Cheering my ass.
“Alright, so get your hands off me.”
“Sure. Kim, you got this!”
Yuji is shaking his fist like a 30-second motivational speaker.
Leaving behind the weirdo chattering nonsense, I escape the disaster that is the Conference Room.
The strategy meeting is, well, over.
Not quite sure if it was a proper ending, though.
The only thing left now is the showdown with those Meijin Hero Academy punks.
Best way to play it? Just coast along.
After some time passed since the strategy meeting, the day of the tour finally arrived.
Our study group arrived at the gates of Meijin Academy on a chartered bus, met by the Student Council President, Maruyama Ryosuke.
“Welcome! To our Meijin Hero Academy!”
He greeted us with that still revolting attitude and gestures, and so the tour began.
The content of the tour was, honestly, no big deal.
We simply observed the facilities of Meijin Hero Academy and experienced their curriculum, that’s about it.
“The suitability rank and hero rank are different concepts. If the suitability rank measures the suitability for a Divine Weapon, then the hero rank is a composite of data including suitability, mana control, combat ability, performance, mana amount, combat sense, and so forth—summarizing the capacities of a hero. Therefore, it’s possible to have a C rank suitability but a B rank hero rank.”
“But among the hero ranks, S rank and EX rank are special. S rank requires the awakening of True Name Liberation, while EX rank necessitates the awakening of Visualization.”
“True Name Liberation is a technique that temporarily merges the user with the Divine Weapon, significantly amplifying all their power. To reach the stage of True Name Liberation, one must first achieve a mental and physical integration with the Divine Weapon through consistent training and extreme focus to reach the realm of integration.”
“Only a select few heroes actually reach True Name Liberation through the realm of integration; if they lack either talent or effort… well…”
Particularly, sitting through the theoretical class was almost torture.
I mean, I wasn’t exactly confident in academics to begin with, but the instructor’s voice was the classic snooze-inducing teacher type, and I almost dozed off listening to him drone on.
Once the hellish theoretical class ended, after observing the combat training class and finally having dinner at the academy cafeteria, the day’s schedule was finally over.
From dinner until night was free time.
The students from our studying group clustered together to mingle with Meijin students, take commemorative photos, or go out to hang around near the academy.
I, however, was seated in the annex accommodation room assigned to me.
My room was a typical Japanese-style wooden house with tatami mats spread out.
‘It’s about to begin.’
I could see the sun setting outside the window.
According to the information I got from Kasumi-senpai, once the sun goes down and all the study group students return to their accommodation, it would be just before everyone falls asleep—prime operation time for them.
Creek.
The sliding door opens.
“…Junior.”
The person who stepped in was Kasumi-senpai.
Her violet hair glimmered in the sunlight.
Her violet hair sparkles in the sunlight.
“What’s going on?”
“You’re going to save Rena, right? Just like you promised in the clubroom…”
Grab.
Kasumi-senpai grabs my hand with a trembling voice.
She lowers her head.
Drip, drip.
Tears stream down Kasumi’s cheeks.
“I keep my promises, so don’t worry unnecessarily.”
I must save Rena to make full use of Kasumi-senpai.
Moreover, Rena is one of the few Gifted with healing abilities in this story.
Rescue is essential if I want to use her effectively in the future.
‘Anyway, I won’t have much to do.’
With Aris and Ritsuko, two S-rank powers are with me, so I can coast through this one too.
Coasting is the best.
“U-um, could you stop crying already?”
Why is she crying again?
If anyone should be crying, it’s me, falling into this crazy world just because I sent a 5700-character note.
“Wah, hic! Ah, Aras-so… Junior…”
Kasumi wipes her tears with her sleeve.
Once she stops crying, she lifts her head.
Her bloodshot eyes tremble, devoid of focus.
“Okay. Junior… I won’t cry anymore. I’ll trust you. You’re a bad guy and the Black Beast, but you always keep your promises, so I believe in you. I’m your loyal spy…”
Kasumi-senpai doesn’t let go of my hand.
I sigh and look out the window.
The sky is painted with a red sunset.
Soon, the sun will set, and the operation will begin.
*
Night has fallen over Kyoto.
The dark clouds block the moon and stars, creating a pitch-black night.
A squinting boy in a gakuran stands on the rooftop of Meijin Academy’s main building.
Behind him, men in gakuran as well as various unidentified villains and League members gather one by one.
When the wide rooftop is fully occupied,
the boy’s eyes pop open.
“A night so dark that not even a star or moon can be seen! It’s a perfect time to squash the bugs daring to invade Meijin! Hehehehe!”
The boy laughs sinisterly, his eyes fixated on the Annex where the Shuo Academy training team is staying.
“The principal, no, Dr. Moromoro has commanded.”
Snap.
He points with his gloved finger at the Annex, which still flickers with light.
“Those trash from Shuo who dared to step on the League’s land in Kyoto… eliminate every last one of them! Especially the Son of the Sword Master, Kurosawa Yuji, the Silver Queen, Saionji Aris, and the Black Beast, Kim Deok-Sung must be taken out!”
Swish.
He stretches both arms dramatically toward the sky.
Sizzle.
He draws his katana, Kogitsunemaru, from his waist.
The blade glints in the darkness.
He licks the blade of the katana.
Bzzz.
The phone in his gakuran pocket vibrates.
[Ready.]
The message is from Hoshino Kasumi.
She’s the League’s spy who infiltrated Shuo Academy.
‘What a foolish girl.’
Ryosuke’s lips curl in disdain.
The goal of this mission is the complete massacre of all Shuo Academy students.
Kasumi is included in that plan.
From the start, the League intended to dispose of her.
Of course, Kasumi’s message is a false one meant to make Ryosuke let down his guard, but he had no way of knowing that.
Ryosuke channels power into Kogitsunemaru.
Flash.
A burst of light envelops his body with a full-body gauntlet.
“Alright, everyone get ready.”
Vroom.
From behind him, the sound of steam hissing signals the boosters activating.
Ryosuke lifts a syringe filled with a glowing blue liquid.
“This is the culmination of new technology! Doctor Moromoro’s masterpiece! The prototype of the new drug, Amplified Potion MK2!! Khehehe, khahaha!!”
Ryosuke leans back and laughs ominously.
Thud.
He plunges the syringe into his arm.
“Hah, haah. Haaaah…!!”
Ryosuke’s pupils dilate.
A moan escapes his lips.
His entire body trembles.
Thump, thump.
His Magic Core begins to overheat.
The mixed effects of the drug amplify the magical energy enveloping Ryosuke.
“Good! Good! Good! Good! This overwhelming pleasure that transcends even orgasm! I am satisfied! Now, my comrades!!”
He grins wildly, veins protruding from his face as the drug takes its toll.
“It’s a party! I will crush every last insect of Shuo Academy! Forward, everyone!!”
With a maniacal voice, flames erupt from the boosters behind Ryosuke.
In an instant, he soars into the air near the annex building.
Behind him, the League’s forces arrive, gathering in the air.
“First, I need to deal with this trashy building!!”
The moment he imbues his katana with magic,
“Kim was right.”
A strange voice whispers in his ear.
“What?! How dare you interrupt the grand works of Maruyama Ryosuke…”
“Maruyama Ryosuke, how could you be a minion of evil?”
The owner of the voice cuts him off.
Ryosuke shifts his gaze.
There stands a beautiful boy with black hair and dark eyes.
Kurosawa Yuji, also in flight mode, brandishes a katana enveloped in black magic.
With eyes that are shockingly cold and unlike his usual gentleness, Kurosawa Yuji gazes at Ryosuke.
His eyes burn with the desire for revenge.
“Oh? Son of the Sword Master. Have you come to seek your death?”
“No.”
Yuji shakes his head.
“You’re the ones seeking death.”
The moment Yuji’s words end,
BANG!
With a deafening roar, the roof of the annex collapses, and the students from Shuo Academy in combat mode soar into flight.
Ryosuke laughs.
“This is hardly anything…”
“Kim’s plans aren’t over yet.”
Kurosawa Yuji cuts him off again.
Almost as soon as he finishes speaking, they spot fully armed troops flying in from outside the academy.
The assassins of the Kamiya family, summoned through Makoto by Kim Deok-Sung, join after seeing the signal of the roof collapse.
Ryosuke’s face distorts at the unexpected reinforcements.
The forces he thought were superior have suddenly been flipped to inferior.
“W-what!?”
Swish.
Pointing his katana at the panicking Ryosuke, Kurosawa Yuji declares,
“Minion of evil. Maruyama Ryosuke. I will execute you now.”
“Ah…?? Aaaahhhh…!!! Y-yes, Nenoooom!!!!!!”
Ryosuke, having lost his composure, bursts blood vessels in his squinting eyes.
His katana swings around haphazardly.
In an instant, dozens of slashes are made.
A skill that wouldn’t have been shown without the drug. An overwhelming speed of attacks that an ordinary hero couldn’t evade lands on Yuji in a flash.
“Too slow.”
Yuji’s katana shoots forward like a beam of light.
A black line skitters chaotically through the air like a net.
With just one swing.
In one exchange, Yuji deflects all the slashes aimed at him, and Ryosuke’s eyes widen.
Yuji’s dark eyes look toward the auditorium.
‘Kim, you must be doing well, right?’
*
Everything is going according to plan.
Ryosuke’s assault on the annex, and the ground team led by Yuji binding the enemy’s movements.
The surface team, led by Yuji, successfully tied up their ankles.
Thanks to the surface team distracting Ryosuke and holding him down, the underground team, including me, was able to rush to the auditorium without any interference.
Of course, they weren’t completely dumb, so they had some watchmen set up in the auditorium, but with this level of shoddy security, they couldn’t stop two S-rank powers.
Thud.
The League members guarding the auditorium fell over effortlessly.
“Is that all you’ve got to whine about?”
[Oh my, Ritsuko-chan. Didn’t I tell you not to show off?]
“Shut it!”
Saori’s voice, operating remotely from the Temporary Control Room set up underground in the annex, echoed in everyone’s ears.
“Then I’ll start breaking the floor.”
With Aris’s cold words, a silver spark flared from the spearhead in her hand.
Szzzzzzzz!! Flash!
At that moment, a silver flash filled the auditorium.
The entire floor of the auditorium collapsed, dropping into a hidden underground space.
[Everyone, deploy flight mode and bring up the underground laboratory map for navigation. Go straight! Go straight!]
With Saori’s voice, a hologram mini-map unfolded before our eyes.
[Hehehehe. With our competent operator Saori-chan, it’s guaranteed to be a game we’ll win!]
Saori let out a sinister chuckle.
Thud.
We landed on the ground after deploying flight mode.
Tap, tap. Flash.
As if sensing our presence, the lights turned on all at once.
[Warning! Warning! Intruder detected! Intruder detected!]
Red sirens blared, and warning broadcasts echoed from the speakers.
Not surprising.
It was exactly the situation I expected.
Wooooooom!
In response, the blade of Durandal in my hand trembled.
Finally, it was time to achieve the true purpose of coming to Kyoto.
There was no room for nerves.
“I guess I’ll just sit back and enjoy the show.”
Because this time, I’m planning to reap the benefits without lifting a finger.
Those with poor brains usually end up with their bodies in trouble.
I have no intention of putting my body through hardship.
Let the two S-ranks handle the fighting.
Would once be enough? (Illustration included)
The interior of the secret laboratory looked like something out of an animation.
Blindingly white walls, metal floors, lights so cold they seemed white.
[Maximum alert issued.]
[Releasing containment on experimental interdimensional beings.]
The same warning broadcast I had heard in the anime.
[Growwwwwl!!]
[Kyahhhhhhh!!]
A thunderous roar followed.
The protagonist party that entered the underground laboratory in the original work had to spend considerable time and mana dealing with the interdimensional beings.
Not only were they already exhausted, but they also had to face the S-rank villain Doctor Moromoro, making it only natural that winning, let alone tying, was a struggle.
It’s an unbearable plot that should never happen in a web novel, but is all too common in light novels.
But unlike the clueless protagonist, I, the selfish cider-path, had no intention of accepting the sweet potato in front of me without a fight.
[Four interdimensional beings have appeared ahead! Ritsuko-chan! Time to earn your keep!]
Saori’s excited voice rang in my ears.
After receiving Saori’s command, Ritsuko narrowed her eyes.
“Geez, how did I end up in a position where a kid with no blood on his head gives me orders…”
[No time for talk, charge☆]
Letting out a sigh, Ritsuko wielded her short sword and activated her Gift.
With her duplication ability, Ritsuko instantly multiplied into four as she dashed along the wall.
Tatata-tat!
“Kamiyah Ryu Skill──!!”
Boom.
With a powerful shout of her skill name, a mint-colored flash filled the front.
[Kyaaaah!]
[Keeek!]
Boom.
The four interdimensional beings fell to the ground with a loud crash.
“Phew. This much is a piece of cake.”
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