LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 21
Chapter 21. Skill Level 0’s True Strength
After separating from the team, I climb a large tree to scout the area.
“Oh, found them.”
One team is about a kilometer ahead to the right, another roughly 600 meters to the left, though split into two groups. Lastly, one more team is 500 meters behind us.
“Now, where should I start?”
The left team is out—it’s from Unryu High School.
They have someone with physical enhancement abilities, a match far beyond my capabilities. That one’s better left for someone else to handle.
That leaves the rear team or the one ahead to the right…
The rear team belongs to Aizono Girls’ Academy.
Their members mostly have manipulation-based abilities, and unlike other schools, they also have someone with mind-affecting powers.
If I were to face them alone, countering those abilities would be tough. Not impossible, but I’d need a partner to increase my chances.
Then there’s Yugiri High School ahead to the right.
Their team is made up of manipulation and creation-type ability users. The one to watch out for is the [Gravity] user with a skill rating exceeding 10,000.
If I had to choose…
“Yugiri High School it is.”
Decision made, I descend the tree swiftly and head into the forest.
◇
“Wow, I’m super nervous, Senpai.”
“Well, that’s normal at first. You’ll get used to it eventually.”
Igarashi Atsushi, Yugiri High School’s sole 10,000-plus ranked ability user, offers these words of reassurance to his tense junior.
(The crowd’s cheering is probably making it worse. If only they’d keep their voices from carrying this far…)
To an outsider, Atsushi appears calm and composed.
However, this inter-school match weighs heavier on him than usual.
Every participating school this time has at least one player with a skill ranking above 10,000, all formidable opponents.
Looking back through the history of these matches, it’s safe to say this is the most elite lineup ever assembled.
(Still, why did Saien High School send in someone with no abilities?)
The question lingers in Atsushi’s mind.
Surely they had better candidates than a first-year without powers.
So why him?
Does he have some hidden potential…?
“Speculating won’t change anything.”
If the opponent appears, he’ll just take them down. No more, no less.
Refocusing on the battlefield, he scans the surroundings.
“Still, it’s oddly quiet, isn’t it?”
“Don’t let your guard down. You never know where an ambush might come from.”
“Of course.”
The Yugiri High team keeps a close eye on the trees and grass around them.
As the lead member pushes forward—
Click.
“Huh? What’s that noise from underfoot—”
In an instant, the ground explodes.
The battle begins.
◇
(Got them.)
With their sloppy vigilance, Yugiri High School finally reached my point.
The lead player stepped on the mine, taking the full blast, and vanished into particles.
They must have been forced to retire after taking critical damage.
“That’s one down.”
The sudden loss of a teammate threw Yugiri High School into confusion.
“Don’t panic! Stay alert! They’re coming!”
But their brilliant leader quickly restored order.
That must be Igarashi Atsushi. As expected of a senior, he’s holding the team together.
(Still, this is all within expectations.)
I pull the pin on the stun grenade and hurl it into their group.
The grenade detonates overhead, releasing a blinding flash over one million candela and a deafening bang of 180 decibels.
“Ugh! Stay calm! Protect yourselves without using your abilities!”
It’s no use.
The stun grenade leaves them unable to hear or see properly for a while. That should throw off Igarashi’s command for now.
And for inexperienced players, this situation will undoubtedly cause chaos.
I sprint toward the group, quickly spotting the [Pyrokinesis] user and landing a punch.
“Ahhh! Stay away!”
Anyone attacked while disoriented will naturally lose their composure.
True to form, the player panicked, raising their hand in my direction.
“Die!”
Flames erupted, scorching the area and consuming someone.
Not me, though.
As planned, the flames struck another Yugiri High School player, turning two bodies into particles.
(Two, three.)
I draw the dagger from my waist.
“Thanks for your effort.”
With the momentum, I slash the [Pyrokinesis] user’s throat, inflicting a fatal blow and forcing their retirement.
(That’s four.)
“Don’t underestimate me!”
I spot a knife flying my way.
Dodging by tilting my upper body, I confirm the attacker.
Two players glare at me, panting heavily but keeping their focus on me.
One is Atsushi Igarashi, the [Gravity] user. The other appears to be the [Mineral Generation] user.
Their expressions are livid, their pride clearly wounded. If you’re ambushing someone, don’t give yourself away.
“Suguru, back off for now.”
“Like hell I’m backing off! I’ll take him down!”
“Hey, wait!”
Suguru charges forward.
I greet him with a smile.
(This is almost too convenient. It’s funny.)
I’d feared a close-range battle with Igarashi supported by his teammate’s abilities. But this player seems too hot-headed to think clearly.
Honestly, I’m disappointed someone at this level made the cut for their team.
“Stop laughing!”
Activating his ability, Suguru generates a sword in his hand.
Interesting—he can change the properties of generated minerals. A strong ability, but if all he does is swing it around, any skilled swordsman would outmatch him.
He swings the blade at me repeatedly, but I dodge with ease, not even grazing me.
He clearly doesn’t understand his ability’s strengths.
“Suguru! Get away from him!”
Finally, Igarashi intervenes.
His ability likely makes it hard to target just me without affecting his teammates. He must want to separate us.
Suguru, now cooling off, tries to comply, but I won’t let him go so easily.
I keep just enough distance, leading him toward a specific location.
(This should do.)
Once in position, I slash Suguru’s throat with my dagger.
“That’s five. Now, the last one—”
I set my sights on the remaining opponent.
His expression is hard to read, but the ground within a two-meter radius around Igarashi sinks, reflecting his fury.
“I admit, I underestimated you. But I never expected to be pushed this far. From now on, I’ll give it my all.”
Igarashi’s words carry a deep resolve.
This result was inevitable.
On a battlefield, there’s a vast gap between someone fighting to win and someone fighting to kill.
If this were a real battle, they’d have been more cautious, avoiding the mines entirely.
I chuckle and turn my back on Igarashi, running.
“What?!”
Not expecting me to flee, he gives chase in a fluster.
With his [Gravity], every step he takes crushes the ground beneath him.
When I turn and throw a dagger, it’s pulled to the ground before reaching him.
“Stop!”
Igarashi carefully avoids the mines as he pursues me, following the path I took.
(It’d be nice if this goes smoothly.)
While running, I notice his footsteps stop. I glance back to check.
“You’re not getting away!”
Igarashi is airborne, closing the distance.
He must be reducing his gravity and using the rebound to achieve incredible leaps.
“Of course!”
I never expected this to be easy.
He increases his gravity mid-air, trying to crush me from above, but I evade, using the trees to block his moves and continuing our game of cat and mouse.
After a few repeats, Igarashi finally steps into my target area.
Click.
A faint sound echoes from the ground.
“Apologies, but that’s an anti-tank mine.”
The ground explodes.
Even with [Gravity], a 10,000-level ability isn’t enough to completely counter an anti-tank mine.
“Gahhh!”
The blast launches Igarashi into the air. He bounces off the ground several times before fading into particles.
“That makes six. I made too much noise; time to move.”
I watch Igarashi disappear, sling my bag over my shoulder, and start walking.
The cheering from earlier seems to have stopped. I wonder if something happened?
Well, for me, silence is preferable—it makes it easier to hear footsteps.