Chapter-01 · EP-030

Episode 30: Hikaru Kujo (Part 5)

"Ichinose…san?"

Hikaru couldn't believe her eyes. Why would a D-Class student be here? It was strange, but there he was.

"Are you okay?! Do you need help?"

Mei shouted back loudly at Shirou's voice.

"Help us! Hikaru-sama is injured!"

"Mei? N-no! Don't! It's dangerous! Don't come to help!"

If he came to help, it would be very much appreciated. But this Huge Slime was far too much for first-year students like them, still level 1. Hikaru thought she shouldn't get Shirou Ichinose involved.

But Mei had already called for help.

"Ichinose! Do you have a potion?"

Shirou assessed the situation and stepped into the room.

"Sorry, no potion. Maika, can you lure it?"

After reporting he had no potion, Shirou gave instructions to his companions behind him.

"Yuno, take care of the young lady's injury! Iori, let's go!"

Shirou gave orders one after another as he charged into the room.

Maika fired her Water Magic. The first shot hit the Huge Slime, the second hit the ground right next to it, and the third hit even further to the side.

Hikaru didn't understand the point and thought it might be a waste of effort. But the next moment, the Huge Slime before her changed its movement and started heading towards the puddles created by Maika's water balls.

Hikaru didn't know that slimes had a habit of moving towards water, so she found its behavior puzzling.

Maika continued firing Water Magic, luring the Huge Slime away from Hikaru and the others.

Once the Huge Slime was far enough, Yuno rushed over to Hikaru.

"Are you okay? Where are you injured?"

"Ah, my right ankle hurts…"

When Hikaru told her, Yuno crouched down and opened both hands towards Hikaru's ankle.

"Heal!"

"Huh?"

As Yuno chanted her Healing Magic, Hikaru's ankle was enveloped in a warm light.

"How does it feel?"

Yuno asked, and Hikaru tried moving her foot. It didn't hurt! Yuno's Healing Magic had completely healed Hikaru's injury.

"Amazing. You can already use your skill so proficiently."

There were students in Hikaru's A-Class who possessed Healing Magic as well. What surprised Hikaru was that Yuno was able to use it effectively in a real battle. The Healing Magic users in A-Class were still practicing and couldn't heal properly yet.

Yuno also called out to Mei.

"Are you injured?"

"Ah, I'm fine."

Mei was also amazed by Yuno's skillful use of Healing Magic.

"Thank you… You're also in D-Class with Ichinose-san, aren't you? Your name is… Hayasaka-san?"

Hikaru remembered meeting Yuno once on the day of the entrance ceremony.

"You remembered? I'm happy. I'm Yuno Hayasaka. Hikaru Kujo-san. Can I call you Hikaru-san?"

"Ah, yes. To avoid confusion with my brother, you may call me by my first name."

"And your name?"

"I'm Mei Kisaragi…"

"Mei-chan, then. Nice to meet you."

Despite being in the middle of a fight with the Floor Boss, Yuno displayed her strong communication skills and quickly closed the distance.

Maika came running over.

"Yuno-chan, are you okay~?"

"I'm fine! Hikaru-san, this is Maika Momota."

"Ah, I'm Momota. Nice to meet you…"

"Hayasaka-san, Momota-san, thank you for coming to help. I owe you my thanks. But more importantly, is Ichinose-san alright?"

Hikaru wondered if it was appropriate to be doing such calm introductions and quickly turned her gaze back to Shirou.

There, she saw Shirou and Iori bravely facing the Huge Slime.

The fear from earlier, when no matter how much they attacked, it didn't work, resurfaced. Hikaru conveyed this to Yuno.

"Physical attacks don't work on the Huge Slime. No matter how strong those two are…"

"It's okay! Don't worry!"

Yuno answered with a smile.

But no, there was no way it would be okay.

Thinking that, Hikaru looked back at Shirou and Iori.

Their fighting style was to gradually shave away at the Huge Slime's body, and as they did, the slime seemed to be getting smaller.

"What is that fighting style…?"

It looked completely different from how Hikaru and the others had fought earlier.

Shirou's wooden sword moved at high speed, repeatedly carving into the Huge Slime. Iori's sword moved with smooth, efficient motions, also carving into the Huge Slime.

"Amazing…"

Hikaru was captivated by their fighting.

They were first-year students just like her, but she couldn't believe it.

And Shirou's quick, precise instructions earlier. The four had divided their roles, rescuing Hikaru and the others while fighting the Huge Slime.

Seeing this, Hikaru thought, This is the kind of person I want to become.

"Alright! Now!"

Shirou's voice rang out. He accurately thrust his wooden sword into the core of the Huge Slime, which had come within reach.

In that instant, the slime lost its form, collapsed into water, and vanished.

"Th-they defeated it?"

Hikaru gasped in disbelief. She couldn't believe that D-Class students had so easily defeated the first-floor Floor Boss, which they had been unable to even scratch. Moreover, only two of the four had fought it.

"You beat me to it this time, Shirou."

"Hehe, I can't let you have all the cool moments, Iori."

Shirou and Iori walked back towards Hikaru and the others, chatting casually, a stark contrast to the fierce battle just moments ago.

"Young lady, are you alright?"

"Ah, thank you. You really saved us."

She hadn't known.

She hadn't known that such amazing people were in D-Class.

Strength like her brother's, the strength to bear everything.

She, too… surely.

She couldn't stay as she was.

If she stayed like this, those people's backs would be too far away.

She had to move forward too.

Watching Shirou fight, Hikaru felt something stir within her. And in her heart, she resolved to become stronger.

At this time, Hikaru did not yet know.

That this encounter today would dramatically change her fate.