The academy vessel cut through the sea like a blade through silk.
The massive island of Aetherial Institute now dominated the horizon.
Ancient towers stretched into the clouds.
Floating platforms drifted around the island.
Countless magical formations shimmered beneath the afternoon sunlight.
The destination was close.
Very close.
Which was precisely why the situation aboard the ship had become increasingly ridiculous.
Kel sat quietly near the railing.
A book rested upon his lap.
His silver eyes calmly scanned another page.
The sea breeze occasionally lifted several strands of his hair.
Everything appeared peaceful.
Then—
Footsteps.
Many footsteps.
Kel looked up.
Slowly.
Silently.
Then sighed.
A large crowd of male students stood before him.
At least thirty.
Perhaps forty.
More were gathering behind them.
Every single one held a weapon.
Or at least—
Something that could theoretically become a weapon.
Many carried wooden training swords.
Some carried staffs.
Others carried daggers.
One carried a frying pan.
Kel decided not to ask.
Most concerningly—
Nearly half of them held spoons.
Spoons.
Actual spoons.
Metal spoons.
Wooden spoons.
Silver spoons.
One noble even carried a golden spoon.
The sight physically hurt Kel's soul.
Inside his mind.
Seiren immediately began laughing.
"They brought spoons."
"I can see that."
"They really brought spoons."
Kel closed his eyes.
A deep sense of regret appeared.
Far away.
Scarder Lake experienced another mysterious disturbance.
Meanwhile—
The male students stood proudly.
As though participating in some ancient heroic gathering.
Victor stepped forward.
Acting as representative.
Naturally.
Because nobody else wanted responsibility.
The noble cleared his throat.
Then pointed dramatically.
"Aedon Flinth."
Kel stared.
Victor stared back.
The atmosphere became serious.
At least for one side.
"We challenge you."
Silence.
The wind blew softly.
The ship creaked.
A sailor dropped a bucket somewhere.
Then Kel asked:
"Why?"
The entire dramatic atmosphere immediately died.
Victor froze.
Because honestly—
He had prepared for many responses.
That wasn't one of them.
Eventually—
He recovered.
Then proudly declared:
"We need to settle this."
Kel blinked.
"Settle what?"
Victor pointed toward Seraphina.
The silver-haired mermaid sat among the female students.
Upon noticing everyone's attention.
She immediately sensed disaster approaching.
The girls sensed it too.
The captain sensed it.
Even Seiren sensed it.
Victor continued.
"Whoever defeats you."
The noble raised his spoon.
Like a warrior raising a sacred blade.
"Can take responsibility for Miss Seraphina."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
The captain physically sat down.
Several sailors covered their faces.
The female students looked horrified.
Seraphina looked horrified.
Inside his mind.
Seiren was no longer laughing.
She was wheezing.
"THIS IS THE STUPIDEST THING I'VE EVER HEARD!"
Kel silently agreed.
Meanwhile—
The boys looked incredibly proud.
As though they had invented strategy itself.
Then Kel calmly replied.
"We don't need to fight."
The boys froze.
Hope appeared.
Perhaps.
Perhaps reason would prevail.
Then Kel continued.
"I already gave up responsibility."
Silence.
The boys blinked.
The girls blinked.
Seraphina blinked.
Kel pointed toward the silver-haired mermaid.
"Anyone can take responsibility."
Another silence followed.
Then a noble student asked:
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Without fighting?"
"Yes."
The boy froze.
Because suddenly.
The entire purpose of this gathering disappeared.
Several students looked disappointed.
One looked heartbroken.
The frying pan user looked especially devastated.
The crowd exchanged glances.
A moment of awkward realization spread.
Then—
Someone shouted.
"I still want to fight."
The entire ship froze.
The boys immediately nodded.
"Me too."
"Same."
"Definitely."
"I practiced all morning."
The spoon holders looked especially determined.
Kel stared.
The captain stared.
The female students stared.
Nobody understood.
Then a merchant student proudly declared:
"I learned Divine Spoon Art."
Several others immediately agreed.
"So did I."
"Me too."
"I've been training for months."
One noble spun his spoon dramatically.
Another compressed aura into his.
A third whispered:
"Today."
His eyes narrowed.
"The true successor of Nameless will be tested."
Kel nearly threw himself into the ocean.
Inside his mind.
Seiren collapsed.
"TRUE SUCCESSOR!"
The Guardian's laughter echoed endlessly.
Meanwhile—
The boys spread out.
Creating an open space upon the deck.
The sailors immediately gathered nearby.
Entertainment had arrived.
The female students also gathered.
Not because they supported this.
Because it was impossible to ignore.
Even Seraphina stood.
Curiosity visible within her blue eyes.
Then Victor pointed toward Kel.
"Defend yourself."
Kel sighed.
Long.
Deep.
Ancient.
The sigh of a man witnessing civilization collapse.
Then he stood.
Slowly.
Calmly.
Without drawing a weapon.
Without assuming a stance.
Without preparing anything.
The students became confused.
Victor narrowed his eyes.
Then attacked.
His spoon flashed forward.
Aura compressed within the metal.
Not bad.
Actually respectable.
The spoon moved quickly.
Directly toward Kel.
Then—
Kel stepped aside.
Nothing more.
The spoon missed completely.
Victor stumbled forward.
Nearly fell.
The crowd blinked.
Victor recovered.
Then attacked again.
Kel stepped aside again.
Miss.
Another student joined.
Then another.
Then another.
Soon—
Ten students attacked simultaneously.
The deck erupted into chaos.
Spoons flew.
Training swords swung.
Aura surged.
Mana flashed.
The sailors cheered.
The girls groaned.
The captain accepted fate.
Meanwhile—
Kel merely moved.
One step.
Half step.
Turn.
Shift.
Slide.
Every attack missed.
Not by meters.
By inches.
The closest possible margin.
Again.
And again.
And again.
The students became increasingly frustrated.
Because it felt impossible.
Kel wasn't faster.
Wasn't stronger.
Wasn't attacking.
He simply wasn't there when attacks arrived.
The sight looked surreal.
Almost artistic.
Like watching someone dance through rain without being touched.
Inside his mind.
Seiren observed quietly.
Then spoke.
"They're learning."
"Some are."
"Most aren't."
"Yes."
Meanwhile—
The attacks continued.
Twenty students.
Thirty.
Nearly forty.
The deck became a battlefield.
Or rather—
A one-sided lesson.
The students gradually realized something.
A terrifying truth.
Aedon wasn't watching their weapons.
He was watching them.
Their shoulders.
Their hips.
Their balance.
Their breathing.
Their intentions.
Every attack was predicted before it happened.
Every movement read before it began.
Then—
A spoon flew.
A genuine Divine Spoon Art attempt.
The compressed energy remained hidden.
Invisible.
Dangerous.
The students gasped.
Finally.
Something worthy.
Then Kel casually tilted his head.
The spoon missed.
Continued flying.
And embedded itself into a barrel.
Silence.
The attacker froze.
Kel looked toward him.
Then nodded.
"Good compression."
The boy nearly fainted from happiness.
The compliment hit harder than victory.
Meanwhile—
The crowd gradually stopped attacking.
Exhaustion appeared.
Frustration appeared.
Respect appeared.
No matter what they tried.
Nothing worked.
Finally—
Victor dropped onto the deck.
Breathing heavily.
The others followed.
One by one.
Defeated.
Not physically.
Mentally.
Emotionally.
Spiritually.
Kel remained standing.
Perfectly calm.
Not even breathing harder.
Then he asked:
"Finished?"
Nobody answered.
The captain laughed.
The sailors laughed.
Even the female students laughed.
Only the defeated boys remained silent.
Then Seraphina unexpectedly spoke.
Softly.
Yet clearly enough for everyone to hear.
"You never attacked."
Kel looked toward her.
Then shrugged.
"They never gave me a reason to."
The answer stunned everyone.
Because somehow.
That was exactly the kind of answer Aedon Flinth would give.
The academy island loomed ahead.
The journey neared its end.
And as the defeated warriors of the Great Spoon Rebellion recovered upon the deck—
Everyone reached another realization.
Convincing Aedon Flinth was difficult.
Defeating Aedon Flinth was worse.
Much worse.
Especially when he wasn't even trying.