After finishing lunch, I parted ways with Todo-sensei and Liesha-san.
"It should be around here, but..." I muttered.
The grasslands stretched as far as the eye could see. This was one of the Artificial Dungeons¹; monsters didn't spawn on the first floor, making it a popular spot for testing one's mettle. In the game, Rekka also used to spar here with the party to grind experience.
In Brave Fantasy, you didn't just level up your character; you had to grind weapon and skill proficiency too. You didn't get character EXP from sparring, but you could max out your gear and abilities. Honestly, the combat was just fun, so I used to spend way too much time here just for the hell of it. I would usually get beaten by Liesha-though you still gained EXP even if you lost, and the companions you chose to fight grew alongside you-and even Mikiya would take me down sometimes. The protagonist was a beast, but the rest of the party was seriously top-tier. Even when they were pitted against you as "enemies" in training, they didn't hold back. I loved that challenge.
"Ho ho, kept you waiting, I see," a voice said.
"!!"
A sudden gust of wind whipped past, and there-shrouded in a mage's robe as black as the abyss-stood an old man. No, not just an old man. The Holy Sage Logan had appeared!
"I-it's an incredible honor to meet you, Logan-san!" I exclaimed.
"Ho ho ho! A young lad like you knows of me, do you?" Logan asked.
"Are you kidding? The master of the four great elements-Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth-capable of casting Tier-10 Magic! The man who even mastered Light Magic! You're the pinnacle of the arcane! Only a total fraud wouldn't know the Holy Sage Logan!"
"Ho ho ho...! My, you certainly know how to flatter an old man," Logan replied.
Hah...! Crap! My inner fanboy leaked out, I thought. Habit is a scary thing. Well, Logan-san didn't seem to mind, so I decided to roll with it.
"Sakaki Reo. Seiya from lightly heard, but you're quite an interesting fellow," Logan said.
"!!"
Logan's gentle expression vanished. His eyes turned as cold as ice, scanning me from head to toe.
"Are you aware that there are several varieties of Evil Eye²?" Logan asked.
"N-no, sir," I replied.
In the game, the Demon King was the only one who had one, so the player base was basically in the dark about the specifics.
"I see. The first is the Strengthening-type," Logan explained. "It allows the user to multiply their latent Mana several times over. It is the cornerstone of the Evil Eye lineage."
Right. That's definitely the one the Demon King uses, I noted.
"Then there is the Appraisal-type," Logan continued. "It allows one to see through an opponent's abilities-to gauge their raw power and identify their specific talents."
I wondered if it was a direct upgrade to the Talent Discernment skill. Because what you can know with Talent Discernment is what kind of skills they have.
"And finally, there is one more. The Support-type. This eye allows the user to perceive the flow of Mana itself. One can see Mana as distinct colors or pierce through illusions and concealments. Your Evil Eye falls into this category."
"!!"
Support-type, I thought. It was probably too much power for a mob like me, but being a support instead of a frontline powerhouse felt very fitting for a side character.
"...Now, this is a top-secret matter," Logan said, his voice dropping. "Every Evil Eye, without exception, appears only in those with a direct connection to the Demon King."
"!?"
"In short, do you understand what I am trying to say?"
A staggering wave of bloodlust erupted from Logan, manifesting as visible black Mana.
Ah, this, dead. I thought.
"Well, I suppose that's enough joking for one day," Logan said.
"...Eh?"
"Ho ho ho! Forgive me, forgive me. You were just so calm while listening to me, I couldn't resist giving you a little scare," Logan said with a chuckle.
"Logan-san, you're going to give me a heart attack..." I panted.
"Hm. First, let's change how you address me," Logan said. "Reo, as of today, I am your master. Therefore, you shall call me Master."
"Wha... Whaaaaaaaaat!?"
Me?! The disciple of the Holy Sage Logan?! I screamed internally. I knew the lore; I knew about the countless elite mages who begged at Logan's door only to be literally blown away and sent back miserably!
"Oof, my ears... You've got quite the set of lungs on you, lad," Logan said.
"A-ah, yes. I've been training, after all," I replied.
"Ho ho ho! In that regard, you're the spitting image of Seiya. No wonder he's so fond of you."
I'm like Todo-sensei? It was a bit embarrassing, but hearing that made me feel pretty damn good.
"By the way, there's no right of refusal. Since from now on, you will be receiving my guidance to develop the power of the Evil Eye."
"Yes! I look forward to working with you!!" I shouted.
There was no way in hell he was saying no to this! Actually, the Holy Sage Logan isn't a sub-character, so he doesn't get involved with the protagonist Rekka all that much. In other words, he's a person I can associate with in peace!
"O-oh, quite the enthusiastic response. Umu umu, as for me, I'm glad to have a disciple with such a keen eye," Logan said.
"A keen eye?"
"Ho ho... It was your reaction when I spoke of the Evil Eye. Most likely, you already knew, didn't you?"
"!!"
I had known about the Strengthening-type because of the Demon King, but the others were new. Still, Logan had seen right through me.
"No need to hide it. Ah, no, I heard from Seiya that you have a high ability to obtain information. You even know about the curse he's carrying-a secret known only to the highest levels of the state-don't you?"
"...Yes," I admitted.
"Umu. If the information that that fellow can no longer fight becomes known to the Demon Race, it would be bad right now. Because the current situation of maintaining a balance could tilt all at once," Logan said gravely.
He was right. If Todo-sensei was off the board, it was game over. The only reason the demons haven't launched an all-out assault is because they think his withdrawal is a trap. They were cautious... for now.
"We need a deterrent. We need reinforcements, and we need them yesterday. I estimate we have six months, maybe a year, before they realize the truth."
"..."
I knew this was also correct. In the game's timeline, the demons figured it out in six months and launched the invasion that Rekka and the others had to repel. That's the Brave Fantasy peak-hype arc.
"I believe your power could be the light the National Defense Force needs. The training will be hellish. But... for the sake of this country, for the future of humanity... will you lend us your strength?"
"!?"
The Holy Sage Logan-the man called the strongest sorcerer alive-bowed his head to a student. Realizing the sheer weight of his resolve, I felt my knees hit the grass before I even realized I was moving.
"Master Logan. I'm weak," I said. "Right now, I can't do anything. I have the knowledge, but I don't have the power to use it. But... if I can gain the strength to protect the people I love... my friends... then I'll endure whatever hell you put me through!"
"Reo.... Forgive me. Or rather... thank you. ...Umu! Then let us begin at once! Time is finite, after all!" Logan said, standing tall.
"Yes! Master Logan!"
And so, the training of the Mob that is me begins.
Summary:
Reo meets the legendary Holy Sage Logan in an artificial dungeon. Logan reveals that Reo's 'Evil Eye' is a rare Support-type, but warns that such eyes are linked to the Demon King. Despite the danger, Logan takes Reo as his disciple to prepare for a looming demonic invasion.
Trivia:
- The Artificial Dungeon first floor has no monsters and is used for sparring.
- Sparring in this game grants weapon/skill EXP but not character level EXP.
- There are three types of Evil Eyes: Strengthening, Appraisal, and Support.
- Possession of an Evil Eye implies a connection to the Demon King.
- Todo-sensei (Seiya) is cursed and can no longer fight, a fact the Demon Race is unaware of.
- Logan is not a main sub-character in the original game, making him 'safe' for Reo to interact with
Character Insight:
Reo transitions from a passive observer to an active participant. His willingness to undergo 'hellish' training under Logan shows his shifting motivation from mere survival to the desire to protect his companions. Logan shows a mix of playfulness and extreme gravitas.
Behind the Scenes:
The author uses the 'Mob' trope to give the protagonist a unique utility (Support-type) that differentiates him from the typical overpowered isekai hero while still making him essential to the plot's 'hidden' history.
TL Notes:
1 ↩ Artificial Dungeons (人造ダンジョン): Man-made training facilities in the game world used for safe leveling of skills without the risk of high-level monster encounters.
2 ↩ Evil Eye (邪眼, Jagan): A powerful and rare ocular ability in fantasy media, often associated with dark origins or the Demon King in this specific series.
Notes:
• Reo - Reincarnated HS dude who grinded 'Brave Fantasy' 100+ times, now a bland mob in the game world—black hair, Class E #6 by the back door, F-rank stats but plot meta-knowledge + magic flow reading to sideline-support heroes. Lil' bro to Saki & Taku, survives as background bro.