Unlucky!! -3-
"Heroes!! We're starting the ability inspection now!! Please line up in order!!"
Matthias led us into a facility outside a cathedral-like building. Inside, four people sat at desks with crystal orbs placed on them, waiting.
On the way there, he'd explained about jobs.
"Stats, jobs, and skills, huh!? This world's totally like a game!!"
As Erika said, this world had a System built by the Goddess, through which everyone received blessings. It was like a game: from birth, talents granted innate jobs and skills, boosting growth and actions suited to that job.
At first glance, it seemed unfair—like your life was set from birth—but with effort, you could change jobs, evolve to higher ones, or acquire new skills through repetition. There were also stats: stamina, mana, strength, wisdom, agility, and growth potential. These showed your power, and killing monsters absorbed their strength to raise all stats except growth. Training worked too, but max potential depended on growth. Grades appeared to us as S to F.
"Oh, so there are levels too, right?"
"Pardon me, but what is a 'level'?"
No level system, apparently. Instead, during emotional measurements, overall strength showed as colors: red-orange-yellow-green-blue-indigo-violet-black, in that order. The Demon King and maxed-out Heroes were exceptions.
'No levels or luck stat aside, it's just like Auroray Fantasia.'
I could feel the game from my past life, so familiar under this sunlit world's laws. It'd bummed me out not having it in this life, but...
'Nah, it's only 2004—maybe it'll come out in the future.'
With that hopeful thought, the inspection began. First up: Yukihime.
-Woooooong!!!
"Oh!? Ah, no way!? This aura!"
The golden light from the cathedral earlier proved real as the orb glowed.
"H-Hero!? It's a Hero!! Job: Hero!!"
"As expected..."
"And growth... S!! Legendary stuff!!"
The inspector trembled with excitement, and Matthias nodded like he'd known.
✦ Goddess's Blessing (S+)
✦ Light Holy Power (S)
✦ Heavenly Sword (S)
⚔ Hero Swordsmanship (A)
☕ Tea Ceremony (D)
👥 Leadership (C)
Her stats were like that, for reference.
"Isn't that the lowest red grade, and super low stats?"
"No. Stats are just a bit above an adult woman's for a non-combat job, but the key is growth. With high growth, you'll power up fast."
'Yukihime an adult woman? She looks frail but fences and kendo—stronger than most adult men. Maybe isekai folks have higher averages than Earthlings?'
Yukihime drew all the expectations.
"Hmph."
Finishing, she shot me a smug look like beat that, maybe fishing for praise. Probably imagining it.
'No way that bitch would.'
I ignored her. Starting with her, we went one by one.
"I'm... an Onmyouji?"
Student council prez Seigen got Onmyouji, a unique job from Zappon island mages in the east. Heroes are unique too: rarer, evolve higher without fixed paths unlike commons. Not always stronger, though. Seigen's lackeys got uniques: bodyguard Natsuji Samurai, secretary Uehara Kotono Ninja.
Students followed: half unique, half common. High job/growth grades, low color strength. Even fighter Natsuji was orange. Yellow wrestles wild lions/tigers sans beasts; green's superhuman entry. Normal for Earthlings?
"Ugh... can't fight wars... gotta protect students..."
"Oh!? No way—this is top Druid line, Nature Sage!? Human with a high elf job!?"
"This guy's reactions are on point."
After the rice barrel, it was me and my crew's turn at the back.
"Aniki!! I got a mage-related job—what ya think mine is?"
"Dunno. Wanna try magic myself. You, Kanami?"
"I-I want s-something support from the back, not frontline..."
We three checked.
"Oh!! Th-this is top Alchemist, Alchemy Sage!?"
"Eek!?"
Kanami got her wish: rear manufacturing job.
"No way!? Th-this—Archsage!? Archsageeee!! Peak mage job, only three since Magnus the Black!? Here!? My appraiser life—could die fulfilled!!"
"Whoa!! I'm awesome, right!!"
Shockingly, Erika snagged top mage job, barring Hero. Me...
"Huh?"
"Hey, appraiser. If I'm not wrong, the orb shows nothing—what's that mean?"
"Eh? No way...? Orb's fine..."
Regrettably, the so-called Goddess gave me zilch. High school curse continued—twisted by her yearly. She's definitely a sadist.
(Sadist)
"Atchoo!!"
"Lady Luminus!? You okay?"
"Y-Yeah... sudden cough."
A week post-inspection, Roman Empire kept promises. We even met Emperor Marcus Caesar in audience: he descended barefoot from throne to greet us.
"Ooh, Heroes! Welcome!!"
Feudal-like, nobles ruled lands, but magic/knights made emperor's power absolute. Greeting us barefoot with honorifics. Wise ruler, deeply respected.
This showed Heroes' status.
'Goddess influences world constantly via oracles/miracles—slighting her chosen is suicide, political or literal. Like Jesus descending amid demon invasion from hell.'
Empire spared no support: top dwarf gear (unused for growth), personal instructors, any requests granted. Intense training obvious for Demon King fight, but
'No past-life boss this good.'
Satisfied enough. My unblessed status was iffy, but treatment fair.
"Lord Haku, this is our empire's standard knight swordsmanship: Imperial Sword Style."
"Oh, got it."
I got an instructor too. No blessings/magic, so physical like past life: top Praetorian Knight.
'Isekai swordplay's too linear, brute-force.'
Mana/skills made it pushy. Past life, bored German sub taught me longsword mix incl. Liechtenauer. He called me medieval noble material—meh. Not better than isekai stuff.
"Skip swordplay, show mana control."
"Pardon? Okay?"
Good: I had mana, could handle it.
-Wung
"Like this?"
"Wha—already!? Impossible...? Mage job?"
Empire mana reinforcement lecture? Nailed it. Tiny mana, weak output, but Yukihime (S+ growth) struggled; non-mages averaged a month for "geniuses." I'm freakish.
Learned mana, scouted library/people/info, chatted crew spare time.
"How's it going?"
"Magic's fun as hell!!"
Archsage Erika learned too easy.
"I-I'm learning alchemy, making stuff... Erika helped tons..."
"Potions fun, Kanami!!"
"M-Made some... but side effects..."
"Like what?"
"T-Ten minutes double strength... but month-long crippling soreness."
"Got that!! Double mana three weeks unusable!!"
Top Alchemy Sage: OP potions, but newbie flaws = nasty sides.
"Useless mid-war unless desperate."
"Yeah."
"Hiiing..."
"Gimme some anyway. Backup's good."
"Th-Thanks..."
"Wha!? Aniki worrying 'bout future!? Don't!! This hot cute Archsage Erichi's got ya!!"
"Heh, thanks."
Power boosted her 4D traits. Anyway, week's events: my no-blessing leaked; F-class delinquents picked fights.
"Hey~ Who's this?"
"The Blessingless loser?"
Nadaguchi Shinya (baseball), Watanabe Atsuto (wrestling) delinquents.
"Wh-What're you doing!?"
Ikeda Shinji—gold sun leader—stopped 'em, shocked/terrified. Natural?
"What, Ikeda? You said Wind Discipline blocked punishing him. No committee here."
"No eyes on us. Join?"
"Th-That—!! J-Just scram!!"
"Tch, fine..."
"Lucky bastard."
Ikeda didn't help outta kindness.
"Oh, Ikeda-kun. Good timing."
"O-Of course, Haku-san... N-Not mad, right?"
Same age, but honorifics, polite. Past: he tried school violence; I "petted" him. Month PTSD absence; my tiny encouragement brought him back—now spasms at sight.
"Fine, fine."
"Whhew..."
"Here, thanks."
I offered hand.
"..."
He grabbed eagerly. I infused "thanks."
-Crack
"Guhk..."
Wrong sound? Imagination. I whispered:
"Behave."
"Y-Yes, sir."
Week flew; training sparring started. Before me:
"Ready, Haku?"
Fuming Yukihime.