Ryuu Kusari no Ori -Kokoro no Uchi no 'Kokoro'-

[LN] Volume 1: Chapter 5.1

[LN] Volume 1: Chapter 5.1

This chapter was brought to you by the collaboration between PolterGlast and Saekano Translations.

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Volume 1 Chapter 5.1

With a Legacy in one's Heart Part 1

Translator : PolterGlast

Northern Region. In this land, close to the permafrost, it snows even in spring and is constantly exposed to strong winds. The violent winds become storms, freezing everything in their path. In this land, which has been frozen over for so long, the soil only reveals its face in the summer, making it a land normally unsuitable for people to live in. However, there are those who dare to settle in such a place.

They are the outcasts.

They are those who have been ostracized and persecuted for various reasons.

There is a country where such people live in this northern region.

Dizard Empire.

An isolated country that has no diplomatic relations with any country on the continent.

In one of the territories of such an empire, a castle made up of innumerable icicles stood isolated.

A section of the castle was covered in ice. An old gentleman wearing a monocle walks down the cold, deserted, and vacant corridor of the castle.

Ahead of him stands a large door.

The old gentleman slowly opens the door, which is too huge for one person to open, and bows deeply.

"My Lord, this is Rugato. I have something I'd like you to hear ......"

"Oh, what is it?"

Beyond where he bowed his head, there lay a throne that gave off an eerie atmosphere.

The throne was placed with his back to the old gentleman, and it was impossible to see what kind of person was sitting on it.

However, in his response to the old gentleman, who introduced himself as Rugato, there was a seductive voice that could captivate all who heard it, as well as a coldness like a snowstorm that enveloped the castle.

"The time for the fulfillment of the contract made by your predecessor is drawing near."

"Ah, the contract Father made, huh? What kind of contract is it?"

"It is a contract with a certain landlord in the southern country. It is almost time to collect the goods that we lent them to help with their endeavors. How would you like to proceed?"

A white, slender arm peeked out from the edge of the throne.

In this hand, a wine glass filled with red liquid was held aloft.

"I leave it to you. Get it done as quickly as you can. If there are any obstacles, you may eliminate them."

Swaying the wineglass and toying with the liquid that had been poured into it, the tone of her voice showed no interest in Rugato's topic of conversation at all.

The way she didn't even confirm what kind of item it was that had to be retrieved spoke volumes about the indolence of this old gentleman's master.

"Are you sure? Given the state of our country ......"

"No problem. Our emperor may be a little troubled, but it does not matter. We are not going against his will. Besides, I hear that the Geryunus family will be coming soon. We must make preparations to welcome them, don't you think?"

Sensing his Lord's intention behind those words to hurry up and go, Rugato made no further comments to his Lord, but instead placed his hands on his chest and bowed his head deeply.

"I understand. I will go retrieve it right away."

"Yeah, go ahead."

The old gentleman turned his back and left the room without saying anything further to the Lord, who urged him to leave the room while waving her hand.

As he closed the door behind him, the old gentleman's body slowly began to blur into a black shadow.

Soon, the black shadows burst in all directions.

Countless bits of the shadow scattered and became a swarm of bats, flying along the corridor, making a shrill screeching sound.

The countless bats eventually flew out of the nearest window and vanished into the sky through the blizzard.

?

It has been a week since Nozomu and Shino parted ways. Nozomu had to take three supplementary exams due to the severity of his injuries, but he managed to overcome the end-of-year exams and was promoted to third grade.

His third year at Arcazam was about to begin.

At the main gate of the school, Nozomu was thinking about many things, including Lisa and his parting with his master.

He might run away again, or he might remain standing still.

But he decided he was done with turning away from the fact that he had run away.

With his master's teachings and a renewed determination in his heart, he entered the gates of the Solminati Academy.

"But I am surprised that I was able to advance to the next grade."

Tapping his finger on the black nameplate that still sat on his chest, Nozomu once again recalled the results of the supplementary examinations.

The total number of subjects on the supplementary examinations was definitely the highest in the school's history, and Nozomu was once again placed in the 10th class, the lowest class in the academy. He was also the lowest-ranked student in his class.

Because of his injuries, his practical examinations, including the supplementary examinations, were catastrophic, and he had to desperately pass the written examinations in order to advance to the next grade.

Naturally, he had anticipated that he would be treated as a failure in the class he was about to enter.

However, Nozomu was not saddened by the fact that he was being treated as a failure, in fact, he was even a little relieved.

(But maybe it's better to keep it that way for now. That Dragonslayer's power is too strong for the current me to handle.)

The battle with Shino forced Nozomu to release his [Ability Suppression].

The released power drastically enhanced Nozomu's abilities, but overly powerful force enhanced all kinds of techniques so much that even a mere fist strike, not to mention the originally deadly Qi-jutsu, could no longer be used in the school's combat trainings.

"It's usable, just punching a rock can shatter it into a tiny piece. Besides, there's also that guy ......"

Nozomu tested his power by removing his chains deep in the woods several times after his battle with Shino.

But every time, Tiamat within him was trying to break free of his restraints, rampaging through Nozomu's body, devouring him from the inside out.

Perhaps because he was able to face his own escapism in the battle with his master, or perhaps because he had succeeded in absorbing Tiamat's power, even if only partially, in the spiritual world, he was not immediately devoured.

Even so, two minutes was the maximum. That was the feeling he had when he actually unleashed it.

Even those two minutes were spent by Nozomu desperately trying to contain his power. If he had used his power without thinking, he was sure that his spirit would have been crushed by the force or his body would have collapsed within a dozen seconds.

"Anyway, I have to think about what I'm going to do from now on."

He had not had a chance to see Lisa since his advancement to the next grade.

Partly because they were originally of different ranks, and partly because Nozomu had too much going on at the end of a busy school year.

But if they were to meet face to face, it would be easy to imagine that she would either ignore him as she had done before or be hostile to him.

The thought of that scenario brought an indescribable feeling of unpleasantness to the pit of Nozomu's chest.

(Again, I'm thinking of running away ......)

Nozomu still had a fear of being rejected.

But now he had become more aware of his own desire to escape.

What Shino risked his life to tell him has indeed sprouted a small bud inside him and begun to take root.

As Nozomu opened the door to his third-grade, tenth-class classroom, his classmates, upon seeing him, gave him displeased expressions.

"What the hell is he still doing here?"

"Because of him, we're treated like we're on the same level as that thing. Give me a break, will you?"

"That's for sure. Besides, he's had to take three supplementary exams, you know. He should at least consider his own capabilities."

Words of ridicule were bombarded upon him. They looked at him with contempt and disgust, as if tempted to hurt others because of the sense of stagnation they felt from not being rewarded for their efforts.

Nozomu ignored their words and went to the seat assigned to him. The brand-new desk he was supposed to use for the year already had a few cuts on it.

Nozomu turned his eyes once more to his classmates, who were now looking at him with contempt. His eyes had a strong light in them, a light that had not been there before.

The classmates' eyes widened in surprise at Nozomu's strong gaze.

At that moment, the classroom door slammed open.

"Good morning, everyone~!"

The person who entered the classroom was Anri Var, who had been in charge as an assistant homeroom teacher during the second grade.

She was still radiating the same warmth and cheerfulness like the spring sun, and everyone in the classroom was stunned as if their poisonous atmosphere had been drained out of them.

"Since Caskell-sensei has become the homeroom teacher for the fifth class~, starting from the third grade, I will be the homeroom teacher for the tenth class~. Everyone, I look forward to working with you all for the next year~."

Although Anri is a relatively new teacher, it seems that she has been entrusted as a new homeroom teacher this year, though it is for the tenth class.

"Look, look, I'm going to take attendance, so everyone takes your seats~."

Upon hearing her words, each of them returned to their respective seats in a bewildered state of shock.

"Well then~, let me introduce myself once again~. Starting today, I will be working hard together with you all. I'm Anri Var, nice to meet you~."

Although Anri introduced herself in a cheerful tone, the tenth-class students did not respond well to her introduction.

It's only natural. They were the students who had aimed for a higher class in the end-of-year examinations but ended up at the bottom of the grade.

They were very disappointed because they had worked so hard to achieve their goals.

However, Anri never lost her affectionate smile, even in front of her own students who were downhearted.

"Everyone here is in the tenth class. Sure, you're the lowest in your grade, but I don't think you need to be concerned about it~. Because I was in the same situation too~."

As the students looked down, Anri told them that she, too, had once been a student of the tenth class.

"Everyone here has a talent that shines as brightly as the students in the other classes~. It's just that you don't know how to use it yet~. What's important is not to think about others, but to learn more about yourself now, and to keep challenging yourself ......"

Anri's eyes glanced toward Nozomu. Nozomu tilted his head in response to this meaningful glance. On the other hand, Anri smiled at Nozomu's seemingly healthy appearance and opened the attendance book in her hand.

"Well then, let's start our new year~! Attendance number one, Alton Sahag-kun!"

"Y-, yes!"

One by one, Anri checked the faces of the students she would be in charge of for the next year.

The students of the tenth class, who until now had been treated with disdain as rubbles.

The students' voices, as they responded to their names being called, showed less of the gloom that had been wafting through the air for the past two years.

?

While Anri was taking attendance in a lively voice, Mars, seated at the very back of the class, was staring at Nozomu's back, who was seated in front of him.

Mars would normally have been in a higher class, but his poor conduct in the class had been deemed problematic, and even if he had been allowed to advance to a higher grade, he would have been placed in the tenth class once again.

However, he was not concerned about that. What occupied his mind was a male student in front of him.

There was no hint of disdain in his eyes, but rather a seriousness as if he was checking something out, trying to figure out what it was.

(Why is he in this bottom class? With his ability, he should be in a higher class.)

Remembering the combat training at the end of the second grade, Mars put his hand over his mouth. A match in which he had to admit that he had been defeated. He had lost his composure and been outwitted.

Mars was surprised at the result, and at the same time, he was extremely angry at himself for not recognizing the effort and ability that Nozomu had accumulated.

However, once the temporary fury subsided, what came next was his strong curiosity about Nozomu.

(During the end-of-year examinations, he was injured. According to the report, he tripped on the stairs while carrying luggage, but it should be impossible for that guy to accidentally fall down the stairs like that ......)

Knowing Nozomu's incredible bodily control and sense of balance, Mars was confident that Nozomu would not be seriously injured by simply falling down the stairs.

Even when blown away by Mars' Qi-jutsu-enhanced greatsword, albeit in combat training, he did not suffer serious injuries, and he was able to attend class the next day as usual.

But before the most crucial exam, the end-of-year exams, Nozomu was injured to the extent that it affected his performance.

Mars was convinced that Nozomu had some secret.

?

On the first day of the third school year, the mornings were mostly spent reviewing what students would learn during the year, various exams, and school events, but in the afternoons, normal classes resumed.

"Alrighty~, Let's begin our afternoon classes~."

Anri's prolonged speech echoed through the training grounds.

The first lesson for the third grade, tenth class, was Comprehensive Combat Techniques.

Unlike one-on-one combat training, this lesson was not one-on-one, but a party battle, so teamwork was the key, not just individual combat skills.

To begin with, it would be dangerous for even a veteran knight to fight alone against a demonic beast that was already powerful even on its own.

Adventurers also usually form parties of several to a dozen people to minimize risk, as a single major injury can lead to retirement. For this reason, the school now also incorporates many classes such as group battles in order to cultivate each party's role and the ability to make judgments to respond to various situations through group battles.

The proportion increases as students move up through the grades, and by the third grade, most of the practical training is in group combat.

Following Anri's urging, the students began to form their respective parties.

However, while the rest of the classmates were forming parties, Nozomu was left alone, unable to form a party with anyone else.

When he tried to call out to the parties that had already formed, he was ignored. Nozomu was scratching his cheeks as if he was in trouble.

(I knew this would happen, but what can I do about this ......)

This lesson would be meaningless unless more than one person teamed up. Even in the second grade, when Caskell was in charge, team battles were occasionally held, but Nozomu, who could not team up with anyone, was considered unwanted and was usually left at the edge of the training ground.

As a result, during the team battle classes, Nozomu could do nothing more than sit at the edge of the training ground and practice his moves so as not to get in the way.

(That said, I can't just be content with the same situation I was in last year. I need to find someone to team up with.)

Unlike in the past, when he was constantly running away from his situation, the current Nozomu has the awareness to think about doing something about his current situation.

However, contrary to Nozomu's wishes, everyone refused to allow him to join their party.

If this situation were to continue, there would be no room for him to join the class itself. The time that Nozomu had spent there would be meaningless to him.

At that moment, someone he did not expect spoke to him.

"Oi, you. If you don't have anyone to team up with, you can team up with us."

To Nozomu's surprise, Mars, the most problematic boy in the tenth class, invited Nozomu to join his team. His cronies looked surprised, and his classmates were in an uproar.

"O-, oi, Mars, are you serious!?"

"Why would you go to the trouble of inviting such a useless piece of shit?"

Mars's cronies pressed close to him in apparent disbelief.

This was a natural reaction. Mars was one of the students in the class who had been particularly aggressive toward Nozomu.

He would be the first to be eliminated from the list of candidates that would invite Nozomu to a party, and Nozomu himself didn't think that he would be willing to team up with him, so he didn't even bother to ask Mars and the others.

Mars, on the other hand, did not pay any attention to the cronies who complained or to the commotion around him, but simply stared at Nozomu.

Nozomu also wondered about Mars' meaningful gaze, but he had no choice.

"...... Sure. I'm in."

"Good."

Thus, Nozomu, Mars, and his cronies formed the most unlikely party in the class.

"Okay, I guess everyone already has a party~! Well then, let's begin!"

With Anri's spirited starting signal, the combat training began.

Nozomu's and Mars' party consisted of a total of four people.

Two of Mars' cronies, including one archer and the other a mage, were also in this party.

Likewise, Nozomu's opponents were also a party of four in total. Two boys were swordsmen, one was a spearman, and one was a girl with a pair of daggers.

As soon as the starting signal was announced, the swordsman and spearman cast a strengthening spell on themselves and began to attack Mars.

They probably intended to suppress Mars, who they identified as the most powerful person in Nozomu's party, which consisted of two vanguards and two rearguards.

"Hmph!"

Mars drew his greatsword and parried their attacks head-on.

A high-pitched sound of metal clashing rang out, and a powerful blow, enhanced by reinforcement magic, struck Mars.

However, he, who had strengthened his body with Qi-jutsu, fully demonstrated his superior physical strength and tried to push back his attackers without taking a step backward.

"~ !"

While Mars was parrying the attacks of the opposing vanguards, Nozomu went on the offensive. He and Mars teamed up and circled around to attack the two who had stopped moving. But before they could engage, a gust of wind blew past them.

"Mu ......"

A single blade of wind passed in front of Nozomu's eyes. Looking in the direction of the blade of wind, Nozomu saw a dagger-wielding female student chanting a magic spell.

"Obey my will and manifest, blade of wind!"

The blade of wind, activated again, struck Nozomu, splitting him and Mars apart. It seemed that the opponents were planning to separate Mars from Nozomu and the others and destroy each of them individually.

Considering that Mars was indeed the most capable fighter in this party, it would be strategically necessary to draw him away.

Then, another swordsman slashed at Nozomu from the flank after he was pulled away.

A lingering glow of magical power rose from his body, indicating that this male student, too, was using strengthening magic on himself.

"I got you!"

Nozomu immediately drew his katana. Using his katana and flexible body, he was able to parry his opponent's attack.

He was not in great shape at the time of the end-of-year exam due to his injuries from the fight with Shino, but now that his wounds have healed properly, Nozomu's body moved exactly what he wanted it to.

"Whoa!"

The swordsman was thrown off his stance by Nozomu's slash as he rushed forward with great vigor. Nozomu, who had dealt with his opponent's lunge, tried to throw a roundhouse kick to his opponent's flank, which was now exposed. However, just before Nozomu's kick caught his opponent, a fireball suddenly rushed in from behind and exploded.

"Wha-, guh!"

What flew in was a fireball that is classified as beginner-level magic. It is a general-purpose magic that shoots out balls of fire.

However, the fireball that just flew at him may have contained a certain amount of magic power, and the impact of the explosion at close range blasted Nozomu away.

"Damn, who the hell ......?"

As Nozomu got to his feet, having managed to use ukemi to cope with the impact of being blown away, he saw Mars' cronies leap into his eyes.

"Oioi, is that really okay? You dragged him into your attack too."

"It doesn't matter. Such a useless guy can only be used as a decoy."

It was, to his surprise, Mars' cronies who shot the fireball at him.

To them, Nozomu was literally nothing more than a decoy, and they didn't feel the slightest itch to involve him in their attacks.

"Those bastards......"

"Teeeii~!"

Nozomu got up, but while he was being blown away, the other party's swordsman, who had regained his stance, slashed at him from behind.

"Tch!"

He turned around and swung his katana, parrying it away by striking the side of the sword swung down from above, but from behind the opposing swordsman, a dagger-wielding female student was also coming at him with another attack.

Although two blades added to the offensive and made him on the defensive, Nozomu constantly shifted his body while parrying the incoming long sword and daggers, and repeatedly moved to avoid being attacked simultaneously.

Furthermore, from behind Nozomu's defensive stance, friendly fire was coming at him relentlessly.

"Take that!"

"Hahaha! Nice aim!"

Not only magic, but also arrows were added to the attack, and the situation was getting out of hand. Even with beginner-level magic, the impact and the heat of the explosion at close range inevitably slowed his movements down.

Furthermore, arrows fired in the gaps between the magic attacks were hurled at Nozomu and the attackers.

The two cronies' attacks were well coordinated in the sense that they were long-range attacks, and their strengths intertwined well with each other, successfully eliminating the shortcomings in their attacks, such as the time required for magic chanting and the gap between the next arrow.

However, there was no hesitation in involving Nozomu in their coordinated attack.

The cronies seemed to be enjoying getting Nozomu involved in the attack more than the combat training itself.

"Oh, I see now ...... Fine, then!"

Nozomu judged the two cronies as his enemies as well. With his whole body on edge, he swung his katana as hard as he could, as if to repel the swordsman and dagger wielder he was dealing with.

"Whoa!"

"Kuh!"

The two of them involuntarily moved away from their opponent in response to the large horizontal cleave. In that gap, Nozomu turned around using the momentum from his cleaving attack and activated his [Flash Step]. He accelerated toward the two cronies.

"Wha~!"

The cronies, seemingly in a panic, fired a fireball that they had kept on standby. A fireball flying at high speed approached Nozomu's eyes.

"~ !"

Nozomu sliced the fireball with a single slash from the front.

The fireball, split in half and with its spell disintegrated, faded away like a vapor.

"You bottom-feeder bastard!"

The other crony fired an arrow, but it was swiftly deflected by Nozomu's katana, which was placed right in the trajectory of the arrow.

"U-, uwa ......"

Nozomu swung his katana mercilessly toward the two flustered cronies, knocking their weapons away and slamming his fist into their stomachs.

The two fainted in agony, and then Nozomu made another turn. He tried to intercept the other party's swordsman and dagger wielder, who were in pursuit.

However, just as Nozomu was about to swing his blade again, a powerful chill came over him from the left side of his body.

"~ !"

As if urged on by the chill crawling up his spine, Nozomu used his [Flash Step] to break away as fast as he could.

Immediately after, Nozomu's vision caught sight of Mars, who was rushing toward him with his greatsword raised in the air.

The two members of the opposing party who had been fighting him were lying on the ground, probably already knocked down.

"Ggh!"

"This is ba- ......"

Unlike Nozomu, the other party's swordsman and dagger wielder were slow to react.

Mars, with his greatsword clad in a blade of wind, swung his greatsword sideways with all his might. With his enhanced physical strength and the wind blade, the front of Mars' weapon was swept away, and the remaining two members of the other party were blown away and rendered unconscious in the battle.

Meanwhile, Nozomu and Mars glared at each other silently.

If Nozomu had not gotten away with his [Flash Step], he would have definitely been caught up in the previous blow.

Nozomu's face was filled with anger toward Mars, who had clearly intended to wipe Nozomu out along with his opponents without hesitation.

Even Mars' cronies, who had somehow managed to regulate their breathing, were trembling and quivering as Nozomu glared directly at Mars with a frown on his brow. They were overwhelmed by Nozomu's anger.

Until now, Nozomu had always turned his back on everything at the school. In the past, he would have immediately averted his eyes and shut himself away.

Although Nozomu himself was unaware of the change in him, Mars' cronies, who were directly exposed to his anger, were perplexed and fearful at the obvious change in his behavior.

Meanwhile, Nozomu, who had been seething with anger, soon began to have doubts in his mind about Mars' unusual behavior.

Mars, who had just attacked Nozomu, had no trace of the disdain in his eyes that had been directed at him until now.

(What the hell is he up to?)

Mars' attitude suddenly changed after entering the third grade. However, Mars' mouth never opened as he kept staring at Nozomu.

Eventually, the class ended and was dismissed.

Nozomu left the training ground, wondering about the questions that were floating in his mind.

The cronies who had been engaged in the friendly fire with Nozomu were taken away to the edge of the training ground by Anri, who had a devilish expression on her face, and were given a scolding and ordered to clean up the training ground.

?

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