<403 - Clash Imminent>
Currently, there are seven great pirates in the sea.
And one of them is a man named [El Draco], the professor in charge of [Onboard Combat ①].
“Jigoku Pirate Group, huh? I thought of them as just kids playing make-believe… but they’re quite formidable, aren’t they?”
Considering the excellence of Class 981, El Draco managed to kidnap a rather powerful pirate crew.
The great pirate Yormungand, strategically positioned on the trade route connecting the Southern City-States Union and the Western Kingdom of Florence.
And the one-eyed pirate Morso, who has increased his power by capturing over a hundred merchant ships as the left arm of Yormungand, is the pirate crew he has kidnapped.
“If I had known, I should have kidnapped his right hand instead.”
The true value of the Morso Pirate Crew lies in the one eye they have removed and implanted with Mana Insight.
These individuals can read the direction of the wind or sense the flow of mana and calculate firing ranges just by ‘seeing’ without needing the superior calculations of a magician.
All members of the crew, known collectively as [Mana Insight Holders], are formed of this special class.
“Firing at a speed significantly faster than what can be read with just the eyes. It’s an impossible level unless you’ve had experience shooting cannons like water.”
“I suppose I should give them extra points.”
El Draco’s deputy and dedicated instructor quickly took out a Mana Panel and recorded their scores.
Even though they are Mana Insight Holders, they naturally maintain this special sense, which cannot be used for extended periods due to rapid eye fatigue, while effortlessly observing every move of all students on board.
His competence proves the strength of El Draco, who employs such talent as his deputy.
“A capable subordinate elevates the stature of their captain. There are rarely subordinates who bow to someone less capable than themselves.”
“Are you asking me to give the captain some extra gold during the exam? The captain really doesn’t care what anyone thinks.”
“Is that something you should say? Even a notorious great pirate is bold enough to reject a request for gold plating!”
“Hmph. In front of overwhelming power, that kind of boldness means nothing. Oknodie first-year. What’s the spec of the instructors that little monster has taken down?”
“Even on the captain’s ship, they are all competent enough to be classified as [Upper-class Combatants]. Based on the captured Morso Pirate Crew, they correspond to the chief officer level of the deckhands and helmsmen.”
Right now, skilled individuals of that level are being taken down by a first-year student.
And that’s not even the limit for Oknodie.
“The Wahyhiemhai Foundation is really something. To create such secret weapons without anyone noticing.”
“From the very beginning, the eye for observation is entirely different from that of an ordinary student. Who would have thought they would attempt to stage a mutiny and reclaim the rank of officer to achieve [Challenge] and gain a massive bonus?”
“Still, their thinking was short-sighted. No matter how good the Jigoku Pirate Group is, they were too hasty. Now they must pay the price.”
“Is it the fearless stowaways’ turn to make a move?”
“Yes. A ship has already been taken by my deputy who has made it their [Domain].”
His deputy nodded.
“If high school seniors with ulterior motives have stowed away on Oknodie, I’m aware of all of them.”
Captain El Draco, if it’s your domain, it’s not just a single ship but enough to cover an entire fleet.
And you’re also being careful of a particular high school senior, just as you are of Oknodie.
*
Cease all hostile actions against Oknodie.
Mandela Castera had made such a declaration long ago.
Unity.
The second years, tightly bound under Mandela’s charisma, followed her orders thoroughly.
The result led to the complete disappearance of the herbs being grown during the [Challenge to Grow Herbs] lecture time.
“Ahh~~ Hahh━!”
“Ugh, what an overwhelming volume!”
“Here we go again?”
“How many times has Mandela laughed already?”
“That’s a new record. She’s exceeded seven times in one go.”
Thankfully for the students attending Professor Red Mountain’s lecture, Mandela formally objected to the student council, so they avoided the shame of failing collectively.
However, that didn’t erase the frustrations of being hit hard by Oknodie.
“Mandela must be feeling frustrated too.”
“She’s trying to calm her rage with laughter.”
“Me? This is Mandela Castera we’re talking about! Angry? Absolutely not! In fact, I am thrilled!”
“Ugh!”
“Wait, how did she get here so quickly?”
Just a moment ago, Mandela Castera had been laughing like a madwoman at the window, but now she leaned her head in next to the students whispering in the hallway.
Of course, before her head even appeared, her proud ego barged in, but no second-year student had the guts to give a harsh look to the fiercest woman in the grade.
“For the sake of my cute juniors, I applied for a truce, but if I’ve been blatantly hit like this, I can’t just accept it quietly!”
“Finally going for revenge?”
“Kuuh, I had faith in you, Mandela!”
“But how do you plan to take revenge?”
They wanted to take revenge but had no confidence.
This was the honest feeling of the second years.
“That kid was incredibly strong in the inter-grade competition during the Grand Sports Festival. Of course, Mandela didn’t use all her power, but the Four Kings of Class were overwhelmed.”
“We have justification and opportunity. We can lecture the juniors who stole our senior’s assignment. This falls within the range of private sanctions allowed by the student council!”
“Ooh, that’s really true?”
“Moreover, this time, there’s a senior who has also been stolen from by Oknodie besides us!”
“A senior older than us? That must mean third year!”
They did it without any fear.
It’s rare for a situation to fit that perfectly.
“Right… we are the seniors who had our summons stolen by that fearless little brat.”
“Whoa! That badge on their clothes is the third-year exclusive badge!”
“No, wait. That department is… Production Department?”
Not the Knight Department or the Magic Department, but the Production Department.
The disappointment among the second years was overwhelming.
Without a combat-related class, it would be impossible to fight against the mighty Oknodie.
“I understand your disappointment. You might feel they are weak for not being in the Knight or Adventure Departments. But that’s only true when the Production Department is unprepared for battle.”
The third years, who had their contracts with hard-fought summoned creatures like [Gigatron] forcibly terminated.
As they had even lost the [Baby Kraken] stored in the Isolation Room, the fury of the third years reached its peak.
“Have you ever wondered about this? How does the Production Department manage to exist between the Knight Department, which tries to seize their achievements through strength, and the Magic Department, which tries to trick them?”
The second years were frankly curious.
If they had no means of resistance, wouldn’t the Production Department simply be… a weak department where students with low grades entered just to earn a diploma and endure harassment from other departments?
However, there was no existing atmosphere among the upperclassmen to look down upon the Production Department.
“This is their secret.”
As the third-year seniors in the Production Department lifted their cloaks and coats, dazzling light burst forth.
“Whoa!”
“What immense magical power!”
“What is this insane level of magical response?!”
A senior from the Production Department held one of the ‘many magical tools’ and said.
“These are the ‘Universal Artifact’ series possessed by all third-year students in the department.”
“All that much magical tools are universal!?”
“The weak gather to survive. Every student within a small group possesses one magical tool developed in their respective fields.”
They don’t possess outstanding swordsmanship or magical talent.
Thus, they risk their lives in production jobs.
Sharing the results equitably within groups, thus securing multiple magical tools, not just one.
“But you did such a thing, but your internal mana can’t possibly sustain it!?”
“Why do you think it can’t be sustained?”
“There are clear limits to the amount of mana an individual can increase through Mana Flow Technique! Let alone with the incompetent Production Department…”
“In terms of acceleration speed, they are certainly lagging behind the Knight or Magic Departments.”
However, that does not mean the Production Department is weak.
“In exchange, we possess artifacts forged through remarkable talent. Selling them can yield tremendous amounts of funds and points.”
“You mean using that wealth to…!”
“Yes. We consume [Elixirs] to forcibly increase our mana levels. Until we can possess multiple magical tools for revenge.”
“!!”
“The implication is that any student who fails to create magical tools that can secure such wealth will not survive as a third year. Do you understand? We have already achieved that.”
As an immense surge of mana flowed from the seniors of the Production Department, the second years found it hard to breathe under the weight of the pressure.
“Ooh~ Hohoho~~! With the seniors’ skills being this impressive, us second years feel greatly relieved!”
Only one person pushed aside that momentum; the laughter of the top student Mandela Castera.
It was proof that the depth of mana did not lag even a bit compared to the third-year elixir monsters but rather overwhelmingly surpassed them.
“Now then, seniors. Would you all be available this weekend morning?”
“Wait… are you planning to target the Onboard Combat lecture time? No matter how high your year, if you blatantly touch a first year in front of the professor…”
“There is a bypass clause. If the location of the special supplementary lecture coincides with the lecture hall of the lower grades, the professor takes responsibility for any unfortunate events that arise from students colliding. The distribution of responsibility costs will be decided through the agreement of the respective professors.”
“!”
“It just so happens. Professor Red Mountain’s [Challenge to Grow Herbs] class has a special supplementary lecture taking place this Saturday at 9 AM titled ‘Capturing Aquatic Herbs.'”
Professor Red Mountain has made the decision. To charge in against Professor El Draco and crush Oknodie.
“Ooh~ Hohohoho~~~! Oknodie first year. This Mandela Castera will personally test how much you’ve grown this semester!”
“However, it has been confirmed that the upperclassman Jigoku is taking the same lecture… what kind of person is this?”
“Jigoku? Ah, the red-haired pirate girl who claims to be a man and wears a chest band and pirate coat? Not particularly noteworthy features, really.”
Incredibly distinctive!?
Unlike the flustered second years, Mandela’s assessment was cool.
“The expensive bullets are upgraded to even more expensive attribute-enchanted Magic Missiles and fired out like crazy, and without deploying the appropriate defensive magic suitable for the attributes, one hit would take them down. Plus, she has some expertise in close combat, so she would likely cut down about twenty lower-class students like falling leaves… but excluding that, she’s nothing to be concerned about. Just ignore her!”
…She seems incredibly strong and definitely something to worry about!?
The second years clearly remembered the name Jigoku.
“So what do you think will happen if Jigoku fights Oknodie?”
Based on the evaluations until now, the second year, who expected a clear victory for Oknodie, spoke up.
However, Mandela’s evaluation this time bewildered the second years greatly again.
“I don’t know. Unless there’s some extraordinary anomaly, I expect Jigoku to win.”
“Eh!? No, why would Jigoku win if you’re saying that?”
“Well, naturally. Jigoku is a first-year who knows Oknodie’s weakness. If she’s close enough to attend weekend lectures together, there’s no way she wouldn’t know. I noticed it shortly after beginning my investigation.”
Mandela held a strong conviction.
“That girl is weak against charm tactics.”
“Charm tactics!?”
“What’s more, cross-dressing women have three times the charm impact when their true identity is revealed!”
“Ooh!”
“So, if Jigoku is determined to use charm, Oknodie absolutely cannot win.”
Unless they find out her identity, but given the magic structure that covers her shape and the perception-disabling spell around Jigoku’s bandaged chest, the likelihood of uncovering her identity is slim.
It was an obvious oversight for Mandela to think that her identity would be revealed from the start.
