Training Enhancement III: Day One – Part Two
“…Mmm.”
“…Uh, what?”
“Have you awakened? Then, here you go—”
Stella and Rio, having regained consciousness from their fainting spell, felt an overwhelming fatigue binding them as if they were tightly restrained. As they struggled to shake off the exhaustion, Lulu, who had noticed they were awake, handed them a Potion while pointing towards a fierce battle unfolding a short distance away.
“This is a message from Ferno-sama. He says that if you’ve woken up, you should join in. The tasks and evaluations will be conducted later tonight.”
“Join in? What does that mean?” Both Stella and Rio pondered as they brought the Potion to their lips, glancing at the chaotic melee that Lulu was indicating.
At the center of the fray were Ferno and Fana, both laughing and sweating as they fought back-to-back. Will was delivering thrusts and kicks, Zem was charging in with his well-defined muscles, Kuru was deftly throwing Hidden Weapons amidst the shockwaves, and Jero was dancing through the chaos with sword and magic. Despite the sweat pouring down their faces, Ferno and Fana remained unscathed, perfectly countering every attack with ease.
“Join in, huh? Even though I was easily brushed aside by Will?” Stella thought, her mind racing. Next to her, Rio, who had also been unconscious, sprang to her feet, stowing her weapons and preparing to leap into the fray.
“Are you really going to join in?” Stella questioned with a look that demanded an answer. Rio responded nonchalantly, as if Stella’s inquiry was absurd.
“If Ferno says to join, then I have no choice but to do so. Besides, whether it’s one-on-one or two-on-one, I can’t win. If I can’t gain an advantage even with a handicap… then it’s more meaningful to aim for a surprise attack in the chaos.”
“And I can’t think as quickly as you, Stella.” With that, Rio dove into the melee, launching an attack towards Fana, who was currently defending against Zem’s assault.
“…Ugh, too tough!”
“Your timing isn’t bad, but you need to think about where to aim!!”
“Ugh… troublesome.”
“Hmm! Cat girl!!”
“What?”
“Spot the weak points in the muscles!!”
“…Alright, then I’ll act as a shield.”
“Hah, sounds good!! We can’t start until we take down the knight!!”
“Okay, I’ll match your moves.”
“Got it! Then, let’s synchronize, Cat girl!!!”
“…Don’t underestimate me.”
As Rio jumped into the fray and began to coordinate with Zem, Stella prepared her weapon while contemplating her next move. What was the best course of action? How could she maximize her chances of victory? How could she seize a win from the chaos around her? She ran simulations in her mind, strategizing and adjusting her plans, repeating the process as she sought the optimal solution.
“You’re overthinking it, you know, ‘Slayer of Villains.'”
“…Where did you hear that name?”
“Believe it or not, I’m quite clever. Just by looking, I can tell who you are. Well, if you’re someone who deals with the extraordinary, it’s only natural to know who you are.”
“…”
“Oh, those two are different, you know? They embody the extraordinary and aren’t just touching it. So it’s understandable if they don’t know.”
As Stella’s thoughts raced, Philo approached her, holding a book and a cup of coffee, interrupting her quest for the best solution.
“You’re overthinking it. You’re certainly sharper than the Holy Knights or the Black Lions, and Ferno might be relying on you for that.”
“…Then, I should be able to keep thinking, right?”
“You can think that way. But that’s only if you’re on equal footing or if this place is a death trap where you need to navigate through life-and-death situations.”
“…So what should I do?”
“Be foolish. Since you can’t win, just use everything you have to smash down those fools rampaging over there.”
“…”
“People shouldn’t strive to be wise or clever. It’s precisely because they are foolish and ignorant that they can move forward and become stronger. Now, go. You have to choose to keep moving forward like Ferno, who can strategize but chooses to charge ahead without hesitation. That’s the path you’ve taken.”
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“Ugh! This is great!!! Things are heating up!!!”
“Ugh, this is such a hassle, husband!!!”
“What’s wrong, Jero!!!”
“Can you tone down the killing intent a little!!!!”
“Sorry, but that’s just not possible!!!”
“Well, well, well, it seems I’ve run out of Hidden Weapons. What should I do?”
“Oh dear, you seem to have forgotten your act?”
“Oh, my apologies, my apologies. Hehehe! But really, what shall we do? It seems you’ve gotten even stronger than before!!!”
“Hmm, for now, I guess I have to go pick up some Hidden Weapons? You can’t fight without them, can you?”
“Hehehe! I’d love to do that, but unfortunately, all the Hidden Weapons I brought have been shattered!! So there’s no point in retrieving them!!”
“Oh, is that so? Then what should we… oh?”
“Oh? …Hehehe! As expected of an educator! You’re quite skilled at pushing people who are stuck forward!!!”
Ferno, feeling buoyed by the atmosphere, was dodging magic and parrying the flailing snake sword in front of him. Jero stood opposite him, casting spells and swinging his weapon, continuing the fight. Meanwhile, Will and Kuru were contemplating their next move.
Suddenly, a new challenger burst onto the scene. It was Stella, who was significantly weaker than anyone else present, having just finished off Zem and Rio’s unconventional tag team. However, her slightly opened eyes glinted with a sharpness akin to a drawn sword, and she fixed her gaze directly on Ferno.
“I think I’ll try being foolish.”
“Ugh! Yes, that’s the spirit! Being foolish is what it’s all about!”
“…Ah, you really did it this time, Scholar.”
With that, she declared her intent to be foolish. In a situation where victory was impossible, on a stage where she clearly didn’t belong, she resolved to give it her all and strive for victory against all odds. Instead of facing Ferno alone, she aimed to take on everyone present, embarking on a foolish endeavor that even the most dim-witted wouldn’t dare to attempt.
Even though she was pushed, offered a hand, and extended a chance, the path she chose to walk was entirely her own decision.
Thus, she chose to be foolish. With a dreamlike goal of defeating everyone in front of her, she began her reckless endeavor.
“Now, everyone… please die.”
“Bring it on, show me what you’ve got.”
“I have no reason to refuse, go ahead and try to kill me.”
“Oh my, what a passionate invitation. As a maiden, I can’t refuse, can I?”
“Hehehe! Yes, this is wonderful!!”
And so, the foolishness of Stella was met with the eager participation of those equally foolish. Without restraint or decorum, they charged in with a ferocity that could make even the most stoic child cry, their smiles filled with wildness and murderous intent as they accepted the foolish invitation.
With no signal to start, the chaotic melee began, where five fools would simply try to overpower the foolish one before them.
※※※※※※※※
- The main focus of the training is not on three but solely on Stella.
- The training arc will be a bit lengthy.
- After it concludes, character settings and enemy character introductions will follow.
- A sequel featuring different species is planned thereafter.