In the academy, most battles were sparring sessions.
There was nothing more efficient than sparring between intelligent beings to train combat experience, instincts, and quick thinking.
However, sparring ultimately involved acts of attacking each other. Injuries were inevitable.
Here’s a question: Between the lower-level and upper-level classes, where do more injuries occur?
If you compare by the severity of the injuries, it would naturally be the upper-level class.
They possessed greater inherent strength, so the impact of their attacks landing was on a completely different level compared to the lower-level class.
But that was only valid if someone took the hit defenselessly. Unless the upper-level students were fools, blocking or dodging was the norm.
In the end, in training sparring matches, actual hits landing were rare.
The strong were skilled enough not to get injured much, and even if they did, the injuries were minor.
But what about the sparring in the lower-level classes?
The weak and inexperienced students tended to push themselves without realizing it.
They focused so much on attacking that they neglected defense and evasion, and that decision inevitably resulted in injuries.
While their power wasn’t significant enough to cause serious harm, injuries were still injuries. Recovery was inevitably required.
As a result, the total number of students needing recovery was overwhelmingly higher in the lower-level classes. Thus, the answer to the question was the lower-level class.
That’s how it should have been…
“Die!!”
“Argh! You lunatic!”
“Professor!! We need you over here too!!”
“Don’t rush me, kids. I only have one body. There, all better now? Go on, fight again.”
Something seemed very off, didn’t it?
A record-breaking number of injuries began to appear in the upper-level class. And they weren’t minor injuries either.
‘What a mess.’
The person responsible for creating this situation was casually walking through the chaos, healing the injured without a care.
“Hah. Upper-level students sure get hurt badly.”
“That doesn’t seem like something you should say so casually.”
“Put yourself in my shoes. These kinds of injuries are minor.”
It was a statement hard to argue with…
Reina Trier, the eldest daughter of the recovery-specialized Trier family.
She possessed a ridiculously overpowered ability to make small injuries disappear in the blink of an eye.
With such an absurd skill, it was natural for her to take the role of a health teacher in an academy where injuries occurred daily.
If it weren’t for her, most of the students would probably be walking around wrapped in bandages.
That said, someone with such insane abilities was equally insane.
Believing that getting injured in real combat was the fastest way to grow stronger, she had no qualms about her harsh teaching methods.
Her training was sheer hell.
Fight fiercely enough to get hurt, get healed, and fight again.
If you don’t want to get injured, get stronger. Strength is the best way to protect yourself.
It was a mantra she drilled into her students relentlessly.
Of course, while this was undoubtedly an effective way to gain experience, only a handful managed to follow it properly.
Anyone in their right mind would learn techniques to avoid getting hurt.
They would focus on defense and evasion while aiming for opportunities in their opponent’s weaknesses—a defensive style.
However, that wasn’t what Reina intended. While she didn’t intervene much, such students remained second-rate in her eyes.
To Reina, top-tier students were those who charged forward without fear of injury.
They ignored minor wounds. As long as it wasn’t a fatal injury, they endured it. Their priority was always advancing and attacking.
Since her mindset assumed they’d recover anyway, she preferred this kind of aggressive style.
Among those with such a style, one figure stood out prominently… the protagonist, of course.
The protagonist, Artes. As a new student, he actively participated in Reina’s training, enduring injuries and recovery more than anyone else. Consequently, he grew stronger at an incredible rate.
By the time the midterm exams of the first semester arrived, he had already grown strong enough to perform admirably in the intermediate class, leading to numerous exhilarating moments.
Thus, Reina played a significant role in the protagonist’s growth.
And this significant figure…
“Oh, why don’t we try a group fight? Rudion, you’re out. If you join, it’ll interfere with assessing the others’ skills. Sit here and observe.”
She had just finished the orientation for the new students and was already telling them to “fight to the death.”
Hmm, the protagonist’s growth already seemed daunting. Well, he’ll figure it out, won’t he?
After all, he’s the protagonist—this single obstacle won’t send him spiraling into failure.
Though worried, the chaos before her was far too entertaining to look away, so the focus shifted to observing the madness.
Reina Trier. She was initially slated to be in charge of the lower-level class.
Her position as a teacher had been secured through the academy’s persistent efforts to recruit someone from the Trier family. While she could have declined if she wasn’t interested, she surprisingly found teaching students intriguing.
Therefore, she requested to be assigned where there were the most injuries, which led to her becoming the teacher for the lower-level class. She had been in charge there ever since and found the role quite enjoyable.
But that was yesterday’s story. After this year’s entrance exam, her decision completely changed.
She skimmed through the pre-assignment chart. One name stood out prominently at the top.
‘Rudion.’
A student who displayed peculiar traits that seemed to completely negate her abilities.
Other upper-level students were noteworthy in their own right, but compared to him, they didn’t seem as significant.
‘Ah, except for Seria.’
She felt a sibling-like attachment to that child and was determined to take good care of her.
“Unfair? Then try kicking me out. It’s always the academy that will be in trouble.”
Anyway, for the first time, she changed her thinking after seeing him.
‘Sure, having a talent I can heal and push to their limits is good, but a talent who doesn’t need healing is even better.’
To nullify an attack with something entirely different from the concept of blocking or defending.
That incomprehensible ability introduced a premise she’d never considered before: “not getting hurt.”
As her decision changed, she immediately sought out the academy’s dean.
“Dean. Sorry, but could you switch me to the upper-level class?”
“The entrance ceremony is tomorrow, and you’re saying this now?”
“There’s something over there that’s caught my attention.”
Her tone was shockingly casual for speaking to the dean. Even if she was from the Trier family and the dean looked like a young man, wasn’t this a bit too much?
Yet, the dean didn’t seem bothered.
The two had known each other since childhood as close friends. If anything, being formal with each other would feel more awkward.
Their families were so eager to maintain this connection that it didn’t take much imagination to guess their relationship.
However, work and personal matters had to be separate. No matter how close they were, the dean couldn’t just handle academy affairs on a whim.
“Professor Reina Trier, no matter how you put it, making such a sudden change is impossible…”
“Short on funds lately? I could have a word with my father.”
“…Tell me more.”
And so, Reina became the professor in charge of the upper-level class.
It might have been blatant bribery, but what could one do? If you had money, you might as well use it.
Apparently, the original upper-level professor was reassigned to the lower-level class. At least they were a skilled teacher, so the lower-level students wouldn’t lose out.
Nobody could predict what kind of changes Reina’s choice would bring.
Back in the present, a man who could enjoy the drastically altered situation stood amidst the chaos.
“Well done, Harold! Smash them all!”
He cheered for Harold, who wielded a massive hammer that made approaching him impossible.
“Hey, what are you doing? Don’t run away like a coward—charge like a man! That’s it!”
He even threw jabs at a future sword master.
“Lilith! Don’t just stand there taking hits—fight back! Don’t go straight; circle around to the sides or behind!”
And he gave unsolicited advice to Lilith, who kept charging recklessly and getting hit.
“Why aren’t you cheering for me?”
“You’re already doing well. Plus, you’re holding back your strength so the others don’t get too hurt, aren’t you?”
“You noticed? At this level, I’d already be considered talented for a freshman.”
“You’re not like other freshmen. By the way, magic is totally broken in chaotic battles. Honestly, there’s no one like you when it comes to that.”
Somehow, Seria had snuck out of the battle and come over to chat.
Time passed quickly, and the skirmish finally ended.
After a chaotic fight where attacks came from all directions, everyone collapsed into their seats, panting and taking a breather.
Even Seria, who had to deal with a growing number of attacks targeting her, looked quite worn out.
That was normal. Reina, who had been running around healing people in the chaos without breaking a sweat, was the strange one.
I wasn’t physically exhausted because of the system, but she wasn’t like that. How absurd was her stamina?
“As expected, the upper-level class is quite skilled. You wouldn’t think these are freshmen who just enrolled today.”
“And to confirm that, you put them through this?”
“Coming from the person who egged them on to fight harder, I’m grateful. Thanks to you, they tried even harder.”
I was just cheering them on…
Somehow, I felt like I’d become the person adding fuel to this ridiculous fire.
After a short break, everyone regained enough stamina to return to the classroom.
“Is anyone still hurt?”
At her words, some students looked over their bodies, amazed.
The severe wounds they had earlier completely vanished without a trace.
Currently, no one was injured. Thanks to Reina’s swift treatment, there didn’t seem to be any lingering aftereffects.
“Great work, everyone. Since it’s the entrance ceremony today, there aren’t any scheduled lectures, so go home and rest well.”
With that, Reina left the classroom, satisfied.
The students stayed behind for a while, chatting about Reina’s incredible abilities, before gradually leaving one by one.
I wanted to leave with them, but unfortunately, I couldn’t.
“Well, take care.”
“It’s ridiculous when you think about it. They should at least give me a reason for calling me over.”
I had been summoned by the student council.
As Seria left ahead of me, I was about to head out when…
“Hey, Rudion. Wait a moment.”
Lilith, who had been waiting outside the classroom, stopped me.
Her expression was quite sullen.
Was she mad because I’d given her so much advice today?
She glanced around, checking if anyone was nearby, then leaned in and whispered carefully.
“Are you free right now?”
Suddenly? No, I wasn’t. I should have answered that, but before I could, she continued, cutting me off.
“I have a favor to ask. Could you spare me a moment?”
She wasn’t normally like this. Why was she acting this way?
Curious, I couldn’t refuse.
After a moment of thought, I answered.
“Sure. What’s it about?”
Apologies, Student Council President. I might be late.