"Haaaah!"
A sharp squeal echoed through the woods.
"Impressive, Liesha. Your movement is so fluid—you aren't just hacking away with brute force. You really are incredible. I guess you don't get called the Sword Saint¹ for nothing!" I said.
"Y-you think so? Thank you. Coming from someone like you, Reo... it's a little embarrassing," Liesha Edelheit replied, sheathing her blade.
Someone like me? I wondered, a nagging feeling creeping up that her opinion of me was getting dangerously inflated.
Regardless, taking down monsters meant racking up points and harvesting materials. It was a classic two-for-one deal.
In this school, "Points"² acted as the primary currency. You could buy anything at the Valhalla³ commissary with them, and they even covered tuition. Since Liesha and I were in a party, the points were split right down the middle.
"Are you sure about this, Liesha? Splitting the points fifty-fifty? You're the one doing the actual killing. I'd be fine with just a ten percent cut," I said.
"We've been over this. I'm the one swinging the sword, but you're the one finding the monsters, spotting their weaknesses, and juggling buffs and debuffs. With this much support, if anyone's share should be lowered, it's mine. Cutting your pay is out of the question," Liesha insisted.
"Lowering your share would be insane!"
"From my perspective, lowering yours is what's insane."
I couldn't argue with that logic. Honestly, I would've been fine with a 90/10 split—or even zero. I needed to earn my keep, but I was sure I could handle a little solo grinding later.
"Come on, let's keep moving. I'm finally getting used to your buffs, though the speed boost caught me off guard at first," Liesha said.
In the original game, players never complained about buffs, but reality was different. A sudden surge in physical ability could throw a person's coordination completely out of whack.
"The power adjustment is fine," Liesha explained as we walked. "It's just like holding back, and I don't usually rely on raw strength anyway. But the Speed Enhance is tricky. A light step carries me much further than intended. My timing for getting behind an enemy is faster than my brain expects. I've had buffs from others before, but yours are on another level... it's almost a handicap because the output is so high."
If even someone as skilled as the Sword Saint felt that way, I realized I'd have to be careful about buffing others. I'll have to ask Professor Logan how to throttle my output, I thought.
"Got it. We've cleared out the monsters in this zone. Shall we head to the next spot?" I asked.
"Yes!"
Ding-dong-ding-dong.
"Ah."
The afternoon chime rang out. We had been so focused on the grind that we'd completely lost track of time.
"It's already lunch. We got a bit carried away. You're heading to the cafeteria, right, Reo?" Liesha asked.
"Yeah. Between the Ability Measurement and getting my 'Evil Eye'⁴ sealed by Professor Logan's 'Shackle', I haven't actually managed to eat there yet. This is technically my first time," I said.
"Heh. I remember when your eyes were glowing. Honestly, it's my first time too," Liesha admitted with a smile.
It occurred to me then that I'd been spending almost all of my time with her. Was it really okay for a "Mob" character like me to be hanging around the world-renowned Liesha Edelheit?
"What are you waiting for? Let's go, Reo. It'll be a madhouse if we don't hurry!"
"Right!"
I chased after her. For now, I decided to just enjoy my luck.
The cafeteria was a scene of pure carnage.
"Hey, Lunch Lady! Where's my Fried Chicken Special?!"
"I'm still waiting on a cutlet sub, an egg sandwich, and the beef stroganoff!"
"Here's your chicken! Keep it down! Who orders something as time-consuming as stroganoff with a side of sandwiches?!" the lunch lady barked back.
"Where's my curry udon?!"
"Coming up!"
The sheer intensity of the crowd was staggering. I didn't think I had the courage to even stand in line.
"It's... intense," Liesha muttered, frozen by the entrance.
"Yeah," I agreed.
Just as we were about to give up, a savior appeared.
"Yo, Reo! Liesha! You guys hitting the cafeteria too?"
"Rekka!" I called out.
"Hello, Todoroki. Yes, we were just out hunting," Liesha said.
"For real? Man, if you'd invited me, I would've tagged along!" Todoroki Rekka laughed.
"Next time, Rekka. I had a promise to keep with Liesha today."
"Ah, right. That thing you mentioned—"
"Wait!" I cut him off.
"Whoops! My bad! Anyway, what do you two want? I'll grab it."
"I'll take the daily special if they have it," I said.
"I'd like to try the fruit sandwich and the bacon-egg-and-cheese," Liesha added.
"Got it! I'll dive in. You guys secure a table!"
Rekka vanished into the crowd like a seasoned general charging into battle.
"Reo, over here! I got us a spot!"
I turned to see Liesha already seated at a table. It was impossibly fast—the place was packed, yet she'd managed to claim a whole section.
"Sit, sit! Oh, water is self-service, right?" Liesha asked.
"Let me do that much, at least. I'll go grab drinks for the three of us," I said.
With Rekka handling the food and Liesha handling the seating, I felt a bit useless. Still, being able to sit at a table with these two felt like a reward for some past life's good deeds.
As I carried the tray of water back, I noticed a faint trail of purple mana stretching through the air. I didn't even have to think—I activated "Cancellation"⁵ and dispersed it.
Even with my Evil Eye sealed, my passive perception was high. It was a gamer's term—an effect that stayed active even when you weren't "using" the skill.
Rekka had a similar passive: "Descendant of the Hero"⁶. It boosted his attack power and allowed him to survive a lethal blow once per battle. Stacked with a Scapegoat Effigy⁷, Rekka was practically unkillable. Without those cheats, the bosses in this world were tuned to an unfair level of difficulty.
Tch...!
My sharp ears caught a clicking tongue. I understood. A "Mob" like me hanging out with the Sword Saint and the Hero's descendant was bound to draw some heat. Don't worry, random student, I thought, I'm on your side.
"Gotcha, you bastard."
A heavy hand slammed down.
"Gah! Why are you... Todo Seiya?!"
"Why? To catch the trash trying to lay a finger on my student, obviously. Isn't that right, you 'Demon'?" Professor Todo growled.
The cafeteria went silent. I stared in shock. I'd assumed it was just a jealous student, but the person Todo was holding wasn't human.
"Not many people know about Reo yet. The only person who would send a hitman this early is the Demon King. You're going to tell me everything," Todo said.
"Curse you... Glory to the Demon King! My role ends here!" the assassin hissed.
"Wait—!"
In an instant, the assassin's body dissolved, melting into the floor until nothing remained. Even Professor Todo couldn't stop it.
"Dammit. They're thorough," Todo spat. "I'll have to get the barrier reinforced. Hey, Sakaki!"
"Yes, sir!" I jumped.
"Logan's lecture is canceled today. I've got some business to handle. Take the afternoon off. Liesha, you too."
"I understand, Professor Todo," Liesha said, appearing at my side.
Just like that, the afternoon was free.
"Liesha, you want to head back out?" I asked.
"I'd love to."
With one bark from the professor, the cafeteria returned to its usual, noisy self. Rekka finally emerged from the crowd, precariously balancing three trays of food, and I couldn't help but laugh.
Summary:
Reo and Liesha finish a successful hunting session where Reo's overpowered buffs are noted to be almost too strong. They head to the chaotic academy cafeteria for lunch, joining their friend Rekka. The peace is shattered when Professor Todo intercepts a Demon Race assassin targeting Reo, leading to a afternoon off for the students.
Trivia:
- Reo's buffs are so strong they actually interfere with Liesha's muscle memory.
- Tuition at Valhalla can be paid entirely through monster-hunting points.
- Reo's 'Evil Eye' provides passive mana-sensing even when sealed.
- Rekka's 'Descendant of the Hero' skill allows him to survive a lethal blow once.
- The Demon King is already targeting Reo despite him being a 'Mob' character
Character Insight:
Liesha shows growing genuine respect and reliance on Reo, moving beyond just a professional party relationship. Reo continues to struggle with his 'Mob' identity, feeling unworthy of his high-status friends.
Behind the Scenes:
The author uses the 'chaotic cafeteria' scene to contrast the high-fantasy elements with typical Japanese school tropes.
TL Notes:
1 ↩ Sword Saint (Kensei): A prestigious title for the pinnacle of swordsmanship.
2 ↩ Points: The internal currency of Valhalla Academy.
3 ↩ Valhalla: The name of the elite magic academy setting.
4 ↩ Evil Eye (Magan): A specialized ocular ability used for mana manipulation.
5 ↩ Cancellation: A high-level skill used to dispel or negate active mana/magic.
6 ↩ Descendant of the Hero: A unique lineage-based passive skill with survival properties.
7 ↩ Scapegoat Effigy: An item common in high-difficulty RPGs used to prevent death.
Notes:
• Liesha Edelheit - A student in Class E. Known as the 'Sword Saint' and the strongest sub-character. A young girl with S-rank strength and speed. She was saved by Todo Seiya in the past and blamed herself for his injury. She approaches Reo at the end of the chapter. Beautiful girl with silver hair that shimmers in the sunlight, long slender limbs, and an idol-like face. She admires Todo Seiya.
• 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.
• Logan - An Archmage and Reo's master. An elderly man with a grandfatherly demeanor who possesses immense magical knowledge and power.
• Todoroki Rekka - Red-haired 'Brave Fantasy' true protag—hot-blooded, friendly Class A golden boy with sky-high phys/magic stats, 'Child Prodigy of East Middle.' Big Four member, body reinforcement magic ace, calls Reo 'buddy,' zero chill on personal space, popular frank dude with bottomless optimism.
• Todo Seiya - Great General and former Supreme Commander of the Military. Currently the homeroom teacher for Reo's class. Known as the 'Grim Reaper' by demons. Has a scarred/cursed dominant arm. He started his career at age 14.