Chapter 13
Chapter 13
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Kidnapping
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Thud!
Largo stomped his foot on the ground.
The earth trembled as if a small earthquake had occurred.
The shockwave swept away a dozen students.
“Wh-what the hell is that guy!”
“Gasp! Isn’t that Largo?”
“Hey, why is he protecting Jace?”
Such was the might of a top-20 ranker.
It made me wonder just how powerful the Hero candidates were.
They said Jace once stood shoulder-to-shoulder with them.
I was struck anew by the incredible potential of this body.
I’ll do my best not to be a case of pearls before swine.
Anyway.
The students who had been targeting me were utterly bewildered.
My rank was 666.
That meant anyone from rank 766 to 566, a range of plus or minus 100, was eligible to challenge me.
Since they were mid-rankers at best,
they were being completely overwhelmed by the ruthless violence of a top-20 ranker.
Heh, what a magnificent sight.
It brought to mind the pastoral image of a sheepdog herding its flock.
Although I felt a bit dazed, that aside,
from my perspective, it was a deeply satisfying scene.
Yes, push them harder!
Break their arms and legs so they can’t touch me!
I had expected a dozen or so to show up at most.
An army of a hundred was crossing the line by a long shot.
Are these guys idiots?
According to the academy’s rules, all fights must be one-on-one.
For ranking matches, a student is required to complete ten a month.
While one could fight up to thirty depending on their ability,
it was extremely rare for anyone to max out due to complex factors like managing one’s condition and finding opponents.
Simply put, even if they swarmed me like a pack of dogs,
I only had to face one of them every three days.
Well, I suppose they were planning to challenge me to practice spars.
“Aargh! Somebody stop that bastard!”
“Hey! Are you just going to let a top-20 ranker run wild like that?”
Is there anything more accurate than a first impression?
Largo was no different from a wild beast.
A flood of protests came from the students bitten by the beast.
Their complaints were directed at the men in black suits standing sparsely around the area.
That was what I found most absurd…
The men in black suits were none other than the academy staff.
They didn't teach the students, but they acted as referees when fights broke out.
They would only intervene briefly if a situation looked dangerous.
Basically, they maintained a bystander's attitude.
What was even more ridiculous was that they judged the current situation to be perfectly fine.
Shaking their heads or waving their hands,
they left the students to resolve it on their own.
Right, what could possibly be unfair about a one-versus-a-hundred situation?
Foolish things.
You brought this on yourselves, so just take what’s coming to you!
Just then, a guy stepped forward to block Largo.
His weapon was a spear, and I could tell he was a formidable opponent just from his stance.
“I’ll be your opponent.”
“You always run away, and now you interfere!”
I didn’t know the details, but I guessed they were of a similar level.
It seemed they had prepared for any unexpected variables.
And with that, my dependable friend was tied down…
“Now’s our chance!”
“Let’s finish this quick!”
The students swarmed in.
They were like wild colts with their reins cut.
Largo's efforts had thinned their numbers a bit, but it was still a daunting crowd.
Ceria quietly looked at my face.
She seemed to be waiting for me to ask for help,
but out of respect for me, she refrained from acting rashly.
“There’s no need for you to get involved. I’ll handle this myself.”
That’s my man!
With a bright smile that seemed to say just that, she backed away.
“…”
Unfortunately, I had no other choice.
She might be a top-50 ranker, but she was still a girl.
And my fiancée, no less, so keeping her out of it was the right call.
Jace would have surely done the same.
With a grim heart, I stared ahead.
The ninety students looked like an army of nine hundred thousand.
Truthfully, I could have just avoided this.
I could have made an excuse, like I wasn’t feeling well or it wasn't a good day.
I had the right to refuse a couple of times.
But I couldn't do that.
It would only be a temporary fix, not a fundamental solution.
On the contrary, it would only make me look weaker.
In any fight, gaining the upper hand from the start is the most important thing.
Though there might be slight differences,
Jace would have faced them head-on with dignity.
I feigned displeasure and addressed them all.
“It seems you wish to challenge me.”
“That’s right. If we just defeat you…”
“First, shut up and listen to what I have to say.”
“…”
Truly exceptional people are on another level.
This body passively exuded a high level of dignity.
When I tell you to shut up, you shut up. What can a B-rank do?
Was it because they remembered I was once an S-rank?
I could clearly feel their momentum falter.
“You are all destined to represent humanity and fight the Demon King’s Army. Yet this display is truly pathetic. Even considering you’re still kids, this is excessively childish. No, I should say it's vulgar.”
“—!”
I delivered a sharp rebuke.
While some students grew angrier, there were others who felt a sense of shame.
The latter were at least a bit better.
What is the difference between humans and animals?
If you can’t feel shame for your wrongdoings, you’re no different from a beast.
“I will not avoid anyone’s challenge. However, your numbers are too great. At the very least, sort yourselves out before you come to me.”
“What?”
“I’m telling you to decide the order among yourselves.”
Still don't get it? The name Jace Crodain comes at a price!
I asserted that, like a diamond in the rough, I was still a force to be reckoned with.
“…”
A heavy silence fell.
They began exchanging glances.
They had belatedly realized I was not to be trifled with.
I waited patiently.
Just watching them hesitate told me all I needed to know.
B-ranks should just stay in their lane! You’re all just extras!
A-ranks had a bit more weight to them.
Someone like Chloe was a named character.
And Ceria would later become a major supporting character, strong enough to defeat one of the Demon King’s Four Heavenly Kings.
Anyway.
I had no desire to bicker with a bunch of nobodies.
“I’m out…”
“I don’t know what happened, but it looks like he’s already regained a lot of his strength.”
“Tch, then there’s no chance of winning. I can’t afford to lose the points I worked so hard for.”
If you want to take someone else’s points,
you must also be prepared to lose your own.
Jace was originally an S-rank Hero candidate.
Though he may have weakened, his foundation remained.
They were realizing he was not someone who could be judged by rank alone, considering his fundamentals and overall swordsmanship.
‘The reality was a bit different…’
This body’s performance was so outstanding
that my efforts couldn't even keep up with its physical prowess.
I was barely managing to close that gap with the help of achievement points.
In an instant, half the students backed away.
Which meant the other half remained.
It seemed they were holding their ground due to orders from their respective factions.
“Monday, Wednesday, and Friday… I will face you three times a week. I’ll accept any challenge, but you should all think carefully about what it means to face Jace Crodain.”
I’m not dead yet, you know?
I admonished them with that nuance in my tone.
As if their earlier bravado had never existed, only silence followed.
This was the limit of a B-rank.
The reality was that they couldn't even meet the eyes of an S-rank.
—Even though he’s weakened, couldn’t he still crush a B-rank?
Once a doubt takes root, it does not easily disappear.
While they were wavering, I took a step forward.
Flinch.
Their bodies reacted before they could think, and they took a step back.
After giving them an indifferent glance, I continued walking.
Like the miracle of Moses, the crowd parted to the left and right.
The dignity of a nobleman.
They were tucking their tails in the face of this body’s intimidating presence.
In the end,
no one blocked my path until I had left the area.
* * *
Wow, that actually worked?
I was half in doubt, but the result was a resounding success.
I wasn’t sweating, but I had been quite tense.
[Achievement Unlocked: Crisis Wisely Overcome]
[Reward: +10,000 Achievement Points]
Come on, be honest.
You were just waiting for a chance to shower me with points, weren't you?
The system’s response was so swift, as if it had finally found an opportunity.
Anyway, I wondered how long this bluff would last.
The outlook wasn’t very hopeful.
It only worked because they were B-ranks; it would surely be different with A-ranks.
“…”
A sigh escaped me.
This was only the first day, and things were already like this. I was deeply concerned.
One person cannot stand against many.
Even Jace in his prime would have found it difficult.
I was getting stronger by the day, so all I needed was time, but the question was whether I could hold out until then.
No matter how I thought about it, I was skeptical.
These kids were in their prime, brimming with energy.
They were also fearless, so I could picture them charging at me relentlessly.
I humbly acknowledged my limits.
I could never do this alone, so I needed to make some allies.
I didn't need a massive faction.
I would try to entice a few strong individuals, like an elite squad.
I suddenly recalled the A-rank students who used to be close to Jace.
They had drifted apart after he became a troublemaker, but the situation was different now.
I figured at least one or two of them might support me.
That alone wasn't enough, so I needed to look further ahead.
If my memory served me right,
among the ten Hero candidates, there were a few who were neutral, in a sense.
‘I’ll have to consider joining hands with them…’
It wouldn’t have been difficult in the past,
but now my status had fallen so far that I didn't know how it would turn out.
“That was so cool!”
A girl approached me without a sound.
Chloe circled around me, chattering away.
“I thought there was no way out, but to think you resolved it without even swinging your sword once…”
“You were slow.”
“Pardon?”
“You were slow to notice their movements.”
She should have told me beforehand.
I had thought of her as a reliable source of information, but this was disappointing.
Chloe hung her head as if ashamed, then quickly lifted it again.
“I never imagined they would cause such a scene on the very first day.”
That was true.
Who would have thought they would mobilize an army of a hundred thousand?
I understood her situation, but I couldn't help but blame her a little out of a sense of unfairness.
“Well, it’s in the past, so don't worry about it. Instead, I’d like you to do some research for me.”
“Yes, leave it to me!”
“Gather information on the ten Hero candidates and compile it for me.”
“How much detail do you want?”
“Everything, without exception.”
“Hmm, it might take some time. About a week?”
A week was incredibly fast.
It proved her abilities were genuine.
Indeed, Chloe was worth keeping around.
“I’ll visit you from time to time. If you need anything, just let me know.”
As if nothing had happened, she vanished stealthily.
I liked her straightforwardness, but it felt a bit excessive.
Why was she so subservient?
I didn't know what she would ask of me later, but I had a feeling it would be difficult to handle.
* * *
I spent each day diligently.
In the morning, there were classes, but they weren't very important.
They couldn't just have the kids fighting all the time,
so it was just the bare minimum of theoretical education.
In reality, practical skills accounted for 90%, so most students ignored it.
Just as I had in the forest, I dedicated all my spare time to training.
In the midst of that, I accepted challenges from B-rank students and showed them what I was made of.
After a week,
by crushing three challengers, my rank had risen considerably.
From 666th to 617th.
I still had a long way to go, but it was a decent start.
Which made me even more anxious…
Why was it so quiet? No matter how I thought about it, there was no way they would just stay put.
Strangely, nothing was happening.
Meanwhile, this body's senses were ringing alarm bells loud and clear.
The gap between the two made my anxiety grow.
Should I hide in the Student Council building? It's safe there…
As I mulled over various ideas, my anxiety finally materialized in a horrifying form.
“—?”
Male students appeared out of nowhere.
They gave me no opening, swiftly grabbing my arms and legs.
I fortified my body with all my might, but so did my opponents.
Swarmed from all sides, I was caught completely.
“—!”
They even gagged me.
What, I’m being kidnapped in broad daylight?
Doing something this serious has to be against the rules, right?
As I was being dragged away, I saw one of the men in black suits following us.
I thought he might be coming to help, but cruelly, he just followed along.
He was merely observing the proceedings.
His attitude was that as long as it wasn't multiple people ganging up on one person, he didn't care.
“…”
I snarled inwardly.
I hated the man in the black suit even more than these unidentified kidnappers