Named Monster Raid (1): Day 2

Practice session for the Named Monster Raid (1), day two. After sneaking out of the academy at dawn and immediately dealing with a monster outbreak upon arriving in the Ludbekia Marquisate—followed by one of us becoming the marquisate's heir—it had been a tumultuous first day. Now it was the morning of day two.

"Everyone seems to be in good condition."

In one of the guest rooms of the Ludbekia Marquisate, a space decked out like the academy's practice room, Instructor Esta had gathered me and the rest of the special class students. She wrote a big message on the portable blackboard.

"One announcement upfront. We'll return to the academy on the fourth day."

"What?!"

Unia jumped in surprise.

"Earlier than planned?"

"That's right. You're wondering why, of course. It's all about performance."

Instructor Esta projected a magic panel onto the white wall, and a graph flickered into view there.

The graph, which should have had multiple bars, had only one shooting straight up. Unia checked the numbers on either side and gaped.

"Ah."

"Even though we distributed the cores from the monster outbreak to the hunters, the 'kill score' was still recorded. Thanks to those cores, we even got precise numbers."

"...So we filled the quota on day one."

"Pretty much."

Instructor Esta pointed to our kill score—or more precisely, our practice points from monster hunting.

"100,000 points. That's what you'd get from taking down 2,000 Giant Ants, even among C-rank monsters, they're infamous for being ferocious."

"If Giant Ants are C-rank... aren't they about 2 meters per individual?"

"Two thousand of them is basically a full colony, complete with a queen ant. If hunters say they need a raid for that, the difficulty's at least B-rank—no, A-rank."

"Exactly. It was a situation that would make even seasoned hunters balk, but you've already hit that score. The 'upper limit.'"

Instructor Esta pointed above the 100,000-point mark on the magic panel, all the way up to the ceiling.

"Even if the Marquis of Ludbekia handled the boss, the [Wolf Boy], adding support points from the academy student Phoenix means a score that pierces the heavens. Unless an S-rank monster pops up elsewhere or you take down something unrated before, first place in practice points is basically locked in."

"Ah, ahaha...."

"By the way, practice scores are shared with all teams as of now. Of course, I've submitted a detailed report on how we got this, so no one's going to question it."

"With a report ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠from the instructor and the White Sword Saint, no one would dare doubt it, but other students might feel a sense of deprivation?"

"Probably."

Instructor Esta just shrugged at my words, like it was no big deal.

"But that's reality. Not all freshmen start from the same line, even if they're the same year. There's Gale here, and the other teams have already shown insane talent and results."

Talent gaps. Skill gaps. Not the kind of thing you'd say in the halls of education, but practice week is ultimately a time to show students what the academy's greenhouse doesn't reveal. A process to make those hothouse flowers face the cold reality beyond the greenbelt.

"Most students facing their first practice week will recognize their own talents. Some will look pathetic out there, others will shine in real combat. But that's for them to overcome."

Instructor Esta tapped the graph's peak.

"Your role from now on is to be their 'goal,' their 'upper limit,' their 'standard.'"

"We're the goal the freshmen—now classmates—have to chase?"

"Yes. In that sense, our current lineup is perfect. Frontline, mid-line, backline, and support."

Rydmila, Unia, Evangeline, and me, respectively.

"Those dreaming of warrior, knight, or martial paths will aim for Rydmila. Mages for Unia, summoners for Evangeline. And support types will look to none other than Phoenix as their benchmark. With the will to surpass someday."

"Won't the sparrow rip its legs chasing the stork?"

"Even if it rips its legs, the process and results of that desperate running and flying won't vanish. And magic... it gives sparrows the chance to evolve past storks into hawks, eagles, even wyverns."

Instructor Esta gave us a faint smile.

"When we get back to the academy, special class treatment will change too. We've nailed the results this time, and now we've proven 'special admission' with hard numbers."

Until now, students might have been skeptical about special admits. Suppressing the angel incident? Just knew the theory, had instructors nearby. As for me, grateful for the magic pants spray, but maybe just lucky to know the theory. But quelling a monster outbreak? That's tangible results they can grasp. While they're out there shaking at D- or C-rank monsters, the special class blew up hundreds in a raid with mana explosions? Regardless of anything else, just the fact we can output A-rank explosion magic firepower alone will make practice students feel the wall of talent.

"So since we're here, let's eliminate any 'variables.'"

"Variables?"

"More precisely, controversy."

Instructor Esta tapped the magic panel, and a map unfolded on the screen.

"We're hunting Named Monsters in the northern Monster Zone of the Ludbekia Marquisate to drive the wedge into your 'peak performance.' Not just mass monster destruction, but proof four of you can raid a Named Monster."

"I understand."

Rydmila pointed to herself while eyeing the monsters on the map.

"Even with Gale on our side, succeeding at hunting monsters that scream 'this should be tough' will shut up academy freshmen and upperclassmen alike from nitpicking us."

"Right. Once the report spreads, students are already grasping at straws."

What you'd call baseless hate.

"I can guess without looking. 'What's so hard about dropping explosion magic on a monster swarm? It was safe because of the Great Wall. Hunters helped in the field. S-rank Marquis of Ludbekia and White Sword Saint made it safe. Gale was in the group.' Stuff like that, right?"

"...Can you somehow hear what the whole world is saying?"

"Nah."

I could if I wanted to.

"People's jealousy is predictable. Anywhere you go in a world full of humans."

"...I don't know if those exact words are out there, but close enough. So we'll make sure no such talk even starts. Even if they try nitpicking, all they'll say is 'too perfect.'"

Instructor Esta ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pointed to the spots marked big on the map, and huge images appeared one by one.

"Named Monsters settled in the Monster Zone. All A-rank."

"All three are A-rank?"

"Yeah. Plant-type, insect-type, beast-type. Wasn't planned, but originally, taking down one was the initial goal for this practice."

Instructor Esta scratched the back of her neck and pointed to the images.

"The plant-type is called [Tentacle Lilith]. Tree-form monster, giant over 10 meters. Uses branches like tentacles."

"Ugh."

"Insect-type is [Earth Thunder]. Burrows underground, but its core packs lightning."

"Lightning...?"

"And the last, this beast-type..."

Instructor Esta paused while pointing at what looked like a massive wolf monster.

"...A giant lizard in armor."

"......Armor?"

"Yeah. The outer shell is named that because its scales look like armor."

Instructor Esta tapped the lizard image, and footage played of a lizard over 10 meters long crawling the wasteland, scales glinting.

"Its true nature's unconfirmed, but that armor's probably some special ore. Neutralizes most magic attacks."

"Magic resistance on the scales?"

"That's the theory. ...Phoenix?"

"Yes?"

"Something suspicious?"

"Well..."

Of course there was.

"No one's tried non-attribute magic on those scales, right?"

"Not yet."

The battle ten years ago. I took down as many armored angels descending from the sky as I could, but some broke apart, leaving fragments on the ground. If those angel remnants seeped into the earth unseen by human eyes, would the material just vanish?

In other words, that thing's wrapped in an exoskeleton infused with angel power.

"Let's do that one."

"Yeah, that one... huh?"

"Not the armored lizard."

It looked like the most angel-infused at a glance, but it's a monster from my 'player memories.' Same for another.

"That one shaking branches like tentacles. [Tentacle Lilith]."

"......."

Only one lacked any memory of mine.

"Doesn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it look exactly like it's gonna grab passing girls and do something naughty to them?"