Regressor, Possessor, Reincarnator

The Top Eight, the title given to the First Warrior’s eight companions.

Members of the Top Eight must be strong and could never reject anyone’s challenge, lest they forsake their promise not to tarnish the honor of their name. Yet the claim that the members of the Top Eight were the strongest of all was not necessarily correct.

It went without saying that those with similarly powerful skills existed, including others who were hostile or simply neutral toward humanity.

Among them was the Chancellor of Galshdin Academy, a woman who’d been the chair of the academic board since the Academy’s founding. Her outward stance may have leaned toward showing humanity goodwill, yet she still insisted on maintaining neutrality.

Two of the Top Eight were known to be affiliated with the Academy. Unofficially, however, there were a total of three of the strongest players on the world stage—including the Chancellor—who positioned themselves with the Academy.

"Are you going to just let that happen?"

"It's just a childish prank, is it something this old man should care about?"

Gaillon the Beast King, one of the members of the Top Eight who’d kept his position there for quite a long time as a beastman, answered by chugging expensive liquor like water.

Even so, his white ears twitched, and his face showed clear annoyance.

"How rowdy… Tsk."

Jaqnelle, who looked annoyed at his reply, said bluntly, "No, even now, he looks like he’s up to no good…”

Looking in the direction he pointed his finger, he saw Julius inhaling red powder on a large screen. It was right after he took part in the entrance examination.

"Are you saying it's normal to deliberately lower your skills?!"

Despite his shouting, Gaillon's attitude remained unchanged. Instead, he simply covered his fluffy ears with his hands to dull the volume of his voice.

"Adults do not intervene in fights between children. So then, no matter what happens, it is imperative to act accordingly."

His indifferent words caused red heat to rise up Jaqnelle's neck.

"And you call yourself one of the Top Eight! You don't even know what's going on, yet you're going to sit on the sidelines and just watch!"

"Little boy."

"…What was that?"

Gaillon laughed at his angered expression.

“You think mentioning the Top Eight will do anything for you?”

Jaqnelle.

He was best known in the world by the name of ‘the Shield of Heaven.’ As the youngest of the current Top Eight, he’s held the title for the last three years. However, his reputation was not as significant in Gaillon's eyes.

“You sure have a smug face for someone who took over the position in such a corrupt way.”

"What?"

Gaillon snorted and continued, "There’s a fair bit of talk about your underhanded way of bringing down an elder."

Jaqnelle no longer held back.

Crash!

"You crazy old man…!”

Hundreds— No, thousands of orbs of light formed around Jaqnelle and flew around at a high speed.

Despite his threat, Gallion did not bat an eye.

"What, am I wrong?”

Gaillon was referring to the grudge that still festered in the back of his mind.

"Is it still not over?!"

Despite Jaqnelle’s cry, Gaillon replied with a sour face, "I didn't agree."

"So? All the others already have!"

In order to rise to the position of the Top Eight, it was necessary to gather notable achievements and for a majority of the Top Eight to agree. The simplest of these notable achievements was to beat one of the sitting members of the Top Eight.

Jaqnelle had the ability to contend with the Top Eight, but his true nature was to defend rather than attack. While fighting against one of the previous generation’s Top Eight, he realized that he lacked the ability to finish him, and instead sealed his opponent in a space vortex. 

As one day passed, his opponent ignored him.

After a week, he began to try an assortment of methods to escape.

A month later, he tried to negotiate with Jaqnelle.

Three months later, he went mad.

And finally, after five months of confinement, his opponent conceded defeat.

The cause of defeat was not a difference in power, but rather, the fatigue from months of isolation.

"Whatever means I used, I got the consent of the majority, and I am a member of the Top Eight, like you! Please act accordingly!"

"You?" Finally making eye contact with Jaqnelle, Gaillon spoke that one word and revealed his long canines.

"Yes, so please act—”

Jaqnelle cut himself off and instinctively expanded his orbs of light.

Crash!

"Ohoho, so you’re not all bark. You’ve got a little bite in you?"

Before he even knew it, Gaillon had a huge sword gripped tightly in his hand. A wave of power rippled through the rugged sword. A glow, dark red like his temper, blazed along the blade.

Jaqnelle, his expression visibly uncomfortable, could not put up with it any longer.

"Ha, you started this. Don't regret it."

He’d come to the Academy full of excitement to meet him after earning his position in the Top Eight, but if he’d known him to be such a crotchety old man, he would’ve put it off longer. 

"Yes, I’ll use this opportunity to teach you that there is a hierarchy within the Top Eight.”

Gaillon burst out in joyous laughter. He valued strength above all else, and so, he didn’t approve of Jaqnelle, who won his qualifying battle in what he believed to be an unworthy manner.

As soon as they were about to collide, a soft voice rang out from the space in between them.

"Oh, stop it, would you?"

"…Anastasia."

"Grandmother."

Matching Gaillon’s reaction, Jaqnelle sighed and collected himself, aware that a new force had now entered the room.

"…Ah, alright. I’ll listen, just this once."

As he stepped down, Gaillon also sheathed his sword with an irritated expression.

"Tsk, a man with no fighting spirit."

Just as Jaqnelle was about to answer angrily at his remark, another woman intervened.

"Stop, stop! You guys are here to do your duty. We can't just sit on the sidelines and have our own little quarrels!"

"…If it weren’t for him, I never would’ve had any intention of fighting in the first place.”

Gaillon gauged the ability of the woman standing in front of him. 

'I'd like to try fighting her sometime…’

It would be difficult for him to fight here, a place she’d spent hundreds of years designing and constructing. 

This city, it might as well have been her very own home.

To add to that, all the knowledge of the Academy had passed through her hands, information belonging to the descendants of a dragon. Gaillon didn't know exactly how strong she was.

‘Is it worth the risk?’

After thinking it through for a while, he raised his hands as if he’d come to a conclusion.

"Alright, alright. Let’s let it go, shall we?"

He shouted in a clear sulky tone, but no one seemed to care.

"…So, what were you arguing about this time?" The Chancellor of Galshdin Academy sighed at the sight of them causing conflict—as always.

"Let me explain."

Despite Jaqnelle's words, Gaillon layed down again and tilted his bottle, as if telling him to do whatever he wanted.

“At the entrance exam, one— no, several students, including that guy, took the tests while intentionally hiding their skills. We do not know their purpose in choosing to do so, so we need to investigate.”

The matter became even stranger upon further thought.

"And apart from that, there are a good deal of problems with the Academy's system. No, with your talents, you could have prevented these problems from the beginning…”

As he glared at her with suspicious eyes, Anastasia smiled faintly. "No, we won't do anything about it."

"You…"

"Even if that is something happening, it's an issue for the students to deal with on their own, not something for us to intervene in."

Jaqnelle gave her answer a moment of thought.

"Wait, then you’ve known about this…?”

"What we cultivate are warriors, not flowers in a garden."

He wasn't so stupid that he didn’t understand what she meant.

"In order to allow students the chance to develop their skills, to train them…"

All while he’d been running around trying to solve the problem… He was left despondent.

"Those threats—the lethal fights between students and attacks on the Academy itself are more than enough to be driving forces to instigate that growth."

"Is it the same for the spies on the inside?"

“A proper trial, if overcome, becomes manure that will fertilize the soil.”

For that reason, regardless of its name as the top educational facility in the world, Galshdin Academy had regularly been home to a series of incidents several times each year.

"However, when it comes to such dire situations…”

"There is still no reason for an adult to intervene in a child's quarrel."

Anastasia nodded as if Gaillon was correct.

"I can't believe it…”

Gaillon replied, taking a new drink from the shelf for himself. "Further proof that you are nothing but a child."

"If you had explained it to me from the beginning, I would never have made a fool of myself…”

"Was there any reason why I should’ve done that?"

Jaqnelle looked a little somber.

"So just let things play out. If it goes too far, you can put a stop to it, but even then, you don't have to worry too much. You’ve been made aware of the risks well in advance.”

"…Yes, thank you for letting me know."

Once their conversation was over, Anastasia smiled and said, "Oh, by the way, if there is a child you like among the new students here, you may take them on as a disciple.”

"Hmph."

"Just give it some thought."

Gaillon snorted, as if to signify that he had no thoughts to share, as Jaqnelle's eyes momentarily flashed to one of the screens.

"There’s a lot of time left, so please take your time. Though your work will not end once you exit the city.”

And with that, she removed herself from the room.

Gaillon glanced at the screen and shook his head.

'A few of the guys looked decent enough, but…’

There was no one who’d caught his eye yet.

He didn’t know if he matched those specific qualities he was looking for.

* * *

* * * 

"…that's Philosopher’s Hall, where you'll be staying, and that's Thrasos Hall on the other side."

The clear sky was cloudless, lit by the warm sunshine. The Academy was quiet, waiting for the new semester to begin the next week. 

“Thrasos is assigned to those who plan to specialize in close combat, and Philosopher’s is assigned to more magic-oriented students like you.”

The entrance examination had concluded yesterday.

Allen was following Rachael, who was guiding him through the Academy grounds.

"You can get to one of the academic research buildings or the library pretty quickly by using the back alley from Philosopher’s Hall."

To the east behind the dormitory was a research complex for studying ancient relics, literature, and magic, and to the south was a huge commercial district.

"If you take the subway east of the Academy, you can easily get around to just about anywhere off campus."

To the north was an industrial area where various necessities and weapons were produced, and to the west was a residential area full of inns—where Allen had been staying before arriving here.

"Allen, why aren't you talking?”

"Wait, I was just thinking…”

"About what? You already ignored me, not calling and all that. Are you going to ignore what I’m saying again now?"

"…I apologize," Allen said with a puzzled face.

Rachael made plans with him for the very next day as soon as she met Allen the day prior.

'I got double booked…’

Today, he had scheduled to meet up with others, not just her. He also wanted to meet Heisel, but Allen was forcibly dragged away by Rachael's fiery spirit.

"This time, ignoring me. Next time, you won't even pretend to know me, will you? Hmph."

"No, I can guarantee that that will never happen."

"How can I believe that?"

Rachael turned and looked at Allen. Her determination to make him prove it somehow was visible in her eyes.

'I was going to reach out.’

He was planning to meet up with her after the entrance examination.

He never thought that meeting her at the Academy meant contacting her the first second he arrived in an adjacent city. In short, this ordeal had come about as a result of the difference between her expectations and his actions. 

Allen began with a serious look, "I'll prove it to you somehow. I’ll do whatever you need.”

"…Pfft.”

Then, a small giggle laughed out. Her eyes squinted, curled like a crescent moon.

"Haha. I'm just kidding. Kidding!"

Allen stiffened at her smile and looked back at her. "…Are you kidding me?"

"…Hehe, did you feel bad? I'm sorry if I made you feel bad, but you did freak me out a little bit…”

As she looked at Allen, her voice became smaller and smaller. Her head tilted downward.

"Allen, I wanted you to know how I feel…”

“……”

"…I'm sorry."

“……”

"Allen? Allen?"

She slowly lifted her head at his lack of answer.

"Say something. If you're going to get angry, then I…”

Right then.

"No, I'm kidding, too." 

She saw Allen smiling awkwardly, as if he had never been angry.

"…Allen."

She trembled, eyes wide-open and jaw dropped just slightly.

"It’s no fun if I don’t get to pull any pranks back…”

"Ah I can’t believe you!” She stomped away in a display of apparent anger.

"Wait a minute…!"

With Allen’s shout, she turned her head for a moment to see him holding out his hand proudly.

"If you're sorry, then come back and hold my hand!"

"Do you need anything else?"

"A-anything else…?” A small flush rose up to his cheeks. As she took his hand, Rachael drew toward Allen. "Yes, well perhaps…”

Allen whispered in her ear.

She looked around with a startled look on her face. When she confirmed that no one else was there, she looked relieved.

"Ah… So manly all of a sudden.”

He spoke with a faint smile. "Well… There was someone who said that  when I came to the Academy, they would ask me to do something worse than this. Can’t seem to remember who.”

She blushed, face flushing a red best-suited to apples.

"Ah! Ah! Ah! Don't say it! Don't do that!”

Allen grabbed her, trying to escape. 

Mwah.

"Are you satisfied with this?"

After mumbling out several tries, deciding what she wanted to say, she whispered quietly in his arms, "…Yes."

"That's a relief."

"Actually, I think it's a little lacking."

Allen's face wore a carefree smile for the first time.

Behind them, a pair of eyes glared silently in the shadow. In the place from which the eyes had disappeared, there remained a subtle scent of trees.

"Allen, what are you doing? Aren't you going to leave quickly?"

"…No, nothing. Let's go."

Allen quickly guided them back to traveling into the business district together.

Neither of them had much time to spend together today.

'…To gather those with talent together.’

That's what Julius used to do.

Allen set his sights on one of the industrial zones.

It was time to harvest the seeds that had been sown.