Chapter-09 · EP-130

Episode 130: Kyoya Murasakimura (Part 3) – The Anxiety of Being Overtaken

I want to level up today, for sure.

With that strong determination, I faced today's exploration class.

The truth is, my score had already exceeded 100. After the previous exploration, it was 100.3. I thought I would finally level up, but the letters on the Skill Board hadn't changed.

While I was struggling, my classmates were leveling up one after another.

Some of them had even reached level 2 with a score of less than 100. Seeing those classmates, I felt envious and at the same time frustrated at being overtaken.

Until middle school, I had always been at the top. Now, no matter how hard I try, I can't catch up.

I managed to be the top student in the entrance exam, but ever since then, it's been one blow to my confidence after another.

Still, I can't give up. Results only come from steady effort. Hard work doesn't lie.

Perhaps understanding my feelings, my party member Mamoru Sendo used his skill "Presence Detection" to its fullest and found more slimes than usual.

"That's the tenth one."

Picking up the tenth Magic Gem, I confirmed the number defeated.

The score is the number of monsters defeated divided by the number of party members. So today, my score would increase by 3.3.

"That puts our score at 103.6. Even allowing for individual differences, you should have leveled up by now."

Mamoru answered with a smile.

Even the quiet Akaishi-kun nodded in agreement.

It was almost time for class to end. I wanted to hurry back and check the Skill Board.

Several of the classmates who had returned earlier seemed to have leveled up; I could hear cries of joy.

I almost lost my composure at the sound, but I managed to hold back. I should have leveled up today, too.

Mamoru passed me, standing still watching those students, and reached the Skill Board first.

"Kyoya, I'll check first."

"Ah, yeah."

Mamoru reached out to the Skill Board.

Mamoru Sendo: LV2
Skill: Presence Detection
Party Members: Kyoya Murasakimura, Tetsuya Akaishi

"Yes!"

Seeing the letters appear on the Skill Board, Mamoru instinctively pumped his fist.

Mamoru's level had reached 2.

"Kyoya, who's been in the same party as me all this time, must have leveled up too. Akaishi-kun reached level 2 yesterday, so now the three of us can challenge the floor boss."

Mamoru spoke excitedly.

Akaishi-kun didn't say anything, but I could tell from his expression that he was also a bit excited.

"It's not decided that I've leveled up yet. I'll check now."

I said that, but inside, I was fervently wishing please have gone up! as I held my palm over the Skill Board.

Kyoya Murasakimura: LV1
Skill: Lightning Magic LV1
Party Members: Mamoru Sendo, Tetsuya Akaishi

The moment I saw the number displayed, my chest felt cold.

My throat became very dry.

The sounds around me faded away.

…I hadn't leveled up today either.

"I-It seems there are still some individual differences. Kyoya, probably tomorrow."

"Ah, let's do our best tomorrow, too."

Mamoru spoke, concerned for me, and Akaishi-kun, with few words, encouraged me.

But I was shocked, as if the world had gone dark before my eyes.

Again, I hadn't leveled up today.

I felt like I was being left further and further behind by my classmates. I felt the fear of being overtaken, when I had thought I was running at the front.

I had never felt this way before.

As I stood speechless in front of the Skill Board, students from Class B, whose exploration class was about to begin, gathered one after another.

From that crowd, someone spotted me and jeered.

"Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear~? Still level 1, are we, top student~?"

"Pfft…"

I hurriedly moved away from the Skill Board, and the letters disappeared.

"Hey, hey, you don't have to hide it. I already saw it. The number 'level 1'."

"Leave me alone."

Looking at those Class B students' faces, I remembered. These two were the ones who had attacked me together with Haijima-kun.

I couldn't help but glare at them.

"We reached level 2 ages ago, but you're still level 1."

"Hey, hey, Numabe, he's sensitive about it, so don't say too much."

The short, narrow-eyed student, ignoring his own part in it, said hypocritically.

I couldn't help but make an excuse.

"It can't be helped; there are individual differences in leveling up. I'll reach level 2 eventually."

"Hahaha! By then, we'll probably be level 3."

No matter what I said, they came back with insults.

Seeing me dealing with those two, Mamoru, who had run out of patience, called out.

"Let's go, Kyoya."

"Ah, yeah…"

As we left, I heard other students calling out to the Class B pair.

"Dokujima, Numabe! Don't dawdle! Let's go!"

"Ah, sorry, sorry!"

So their names were Dokujima-kun and Numabe-kun… I remembered their names, but I hoped I'd never have to see their faces again.

It was true that my leveling was slow. But I didn't intend to end the day holding onto this frustration.

Tomorrow, I would catch up.

I felt the frustration of being ridiculed slowly turn into heat deep in my chest.