I Became the Martial God's Youngest Disciple

Episode 62

What surprised me most about the training camp was the number of famous attendees whose names I recognized.Alongside Hector and Seren were Charon Woodjack, who took first place in the run, the Executioner of the Rubietas, the Black Knight of the Chevaliers, the Young Chieftain of the Nightwalkers, and the future hero of the beastfolk. It was a gathering of legends who would one day uphold the empire.

Yet, the name I had heard most often was Evan Helvin. In less than ten years, maybe five, there wouldn't be a person in the empire who didn't know his name.

Perhaps Evan would join the Hero Society within one or two years.

As a hero, Evan had achieved unprecedented feats, earning the expectations of both the empire and the organization. That's why his eventual fall was later called the "most painful betrayal of humanity."

I glanced at Evan. His gray hair and innocent face belonged to a boy. Although I didn't know much about the Helvin family, I remembered them as a rural family with no notable heroes, despite having the blood of one.

But Evan was different. He had achieved fame from a young age, traveling to various swordsmanship exchanges and earning praise from every instructor who had taught him. The rumors about his talent spread quickly to the capital.

I don't think he is a bad person, I mused.

There were two possibilities: either he was so cunning and deceitful that he could fool even me, or something had happened to turn this innocent boy into the worst kind of criminal.heless, that didn't mean Seren was bound to lose. Having fought alongside her, I knew she was no longer an ordinary hero disciple. She was more than capable of holding her own and lacked nothing in practical application.

Tanko looked at me and asked, "Aren't you looking for an opponent?"

"I'd like to ask you something," I replied, my eyes still on Hector and Seren.

"What is it?"

"There are thirty-nine disciples in this training camp. That means one person will be left without a partner. Who will they spar against?" I asked.

"The last one will fight with me," Tanko answered.

At these words, the unpaired disciples flinched, their bodies trembling.

The Great Masters were legendary across the empire, revered figures personally invited by the Iron-Blooded Lord.

While their primary focus was education, placing them outside the ranks of the continent's absolute strongest, their power still far surpassed that of any single hero disciple. To compare the two would be an insult.

"Will one lose points if you defeat them, Instructor Tanko?" I asked.

"You are asking the obvious," he answered.

"I see." I nodded and turned my attention back to the scene.

The remaining disciples grew increasingly desperate.

"Hey! Just fight me!" one urged.

"S-shall we?" another stammered.

"Why don't you pair with me?"

"Ugh... It can't be helped."

Even those who had initially avoided challenging the more famous hero disciples now hurried to form pairs, preferring any opponent over Tanko.

"Why are you still standing here?" Tanko asked, his gaze fixed on me.

I replied casually, "You said that the last one would spar with you, Instructor Tanko."

"Yes."

"Then that's me."

Tanko's brow furrowed briefly before he broke into a silent laugh, baring his teeth.

Perhaps the reason for his laughter was the same as mine.

Realizing this, I laughed as well.