My Disciples Think I’m Strong – Chapter 46

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

Thud!

Dozens of daggers fell helplessly onto the grass.

It was Iris who had knocked away the daggers thrown by Urka.

“Hehe, nice reflexes.”

Even if she lacked experience and had not yet matured, a Hero is still a Hero.

Iris dashed towards her swiftly. Despite her small stature, the power radiating from her seemed almost indistinguishable from Urka’s.

Clang!

“Ugh?!”

Was the shock beyond her expectations? A groan escaped Urka’s lips.

“Are you really ten years old?”

“All thanks to my Teacher.”

The swords clashed, producing a screeching sound.

It seemed that Iris’s raw strength couldn’t quite match Urka’s yet, as a hint of ease appeared on Urka’s face.

“If you keep growing like this, you’ll become a monster in a few years. But!”

Wham!

“Ugh!”

Urka’s kick connected to Iris’s side, causing her body to twist and roll onto the ground.

Though it was an excessively strong attack for a child, it felt like Urka had controlled her power somewhat.

“Your field of vision is too narrow. You focused too much on the weapon.”

“Grrr….”

A growl escaped from between her sharp teeth. Rising from the ground, Iris charged at Urka once more.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

A rapid series of strikes.

Even though the speed of her swings and the points of impact kept changing, Urka defended against them all.

Thanks to her exceptional reflexes and hand-eye coordination.

“Fast and strong. Plus, her moves are unconventional. Has she already learned swordsmanship from Praus?”

Clang!

“But you’re still not there yet.”

Urka deflected Iris’s sword and looked for an opening to strike.

“This is the end.”

“‘Absolute Defense.’”

Clang!

To her declaration, when the weapons clashed once more, it was Urka that was sent flying.

“What—”

Caught off guard by the unexpected defense, Urka froze, and in that moment, Iris seized the opportunity from behind.

Seeing this, Urka bared her sharp teeth and smiled.

“…Not bad, really.”

Iris swung her sword at Urka’s neck.

But Urka moved faster and caught Iris by the throat.

“Ugh!”

Iris gasped as Urka tightened her grip.

“Your defense and movement level don’t seem possible for a ten-year-old. What’s your name?”

As she loosened her grip, Iris choked out, grimacing in pain.

“Ah, I’m Iris….”

“Trained by Praus? Your movements are no joke.”

“Yes… cough! I think it’s been about a week now.”

“Eh? A week?”

Urka appeared bewildered, looking at Iris with disbelief.

“You say you’ve moved like this in just a week? That’s impossible, right?”

“Yes. Is that strange?”

“Strange? Of course! Do you really think a ten-year-old can move like that after just a week of training… Ah! Praus! It’s been over five minutes!”

As Urka was questioning Iris, she suddenly spotted me and shouted. Waving the dagger in a dangerous manner, she approached me.

“…Is the sparring over?”

“We didn’t do it properly. More importantly, who is that kid?”

“She is the Hero who will save this world. Praise her.”

“Well, for now, she’s one of the kids I’m looking after.”

“She’s no ordinary child! She’s got the potential to become S-Class!”

Dismissing Urka’s over-the-top excitement, I moved closer to Iris.

She had grabbed me so tightly that her pale skin was flushed red from the pressure.

“You’re being harsh on her.”

“If I hadn’t controlled myself, I would have been the one to get hit. What are you talking about?”

Urka snorted and crossed her arms.

I approached Iris and reached out my hand. She flinched and tightly closed her eyes.

It seemed she thought I would hit her for losing in the sparring.

I carefully brushed my hand against Iris’s neck, then patted her head.

“You did well.”

“Yes? Ah, yes….”

She replied dazedly.

“There is naturally a difference between someone who has trained for nearly twenty years and someone who has trained for a week. In a few years, you’ll be able to win. Don’t worry.”

Her talent is beyond mere S-Class.

She is blessed with the potential to become the strongest Hero.

“But Praus, are the other kids as strong as her?”

“There will be individual differences, but generally they should be similar.”

“Where on earth did you find kids like these?”

“That’s something you don’t need to know.”

“Really? Well, that’s fine. For now, just knowing that they are growing up under Praus is sufficient.”

Urka seemed to have adapted to my speech and waved it off as inconsequential.

“Shall we see the next challenger? Who’s it going to be?”

“I’ll do it.”

Maria raised her hand.

She strode confidently to stand in front of Urka. Then suddenly turned her head in my direction.

“Teacher, if I defeat Urka, what kind of praise will you give me?”

What kind of praise? Didn’t Maria dislike me?

I thought she would say to leave her alone since she was just sticking around to become stronger. Guess I was wrong.

“…If you wish for something, I’ll grant you anything.”

Though I didn’t really think she would be able to defeat Urka, now that she was a Tier 3.

Currently, Maria didn’t have the strength to endure Ignis’s heat.

To face Urka at full power, she’d need to reach at least Tier 6. At that level, exhausting Urka’s full power would be possible, even if it was tough.

“Okay, that’s good.”

Maria’s eyes changed. Her long blonde hair floated in the air.

She opened her mana. A tremendous amount of mana surged from her body, which was excessive for a ten-year-old.

Urka, witnessing this, covered her eyes and laughed like a madwoman.

“Hah… I underestimated you. You think you can take me down?”

Urka’s gaze shifted.

“I’ve changed my mind. I’ll go all out against you.”

“This area is a forest. Don’t use fire.”

“Yes, don’t worry—”

“Hey, are you kidding me? Is it time to let your guard down?”

Smack!

In the brief moment Maria let her guard down, Urka closed the distance and landed a precise punch to her abdomen.

Maria shot up into the air before crashing down on the ground helplessly.

“Cough. Ugh! Cough!”

Could she not breathe? Her body trembled as she struggled to get up.

“What are you doing to a child?”

“How rude! The very thought of trying to take me down.”

Coughing up blood, Maria muttered as she touched her abdomen.

“‘Healing Light.’”

A brief glow emanated from her hand, then began to fade.

By the time the light vanished, Maria stood up; she had cast a healing spell.

“Whew… That hurt a lot, Urka.”

Thud!

Just as Urka was closing the distance again, Maria cast her spell.

“‘Haste.’”

Boom!

Her kick swung toward an unintended target.

“Wow, you’re fast. But do you think that’s enough?”

In that moment, electricity crackled in her hand.

“‘Lightning.’”

Electricity poured down onto Urka. Even with a lower tier, the abundant mana made the spell’s power decent.

Crackle!

But Urka simply dodged the falling lightning as if it were a joke.

“If you keep depleting your mana like that, who do you think will tire out first?”

As she said this, she threw several daggers.

“‘Wind Barrier!’”

One hand emitted electricity while the other conjured wind magic, deflecting all the incoming blades.

“Hehe, ten-year-olds using layered magic? That’s really scary.”

Urka smiled as if feeling exhilarated.

She was experiencing that adrenaline rush that comes from facing a strong opponent through Maria.

“But!”

“Where did she go…?”

That statement was correct, at least from Maria’s perspective.

From my distant viewpoint, I could see Urka standing behind Maria, clenching her fist.

“Not bad at all. You made me increase my speed to full power.”

Wham!

Urka slapped the side of Maria’s neck.

“Ugh!”

The blow sent all of Maria’s ongoing spells dispelling as she collapsed, clutching her neck.

“Ugh… oh….”

I approached her, assessing her condition. The area around her neck was swelling bright red. Left untreated, it would undoubtedly bruise.

“Are you alright?”

“H-How did you defeat Urka, Teacher?”

“Urka is S-Class. It was unrealistic for you, who has just started learning, to think you could win.”

“But still….”

Instead of comfort, I lightly patted her head.

There was no need to be anxious.

After all, the only entity stronger than Maria in this world is the Demon King.

As long as I guided her properly to keep her from getting derailed, she would undoubtedly rise to become the strongest.

As she stared blankly at my touch, a faint smile crept onto her lips.

“Maria, are you dead?”

After watching silently, Tina finally crouched down in front of Maria and asked.

“I’m not dead, you idiot Tina.”

Maria, having healed herself with the healing magic, replied sharply.

“Ah, good. That’s a relief.”

“Now it’s just you left.”

At Urka’s statement, Tina pushed herself up from her knees.

“…Looks like it. I’m the only one left.”

Tina pulled out her unwavering spirit of revenge.

“Huh? Isn’t that sword from Praus?”

“I borrowed it for a bit during training.”

“I see. That sword seems quite nice.”

“Yep. It’s a really good sword. The fact that my Teacher lent it to me means he acknowledges that I can become really strong.”

Though it was a fact that she would indeed become strong, I never said anything about acknowledging it.

“Hehe, so you’re saying you’re the strongest among the three?”

“That can be said.”

At her words, both Iris and Maria exchanged discontented glances.

“Tina, you still haven’t properly fought against me.”

“Right! You haven’t fought me either, so how do you know you’re the strongest?”

“If I defeat that person, wouldn’t that prove I’m stronger than you?”

A small hand confidently pointed at Urka.

It seemed she quickly forgot the beatdown Maria had just received for saying something similar.

“Ugh, these kids today—they’re either cocky or completely fearless…”

Urka irritably scratched her head.

“Go easy on me, Urka.”

“I know. I won’t kill her.”

Don’t get competitive with a ten-year-old, damn cat.

“Teacher! Start the match!”

Tina seemed ready as she waved her hand.

“…Begin.”

“First, I’ll take that weapon from you.”

As soon as I finished my sentence, Urka darted forward, closing the distance and swiping at Tina with all her might.

Clang!

“…!”

Tina confidently blocked Urka’s attack, causing Urka’s eyes to widen.

I was equally stunned.

This attack from Urka aimed to disarm Tina with a powerful blow.

Yet Tina did not falter and held onto her weapon. She didn’t have the ‘Absolute Defense’ skill like Iris did.

Thus, it meant that the current Tina did not lose ground against Urka in raw strength.

“This is just the beginning, right? Urka.”

Tina’s gaze turned cold.