Chapter 47

Shuou Hero Academy.

First Training Ground.

A large dome-shaped building equipped with a large-scale welcoming magic barrier and various mechanical devices for simulating a gate environment is visible before my eyes.

This is where the model gate training takes place.

It is also the site of today’s terrorist attack.

In front of the First Training Ground, on the parade ground.

Ms. Mayuzumi stands before the students lined up in rows, as usual, clenching her fists and shouting with a fighting spirit.

"Today is the day for the model gate practical session!"

The usual warnings follow.

The environment created by the model gate is similar to a real gate, thanks to the power of welcoming magic and science.

The interdimensional beings that appear have a similar level of impact to real ones.

"Students, when you defeat the interdimensional beings, your Hunter Watch will send the score in real-time to the control room! The stronger the interdimensional being, the higher the score!"

Predictable talk.

I suppress a yawn and look to the side.

There, I see Nishizawa Eri, who is in the same group as me.

Her slender figure is fully revealed in the orange full-body suit, and she holds a chain scythe in her hand. A dog collar is still around her neck.

Her face is oddly excited.

Her beauty, which is unnecessarily perfect, makes everything she does look beautiful, which only adds to my frustration.

"Why are you still wearing that thing?"

She points to the dog collar with her hand.

It has always been strange.

I don’t remember telling her to keep wearing it.

I just added it to increase her humiliation.

Seeing her wear the dog collar with my name engraved on it so precious makes me feel a bit uncomfortable.

"Huh? Oh, this?"

Nishizawa Eri touches the dog collar around her neck.

A faint smile appears on her lips.

Why is she smiling?

Is she really out of her mind?

"I wear it because Master told me to. I’m Master’s slave."

I suppress the curses rising to my throat.

"Just take it off."

Isn’t that why you got those ridiculous nicknames like ‘meat shield’?

Nishizawa Eri puffs out her cheeks.

"No. This collar is a symbol connecting me to Master. I’ll never take it off."

Connecting to what?

I feel dizzy.

How can she come to such a crazy conclusion?

What kind of delusion is this girl having?

"Take it off."

"I won’t."

Nishizawa Eri disappears from my sight by using transparency.

"Is she really crazy?"

Even though I already dislike her, how can she not follow any proper orders?

Still, Olivia is the best; she does everything well when I just tell her to grumble.

Olivia should just be a full-time maid.

If only she weren’t a trap.

Sigh.

Swoosh.

The transparency wears off, and Nishizawa Eri reappears.

She swings her chain scythe with an excited look and says,

"Let’s go! Master! I’ll lead the way!"

Nishizawa Eri, who is so excited, takes the lead with quick steps.

Fine.

I have to be a meat shield today anyway, so I’m grateful she’s volunteering.

I follow her.

We walk down a forest path for a while.

The scenery, which is so realistic that it’s hard to tell if it’s a simulation or real, is captivating.

[Hostile reaction detected.]

Durandal switches to battle mode and sends a warning.

"Hey, you deal with it."

"Got it. Master! Leave it to me!"

Nishizawa Eri places her hand on her chest.

[Thud.]

[Thud.]

About ten green, giant frog-like monsters appear in the distance.

Forest Frogs.

They are B-rank common interdimensional beings that often appear in forest terrains.

"Yah! Master’s enemy! Disappear!"

Nishizawa Eri, unnecessarily showing off, throws her chain scythe.

Swish.

The chain scythe slices through the air, and its blade pierces the Forest Frogs.

[Screech!]

The Forest Frogs, which are simulations, scream and disappear in a burst of light.

As expected, her ability is specialized in dealing with minor enemies.

Very satisfying.

While walking inside the model gate and dealing with the interdimensional being simulations, I check the score board.

[Group 1] [103 points]

[Group 9] [92 points]

[Group 18] [83 points]

...

The top group, Group 1, consists of the protagonist and Olivia.

The second group, Group 9, is made up of Shinozaki Rin and Ishihara Daiki.

Olivia and Rin seem to be in the middle of a pride battle here too.

"Master, did I do well? Praise me."

"Shut up and keep dealing with the minor enemies."

"Got it! Leave it to me! I’ll be a useful slave!"

I do want her to be a slave.

But can’t she stop saying it out loud?

It makes me uncomfortable.

If a person changes overnight, it’s a sign of death.

Is Nishizawa Eri about to die soon?

It’s not my problem whether she lives or dies, but without her, the final boss strategy will be seriously hampered.

[Hostile interdimensional being reaction detected.]

Another group of Forest Frogs appears.

Nishizawa Eri deals with all of them again.

Satisfying.

I recall Olivia handling interdimensional beings with a fiery display of flames during the ruins exploration.

Indeed, brute force is the best.

While walking inside the model gate and dealing with the interdimensional being simulations,

"Master."

Nishizawa Eri calls me cautiously.

"What."

I turn my gaze.

Nishizawa’s face turns red.

She fidgets with her fingers and says,

"By any chance, Master... do you like... bigger ones? Breasts...?"

Is this something to say with a serious face in this situation?

It’s a year of madness.

The horrific scene of Rin and Nishizawa fighting over breast size from the other morning overlaps in my mind.

Even if I like them, it’s a bit much for them to fight like that.

But with two girls who hate each other having a destructive fight, it’s just unbearable.

"Why do you care about that?"

A very light novel-like concern.

But I can’t understand it at all.

I dislike both of them, so what’s the point of talking about breast size with someone I dislike?

If I have to be honest, I do prefer bigger ones, but there’s no reason to share such personal and private preferences.

Nishizawa Eri’s face darkens.

She puffs out her cheeks.

"...Lying, Master. You call Shinozaki by her name."

Now she’s making a fuss over the way I call her?

I feel like my patience is flying out the window.

Really, it’s driving me crazy.

"Whatever you’re misunderstanding, I call her by her name to make her feel bad. Stop making unnecessary noise. I’m really getting angry."

In Japan, calling someone by their name alone is a seriously rude act.

It’s not just a random outburst from Rin.

Every time I call her by her name, she flinches, so she must be secretly furious.

Click.

Nishizawa Eri places her hands on her hips and pushes her chest forward.

"Really? Then you can call me by my name. Master is my Master. I’ll even allow you to call me Eri-ling!"

What? Eri-ling?

I haven’t even started the main game, and my stamina is already in the negatives.

I feel sick.

Seriously.

I thought I would experience some form of yobisute in this light novel world.

I was quite prepared mentally.

But I never imagined I would experience it in this place and in this form.

My head feels numb.

Indeed, in the light novel world.

You can’t let your guard down.

"Stop talking nonsense and just shut up and go. Nishizawa. I didn’t spare your life because you’re pretty."

I wonder if she expects me to give her yobisute.

I’ll never do it.

"Got it. Master."

Nishizawa Eri’s shoulders droop.

Just as she was about to take the lead again,

Rumble.

The entire training ground shakes as if an earthquake has struck.

Crack!

The forest scenery before my eyes gets jumbled, and the lush green forest is instantly replaced by a landscape filled with withered trees.

The cracked earth and the overcast sky.

[Screech──!!]

A terrifying roar echoes from the distance.

Beyond the withered trees, a massive magical aura reveals the presence of a monster.

Flap.

A pair of large black wings appear above the trees.

"Gamma-rank interdimensional being, Yatagarasu... How? It’s impossible to simulate top-tier interdimensional beings?"

Nishizawa Eri mutters an explanation.

[Attention, students! This is an emergency announcement! We have an emergency situation! Someone has hacked the system from inside. We are completely cut off from the outside, making it difficult for us to assess the internal situation, but there is a strong magical reaction inside... Static... Static...]

The noise in Ms. Mayuzumi’s announcement increases and then cuts off.

The villain, Mad Hatter.

It’s definitely his doing.

"Master... What’s happening...?"

Nishizawa Eri asks me.

I don’t bother to answer.

After all, I’m not the one responsible for handling the situation.

Beep.

A warning sound, and the hologram of the Hunter Watch is forcibly activated.

[Emergency Assembly Notice]

[An emergency situation has occurred.]

[As the on-site supervisor, I am exercising emergency command authority to assemble all students inside the model gate.]

[Please gather at the designated coordinates.]

Student Council President, Saionji Arisu.

Her message arrives.

In the original story, the students were in chaos due to the sudden isolation and the appearance of interdimensional beings, and the protagonist just shouted, "I’ll protect everyone!" and charged in recklessly without any proper plan.

But not this time.

Because Arisu is here.

Who knew the Student Council President would be so reliable?

"Hey, Nishizawa. Did you get the message?"

"Yep."

"Then follow the instructions."

"Got it. Master. Leave it to Eri-ling!"

I’m going to lose my mind.

I walk through the desolate forest with Nishizawa Eri.

Although it’s a bit different from the original story,

Finally, the final episode of Volume 1 has begun.

I’ll give it.

The coordinates for assembly sent by Arisu are a desolate clearing.