Reincarnated as an Elf Prince-Chapter 35: Dealing with a Bully

Upon hearing Lindarion's words, all eyes turned toward them, as if the sky itself had fallen upon them.

[Mana Perception]

'Lesser Core, Mid-tier... and he has the nerve to act this way?'

Lindarion scrutinized the man's mana core, his expression puzzled.

"How dare you... How dare you speak to me like that, you brat!"

The man's face flushed a deep crimson, resembling an overripe tomato. Lindarion half-expected him to explode from sheer rage.

As the man stormed closer, Lindarion glanced at his uniform.

"Trainee 35?"

He read the number aloud just as the man swung a fist toward him.

'Seriously? Trying to hit a kid?'

Lindarion easily sidestepped the punch, which only seemed to infuriate the man further.

'That was slow as fuck.'

With a sigh, Lindarion met the man's enraged gaze.

"Listen, I don't want to humiliate you completely. It's in your best interest to stop now while I'm letting you."

His voice echoed across the courtyard, louder than he intended, carrying an air of authority and power as if a king were addressing a servant. In a way, that wasn't far from the truth.

Magnus and the other trainees watched, eyes wide, absorbing the unfolding scene.

"What did you say?!"

The man's shout was starting to irritate Lindarion's ears.

"Stay."

Lindarion moved whilst channeling a hint of mana.

"Quiet."

He completed the command, driving his fist into the man's gut. The force sent Trainee 35 flying several meters before he tumbled across the ground like a discarded ragdoll.

Magnus's eyes widened, nearly bulging from their sockets.

'What in the world was that?!'

He had tracked Lindarion's movements but hadn't anticipated such strength from the boy.

The trainees began whispering among themselves, though Lindarion paid them no mind.

"How is this possible?!"

"He must be using some kind of enhancement drug!"

Lindarion's cold voice cut through their murmurs.

"If you know what's good for you, stay down."

His tone was icy and dark as he approached the fallen man, whose body trembled from the blow.

Lindarion crouched, resting on the man's back as he lay prone.

"Why do you enjoy picking fights with others, hm?"

His voice was inquisitive yet grim. For reasons he couldn't fathom, he felt an urge to crush the man beneath him.

"Do you take pleasure in looking down on those you deem weaker than yourself?"

The whispers ceased entirely; everyone watched with wide eyes. Many cast fearful glances at Lindarion.

'I don't want to hurt anyone here, that's not why I'm here. I just want to get stronger, but these idiots are making it difficult.'

Magnus's voice interrupted Lindarion's thoughts from across the courtyard.

"Trainee Number One, that's enough."

His tone was stern. When the man had harassed Lindarion, Magnus hadn't intervened, but now he wanted to call the shots? What kind of arbitrary judgment was this?

Clicking his tongue, Lindarion stood.

"Very well."

'Old man.'

He walked back to the weights, resuming his exercises, leaving the trembling man on the ground. Eyes followed Lindarion as he continued his routine, unfazed by the recent altercation.

'Don't interrupt my workout.'

After the intense confrontation, the training grounds buzzed with hushed whispers. Trainees exchanged uneasy glances, clearly unsettled by the display of strength from someone they had underestimated.

"How is this even possible?"

"Can a kid really possess such power?"

The strength training continued for a while until Magnus's voice cut through the murmurs.

He cleared his throat roughly, reclaiming everyone's attention easily.

'What does this old man want again.'

"Pair up and begin sparring! I want to assess each of your combat abilities."

As everyone sought partners, Lindarion found himself standing alone.

'No one wants to spar with me?'

Then, a tall, muscular elf with silver hair and vibrant green eyes approached Lindarion. The number twelve adorned his uniform.

'Sylvarion, huh? This should be interesting.'

"Care for a spar?" the elf asked respectfully yet coldly, a hint of challenge in his tone.

Lindarion sized up the elf, noting his confident posture. Utilizing his Mana Perception, he assessed the elf's mana core.

[Mana Perception]

'Stable Core, low tier. Among the stronger ones here. Not bad.'

"Fine by me." Lindarion's voice was calm and indifferent, showing little concern for his partner's identity.

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Both grabbed wooden swords and then took their starting positions.

'Let's see what you've got.'

"Begin," the elf declared, launching an attack without hesitation.

Lindarion parried effortlessly, his movements fluid and precise. The clash of wooden blades echoed across the grounds as they exchanged blows, neither yielding an inch.

"Not bad!" the elf remarked, attempting a feint to throw Lindarion off.

'Not bad huh?'

But Lindarion saw through the ruse, sidestepping gracefully and delivering a swift strike to the elf's side.

"You're too predictable," Lindarion commented, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.

The elf chuckled, rubbing his side.

"Seems I have much to learn."

They resumed, engaging in a fierce exchange of blows. The sound of their wooden swords colliding drew the attention of many onlookers.

"Watch your footing," Lindarion advised, his tone instructive.

The elf glanced down momentarily—a critical mistake.

Seizing the opportunity, Lindarion disarmed him with a swift maneuver.

"Never take your eyes off your opponent."

The elf nodded appreciatively as Lindarion tossed his sword back to him.

'This kid is incredible...'

Magnus observed the bout, nodding in approval as most pairs concluded their sparring sessions.

"Good, that's enough for now. Switch partners!"

As trainees rotated, a petite human girl with fiery red hair and bright blue eyes nervously approached Lindarion, clutching a wooden spear. The number eight was emblazoned on her uniform.

"Um, would you like to spar?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Assessing her mana core, Lindarion noted her current level.

'Stable Core, low tier. She's among the stronger ones too.'

He nodded encouragingly, though his voice remained cold and emotionless.

"Show me what you've got."

They both took their stances and at Lindarion's signal, the spar began.

"Begin."

Despite her evident lack of experience compared to the elf, the girl's determination shone through every move.

"Come on, you can go faster," Lindarion urged, pushing her to her limits.

"Faster, faster."

He was acting like his old coach from Earth. It felt..refreshing.

She thrust and swung her spear with increasing speed, but Lindarion evaded effortlessly. With a swift spin, he disarmed her, sending the spear flying.

"Th-thank you. I feel like I've learned a lot," she said softly, raising her hands in surrender.

'She isn't bad, but she lacks confidence.'

"Keep practicing," Lindarion replied. "You'll improve quickly."

She nodded and moved on.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Magnus announced the end of the day's training.

"Gather your belongings! Rest up, for greater challenges await you tomorrow!"

Lindarion felt a sense of satisfaction. Despite the earlier confrontation, he had begun to earn his peers' respect. But he knew this was just the beginning.

'The goal is still far off.'

Unwilling to go rest just yet, Lindarion noticed a few trainees lingering to continue their practice, including the girl he had sparred with. She was diligently honing her skills with the spear.

'At least she is trying to get better.'

Approaching her, Lindarion observed her form.

"Your grip is too tight. Relax your hands, it will give you better control."

Startled, she looked up but quickly adjusted her hold, nodding in appreciation.

"T-Thank you, I'll work on it."

Lindarion offered a rare, faint smile before returning to his own training, the weight of his ambitions driving him forward.