"Ugh, you... you bastard! I was worried about you...!"

"Sorry."

Yi-Han knocked down the screaming squire.

The squire couldn't withstand it since it was already difficult to win in a clash of swordsmanship skills, let alone being ambushed.

"Choi! Even you!"

"So, sorry."

Dolgyu quickly took down the squire.

"Moradi, you... I see! It's a trick you ordered?!"

"..."

Jijel frowned and kicked the fallen squire with her foot, pushing him off the deck. The squire fell into the sea with a splash.

"It's an ambush! Come and help quickly!"

"Put down the crossbows and come here! Wardanaz is attacking!"

"What? We can't use magic!"

Dolgyu protested without realizing it.

"We didn't use it!"

"Now's not the time to answer that, Dolgyu."

Yi-Han quickly scanned the deck.

They had knocked down a few with the ambush, but there were still remaining squires. As expected of those who trained together in the knight order, they quickly gathered on the deck and formed a formation even in the sudden situation.

In contrast, Yi-Han's side not only had fewer numbers but also lacked stamina from swimming for a long time. It would be dangerous to fight for long.

"Yi-Han. They're trying to surround us!"

"I know. Let's move to the side!"

Yi-Han ran away from the center of the deck towards the bow. The narrow passage next to the cabin connected to the bow was quite cramped, making it difficult to surround them.

The squires trying to surround them from behind shouted in surprise.

"Hey! Why are you running away! You have to occupy the warship!"

"Will you fight one-on-one?!"

"Th, that's not possible, but..."

As the squires persistently chased after them, Yi-Han suddenly stopped and turned around.

Then he pointed his sword.

Thinking he finally decided to fight, the squires also carefully grabbed their swords.

They had suffered several times after being deceived by the name of the Wardanaz family. They absolutely didn't let their guard down.

"I'm coming."

"Come, Wardanaz. We won't back down easi..."

Whoosh!

Yi-Han turned around again and started running back.

"..."

"...Ah, no. Are you really from the Wardanaz family?!"

The squires chased after him again, shouting.

They couldn't figure out what this guy was up to.

There was no point in running around the warship like this...

"He might be aiming for divide and conquer. Moradi is over there! Be careful!"

"Got it. Everyone, don't let your guard down! Even if the path is narrow, don't get too far apart!"

Jijel, who was running in front of Yi-Han, cursed the squires inwardly.

Fools who couldn't see the proper truth because of the family's image!

A chase ensued, and when Yi-Han's group's steps gradually slowed down, the squires finally caught up from both sides.

"Huff... huff huff."

"Phew, phew."

A situation where only rough breathing could be heard as they were all exhausted.

"Wa... Wardanaz. There's nowhere to run now. Let's duel."

"Yeah. Okay."

Yi-Han readily nodded.

Of course, the squires didn't believe him.

"Don't fall for it."

"That Choi guy is the same. You saw him calmly using tricks with an innocent face, right?"

"..."

Dolgyu blushed slightly in embarrassment.

Suddenly, Yi-Han pointed behind him and shouted.

"Behind! Look behind you!"

"Wardanaz... do you think we'll fall for that?"

The squires spoke with a prideful expression.

They felt like they had become skilled at dealing with all sorts of tricks while facing Yi-Han's group.

Seeing that expression, Jijel clicked her tongue and muttered.

"Is being deceived a lot something to be proud of..."

"Do whatever you want, Moradi. We won't fall for your schemes any... ugh!"

One of the squires fell forward.

The White Tiger Tower students, who had climbed up with hooks from behind, were glaring at the squires, panting.

"Shoot again, you dirty bastards! I dare you to shoot!"

"Ah, no...! We didn't shoot because we wanted to..."

"Throw these guys into the sea! Throw them into the sea and make them climb up directly!"

"What kind of bastards are they?!"

The squires were furious at the response of the White Tiger Tower students who showed no gratitude at all.

Although there was a messy fight, fortunately, it was quickly resolved thanks to Professor Ingurdel and the knights.

While some knights were talking about 'it's an interesting training, what if we switch it up and make our knights do it,' Professor Ingurdel evaluated the students' exam.

"Good work, everyone. Alpha. It was excellent to find the hooks among the pile of trash and hook them onto the ship."

"I was lucky."

Anglago scratched the back of his head, feeling proud.

"Jay. It was excellent to block the water spears. But blocking the water spears with your own body is dangerous. Even if you're wearing armor, you can get seriously injured in real combat, so be careful."

"Don't worry! I'm sturdy!"

'No, that ignorant bastard.'

While Yi-Han was clicking his tongue, it was finally Yi-Han's group's turn.

Professor Ingurdel spoke, looking at the three of them.

"Finding a path that others didn't think of..."

"Professor. Wait a moment."

Yi-Han, who was waiting for a perfect score, flinched at Jijel's sudden remark.

"I have something to tell you."

"Moradi. Why are you doing this? We're on the same team."

Yi-Han, sensing something ominous, tried his best to appease Moradi.

Moreover, this exam was really unfair. Unlike other situations, it's not like he had deceived Moradi in any way.

"Is it because you were misunderstood for using the trick I used earlier? That wasn't my intention. Let's not unnecessarily lower each other's scores."

Yi-Han thought Moradi was going to lower his score even if it meant lowering her own score.

However, that wasn't why Moradi brought it up.

"Wardanaz briefly showed mana light all over his body while climbing the warship earlier."

"?!!"

Professor Ingurdel was startled.

The knights next to him also stopped talking about 'what should we do, should we throw him now' and were startled.

"Mana light?! Is that true?!"

"Is it true?! Wait. Why didn't I see that?"

"Because Wardanaz had already climbed up the warship by then."

"Ah...!"

"Oh no...!"

"We should have made the height of the warship higher..."

Professor Ingurdel and the knights lamented in unison.

That's how much they regretted the opportunity Yi-Han had missed.

Of course, to Yi-Han, it sounded like nonsense.

'What do you mean by making the warship height higher? Are they crazy?'

He somewhat understood why the skull principal disliked outsiders coming in.

"Wardanaz. This is a really important opportunity. Do you know that?"

Professor Ingurdel eagerly explained how important it was that mana light had flickered.

In the extreme situation of climbing the warship while carrying his friends, Yi-Han had fallen into a state of selflessness.

All unnecessary strength disappeared, and the experiences he had gone through in all sorts of trials naturally melted into his body, precisely controlling an annoyingly large amount of mana...

"What did you just say?"

"Just ignore it."

Professor Ingurdel casually brushed off the curse that came out in excitement. Yi-Han felt slightly hurt.

"Anyway, it was an opportunity."

"That's right!"

"Indeed!"

Professor Ingurdel and the knights were much more regretful than Yi-Han.

The more mana one had, the more difficult it was to control.

Even with Wardanaz's level of talent, that amount of mana was difficult, so this opportunity felt particularly more regrettable.

Of course, Yi-Han didn't think much of it.

'There will be another opportunity next time.'

First of all, the opportunity came and disappeared too briefly, so it wasn't well perceived, and above all, Yi-Han didn't pick up the sword with the conviction of a warrior to walk the path of the sword to the end.

It was to learn it to make a healthy body and for self-defense when bored...

Rather than what was at the end of the path of the sword, he was more curious about this year's final grades.

"I understand. It's really unfortunate. So, Professor. About the midterm exam grades..."

"It might not be over yet."

One of the knights of the White Wood Knight Order spoke seriously.

Professor Ingurdel threw a gaze as if he would listen attentively with a prudent face.

"Please speak. I'm listening."

"If a lot of time had passed, it would be different, but now, not much time has passed. We could recreate the same situation and try again."

"...!"

Professor Ingurdel was surprised.

"...!"

And Yi-Han was also surprised.

'What kind of nonsense is he saying so seriously?'

"Professor, the exam is over..."

"Wardanaz. This is a really important issue. This might be even more important than the exam."

"That's just absurd..."

A White Tiger Tower student behind him blurted out without much thought.

"Wardanaz doesn't need to study more for the exam, right? He'll get a perfect score anyway."

Yi-Han glared at that student as if he would kill him. Anglago avoided his gaze in terror.

'Wh, what did I do wrong...!'

"And recreating the exact same situation as before is unreasonable. My friends are all exhausted and need to prepare for the next exam."

"Hmm."

Professor Ingurdel felt sorry, thinking that was certainly true.

The White Tiger Tower students were tired now...

"There are young knights here."

The knights of the White Wood Knight Order stepped forward.

They pointed to the squires and said.

"He can climb up while carrying them."

"..."

While Yi-Han was at a loss for words, Professor Ingurdel was moved.

"Everyone...! Thank you. I knew the honor of the White Wood Knight Order, but I didn't expect it to be to this extent..."

"How could we, as knights, abandon a comrade who walks the same path of the sword?"

The faces of the squires turned pale.

Yi-Han let out a deep sigh as he saw them.

The White Tiger Tower students thought inwardly.

'I'm so glad I'm not Wardanaz.'

'Being the top student of the year isn't always a good thing!'

Seeing that, happiness might not necessarily be related to grades.

"Moradi... I'll curse you."

Yi-Han returned several hours later than the other students.

He had to swim with the squires in the sea and climb the outer wall of the warship tied to each other with a rope.

Of course, the phenomenon he felt earlier didn't come back. Professor Ingurdel and the knights were very disappointed.

-It's really unfortunate.-

-I think he should have carried his close friends after all...-

Yi-Han was grateful for the first time that this week was the midterm exam period.

Otherwise, the knights would have shown him hell until he gained enlightenment.

'Are the knights becoming like Einroguard, or was the world originally Einroguard?'

With such thoughts, Yi-Han moved his steps.

Beyond the darkening waterway, a familiar white skull was seen.

"Principal."

-What is it? Why are you coming back so late? And alone?-

Yi-Han decided not to mention what Professor Ingurdel had made him do.

He didn't want to increase things that would make the skull principal happy for nothing.

"I was a bit late because I was studying to prepare for the exams."

-If it were other students, I would have praised them, but for you, it's a waste of time. Stop doing useless things and quickly master the magic you haven't mastered yet.-

The skull principal gave kind and gentle advice. Yi-Han nodded, grateful for that warm advice.

"Ah. Yes. What are you doing, Principal?"

-I was looking around the submerged scenery of Einroguard and feeling sorry for the students' suffering.-

"...Ah. Yes. I see."

Yi-Han pretended to leave after greeting him.

And immediately, he cast all the invisibility magic and underwater breathing magic he had and jumped into the water, approaching the direction where the skull principal was.