[Narrator] [Spain – Madrid]
Inside a Victoria café, James and John were chatting.
-Hey James, have you contacted Alan?-
Victoria asked.
-Uh... yeah, I call him every Sunday to check on him, but he doesn't answer. I think it's best to give him some space-
-Yes, Victoria, Alan is young and attending the best academy possible, and he must be very busy right now-
John said casually while sipping an iced coffee.
-It's just that I'm worried about him. The combat exams are almost here-
The combat exams were more like a festival than an exam, where many individuals from all over the world came to Island X to see the potential of the new generation.
Obviously, Victoria would be worried since Alan is like a younger brother to him and she was trying to ensure that he doesn't have bad influences.
-I only feel sorry for Alan's next victim-
James spoke as he lamented the boy's next victim.
-What do you mean, James?-
Victoria asked, interested in the topic her classmate brought up.
-What? You don't know. You don't know why Alan is famous at his old school-
-…-
An awkward silence fell over those present for several minutes until John broke it.
-Hey, I thought you knew-
-I don't know anything, and don't hide it from me!-
-Okay, calm down. We thought he told you, but apparently he didn't-
James calmed the woman down, only to tell the story later.
-A long time ago, Alan was abused for not having a unique ability, suffering all kinds of mistreatment...-
-Yes, I know that, and how I regret not having known him-
Everyone knew that part, they knew a part of his past since he always talked to them to ease some of their pain.
-Well, at his school, he's known as the "prediction demon"-
-What a strange nickname? Why the hell did those kids give him that nickname? It doesn't fit him?-
-Oh, you're wrong, that nickname suits him, he told me that one day he got tired of the abuse and studied his abusers, day and night, not leaving out any detail, he knew everything, habits, personality, how they spoke, body language and much more, to the point that it was scary-
Victoria opened his eyes in surprise, he still remembered that Alan was a little careless since on his first mission a giant toad covered all his clothes in slime but after the following missions he seemed like a different person, it was as if he was prepared for war
-What did he do after studying them?-
-One day, on a Saturday afternoon, he invited his abusers to a street where there was no one, put on some gloves and applied [reinforcement] on them, his abusers didn't touch a hair on his head or even graze him, it was as if he could see the future, after a few seconds they all fell to the ground on their knees begging for mercy, after that his school was afraid of him-
-Come on, James, what you said is completely exaggerated-
-Victoria...-
John raised his voice, gaining his partner's attention.
-What James said is true, at first I didn't believe him and he offered to make me a contract where he had to tell the truth or he would be harmed, he answered with the pure truth, James and I went to his school and his title as "prediction demon" was real-
Victoria was surprised by the stories her classmates told her
At first she worried about Alan but seeing him again she believes that worrying about him was in vain, but inevitably she would do it for that boy since even outside the country he was still her classmate
***
[Alan Harwey's Perspective] [Island X – Saturday]
The written exams flew by like the wind. From the first Monday to Friday, time seemed to fly by.
I felt very proud of my grades in theory. At first, I thought I'd aim for an average score, but I might end up even further down the grade than I am now in the combat exams. I did my best on the written exams so I wouldn't be held back.
The combat exams began on Monday. During these combat exam periods, Wellston opened its doors to the students' families, several Hunters, and all the guilds that hired Hunters.
-Ah! It's Wellston's rank 1! Hajime Aikawa! We saw you on YouTube. My son is a big fan. Can we take a picture?-
-Ah... sure-
Due to the presence of the students' families, the combat exam period was a kind of festival, so this day was considered "The Wellston Festival." It was a tradition at this academy, so nothing could be done about it.
-We're in Wellston, the best academy in the world...-
Reporters from broadcasting companies authorized by the academy were also allowed in. Becoming a student here was like becoming a celebrity. The goal was to get the students used to the cameras.
But from what I saw, the media had other plans.
-Where is he…-
-Quickly find the director!-
Some reporters wanted to interview the Director about the recent incidents. Although the news that the Daemon responsible for the murders had been found had greatly mitigated the academy's bad luck, that didn't mean the media wanted to squeeze more information out of it.
-How many people are there at the academy?-
I looked around as I sat on a bench in the academy park, located in the center of Wellston. Unlike before, the place was packed with people, as if it were a tourist spot.
-Oh, bro, I finally found you!-
Someone called my name. I turned toward the voice and then saw a friend.
It was Miguel.
-What are you doing here alone?-
-I was just relaxing a little, but who are the two behind you?-
-These are my parents, this is my mother and this is my father, Dad, Mom, let me introduce you to my teammate, Alan Harwey-
-Uh... Hello-
I shook Miguel's parents' hands, they smiled and said that it was good that I was a smart person since I could understand and read foreign languages as if they were my own language and they could understand me.
After the brief greeting, Miguel left with his parents.
I was alone, sitting on the bench… I was jealous of my friend for having something I'd probably never have.
-How would it feel to be with your parents?-
Since I was a child, I always participated, believing that someone would see me at some festival, but… no one came. At that moment, I knew I was alone. The only company I had was the director Sophia and my dog Konstantine.
I lowered my head, looking at the ground, reflecting while I repeated to myself, "It's okay, you're strong, Alan. You don't need that… just focus on being the strongest."
-If one day I start a family, will I have the capacity to love a child?-
The words that came out of my mouth seemed like they were spoken by a stranger.
"Alan..."
Nameless looked at me with concern, but when I was thinking about it... a certain person caught my attention.
An elderly man sitting on the bench next to me was smiling, his eyes closed, and his shiny brown hair stood out easily from the crowd.
Many didn't know it, but... the man next to me had a monstrous aura comparable to that of an S-rank Hunter.
The man turned to me. I could see his green eyes, like those of an old man... they exuded a lot of experience, but I remembered that look... the one during the entrance exam.
«What's the Director doing here?! And why is he in disguise?!»
***
[Island X – Monday]
The weekend ended and the combat exams began.
The exam has this mechanic: each student can nominate other students they want to fight with. The number of proposals per day is 3. The nominated student cannot reject the duel, otherwise their score would drop, which would lead to a drop in their current rank.
But there was a rule only for the top 10: they cannot challenge opponents below rank 30.
For example, if I beat Hajime, I would move up to first place. However, if Hajime challenged me or another student of lower rank, his points would decrease even if he won, while the loser would gain a few points.
In these types of events, talent scouts from guilds in various countries would be there to watch, but only those with a high reputation.
Yes, as you may be guessing, I, the humble Alan Harwey, was nominated for a duel.
-I knew it would be my turn sooner or later... But I didn't expect it to happen so quickly!-
I was nominated by two students, one rank 423 and the other rank 298.
[Duel 1] [Rank 423 Yushiro vs. Rank 876 Alan Harwey]
[Duel 2] [Rank 298 Neuman vs. Rank 876 Alan Harwey]
What a headache!
[Duel 3] [Rank 20 Shinji Suzuki vs. Rank 876 Alan Harwey]
-I expected Shinji to challenge me, but I never expected the first two to challenge me... well, now we'll see who's in charge-
"Seriously, this guy doesn't learn... he'll send those three to the hospital with one good sword stroke"
-Oh yeah... and I'm going to enjoy it like you can't imagine-
I left my room, looking at my new skills.
===
[Item Summoning]
Type: Summoning Magic
Rank: C
You can summon any type of objects that are your property to your hand
===
[Volcanic Ash]
Type: Explosion Magic
Rank: B
You create an immense amount of ash and gunpowder from your hand that will take the form of a cloud and you can ignite it by snapping your fingers, creating a violent explosion that will burn the target
===
[White Cloak]
Type: Ether Magic
Rank: D
A very sticky and elastic white aura similar to a slime-like rubber, it has extreme durability, making this a very versatile magic, it can harden and stretch according to the user's commands
===
[Needles]
Type: Ether Magic
Rank: D
Very sharp needles capable of piercing a stone with ease, but they cannot kill a target. Being made of Ether, you can Imbue any element into it to give it an effect.
===
[Resistance Rune (Individual)]
Type: Rune Magic
Rank: C
Increases your resistance by 60% if you're in a one-on-one fight.
===
The first one was a bit easy to learn, in the end the summoners always said "it's easier to summon an object than a monster" also I learned many, many spells, thanks to the books that John gave me, I think I should have become a magician since learning spells was a bit easy for me
-Hehe, just wait muscle clown... soon you will be a victim of my evil-
When I left the dorm, the students were walking with their families. Since last Friday, the students had been staying with their families in the same dorm.
I walked while watching the students laughing and joking with their families.
«I don't need that happiness. One day I'll be rich and powerful. I'll have all the money in the world and everything you lazy people will never be able to have»
-I see you're having bad luck, Alan Harwey-
At that moment, someone spoke to me. I turned my head to the right and saw Shiba with his arms crossed.
-Yeah, those guys won't leave me alone-
-Oh, right, Shinji nominated you too...-
She feigned ignorance, but I could already tell from her expression.
-Anything else you'd like to say? My dear business partner-
-I tried to stop him... but he insisted on fighting you. I still hope you don't hurt him too much-
-Oh, I see-
It seems he really wants me not to hurt him. I can see he loves Shinji, but in his own way.
I continued walking for my three confrontations, she followed me and then suddenly stopped...
*Tak
She snapped her fingers, making a giant suitcase appear.
-Inside this suitcase is the highest quality magic steel, along with 18,000 dollars for a unique-rank sword, as you requested-
-Oh... as expected of my dear companion, but... I remember asking you only for magic steel and money. Is the sword an extra?-
-You can consider it that way-
===
[Training Sword]
Type: [Magic Sword]
Rank: Rare
A sword that was mass-produced by a skilled blacksmith in Japan
===
Oh, it didn't have [Edge] abilities, it's just a training sword like the magic sword James gave me.
-I understand. I'll accept that extra, so give it to me-
With a big, greedy smile, I took the suitcase from his hands.
-The association is asking for my testimony... about the incident-
-Did you say something about me?-
-No, I didn't say anything. I'm delaying it because it seems you wanted to hide your power-
I'm not purposely giving anything away, but...
What's this about hiding my power?
It's true that I hide my unique ability and the mythical ability because I know that evil eyes would fall on me... well, that means I'm hiding my power like in those novels where the protagonist is powerful, but hides his power for X reason.
In response to the girl's comment, I decided to give her a brilliant response worthy of a Shonen protagonist.
-Information is power. If my future opponents knew more about my abilities, that would be a problema-
-I agree with you on that. Luckily, and adding to the news of this "small" incident, you would be considered an enemy of the Daemon community-
According to the information the association gave to the media, the demon Arneb is an incubus that feeds on the dreams of its victims. Its Daemons were too vicious and cold. If this information were to come to light, it's possible that it would be very difficult for him in the future.
-What will you do to Shinji?-
I stopped; that question was the same one I was thinking.
«What will I do to Shinji?»
I've watched videos about him several times. I know his fighting style very well. I also have a strategy planned against him, as long as his fists don't touch me.
-I'll just humiliate him-
An eerie silence emerged, like a typical scene from a Shonen manga, but…
(Ah~… ahh~…)
Small moans were heard from my cell phone. What I said—that I was going to use those moans as my ringtone—was true.
Shiba's face turned bright red, only to look at me with a look of indignation.
-Oh, a message, I think they're coming...-
I was interrupted by a strong punch to my stomach from the girl, forcing me to fall to my knees on the floor.
-Damn trash, I hope Shinji breaks a bone or two of yours!-
***
I arrived at the third dueling arena.
It was 7:00 a.m. and I walked to the dueling arena. I walked down the path next to the main entrance and arrived at my assigned waiting room.
[Waiting Room 10]
I opened the door.
I could see about 30 students. I could hear them talking amongst themselves. They immediately fell silent and their eyes fell on me.
Two… five… seven. After those 7 seconds, they looked away in disinterest and continued talking.
I walked in and sat down in a random seat.
-I heard your third duel will be with Shinji-
While I was resting, someone spoke to me. I turned my head toward the voice.
It was Damian who started a conversation.
I nodded without responding.
-I see that idiot doesn't know much about your power-
You overestimate me too much.
-Hey... I'll only break a few bones or leave a bad scar-
-You're clearly a cunning fox. You just have to stop that big guy from hitting you-
-I didn't understand why he was talking to me. We were never Friends-
The only time we started a conversation was during the exam, and we got off on the wrong foot.
-Why...?-
-Why am I talking to you?-
Damian interrupted, staring me straight in the eyes.
-It's because you're one of the few people I can truly respect in this academy. It's as simple as that. The others just joke around, like it's a game... I don't like your lowly way of fighting, but I respect you for your training, that's all-
Damian spoke calmly.
But I didn't know I had to train almost always because of the contract I made with Nameless. Otherwise... I'd be in so much pain afterward, and I think he'd spend all day insulting me.
***
[Narrator]
The battle arena is similar to the Roman Coliseum, but with many differences.
This arena was a monstrosity made of high-quality magic steel, giving off so much magical power that even the weakest were overwhelmed and had trouble breathing.
The spectators watched the fight from the floating seats to analyze the next-generation hunters.
The white bricks and the multiple holograms in the sky made the students feel like real stars.
-I see I got a good seat-
Deckard, the director of the academy, was seated, but he altered his face with magic to hide the audience's attention.
The only thing the spectators see of him is the face of a haggard, black-haired man.
-That's all thanks to me, director-
Next to the director was his secretary, Ana, who had a hot dog with her. The seats they took were the front seats, which had the best view of the arena.
-This brings back a lot of memories-
-He's talking about the many times we saw unforgettable beatings of those who deserved it-
-Hahaha, yes, in part-
The old man said, laughing before continuing.
-The world could be in danger. Lately, Daemons are becoming more active than ever. Many people want to be scientists, doctors, or entrepreneurs before joining a small or medium-sized guild-
-Is that a problem?-
-Problem? Useless and careless people are the reason why hunter associations are starting to decline...-
-That's a shame... look, it's about to start-
The host began announcing the day's duels, and the secretary took out her watch, projecting holograms with the list of duels.
-Oh! Two of the top finishers will fight each other?-
[Hajime Aikawa vs. Isaac Arden]
[Damian Connors vs. Hajime Aikawa]
The two duels were what interested the secretary the most, but there was also Hanami Sasaki vs. Jorge, but something surprised the woman.
-Shinji Suzuki vs. Alan Harwey. Most chose their appropriate opponents, but who is Alan Harwey?-
The confused secretary asked.
-Alan Harwey, rank 876-
-876?! Is he too short?! Is there something special about that boy, Mr. Deckard?-
The secretary was startled by the news.
-Yes, but it seems his encounter with Shinji is only the third... first, the boy has to face two more. There are bad rumors about him saying he's unpleasant, almost on par with the delinquents at the academy-
-So Shinji is punishing a delinquent? I don't know. It seems very suspicious to me. That boy isn't known for being a hero of justice, but he's still risking his own grade to do that?-
*Tak
The woman pressed the button, turning it off instantly.
-It's starting-
Deckard gave a small smile as he looked at the arena. The first duel of the day was between the aforementioned boy.
-The first duel of the day is between the 423rd ranked Yushiro and the 876th ranked Alan Harwey! How will Alan Harwey overcome the difference in rank?! Why was he nominated, being a low-ranking student?!-
The host did everything to promote the match, which had an obvious outcome.
A mana barrier was deployed covering the arena to prevent the students' attacks from leaking to the audience, as well as to seal the full power of the weapons given to the students.
-That boy must be...-
-Alan Harwey-
Secretary Ana looked at the boy from the left hallway. He looked... normal. He didn't have an aura of mystery, he was just normal. But for some strange reason, he had a confident smile that gave her chills.
But that smile seemed to be a mixture of malice, revenge, and satisfaction, something that made the secretary feel intimidated. However, the director didn't affect her and only increased her interest.
The director liked to see hidden talents flourish and challenge the high walls, known as the upper ranks.
-Let's see what you're made of, Alan Harwey-