Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Assist
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I pushed myself harder in my training.
It was a private training hall, so I didn't have to worry about anyone watching.
The Hero Academy runs strictly on merit.
S-ranks receive numerous benefits, including the use of private spaces like this.
Of course, this one wasn't mine.
When this body's dantian was shattered, everything had already been taken away.
Now, as a mere B-rank, I couldn't even dream of such perks.
In other words, this place was my dear Aruru's.
She had somehow understood my situation and readily offered it to me.
Just for this, her keep was…
No, wait. Maybe not.
Aruru's appetite was in a league of its own.
I ate two to three servings because I trained so much, but she devoured ten times that amount.
To slightly exaggerate, she stuffed herself with an amount equal to her own body size.
I had to marvel at the physically impossible phenomenon.
I had some spare cash, but at this rate, I was guaranteed to go bankrupt within a month.
“…”
Where was I supposed to get the funds?
I couldn't just kick Aruru out over something like money.
She was the only S-rank Spirit User, and her value was truly immense.
“Hm? Something on your mind?”
She twitched her fox ears with a puzzled look.
Her cuteness was so overwhelming I couldn't look away.
She wasn't a cat, but I would gladly dedicate this body to being her butler.
I could think about the money problem later.
If it got too desperate, I'd have to swallow my pride and ask my family.
“What do you think of Ilensia?”
The elf girl who had kidnapped me.
She'd boasted that I would regret it, yet things had been quiet.
Well, she was bound to hesitate now that I had Aruru on my side, but I was a little worried that might make her hold an even bigger grudge.
“You can ignore that elf.”
Her attitude was remarkably nonchalant.
I could understand the sentiment itself, but her reaction was a bit odd.
It wasn't a 'She's easy prey, just trust me!' kind of feeling.
The nuance was more that everything would be fine even if we did nothing.
“Even though she kidnapped me recently?”
“She's always been a bit like that. She didn't actually do anything, did she?”
“Well…”
“Ilensia is just arrogant, as elves are. To put it simply, she can't be honest with herself.”
Huh? That sounds plausible.
The idea that we had misunderstood each other sounded quite realistic.
“If anything, she likes you. I doubt she dislikes you.”
Do women understand other women's hearts best?
She stated her opinion definitively, as if she were nearly certain.
‘Assuming that's true…’
Then I recruited Aruru for nothing.
It wasn't a complete waste, but it meant I had worried all by myself.
Well, there are many Hero candidates, so Aruru will have a chance to shine later.
While I was at it, I looked a little further ahead.
Maybe it would be possible to bring Ilensia to my side?
It seemed like it would be a pain, but the pros clearly outweighed the cons.
The military might of a Hero candidate.
And her unseen influence, too.
She was near the top among all the students, so it was more than worth a try.
Me, Aruru, and Ilensia. A united front of three.
I felt like a pretty good picture was forming.
The only problem was their bad relationship. They treated each other like enemies…
“Huh? I don't.”
“You don't?”
“She's the only one who hates me. I can't say I don't understand, but it's still a bit childish.”
The absolute worst compatibility.
No one who wields spirits can defeat Aruru.
Ilensia hates Aruru for that unfairness.
I tried to think outside the box.
If we were on the same side, wouldn't the problem solve itself?
A difficult enemy, in other words, becomes a reliable ally.
“If I were to bring that up…”
“Well, I'm skeptical. That elf wouldn't want to acknowledge my existence.”
Hmm, not easy.
Given Ilensia's personality, that was highly likely.
It's a headache dealing with someone who thinks the world revolves around her.
I should put it on hold for now.
If I want to accomplish anything, I need to get stronger first.
[Strength Enhancement Lv. 4]
[Agility Enhancement Lv. 4]
[Stamina Enhancement Lv. 3]
[Vision Enhancement Lv. 3]
[Vitality Enhancement Lv. 3]
I enhanced my abilities with the achievement points I had collected.
At this point, I could probably take down a bear with my bare hands.
I left some points spare, just in case.
The exchange list had been updated, and now I could learn skills too.
[Mind's Eye]
[Unity of Body and Sword]
[Flawless]
High-tier passive skills.
The requirements were high, so for now, they were just pie in the sky.
[Lightning Strike] [Thunder God] [Lunar Eclipse] [Phantom Sword Dance]
There were also skills unrelated to this body.
[Rending Slash] [Vacuum Slash] [Sky-Piercing Slash]
Some of the skill names felt strangely nostalgic…
[Manifest Demon Sword] [Heaven-Shattering Stance] [Berserk]
And even…
The skills of the corrupted Jace were available.
It felt like the system was saying, 'I didn't know what you wanted, so I prepared everything!'
Ugh, my head is spinning.
It's not bad to have a lot of options, but I was so overwhelmed I couldn't think straight, like I had analysis paralysis.
‘I'll have to think about this carefully…’
Depending on how I combined them.
I could create an overpowered character who surpassed both the Hero and the Demon King.
Well, I'll take my time and think about it.
They required a lot of achievement points, so it was hard to even pick one right now.
[Sub Quest]
[Promotion Battle: Maintain Winning Streak]
[Reward: Winning Streak x 10,000 Achievement Points]
[Sub Quest]
[Ranking: Secure a Spot in the Top 500]
[Reward: +50,000 Achievement Points]
[Sub Quest]
[Martial Arts Tournament: Win the B-Rank Tournament]
[Reward: +200,000 Achievement Points]
[Sub Quest]
[Ranking: Achieve A-Rank]
[Reward: +300,000 Achievement Points]
As my need for achievement points grew.
The system showed me a series of sub quests, as if it had them ready.
They were at a moderate level, neither too easy nor too hard.
They were designed to ignite my desire to take on a challenge.
I was currently classified as B-rank.
But in reality, I was stronger than that, so I felt like I could shoot right up.
I've rested enough; time to train again.
As I started with some light exercise, I glanced over at Aruru.
“What?”
“Aren't you bored?”
She wasn't doing anything.
She was just blankly watching me sweat.
“Nn, you don't have to worry about me.”
I feel kind of bad, though.
She says she's fine, but I can't just take her word for it…
“If you're that concerned, then take it off.”
“---??”
“I want some eye candy.”
“…”
Geez, why is she so bold?
She said it so naturally that I thought I'd misheard.
Well, taking off my shirt was fine.
I tried taking it off, but she didn't have much of a reaction.
She just watched silently with a "hmm," as if appreciating a work of art.
This feels strange in its own way.
Because we're different races, this body's good looks don't seem to work on her as well.
Pushing aside a vague sense of disappointment, I started doing push-ups.
Around the time I hit a hundred.
I realized something absurd.
“…”
This wasn't a workout at all.
Was it because I'd raised my stats too much? I wasn't getting tired in the slightest.
It felt like I needed to put a boulder on my back, but there was nothing suitable around.
“Are you really going to get any training done with that?”
Aruru said listlessly.
It seemed pathetic even to her.
“Want some help?”
An idea suddenly occurred to me.
If I used spirits well, it could be very efficient…
What if she used an earth spirit to increase the gravity around me?
I didn't know much about Spirit Arts, but there were spells like that in magic.
“Possible?”
“Possible!”
“Really?”
“No, it's my first time, so I'll need to get a feel for it.”
“…”
In any case, she was the only S-rank Spirit User.
Perhaps because of that, after a few attempts, she managed to fulfill my request.
“Don't die here. That would be a problem for me.”
“…”
Ten times gravity.
I thought my internal organs were going to be crushed.
My joints buckled, and my knees gave out.
Was trying to imitate astronauts too ambitious?
It hurt so much that I couldn't even scream.
“I think I should lower the intensity. I'll heal you first.”
A high-ranking water spirit enveloped my body.
It might not have been on par with the highest-level divine spells.
But it was more than enough to heal my body.
Although I'd had a bitter experience, there was an unexpected gain.
Aruru's Spirit Arts were useful in many ways.
With her help, I pushed my body to its absolute limit.
***
I spent a week that felt like a month.
It was so agonizing I nearly cried.
But with Aruru by my side, I barely managed to endure it.
‘You're completely exhausted. If you're tired, you can touch my tail.’
‘…’
I don't know why.
But those words somehow sounded like, 'Want to come in for some ramen?'
Anyway.
I ended up succumbing to the temptation of her gently swaying tail.
One of the most charming features of the beastkin.
I never got tired of that fluffy softness, no matter how many times I felt it.
Through that process, I grew quite strong.
I felt like I could probably shoot up to rank 300 in one go.
By the time I achieved my short-term goal, I should have a good amount of achievement points saved up.
Using those points and continuing to train would create a virtuous cycle.
A system where effort paid off.
I couldn't help but feel motivated.
But…
No one was challenging me to promotion battles.
Just a short while ago, they had been chomping at the bit to get at me…
Well, I had expected this to some extent.
With Aruru sticking by my side, all the small fry had completely vanished.
They won't challenge me?
They won't give me a chance to raise my rank?
It seems they changed their plan since it became harder to crush me.
Such a shallow way of thinking.
All I had to do was reverse the roles…
Fine, I'll go find them myself. Just you wait!
I contacted Chloe and received a list of students with similar rankings.
“Hmm, it won't be easy.”
“Why?”
“They'll obviously make excuses and run away.”
The possibility of them using their right to refuse.
She added that the chances were quite high.
Would they really go that far?
It's not like there are no penalties.
“I suppose it would be a pain to look up students who have used all their refusals, right?”
“Yes. Not only would that be too troublesome, but there's no need for it in the first place.”
She showed a meaningful smile.
And added that I would find out soon enough.
“Anyway, I'll be cheering for you. Please remember that I have your back.”
As always, she vanished with a smiling-eyed grin.
Seeing that, Aruru tilted her head.
“Are you cheating on me?”
“…”
My little cutie.
You have a persistent side I didn't know about, huh?
Instead of answering, I stroked her head.
I didn't need to adjust my position; I could reach it just by extending my hand.
I'd become addicted to its fluffiness, and it had become a habit.
I warmed up lightly.
It was time to hunt for suitable prey.
Based on the information Chloe gave me, I approached B-rank students.
“Isaac, rank 587. I challenge you to a promotion…”
“---!!”
Before I could even finish my sentence, he bolted.
He even skipped the process of making an excuse.
Chasing him would be beneath this body's dignity.
I had the image of a young nobleman to maintain.
Every kid I ran into just took off.
It was absurd, but more than that, it was becoming a real problem.
“…”
Seriously, how am I supposed to raise my rank like this?
I couldn't give up, if only for the achievement points.
Just let me catch one of you!
With that mindset, I moved quickly.
My efforts were not in vain.
After coming up empty time and again, something unexpected happened.
The male student I ran into this time also tried to flee.
But, as if to say that action was unacceptable, a man in a black suit blocked his path.
“Kevin, rank 595. Remaining refusals: zero. Condition: good. Cleared for combat. If you avoid this promotion battle, you will be given demerits.”
“Ah, damn it! Of all the times…”
He cursed as if his luck had run out.
The man in the black suit paid him no mind and grinned.
Someone else's misfortune is my good fortune.
I was dumbfounded, in a good way.
This was what Chloe had hinted at.
To think I'd get help from that annoying man in the black suit.
It was a strange feeling, but right now, I didn't care.
Now, hurry up and give me my points!
I shook the point-dispensing vending machine and easily claimed my first victory.