die?”

“If you want to kill me, go ahead.”

Unfazed by the retort, Torn gripped his hammer, looking ready to hurl it at Dewshy outside the ring at any moment.

Dewshy also readied his combat stance. An untimely tension descended around the arena.

Just as the instructors were about to intervene and admonish them…

“Enough.”

As during the mana test, a mana-laced voice stopped them.