Lance Charge on the Arkship, but No Mount

"I hadn't seen one before, so I was indeed a little interested."

"But I have no way to let you experience it, Mr. Claude. We at Rhodes Island don't have firearms. That child is an operator dispatched by Blacksteel International. Only Blacksteel International possesses firearms in large quantities, after all. Those things are truly expensive."

"Oh, right, Mr. Claude, would you be interested in instructing the operators? You're an exceptionally powerful knight. If you could offer them some guidance, it would benefit them greatly."

As though she had suddenly remembered something, Instructor Dobermann extended an invitation to Claude.

"Training soldiers... I'm very interested."

Claude nodded in agreement, then Instructor Dobermann led him over to the group under her charge.

To Claude's surprise, he saw another familiar child. It was Melantha, the Feline girl he had encountered at the training grounds in the middle of the night. This group had four members in total: Melantha, a Perro girl named Cardigan, and two boys—Steward from the Lupo group and Adnachiel, a Sankta.

Melantha was their team leader. The girl was also surprised to see Claude again. When they heard that Mr. Claude would be instructing them, the others all looked curious, except Melantha. She knew very well who this knight was and how powerful he was, so she felt a measure of anticipation and delight.

"All right, soldiers. Stop fidgeting. Starting with the team leader, tell me one by one what your roles and duties are on the battlefield."

The moment Claude finished speaking, although there was no harshness in his tone, the group unconsciously straightened their backs.

"I am Melantha, leader of Reserve Action Team A4, serving as the main attacker..."

Only after all four had finished introducing themselves did Claude's iron boots come to a stop. He had just circled them again and again, scrutinizing every one of them with an intensely piercing gaze. Under eyes as sharp as blades, they all felt chills run down their spines.

Especially Cardigan, the lively Perro girl. Her face had gone a little pale by now.

"The methods I know for training soldiers are not suitable for you, because you fight in squads. That requires extremely high individual capability and tactical awareness. So next, I will give each of you unique training. My time at Rhodes Island is limited, so you'd best prepare yourselves mentally. This won't be easy."

Claude's shadow seemed to completely envelop the four of them, leaving terrified expressions on their faces.

"Use your waist, hips, and legs together. Anchor yourself firmly to the ground."

As Claude spoke, he thrust the training spear in his hand in a vicious strike at the girl before him holding a shield. The blunt spearhead slammed heavily into the shield. The tremendous force made the girl grit her teeth and hold on as her entire body slid backward several feet across the floor.

"Very good. Remember that feeling. Strive to defend like that every time from now on." Claude nodded in satisfaction. This child had finally learned some excellent defensive techniques. They were still somewhat immature, but as long as she fully mastered this powerful skill from the Iron Guard, she could still become an outstanding Defender operator.

"All right, go practice more. Master that feeling completely."

Upon hearing Claude's words, her whole body went limp, though she did not dare lie down.

Only the last person remained: Melantha, the dark-purple-haired girl.

The girl stepped forward and bowed to Claude, carrying herself with great poise.

"All right, attack me with everything you have. Let me see your movements." Claude smiled at the diligent girl, then selected a longsword from the training weapons nearby. Training against her with a spear would be bullying her too much, after all. A spear's advantage in close combat was overwhelming.

Melantha drew her straight sword one-handed and warily watched the tip of Claude's blade. She circled toward the arm on Claude's unarmed side, searching for an opening.

When she reached Claude's flank, a sharp glint flashed through the girl's eyes. Her straight sword slashed toward Claude's shoulder, but Claude easily knocked the strike aside with the sturdy blade of his longsword. All he did was turn his wrist slightly.

"Again. Attack boldly," he encouraged.

The girl launched a storm of slashes with her straight sword, while Claude calmly received every one without counterattacking.

This continued until the girl delivered a high slash. Claude used his training sword to knock her blade aside, then his edge slid along her blade toward her fingers. Melantha wanted to react, but she had put all her strength into that previous strike, leaving her body rigid.

She barely managed to turn her sword sideways and block the blow, but Claude's longsword sprang up from her blade like a snake and nimbly tapped her throat. Only then did she realize that she had already "died."

Claude sheathed his training sword, gathered his words slightly, then spoke.

"Remember, never put all your strength into an attack, because you cannot be sure whether your enemy can take it. If they block it and still have strength to spare, or evade the strike, you will fall into extreme danger. When you swing a sword, keep thirty percent of your strength in reserve for changes and responses."

Melantha nodded earnestly, committing his instruction to memory.

"Also, put a guard on your sword. Otherwise, you won't be able to protect your fingers, and you'll suffer badly if you face a skilled opponent."

Looking at her straight sword, which had no protective fittings whatsoever, Claude reminded her once again. Especially since she wore no hand protection at all, in a fight to the death, he could have easily cut off her fingers just now.

Before they knew it, an entire afternoon had passed, and Claude had successfully finished training Melantha.

"One final suggestion: you could try wearing some light armor."

Claude put away the sword and looked at Melantha.

"I know you favor speed, but light armor exists now. Not all armor will severely hinder your movement. On the battlefield, heavy armor will always have more advantages than light armor. If you encounter special circumstances, you can remove the armor and keep yourself nimble. No one can guarantee they won't be hit by a stray bullet on the battlefield. That small difference can sometimes save your life."

Melantha nodded earnestly. She could tell that every one of these suggestions was incredibly useful. Simply hearing them made her agree from the bottom of her heart.

Claude smiled. The operators at Rhodes Island were generally willing to put effort into training. Even Cardigan, despite complaining bitterly, had persisted to the end.

"All right, you're dismissed. Remember what I told you. It will all be useful."

He clapped lightly and dismissed the young people, sending them off to eat. Watching the youngsters, their backs and legs aching, support each other as they headed toward the cafeteria.

Claude also tidied himself up. He was accustomed to keeping his appearance neat at all times, unless he was on the battlefield.

Ceobe was wolfing down her food, stuffing bread and meat from her plate into her mouth together. Then she washed it down with vegetable soup. Her cheeks bulged with food, making her look like a little squirrel.

This child was always completely absorbed when eating. Almost nothing could distract her. The three of them were still eating together, with all the food placed on three large plates.

Ceobe only shared food with her friends. She had always been wary of strangers, a habit formed by her past life. To her, being able to eat was the happiest thing in the world.

Most of the food on two of the plates was meat, which Claude and Little Ceobe had taken. The remaining plate held vegetable salad and desserts, which Centaurea had chosen. The combination gave the meal a balanced mix of meat and vegetables, making it far less greasy.

Claude chewed on a juicy steak, savoring its delicious flavor.

The setting sun outside the window bathed the three of them in golden light.

Reunion Movement Rising: Teaching Runes

Under the control of Claude's nimble hands, a bone needle traced precise paths across a slab of clay. As the needle passed, the marks began to glow. When the final stroke was completed, the entire pattern connected together and emitted a dazzling blue radiance.

After the light faded, Claude picked up the clay tablet from the table and actually raised it to knock it twice against the tabletop. Yet the originally brittle clay tablet merely made two dull thuds, showing no sign of cracking. In his hands, it was as tough as a wooden board. Claude gripped both sides of the tablet and bent it hard. Only when the force he exerted reached a critical point did the tablet snap in two with a sharp crack. The rune upon it split apart, and the entire tablet immediately crumbled into dirt, falling from his hands.

"This is the most basic reinforcement rune. It is used for temporary strengthening, though it can still be quite effective. Its meanings are stability and connection. Many later runes require it, so it is considered foundational knowledge."

Centaurea, seated at the table, wore an enlightened expression.

"Is this what's engraved on your armor?"

She was referring to an intricate pattern on Claude's breastplate. Upon close inspection, it turned out to be composed of countless small runes like this one linked together. It looked exquisitely crafted, but she had not expected it to have such an effect. For a period of time, Claude had carved his armor every night with his tools. By now, his armor was covered in patterns. It seemed they were all runes.

"You observed carefully. It is indeed this rune. Connecting them together makes them more effective. But as I said before, using runes requires mental strength. Linking a large number of identical runes can greatly improve their effects, but it also greatly increases the mental strength required. Doing so rashly would place an unnecessary burden on yourself."

Claude brushed the dirt from his hands, then swept the debris from the floor into the trash bin. He picked up another clay tablet from nearby. He had made these from purchased clay. Back then, he had used them to practice runes as well. They allowed one to observe the effects of runes directly, and they were cheap to make.

"All right, you two, give it a try. Remember what I told you. With every stroke, pour your mental strength into it, just as you would when using Originium Arts. You must draw precisely. I marked the lines with a pen, so you can follow those."

Centaurea was not the only one seated at the table. Ceobe was there as well, looking at Claude with bewildered eyes. Centaurea had dragged her over, insisting that this child should learn too.

They held their tools and attempted to carve on the clay tablets. But the process was extremely difficult. Although Claude had already marked the pattern for them, they still could not infuse their mental strength and power into it together. No matter how they drew, they only produced ordinary patterns.

Claude was not worried, however. He knew this was inherently a difficult process. Countless Imperial citizens had failed to achieve it throughout their lives. He did not know whether his companions possessed the talent, but he still wanted to give it his all. If they could succeed, he wanted to pass this technique on within the Reunion Movement.

Centaurea was doing all right. As a sharpshooter, her precise control allowed her to guide the tool accurately along every line. Ceobe, however, struggled somewhat. She simply could not understand what she was supposed to be doing. She only diligently carved into the clay tablet because Claude had told her to.

The two concentrated for a long time, until their focus began to scatter. This was a mentally exhausting activity, after all. Ceobe's eyes were already spinning, and she swayed as though she might collapse at any moment. Claude called a halt at the right time and let them rest for a while.

A plate of honey cakes was placed on the table again. They were Little Ceobe's favorite food, and Claude had learned how to make them from Miss Vulcan—authentic Minos-style honey cakes. They quietly ate the sweet pastries, and time itself seemed to slow.

Centaurea rubbed her temples with her thumb as she ate a honey cake, looking as though she had expended considerable mental energy.

Ceobe, unusually, did not wolf hers down. Instead, she ate at a fairly normal pace, as though she too was enjoying this moment. She carefully caught the crumbs falling from the crisp crust of the honey cake in her hand, then ate them together with the final bite. Her ears twitched with delight.

Claude had long arms. Reclining in his chair, he could reach the honey cakes without effort. He savored the crisp, sweet pastry as it melted in his mouth.

The plate of honey cakes was quickly wiped clean. Claude clapped his hands and stood up.

"All right, you've rested enough. Let's continue."

Ceobe's ears instantly sprang upright, as though she had heard something utterly horrifying. Centaurea also showed a trace of distress.

"All right, stop complaining. This time, we'll draw the simplest one."

As he spoke, Claude drew two overlapping circles on a clay tablet. This was the simplest pattern. It was also the one he had used on Ceobe when they passed through Kazimierz security.

After drawing the shape, Claude lightly tapped it with the bone needle in his hand. Blue light spilled from the pattern, and that section immediately vanished before their eyes, as though a hole had been punched through the clay tablet.

"All right, this one should be easier. Our goal for this week is to successfully draw this."

Looking at the clay tablet before her and imagining that these days would continue for another week, Ceobe stood up, intending to flee the room. Claude grabbed her by the back of her collar, dragged her back, and pressed her onto the stool.

"All right, learning more things will be good for you. You never learned anything before, so you can't slack off now. Otherwise, you'll lose your chance to learn entirely."

It was not until lunchtime that Ceobe staggered out of the room, looking dizzy and muddled. A purple-haired Sarkaz girl passing by, holding her staff, saw the state Ceobe was in and could not help asking curiously.

"Little Ceobe, what happened to you?"

"Uh... the overlapping area between two circles... cannot exceed one-third..."

Ceobe walked past her in a daze, looking as though something had sucked out her soul.

Hibiscus looked at Mr. Claude's room and felt that the door led to the entrance of a demon realm. She could not help shivering before turning to follow Ceobe.

Especially after hearing the sound of the door opening behind her, she walked even faster.

Claude stepped outside and could not help laughing as he watched the dazed child.

The afternoon was a rest period, and Claude did not want to push them too hard during this rare bit of leisure. They each had things they wanted to do, so Claude could only wander around on his own.

His clearance level here was not low. Apart from certain confidential areas, he could reach almost anywhere. In a narrow corridor, he discovered a rather unusual place.

There was only a small door, with a wooden sign beside it listing drinks and food. It looked like a restaurant, though it had no name, and it piqued Claude's interest.

He gently pushed open the little door, and the bell above it rang crisply. The sound immediately drew the attention of everyone inside.

A tall, black-haired Feline woman saw Claude and raised a hand in greeting, as though she knew him.

"Mr. Claude, I'm impressed you managed to find this place."

"Pure coincidence. And how should I address you all?"

Claude swept back his cape, sat on an empty stool at the bar, and looked toward the people beside him. They were all elite operators of Rhodes Island, as he could tell from their badges.

"Mr. Claude, you can call me Ace. That is my codename."

A middle-aged man with sunglasses, a full beard, and a resolute face spoke to Claude.

"My name is Scout. I'm their companion."

The Sarkaz man in a cowboy hat introduced himself.

"And me. Mr. Claude, you can call me Blaze. Everyone does." The black-haired Feline woman flashed a cheerful smile and raised her glass toward Claude.

"I'm Claude. I suppose I don't need much introduction. It seems everyone knows me already." Claude removed his helmet and placed it on the bar.

"Of course, Mr. Claude. You're quite famous around here. We were just talking about you." Blaze drained her beer in one gulp and set the glass on the bar.

Claude gestured to the bartender and ordered a beer as well, though the mug was rather enormous—nearly as large as a human head.

"Oh? I'm rather interested. Can you tell me what you were discussing, Miss Blaze?"

"It was nothing much. Mostly, we were discussing your medical examination results, Mr. Claude. They truly gave us a shock."

"Do that many people know about my examination results?"

Claude was somewhat surprised.

"Of course. The people in the Medical Department have spread the news everywhere. Almost no one on the island doesn't know now. Everyone knows there's someone who broke the testing equipment just by pulling with his arms, and who achieved an unprecedented highest score in the cognitive ability test."

"Come to think of it, Mr. Claude, why do you always wear your helmet? If it hadn't been for that armor when you came in just now, I almost wouldn't have recognized you."

Claude took two drinks of beer and felt the sharp flavor in his mouth gradually fade.

"There's no special reason. The enemies I used to face were especially skilled at long-range sniping, so I simply developed the habit."

Reunion Movement Rising: Rhodes Island's Plan

Claude looked at the enormous beer mug before him with some difficulty. His rule was to drink only one cup of alcohol a day, but normally that cup was not especially excessive. For some reason, Rhodes Island's beer mugs were enormous, holding the equivalent of three or four ordinary glasses. Still, he did not have a habit of wasting things, so he resolved to finish it.

After asking the bartender for a few snacks, Claude continued chatting with the elite operators beside him.

"A chainsaw? That is indeed a rare weapon. Its center of gravity should be too far forward, shouldn't it? And how do you solve the problem of debris easily getting caught in the teeth?"

Claude was genuinely interested. A chainsaw was originally a tool, and if it was to be used to slash enemies, two problems had to be solved. First, because it was driven by a motor, it required a great deal of space to house it. That made it far heavier than ordinary weapons and gave it an awkward center of gravity.