Reborn Soul Master: The Rogue's Counterattack

Late at night, Cardin came to the indoor training ground as usual. "Every time he is provoked, he gets so easily excited. How cute." Whenever he met Leiden, he always provoked him. Then Cardin imagined Leiden's excitement and couldn't help laughing.

"A man who wants to be a knight has so little self-control. Tsk tsk." Despite Leiden's repeated provocations, he always left with a sad face in the end, which made Cardin feel a little funny.

"But it's taking longer than I thought." Cardin put aside all distracting thoughts, closed his eyes, and began to concentrate on feeling the core of magic.

Compared with before, the barrier of the magic core has become more solid, and it can be clearly felt that the magic core has been upgraded to a new stage. Cardin has finally reached the four-star realm. He has been constantly strengthening the magic barrier and training the magic core, but this takes more time than he expected.

“I have to summon new undead right now, but there are no available materials.” After becoming a four-star, there are new things to learn, and this fact makes him feel excited rather than frustrated.

"There is a book containing four-star magic and curses. Do you want to take a look at that first today?" Among the inheritance left by Charlotte, there are many books containing necromancer techniques, and there are also books that Charlotte personally interpreted and recorded. For Cardin, there is no more valuable property than this.

At this moment, the door to the training ground opened and a familiar voice was heard.

"What are you doing if you're not training?" Looking back, Matthias was waving at the entrance. "Didn't we agree to practice today?"

The two met once or twice a week for practice, and as a result, their relationship became closer than before. They were more comfortable than before.

“I’m here to show off.”

"Show off? Show off what?"

"During this mission, I met my master." His master is the pinnacle of mercenaries - the Mercenary King. It is said that he has the strength that is no less than that of a Guardian, which makes Cardin curious.

"Really? And then...?"

"I received praise from my master." Hearing this, Cardin's eyes widened and he nodded.

"No, you're not a kid anymore. Do you want to show off to me about this?"

"I'm considered a relatively low-key person among the sophomores, so I can't show off easily. At least you listen to me and make me feel better."

"Well, congratulations." Although Cardin nodded, he couldn't help but smile and say what he wanted to hear.

"Oh, yes, I mentioned you too."

"Me? You mentioned me to the Mercenary King? Why did you mention me..."

"I'm just saying it with pride. The younger generation I helped grew up very quickly and are worth looking forward to." Although there was no hostility between them, Cardin's existence was known to the mercenary king.

"If he gets a chance, he wants to meet you in person. He said it's interesting to see the necromancer's rapid development in close combat." Hearing what Matthias said next, Cardin hummed and nodded.

"It would be my honor to meet the Mercenary King in person."

"But are you preparing for the evaluation exam in the first half of the year?" Matthias asked as he took a chair and sat down.

"Yeah. Well, I'm trying to do what I have to do."

"I heard you keep failing in weapons skills training? Are you really trying?" Good news spreads fast, and bad news spreads just as fast.

"I tried so hard to help you, and you still failed?"

"I've only been holding a dagger for less than half a year. It's not easy to defeat those who have been wielding weapons since birth." As he said, it was not easy for Cardin, who had only been wielding a dagger for a few months, to defeat those who had been wielding weapons their entire lives.

If it was a bare-knuckle fight, that would be another matter. "So, how are you going to handle the training evaluation? Your opponent will be using arcane magic then."

"I'm a necromancer. I'm not just going to sit there and wait for death."

"Ah, I forgot. I've never seen you use necromancy, so I often forget that you are a necromancer." Cardin raised his head, as if recalling the past, and then suddenly laughed.

In fact, he never used necromancy, either in front of his students or in front of Matthias.

"Well, that's possible. Every time you see me, you just pick up your weapon and train."

"So..." Matthias dropped his joking expression and changed the atmosphere seriously, saying, "If you don't mind, how about we have an unlimited practice? No restrictions at all." Hearing this, Cardin shook his head decisively.

"This is against the rules. Training without limits is dangerous, so we need an intermediary." Rules to prevent accidents.

In this place where the best talents in the kingdom gather, if training is conducted freely, fatal accidents may occur. Therefore, in training that can use magic and arcane, an instructor or professor must act as an intermediary.

"Oh, yes. Then shall I call a professor?"

"It's very rude at this time."

"That's right." Although training with Mathias was a good opportunity, the rules had to be followed even if it was regrettable.

“Are you confident in the training evaluation?”

"Well, I'm not sure. If someone stands in my way, I'll kneel down - I don't indulge myself." Cardin joked expressionlessly, and Mathias asked in surprise.

"You still make such a joke?"

"I haven't thought about losing yet." Cardin said with a smile, and Mathias smiled at him.

"Okay, then let's continue training as usual."

"but……"

"Just pick up the weapon. Just the weapon. Anyway, I've done what I need to do today. I still have plenty of time."

"I was planning to do..."

"Hurry up and pick up your weapons."

As time passed, the day of the college's first half evaluation exam finally arrived.

"The first thing we'll do is the theory test." Instructor Chris' voice echoed in the classroom filled with anticipation and worry.

The first-year students looked a little nervous because it was their first time taking an evaluation test. Chris looked at their cute faces and continued.

"You have also listened carefully to the theory class. I believe you can all get good grades, right?"

"Yes." After the students answered, Instructor Chris signaled to the other instructors that the exam could begin.

"We will start distributing the test papers now. Please raise your hands above your head and wait." The instructors began distributing the test papers to the students.

"When this hourglass runs out, the test will be over. So please concentrate on solving the questions and submit them on time." Instructor Chris flipped the hourglass and the test began. The sound of students flipping through their test papers could be heard in the classroom.

"History of the Kingdom..." Cardin confirmed the content of the exam, it didn't look difficult, he nodded confidently.

"What I learned when I was a child." When Cardin was a child, he learned a variety of courses from Charlotte's private vampire tutor, ranging from noble courses to kingdom history.

Thanks to being a vampire who has witnessed the long history of the kingdom, it is not difficult to answer questions related to history. Swish, swish. Cardin's pen tip moves smoothly on the test paper, unlike other students. Although there are quite a lot of questions, he does not seem to feel burdened.

"What? Is he just being perfunctory?"

"He doesn't seem to be the type to give up easily..."

"He is always in the training ground. Has he completely given up the theory test?" The instructors were puzzled by Cardin's calm attitude. After a while.

"Everyone has worked hard. Please move to the lecture hall in an orderly manner to prepare for the next exam." After the long theoretical exam time was over, the first-year students moved to the lecture hall to prepare for the practical exam.

"No way, we still need to study history? Isn't the future more important than the past?"

"That's too difficult a question. No, do we really need to know who died and for what in the war a hundred years ago?"

"If we forget history, we will have no future. Maybe we emphasize the importance of history because we don't want to repeat the same mistakes." Heumann, Brent, and David, who always like to chat, kept having trivial conversations on their way to the lecture hall. Some students also agreed with their words and occasionally interrupted.

Finally, the students arrived at the lecture hall where the practical exam was held and sat in the auditorium at the instruction of the instructor.

"As informed, this exam is a practical evaluation." After confirming that all students were seated in the auditorium, Instructor Chris walked up to the podium and conveyed the exam information.

The next exam is a practical evaluation. A student is randomly selected and given the right to nominate an opponent. The exam begins with the selection of an opponent.

When choosing an extreme personality or a relatively weak person, the score will be reduced accordingly.

"The instructors and professors are watching your exams, so please do your best."

Instructor Chris pointed behind him, where the instructors and professors were sitting in their seats, waving to the students.

"Don't worry about your safety. There's a priest here, and we have the support of the magic tower. Don't be afraid of getting hurt." This is not a limited combat like bare-handed combat or weapon skill combat. It is a combat where you can freely use all your abilities.

“If there is a danger to life, I will take action, so please don’t worry about your opponent getting hurt, just fight with all your strength and fight for victory.” Because the instructors are present to prevent accidents, students can go all out and focus on the actual combat.

"Well, let's get started. I will draw the slips of paper with names on them fairly." Instructor Chris reached into the box next to him, took out a small folded slip of paper, and unfolded it.

"Human, you come." Human, who was selected by lot, got the first nomination right, and the practical examination began. The professors looked at the practical field with expectation and talked.

“This year’s freshmen are developing at a pretty fast pace.”

"Because of the overwhelming presence of Mathias in the second grade, the talents of the other students are overshadowed, aren't they?"

"Yes. In comparison, the first-year students seem to have improved, which is gratifying. Well, although I haven't seen any talent that can surpass Matthias yet." Unlike the second years, the first-year students, from magicians to swordsmen, archers, and necromancers, are all candidates for the next guardian.

Perhaps that's why? The instructors and professors seemed confident that their students could win, and watched the actual battle with ease.

"Cardan, come forward." Instructor Chris' voice came, and the instructors and professors focused their attention on Professor Isaac who was sitting farthest away. Cardan, who had been happily watching the actual battle, heard his name being called and stood up from his seat to answer.

"Yes." Cardin quickly walked towards the actual combat site, and Instructor Chris pointed to the audience seats.

"Name your actual combat opponent." Following his words, Cardin slowly looked around the audience. Since he had already had several actual combats, Cardin did not have many opponents to choose from.

"That momentum, as if it was about to spit out fire." The first person who came into view was Blanche. She seemed to want to make up for the failure of the last informal practice, and she cast a passionate look at Cardin, hoping that he would choose her. But Cardin did not meet her expectations.

"Hasn't that guy had enough?" Then, Cardin's eyes fell on the blond noble Leiden. He seemed eager for Cardin to choose him and waved his hand, but Cardin easily ignored his gaze.

Although the two seemed a little flustered, Cardin did not take them seriously. Finally, his eyes stayed on a certain place. Then, he read out the name of his actual opponent.

"I choose Kalia as my actual combat opponent." Instantly, the students fell silent and silence filled the lecture hall.