The Crooked Path is Quicker - 4

Hero Academy had a few special zones. Areas with masters tailored to each aptitude. For example, the Sword Forest for those with sword aptitude. The Way Pond for those with way aptitude. For buffers like me with Enhancement aptitude, one such place was the Sanctuary of Souls.

By maxing out skill proficiency there, you could evolve them into advanced skills. Of course, since the Sanctuary of Souls didn't exist, buffers weren't treated all that well. It was inefficiently known because there was no Azazel to steadily train and evolve skills amid filling proficiencies for others.

Whatever. That had nothing to do with me. I'd meet Azazel on the true ending route and squeeze every drop out of it then.

Anyway, not just aptitude-related spots were locked like that. Places opened via academic schedules, events, or story progression, and one was the Student Council zone.

To enter, you needed to clear the event to join the Student Council, but a few characters qualified from the start. One was Jin Siyeon.

"By the way, you got kicked out of the Student Council, and now you wanna go back?"

"Can't I?"

"It's not impossible. But even so..."

I knew what she meant. The Student Council shunned me.

"You were pretty infamous. Healer aptitude, but your heals were pathetically weak... Heard they even fed you an elixir? Not a great one, probably."

Elixirs at Hero Academy boosted growth aptitude stats by 0.1 early on and gave training bonuses. 0.1 was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠huge at the start, so if you'd taken one, you should've grown—but if not, yeah, they'd ditch you.

"So they recruited another healer?"

"Nah. Just other seniors stepping up."

Jin Siyeon shrugged leisurely, like she didn't care.

"Honestly, not sure we even need a healer."

"What're you talking about?"

"Healing's ultimately for recovery, right? A true healer takes out enemies before anyone gets hurt."

Oh damn. Cool woman... She smirked at my admiration and strode ahead.

We arrived at a massive garden. At its end stood Hero Academy's Student Council.

"Watch yourself from here on. Only the president and operations team are around, and operations are at the main building for something else. And... hmm. One issue: the president's closed-door training should be ending soon. But she'll only chew you out if you break rules, even if it's you."

Yeah, figured.

"Student Council zone's full of traps and dummies our seniors set up. Don't wander."

"Got it."

She thought it was just traps and dummies. The president's closed-door training had golems, and underground lurked a sleeping dragon. But no story progress, no wake-up, so I'd just stick to her.

-Whirr...!!

As we passed the garden toward the inner building, light burst from the massive statue out front. The guardian protecting the Student Council.

The golem glared at me with red eyes, blocking unauthorized intruders. Jin Siyeon pulled out her card right away.

"Companion. Student Council officers can bring one, right?"

She handed me a companion visitor card. Only after I took it did the golem's eyes dim.

Whew. Scared me.

"C'mon, let's go."

No seniors in sight, so we headed straight to the training grounds without issue.

"You know the Student Council training grounds offer higher-level training, huh?"

Proving her point, the facilities beat the standard ones. Just look at that archery ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠range—not basic field archery, but mana- or energy core-powered setups.

Not what I wanted, though.

"Since we're here, mind if I watch you swing that sword?"

"Huh? Sure, whatever..."

"And hitting certain scores gets you rewards, right?"

"...You know? Well, you were slated for officer."

One reason Student Council training grounds ruled: score high enough, get items. Stages 1 to 10, lowest to highest. Current Jin Siyeon could clear 3.

"I'm at stage 3 now. Top among first-years."

"Let's push stage 4 today."

"Easier said than done."

Nah, it'd be easy. I held out my hand.

"...What's this?"

Blessing of the Holy Spirit and Diamond Protection. Higher mental strength and proficiency than when I buffed Elizabeth and the others meant stronger buffs now.

"This is it. Why we beat Instructor Kim Yeonha."

"More like she admitted defeat than us winning..."

"Hey, she conceded, so we won. Results matter."

"Fine, whatever."

"Kept my promise?"

I shoved her back; startled, she entered the training ground.

"Haaah!!"

Each flash of Jin Siyeon's sword dissolved illusions. Score based on quantity and strength...

...Rising fast? Could hit 5?

I'd hoped, but damn, stage 5 reward for real. Buffers essential for DPS. My value skyrocketing. Azazel later? Terrifying.

"Huff... huff... huff..."

Overwhelmed by the powered-up strength from Blessing of the Holy Spirit and Diamond Protection, she staggered out soaked in sweat and checked the screen.

Stage 5 congrats and two rewards.

I approached and pulled out one: a bracelet.

"Thanks to me for stage 5, this as payback?"

"...That's..."

Twilight Bracelet. Lets you use buffer skill Twilight Shadow.

"Fine, take the stage 5 reward too."

Oho. True eldest daughter of the Shin clan. Generous. Elixir reward? Hell yes.

"One thing. What you did earlier..."

"Buff."

"Buff? But this is way beyond ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠seniors..."

"Buffer specialist. Anyway, thanks, I'll put it to good use."

Elixir acquired! Sell it? No more ramen, water, salt, sugar life!

...Eat it. Money later. Future investment first.

Ooh! Mental strength up 0.1...! Ecstatic. Buffs stronger now!

"Heard Twilight Shadow's not great... Useless past mid dungeons."

Without real buffers, her take wasn't wrong. But for mental bonus buffer specialist like me? Different story.

Twilight Shadow: status ailment resistance buff. Later, attribute attacks galore—without it, tons of consumables. One or two buffs cover it? Profit. Inventory limits, y'know.

"Anyway, getting it now. Not just Elizabeth's power."

My strategy helped too, but whatever.

"Heh. Knew her level... Weird."

"Hey, Elizabeth fights well too..."

-Grind.

Don't grind teeth. Scary. Knew you two childhood friends saw each other as rivals.

Anyway, Student Council business done... She wanted more, so I'd train at the archery range here.

"Ahem. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Next training, team plans? If you pick, I'll join."

"How can the team leader say that from here?!"

Leader? Why bother when I could score without hassle?

.

.

.

In Hero Academia, aptitude was a big deal. For Awakeners, it was talent and blessing itself.

Could change via events/quests, but rare, so ignore.

Aptitude gave skill proficiency, attack/defense bonuses on matching actions, and skill inheritance from same-aptitude folks.

Different aptitude lock you out? Nah. Main story had Awakening event for a second aptitude. Some got fitting ones, others absurd...

But main cast and above? Irrelevant. Their futures fixed.

Problem: me. Kim Yohan not even in Hero Academia—how know my aptitude or Awakening power?

So, one path: safest survival as buffer.

Buffers usually buffed from back, ate ramen. But sometimes pull aggro in a pinch, right? Guns or bows best.

Guns powerful, but mental drain penalty—bows easiest.

Not easy to use. Aimed at stationary target—arrow whiffed elsewhere.

Bow broken?

Resetting stance with training bow, a voice spoke. That existed?

"Say so sooner! Use it now!"

Light from training bow and arrow. Aimed again—hit chance displayed.

Ooh, FPS vibes. Nice. 87%... Shoot!

87% miss?!

"Bad breathing. Stance is just mimicry. Spread feet, twist body. Loosen grip hand."

Solo training events sometimes had advice NPCs. This one?

I turned. Voice owner: Hero Academia key figure. Student yet A-rank hero. Deep crimson long-haired woman.

Ryu Sena. Student Council president.

Never thought I'd meet her for real.