Chapter 35: Things Are Unusual This Time as Well (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 35: Things Are Unusual This Time as Well (3)
In front of the Dragon Class door.
I stared blankly at the nameplate before pushing the classroom door open and stepping inside. Instantly, the eyes of the Dragon Class cadets turned toward me, their faces collectively twisting into deep scowls.
I thought I'd grown somewhat used to these cold stares, but perhaps because this was a high-ranking class, the cadets' gazes felt exceptionally frigid.
Glances dripping with contempt. It was enough to make the back of my neck prickle. Ignoring their stares, I narrowed my eyes and scanned their faces.
With his Japanese delinquent-style two-tone hair, he should have stood out, but since he was nowhere to be seen, he must not be in the room.
Just as I was thinking that and preparing to leave this bed of needles,
A large, square-jawed male student strode over to me. Stopping right in front of me, he shoved his hands deep into his pockets and thrust his face forward.
"Hey, look who it is. The celebrity."
The male student continued in a sarcastic tone, his expression anything but friendly. He seemed to recognize me thanks to the Subspace Battle I had fought against Nox.
"But you see, this isn't a place where lowlifes like you can just wander in and out as you please."
Picking a fight out of nowhere, and his dialogue sounded like something a third-rate extra would say. He pulled his right hand out of his pocket and waved it dismissively.
He looked like the typical swaggering punk you'd find in any classroom. Having spent nearly twenty years in the food service industry in my past life dealing with countless drunkards, the bluster of a slightly oversized teenager didn't even warrant a snort.
"Stop bothering me and get lost."
When I said that, whispers began to break out here and there.
Hearing the whispering, the guy's eyes darted around as his face flushed beet red. But the moment his eyes met mine, his flushed complexion instantly turned pale.
Smirking at the sight, I leaned in and whispered in his ear.
"Dumbass."
"You son of a bitch!"
Instantly, his fist flew toward my temple, completely bypassing his brain. Perhaps because he was in the Dragon Class, his strike was sharp and swift despite his bulky frame.
To my eyes, however, the movement of his fist was so slow it made me want to yawn.
Hmm.
I was planning to play along moderately. If he got a limb broken, he'd probably snap out of it. As an adult, surely I could offer him that much guidance.
Just as I was about to move my hand, someone grabbed the square-jawed student's shoulder from behind and slammed a fist straight into his jaw.
"Ack!"
Square Jaw let out a choked groan and collapsed limply to the floor.
His eyelids fluttered once, revealing the whites of his eyes. It reminded me of a Neotube video explaining how a clean hit to the jaw could knock someone out in a single blow.
"...Damn, his jaw is tough as hell."
Amidst the stunned silence of the classroom, the culprit muttered to himself while massaging his knuckles.
Seemingly oblivious to the commotion he had just caused, he turned his head toward me and spoke.
"Are you feeling alright?"
"Yeah, thanks to you, I got to rest in a nice hospital room for a few days. Money really is great."
I shrugged and replied casually. Speed Weapon shook out his wrist a few times and gave a wry smile.
I've heard of strength mages, but a strength healer is a first.
Speed Weapon had knocked out a bulky male student with a single blow. Aside from his armament being a recorder, he was certainly an extraordinary healer in many ways.
"Sorry about that. I hate that you had to deal with trash like this the moment you stepped into our classroom. But try to understand. Their brains are a bit slow, so they can't grasp reality yet. They're in the middle of puberty, after all."
He said, nudging the student slumped against the wall with his heel. The unconscious boy's body swayed side to side. I shrugged as if it were no big deal.
Speed Weapon grinned, then bent down to whisper to the unconscious Square Jaw. No one dared to approach us.
"Don't take it too hard. If it weren't for me, you might have died. It'd be a shame to throw your life away over some stupid bravado, wouldn't it?"
"……."
There was no response. After tossing those words to the boy with his eyes rolled back, he stood up. My dry gaze lingered on the unconscious student for a moment.
"Should we talk out in the hallway? There are too many eyes here. You came to see me, right?"
I nodded and left the classroom, with Speed Weapon following close behind. As we walked down the hallway, Speed Weapon suddenly spoke up.
"Honestly, if I hadn't stopped you, what were you going to do to him?"
At his words, I stopped in my tracks and turned my head.
"Who knows."
I replied with a cold smile and resumed walking. For a split second, Speed Weapon's eyes shook violently.
"...Terrifying bastard."
Weapon stared at my back for a moment before following me.
* * *
Stopping halfway down the corridor, I began to explain. The core of my explanation was that I needed to form a party to clear a dungeon, and I wanted to ask if he was interested in joining.
Weapon listened intently, nodding repeatedly, and readily accepted the proposal. I had asked to test the waters, but he maintained a highly favorable attitude toward me.
Meanwhile, Weapon stroked his chin and muttered.
"...So, basically, you need to form a party as soon as possible. You came to me to get some help putting a team together. In exchange, you'll split your share of the clear rewards among the party members, but you get to harvest all the magical beast materials. Did I get that right?"
Despite my poor explanation, Weapon caught on immediately. I nodded readily and tapped the nameplate hanging from my chest—the black nameplate that symbolized a Special Admission Student.
"If I tried to recruit a party myself, no one would join except Chloe. But if someone from the Dragon Class like you helps, it'll be a lot easier."
Not only that, but Weapon also held the rare position of a healer.
In games—which were practically Korea's second national pastime—healers might be treated like mere tools, but here, they were invaluable assets.
Furthermore, contrary to his appearance, he was quick-witted, possessing the talent to understand perfectly even when I explained things terribly.
Even if his armament is a recorder, he's still highly competent.
According to the school regulations of Joaquin Academy, a party had to consist of at least four members to be authorized for a dungeon raid.
While there were several reasons, the primary purpose of requiring three companions was to prevent any cadet from causing trouble outside the Academy's jurisdiction.
It was probably a similar concept to the buddy system in the military. In short, a system where cadets monitored one another. With eyes watching, it would be difficult to stray or do anything foolish.
The requirement of at least four members likely shared a similar context. Dividing roles among the members was essential to minimizing casualties.
Weapon pondered for a moment, then let out a chuckle and spoke.
"If it weren't for the Academy rules... someone like you could probably clear five or six dungeons a day all by yourself, couldn't you?"
"I can't clear even a single dungeon on my own."
I shook my head and said quietly.
"Cut the crap. You subjugated a Mermaid all by yourself, and you're saying that? Being too humble is just obnoxious, dude."
"……."
Weapon nudged my side playfully as he spoke.
But it's the truth.
With my forty-second sprinter ability, I would obviously get wiped out the moment I stepped foot inside a dungeon. For some reason, he seemed to think I was just being modest...
I responded with a silent shrug.
Weapon stroked his chin, lost in thought, before offering his input.
"Any dungeon in mind?"
"C-rank. Buffalo Dungeon."
"The Buffalo Dungeon... Well, that is the most classic one."
Weapon narrowed his eyes and asked.
"Then... do you have a specific type in mind for the last party member?"
"...Ideally, anyone but Rachel or Leon."
"Ah, they're out of the question anyway. Rachel has been in closed-door training at the campus training grounds ever since you got hospitalized, and Leon is probably preparing to raid a high-tier dungeon with the second and third-years."
Speed Weapon explained with a shrug. I nodded immediately at his words.
Weapon seemed slightly excited. He was probably narrowing down potential party members in his head.
Since Joaquin Academy had a strict academic culture that forbade leaving the campus without a valid reason, I could understand why he looked so thrilled.
To hot-blooded youths, even this massive Academy must feel as cramped as a fish pen.
The only time they had gone outside was for the midterm exam, and they had nearly crossed the River Styx there.
After pondering for a while, Weapon's face suddenly lit up as if he had a great idea.
"Actually, there is one person who comes to mind. By now, she's probably... sleeping over there."
"Sleeping at this hour?"
"She's always been like that."
Speed Weapon continued, checking the time on his wristwatch. Then, he jerked his chin up and said,
"Let's stop by the convenience store first. I need to buy something."
* * *
"Did the Academy have a place like this?"
I muttered, looking around. It was a place I had never visited even when playing Miracle Blessing M.
Although the Academy grounds were the size of a small city, preventing me from exploring every corner, this was the first time I had seen a place with such a strong Japanese aesthetic.
The Archery Range of Joaquin Academy.
A wooden building constructed from cedar. Turning my head, I could see targets in the distance, riddled with arrows.
It was an exotic place, making me feel as though I had traveled to Japan. In my past life, I was a Japanese cuisine chef, but I had never actually been to Japan. The reason was simple: I was too busy. I didn't even have time for hobbies, so traveling abroad was an extravagant luxury. Still, I had always wanted to visit Japan at least once for market research, and to think I would find vicarious satisfaction here.
While looking around like a tourist, my gaze was drawn to a girl lying on the wooden floor.
"Weapon, there's someone over there."
"Ah, there she is."
Weapon said, striding toward her. I followed him with a dubious expression.
Weapon approached the girl, grabbed her shoulders, and began to shake her.
"Hey, wake up."
"……."
He was shaking her quite hard, but the girl showed no reaction, to the point where I wondered if she had fainted. With her eyes closed, her body was as limp as a mollusk.
Even when Weapon raised his voice, she just kept sleeping soundly. Eventually, he let go of her, placed his hands on his hips, and said in a low voice,
"I bought Yanggaeng."
"!"
At those words, her beautiful eyelids, which had been tightly shut, slowly fluttered open. After rubbing her eyes for a moment, she lifted herself off the floor and slowly looked up at Weapon.
Her face was dazed, as if she hadn't fully woken up yet. Ironically, that only added to her charm.
"Do you have... Yanggaeng?"
Weapon nodded eagerly.
"Yeah, but I'll only give it to you after you listen to what we have to say."
Weapon pulled a bar of Yanggaeng—which he had prepared beforehand—from his inner pocket and waved it in front of her eyes. Her light blue eyes darted left and right, following the Yanggaeng.
Saki Ryozo, the daughter of the Archery Saint.
A beautiful girl who looked like a well-bred young lady, her slender frame perfectly suited for her archery uniform. Her light blue hair, reminiscent of a clear sky, cascaded down to her waist.
She let out a wide yawn, patted her mouth, and then spoke to me, standing a few meters away.
"Do you have Yanggaeng too?"
"……."
I had no words to answer her.