Shinka no Mi Chapter 71

「Come to think of it,  what was Blued’s strategy again?」

As I gazed at Blue and the two others getting up, I spoke of the doubt in my mind, Blued explained it to me.

「It’s nothing difficult, really. To make Secchi sensei’s attention focused on Agnos and Bead’s offenses, both will attack Sensei leaving you with no opening. During that, in the instant when you lose awareness of me, I will attack you from behind. 」

「Indeed… then, wouldn’t it have a mistake of you to call out to me?」

That was right, if he didn’t speak out, I might have been done in by surprise…Though it might be difficult with 『World’s Eye』 and 『Reflexive Defense』 a.s.sisting me. However,『World’s Eye』 would only activate if I am conscious of the target, therefore 『Reflexive Defense』 would not intervene as well.

In the first place, if only I could control my body, I can normally evade that attack without relying on Reflexive Defense』, I really felt like I am showing off.

Blued then shook his head.

「No, my aim was to forcibly divert your attention to me by calling out to you. By doing so, your attention would have been pulled away from Agnos and s.h.i.+fted to me who suddenly appeared and waver. Moreover, I wholly understand I lack power to deliver a decisive blow, even if I’m capable of using a sword. Thus, by using Agnos and Bead as a false decoy, to make me, the actual decoy, pop out and surprise you, and let them unleash the finis.h.i.+ng move whilst you were still focusing on me.」

I unintentionally made a dumbfounded face. So, in short, Blued whom I thought the main attacker was actually the decoy, and Agnos whom I thought the decoy was actually the real deal. Nothing difficult, he said… What a lie!

It was impossible for me to even strategize to that extent and fight. And to think we are of the same age……

No, what was impossible for me didn’t always mean the same for other people. However, the unfortunate thing is that ……during that battle, the notion of who is a decoy or whatnots never even crossed my mind! Well, in the end, all I got to do is to defeat them, so it didn’t really matter how I did so…

This is nothing but an excuse! Yes, it never even cross my mind! With this, are you content now?!

While my inner heart and I was having a conflict, Blued broke into a bitter smile

「Well, it does not really matter in Seiichi-sensei’s case though.」

I WAS FOUND OUT!!!!!

I, could do nothing but smile dryly. Blued and the other two then headed to Beatrice-san’s place, and before long went back into spectator mode.
After confirming that, I asked the remaining members.

「Now then… Who will go next?」

And so, Flora, Rachel, and Irene raised their hands.

「Here, here! Please fight against the three of us!」

「Please do~」

Apparently, Flora, Rachel and Irene had teamed up to challenge me.
Of course, now that I allowed Blued and his companions to do so, I couldn’t say no here.
Besides, I’m grateful that I can fight while still being mindful about the last battle’s reflecting points.

「Alright! I’m fired up!」

「Please don’t be too hard on us~」

Flora seemed feisty enough, though Rachel felt somewhat fainthearted.
Suddenly, I noticed something was off about Irene.

「What’s wrong Irene?」

Irene was dropping her face down.When I tried to look at her, puzzled, she soon after gazed at me frigidly and said.

「It’s unjust!」

I gave out an idiotic sound towards Irene’s sudden remark. To my reaction, Irene started spewing out the things she wanted to say.

「Are you aware of how beautiful you are? And to hide it under a hood…..Just how much of a huge loss for humanity do you think it is!? Just by being beautiful itself, you have been entrusted with a responsibility. Yes, the responsibility of  showcasing that beauty to the rest of the people!『Beauty』 is an eminence, and for this reason, that’s precisely why people with 『Beauty』 must always fulfill that responsibility! And, Seiichi-sensei……right now, you are abandoning it!」

「I, I’m sorry!?」

「Oh no, I will not forgive you! I’ll continue to heckle at you till you understand your own value! This perfect me will!」

「No, thank you.」

I only could float a cramped smile to Irene who had been babbling whatever she wanted. At any rate, just what had happened to my face?

Not even once have I ever looked at myself in the mirror after coming to this world…
Or rather, I felt like I hadn’t even seen any mirror at all. [1].
On the side note, the main reason was because I wasn’t too interested in my own face. I mean, it wouldn’t particularly become a problem even if I didn’t know…

(Mabbo’s Note: [1] Then what was the thing Irene held back at chap 68?)

Well, thanks to the effect of『Fruit of Evolution』, my skeletal structure had clearly changed……No, rather than orthopedically changed, it was more like my body itself had changed deep down in the genetic level? Anyway, I knew it had dramatically changed both in my height and in shape compared how I was back in the Earth. What if I really was like how May painted me. …No, I’d be jolly if that was really the case. Me in that painting was really a super ikemen after all.

While I was pondering about my own appearance for a while, Irene readied her weapon while breathing deeply and then walked toward Flora and Helen’s place.

「Seiichi-sensei! What are you doing? Let’s get this started soon! Yes, this pursuit of 『Beauty』 …!」

「No, it’s just a mock battle」

As I retorted, I confronted Irene and the girls. Just like Blued and the rest, when I checked their magic apt.i.tude, as expected, their magic has not developed yet. Is it safe to say I’ve confirmed them?

Blued and his cla.s.smates’ battle prowess was obviously not those of the dunce cla.s.s. That was why, the cla.s.sification of being a dropout, to say, was whether one could use magic or not.

Well, it is Barbadora Magic Academy. Therefore, magic would be the focus here. But that was still one extreme way of grading.

It was just, if this school was overflowing with students who had a battle apt.i.tude higher than Blued, I’d understand why they were labelled as dropouts, but Beatrice-san said that Helen was one of the most talented students, so that might be not the case.

Besides, I could not understand why Leon, who seemed like he was able to use magic, was placed in this dropout cla.s.s.

Ah, by the way, I didn’t see everyone’s information except their magic portion okay! I properly respected their privacy, okay! I am especially wary of information women do not want to reveal such as 3 sizes and others, okay! 『World Eye』 is seriously scary after all!

But, thanks to that, I didn’t know what Martial Arts Helen used and such.
While thinking about such things, I faced myself to the three people who were squaring off against me.

Flora held a great sword approaching her own heights, Rachel had her spears, and Irene postured herself with a huge scythe.

「Oh! How sinful am I who beseem with anything… Yes, this beautiful grim reaper. A beautiful grim reaper that grants death to a foolish teacher who is not aware of his own 『Beauty』!」

「Please treat us well~」

「I’ll go full throttle okay! You better be prepared!」

What a scene that perfectly reflects their temper. As I embraced such thoughts, watching over them, I as well readied myself.

And so, in the next moment ——, first up was Flora swinging her great sword casually while closing in on me.

「Here I come~! And THEEEERRREEE!!!」

It was a sharp blow aimed at me, but it was swung from the side, aiming at my flank. However, I only received it lightly, and with the same momentum as it, took some distance from the girls. But, despite receiving it lightly, I was swept some distance away from the 3 girls with that force.
And so, in order to pursue me, Irene brandished her huge scythe to my neck as though she wanted reap it.

「Allow me to take that head! And showcase it to the people!」

「You want to showcase my beheaded head even though I’m innocent!?」

「No! If your body was also in a perfect condition, I’ll display your corpse as well!」

「She has gone really mad…!」

As I was rebuking Irene who had gone cuckoo, I kept evading Irene’s pursuit.
…Alright, I have a good feeling now. I had properly learned my footworks from Louis, what’ s next was how to put it into practice. I calmly dodged Irene and Flora’s attack with minimal movements.

「Ah, geez! It doesn’t connect at all!」

「Gh… Not bad, Seiichi-sensei! However, I have not given up! Until I expose that head of yours in front of people…!」

「No, please give up on that!」

In contrast with Irene who is showing signs of weariness when leas.h.i.+ng her attacks, Flora didn’t show any sign of weariness at all, continued swinging her great sword around with great vigour till this point. What a frightful physical strength.

With that in mind, as I overcame their furious blows, all of a sudden, my back shuddered.

Whilst keeping check on Irene and Flora, I checked my back with 『World Eye』. And so, I found out that Rachel unknowingly had circled to my back. Upon confirming Rachel’s presence, I immediately crouched down on the spot. At that moment, a spearhead that looked somehow hesitant, although sharp, appeared in the place where my head had been.

…I see. Everyone until now was able to commence attacks without hesitation, but it looked like Rachel was unable to do so.

As I was still crouching, I looked at her, and there stood Rachel with an expression mixture of bewilderment and relieve because her attack was avoided.However, she stood just there with her spear stretched out.

I leaped from my crouching position to a place where I could observe the three of them. However, with Rachel entering the match at this juncture, it had become a game of tag with three in it.

ZUDOOONN!!!
Flora who made a crater on the ground by doing a strong downwards swing.

WOOSHH!!
Irene who precisely aimed my neck.
And——..

「Dorya~!」

Hyuun!
Hesitant but precise sophisticated movements coming from Rachel.
Flora was seemed like just going rampage with her big sword, but Irene and Rachel were like Helen, ones who possess martial arts.
Particularly Rachel, she was outrageous.
Although her hesitancy stands out, her footwork, attack timings, and above all, despite having 0 skills activated, all of it became a 『technique』 used on me.

…By the way, although I have the 『Karma Steal』, it was a skill that allowed you to learn the skills from your opponent and use them., So I wouldn’t be able to steal Helen’s secret technique or magic and such.
…
Of course, if you teach me how, I think I will probably be able to learn it in 1 try…
Even though she got the groundwork, Rachel had the vibe of being unfamiliar with battle.
I had received and avoided all the attacks up till now, so I thought to release one myself.
「ORYAAAA!!」

The instant, the great sword was swung, aiming at my head in a wide swing, I let it slide down using my【Overwhelming with love, White】and approached Flora at once.

「He!? You kidding me!?」

「I won’t let you!」

Then, to stop my attack, Irene whipped her scythe not to my neck, but to my body. But I trampled that huge scythe with my feet then accelerated further towards Flora.

「For now, first one」

「Kyaa!」

I, who had already affirmed her combat style and the level she could fight roughly, sent her flying with a light push after showing that I had defeated her by thrusting White, which made that big sword of her slip out of her hand.

「Flora!」

「Second」

Continuing, I circled behind Rain who cried out when the Huge Scythe’s blade was buried deep inside the ground after stepping on it. I pulled the Huge Scythe out of its captivity with both hands and casually threw it away.
And, whilst I was throwing it away, I didn’t miss the chance to place White to her neck.

「KYAAA!!!」

「Well then, the last one is——」

The moment I turned my face over Rachel who was left, a sharp blow by spear was accelerating at me.
Without being impatient, I avoided it and unleashed White.

「Hyaaa!!」

To my surprise, however, Rachel decided to take on my White.
On the contrary, she went and countered it against me. Even though she was still hesitant, Rachel was clas.h.i.+ng with me.
…Awesome. Helen and Irene too had a thing with their martial arts, but Rachel was even better.
However——.

「For the time being, why won’t we end it for today?」

As we were colliding, I pulled Rachel’s spear after I grasped its handle part.

「Wawa!」

Though Rachel was stepping on it, be it me had been holding back, she had no hope to surpa.s.s my broken status which boasted its monstrous strength and easily yielded in.

Taking hold of the momentum, I gently swing Rachel and continued on to threw her down.
Again, just like the last two, I instantly placed White on her neck.

「Eeh~!」

I properly threw her and didn’t screw up like in Helen’s case this time. Yup, I was also growing. However, I really think I had done myself some favour in this battle. I became able to fight with my own will and utilizing the skills without being taken over by it. I was able to put the training with Louis into practice, it was also a fruitful mock battle for me.

As I was embracing such thoughts, the three girls whom I had ma.s.sacred got up

「Ouchie… Teacher, you meanie! What will you do if something happened to my head? 」

「… Lost … This perfect me is … In a battle of 『Beauty』 , I lost … 」

「Hau~ … Seiichi-sensei~ Too strong~」

Putting Irene’s reaction aside, I was astonished how they were surprisingly lively. Well, I done myself with my all to holding back after all, It’d be troubling if they were even injured… .

「… Hah!? Wi, Winner, Seiichi-sensei!」

As I was smiling bitterly to those three, Beatrice-san who was stunned said such.
For the time being, the stimulated match with everyone except Saria and Rurune had ended, and the moment I caught a breath, the school’s bell rang.

「Ah… I guess it’s time for lunch break」
「Is it that time already?」

Beatrice-san’s words surprised me.
Was I too immersed with the mock battle, that such a long time had already pa.s.sed… .

「Yosshaa!! Now I have moved around, my stomach is so empty I’m going to die!」

「I see. It’s nice knowing you」

「I haven’t died you know!?」

「…Seiichi-sensei, huh. An opponent with such a strength without any information at all up until now… What a frightful man.」

「I agree… Regardless, I was surprised Rachel can move like that」

「Fun. Don’t judge a book by its cover, was it」

「… Ooi. You hear me? I haven’t died you know?」

Agnos and the rest had also changed gear into lunch break mode.
When I looked closely, the students from other cla.s.ses who had been here since the beginning had also moved out.

「Beatrice-san. Is it okay to enter lunch break?」

「Yes, it’s okay. What will you do after the lunch break? Sarisan and Rurune-san are your acquaintances, so I think you have already known each other’s power…」

「Let me see… I don’t know until we ask them both」
「I understand. Then, let’s we have a lunch break first」

She said so, Beatrice-san gave the words, as Agnos and the rest also wanted to sate their hunger, they immediately move.
However, we weren’t familiar with this Academy yet, so we didn’t know where to eat our lunch.
And so, Beatrice-san invited us.

「Come to think of it, I haven’t show you the dining room yet. While we’re at it, shall we eat the lunch together?」

「Excuse me, but is it fine?」

「Yes! There are students around, but I also have been longing to eat lunch with fellow teachers…」

Beatrice-san was smiling shyly, but I couldn’t trust my ear to what I heard.
…Why do you want to eat with fellow teachers? Eh? Don’t tell me, you have never ate together with another teacher… did you?

Not just from the students, you are receiving this treatment from the teachers as well? I have enough of this. This society is too underhanded. Why can’t this society be a little livelier?

In the face of society, I never wanted to know. We were wearily following Beatrice-san track, walking towards the school cafeteria.
On the way, I asked Saria and the girls about the mock battle… .

「I want to fight! Because I want to know how strong Seiichi have become after we got out from the forest!」

「Milord! What kind of tasty food there can be at the cafeteria!  I can’t help but look forward to it!」

Saria who showed her will to fight me, and Rurune whose head already filled with meals.
Well, Saria said she wanted to fight, so let’s make Rurune fight as well. It’s her own fault for not hearing me. Yeah, let’s do that.

We arrived to the cafeteria as we were chit chatting. What revealed, was a dining hall you won’t ever meet in any High School on earth. There were not only table seats, there were also counter seats and terrace seats, with a large crowd roaming within. It was closer to a cafeteria of a University than a High School’s. I was overwhelmed by the unexpectedly gorgeous and cla.s.sy dining room.

「Wow…」

「Mi, milord! Please look at that!」

Looking in the direction Rurune told me of, I saw a billboard with many menus hanging over it at the top of the dining-room reception-counter-like area.

「Amazing… I wonder if an Academy’s cafeteria normally has this much of a variety…」

Al, too, was surprised at the large number of menus, and then Beatrice-san proudly replied.

「You can eat anything here, including local dishes from all over the world. There are foods that some certain countries’ people can’t eat, and for those students and teachers, many menus are prepared in this way. All of this is possible because the Academy is supported by various countries.」

「Co..cookings from all over the world…. you said….!?」

「…Glutton. You’re drooling. 」

Olga climbed her body up and wiped Rurune’s drool who was trembling with excitement. …We wouldn’t know which one was the older one like this, Rurune. We were just too overwhelmed by the Academy’s dining room. And so, Saria whose eyes had sparkling pulled my arms.

「Seiichi! Let’s go and see it quickly!」

「Wait! I’ll go even if you don’t pull me!」

It was when such a conversation unfold.

「……Sei……Ichi……?」

「Eh?」

A nostalgic voice, one that I had used to hear it in the past, went inside my ear. As I was reflexively turned back, what was there——.

Standing still with opened eyes, my senior and childhood friend——Kannazuki Karen