Chapter-09 · EP-135
Episode 135: Kyoya Murasakimura (Part 6) – Score 120
Yesterday's after-school exploration was completely hampered and I made no progress.
In that case, I had no choice but to work hard during class exploration.
With that thought in my heart, as I was walking toward the dungeon, I overheard my classmates chatting.
It was the voice of Enoshima-kun, who had been in my party before.
"I wonder who the class president will be in the second semester?"
Enoshima-kun's casual remark made my expression freeze.
Aoshima-kun, who was being addressed, answered.
"It'll be Murasakimura, right?"
"No, but Murasakimura is still level 1, isn't he? Since the student with the best grades in the first semester becomes the class president for the second semester, I was thinking maybe it wouldn't be Murasakimura, but the one who defeats the first-floor boss first."
"Then Ichinose and his group have already defeated it, haven't they? But I hear Ichinose's test scores aren't that good."
"Then…"
The conversation stopped. They had noticed we were nearby.
In my place, Mamoru spoke up.
"Talking behind someone's back isn't good."
But Enoshima-kun, thus addressed, answered without flinching.
"It's not behind your back. It's a fact that Murasakimura-kun is still level 1, isn't it? Even I've reached level 2."
Enoshima-kun didn't seem to mean any harm, but his insensitivity cut deeper into my heart.
"Enoshima, weren't you in his party before?"
Mamoru asked, surprised by Enoshima-kun's answer.
Before Akaishi-kun joined, Enoshima-kun had been in the same party as me and Mamoru. It felt like a betrayal from a classmate I thought I was close to.
"Yeah, but so what? We were talking about Murasakimura-kun being level 1, weren't we?"
Enoshima-kun answered Mamoru without any sign of remorse.
"I hear the Class B students have been saying various things lately, but they're not entirely wrong, are they?"
Enoshima-kun even brought up the rumors that Dokujima-kun and the others had been spreading.
Mamoru and I were both shocked by his lack of tact.
And it seemed Enoshima-kun actually believed the bad things about me that Dokujima-kun deliberately said loud enough for everyone to hear.
Mamoru fell silent at Enoshima-kun's words, so I spoke.
"Enoshima-kun, if that's what you think, then I have nothing to say."
And so, we left Enoshima-kun's presence.
"Kyoya!"
Mamoru hurried after me.
Once inside the dungeon, I gripped my wooden sword with more determination than usual.
"We didn't make any progress after school yesterday because of Dokujima-kun's interference, so let's work hard during class."
During class, we'd be separated from Class B, so there shouldn't be any interference.
Mamoru seemed to agree, nodding deeply.
Akaishi-kun looked confused, not understanding the situation, but I didn't want to worry him by explaining too much, so I didn't.
As with Enoshima-kun earlier, I felt that my classmates' attitude toward me had been changing lately.
This wasn't entirely Dokujima-kun's fault.
My own inadequacy was also to blame.
If only I could reach level 2 like everyone else, their attitude toward me would probably change a little.
My current reputation was the result of my actions from the entrance ceremony until today. To regain it, I had no choice but to work hard at dungeon exploration. Trust is something you have to build up steadily.
Thinking that, I worked as hard as I could today, defeating slimes.
My score would soon reach 120. Surely, even I would level up by then. I had to work hard to catch up on my delayed leveling.
"Kyoya, I sense something behind that rock."
"Got it!"
Using Mamoru's skill "Presence Detection," we found even hidden slimes and defeated them quickly.
We moved swiftly along the path, aiming to defeat as many slimes as possible.
"It's almost time."
Mamoru looked at his watch and muttered.
We defeated nine slimes today. With a three-person party, my score increased by 3. My score up until yesterday was 116.7, so that made it 119.7. One more slime would make it 120.
"Mamoru, just one more. Can you find it?"
"But if we're late, we'll be late for the next class…"
"Just one more is fine! Please."
Seeing my serious expression, Mamoru agreed.
"Okay. I'll hurry and look."
Mamoru started running at a quick pace, searching for slimes. The two of us followed him. Then Mamoru found the last one.
"I sense it around that depression!"
As he pointed, a slime slowly emerged from the depression in the ground.
I quickly ran over and finished off the last slime.
"We'll run back!"
After I hurriedly picked up the Magic Gem, Mamoru gave the order, and the three of us started running.
Breathing heavily, we came out of the dungeon.
"Haa, haa…"
"It's been a while since I ran all out like that."
"Me too."
Mamoru and Akaishi-kun exchanged smiles.
Yesterday, I was hindered by Dokujima-kun, but today I managed to get my score to 120. Feeling a sense of accomplishment, I headed to the Skill Board.
Finally, I should be able to stand on the same starting line as everyone else.
I held my right hand over the Skill Board.
Kyoya Murasakimura: LV1
Skill: Lightning Magic LV1
Party Members: Mamoru Sendo, Tetsuya Akaishi
But the display showed the same level 1 as yesterday.
I couldn't help but hit the Skill Board hard.
Bang! The sound echoed at the dungeon entrance.
The surrounding students looked at me in surprise.
"Why?"
Was the Skill Board broken? Or was it me who was broken?
"Kyoya!"
"Murasakimura!"
The two called my name, worried.
But I didn't hear them.
Something inside me had burst.
The emotions I had desperately held back until now overflowed all at once.
Effort was supposed to pay off.
If you worked hard, you were supposed to get results.
But reality was different.
My score was 120. This was no longer about individual differences. Why wasn't my level going up?! Was I really a dropout after all?
Such self-recrimination tormented me.
"Kyoya, it's too early to give up! Let's do our best again tomorrow. Hard work doesn't lie!"
"Mamoru… I… maybe even if I work hard, I can't do it."
Mamoru faltered.
He probably also didn't know why I wasn't leveling up.
But still, he tried to encourage me.
"Kyoya!"
Mamoru called my name loudly.
"Don't give up, Kyoya! Even if exploration isn't going well, it doesn't mean all your effort was wasted! Your studies, your club activities, all your daily efforts are making you grow, aren't they?"
That's right. I had the swordsmanship that Takigawa-san was teaching me in the Second Swordsmanship Club.
I felt I had improved compared to when I started.
Every day, I practiced swinging my wooden sword, seeking the correct form.
Surely, this accumulation wasn't in vain.
But still, a faint unease remained in my heart. Wanting to dispel that unease, during the weapons training class after exploration, I called out to Ichinose-kun.
"Ichinose-kun. Would you have a match with me?"