Rimuru POV
After Iruma shared his newfound goal with Azz, the four of us went down into a large cave. There is a large flat platform with white lines forming some kind of court for sports.
"Wow! I never knew a place like this existed under the school!" Iruma exclaims, looking around at the large room in amazement.
"This is Babyls's underground gym." Azz explains.
"Yeah, but why did you bring us here?" I ask.
"It's so big!" Clara yells, causing an echo.
"She is such a nuisance…" Azz says as he looks at her with annoyance.
[[…]]
Why do I feel like you're happy Ciel?
[[I just like that someone else shares my opinion of that green-haired cretin!]]
Man, Ciel! You've been coming up with some pretty creative insults for that poor girl! Stop getting so worked up about her!
[[…]]
"There is currently one way for you to raise your rank, Iruma, sir. That is to score well on the periodic promotion exams we have in class. The next promotion exam is in one week." Azz continues after being interrupted by Clara.
"What will the test be on?" I ask, wondering what kind of assessments are held in a demon school/
"Execution cannonball." Azz responds.
"Execution…cannonball?" Iruma says, looking freaked out by the violent name.
"Execution cannonball was once used as a test to quell a sudden outbreak of demons fighting over their territories. It is a bloody massacre! We use weapons called caimans that, once they bite down, will not let go of their prey until they're torn to shreds. The first to enter their enemy's castle and eliminate everyone inside is the winner."
That sounds brutal. Maybe Iruma raising his rank isn't a good idea…
"Th-that's horrifying!" Iruma says, shuddering in fear.
"Indeed. But due to the number of casualties…we just use this ball now instead of caimans." Azz says, holding a completely normal ball. "And to conserve time and money, we will use these territories marked by lines instead of castles! Those who are hit by the ball must leave the field! Those sent off the field can come back as soon as they hit an enemy with the ball." He explains further.
So it's pretty much just normal dodgeball then? Iruma should be able to handle this just fine!
Iruma seems to be thinking the same thing, looking much calmer after Azz's clarification.
"Alright! Let's start practicing!" Azz says excitedly.
The four of us play for a few minutes. I make sure to take it very easy, so nobody gets hurt.
"This is just dodgeball!" Iruma cries out in exasperation.
"Pfft…you just figured that out now!?" I ask in a snaky tone.
"I mean, I sort of figured it out during the explanation, but…" he whines, trailing off before taking a deep breath. *sigh* "I guess the Netherworld has a surprisingly laid-back side." Iruma says, sounding relieved.
Just as he says this, a ball comes whizzing through the air aimed right at his head from behind. I jump in front of the boy, easily catching the projectile moving at a speed that would be potentially lethal to a human, like Iruma. The ball makes an audible thud as it hits my hand. Somehow, he did dip out of the way in time. Iruma would have been fine if I didn't intervene but I didn't want to take any chances.
Normal dodgeball? Yeah, scratch that. This is much more dangerous!
"Nice catch, my rival!" The culprit behind the ball yells to me. It's Sabnock, along with the rest of the Misfit Class.
Iruma stands there in shock, realizing the sheer force that Sabnock threw that ball with. He looks a lot less thrilled about playing now.
"We're bored, so let us play too!" Jazz says.
Everyone seems enthusiastic about playing, except for Agares (and I guess Iruma too). He spends all day napping, from what I can tell, so I'm not surprised he has no interest in this kind of stuff.
Sabnock continues to throw dodgeballs at deadly speeds, aimed at the other members of the class. Keroli used her signature ice magic to block Sabnock's attacks; Goemon used his wind katana to slice one of the balls in two; Camui was being a huge pervert like usual, staring at Elizabetta while she played before proceeding to get smacked in the face since he wasn't paying any attention to the game. You know, the usual stuff from these weirdos.
After witnessing the strength of all of his classmates as they exchange throws with the ball, I can tell Iruma is getting discouraged. He is now slumped on the floor, looking like he has lost the will to continue.
#I'm sorry, Ameri. I don't think I can do this…# Iruma whimpers quietly to himself.
"Hey! Don't give up yet! With some intense training, I'm sure you can gain enough strength to do this!"
"How will training help with this…?"
"I'll show you! Let's go ask Grandpa if we can do it during school; we need as much time as we can get since it won't be easy."
Iruma POV
With permission from Grandpa, Rimuru and I head back home to train for the periodic promotion exam. I don't know what she has in store for me, but I know it won't be easy. For once we are actually training outside, which doesn't seem like it is a good sign.
"First things first, let's have you try out that spell that Grandpa just told us about. Make sure you plant your feet firmly before trying since he said it has some kickback." She says.
"Isn't this cheating, using someone else's magic for a test?" I ask nervously.
"You've gotta cut yourself some slack. Physically, you are completely outclassed by our classmates and they will be using magic too!"
"But it's your power, not mine!"
"So? You're starting with a disadvantage, all we are doing is evening out the playing field."
"That's one way to think about it…"
I still feel like this is playing dirty but I accept that it's necessary. If I tried to face the other students with nothing, I would probably end up as a stain on the wall.
Rimuru hands me a normal ball before backing away until there is a good amount of distance between us.
"Alright, say 'Libera' then throw the ball at me, just like Grandpa instructed." Rimuru repeats how the spell should be used to me.
"Are you sure? I don't want to hurt you! I don't know how strong the spell will be!"
"Think about who you're talking to here, do you really think you can injure me with a simple ball!?" she says, looking at me incredulously.
"Yeah, sorry, I wasn't really thinking. I don't want to accidentally hurt you…since you're so nice and helpful to me."
"It's fine…just fire at me whenever…" Rimuru says, looking embarrassed by my words.
I make sure my ring is in normal mode and that my feet are planted solidly on the ground. I brace myself for the backlash before executing the spell I just learned.
"Libera!" I shout as I whip my right arm forward, launching the ball at Rimuru. Following the ball, a bright blue dragon-shaped manifestation of magic bursts from my right hand, pushing the ball forward and greatly increasing its velocity. The stream of magical energy remains attached to my palm, extending in length as the ball barrels through the air at an alarming speed. I feel some pushback, just like I was warned but since I was expecting it I didn't even stumble back.
As the magic-propelled ball rapidly approaches Rimuru, she holds out one hand and catches the ball with ease. Despite the loud slapping sound the ball made as it hit her delicate-looking hand, she doesn't even wince. I stare at my outstretched hand with amazement and fear because of the blue light continuously pouring out of it.
This spell is crazy! I never imagined ever being able to do something like this!
"Lower your hand to cancel out the spell!" she calls out to me, sounding annoyed.
I snap out of my shock and look in her direction. My spell is still pushing the ball forward, lighting up Rimuru's face with its light-blue glow. The force the spell is exerting is causing her hair and clothes to blow around wildly as if she's being hit by a strong gust of wind. She isn't straining to stop the ball, but she's starting to look irritated about having to hold it back longer than necessary.
I quickly lower my arm causing the 'dragon' to detach from my hand. It lingers for a few seconds, still attached to the ball, before shattering into many fragments and dissipating completely. Moments after canceling the spell, I notice the same fatigue I experienced from using skills, although milder.
"Good job! It seems like you had a much easier time with a spell in contrast to one of my skills, just like I expected. Now that we've tried out one thing that may help you in the exam, let's try another. This one will be harder for you to master, but I think it is the better option in the long run. You might even be able to use a combination of the two during the test if you want."
"What are you showing me next? Is it a skill or a spell this time?"
"I'm going to teach you the skill 'Strengthen Body' today. It does pretty much exactly what the name implies. It makes you stronger, faster, and more durable; the perfect skill to use for sports."
"Will this be as unpleasant as your last 'lesson' on skill use?" I ask, remembering how torturous 'magic sense' training was.
"It shouldn't be…but I'm not completely sure. This skill should only tire you out if you move or take a hit while using it. Our goal over the next week is to increase the amount of time that you can use it as much as possible. Later on, we will also work on basic skills (not the magic kind) for the game, like catching and throwing. I already know that you possess an uncanny talent for dodging, so we already have the 'dodge' part of dodgeball covered." Rimuru says, chuckling a bit at the last part.
"How are we going to do that?"
"In essence; endurance training with the skill activated. That's what we'll be doing for the next week. Are you ready to start? You can take a breather if you want first, I don't mind."
"Yeah, sure. Just give me a sec." I say as I take a sip out of my water bottle.
"Alright, the skill is available to you now. Give it a try when you're ready."
I make sure my ring is set to 'normal' and activate the skill by thinking of its name.
Strengthen Body.
Once I activate it, I feel a strange, yet pleasant, sensation spread throughout my body in waves. It's warm and almost tingly…? The best way to describe it is that I'm overflowing with energy.
"Alright, now it's time to run laps around the mansion! Go for as long as you can, the objective is to push the amount of time you can keep it up. This is closer to a marathon, not a sprint."
"Yes!" I respond with enthusiasm, bouncing up and down in place. I can barely sit still right now, every fiber of my being is telling me to move! The rhythmic pulses of energy begin to come faster as my heartbeat quickens with excitement.
"Go!" Rimuru yells.
I begin running, launching myself off of the spot I was standing. The velocity I'm sudden;y moving at is much faster than my normal running speed. The feeling of exhilaration is amazing, I've never felt so alive! I start sprinting even faster and faster, brimming with excitement and vitality. Rimuru has been keeping up with me and is running by my side.
"Hey, take it easy! This is endurance training! You're supposed to take it slow!" Rimuru scolds me but I ignore her instructions.
This feels too incredible for me to stop or slow down now! The wind flowing through my hair and the rhythmic tapping of my feet hitting the ground; this experience is almost intoxicating!
"I'm fine! I feel like I'll never run out of energy!" I say, laughing wildly as I sprint through the courtyard.
"You're right about not running out of magic energy, but that energy is borrowed! Your body will give out if you keep going at this pace! You need to slow down before you collapse!" she pleads to me, but her words fall on deaf ears. The only thing on my mind is running even faster!
"Stop worrying so much Rimu-" My words are interrupted by an excruciating, burning pain erupting from within every muscle in my body. The comfortable warmth in my limbs has turned into the burning of hot magma searing my flesh from the inside. The sensation is so intense that it causes my legs to give out mid-step. My face ends up skidding painfully across the ground after I fall forward, still going at full speed. Thankfully my mouth stayed closed during my fall or it would have ended up full of dirt and grass.
I look up with my one exposed eye since my face is still half-buried in the soil, I feel so weak that even lifting my eyelid feels like a chore. Rimuru is standing next to me, the bright sun shining behind her as she towers over my collapsed body. Her silhouette shakes its head disapprovingly while looking down at me with its hands on its hips.
"You moron; why did you have to learn this lesson the hard way!?" she chastises me before crouching down and holding her hand out, hovering it above my back. My body is surrounded by a faint green glow; she's healing me. I close my eye as the pleasant sensation washes over me; the pain and weakness I was feeling gradually subsides under the effects of her magic. "It would have taken you more than a week to recover from this without my healing. You wouldn't even have been able to participate in the exam! Why didn't you listen to me!?" Rimuru scolds me, looking more concerned and disappointed rather than angry.
"I-I don't know…the way I was thinking a moment ago makes no sense to me now…" I think back to my odd decision to ignore her warnings. In hindsight, my choices aren't consistent with ones I would make with a clear head. Rimuru pauses, assumedly pondering about my explanation before responding.
"Seems like you were high on the raw energy or something, it fogged your mind." She speculates.
#As soon as you didn't listen I should have forcefully deactivated the skill…#" Rimuru mutters regretfully, blaming herself somewhat.
I push myself off of the ground since my muscles seem to be working again, and sit on the grass. I may not be in pain anymore, but I'm definitely fatigued. I look over at the gash in the grassy lawn created by my face; it spans about ten feet. Thinking about the circumstances behind its creation makes me wince.
"Let's give this one more try. Now that you're aware of the side effects of the skill, you should be able to control yourself, right?" she asks, raising an eyebrow at me.
"I think so…"
"Alright, time for round two!"
I stand up and mentally prepare myself to activate the skill. I don't want to have to be healed again, so I need to be careful.
I need to keep myself under control…under control…Strengthen Body.
I activate the skill once more and have the warm tingly feeling spread throughout my body in pulses just like before. Instead of letting it consume me, I contain the urge to run and wait for Rimuru to tell me when to start.
"Alright, this time I'll lead. If you start feeling any pain or weakness, you need to stop. Despite my healing, your body did take quite the beating from overdoing it. Your task is to match my pace and not run ahead, got that?" Rimuru lays out the plan ahead of time.
"Yes, I understand." I readily agree.
"Good…ready…set…go!"
Rimuru takes off running and I follow her, matching her pace. I feel an impulse to increase my speed, experiencing that same excitement as before but I refrain from acting on it.
I can't lose myself like that again, it is too dangerous!
"Good, you're doing great! Keep that up for as long as you can!" she says as she looks back at me over her shoulder, smiling.
I continue to run at, under normal circumstances, what would be considered sprinting but with the skill activated it feels like a light jog. I keep this pace up for around twenty minutes straight before I start to feel a bit of the same type of weakness as before. It's nowhere near as intense, but I can still tell it's the same type. I stop running, following Rimuru's instructions this time. When she notices my pace slow before coming to a stop, she halts her run as well. As soon as I deactivate the skill, the fatigue hits me like a truck. I immediately plop to the ground, my body is now experiencing the result of all the physical strain I was putting it through for the last twenty minutes.
"I'm so…tired…" I say in-between gasping breaths.
"Yeah, I'm sure you are. You held out longer than I expected, especially after pushing yourself too hard earlier. We're definitely done for today, that's for sure."
I try to stand up but immediately lose my balance since my legs feel like jelly right now.
"Whoa there, be careful!" Rimuru says, catching me before I fall again.
She supports my exhausted body as we walk inside the mansion. I lay down on the couch since I can't get upstairs in my current state without being carried by someone else, which I don't want. Rimuru whips a blanket out from seemingly nowhere, like a magician pulling a handkerchief out of their sleeve, and covers me with it. With how exhausted I am, I almost immediately fall asleep.
**The Next Day**
After some rest, I go at it again. Endurance training with Rimuru, and additional catching and throwing practice with Opera. Rimuru asked him if he would help with the training and he readily agreed to it. I'm surprised to see the two of them working together for my sake considering how scared of Rimuru Opera usually is. Now, he seems comparatively calm, yet still a bit on edge.
Opera is really intense when it comes to the training, relentlessly pelting balls at me. My job is to catch them instead of dodging them, which is what my instincts scream at me to do each time I see one of those balls hurtling at me. The speed that he's throwing them at is ridiculous! If it wasn't for the 'Strengthen Body' skill (which I seem to have gained decent control of at this point) I would probably be hurt by the force of the balls he's throwing at me. Even with it, my hands are getting beat up from the few times the ball has hit them when I attempted to catch.
Catching the ball instead of dodging it is much harder than I first thought it would be. After years of avoiding danger, it's just instinct for me to do the same here. Currently, I only can stop myself from flailing out of the way about 20% of the time but I still haven't managed to catch the ball even once. Even worse, I can't aim for crap when I throw the ball myself! I'm too scared to use 'Libera' because no matter how many times I try throwing, the ball always hits something I wasn't intending it to. It's bad enough with my increased strength from the skill, so unless I get a better handle on throwing I probably won't be using 'Libera' in the exam.
Azz and Clara have been spectating some of the 'catching and throwing' practice with Opera and have been cheering me on. Rimuru has also been watching any practice sessions she's not directly involved in, occasionally joining in during Opera's training to 'help'. She says it's 'necessary' to have multiple opponents at once sometimes since it's more realistic. Yeah Rimuru, I'm sure that's your main reason for butting in…yup, definitely. Let's just forget about that evil smirk you make as you ruthlessly attack me with the ball.
I have to say, it hurts a lot more when I get hit with one of her balls when compared to Opera's. I'm not getting seriously injured or anything though, so I know she's holding back a ton. I still remember how she sent Azz flying with a simple flick back on the day of the entrance ceremony.
**A Few Days Later**
It's now the last day before the exam and I still haven't caught the ball! I'm determined to do well in this exam so learning how to catch is essential!
Just a little more! I can do this!
I brace myself for another try at catching a ball thrown by Opera. I accidentally wince and close my eyes as the ball begins hurtling towards me.
"Keep your eyes on the ball!" Opera calls out.
Keep my eyes…on the ball!
I force my eyes open, now watching the high-speed ball closely, and lunge forward in an attempt to catch it…and I did it! I finally did it! A full week of blood, sweat, and tears has finally paid off! Clara and Azz gasp in amazement as they witness my accomplishment.
"I caught it!" I cry out excitedly, holding the ball triumphantly above my head.
"Nice job, Iruma! You finally caught it!" Rimuru compliments.
"Splendid!" Azz exclaims.
Clara holds her hand up for a high-five so I give her one. It stings a bit, but I don't mind.
"Hey! Master Iruma's hands are injured!" Azz scolds her.
"I'm fine, Azz! Do you want one too?"
"M-may I?" Azz asks nervously before giving me a very gentle high-five, it was more like pressing the palms of our hands together.
"Ok, that's enough Iruma. I think Opera wants to start practicing again." Rimuru says. Opera nods in agreement.
"Yes, let us continue before you forget that feeling. Once we are done here, I shall prepare my finest meal for you." Opera says.
"Okay!"
**A Few Hours Later**
Rimuru POV
After finishing up with Opera's training, Iruma has fallen asleep up against a tree along with his two friends. He overdid it again, but that's fine since he finally made some serious progress, catching the ball for the first time. He's gotten the hang of the 'Strengthen Body' skill quicker than I expected too, considering how he reacted the first time he used it. I'm impressed. Unfortunately, he hasn't really gotten any better at throwing the ball himself, only catching it. This is concerning, but I think he might be able to pull something off when push comes to shove.
Sullivan walks up to me and Opera. He's been closely monitoring Iruma's progress from a distance. Despite not being directly involved in the training, he has helped. I'm sure that the encouragement he has been giving Iruma has pushed him to train harder over the last few days.
"Looks like he's ready." Sullivan says, observing the boy and his friends, sleeping peacefully.
"Yes. Quite ready." Opera replies.
"Yeah, he's been working really hard the last week or so. I hope he does well tomorrow." I say.
"Yes, I do too." Sullivan agrees.