Let's return to the present time, in the training ground.
Currently, I was watching an unexpected situation unfolding before my eyes.
Just as I was thinking 'Maybe I should suddenly trip myself' while dealing with Parry-kun's attacks, and waited for the right time to act, he suddenly fell to his knees.
His shoulders were heavily heaving up and down, a long continuous huff escaping from his lungs. He seemed to be having a hard time breathing.
...Excuse me? No matter what, I think that your acting was going too far, Parry-kun... Only around 10 minutes had passed since our match started after all.
I endured the slight embarrassment welling inside me and, pretending to be slightly careless, I approached him without putting myself on guard.
"That's enough… He's out of mana. Lend him a shoulder."
Out of mana?!... No matter how you use mana, wasn't it too soon to run out of it? Even if your mana capacity was just barely above the limit, 10 minutes was just too short.
In a fight, no matter how intense your actions were, you'd always alternate between movement and breathing. When you had enough leeway during such a fight, it was always best to make a move to interrupt your opponent's rhythm, but here— I hadn't even made a single move yet. It wasn't like we were doing anaerobic exercise for these 10 minutes either. Though that sort of exercise should be impossible for the people of this world as well...
While I was struggling to catch up with the current situation and desperately thinking about how to make myself trip here, Leo stepped forward and said quietly—
"...Allen Rovenne, how about we have a match?"
He was already holding a wooden sword in his hand, and his face revealed a daring grin.
Ah, Leo huh?... Thinking about it, this could be a chance. I still didn't understand what in the world had happened, but this could be my chance to lower my stock that had been raised due to Parry-kun's fault in the minds of the others.
And to be honest, I also wanted to go all out at least once. I doubt there would be that many chances after I transferred to Class E. In the current confusing situation where I was unsure about my current position among the others, this was also a good opportunity to test it.
I lowered my head to a perfect 30 degrees and then raised it again.
◆◆◆
After waiting for me to get into my stance, Leo struck first with a textbook example-esque of a beautiful sweeping slash, seemingly to try out my reaction.
It was quite fast, but within range that I could handle. I accepted that slash with my wooden sword while contemplating the next development. But the instant his hit collided, I was blown back by nearly 3m due to a force beyond my expectation.
I swiftly covered myself with body-strengthening magic, did a break-fall move, and took a backward roll to create some distance before getting up.
...So this was the strength of the person aiming for a perfect score in the Royal Academy's entrance exam. And from the look of it, he still hadn't gone all out. He was definitely a cut above the rest with the feeling transmitted to me from the earlier probing move.
It wasn't going to be easy to cross that difference in this fight. But...
Leo didn't show any intention to pursue, however, and just flashed a fearless smile… I almost felt like tearing up there!
◆◆◆
Just force won't work, I quickly concluded that and decided to overwhelm him with a flurry of moves. It would be an instant defeat for me if our swords locked onto each other.
Speed was the key here.
When he followed with an attack, I put enough force to knock it down. When he dodged, I immediately chained in the next attack. And when he decided to take my attack head-on, I hurriedly pulled myself back.
I responded to the changes in his movements right before receiving them in my own way.
I was occasionally blown back by Leo's attacks, but I utilized those chances to quickly compress my magic while adjusting my breathing to regain as much mana as possible before following up with a slash.
However, I couldn't hit him.
We repeated the same pattern for almost thirty minutes, but Leo, unlike Parry-kun, showed no signs of magic exhaustion. His irritating smirk had disappeared, but I still couldn't find any opening.
I decided to stake everything on one decisive move. Up until now, I hadn't used a thrusting technique. I changed from a high stance to a stabbing motion, which I had deliberately omitted from my thoughts, and directly aimed at his forehead. I threw away any idea of holding back in this move and poured all my strength into it.
However, Leo twisted his neck and dodged the attack. What the hell! Here I thought he would take it directly!
I kept my gaze fixed on Leo's forehead and, using the flow of my thrust, immediately followed up with a full-force kick aimed at his groin. I hadn't used any form of martial arts all so far just to lay the groundwork for this attack!
To my amazement, Leo closed his legs at paper-thin timing and managed to block even this move.
"Guooo!!"
However, he didn't have enough time to stabilize his posture, so his stance fell apart as he got blown backward. I attempted to deliver the finishing blow, but the following development left me stunned.
A bright red fireball came flying at me from Leo's outstretched left hand as he staggered backward.
◆◆◆
There wasn't enough time to cancel my forwarding momentum, so I immediately let go of my wooden sword, covered both of my hands with body-strengthening magic and repelled the fireball.
However, the instant I relaxed my arms, I found Leo's wooden sword resting on my neck.
I plopped down on the spot face-up in a '大' shape.
"It's my loss."
I hadn't planned to intentionally lose against Leo. It was an all-out battle. But I still lost.
If he had used emission magic from the get-go, I believe the match would have concluded earlier. He probably just didn't want to use it.
It was frustrating, but that was my current situation. No choice but to move on.
In the countryside viscounty, I couldn't fathom losing to my peers, so tears streamed down my cheeks. These were the so-called 'tears of vexation'.
However, a part of me also felt somewhat refreshed.
Leo Zatsinger.
I'll definitely make you cry someday!
I resolved to do a start-over from Class E and re-train myself from scratch.
◆
"What kind of training do you usually do?"
Leo asked as he extended his hand. His gaze wasn't one of a victor looking down on the defeated. He wasn't a bad person, we just didn't get along well.
"It's nothing special. Just the basic training like running every morning, practicing my sword moves, and doing mana compression exercises before bedtime. I was quite busy with my studies," I replied, taking hold of Leo's hand and standing up.
"...It seems like you still have room for improvement. Do you know your stamina is beyond the norm?"
Leo asked, with a genuine look of curiosity.
...Beyond the norm?
"Well, I do focus on running to the limit each day."
I didn't quite understand what he was talking about, but it would be frustrating if I looked like I didn't understand anything after my defeat, so I gave a vague response.
Lio wore a bold smile once again, then turned to Godorfun and placed his right hand on his chest while saying,
"In the name of Leo Zatsinger, I recognize Allen Rovenne to be worthy of being in the first-year class A ."
"...Noted."
"Huh?"
Why did it turn out like this?
"I will run with you from tomorrow onward."
Did I wake up on the wrong side of the bed? Why the hell was the guy whom I had no chance of getting along with suddenly proposing to exercise together? What in tarnation was this hellish situation...
He even recommended me. Who was the one who said he would never get along with me yesterday? What a simpleton. He still wore that sly smile.
But this was bad. Losing Parry and Leo, my two aces, at this point was beyond my expectations. I had to be more careful in the remaining time, otherwise, I might really end up in this class.
Just as my brain was working overtime to make sense of the whole situation, Godorfun said something unexpected.
"With Leo's current recommendation, all the first-year A-class students have recommended Allen Rovenne. Last night, along with the recommendation from all the other examiners, I received His Majesty's approval as well. Therefore, Allen Rovenne is now officially a member of Class A."
Huh? What in the nine realms was this old man blabbering about? Did he go senile overnight?
"Fufufu! To think that within a day, all your classmates would recognize you, and with their family names to boot... Just what kind of magic did you use?"
Kukuku, I would like to learn that magic as well if it really exists. Though, there was no way I was going to use it if possible...
Err, so this wasn't some kind of elaborate prank? When I entered the classroom this morning, I was sure all my classmates were looking at me with disdain.
"Pfft."
...So it was all that person's ploy?
I turned around slowly. There, with smiles on their faces, were Fey and my classmates, who should have been giving me cold looks just this morning.
"That was amazing, Allen! You continued to fight for so long that I almost wondered how the hell was your mana capacity only judged as C. To keep fighting toe-to-toe with someone like Leo who has over 50,000 units of mana, just what kind of sorcery did you use to manage that?"
Al approached me with a big smile, slinging his arm around my shoulder.
"Allen, did you seriously think you could escape from me? I'll chase you no matter how far you run, so it's better to give up early."
Stalker said to me with an amused grin.
Then a classic blonde-haired young lady, wearing a scarlet-colored headband to hold back her hair, approached. She was the same unlucky soul who accidentally happened to sit next to Fey and bore her ridicule.
"Nice to meet you, Allen-san. I am Jeuri Levarance. Please call me Jeu. If you feel bothered by Fey-san's constant meddling, feel free to consult with me."
Levarance, huh?... Why is a Marquis family on the level of Fey's family suddenly acting so friendly? I suddenly felt my heart throbbing after receiving a wink from a cute, gentle-looking girl...
But as someone who knew the two sides of my elder sister, I really hated myself for not being able to completely trust her friendliness.
"...Weren't girls giving me contempt-filled gazes just before...?"
I asked, feeling apprehensive.
The one who cleared my doubt was the purple-haired girl with a class president sort of vibe, who was standing next to Jeu.
"Can I call you Allen? I'm Kate from the civil course. Everyone in the class knows you're a virgin. Haven't you been teased by Fey?"
Ridiculous! Why the hell did I never hear there exists a magic tool like that!? With which principle does it even use to determine that?!
"Anyway, I'll be joining in for the morning run as well. I'm Stella, from the knight course. Let's get along well," remarked a spirited girl with pink twin tails.
Just what in the world was happening...
"Allen, I also want to join in. I'll make sure I won't slow you down, so please."
"A-Alright. I don't mind, Coco."
I somehow managed to reply.
"So, at what time are we going to run?"
"Let's decide on a meeting place as well!"
The mob-faced A-kun and B-kun chimed in, acting overly familiar.
"Hey! I'll also join in! Don't you dare forget me!"
He was a bit late, but Parry-kun hurriedly got up and declared so. Was it that? I was welcomed into the class...
"Fuhaha. You've managed to force everyone to surrender to your 'Potential'. This is another of politics' tapestry."
The old man chimed in with his know-it-all attitude, bringing politics into this.
I looked at the grinning faces of my classmates. Each and everyone's face was screaming 'Serves you right'. It seemed like I had tripped into a classic of reincarnation stories, 'Serves you right'.
Fey put her right hand on her chest, and spoke my name as the class representative,
"Allen Rovenne."
Then, everyone said it out loud, together,
" "Welcome to the Royal Academy Year-1 Class A!" "
Except for Parry-kun, everyone was perfectly in sync.
◆◆◆
In the long history of the Yugria Royal Knight and Mage Academy, the 1127th batch graduates were hailed as the exception among exceptions with the achievements they earned. Alternatively, they even earned the nickname 'Unicorn Generation'.
And in the center of it all, those who left behind their names in the annals of history like—
<Ever Victorious>
Leo Zatsinger
<Emptiness is Form>
Feyrune Von Dragoon
<Great Cascade>
Aldore Engraver
<Jack of All Trades>
Coconial CanardialAlong with many other great personas, they were hailed as the aces of their generation, 'The Heavenly Prodigies'.
Allen Rovenne, against all odds, showed his worth in front of the whole class— each being more outstanding than the other, and overturned the unprecedented cheating allegation on four subjects, thus, gaining the right to enter Class A.
This was but a small prelude to his grand legend.
A/N - This concludes Chapter 1. If I were to give this chapter a title, it would be ~Unceasing Prudence~ Examination War Edition.
Editor Note - I assume the author meant Volume 1 instead of Chapter 1. So what do you guys think? I felt like it was a pretty good 1st volume overall. (T/N - These ones can be considered episodes, so author probably meant that.)
T/N - I like how author ended the first arc, atleast there're not that many stereotypes among students, except certain individuals xD.