Volume 4 Chapter 3.3
Rampage at the Martial Arts Garden Part 3
Translator : PolterGlast
After the morning
classes and lunch, Nozomu headed to the training ground with Mars, Jin, and the
others. He was already familiar with Jin and the others, not only because they
had worked together during the Special Comprehensive Exercise, but also because
of the incident in the classroom this morning.
However, when Nozomu
and the others arrived at the training ground, they all tilted their heads in
puzzlement.
The instructor was not
in the training ground where the practical training class was scheduled to take
place, but instead a large sign was standing in his place.
"Hmm, what's
this? A notice of change of location for the joint class?"
"Let's see......
the location is, Martial Arts Garden? Why there?"
Nozomu and the others
tilted their heads when they saw the notice.
The Martial Arts
Garden is the largest training facility at Solminati Academy. It is a huge oval
coliseum, with enough space in the central arena for all the students of one
grade to gather.
In addition, the arena
is surrounded by staircase-like spectator seating that can accommodate several
thousand spectators.
This is because the
Martial Arts Garden was built as a place for students to showcase their martial
arts and magic demonstrations to guests not only from outside the school but
also from outside the city. Therefore, this facility is used only when the
academy makes a big campaign. It is not a facility that is normally used for
practical classes with other classes.
"Well, all we can
do is go there for now, right?"
Nozomu and the others
nodded at Mars' words, and they all moved together to the Martial Arts Garden.
When they arrived, many students had already gathered. The number of students
gathered in the central arena was several hundred.
"Oi-oi, look, it
seems that all three grades have gathered here."
"We just finished
a Special Comprehensive Exercise, and they're already holding an event
involving the entire school year?"
"Also, look at
the spectator's seats."
The third graders were
not the only ones in the Martial Arts Garden. In the spectator's seats sat
first and second graders, who were juniors, and fourth graders, who were
seniors. The students of Ecross, an affiliated school, were also there. In
addition, there were about 30 people dressed in various, but extravagant,
outfits.
"Why are there
underclassmen here? Are they here to show off?"
"No, then it's a
little strange to have outsiders here. And judging by the way Anri-sensei is
behaving, it doesn't seem that way......."
Nozomu pointed to the
other side of the Martial Arts Garden, right across from the center, as he said
this to Deck and the others who were voicing their concerns. There, Anri, the
10th-class homeroom teacher, was waving her hand with a big smile on her face.
Beside her were Jihad, the school's principal, and Inda, his assistant.
Anri is a
student-oriented person who treats the lowest class, Nozomu and the others,
with kindness and equality. Looking at her, there is no sign of aversion or
avoidance toward this training.
(But sensei, can't you
do something about that conspicuous gesture? I'm attracting a lot of attention
here......)
Anri has an outward
appearance that reminds one of a young lady with a deep peerage, but on the
other hand, her personality is strangely childlike.
When Nozomu grimaced
at her behavior, she began to jump up and down. Perhaps she wanted him to wave
back at her the same way she did.
Her childishness
increased even more, and her long skirt fluttered up in the air.
This is not good.
Nozomu had no choice but to go along with Anri and waved back. The eyes of the
whole Martial Arts Garden turned to Nozomu at once, as if they were looking at
something strange.
"A-Ahahaha......."
While Nozomu's cheeks
twitched under the concentrated bombardment of stares, Anri looked satisfied
before returning to her business.
Then a blue-haired
girl approached him.
"You sure are
standing out, Nozomu-kun."
"Ah, Shina-san. You
see, Anri-sensei is kinda......."
Shina, who entered the
Martial Arts Garden with Mimuru, Tom, and Feo, spoke to Nozomu with a smile on
her face, but her expression seemed to be somewhat strained.
"...... You are
well-liked, huh?"
"Is that so? I
don't think that's the case-...... why are you glaring at me like that?"
"...... I'm not
glaring at you though."
No, that's a lie.
Nozomu thought about it, but he couldn't say anything about the accusatory
glances that were directed at him, and he broke out in a cold sweat. Then,
Mimru, who was standing next to Shina, opened her mouth while grinning.
"Don't worry
about it~~. She's just worried about you, Nozomu~~."
"Eh?"
"Hmph!"
Immediately after,
Shina's iron claw unleashed on Mimuru. "Migyaa~!", a scream like a
flea being crushed resounded along with the sound of creaking bones.
"Hey Nozomu, good
morning. Oh, Shina, you're here too."
"G-Good
morning......."
While Nozomu's face
twitched at the tragedy in front of him, Irisdina and Tima who had arrived at
the Martial Arts Garden also called out to him. The girls chuckled at Shina and
Mimuru's comedic antics and took a glance at the people gathered in the spectator's
seats.
"What a huge
crowd......."
"Yeah, holding
joint classes for the entire school year is one thing, but inviting people from
outside the academy to demonstrate the classes is unusual at this time of the
year."
Soluminati Academy,
for the reason of its establishment, naturally has opportunities to showcase
its students and their abilities to the outside world. However, it is mainly
later in the annual year's curriculum. As far as Irisdina knows, there is no
such thing as a public exhibition of classes in the early spring.
Conversely, it could
be said that the students have more opportunities to show off their abilities.
While having such a
conversation, Nozomu's eyes naturally went to the place where the students of
the 1st-class were gathered and caught sight of the red-haired girl. Lisa also
noticed Nozomu, and as usual, she turned her angry gaze on him. The sight of
her unchanged behavior confirmed Nozomu's suspicions.
(Ken is the one who is
controlling Lisa, after all......)
The one who is
actually controlling her is probably that lesser water spirit called Mefi. A
sense of resentment welled up from deep within his chest.
Irisdina, standing
next to him, looked at him with a complicated expression.
"Everyone,
assemble! Line up in ranks!"
The signal to assemble
issued by Inda resounded. Apparently, the time has come.
Nozomu parted from
Irisdina, Shina, and the others as they lined up.
The school's
representatives, including Jihad, were lined up in front, and behind them in
the spectator's seats sat Ecross students and other dignitaries from outside
the school. The seats they sat in were exceptionally luxurious.
The Ecross students
look interested and excited, but the dignitaries cast a somewhat judgmental
glance down at the students. A look that almost made one's spine itch. While
Nozomu uncomfortably winced, Jihad took a step forward.
"Now, this joint
class was suddenly arranged to be held for all three grades at the same time.
This is a special
measure because the previous Special Comprehensive Exercise was canceled midway
through."
If one does well, one
can expect to get quite a few extra points. Furthermore, it is possible to
attract the attention of the important figures outside of the school.
The students who were
not able to perform well in the Special Comprehensive Exercise had a strong
glint in their eyes.
"The first
matches have been announced in advance, but after that, the students are free
to form their own teams under the supervision of each instructor. I hope that
each of you will fully demonstrate your abilities, and I hope that this will
lead to your future growth. That is all."
With Jihad's words,
the joint class began.
The content of the
class was combat training between different classes, and the locations where
they were held also differed between classes.
The higher-ranked
classes were in front of the main arena, while the lower-ranked classes were at
the end of the arena.
Nozomu and his
classmates moved to the edge of the Martial Arts Garden, but Anri came running
up to them and called out.
"Ah,
Nozomu-ku~~n. Also Mars-kun, Jin-kun, and the others~~! You're going to have
combat training over there, so follow me~~"
Anri-sensei rushed up
to them while waving her hands in a lively manner just as she did earlier.
While Nozomu and the
others tilted their heads, wondering what she meant, Anri continued her
explanation.
"Nozomu-kun and
the others had excellent results in the Special Comprehensive Exercise, so
we'll have you start along with the 1st and 2nd classes~~!"
"......
Huh?"
"Eeeh!?"
Nozomu's face turned
dumbfounded at Anri's words, while Jin and the others were surprised.
All of them have
reviewed the contents of the joint classes to date. They had never heard of
special arrangements being made in this way.
Nevertheless, the
recent Special Comprehensive Exercise itself has been an unprecedented
situation.
And, at the urging of
Anri, Nozomu and the others were brought to the front of the main arena where
the 1st and 2nd classes were having a joint class. The other upper-class
students, who were unaware of what was going on, looked doubtful, but their
expressions turned curious when they learned that it was Nozomu and his team.
They were surprised to
see that Nozomu and his team, who had been at the bottom of the barrel, had
made it to the top in this year's Special Comprehensive Exercise.
"Mars-kun,
Jin-kun, and the others are going to have a combat training with the 1st class.
Nozomu-kun, you go this way~~"
"Huh? Wait,
Anri-sensei!?"
Meanwhile, Nozomu was
further pulled away from Mars and the others by Anri.
"Alright, please
wait here~~"
Nozomu was brought to
the waiting seat at the front of the arena.
It is a place for
students to take a rest after the battle. Behind him, seated in the provided
seats, are a number of invited spectators. Curious as to why someone from the
10th class was here, intrigued and unreserved gazes were directed at Nozomu's
back.
Nozomu has been
exposed to a great deal of ill will in the past, but he has never been
subjected to so many curious eyes. As he flinched uncomfortably, he spotted
Somia and Mena among the spectators.
When Nozomu's eyes met
Somia's, she smiled and waved her hand, and Mena gave a small bow.
Beside Somia were her
friends from Ecross, who had attended her birthday party, and they were waving
to Nozomu while crowding onto her for some reason.
Somia smiled bitterly,
and Mena whispered something to her, and her Ecross friends got even more
excited.
Somia turned to Nozomu
as if to ask for help, but unfortunately, they were too far apart to do
anything about it, so he returned a wry smile as if to say he was sorry.
While Somia was
devastated, Nozomu turned his attention to the combat training unfolding in
front of him.
"Oh, as expected
of Mars. Jin and the others are also fighting hard......"
Mars and his team were
suddenly thrown into combat training for the higher ranks, but they fought
hard, overturning the expectations of the people around them.
It was no surprise
since Mars was originally a talented fighter who could have been in the first
class if it were only for his practical skills.
What was remarkable
was how hard Jin and the others fought.
"These guys......"
"Not good enough!
......Anri-sensei at that time was still a whole lot stronger than that!"
They seemed like they
were going to fall, but they didn't. Anyway, they were persisting and hanging
on even against the offensive of the 1st class students. The experience of
fighting and winning against Anri, who was much more powerful during the
Special Comprehensive Exercise. This allowed them to regain the confidence and
strength that they had previously lost.
"Oi-oi, look at
that, that's kinda amazing."
"Huh? But their
opponents are the 10th class, you know? Such a thing ...... is impossible,
right?"
Gradually, the gazes
of those around them began to gather on Jin, Mars, and the others. Nozomu found
himself clenching his fists in support of their hard-fought battle.
"Excuse me, do
you mind if I sit here?"
Suddenly, he heard a
hoarse voice. His attention, which had been focused on Jin and the others, was
pulled back to his side.
It was a neat-looking
old man. He had brown skin, almost gray hair, and only a few black hairs
remaining. He was wearing a blackish-brown robe that was recognizable as a
high-quality garment, with the emblem of the Gloaurum Institution embroidered
on the robe.
His eyes were large in
contrast to his long face. The light in his eyes, which peek out through
hollowed pupils, is strong and gives the impression that he is more vigorous
than his age.
In his hand is a
simple brown cane. Judging by its luster, it is probably made of gemstone. It
was worn and knobby, perhaps from age.
"I don't mind,
but ...... may I ask, who are you?"
Obviously an
influential figure in the city. Nozomu involuntarily gulped at the strong and
curious, yet insect-like inorganic eyes that fixed on him.
"Ah, apologies.
My name is Fardrey Incidus."
Nozomu's eyes widen
upon hearing that name. He knew the name. How could he not know?
The most important
person in Arcazam. He is a major figure who compiled the indigenous magic of
each region and created Arcazam's chanting and formation formulas. The rapid
development of this city cannot be described without him.
He is a key figure who
is usually holed up in the laboratory of the Gloaurum Institution and never
appears in public. What would such a person be doing here, away from the
distinguished guests' seats?
Naturally, the eyes of
the surrounding people began to focus on the old man.
"Hmm, I see that
you are attracting a lot of attention......"
"N-No, I think
it's because you're here...... or rather, your escorts seem to be in a
panic."
If one were to look
closely, one would see that the guards in the distinguished guests' seats were
pointing in this direction and rushing out in a panic. Shortly after this, they
would surely barge into this waiting area.
"Hmmm, looks like
it."
Fardrey, on the other
hand, did not seem to feel any particular emotion, but merely glanced in the
direction of the distinguished guests' seats and immediately returned his
gawking gaze to Nozomu.
"Well, even if
they come, just ignore them. Besides, the big match is about to start."
"Eh......?"
The combat training
that had been taking place was over before he knew it.
All the students had
descended from the arena in the Martial Arts Garden, and in their place, Jihad,
a burly man in silver and white armor, ascended to the center of the arena.
"What
happened?"
"A mock combat
with Jihad, the hero of the Great Invasion of 20 years ago. Who will be chosen
and how fierce will they fight? Moreover, I didn't expect him to also bring his
treasured sword, the [Jaw Drop]."
Jihad, who went on
stage, carried a great sword in his right hand and a tower shield in his left,
enough to hide his entire body.
But what was most
unusual was the huge jet-black sword he carried on his back.
It is a huge
single-edged sword, even larger and thicker than Mars' great sword. Considering
its weight, it would be impossible for an ordinary human to even lift it.
Giant Sword・Jaw Drop.
It is Jihad Raundel's
treasured sword, and has symbolized his success in overcoming many difficulties
since the great invasion of 20 years ago.
"I never thought
he would bring out that giant sword made of Tanglar for a mock combat of this
magnitude.
I've been here for
more than ten years, but I've never seen it before. It's not something to be
wielded against a human being."
According to Fardrey,
Jihad never used that Jaw Drop in his classes.
The reason is that it
was originally designed to be used against powerful demonic beasts and is
therefore not something that can be easily handled.
"But he brought
it here. It seems that he has high expectations of someone."
Jihad Raundel is the
head of the Solminati Academy, and he became famous for his heroic exploits
during the Great Invasion 20 years ago and the subsequent Operation Fructus.
At the time of the
invasion, he was a knight belonging to a small country on the eastern side of
the continent.
The country was
overrun by demonic beasts and collapsed. Nevertheless, he managed to protect
the remaining people while they were defeated.
Later, in Operation
Fructus, a major counterinsurgency operation conducted with the cooperation of
many countries, he liberated the area from the Delta Zone to the southwestern
part of the Central Mountain Range. He then became the commander of the third
unit of the [Silver Rainbow Knight Order], a group of knights created by
assembling the elite of each country, and continuously spearheaded the defeat
of the demonic beasts that remained in the human sphere.
The most famous battle
of his career is the fierce battle against one of the [The Six Bad Omens],
[Wisdom Dragon of the Rigid Waves]. While the third unit of the Silver Rainbow
Knights, which he was commanding at the time, was destroyed, he fought the
demonic beast and cut off its lower jaw.
As a result, the beast
lost most of its fighting ability and was defeated. Since then, it is said that
the beast has never appeared in public again.
Because of this
anecdote, his sword came to be known as the [Jaw Drop].
What kind of student
would he seriously try to compete with? In all likelihood, it would be Irisdina
or one of the other A-ranked students.
As the anticipation
filled the Martial Arts Garden, Jihad's gaze turned to Nozomu, who was sitting
in the waiting area.
"......Hmm?"
"Hou......"
Why do my eyes
meet Jihad's? Nozomu looked dumbfounded for a moment, followed by a quick blink of as
he guessed his intentions.
No, probably
not. No way. As if to refute the mutterings in his heart, Anri, who had instructed
Nozomu to wait, returned.
"Alright,
Nozomu-kun, it's your turn~~"
"What do you mean
by 'my turn' ......?"
"Of course, it's
your turn for the mock combat~~. Come on, hurry up~~!"
Anri, smiling more
than usual, took Nozomu's hand and pulled him straight to the center arena.
Irisdina and the other 1st class students were not even called.
"U-Umm,
Anri-sensei. What's this about ......?"
"Well then, good
luck~~!"
And then she pulled
Nozomu up to the arena and quickly left with a big smile on her face.
"O-Ooo......"
A rain of intense
stares. Nozomu's stomach began to churn as he was exposed to unprecedented
attention.
"U-Umm,
Jihad-sensei, why am I here?"
"It was
Anri-sensei's suggestion. However, I was also inwardly looking forward to
it."
Apparently, the reason
he ended up here was because of Anri.
When Nozomu glanced
behind him with a sideways glance, his homeroom teacher, the main culprit, was
cheering him on with her fists raised in a cute gesture.
Irisdina and the
others were also by Anri's side. They, too, seemed surprised at the situation.
"The great
swordsman of the East, Shino Mikagura. You are the last direct disciple who has
inherited everything from her. As a swordsman, I have been wanting to have a
bout with you ever since I heard about you."
Meanwhile, Jihad
thrust the [Jaw Drop] he was carrying into the ground with a meaningful smile
on his face, and began rocking his shoulders as if to loosen his body.
"Who told you
about Shishō?"
"It was Mena
Manat. She's a comrade-in-arms of mine. Are you surprised?"
"Yeah, a
little......"
Nozomu glanced toward
the distinguished guests' seats where Mena was sitting. The skilled maid was
still standing by Somia's side, looking as nonchalant as ever.
To Nozomu's surprise,
Jihad began to wrap his body with Qi.
The Qi was so dense
that it shook the air. Nozomu's eyes squinted at the chill running down his
spine.
His heartbeat
quickened, and his body naturally shifted into a state of combat. Seeing Nozomu
who was shaken but not intimidated, the hero smiled and gestured to Inda, who
was by the side of the arena.
Inda nodded to Jihad's
gaze and held up her right hand. Then a section of the stone floor rose up to
the height of her waist. As she imbued her fingers with magic and ran them over
the pedestal, a four-layered wall of light appeared to cover the arena. This is
a special mechanism installed in this Martial Arts Garden to protect the
spectators and waiting seats, and it is a ritual magic that deploys four magic
barriers that can block even advance-tiered magic.
Furthermore, the hard
stone floor of the arena began to crumble. The collapsed stone floor became
moist soil, and stone spires rose one after another from the soil. Their
appearance and hue changed to that of trees rooted in the ground.
"This
is......."
His surroundings had
changed drastically. It was the same scenery as in the spasim forest that he
knew so well.
Another feature of
this Martial Arts Garden is to recreate a wide variety of environments through
ritual magic.
Naturally, it is
possible to recreate not only forests, but also watery areas, deserts, and
alpine cliffs.
Gently, Nozomu touched
the roots of a tree running into the soil beneath his feet.
The hard, cold feel of
stone felt on his fingers. It was an elaborate pseudo-tree, so elaborate that
it was hard to believe that it actually was a transformed stone floor.
"This is a
familiar scenery, isn't it? You can wield your power as you see fit. And, of
course, that power included......"
That power. Nozomu
gasped at Jihad's meaningful words.
(Jihad-sensei
might have known that I could release my ability suppression, but he must have
not known about Tiamat......)
"This is a great
opportunity. A great opportunity for you to change the impression surrounding
you that you are a [bottom of the barrel]."
Those were words of
intense temptation. The release of ability suppression and the use of the
source element of the Dragon King. If he were to use the powers he displayed in
his previous battle against one of the Six Bad Omens, [Cracked-Crown] Giant
Centipede, that alone would be enough to change the rumors that had circulated
about him.
But at the same time,
it would drastically increase the chances of Nozomu being known as the Dragon
Slayer.
"Now, here I
go."
Before his turmoil
could subside, Jihad closed in on Nozomu. He swung his great sword, which was
originally supposed to be used as a two-handed sword, effortlessly with one
hand and struck a powerful blow that seemed to split the wind.
End of Chapter 3
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