Shinka no Mi

Chapter 70 – Practical Class – First Half

“Well then, from now on, how about you show me your abilities?”

I spoke out after seeing every member of the F class.

Although it feels like I’m looking down on them, but as Beatrice-san recommended, we decided to use all of today’s time to evaluate everyone’s strength.

“-The first person that wants to do it…”

“Yes, yes, yes! Big bro! Please let me—”

“I want to do it.”

“—–Hey!? Aren’t you cutting in line!?”

Agnos was energetically raising his hand, and as the first person who wanted to do it, there was showing a strange atmosphere until he was interrupted by Helen.

“Hey, Helen! I should be the first one to start…”

“You shut up for a moment.”

“……. Big bro. The treatment that I received from others is always the worst….”

Show me your guts, like the answers you gave in your test.

As I was giving an irresponsible response inside my head, Beard lightly hit Agnos’s back and showed that sketchbook of his.

『Don’t worry about it. There are days like this.』

“Aren’t you overusing that sentence of your since a little time ago!? Don’t avoid my gaze so openly!?

It is true that those were the same words that he gave to me… as I was thinking that, Helen was preparing herself in confronting me without me realizing.

“Well… first of all, let’s decide on some rules. About weapons, it is alright for you to be using your usual equipment.”

Even if it hits me, with my defence, there shouldn’t be any problems! … I think.

“Also, since I want to know all your abilities, you can use magic. However… I won’t be using any magic at all.”

As I told them that I wouldn’t be using magic, Helen’s expression changed.

Just a little before, she was protruding an electrifying air around her, but after that commentary, her atmosphere became heavier.

“… You, are you looking down on me?”

“No, even though you say it that way…”

It is not like I’m looking down on her, it is just that if I use magic, it could turn dangerous. I can’t laugh if I carelessly cause an incident because of magic. Also, there is no meaning for me to use magic. Since this opportunity is to evaluate the abilities of everyone… Wait a minute, maybe if I use magic, I could see how they react against magic? Well… this time I think I will pass. It is not like today is the last day that we will be having practical classes.

“… I won’t care if you regret it.”

“Oh, yes.”

Her glare is tremendously scary…. Did she hate my statement that I won’t be using magic? I want to be forgiven.

“However, it is disappointing… I can’t use magic.”

“What?”

As I heard the content of her statement, I leaked a pathetic voice.

You can’t use magic?

I hurriedly used the skill 『World’s eye』.

Like the time I taught magic to Saria and company, with this skill, I can see what dormant magic attributes each of them has.

And then, although Helen is unable to use magic now, she does have two dormant magic attributes which are fire attribute magic, and earth attribute magic.

If the checked target can use magic, the skill automatically displays her attributes in my eyesight, and if they still haven’t awakened it yet… that means, that even if they have the talent for magic but can’t use it yet, then right after the attribute it would display 『Not awakened』.

Well, I will be teaching them sooner or later, but if I keep talking like this, I won’t be able to evaluate their abilities any time soon, so I will keep quiet for now. However, is the reason that they are called trash, is because they can’t use magic?

As I was thinking that, Helen she took out two short swords, possibly from an item box, and put herself in a fighting stance. Those are probably her fighting weapons.

Seeing Helen taking a fighting stance, I also took out 『White』 which was hanging behind my back.

… I feel like it’s been ages since I have touched it, but since I have only used a sword when I was practicing with Louis, so I thought that this was a good opportunity. Since I used a wood sword in practice, and when we were fighting the flock monsters, I used magic to exterminate them.

By the way, the reason why we don’t use bladeless weapons for training use is because I thought that they could bring out their all more easily with their respective weapons, however if my stats were any lower, I wouldn’t have instructed them to use their usual weapons. If I were the same me from Earth, I would be immediately killed. They are amazing alright?

Also the reason I am using white is because of white’s ability of 『Recovering mana and stamina to allies that the sword touches.』

This 『touching』 doesn’t mean that I’m the one who touches them, but it is the blade’s body that needs to be touched.

Even though it is for recovery, if you normally touch the blade, you could accidentally end up injured.

But in case of this White, if I just brand them as my 『companions』, no matter how many times I swing my sword and attack them, they won’t be getting injured or receiving any damage at all.

That’s why I decided on using white.

I draw out White, and take my natural stance, Beatrice-san opened her mouth worriedly.

“Excuse me… Seiichi-san. Are you going to be okay even though you are not going to be using magic? That girl, Helen, even though she cannot use magic, among the students of the academy, she is one of the most talented here.”

“There is no problem at all. Ah, also, can I ask you to be the referee? The conditions of winning is to make the opponent give up or knocking them out. Please.”

As I don’t give any indications of being worked up, Beatrice-san still was worried about it, but decided to keep quiet about it.

“I don’t care if you regret it later.”

“You don’t have to worry. But you should bring out your all… Also, you can start at any time you want.”

“…. I will make you cry.”

Saying that, Helen shortened the distance between us, and using her right hand’s short sword, she was aiming to slash my head.

However, to my eyes, that short moment felt extremely long.

Yes, as I thought, comparing her to Louis is a little bit much.

However, she has passing grades for aiming for my vitals points repeatedly even though one would restrain if they are using a bladed weapon.

As Louis says, if one only does only mock battles and practice, when one finally does a real battle, they would hesitate and won’t be able to bring their best and endanger themselves.

In that point, Helen doesn’t seem to hesitate at all, and she is trying certainly to kill me, so I should give her some credit here.

Thinking that, I did a half step to avoid her attack.

“What!?… Then….!”

Seeing that I evaded her attack, she showed a surprised expression, but using her momentum, she did a full round kick.

This time, I evade it by squatting.

After that, she continuously launched blows, but none of them grazes me, and not only that, I haven’t moved a lot from my initial position.

As I thought, moving my body in real time, I realize that the training with Louis has given me some results.

The content of my training with Louis was the correct usage of my body and battle skills, but not only did I learn that, but I also learnt about the body’s natural movements.

Other than that, it would be impossible if I was the same as when I was in Earth, but all the fighting styles that Louis learnt by watching, I was also able to use them by watching.

The reason why there is no indication in the status is because, all the styles that Louis mastered evolved into something completely different, that not only they completely evolved into a different style, but also because Louis didn’t categorize it as sword styles, as I was being taught by her, it wasn’t registered as sword styles by my status.

So I was able to bring out the results from the training, and was able to continuously evade Helen’s attacks.

After a while, although she was continuously attacking like a storm, and since none of those attacks seems to be able to reach me, she took some distance, and glared at me while panting.

“Haa, haa… How many swords styles you have learned!? The only ones that I could recognize were the special footwork 【Herzard Ryufuuryuuken】 (TN: Flowing weeping willow of the wind), and the style that <<God Sword>> created the 【Gardia Ryushinkenjutsu】 (TN: Flowing godly swords arts)… There were many other moves that I have never seen! And you have reached the instructor level at them…. no, who are you who have reached the level of usage of the creators!?”

“Well… I don’t know…”

“Why is that!?”

Well, even if you ask me… All these moves, I learned them by watching Louis…

Also, responding to whatever they ask seems to be the least and necessary amount of pity… That’s what a famous group of three said but… It is difficult. Who am I really? The one who couldn’t become a hero? Adventurer? Hmmm, what a philosophic question.

As I was thinking about who am I, Helen was tense and her cheeks were stiff.

“… To tell the truth, I was looking down on you a bit.”

“What?”

“Well then. I will show you…. my best.”

As she said that, Helen joined the two short swords pointed edges, and pointed that at me.

Also, she lowered her back a lot, and while keeping her swords’ pointy edges at me, she moved her short swords near the side of her face.

What to say, if it was the same stance with just one katana, it could be a move that could exist in kendo. Does that exist? That kind of stance.

As I was thinking something completely off the mark, Helen’s eyes were nearly closed.

“…. Please don’t die with this.”

“What!? I can die by it!?”

Are you going to try that dangerous move on me!? Well, I did make them use their full force by not using weapons for practice!

Helen who was near the surprised me, suddenly increased her speed, and she released her retracted blades.

“Special move…… 【Sousentotsu】!” (TN: Rush of the punctured pair)

The tip of the joined blades, accelerated and tried to pierce through my head.

… However, I just thought that, 『It is faster than the start… isn’t it? What? I don’t know the difference』, and finished like that.

Since I’m not a combat expert, I couldn’t have known about the slight difference between the attacks, and I just evaded the tip of the blades by moving my upper body, and capturing Helen’s extended arms, and I use the momentum and… lightly, really lightly threw her away.

“Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

“Ah, my bad.”

However, as I expect from a monster like myself.

I really thought that I threw her lightly, but she reached quite some altitude.

If I say the approximate height, should be… around 50 meters? …. I shouldn’t be like this!?

As I use my skill 『World’s eye』 and 『Appraisal』 and checked her, I realize that Helen doesn’t have the means to safely land from that height.

So that means that if she falls from that height———– I don’t want to think about it!

I hurriedly went to Helen’s landing point and did a light jump.

And then, in a split of a second, I reached the place where Helen was.

As she saw me suddenly appearing in front of her, Helen opened her eyes.

“Yo, you! Why…”

“I’m sorry! I really didn’t think that it would end up this way! I will save you right now, so please have some patience.”

As I apologized to her, I carry Helen, who was blue from the fear of falling from this height, in a princess carry like form and embraced her.

“Sorry! Just for a little bit, please hold it!”

I was a little bit upset and stunned because it’s my fault that I endangered Helen’s life.

That’s why I couldn’t think of using magic to slowly fall or using 『Sky King’s boots』to slowly descend like if walking. I couldn’t think of anything.

And with the wind’s force generated by the fall, my hood easily fall from its place. But, I couldn’t care a thing about it at the moment.

Helen, scared of the ground that was approaching fast, closed her eyes with all the force she had.

“You may feel some impact, but please forgive me!”

“What…”

In the end, I together with Helen, dropped to the ground.

However, it’s time for my status to shine.

As my feet touched the ground, I bent my knees with perfect timing, killing all the impact. Not only that, but there was no craters or any sign that the ground was damaged. My body is really weird.

Normally, there is no such thing as killing all the impact by only bending the knees, and at starters, if one was a human, one would die immediately.

However, I didn’t even do a roll to lessen the impact, so I who could just kill the impact by using the cushion of my knees without any injuries, has probably quit being human. Although I don’t plan to publicly tell everyone about it, but I who felt that there is too much margin even though I fell from that height and… what should I do about me who can’t see the limit of my body? I cannot believe that my race is still 『Human』!

I, who was in a posture of a single knee in the ground, was still carrying Helen in a princess position, and decided on observing her state.

And then, she who was closing her eyes tightly, slowly and carefully opened her eyes as she wondered on why there was no impact yet, and after that she opened her eyes abruptly.

“I. I… am ali…ve?”

“I’m sorry.”

“What?”

As I confirmed that Helen opened her eyes, I gave words of apology.

And Helen who received my apologetic words, slowly looked at my face… As I thought Helen is also a beauty, and I’m going to blush if she looks at me this closely, well this is no place for this though.

Helen who was absently looking at me, returned to her senses little by little, and her face reddens and started to grow restive on my arms.

“Whaaaat!? Pu-put me down already!”

“What? Oh, I’m sorry.”

I slowly put Helen on the ground, but Helen was unable to stand up.

Helen’s face redden more.

“Uhhhm….?”

“………

As I couldn’t hear her well, so I asked again, and she with her red face, looked at me with an extraordinary expression.

“As- as I said! Bac… I can’t bring out my strength on my back so lend me a hand already!”

“I’m I’m sorry!?”

Because of the intensity, I felt my spine shrink and apologized again.

So I picked Helen who couldn’t muster her energy to stand up, and returned to the class.

However…

“””…………………………………….”””

“Seiichi, you are always amazing!”

“…. Ah… the lord’s doing a princess carry…”

Saria and Rurune acted normally, but including Al and Origa-chan the rest of the class was perplexed.

I understand that Al and Origa-chan are surprised like the rest of the F class, since they have never seen me using monster like moves outside of magic until now.

Well, thank goodness that the other classes that are near here didn’t see me.

“Well then…. it ended up like this, but…. what are you going to do?”

As I was checking with Helen if she wanted to continue the mock battle, Helen blushes a little bit, avert her gaze and said in a low voice like whisper.

“… It’s impossible that we continue, not in this state,,,”

“I understand.”

As I was making a conversation with her, Beatrice-san who returned first to her senses, hurriedly declared.

“Ah, I confirmed that He-Helen-san is unable to continue… To think that it was alright just like that…”

“Hahaha… I’m sorry. Can I leave Helen to you, please?”

“Yes, I understand.”

As I left Helen in Beatrice-san’s hands, I pulled my hood over my head again, and turned my attention to the rest of the members…. I was able to put on the hood normally, right? As this is a place that the heroes are in, I don’t want to show my face that much…

Nevertheless, I want to meet with Shouta and have a talk. However, I really don’t want to meet the people that bullied me…. It is not like I have a deeply etched trauma, but even so… I don’t want to be involved in something strange, and I don’t want to involve Saria and the others in this.

“Well then… who wants to be next?”

Even though I called for them, they all were absent minded because of the impact I gave.

However, as Blued returned to his senses, he made a gesture of thinking about something and opened his mouth.

“Hmm… Seiichi-sensei… should I call you like that?”

“What? Ah, yes.”

“Well then, Seiichi-sensei. Can I be your next opponent?”

“Of course.”

“— However, not only me, but can I do it with Agnos and the others?”

Hearing Blued’s words, the first one to react was Agnos.

“Wait… Blued, what are you intending to do!?”

“Even though you say of what I am intending to do, it is because that is the best way to display my abilities.”

“So it was for your sake!?”

“What else is there to it? This is a mock battle for him to evaluate our abilities. I need your help to display all my abilities, so there is no choice, no?”

“Don’t say such embarrassing thing with pride!?”

“Embarrassing? You idiot. It is stupid to think that you can do everything alone.”

They started a cross talk like conversation between the two…. You are actually intimate, aren’t you…

Leaving aside that, if Blued can only display his full abilities by teaming up, I don’t mind at all. When I was practicing with Louis, I also did battle with a several people… just in case.

“If Blued can display his best of his abilities by teaming up, then it is alright with that too.”

“I will cause you troubles… Well then… What are you going to do?”

Agnos being asked that, scratched the back of his head, and he shouted like if he had given up.

“All right, all right, all right! I will do it goddammit! I will help you, who can’t do a thing alone!”

“Humph, say that from the start.”

“You are really getting on my nerves!?”

『Blued, I am also going to help you.』

“Beard… that saves me some trouble.”

“What a difference in our treatments! One day I will cry, you know!?”

“You cry on your own.”

“Uwaaaaaaah!”

I acknowledge Beard, as part of Blued team… Agnos, don’t cry for real…

Blued who completely ignored Agnos who was starting to cry, he looked at the last man, Leon.

“Leon, could you lend me your strength?”

However, Leon, he just started to tremble like mad, and was moving his head side by side in negation.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I- I…!”

“… No, sorry. I asked you something outrageous.”

I don’t know why, but Leon’s condition is somewhere strange.

No, although I have just started to know him so I don’t know his circumstances, I feel that his condition right now is that of really becoming scared.”

“Leon? Are you alright?”

As he is really scared, I decided to talk to him for a bit, but Leon only started trembling and said.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I… can’t…. fight…”

He leaked a mosquito like noise voice while looking down in shame.

……….. This, I can’t really force him to do it.

Depending on the teacher, one could forcefully make them fight to see their abilities, but in my case, it’s impossible unless it is necessary.

All the other members of the F class looked at him, and realized that Leon’s condition is somewhat strange, some tilted their heads, and some were suspicious of his behaviour.

“Well the, Leon, you should be with Beatrice-san and just observe the class.”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, …!”

Muttering “I’m sorry” all the time, Leon moved to where Beatrice-san was.

Seeing Leon’s condition, Beatrice-san also felt like something was wrong, and she looked at me and nodded…. Everything should be alright if I leave him with Beatrice-san.

“Well then, so when you end your preparations, shall we start?

I moved to where I fought with Helen and took a stance with White.

Then, they took their stance with their respective weapons. Blued has a normal longsword, Beard has brass knuckles, the ones that you put on your fingers, and finally Agnos…… has a bat with nails.

“Erhh… Agnos? Agnos’s weapon is … that?”

“Yes! This is my precious partner— 【Full swing】!” (TN: it is a play of words that the on yomi changes into a word, Not Flowing Vermillion Fooling tool, don’t think too deep about it)

That name! Isn’t this like 『Nice to meet you』 introduction of before!? But it looks really delinquent!

I don’t know about Beard’s weapon of choice, but the knuckle brass really suits him.

All of them prepared their weapons and made their stances, but before I started, Blued raised his hand.

“Seiichi-sensei, could I have come time? I want some time to create a strategy.”

“What? Erhm, yes, I have no problems with that.”

It is important to make strategies too. I don’t have the brains to make such strategies though.

However, since I have some time before they finish planning the strategies, I used my skill 『World’s eye』 on Leon and Blued.

And then, Blued and company have the latent talent for magic, but haven’t awoken it yet.

However, Leon was a different case.

As I see his skills, Leon’s displayed that he could use magic. Not only that… he can use 5 attributes.

I investigated in Terbeer’s library, or in the capital’s library that even be able to wield two elements is a rare case.

That means, that he is just a lump of talent.

That’s why, it became harder to understand.

Why, is Leon in this F class. Why is he so scared and leaving such a depressing life, I don’t understand at all.

As I was tilting my head in wonder, it seems that Blued and the others have finished talking, so they each made stances with their weapons.

“I made you wait. I apologize.”

“No, don’t worry. Well then, you can start at any time.”

Saying that, I took a stance with White.

And then…

“Well then, I will go first, Big Bro!”

Agnos started rushing at my direction.

As he brandished his nailed bat in an exaggerated way, he swung down the bat to my head… Agnos was the same as Helen, and didn’t hesitate at all.

I evaded that move with plenty of room, and as I evaded the attack, Agnos used the bat as his axis and using it as a support, he did a house round kick.

I didn’t think that he would use such an acrobatic move, so I was stunned for a little bit. Well, that’s because when Louis’s weapon grazed the ground she would always try to make some space between us.

Thinking to such an extent, even though I am having a match, I realized that I am developing a bad habit.

That’s bad… each person has different moves… so I need to quit this bad habit of mine.

As I was giving my opinion about this matter inside my head, I was being attacked by attacks that are impossible to predict, though I evaded them all.

How to say it, all Agnos’s moves are completely the contrary to Helen’s refined moves, totally unrestrained and free attacks.

That means that his attacks are really difficult to read, and because they are difficult to read that my body just automatically responds to them.

Since my battle experience is so little, when I engage in unforeseen circumstances, the skill control that I worked so hard on training was negated, and my body moved automatically because of the skills.

This time it also happened, and though I was thinking on defending a move, I pierced him lightly with White.

Usually, this would mean that Agnos’s match would be over.

However…

Suddenly, Beard came in front of Agnos, and used his two brass knuckles to sandwich the piercing strike and deflected the attack.

Although I did contain myself in that blow, and it was in a level that could be evaded or counterattacked, but since I don’t have much experience, I created another gap in my defence.”

That gap wasn’t overlooked by Agnos, and gave another unforeseen attack, and was raging like a storm.

“ORAAAAH!”

“Oops.”

However, the opponent is I, the monster.

I used my monstrous body capabilities lightly, and with that everything was evaded.

… Agnos and Beard has been synchronizing perfectly and evoking several attacks, and comparing to myself, I still have a long road to walk.

It is true that with my status it is possible that even the greenest and inexperienced of the fighters wouldn’t lose at all.

But, as I keep fighting, my inexperienced parts are coming out, and I keep feeling like wouldn’t I make a big mistake if I stay like this?

That doesn’t mean that I will lose, but that I could bring repercussions to my surroundings and that worries me.

Nevertheless, I decided to cool my head, and calmly handled Agnos and Beard attacks.

— However, I didn’t realize.

“You have forgotten about my presence for a while, haven’t you?”

Suddenly, I heard a voice from my back.

There is no much to think about it, it is Blued’s voice.

Yes, I have been concentrating sorely on Agnos and Beard, that I completely forgot about Blued.

As I look behind me, there was a sword that was approaching.

Although I felt that it was moving slowly, as the distance is only few millimetres away, I thought that this is no longer possible… and gave up without a thought.

…… But I didn’t think that even this could be overcome by my body.

The skill 『Reflexive defense』, that I haven’t be able to master yet, was activated.

My body squatted in that place with a lot of momentum, and kicked the legs of the three as if I was scooping them.

With that move that was impossible to evade, those three’s legs succumbed easily.

Inside the slow moving world of mine, as I checked them rolling on the ground, my body moved once again, and made a horizontal slash next to the three guys’ faces, and made a slashing sign on the ground.

And then, I used White to point it at Blued.

I have do it!!!!

I won’t be able to control it no matter how much effort I have put on it! Even though it is my body!

It’s just that when my body senses that I could get injured, my body moves on its own.

Like I thought, I’m still too inexperienced.

Not only did they find a gap in my defence, my skills are still controlling me…

Even Though I have a unimaginable skills in my hands, is like my body is saying that if I can’t use them properly, then there is no meaning at all.

Of course, with this battle, I was able to understand their distinctive features of all their fighting techniques.

But, even more important thing to consider, I was able to think of my next task to do.

It may be a strange thing to say, but in summary, I have still a ton of room of improvement.

… I, for god sake, want to not be played by my own body, since it is my body to begin with….

As I was thinking that, Agnos was looking at me with shiny eyes, Beard took out his sketchbook, and Blued smiled bitterly and opened his mouth,

“As- as expected from big bro! I give up!”

“I give up.”

“Huu… not only your face under the hood, but also your monstrous strength… This new homeroom teacher of ours loves to surprise us. I give up too.”

It seems, that everyone has given up.

I don’t understand about my face, but my strength… Yes, I couldn’t understand about my strength neither.

However, just one thing that I want to say.

The one who is surprised the most is me!