Ryuu Kusari no Ori -Kokoro no Uchi no 'Kokoro'-

Chapter 6 Part 13

Translator : PolterGlast

While everyone at the school, including the teachers, were enjoying the peace and quiet of lunchtime, Jihad and Inda were busy with their work in the office.

"Then, the Abyss Grief from the other day is completely dead?"

"Yes, according to Torgrain's report, the corpse of the demon beast has stopped all biological activities, including magic elements and Qi, and its body has crumbled into ashes. It was probably caused by the fact that it had used up all the sources it possessed."

Jihad listened to Inda's report as he indulged himself in reading the thick document in his hands.

What he was looking through was the report about the interference experiment conducted yesterday against a demon beast.

Since the demon beast was thought to be involved in the great invasion of ten years ago, not only researchers but also important people from Arcazam were present at the place where the experiment was conducted.

In the middle of the experiment, the Abyss Grief suddenly came back to life. The site almost fell into a state of panic at one point, but thanks to the efforts of Jihad and the soldiers, the situation was quickly brought under control.

"...What is the condition of the injured soldier?"

One of the soldiers who had taken a stand to prevent the Abyss Grief from escaping during the battle was injured, and the injuries were not light.

Jihad must have been worried about that soldier.

His usual fearless expression remained, but the way he looked away from his papers and waited patiently for Inda's words showed how much he was worried about his subordinate.

"The injured soldier was immediately treated with recovery magic and the wound was closed, so it is not serious. He will be able to return to his duties around noon today."

Inda answered Jihad's question with a smile on her face.

Even though she usually maintained a cold attitude, she must be genuinely happy that there were no casualties. Jihad could sense a slightly happy atmosphere in her every word.

"I see... I want you to tell the injured soldiers not to push themselves too hard. Also, just in case, tell them to seek medical treatment immediately if they feel any discomfort."

"Understood."

Jihad let out a sigh of relief at Inda's words.

However, he immediately tightened his face, a tense atmosphere filling the office again.

Inda, who sensed the atmosphere, tightened her mouth and changed her expression.

"How are the people from the other countries?"

"There were a few of them who fell and were injured during the evacuation, but they only had minor injuries and there was nothing wrong with them. However, this matter will definitely reach those countries."

The council members elected from each country in this city also serve as ambassadors for their respective countries. As Inda said, the recent incident will definitely be passed on to the leaders and upper echelons of their respective countries.

"I don't mind sending them the information about the Abyss Grief that we learned from the previous incident. That's why I originally asked the council members to be present. The problem is ......"

“The problem is that the demon beast was able to come back to life and there has been a commotion, and those who don't like this city may have a place to blame on...”

Jihad was right, not everyone welcomed the construction of this city of Arcazam with open arms.

Some of the people who lost their homes in the great invasion and the countries that bordered the territory of the demon beasts said that they would rather build an army, eradicate the demon beasts, and reclaim their lost lands than build such a city.

Moreover, such opinions were coming from countries that had not been directly affected by the great invasion.

There were many reasons for this, including so-called national security issues, economic issues, and so on.

The existence of this city, where various research was being conducted with the investment of various countries, was a place where countries with low national power could develop technology without hurting their pockets, but for large countries, this city was a place where the technology they have developed can be easily leaked to other countries, and some people feel threatened by this.

Some of the major powers feel threatened by this, and whenever they have a chance, they object to the significance of the city's existence and plan to dismantle it.

Of course, some were happy to see the city continue to exist, and it was because of these people that the city was able to continue to exist.

This was a city on thin ice, where the thoughts of many countries were intricately intertwined. This was the reality of Arcazam.

"But the chances of that happening are not high. We've been able to quickly clean up the problem with minimal damage, and most importantly, we've gained valuable information about Abyss Grief. If they make a fuss now, they'll just get themselves beaten up."

However, there was not much of a problem with the resurrection of the Abyss Grief that occurred this time. That was because they were able to solve the problem with very little damage, just one injured person. They also obtained valuable information about the Abyss Grief, which was still shrouded in mystery, and immediately announced it to each country.

Some of them may be a bit displeased, but as long as they have gained a great deal, most of the countries will not hold them responsible for this incident.

"It was worth the effort to have the council members present and disclose all the information. Some of them may take some action, but we'll have to leave that to Haibao-dono. We'll just continue doing what we can do."

With that conclusion, Jihad leaned back in his chair.

Once he had come to a conclusion, Jihad began to put away the papers in his hands.

When he had finished clearing his desk, he turned to look beyond the window where the sun shines.

Beyond, he could see the gleaming white buildings of Solminati and the bustling streets of Arcazam.

He could see the students passing through the corridors and courtyards, and the people who went up to the roof while being guided by the pleasant sunlight and were having lunch on the roof.

A smile spilled over his mouth.

Despite his age, Jihad felt his heart lifted up when looking at such a very natural scene.

Perhaps it was because he knew how precious this sight was.

"For the time being, there will be a joint class of the first and second classes of the third year in the afternoon. The underclassmen and Ecross students will also be there. As an instructor, I can't afford to look too shabby to them."

"If it's Jihad-dono, the students won't be a problem for you... There are still a lot of things to be done. Even if you look shabby, this school won't let you go, don't you think so too?"

Perhaps Inda also felt the same way as Jihad. She also had a thin smile on her face, though she always kept a cold expression on her face.

"Does that mean I have a long way to go in retirement? Good grief, I'm getting to be a bit old for all of this..."

"I'm not sure what you're talking about when you're the one who overpowered the Abyss Grief. Besides, this school couldn't afford to give time to rest to someone who can teach those who are capable but lack experience."

Her words were plain, but her voice was warm.

And then a silence flowed between them.

A brief respite. It was only for a short time, but it was enough to bring a smile to his face.

"Umm ..., Jihad-dono. If you don't mind, may I ask you a question?"

"Question? What is it?"

Inda's voice broke the silence, sounding confused.

"It was about this afternoon's class. Why did you have them attend a joint lesson of the first and second class at this time of the year when the underclassmen and Ecross students are coming to observe?"

It didn't take Jihad long to figure out who she was referring to.

"You've seen the results of the special training, haven't you? To see if those results were true or just a fluke."

"Yes, I understand the point. But why did you add "this" at the end of the class?"

Inda herself had carefully analyzed and understood the results of the special training.

The purpose of the joint lessons, which began to be held in the third year, was to provide training that was more realistic and closer to actual battles and to develop comprehensive abilities in all situations.

If that was the case, then there was no problem with students from the 10th class joining the lessons of the higher ranks. This was because the lessons included combat between students with obvious differences in their ability.

However, that was scheduled to be done later. At the moment, they were in the process of getting the students used to each other, and they didn't want them to be paired up with students who have such a wide gap in ability.

But what caught Inda's attention more than that was the lesson that had suddenly been added to it just the day before. It was a lesson that was too far from the purpose of the joint exercise.

"But isn't this too reckless and wasteful? It doesn't fit the purpose of a joint class. If you want to test that student's ability, don't you have any other way?"

"...According to Anri-sensei, it's not only for that student but for the other students as well. Especially the underclassmen."

"......What do you mean?"

When Inda heard Anri's name, her expression became even more stern.

She didn't doubt Anri Var's abilities, but she had always been concerned about her tendency to be too kind and too supportive of her students.

"I don't know. But since the incident where the Abyss Grief was first discovered in this city. I've been curious about that student. This is a good opportunity for me to find out. Let's check it out."

Jihad decided to talk with Inda, who looked at him suspiciously.

Inda stood in silence for a while, but she understood that Jihad had no intention of changing this decision.

The question remained, but it could not be helped.

With such a feeling in her heart, she began to take care of her work again.

=============================

The lunch break is over and the afternoon classes are about to start.

The place where Nozomu and Mars are standing now is a training ground called the "Martial Arts Garden" in this school.

The space is large enough for several classes to gather. This training ground is no different from the training ground that Nozomu and his friends usually use.

However, there are stair-stepped spectator seats built around the training area, creating an atmosphere like an arena.

In fact, this "Martial Arts Garden" is also used to invite people from outside the school and show them how the students compete against each other.

It can also be used as an event like a festival, or as a place where dignitaries from different countries come to scout for human resources and evaluate the future potential of the students. In other words, it is one of the facilities that serve as the "face" of this school.

"This is……"

"Amazing..."

Nozomu and Mars raised a voice of admiration.

The first and second class students had already gathered on the central field, where the stage was to be set, and each of them was silently preparing themselves.

But what surprised Nozomu and the others more than anything was the sight of the underclassmen and Ecross students sitting in the audience seats watching them.

The normally deserted arena was now as crowded as if it was the eve of a festival.

"But why are we here again?"

"Based on Anri-sensei's story, the reason for this is because of the results of the last special training, right? Jin and the others are here, too..."

Mars replied in a light tone to Nozomu, who doubted their own presence here.

Next to the two who came to this arena were Jin and the others who had teamed up with them during the special training.

"That's true, but ... I don't understand why they would want us to participate in something that the underclassmen are watching."

As Nozomu said, this was told to them out of the blue today.

It's a good idea to hold a joint class between the first and second class for the underclassmen and Ecross students who come to observe. It would be a great opportunity for them to learn the fighting skills of their seniors. In fact, Nozomu and the others had observed their seniors fighting on several occasions.

However, he didn't understand why the students of the lowest class should be allowed to participate in such an event.

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The difference in ability between the top class and the bottom class was obvious. If one were to think about it normally, one would think it would be just for show.

At the very least, Nozomu felt that it was not an appropriate choice to motivate the students.

Well, it wasn't that he hadn't thought about whether they were trying to motivate the students by showing the difference in ability between the upper class and the lower class.

In other words, they wanted to show how Nozomu and the others were being beaten down and said, "If you don't want to end up like them, you'd better work hard until you're dying!".

Well, either way, it was still counterproductive if done poorly. It was important to find the right balance between motivating and discouraging. It was the teacher and the person who was called the leader, who must adjust the situation well.

Nozomu turned his attention to the other side of the arena. There, Jihad, Inda, and Anri, the first and second class teachers in charge of this joint class, were discussing something.

However, Anri was actively talking to Jihad and the others, explaining something with hand gestures.

"From the look of Anri-sensei over there, I don't think that's the reason..."

"But it sure seems like a big deal.."

Near Jihad and the others who were discussing, there was Norn-sensei, who was usually in the infirmary. In her hand was a large bag that probably contained medical equipment.

She had probably been requested by her superiors for this exercise.

Anri-sensei noticed Nozomu's gaze and with a big smile on her face, she waved her hand in the air.

She was a woman who always smiled, but to Nozomu, the smile she gave him just now seemed happier than usual.

In response to Anri's hand gesture, Nozomu gave a small bow.

But Anri didn't seem to like Nozomu's response, so she waved her hands in the air and started jumping up and down.

Her gesture was like that of a child. Naturally, her behavior was in full view of the first and second class students around her, as well as the underclassman students in the arena's spectators' seats.

The eyes around her focused not only on Anri but also on Nozomu and the others she was waving at.

"E-excuse me..."

Nozomu smiled bitterly at all the stares that were directed at him. Anri was still trying to make her presence known to Nozomu.

Her long skirt fluttered softly as she jumped.

Her skirt, which originally covered all the way down to her ankles, didn't flip over even if she jumped a bit.

However, such a childish gesture by the ladylike Anri attracted the attention of the men, and her pure white calves, which were glimpsed, attracted their gaze.

As the boys stared at her, "lust" began to show in their gazes.

If Nozomu didn't give a satisfactory response, she might take more daring action. Anri didn't even think about how much her charm would affect the people around her.

Thinking that this was a bad idea, Nozomu waved back at her with a similarly large wave as she had waved at him earlier.

It took a bit of courage to wave in public, but Anri seemed satisfied with Nozomu's response.

She smiled brightly and returned to her discussion with Jihad and the others.

Nozomu's shoulders were tense as he wondered why they had been called to this place.

But when he saw how innocent Anri was even at a time like this, he felt completely relaxed.

"Ha ha ha ha ..."

Mars spoke to the weakened Nozomu.

"Well, the reason we were called in indeed is a bit of a mystery, but there's no point in worrying about it now, is there? I don't know what you're thinking, but I don't think we can do anything about it."

"Sure, I guess so. Thanks, Mars."

When Nozomu thanked him, Mars shrugged his shoulders as if to say, "Don't worry about it."

Next, he was looking at Jin and the others who were next to them.

"So, are you guys all right over there?"

"W-we're fine..."

Jin and the others looked somewhat nervous and let out a quivering voice. Nozomu, who was tilting his head, approached them.

"What's wrong?"

"N-no, we don't usually use this place, do we?"

"I've never been in front of this many people before. So I was a little nervous..."

Not only Hamria, the mage with a quiet personality, but also Deck, the spearman, Tommy, the swordsman, and even Cami, who teamed up with Nozomu during the special training, felt their shoulders tensed up.

"W-well, certainly..."

Nozomu was at a loss for words.

Certainly, as Jin and the others said, there was almost no chance for Nozomu and the others, who were in the 10th class, to appear in front of such a large crowd, apart from the higher rank students such as Irisdina, Tima, and the other students.

So it was reasonable that they would be nervous and stiff.

"Nozomu"

"So you came"

At that moment, a voice as clear as a bell rang in the ears of Nozomu and the others. When they turned around, there was a black-haired girl and a long-eared elf.

Next to them were the figures of Tima, Mimuru, and the others.

"Somehow we are going to participate too ..."

Feo put his arm around Nozomu's shoulders as he shrugged.

"That's great. I'm glad, because during the special training, that Kevin guy interfered, and we couldn't get a proper match."

Nozomu smiled bitterly at Feo, who was smiling with genuine enjoyment.

"I'd like to refrain. Your opponent will have a hard time..."

"What a shame..."

Feo was not satisfied with Nozomu's answer, and he looked displeased.

Irisdina, who was staring at them, smiled and approached Nozomu.

"Fufu ... Actually, I'm looking forward to it too. I've sparred with Nozomu many times, but never in front of a crowd like this. Somia is coming to see it, and as a member of the Francilt Family, I can't show my pathetic appearance, so I think I'm going to take this class with a different feeling than usual. "

"I-I'm a little bad at such a crowd ..."

Irisdina then glanced towards the audience. When Nozomu followed her gaze, he saw a boy and a girl about the same age as Somia. Perhaps those were the children who had come from Ecross to observe.

Next to them, students in the same uniform as Nozomu and his friends were sitting in the audience, talking and occasionally pointing at Nozomu and the others. He wondered if they were underclassmen, a year or two behind him.

Everyone's eyes were shining as they gazed at the upperclassmen standing in the huge martial arts garden and field.

Their gazes were especially focused on Irisdina, Tima, and Lisa, who had reached A rank in the first class of the third year. And then there was Jihad Raundel, who was even more talented than them and was one of the best swordsmen on the continent.

Irisdina's dignified expression remained unchanged, even as she took in all the stares from her surroundings.

On the other hand, Tima, who was not very good at appearing in public, did not look so good.

She was also one of the top students in the third year, so the stares from the people around her were correspondingly high, making her even more frightened than usual.

"You don't have to worry about the people around you. It's not a problem at all for you, is it?"

"E-even if you say so ..."

Mars said a few words to her, but her expression was still not good.

Even though she had some difficulties in controlling it, Tima's magic was definitely one of the best in this school. If she want to show it to the underclassmen, it didn't need to be very powerful magic.

Mars thought that there was no need to be particularly nervous, but she was still afraid of the countless stares. Tima shrunk down a little as if she was frightened.

"Oi, Tima ..."

"W-what is it?"

Mars slowly approached Tima while silently tapping the greatsword he carried on his back.

"You're gonna be okay. You should have confidence in yourself. I've been taught so much, even with my poor memory. You can do it easily if you stay calm."

Mars muttered in a small voice so that only Tima can hear. He must be talking about the magic lesson that has been going on for a while now.

Certainly, since she started teaching him magic, he has gradually started to master the magic techniques that he had neglected until now.

The only reason why she was able to teach him, who was not very good at studying, was because Tima understood the theory of magic so well.

In response to Mars' encouragement, she shrank and raised her eyes to look at him.

Despite the scornful stares from the others, Mars still had a fearless smile on his mouth. The way he glanced at the students of the other classes around him as if to say, "Watch me."

Tima, who couldn't think as arrogantly as Mars, had a slightly disgruntled expression on her face as she pouted due to his words.

"... It's easy for you to say that."

"Isn't it actually easy?"

Mars shrugged his shoulders at Tima, who let out a somewhat mushy tone.

"Gosh……"

Tima's shoulders slumped as Mars continued to maintain his attitude.

But before she knew it, her shoulders had relaxed.

And some were watching Mars and Tima with a smile on their faces.

"What is it……"

When Mars noticed their gaze, he glared at the people who were peeking at him with their eyes. In front of Mars' gaze were two beastmen who liked this topic more than anything else. They were smirking as if they had found their favorite toy and were thinking about nothing else. They look like predators about to pounce on their prey.

"Nothing in particular~. By the way, you two..."

And finally, the hungry beasts were ready to pounce on their fresh prey.

However, at the next moment, a shadow rushed toward Feo and Mimuru like a gale.

Mars was startled by the shadow that suddenly appeared in front of him. Before he knew it, an elf girl was standing with her back to him.

She had a lean and slender figure.

However, what caught Mars' attention was the existence that was being lifted by her hands.

They were definitely the two beastmen who had just been teasing him earlier, and they were occasionally twitching.

How fast was that? Shīna's hands were firmly holding the faces of the two beastmen, her thin fingers digging into their temples.

"I guess what I said doesn't matter to the both of you anymore..."

Perhaps it was because the two of them had made her go through so much trouble. Shīna didn't give them a verbal warning as she had done in the past but seemed to take immediate action.

Mimuru and Feo were silenced without being able to say a word, their bodies twitching and convulsing without being able to speak.

Where does such power reside in her slender limbs?　

In the face of the strange rage radiating from her back, Mars' shoulders slumped as his earlier anger faded completely.

"Hmm?"

At that moment, Nozomu heard the sound of multiple footsteps. When he turned his head toward the sound of the footsteps, he saw a familiar black-haired girl running towards him.

"Nozomu-san! Hello! Eh~, What happened!?"

Somia rushed over and saw the beastmen looking up at the sky with blank expressions on their faces at Shīna's feet.

"Kuh~, even if you stop us here ..."

"As long as there are delicious materials in this world, the second and third us will eventually ..."

“…………”

Shīna didn't even say a word back to Mimuru and Feo who were spouting something nonsense, but she reached for their foreheads again.

Then disturbing sounds resounded again. The sounds that can be heard, cracking and creaking were not good for education.

Nozomu tried to divert the conversation, but his voice was high-pitched and became very dramatic.

"So-Somia-chan, why are you here... and why are the Ecross students here too?"

Somia nodded cheerfully to Nozomu, who was desperately trying to change the subject. She decided not to get involved in the tragedy unfolding behind him. She is a well-behaved girl.

It was also possible that she was just letting it go as a regular thing, though.

"But Somia-chan, the students of Ecross should be in the audience seats over there, right...?"

"Oh, don't worry. I remembered exactly where it was! I knew that Ane-sama was going to be here, but I also saw Nozomu and the others, so I thought I'd say hello."

Naturally, the students from Ecross were accompanied by their teachers. The teacher was nowhere to be seen, and it seemed that Somia had slipped out from under her homeroom teacher's watchful eye.

"Good grief, what a horrific young lady..."

"Ehehehe ..."

Somia smiled mischievously with her tongue sticking out to Nozomu who sighed. Irisdina was also looking up at the sky with her hand on her forehead.

Irisdina was amazed by her sister's behavior, but she immediately regained her composure and cautioned Somia to return.

"Jeez, this girl ... they will be worried, so you should go back to your classmates now."

"Yes~! Oh, anyway Nozomu-san. Are you acquainted with these people? I met them on the way here, and they're looking for you..."

"Eh?"

Following Somia's words, four students dressed in the same uniform as Nozomu showed up.

"You guys are..."

Nozomu and Irisdina recognized them. They were the first-year students who were attacked by the orcs in the forest yesterday.

One of them, a boy, stepped forward.

Nozomu remembered his face as he stood in front of him. Well-toned face and brown hair. He must be Eldor, their party leader.

"Is it Eldor and the others...?"

Nozomu muttered as if to confirm. Eldor gave a small nod as if to answer him.

"Y-yes! That's right."

The reason why Nozomu could not be sure that the person in front of him was Eldor. It was because his appearance was so different from yesterday.

"What happened to your hair?"

His hair, which was flowing carelessly, had been cut off, and only short brown hair remained on his head. It was the so-called shaved head.

In addition, all the accessories he had been wearing were removed, and his uniform was neat, with his collar firmly fastened.

"N-no, well. After what happened yesterday, I wanted to change myself... For the time being, I thought I'd start with my appearance..."

A hint of confusion lingered in Nozomu's voice at how much Eldor had changed. On the other hand, Eldor was stuttering, as if he was nervous.

"Nozomu, these guys are...?"

"I met them during yesterday's request. Various things happened."

Mars and others who do not know about Eldor and others call out to Nozomu. At any rate, there was no time to waste, so Nozomu briefly told them what had happened yesterday.

"I'm really sorry for the inconvenience I caused you yesterday..."

Eldor scratched his short-haired head in embarrassment, probably remembering what he had said and done yesterday.

"U-umm, is Nozomu-senpai also going to participate in this class too?"

"Y-yeah. For some reason, I was suddenly told to join today."

"I knew it! But it may be natural. I just heard that you are in the top ten in the special training, you are definitely one of those top graders!"

Eldor rushed towards Nozomu with a somewhat excited expression. The momentum caused Nozomu to back away reflexively.

"I-is that so...?"

"That's right! It's not surprising that you're getting a lot of attention since you've won in such a crowded field of competitors. And also ...oh!?"

As Eldor spoke on and on, the bell for the start of the lesson rang. The other students gathered in the middle of the field.

"Looks like it's time. Eldor-kun, I'm sorry, but it's time to go to..."

"Alright, we're going back to the audience seats. Well then, Nozomu-san, everyone. Excuse us."

Eldor and the others bowed their heads and returned to the audience seats. After seeing them off, Nozomu and the others hurried to the meeting place.

When Nozomu and the others appeared, the gazes of the first and second-class students focused on them.

(Why are these guys here?)

Everyone who was there was unhappy at the appearance of the students they clearly considered out of place.

"Why is the lowest guy here? Even the other bottom-feeders, too. Are you guys lost?"

When Nozomu arrived at the meeting place, he was first welcomed by the party of Kevin Ardinal, a young man from the Silver Wolf tribe. However, the words that were spoken were far from welcoming.

Kevin, who mocked Nozomu and despised the weak, was still throwing abusive words at Nozomu, Mars, and the others.

As if to match Kevin's words, the gazes of the students around them began to be dyed with contempt.

Mars' complexion suddenly turned pale. But Nozomu didn't seem to be bothered by Kevin's words at all.

He glanced at Kevin, who had his arms crossed and a smirk on his face, and returned his gaze to the front as if to say he didn't care.

Nozomu was accustomed to being treated like this. He has more important things to worry about.

There were questions, scornful gazes, and whispers all around him. Nozomu looked around.

In the middle of it all, he spotted the red-haired girl.

The gazes of Nozomu and Lisa crossed. The next moment, her eyes shook greatly.

"Nozomu ..."

Irisdina, who was watching them from behind, let out a small voice.

Her hands on her chest were clenched tightly before she knew it.

"Tch~...! Oi, are you listening!? This is not the place for you to be. You've got to learn your own place and get on with it. ......"

Kevin, who happened to see Irisdina's appearance, got frustrated and confronted Nozomu.

Kevin grabbed Nozomu by the collar and tried to take him out by force.

However, at that time, a voice sounded as if it was splashing cold water on the heated place.

"That's enough, Kevin Ardinal. The class is about to begin. Everyone line up."

It was Inda-sensei, the homeroom teacher of the second class, who called out in a reprimanding tone.

Her appearance brought the students back to their senses, and they lined up in front of her.

Kevin, however, was not convinced, and regardless of the fact that he was dealing with a teacher, he rushed towards Inda-sensei.

"Wait a minute. Isn't it weird? Why would such a bottom-feeder be with us...?"

"I gave my permission."

A profound voice echoed in the martial arts garden. The voice, with the dignity of a great tree that has passed through the years, glued all the people in the arena to their feet with just a single word.

Jihad Raundel, the owner of the voice, slowly looked around.

"They have achieved excellent results in the last special training. According to the report, they were able to hold their ground in a melee involving you, Francilt, and Hounds. There's nothing wrong with them being here."

"Tch~...!"

Kevin had a violent temper. However, he respected strength and listened to Jihad, who was much stronger than he was.

And Jihad had a point. The sixth-place ranking that Nozomu and his team had achieved in the special training was irrefutable.

And this was a school where ability was valued.

Kevin clicked his tongue in frustration, but he didn't harass Nozomu any further.

Free from the stares of those around him, Nozomu let out a big breath of relief. He was used to the scorn of the people around him, and he certainly couldn't afford to worry about it right now.

It was then that Nozomu noticed Inda in front of him staring at him.

Nozomu himself was barely acquainted with this teacher, but he knew enough to know that he was not well-liked by her. It was because she had eyes that were the opposite of Anri's, who was always watching over them.

However, for some reason, the disgust in her eyes seemed to be fading now. I'm not sure what to make of it, but I think it's a good idea.

Nozomu tilted his head at the color of her eyes, which were different from the gaze that had been directed at him when he had reported the Abyss Grief before.

"Umm ... is there something wrong...?"

"No, it's nothing. You guys have to line up too. The starting bell has already rung."

Inda spun on her heel and walked back next to Jihad.

Even as he watched her back, Nozomu quickly moved to line up with the others.

================================

Although there was a bit of trouble before the start of the joint class, the class itself went off without a hitch.

Several parties were formed beyond the boundaries of rank and competed against each other with their skills.

The A-rank students, including Irisdina, were particularly impressive.

Irisdina, with her mastery of long and short-distance magic, tossed and turned multiple opponents around like fireflies in the dark night.

Tima was able to crush all of her opponents' magic and Qi techniques with a single blow of magic.

Kevin, fully demonstrated his excellent martial arts and agility peculiar to the beastmen was able to lay waste to his opponents in a matter of seconds.

Ken, with his uncanny ability to manipulate the water magic that he specialized in, dealt with his opponents in a flexible manner, and Lisa, with her instantaneous explosive power, crushed her opponents' defense.

The underclassmen in the audience seats were in awe of their abilities, which set them apart from the other students.

Of course, the other students weren't lost to them, and they showed their abilities to be worthy of being at the top of their year which is the third year.

In the midst of all this, it was the students of the 10th class, including Nozomu, who stood out.

Mars, who originally had high physical strength, was using a lot of magic instead. He used magic for barriers and preserved as much of his Qi as possible, and then defeated them all at once with his strongest Qi technique.

He didn't use the combination of magic and Qi technique, and there were a lot of gaps when he switch between magic and Qi, but even so, Mars had refined his skills to the point where he could use some of them.

Jin and the others were also showing a strenuous battle, defying the expectations of those around them.

Although they couldn't use powerful magic or Qi techniques, they managed to keep up with the upperclassmen's movements with their outstanding teamwork.

Jin and the others tried to restrain their opponent's movements with quick, beginner-level magic and strike a powerful blow.

Due to the difference in ability between them and their opponents, their attacks almost had no effect on their opponents, but they were able to hold their opponents back by coordinating their movements without stagnation.

The difference in power between them made it impossible for Jin and the others to win, but their opponents were fed up with their persistence as if they were a leech.

Never before had a student of the tenth rank fought so tenaciously against a student of the first or second rank.

The underclassmen were watching the upperclassmen who were fighting in the arena. The lower class students in particular were amazed at Jin and the others' performance.

The students of the tenth rank were showing remarkable performance. In the midst of this, Nozomu was somehow held outside the arena by Anri-sensei.

"Umm, Anri-sensei. Why do I have to wait here? Even though Mars, Jin, and the others are participating in the combat training..."

"It's okay. Just leave it to your sensei~!"

Nozomu was made to sit in a corner of the arena. He turned a suspicious expression at Anri, who was beaming with a big smile on her face.

What in the world is she thinking about? This class was supposed to be a battle between students of different abilities. If he didn't participate in the first place, the class was meaningless for him...

Nozomu let out a sigh and hang his head down.

"Nozomu, if you're not going to attend the class, why don't you just go home?"

When Nozomu raised his face due to the sudden voice, he saw one of his childhood friends looking down at him.

"Ken?..."

"............"

Ken glared at Nozomu as if he were looking at an abomination. His mouth was distorted in an ugly way, and his discomfort was clearly visible.

Without saying a word to each other, their gazes crossed.

Eventually, Ken opened his mouth to say something. But no matter what he said, Nozomu had no intention of retreating.

Nozomu was determined to end this distorted relationship in a way that would lead to the future.

That was what he had decided.

However, in the next moment, a voice that did not match the atmosphere of the place resounded around him.

"Alright, that's enough~. Nozomu-kun, it's about time to get ready~"

Nozomu's shoulders slumped heavily as he heard the distracting voice that could not help but make the listener feel weak.

He had been so tense that once he lost his energy, he would not be able to regain it easily.

Nozomu glared at Anri with his eyes while thinking that what she did was not bad at least.

"Hmm~? What's wrong~?"

"... No, it's nothing."

However, it was completely useless against Anri.

Moreover, her expression added to the energy he had previously lost.

(Please, at least read the air.)

Unable to say that directly to her, Nozomu forcibly changed the topic.

"Then, Anri-sensei. What do you mean by getting ready?..."

"That's enough of the combat training! Everyone, leave the arena at once."

Just as Nozomu was about to regain his composure and about to ask Anri, Inda's voice echoed through the arena.

Following her voice, the students left the central arena at once.

After making sure that everyone was out of the arena, Inda slowly opened her mouth.

"Well then, this is the last lesson of this class. The content of this lesson is sparring with Jihad Raundel, the pride of this school, the S-ranked swordsman."

As if in response to Inda's words, Jihad slowly walked towards the center of the arena.

His appearance, with the giant sword "Jaw Drop" on his back and the white armor made of Mithril, could be called truly heroic.

However, what caught the audience's eyes at the same time was a big sword and a huge tower shield that were held in both of his hands, which were different from the Jaw Drop.

He walked to the center of the arena and thrust the Jaw Drop into the ground.

A murmur spread throughout the martial arts garden.

A hero from ten years ago, a man whose name was known on the whole continent, and one of the most important figures here in Arcazam.

It was a rare opportunity to meet such a person.

Because of his position, he was extremely busy and didn't have many opportunities to teach at this school. It was even rarer to have the opportunity to receive direct instruction from him.

This is a great opportunity for anyone who wants to test their abilities and show those around them what they can do.

"Hee ... Isn't that great?"

Kevin was clenching his fists with a fearless smile on his face.

He was undoubtedly elated by the opponent he was about to fight. He was glaring at Jihad with belligerent eyes as if he was about to jump onto Jihad at any moment.

However, Kevin wasn't the only one who was enthusiastic about it.

The third-year students who participated in this joint class were eager to take advantage of this rare opportunity, and the underclassmen in the audience seats were cheering at the figure of their hero.

"The first opponent is... well, umm ..."

Inda was about to read out the first opponent. However, the excited faces of the students turned suspicious at the confused expression on her face and her stuttered words.

It was Jihad, standing in the middle of the arena, who replaced the stunned Inda. But what he said next caught everyone in the arena off guard.

"Nozomu Bountis. It's you."

"Eh?"

"Wha!?"

The third-year students were shocked. Knowing Nozomu's reputation, this choice would not be possible. The man himself, Nozomu, was also at a loss for words.

"Yes, Nozomu-kun. It's time for you to go~~"

However, Anri, who was by Nozomu's side, pushed his back as hard as she could and pushed him towards the center of the arena.

"Wait~, Anri-sensei !?"

"Nozomu-kun, since you didn't participate in the combat training, I'm sure you have plenty of energy~~. Because your opponent is Jihad-sensei, you can do something different than usual ~~ "

"That's……"

Maybe from the beginning .......

He tried to continue what he was about to say, but the words never left his mouth.

The next thing he knew, Nozomu was being pushed to the center of the arena. In front of him was Jihad, holding a huge shield and a greatsword.

"Good luck~~!"

With a giggle and a smile on her mouth, Anri turned on her heel and walked back to her original spot.

In the next moment, a wall of light appeared around Nozomu and Jihad.

"This is……"

"It's a magic barrier that has been installed in this arena in consideration of the damage to the surroundings and the people in the audience seats. It will be impossible to break through this barrier with half-hearted magic."

Even ordinary training grounds use technology that prevents the aftermath of a battle from spreading to the surroundings.

However, the technology used in this martial arts garden was different from that of other training grounds.

Instead of only one layer of magic barriers covering the arena, the audience seats were designed so that multiple barriers could be deployed all the way to the edge of the martial arts garden.

Various construction techniques were used to build the facility, with multiple layers of reinforced stone and iron bars to increase the strength of the entire facility.

It was said that enough money to build a castle has been invested in this arena.

In other words, the training held here required that much reinforcement.

Only a portion of the top students can use this martial arts garden. It was a facility that could be called the crystallization of the latest technology that exists on this continent today.

"Well then, let's get started"

A young boy and a middle-aged swordsman face each other.

Jihad's eyes, as sharp as a hawk's, showed the years of experience he had accumulated. With those eyes on him, Nozomu felt as if he was being seen through to the depths of his heart.

The tension was building up. The pounding heartbeat that echoed in his ears began to rise and fall with the tense air. It signaled the beginning of the battle.

But at the same time, he had a strange feeling that was different from the tension of battle. It was a nostalgic feeling as if he had found by chance a memorable item that he had never found before.

However, without being able to find an answer to this feeling of deja vu, Inda rang the bell.

And so the battle between Arcazam's strongest swordsman and Solminati Academy's dropout began.