Chapter 1.1

Solminati Academy, a gathering place for youngsters from all over the continent with dreams, hopes, and ambitions. The place where people who did not reach certain grades were mercilessly overthrown by the perfect meritocracy. The second-year I came to this place, I, Nozomu Bountis, on the sunny roof during lunch break recalled what I had experienced.

I came to this school two years ago, left my hometown with two of my childhood friends, and came to this place. One of them is Ken Notis. Unique friends since childhood. The other is Lisa Hounds. A beautiful girl with a reddish ponytail. She was my most important person, my lover. She was always a victorious child and was the culprit who one-sidedly quarreled with the country boy “General”. I met her when I was eight years old while I was fishing in the river near the village.

"Hey, are you free now?"

It was a chance for her to speak. A reddish shortcut hair with triumphant expression, my face gradually heated up ... I fell in love at first sight.

Her parents used to live in different countries, but when her father died on the way, she decided to stay in my hometown. When she was a child, she was often naughty and irritable, but she wasn't hated, and she was a girl who would never forgive. The kids in the village who were the most disappointed with her were the boy “General” and me for some reason.

Three years ago, I couldn't control my feelings for her and confessed my feelings. Love at first sight, I've always loved her. She was shocked and opened her eyes wide to my impulsive confession, but she accepted my feelings with tears. At that time, I decided to go to Solminati Academy with her to support her dream. It was inspired by a dream she shared when she was young.

"I want to see the world like my father"

I know she missed the outside world when she heard from her mother about her late father. At that time, I decided to enter the Solminati Academy.

If my loved one wants to make her dream come true, I want to help. With that word in my heart, I firmly vow to support her back. She hugged me with tears in her eyes, said, "Thank you ... I'm happy."

In the middle of dozing off, the bell that indicates the end of the lunch break rings. I got up, loosened my body, and headed to the classroom for the afternoon class. Forcibly cut off the vow from my head that I can no longer fulfill. My class is the 10th class and the lowest class in the 2nd year. Among them, I am at the bottom, the so-called dropout. When I entered the classroom, contempt and ridicule from the surroundings greeted me.

"He's here again. The lowest"

"I wish you could just disappear"

"I wonder if you can just drop out already"

I'm afraid of those heartless voices, but I try to ignore them and sit on my own seat. When I got to my seat, three schoolboys gathered around my seat.

"Did you come to the bottom class without any purpose?"

Mars, the big man in the middle, talks to intimidate me.

"I wish you could give up on this futile thing."

"It's annoying because they will see me at the same level as you."

The other two who were beside the big guy also joined to swear.

"Well, He was abandoned even by his childhood friend, Red Hair Princess, shouldn't He stop dreaming already?"

The surroundings begin to laugh at the mockery of the three, but no one tries to stop it. In the end, the three didn't stop swearing at me until the homeroom teacher entered the classroom.

Yes, I was dumped by Lisa in the summer of the first year. As soon as she one-sidedly said goodbye, she turned around and left. I don't know what happened, but since then she's been looking at me as if she's looking at filth.

"It's because you cheated on me."

Lisa is a woman who is called "Red Hair Princess" because of her appearance and ability. On the other hand, my appearance is normal and my grades are not good. I was dating such a girlfriend, and I was a target of mischief, but the fact that I was dumped by her suddenly lowered my evaluation from the surroundings.

All my friends were gone and turned to ridicule me. Even so, I took classes seriously at the school and did not neglect self-discipline. Someday if I keep my vows ......... I had that feeling.

Meanwhile, I learned that she started dating her best friend from an early age. She smiled happily with him walking beside her. In training, they show amazing combinations and beat other pairs, and I am forced to understand that I have no place beside her.

***

2:00 pm

"Hah!"

A dummy sword shot at the side of the imitation sword that the automaton swung. When the dummy sword that was shot down was returned and aimed at the doll's neck, the technique inside the doll is activated and the doll is automatically stopped.  

After the lecture in the classroom, it's now time for practical training at the training ground. Apart from the training ground, there were several facilities such as a magic experiment site in this school, and students were studying their abilities in each facility. The training ground is divided into multiple areas so that multiple classes can handle the same practical training.

Today, it is mainly training for interpersonal battles, and each of the students has a battle with an automaton with a simulated sword. This automaton is one of the magical tactics, and it is a puppet that performs autonomous battle by infusing magical power into the puppet's magic formation. However, the automaton provided to the 10th class is not very good in quality and has only certain movements, so they are mainly used for preparatory movements.

"Next is a mock battle in pairs. The combination will be decided here."

When Ms. Anri Var, the 10th class teacher called, the automaton stopped, so everyone stopped and waited for the combination to be decided. Ms. Anri has long wavy brown hair and gentle eyes and her face is beautiful.

However, this teacher is not suitable for this meritocracy school because she is saying and acting as if a few screws on her head are missing. Many believed with this personality, the teacher which is entrusted (or being forced) with the 10th class, which is the lowest from the same year, does not understand the meaning of being in charge. However, it is clear from the fact that she is a teacher in this school so her abilities must be considerable.

Finally, the combination is decided, and each of them starts a mock battle with their respective opponent, but importantly my opponent is ...

"Hey, the lowest. This is bullshit."

It was Mars who cursed at me before.

"Let's get started since you are a waste of my time."

Mars pulls out the greatsword on his back. Mars is a rough man, but his ability is considerable, and he is in the 10th class because of his usual bad behavior.

I also pull out the imitation sword that is attached to my waist. My weapon is a sword of the eastern island nation called a katana. Katana, which specialized in cutting, was said to be able to cut through iron easily if a master swung it. However, due to the high skills required and the rarity of the sword itself, it had not spread to the continent yet. It is the most suitable weapon for me who cannot rely on power for some reason.

"Then, start ~~~"

The mock battle started with Ms. Anri's relaxed voice.

"Uoriya ah ah ah"

Mars swings down his greatsword with a loud voice.

I parry the big attack with my katana.

Mars's sword deviates and struck on the ground with a high-pitched sound.

"Hah!"

In the gap after Mars's attack, I stepped in and aimed at the neck, and drew a slash.

"It's late!"

Mars uses the gauntlet on his arm to prevent the slash. The imitation sword does not show the original sharpness of the sword and is repelled by the gauntlet.

Mars tries to hit my face with a gauntlet, but I bow my head and avoid it.

I try to slash him again, but Mars forcibly swings the greatsword with one hand. I was forced to retreat and restart.

Mars, who is slashing with a greatsword, and I, who is trying to get inside the gap between the big slash, fight for a while.

"Do I need to crush it?"

When Mars mutters, his intimidation grows.

"Qi"

A technique that originates in the eastern part of the continent and increases the vitality of the person and reveals various phenomena.

Mars stepped in at once. The speed is unmatched.

This is the result of the physical strengthening by Qi.

When the prey in front of him is trapped in time, the greatsword is swung downwards.

I also used kijutsu to avoid it, but the greatsword I avoided rolled up the soil with a roaring sound.

"Chi! Did I hesitate?"

Mars is frustrated, probably because he couldn’t end it with one blow.

He pulled out the greatsword that had sunk into the ground and started to swing it again.

Handle the greatsword that is swung around using physical strengthening by kijutsu.

The sound of iron colliding tells of the fierceness of the battle, but its contents were one-sided. Mars's physical strengthening is much more effective than my physical strengthening, but the effect of my physical strengthening is so low due to my peculiarity.

Mars is bad at doing things, but his ability is high in the class. Mars's enhanced sword techniques couldn't be dealt with by an ordinary person, but my physical strengthening as far as the sparrow's tears made it possible. It gives me the minimum physical ability to handle the greatsword that is swung down by power.

"Crush it!"

Perhaps because I, who he thought could be crushed immediately, resisted unexpectedly, Mars's frustration further increases, and he attacked with even more energy.

"Goo, I can easily crush it!"

I desperately tried not to get caught up in the opponent's speed. Although the power of the slashes increased, Mars's attacks became monotonous, and it is not impossible to handle them due to their monotonous nature.

However, I can't fight back because I can only hold it.

And if you can't fight back, you know the outcome.

Finally, the limit is reached.

I couldn't handle Mars's blow and my posture collapsed, and I didn't have time to recover the collapsed posture, and the blade returned attacked me.

"Die!"

I was so out of shape that I immediately put my sword between Mars's greatsword and my body, but I couldn't stop the opponent's strengthened sword, and I was blown away and slammed into the wall of the training ground.

The impact suffocates me and my field of vision becomes pitch black.

"Hey, maggots fight in vain."

I lost consciousness as I listened to Mars's words.

***

"It hurts!"

The pitch-black field of vision and the vague consciousness in it awaken with back pain.

Nozomu is now lying on a bed in the infirmary.

"Oh, are awake?"

A woman in a white coat with glasses is working at a desk in the infirmary.

She is Norn Altina, an intelligent beautiful woman who is the school's health doctor

.

When she comes here, she moves her finger in front of him to check his state of consciousness.

"Okay, your consciousness is clear. Is there any other place where you feel pain?"

"I have a slight backache and headache, but nothing else."

"Okay. I've already applied some medicine to your back, but if you feel any pain, come anytime. It's bad if you put up with it and get worse."

She says with a smile. The expression is different from the intellectual atmosphere, and it feels like a reliable older sister. She's not only cool, but one of the caring and dependable teachers, and she's quite popular at school, regardless of gender.

At that time, there was a figure entering the infirmary with a delayed voice.

"Norn ~~~, how is Nozomu-kun ~~~~"

It was Anri-sensei, who was in charge, who entered the infirmary.

"Anri. This is school. Act like a teacher."

"Eh ~~~, there's nobody here, it's okay ~~~~"

"He’s here too, you know"

Both of them are from this Solminati Academy, and they are good friends even if they kept it private, and it seems that they are close friends since their school days.

"Nozomu-kun is fine right. Nozomu-kun is alright ~~~?"

Ms. Anri looked at Nozomu anxiously.

"That's why ..... never mind. He's fine, just a bruise on his back and a little concussion."

"Yes, it is okay"

"I'm happy ~~~. I'm worried. It would be bad if anything happens to Nozomu-kun."

She smiled when she said that.

It looks reassuring and you can see how worried she was.

"It's okay, Anri. He won't retire at this level."

"Norn is cold."

"I know what he's doing. It’s ok to worry, but don't go too far, Anri, you have to trust your students and let them grow."

Even though they arguing with each other, Anri-sensei's tone is stronger than usual, and Ms. Norn spoke with a somewhat loose feeling. You can see the relationship of trust between the two when you see them talking in a different way than usual.

Looking at such a situation, Nozomu knew that the sun had already set after school and that the usual training time was approaching. He hurriedly packed up his belongings, prepared for his return, and greeted the teachers.

"Thank you, dr. Norn and Anri-sensei! Excuse me!"

He jumped out of the infirmary.

When dr. Norn saw him leave in a hurry and come out of the medical room, she called her best friend.

"Is he the one who was gossiped about? I see, those rumors are unreliable."

"That’s right~~~"

Her best friend smiled happily.

***

Norn’s POV

Nozomu Bountis.

The dropout from the second year.

Rumor has it that when he was in his first year, he was Lisa Hounds' lover, a childhood friend and one of the best in the same class, but he cheated on her. His grades weren't high, so he was immediately ridiculed. But when I took care of him today, I found that he was by no means a sloppy person.

When he was brought in, I took off his clothes to check on his physical condition, but at that time I was so shocked. His body was covered with trained muscles, and I thought it was lean and close to a finished form.

The most surprising thing was that the body was never natural. Just like the

sword he used, his body had been trained to the point of being terrifying. It is impossible for a person who is drowned by greed. No, no one in the second year now trains to build such a body. Moreover, his body had countless wounds, which may have been comparable to veteran adventurers.Perhaps the rumors are due to a complex intertwining of his peculiarities and Lisa Hounds' lover.

His peculiarity.

It's the "Skill" that he developed during his first year.

Skill

This is a general term for abilities that can be expressed regardless of race, and when developed, the person can receive various benefits depending on his abilities. The contents are diverse, such as improving the aptitude of magic and improving physical ability, and there are innumerable types.

Nozomu's skill is "ability suppression".

When it manifests, it suppresses the person's ability so it does not grow beyond a certain level. The ability to be suppressed varies from person to person, but in his case, physical power, magical power, and morale are suppressed, which is a big handicap for him. Although it is an extremely rare ability to manifest, it has no benefit to the person, but rather a dragging ability. His ability could be enhanced with items, magic, and qi, but the effect was lower than that of a normal human. This further lowered his grades and made him the lowest in the same year. He was able to advance to the next year because He added up his written test results, but even so, when He got promoted, He took two additional tests.

"I understand why Anri cares for him."

"Maybe ~~~. Everyone says bad things about Nozomu, but He did his best.

I want him to be respected ~~~"

Anri is usually clumsy and unreliable, but the important thing is that she sometimes shows a very keen eye for observation. She only heard bad rumors about him in everyday life. Perhaps she felt a slight sense of discomfort between the rumored and the real person.

I don't know why he's going so far, but he's working really hard. I certainly want to support him as a teacher and as a human being, like my best friend.