Instructor Kruder strode into the headmaster's office, his face etched with anxiety.
Headmaster Levins looked up from a document spread across his wide desk, curiosity evident in his expression. "What's wrong? Did something catch fire, to have you rushing about like this? What happened now?"
"No, nothing's on fire. It's just—Headmaster, I wanted to ask: are you really going to do nothing? Three more Silver Instructors resigned today," Instructor Kruder replied.
"Oh, I know." Headmaster Levins nodded and rose to his feet. "Tea? Or Maxis?"
Maxis was a beverage similar to cocoa beans—ground and boiled to produce a sweet, rich flavor. It was said to be the favorite drink of the elves, and centuries ago had been a special privilege of mages, worth a considerable sum.
"No need to trouble yourself. Water will do. It's just that the Silver Instructors at the academy are in a state of panic right now. Every one of them feels threatened, terrified that Instructor Locke will show up to challenge them. If this goes on, it'll be hard to maintain the quality of instruction. And the students are loving every minute of it—practically egging Instructor Locke on to challenge every Silver Instructor in the academy. Every day when classes end, crowds of students flock to watch the duels, and the Silver Instructors being challenged look like they're roasting over an open fire. It's truly pitiful," Instructor Kruder explained.
Headmaster Levins picked up the silver water kettle from the table beside the fireplace, poured a cup of fresh water into a silver goblet, and handed it to Instructor Kruder. With perfect composure, he asked, "Has little Locke lost yet?"
"No. Today marks his twenty-eighth consecutive victory. He hasn't lost, and he can't lose. I went to watch several of the challenges—those Silver Instructors are no match for him at all. They can't even last ten rounds against his sword," Instructor Kruder answered.
"Then what are you worried about? There's no rush—let little Locke earn the Icard Badge first."
"But Headmaster, of the twenty-eight Silver Instructors who've been challenged, thirteen have already resigned because they couldn't bear the humiliation of being defeated in front of everyone. On top of that, five or six more Silver Instructors who haven't even been challenged have left as well, feeling they'd be next."
"If they don't even have the courage to face defeat, then let them go.
Instructor Kruder smiled bitterly. "Headmaster, that's certainly a bold statement. But have you considered what it means to suddenly lose around twenty Silver Instructors? It's going to cause enormous difficulties for the academy's curriculum. Three classes already can't hold their swordsmanship instruction because their Silver Instructors resigned. The students are running wild all over the academy like sheep let loose."
Headmaster Levins walked slowly to the window and gazed outside. "Kruder, have you ever felt that our academy has been like a stagnant pond?"
"Huh?" Instructor Kruder blinked, unsure what the headmaster meant.
"In truth, Dawn Academy has thirteen Gold Instructors, but one hundred and twenty-nine Silver Instructors. The remaining Iron Instructors plus the Instructor Assistants among the students number only forty-two. Then there are thirty-one academic professors, forty-five administrative staff, sixty-eight enforcement personnel, seventy-six hired workers and servants, and nearly five thousand students. In that ratio, don't you think the Silver Instructors hold a bit too much influence and power?"
Headmaster Levins turned around with a faint smile. "Dawn Academy has always selected instructors based on talent and merit. When did it start becoming about
"As for little Locke's challenges this time—I authorized Instructor Shrade from the Enforcement Department to push things along behind the scenes. It was time the Silver Instructors woke up. Being an instructor at Dawn Academy isn't about whether your Combat Force reaches Silver rank—it's about actual ability. If anyone else wants to resign after this, let them all go. Don't bother trying to keep them."
Instructor Kruder wiped the sweat from his forehead. "What about the vacant instructor positions? Should we recruit from outside?"
"No need. I've already arranged with General Buto from the city garrison. By the end of this month, over a dozen retired officers will come to the academy to serve as instructors. Their Combat Force is all at Gold rank. If that's still not enough, we'll promote a batch from the Instructor Assistants among the students—but make sure they have sufficient ability."
"Understood. I'll take my leave then." Instructor Kruder set down his silver goblet and turned to go.
"Wait." Headmaster Levins stopped him. "Two more things. First, after little Locke achieves thirty consecutive victories, hold a small ceremony and present him with the Icard Badge. Second, issue an announcement: as instructors of Dawn Academy, they may not refuse challenges from students or fellow instructors. Those who refuse to accept challenges should leave the academy immediately. Hmph—running water never goes stagnant. Without this, they'll never improve. Sometimes you have to force their hand."
"Yes, Headmaster. I'll take care of it."
"Oh, and those classes you said were running wild?" Headmaster Levins pondered for a moment, then made his decision. "Once little Locke receives the Icard Badge, assign all three classes to him. It's his fault those students lost their swordsmanship instructor in the first place—so he can take responsibility. That's final."
"Wait—seriously?" Instructor Kruder stood at the doorway, jaw dropped…
Three strokes.
A small platform had already been erected, roughly a man's height. As if knowing Lorist's victory was inevitable, Instructor Kruder stood to one side with a solemn expression. Beside him stood a rather beautiful female student, holding a redwood box about a foot long in both hands—presumably containing the Icard Badge.
Lorist licked his lips with lingering satisfaction. These past ten-some days of challenges had been immensely enjoyable. Smacking Silver Instructors one after another gave him a deeply satisfying rush. If possible, he wanted to discuss with Instructor Kruder whether he could keep going—aim for a fifty-win streak, sixty wins, something like that. Breaking another academy record and renaming the Icard Badge to the "Locke Badge" wouldn't be half bad either.
Unfortunately, Instructor Kruder rejected the suggestion without a moment's hesitation and practically half-carried Lorist onto the platform. Then, amid thunderous cheers from the assembled students, the Icard Badge was pinned to Lorist's chest.
Kruder produced two announcements. The first congratulated Lorist on receiving the Icard Badge, followed by a lengthy speech about the origins and commemorative significance of the badge—enough to make Lorist's teeth ache. It was quite a while before he heard anything relevant to himself: from today onward, Lorist was to become a Gold Swordsmanship Instructor at Dawn Academy, with all the benefits afforded to Gold Instructors.
The second announcement was an official academy decree: from today onward, any instructor of Dawn Academy could not refuse challenges initiated by students or fellow instructors without just cause. Their dueling records would be factored into the annual instructor performance evaluations. Refusing challenges without cause more than three times, or accumulating excessive defeats, would result in the academy considering their dismissal. The announcement also laid out the rules governing challenges—instructors could not challenge students, higher-ranked individuals could not challenge lower-ranked ones, and so on.
None of this concerned Lorist, however. As the holder of the Icard Badge, having achieved a streak of cross-rank victories against Silver Instructors, he was now obligated to accept challenges from Silver Instructors going forward. The rule about higher ranks not challenging lower ranks did not apply to him, regardless of his Iron-rank Combat Force. A single defeat in a duel would mean losing both the Icard Badge and his position as Gold Swordsmanship Instructor.
Lorist had no idea he was merely a pawn in Headmaster Levins' grand design—a whip to reshape the academy's culture and put the Silver Instructors in their place. He only instinctively felt something was off, because the timing of the second announcement was too convenient—right after he'd received the Icard Badge.
He'd originally been planning to aim for a fifty-win cross-rank streak, but now that the announcement was out, any student or Silver Instructor eager to challenge him and seize the Icard Badge for instant fame would be pouring in. He'd be overwhelmed. On the bright side, he'd never lack for sparring partners going forward. Still, he'd needed thirty consecutive cross-rank victories to earn the Icard Badge, yet anyone who simply beat him once could steal it away. That didn't seem very fair, did it?
Before Lorist could sort out his thoughts, Instructor Kruder was already standing in front of him, his manner remarkably warm. "I have good news and bad news, Instructor Locke. Which would you like to hear first?"
Lorist looked Kruder up and down, left and right, front and back, confirming nothing seemed amiss. "The good news first—at least it'll put me in a better mood."
"The good news is that over a dozen retired city garrison officers will be joining the academy as Gold Instructors by the end of this month."
"Mm, that's certainly good news for the academy. But what does that have to do with me?" Lorist was confused.
"Because the bad news is that your challenges caused three classes of students to lose their swordsmanship instructor. So you'll be responsible for teaching swordsmanship to those three classes until the retired officers arrive at the end of the month. This is the academy's decision—there's no room for negotiation. Consider it your punishment for turning the academy upside down with your cross-rank challenges."
Lorist was on the verge of a breakdown. "Where am I supposed to find a classroom big enough for that many students?"
"The main training grounds have been sitting empty."
"You've got to be kidding me!" Lorist stood on the stone platform of the main training grounds, looking down at the two hundred-odd students noisily gathered for swordsmanship instruction. He furrowed his brow and turned to
Fatty Shi could only smile helplessly. "Can you blame me? You demolished their Silver Instructors in two or three moves. Now these students are all worked up, saying their swordsmanship instructors were too terrible and refusing to accept guidance from Silver Instructors. So they all got sent your way."
"I need to go down there. Getting them to line up takes half a day—what kind of discipline is this?"
Lorist went down, made a circuit, and came back with a thick stack of challenge letters. "I receive over twenty challenge letters just from conducting a swordsmanship class. Give me a break!"
Fatty Shi looked at him with genuine sympathy. "What, you thought the Enforcement Department had nothing better to do than watch you teach? That's exactly why the academy sent us—to keep order. You're the academy's top priority surveillance target right now. We have to prevent any stampede incidents."
"This life is unlivable! The other instructors don't get a thing, and here I've received over a hundred challenge letters in less than three days. Even students who just barely reached Iron rank are coming to get in on the act. I honestly can't figure out what goes through their heads. Fatty, bro is starting to regret listening to you. This Icard Badge is more trouble than it's worth." Lorist was growing disheartened.
"Hey, cheer up! The opponents who'll really put force into their challenges are still to come—those are nothing. Anyway, the students below have finally lined up. What are you going to have them practice?"
Lorist looked down at the ten-odd crooked columns of students arrayed across the training grounds and ground out through clenched teeth: "Basic swordsmanship forms—the eight fundamental movements—one thousand repetitions!"