Chapter 21

On top of that, the gun-type portrait weapon has no Transcendent Armament.

So, to me now, it’s just a picture on a cake.

I smack my lips.

[Next student. Shinozaki Rin, please enter.]

Mr. Mayuzumi’s announcement sounds again.

Ishihara exits, and Shinozaki Rin enters.

A cold-looking girl with her navy blue hair neatly tied in a ponytail and wearing the dedicated weapon Totsuganotsuru, a Japanese sword, appears on the screen.

“Watch this carefully.”

Olivia’s voice is heard.

I turn my gaze to her.

“Hmph.”

Olivia turns her head.

She’s still sulking.

Anyway, it’s annoying.

I shake my head.

Swoosh.

Shinozaki Rin quietly draws Totsuganotsuru.

The cold blade glows under the lighting.

Flash. A burst of light activates her battle mode.

A navy blue full-body armor that reveals her figure is equipped on Shinozaki Rin’s body.

[Then, I’ll summon it! Miss Shinozaki.]

Mr. Mayuzumi operates the machine after confirming she’s ready for battle.

A giant interdimensional creature appears with a flash of light.

“A Zeta Rank interdimensional creature, Steel Turtle... It’s known for its powerful defense, fitting its nickname 'Steel.' It’s a tough opponent for a swordsman.”

Olivia volunteers to explain, as if she’s been waiting for it.

That’s why it’s convenient to have an explanation junkie around.

You don’t have to strain yourself to recall the original settings.

Well, everything she said is correct.

Except one thing.

“The last part is wrong.”

“What part is wrong?”

“The Steel Turtle’s shell is weak against extreme heat and cold.”

So, for Shinozaki Rin, who possesses the Gift of Freezing, this round is a free meal.

That’s why talent junkies are a problem.

They can handle anything easily.

I, an extra, find it hard no matter what.

“I knew that much too! Hmph. And I didn’t ask you!”

Olivia pouts and turns her head again.

I can’t even manage a hollow laugh.

I turn my gaze to the arena.

Boom, boom.

The Steel Turtle charges at Shinozaki Rin with a roar.

Shinozaki Rin closes her eyes.

She quietly holds the hilt with both hands and raises the sword to the sky.

The moment the Steel Turtle charges right in front of her.

Her eyes open.

“Freeze.”

With a cold word, a deep navy blue magic power explodes from the sword.

The Steel Turtle’s body, as well as the entire arena, instantly turns white and freezes.

An icy world reminiscent of the Arctic.

In this world of extreme cold where everything is frozen, Shinozaki Rin swings her sword.

The blade of Totsuganotsuru glows with navy blue magic power.

A slow, single strike.

But the Steel Turtle, whose defense has been weakened by the Gift of Freezing, cannot withstand Shinozaki’s attack.

Boom.

The Steel Turtle’s body splits in half and falls.

Overwhelming power.

[It’s over.]

Shinozaki Rin mutters, looking at the disappearing illusion of the Steel Turtle.

“Amazing...!”

“This is the power of the second-ranked student...!”

“Just as expected of Miss Shinozaki...!”

Ah, come on.

Where will this go when the library opens?

“...I don’t like it.”

Olivia mutters in a low voice.

It’s a different, genuine contempt from her usual teasing.

Why is she suddenly like this?

Did she eat something wrong?

Then.

[Kim Deok-sung.]

Shinozaki Rin’s voice echoes through the speakers.

What?

I turn my gaze. There, Shinozaki Rin, who has deactivated her battle mode, is staring straight at me.

She says,

[It won’t be long.]

Ah, damn.

She’s making me feel like a fight is coming.

Did you call me by my name to make me angry?

The atmosphere instantly freezes.

“...I don’t like it.”

Olivia mutters in a low voice, sitting next to me.

This time, I feel the same way.

[Next student. Kim Deok-sung, please enter.]

Mr. Mayuzumi’s announcement breaks the silence.

Who planned this?

Why is the order like this?

I sigh and stand up.

Then.

“Hey. You.”

Olivia’s voice is heard.

I turn my head.

Olivia looks at me with a serious expression and says,

“...Do well. Don’t disgrace my name unnecessarily.”

Anyway, the problem is that she always adds something unnecessary at the end.

But, she did worry about me, so I should respond.

“Got it.”

“Hmph. Idiot. Stupid. The stupidest man in the universe.”

Olivia turns her gaze away.

I’ve probably heard “idiot” and “stupid” over a hundred times today.

Even if I try to see her as a super rare card, her constant nagging...

Let’s just stop there.

Tsundere is cute in fiction, but in reality, it’s just annoying.

This is the moment when the saying “Tsundere is cute in fiction, but in reality, it’s annoying” is proven.

That’s why tsundere characters are extinct in both Korea and Japan these days.

I walk down the stands, leaving Olivia behind.

I arrive at the entrance of the training ground.

I see Shinozaki Rin coming out after finishing her training.

“Hey, Rin.”

Calling her by her first name without her last name, her eyebrows furrow.

Her face turns cold.

“Do you not know that in Japan, you shouldn’t call someone by their first name unless you’re close? Kim Deok-sung?”

She answers in a cold voice.

Yobisute?

“No. I know...”

I’ve read enough light novels. How could I not know?

At first, they call each other by their last names, and then when they get closer, they say, “It’s okay to call me by my first name,” right?

But that’s a different story.

“I just called you by your name because you’re a pain in the ass. Rin.”

“Shut up.”

Shinozaki’s cheeks tremble from hearing a curse in front of her.

So, why are you provoking me when you can’t even get back at me?

Ignoring her, I say,

“I’m talking about our sparring. I want to add one more condition.”

“What nonsense is this?”

Shinozaki’s eyebrows twitch.

“The loser has to dogeza the winner. How about it?”

Originally, I just wanted to take the item.

But I can’t.

I don’t know about Olivia, but I really need to get some dogeza from her.

I want to start making money from my national pride YouTube channel.

“Why should I accept such a ridiculous proposal?”

Shinozaki cuts me off.

The expected reaction.

It doesn’t matter.

“Why, are you scared of the future? Afraid I might make you dogeza?”

Just a little provocation to a bundle of inferiority complex.

“Who’s afraid? Me? Of you?”

She’ll react like this.

Shinozaki’s eyes turn cold.

“Then, if you’re not afraid, accept it.”

I throw out the second provocation.

Shinozaki’s cheeks tremble with anger.

She tries to maintain a poker face, but it’s clear she’s boiling inside.

Shinozaki says in a trembling voice,

“I don’t understand why you’re proposing such an unnecessary bet... But if you want to dogeza that much, fine, I’ll accept.”

“Good.”

The dogeza bread is established.

She glares at me and says,

“Don’t regret it.”

A childish provocation.

It’s easy to laugh it off since I’ll be making her dogeza in a few days.

Ignoring her, I enter the training ground.

Zing.

The automatic door closes.

The students’ gazes are on me.

They must have seen the scene with Shinozaki Rin, so it’s natural they’re interested.

“Dogeza? To Miss Shinozaki?”

“What kind of confidence does he have?”

“His suitability is only C rank, right?”

The students murmur.

Ignoring the predictable reactions, I draw Durandal.

Swoosh.

Durandal’s blade glows under the lighting.

I activate my battle mode.

[Durandal Online]

A black flash bursts with a notification sound, and a black full-body armor covers my body.

Thump, thump.

My mana channels heat up. Hot mana flows through my body’s mana circuits.

[Mr. Kim. I’ll summon the illusion!]

Patsuts!

A flash of light is emitted from the machine with Mr. Mayuzumi’s announcement.

[Roar.]

The illusion appears.

A giant lizard covered in red flames.

A Zeta Rank interdimensional creature, the Salamander.

“What a pain in the ass.”

According to the setting book and the anime, the Salamander’s weakness is the flame gem embedded in its forehead.

Breaking the gem not only prevents it from using fire but also weakens its scale defense and causes a large stun, giving an opportunity to strike its neck.

But aiming for the forehead of a house-sized lizard is not easy.

For me, a swordsman, it’s just as difficult.

I adjust Durandal and look at the Salamander.

I use an ability.

[Sync]

[Black Prince Raoul Napoleon Bonaparte]

The regression core in my chest heats up.

The Black Prince’s experiences and talents are uploaded to my mind.

My