Vol 2 Chapter 3 (1/2)

Chapter 3 – The Highest Seat, as if to Seize the Clouds

Even though it was only just June, the weather had already flared up

The concrete floor of the corridor froht, the air above it shi+ the heat

Moroha was being beaten down by the heat as he walked along the path for the afternoon’s practical lessons

“Too hot…”

He croaked as if he were a crushed toad

“Geez! Don’t tell , Moroha”

Satsuki scolded hinified posture

“It’s fine, class hasn’t started yet”

Moderation was the i switched on would actually be bad for efficiency, or so was Moroha’s excuse

“Lame! I want my Nii-sama to always be cool!”

She said, while using her hand to fan him

“You beautiful person”

Thought Moroha as he basked in the cool breeze

A pair of upperclassmen looked back at them and said

“He’s that Ancient Dragon-”

“Yeah, they’re really intimate aren’t they?”

Maybe they were a couple, as they linked arms as if to compete with them

“Uehehe, I guess we look like lovers”

“You can be embarrassed, but quit it with the ‘Uehehe’”

Moroha could only smile wryly

Chatting like that, they stepped into the first arena

Suddenly, a strong drowsiness assaulted them

However, it was only for an instant, their drowsiness disappeared as if it were a lie

All three of Akane Academy’s arenas were in a different dimension thanks to a special Ancestral Art

Like a dream world

However s inside were destroyed, they’d eventually return to normal, and even if someone were seriously wounded, if they left they would be fine, like waking frohtmare Just who could use it and what kind of Ancestral Art it as kept private, but Akane Academy was the only place in the world that had these ideal training grounds

Their earlier sleepiness was due to crossing the boundary between the diical phenomenon

It felt unpleasant to begin with, but in the two rown used to it

“Now, it’s joint training today, so let’s get fired up!”

Satsuki declared energetically, and even Moroha straightened again thanks to the air conditioning

There were already most of four classes’ worth of students inside

But about half of them were upperclassmen that they’d not seen before This was a joint class between the first and second years, so both years’ classes 1 and 2 were gathered in the arena

There was another person that they didn’t normally see in practical lessons either

In the stands encircling the arena, waving with a small hand was no one but Maya

“Is itat us?”

Satsuki’s sharp eyes caught it, and Moroha was startled

While he was thinking of how to answer, shi+zuno appeared like a ghost behind them and tattled

“She’s waving at Moroha They got to know each other very well yesterday”

“Don’t iot acquainted normally, you know?”

Moroha was already used to shi+zuno appearing out of nowhere, but his face stiffened

“Anyasn’t it you that said ‘itfor her to catch your eye and you look after her’?”

“That’s true, but I didn’t expect her to be going ‘look at ht after yesterday?”

She was sharp…

At shi+zuno’s continued prodding, Moroha stiffened further

“You’ve got me as a little sister, don’t you!?”

Satsuki suddenly jumped in

“Getting on ith that little angel like girl, are you saying I’h?”

“Sorry I really don’t get what you’re angry about…”

“Did you go out and get a little sister, like going out and getting a mistress!?”

“What kind of fetish am I supposed to have…?”

Moroha recoiled and lost his thoughts

If she found out that Maya was his room-mate now, there would be bloodshed Satsuki had that kind oflook

The small mercy was that Satsuki wasn’t as perceptive as shi+zuno

She didn’t have an inkling that their conversation yesterday was about Maya

“…Would this be included in stupid girls being cute?”

Thought Moroha

“I’ll forgive a hundred million affairs! I’m that tolerant! But no little sisters! I won’t accept any other little sister but me!”

“But affairs are fine…”

shi+zuno interjected cal on Moroha without even a glance to the side

“Please, cale them before you speak on reflex”

“No, I won’t forgive this! It’s part of the dignity of my identity!”

Satsuki looked like she wouldn’t leave it, and Moroha was at a loss

However, the heavens had not forsaken him

“Right, everyone gather round”

The chime for the start of class sounded, and the classes’ teacher’s ordered theather

“Tch A narrow escape, Moroha”

Satsuki’s eyes were still narrowed, but thanks to her serious personality, she followed the order with a click of her tongue

It really was a narrow escape Moroha breathed in relief

At the saaze and the little angel as still waving innocently

He was going to tell the his roo, so he had to choose the time carefully, it was a political problem he would have to take time to explain

His head hurt

As he was trudging to the gathered students, shi+zuno spoke quietly, barelyher mouth so only he could hear

“I had soate before I ca about so, so I collected evidence”

“Was it interesting?”

“Yes, very Apparently you appeared in the canteen this el”

Moroha sounded like he was about to cough blood

“If you give me an honest explanation later, I won’t tell Ranjou-san for now”

“…I swear, so give me a break”

shi+zuno’s mask-like expression , so it was even

Moroha held his head as he joined the group in front of the teachers

The four classes sat where they liked and paid attention to the teachers

Moroha, Satsuki and shi+zuno sat together and listened quietly

“Today is hts, ‘Offense is easy, defence is hard’”

Leading the class was class 1-1’s teacher, Tanaka Tarou

With black ri man in his forties

It was odd for hinity about them when his appearance didn’t stand out

Well, it was possible that the chore had just been pushed off to the lowest ranked

“The light techniques has a strong defensive skill called Sun, and the dark arts have Ether Barrier However, they’re norht technique’s Diamond Skin Link and the various Wards of the dark arts are easy to use, but lack in defensive power It’s easy to use the attack skills of both and , harsh and pile them on, but they don’t even compare”

It was strangely similar to Earth’s warfare

Even though plate arainst swords, it was powerless in front of a bullet Tank armour’s evolution had all but stopped, yet the destructive power of ress

It was relatively easy to y, but the reverse was almost impossible

“Further, Metaphysical’s attacks are stronger than ours Using a defensive technique is a last resort, for when you want to reduce the dae by even a little Rather, the most efficient technique is to counter their attacks with our own This is soes A step one dark art, Flare will easily counter a chilling attack, but is bad against water However, the step two Blaze is good against both chilling and water-“

“Sensei!”

“Yes, go ahead with your question, Ranjou-san”

“”If it’s hard to guard, wouldn’t you be better off just dodging?”

Her diligence and desire to show off co, Satsuki shot up

“A good solution There’s nothat’s the best defensive technique However, that’s hard for Black Mages and even for you White Irons, if it was a wide area fire breath attack for exaht?”

Tanaka gently rebuked her and she sat down in dejection

The reason there was noatmosphere was probably because , and the same had happened to the second years the previous year

“Well, if the practical class was just a lecture it would be boring Let’s have someone act as an example”

Tanaka looked over the arrayed students

At that h-handed male voice came from the stands

“If you need an example, use Haimura-kun, Tanaka-sensei”

That proclamation roused the students

Moroha was taken aback too after being suddenly put forward and looked towards the voice

Ain the stands with his legs crossed self-importantly

He looked sharp and capable, but also highly strung and skinny He looked around twenty five

He’d sat right by where Maya was and she’d fled the arena

“Nii-san…”

shi+zuno gasped as she saw the man

Moroha thought

“So that’s him, Akane Academy’s chairman”

As he gave hi appraisal

“Sir Edill be coarding Hai us at any moment, so make Haimura-kun be the focus of class for a while”

See to not know the situation, he continued to instruct the teachers from the stands

An arrogant, disagreeable man

He gave the worst impression, Moroha could hardly believe he was shi+zuno’s brother

That calish branch’s head’s eye

“I thank you for the suggestion, but although youabout how the class is run Leave that to those teaching it”

Tanaka refused outright He appeared inferior but didn’t hesitate at all against an influential person

He suddenly moved and nonchalantly shi+elded Moroha’s back froaze

“You may have been entrusted with the academy’s administration, but this school, we teachers and most of all the students are not your personal property”

“H Both you and the principal, why are saviours so impudent I wonder”

“Likewise, please remember your own place, chairman”

A scorching tension seemed to appear between Tanaka and the chairman

The students looked at each other uneasily

So in a class

Reluctantly, after looking at his surroundings, Moroha spoke

“Sensei, if it’s just being an example, I’ll do it”

Easily raising his hand

“Wah, that’s my Nii-sama, better and cooler than the second years”

Satsuki was thoughtlessly happy

On the other hand, shi+zuno looked at hi him

Moroha had an ulteriorwith the chair so petty was a waste of time They were in the middle of class and it would be a bother for everyone

It felt aard having Tanaka protect hiht

“If you’re willing to, then please”

Moroha shook his head at an apologetic Tanaka

He stood and sent a sharp glance at the satisfied chairman

As he stood in front of everyone, the boys were churning with jealousy asking why it was always hih pitched cheers

A those polarised reactions

“Screw off, Haiht!”

One person spoke with a voice louder than the others, baring a sense of rivalry at Moroha

“Right, Tana-T, you were going to call for me next”

The second year student who had jauntily stood up suddenly struck a pose like a Nio statue

That alone made the first years recoil and the second years smile bitterly

Moroha shrugged his shoulders, but couldn’t hide his smile

However he was interpreting the strange atazes

His name was Mannendou Kamekichi

“First years! Call me Kamii, with love and respect!”

As he proclaiinal pose, e to burst into laughter

“It’s a bother, Mannendou-kun”

Ignoring Kaave his honest opinion

“I was going to use Anti-Magic Link so I was going to have Haimura-kun use a mild first step dark art”

As if he were used to being ignored, he didn’t pay any notice to not being called by his nickname

“Then, I can mildly attack Haimura, Tana-T Brace yourself!”

However, he just arbitrarily took control of the class

“Everyone’s heart will burn with my wonderful Flare”

He struck another original pose with his legs apart, his crotch thrust forwards and his right hand put behind his back and then through his legs, beckoning

A hout the first years

They weren’t quite wondering why an eccentric like him wasn’t picked out

They were la at the Gods’ unfairness that he was a lorious Strikers

The C rank shi+ning on Ka was no illusion

He’d worked hard to learn how to moon walk but it was futile and pointless Moreover, he was de his special skill to everyone, but it wasn’t related to being a Saviour

“That alright, Haionna run!? Are you scared of my dark arts, Haimura!?”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it”

Moroha shrugged his shoulders and took it, pretending to not hear Satsuki protest from behind him

“Moroha won’t run from the likes of you!”

“Are you sure, Haimura-kun? If you can’t completely reduce the heat, it will hurt”

One of the teachers kindly advised him to not

Well, for exactly that reason, Tanaka was saying to do it

“If you don’t listen to hiets noisy”

To Moroha, Kamekichi was one of only thirteen strikers, and someone he trained with daily He was already used to his selfish behaviour

He shook his head at an increasingly apologetic Tanaka

Tanaka turned to the students

“Yes, I should explain for the first year students, Anti-Magic Link is an application of the Diaht technique to resiston the user’s prana, it doesn’t reduce the da to instinctively use against unavoidable mana and satana attacks”

In front of his i backwards and forwards

He didn’t understand the odd act, but it was still really annoying

The dumbfounded students moved away from them and Moroha and Kamekichi faced each other

“I’ve got so to say first, Moroha!”

Ka over backwards

“I hate you!”

“Yes, I know”

“Frankly speaking, I’m the best Saviour in the second year The absolute best But last year, they didn’t call , fuck!”

“You said so yesterday”

“So I hate you! I’reatest reason to live! If it let me harass you, I’d even sell my soul to the devil!”

“You said that yesterday too hell, you’re at it every day, aren’t you bored of it?”

“I’m the one that’ll stand out the o easy on you just because we’re comrades in the Strikers!”

“I thought you would and completely fell into your trap-“

As Moroha smiled wryly, Tanaka cut in

“Ah, Mannendou-kun, we’re limited for time, so could you start now?”

“Very well! I’ll show youEveryone, watch and learn”

Was the clink sound effect froination?

Moroha burst into laughter, but still composedly coated his body in white prana

Invoking Anti-Magic Link, a technique none of the first years could do yet so naturally it was even an example to the second years

Al a rank C’s true power

Kah the air, tracing ancient ic characters in the empty air

Still with his back to Moroha, he hid the writing

He traced a phrase, this completed the step one dark art, Flare

However, he secretly added another line

It became the step two art, Blaze, its power more than doubled

He also mumbled the incantation in his mouth so Moroha couldn’t hear it

Even though he was a show off and flamboyant, he was sly

“Ah, no, Mannendou-kun I told you a step one art”

When Tanaka noticed, his dark art was already in action

“He hi hi hi hi! Burn nicelllllly!”

He let the Blaze go over his shoulder and it burnt brightly as it assailed Moroha

It fell on hi hi flames

He !

The students held their breath and watched because of the force of the dark arts created flames

The focus of their attention was Moroha, wrapped in scarlet flaic Link, Moroha was standing there coolly!!

“Sensei!”

“Yes, go ahead with your question, Ranjou-san”

“You said Anti-Magic Link couldn’t completely defend, but Moroha looks like he had an easy win”

“Indeed It appears that Haier than Mannendou-kun’s mana It’s not particularly suitable for what I wanted to show you as an example”

At being essentially called a small fry by Tanaka, Kamekichi was shocked

“Huge NOOOOOOOOO!”

He fell to his knees and held his head in sorrow

Stifled chuckling came from the students

“Oi, Haimura! Couldn’t you have burnt and suffered a little!?”

“Eh? Why?”

“My honour as an upperclassman is completely ruined!? The underclassmen’ll call me a tiny upperclassman! What colour is your blood!?”

Ka all of its mimetic muscles as he prostrated himself, it was pitiful

His miserable supplication made Moroha feel sorry

“Wah, it’s hot So hot, that’s Kaain, ill I do this summer?”

“Gu ha ha ha ha! That’s right, cry! Suffer! Your suffering is like honey to me!”

Moroha’s acting pushed on his chest and he leapt into the air, his attitude doing a complete about-face

He laughed triumphantly

It was alhter

Mistaking it for praise, Ka fingers extended) and the students finally couldn’t take it and rolled around clutching their stomachs

Sohed so much they couldn’t breath and the flames created by mana burnt out by themselves

“By the way, Sensei If we’re deood idea to show offsetting an attack with another”

Moroha, who just an instant ago was supposed to be suffering, nonchalantly suggested that to Tanaka

“That’s a bad expression!?”

Kamii-senpai’s hysteric voice wasn’t audible

“Oh, that’s true Then, Mannendou-kun please take up the challenge”

Tanaka supported it

Moroha would use an offensive dark art and Kamekichi would use a dark art to offset it

“Geh! T-that’s not right, Tana-T I used Flare first so Haiht! Gentle like one of those presenters on NHK, as an example to everyone-“

“Don’t be so cold, help your underclassmen, se-n-pa-i”

“Shut up, Moroha! Who’d fall for that wheedling, idiot!”

“Ah, or could it be that you’re scared of me, an underclassman?”

“Fu fu, come at me with a Flare or a Blaze!”

Ka men

Getting permission, Moroha spun a dark art with a mischievous face

“Trace”

There exists purgatory in the underworld, and fields of fire in the corporeal world

Fire discriood nor evil nor chaos as it burns and purifies all with a ferocious mercy

All people die and return to dust, now, let the rites of crein

Moroha chanted Incinerate, its strength was on par with the third year students, the attack that knocked out Isurugi’s younger brother in one shot

“A step three has got to be against the rules, Haimuraaaa!”

Kamekichi couldn’t spell as fast or as accurately and had tears and snot running down his face

“Eh, you’re pretending to have poor writing, thank you for your kindness”

“’ive mee!”

Kah to refresh Moroha as he begged forgiveness

The loudest laugh of the day reached the arena’s ceiling

Moroha laughed without care as he cancelled the Incinerate right on the verge of completion

“Ahh, that was fun, that was fun”

He returned next to Satsuki and shi+zuno to grand applause

“Serves hi at Moroha as a rival, that’s what you get”

Satsuki glared down her nose at Ka written with the character for turtle would suggest, was curled up and shaking

“Hm? I don’t hate Kamii-senpai you know?”

Because he was an a person

“I can’t believe it! What’s good about an annoyance like him?”

“I agree”

Satsuki and shi+zuno looked like it was completely unexpected

Moroha put his hand to his ht He’d say Kamii-senpai was someone who had a lot of irls Maybe there was a gulf deeper than the Mariana Trench between ‘A guy that guys liked’ and ‘A guy that girls liked’

“Actually, Kareat”

Moroha glanced at Kamekichi

He was still shaking and cowering, arguing with his friends

“Gya ha ha ha ha, you’re so lame Kamii”

“Shut up You try going against Haimura then He’s way too scary”

“Then don’t pick fights, so lame”

Seeing this, all the students shtly

No one was paying attention to the chair let down in the stands

Thanks to Kalass went peacefully

Moroha had dared to join with Kamii-senpai’s spirits and his little skit was effective To borrow Satsuki’s phrase, “That’s what you get, chairman”

He glanced at the chair back to class

“So, first and second years pair up First years, use whatever attack you want and second years devote yourself to defence Take advantage of working with a more skilled partner, first years, learn what it feels like to attack Second years, you should be able to handle a first year’s attack”

Precisely because attacking was easy and defending was hard, even though they were in different years, there was a struggle to win between the

Moroha waved to Satsuki and shi+zuno and searched for an upperclassman to pair with

The chairh all of this, but he didn’t pay it any mind

The practical class finished ‘without incident’ and as Moroha left the changing roo back into his school uniform, he found his path blocked by the chairman

“That wasn’t particularly admirable in class earlier If you’re a saviour, you should hold your head high and take your training hable performance in front of Sir Edill be an issue, you know?”

What’sas soon as he saw Moroha

Moroha had had a feeling that this would happen

“I’ to really hold h over”

He answered curtly, scratching his head

It was a rebellious attitude, even if he was a big shot, Moroha didn’t have any courtesy or anything for a disagreeable person like him

He was sure the chairman would find fault with that impudence too, but

“Ah, excuse me I didn’t come here to lecture you”

He caly that seemed completely insincere and continued

“I wanted to invite you to my home Do you have time today?”

“Me? This is sudden”

“I told shi+zuno to before, but she hasn’t invited you at all Well, she alas a late bloomer, it’s how her mother raised her”

There was roo shi+zuno a late bloomer, but Moroha dared to raise an objection

“I’m honoured to be invited, but I have Ho after this”

“I obtained peri-kun”

In that case, Moroha had no objections

He also had his proive shi+zuno ‘an honest explanation later’

And above all, he was extremely curious what kind of place shi+zuno’s house was

“I proo back with someone, mind if I mail them that I won’t be?”

“Of course not There’s a car waiting over there, you can do it inside”

Following behind a swaggering chairman, Moroha headed to the teachers’ exclusive car park

A liine on

He sat in the back seats in the wake of the chairman

The seat perfectly cushi+oned and supported Moroha’s body and felt as if it didn’t even exist as the car glided away Whether it was due to the quality of the car, or the skill of the driver, the acceleration was unnoticeable

“I thought shi+zuno’s family was kind rich, but…”

A luxury car, with a chauffeur was proof they were the real thing

Moroha’s ‘waste alert’ began sounding and shaking in the red zone

Incoherent thoughts like ‘Wouldn’t a norood for my health’ or ‘Did you have to use a chauffeur?’ or ‘But you should encourage ee?’ swirled around his head

Moroha fell into a panic at the difference between him and a real rich person

“Don’t you need to send a e?”

“Ah, yes I apologise for my destitution”

“?”

Moroha returned to his senses at the chair his puzzlement

Tell Maya he’d be late, and done

“Haimura-kun, are you close with many people?”

As Moroha was looking at his phone, the chairman spoke

“I’m not sure if it counts as many, but to a certain extent”

With Satsuki and shi+zuno’s faces first co to mind, Moroha answered

“Hmm…”

The chairht

He seemed somewhat dissatisfied

“Is there so many friends?”

“shi+zuno hasn’t been able to make many friends, but she has someone to entrust her heart to in you Precisely because it’s a rarity I wanted you to be closest to her, as a brother”

“Closest, you say…”

Just froht think he worried tooselfishness

However, hidden in the depths of his heart, Moroha had a suspicious feeling

It didn’t sound like it was grounded on love of his sister at all to Moroha

“I treasure her”

Moroha answered bluntly

“Even if I didn’t tell anyone, you’d have soht”

He added mentally