The next day of the training started, and it's already became a routine for the summoned heroes. But there's something different about this day, especially at the brown ponytailed girl. And all of the summoned heroes, except Kaede and the brown ponytailed girl, started talking about it after breakfast.
"Is that a scarf on Shiramine-san?"
"Was she got cold? But it's impossible because the air in here is warm."
"That scarf is so beautiful. It's color like an ocean."
"Where'd she get that scarf?"
"I bet that might be very expensive."
"Is she trying to cosplaying as Sally from New World Online?"
The difference is that Risa forgot to put her scarf back because she's been awake for a whole night and too tired to put it on her item bag. The reason for that because of what Frederica said.
Kaede who heard about that decided to ask her best friend who already next to her before they reached the training hall.
"Risa, why are you wearing your scarf?"
"Sorry Kaede. I didn't get any sleep at all." She said in tired tone while yawned after that. So, to freshen herself, she cast a small amount of water magic and manipulates it until it hit her face.
"That's not what I'm asking about. And why are you splashing yourself with water magic?" The black haired girl seems bewildered with the answer she got from Risa and her action, but then she pouted after she realizes it. "Don't tell me, you were awake the whole night because of what Frederica-san said?"
"N-No! I-I just got a weird dream. That's all!" Risa said half-truth while panicked a little.
"Really…?" When Kaede saw her best friend nodded with reassuring smile on her face, she continued to ask her. "Then, what was the content of your dream? It's not about the ghost or undead, right?"
Risa shook her head to answer her best friend second questions, and then answered the first. "I-I've been… s-squished by a giant sheep, with thick white fur." She said awkwardly while averting her eyes.
It's true that after the ponytailed girl thought that the Genocider won't come to the palace, she decided to take a nap for a while, but awoke suddenly because she felt suffocated thanks to what she dreamed about. While she dreamed about being squished by a giant sheep, it's not actually a giant sheep, but her best friend, or Maple to be exact, in her wooly form. That's why she averted her eyes when she's talking about it.
After the black haired girl heard the content of her best friend dream, she only laughed awkwardly.
"M-Maybe because I showed you my status plates and saw my Sheep Eater skill, you got that weird dream, right?" Then she continued with cheerful expression. "But you know, Risa, I got a similar dream like you, but my dream is about counting the sheep which jumped through a fence."
"I-I see." That's the only answer Risa gave to her like it was normal for her.
After that talk, they decided to walk to the training hall because they're the last to enter it. While on the way to the training hall, Kaede asked her best friend regarding the scarf again, which she answered that it was necessary because she has transferred her Mirage skill to it like how the black haired girl transferred her Bizarre Eater skill to her black shield while her Hydra Eater skill to her short sword.
When they entered the training hall, they, Kaede saw something unexpected. It was Hajime being 'trained' by Daisuke and his goons.
"Hiyama-san and the others… bullied Nagumo-san!" Kaede said in horrified tone while putting her hands to her mouth.
Risa already expected it because she has eavesdropped at a, but what she didn't expect is that she also saw Suzu's been distracted by Eri for unknown reason, while the rest of the class only averted their eyes from them and didn't try to help him.
The ponytailed girl already promised herself to 'train' those four, but she decided to fulfill it this day. Another reason for that is because she's really pissed off at everyone who didn't help him.
She knew that Kaori and Shizuku will help him if they saw it. She also know that Suzu will help him too after she earnestly apologizes to him few days ago, but she didn't understand why Eri didn't let her help him, even though she knew that he's been troubled. One thing the ponytailed girl knew that she's started to raise her guard unconsciously whenever the girl in glasses with her thanks to Frederica's warning.
"Kaede, go and find Kaori or Shizuku, or Suzu too. Ask them to help Nagumo-kun now."
"O-Okay… What about you, Risa?"
With a challenging smirk on her face, she answered her with simple answer.
"Warm up."
"Hey, Nagumo… Was all you can do just enduring it?"
"Hahaha… You're really are useless."
"C'mon, don't endure it, Nagumo. We're just trying to help you."
The one who said those were the three of the group which led by Hiyama Daisuke, and what they're doing right now just 'helping' him, by beating him. The reason they wanted to 'help' Hajime was that he's the weakest of the class and for always gained Kaori's attention. But Reichi, Shinji, and Yoshiki didn't know that their leader, Daisuke, wanted him to suffer so that he can have Kaori for himself.
Their way to 'help' Hajime was very brutal. Like kicking, punching, and stomping him, hit him with a sheathed sword, with the butt of a spear by Reichi, or with fire and wind magic by Shinji and Yoshiki respectively. They're doing that without remorse.
Hajime knew that he almost at his limit. He's already vomited a lot of blood, even his breakfasts. He's also already bruised a lot, even got a lot of small burn marks and scars thanks to Shinji and Yoshiki for hit him with fire and wind magic respectively.
He wanted someone from his class to help him, but he saw that they only averted their gaze from them. When Hajime able to glance at Suzu while still being beaten by those four, he saw that she really wanted to help him, but Eri distracted her for the reason he didn't know. The only thing he thought about the girl in glasses is that she didn't want her best friend to help him.
For the first time in his life, he felt great resentment, resentment to those four who always treated him badly and to those who always averted their gaze from him when he needed help the most. But, that resentment faded down a little by little, because he remember that there's someone who's still care about him, someone who understood his predicament, and those three who readily to help him when he needs help, even though all of them were girls.
He knew that deep down, he hated himself for being the weakest, but right now he wished for this torture to be ended. He also felt like he's going to die, until he heard the voice of someone he knew very well.
"Splatter everything, Water Ball!"
Just as its name said, four balls of water magic hit Daisuke and his goons on their face which made them stagger while holding their face in pain.
Hajime knew that only one person in his class who can use water magic expertly to the length able to manipulate water and any liquid things, even though she didn't get a caster job.
"Take a rest, Nagumo-kun. There's something I want to do with them."
Before Hajime took her advice, he's able to see his savior, even though it's blurry. It was the girl who always helped him, with ash brown hair tied in ponytail, but right now she's wearing the scarf her game avatar always use. He knew who she was, and he decided to thank her before he fainted.
"Thank you… Sally-san..."
Risa flinched when she heard what Hajime called her. Before she retorted at him, she saw that he already fainted and two of the training instructors bring him to the safer place to heal his injuries. Because of that, she only sighed and turned her attention to a certain four individuals while they wash their face from her previous attack.
When Daisuke and his goons saw the person who attacked them with water magic, it was Risa with unimpressed expression on her face.
"Shiramine…! How dare you disturbing us when we helping Nagumo!?" Daisuke said in anger while his goons only expressed it.
"'Helping…?' You called beating someone until fainted 'helping'? I'm really concerned with your literature score if you call that help." She said with unimpressed expression. Then she smirked mockingly at them. "Don't tell me, you four always got the failed mark at it, even at its supplementary exams? Wow."
Hearing that Risa mocked them, they gritted their teeth in anger and irritation.
"Don't mock us, you gamers bitch!"
"You're just a transfer student, so you're just an outsider!"
"For a cute girl like you, we're really hates your guts and challenging attitude! And are you playing ninja with that scarf!"
"Why don't you just have fun with Honjou, your meatshield friend!"
Risa didn't surprise at all when someone openly confessed their hate to her. She knew that maybe someone will hate her for always accepting to have a spar with her and always win without scratch. She didn't mind for being insulted, but she won't forgive someone who insulted her best friend, especially it was Daisuke himself who said the last.
To make sure they pay for what they did to Hajime, especially Daisuke for insulting Kaede, she will 'help' them.
"Say, Hiyama, Kondou, Saitou, Nakano… How about I 'help' you for your training, I mean, you're being awfully 'kind' to Nagumo-kun, right? And I heard that after Nagumo-kun, the four of you are the weakest in here. So be grateful for my 'kindness' to help you, especially you, Hiyama." Risa said calmly while smiling.
After they heard what she said, their anger boiled even further while clenched their fists.
"Stop looking down on us." Daisuke said in dangerous tone.
Then, an idea popped on the girl head, the idea to make the 'training' more challenging for her.
"If you don't want to be looked down, then how about a challenge… If one of you able to hit me at least once, then it's your win, but if I able to hit you all at least once, then it's my win, and of course you all can go all out even using magic while I'm barehanded and without using any magic, skills, or kicking. How about that, I gave you a lot of advantages right?" She said with challenging smirk on her face.
All of the summoned heroes who heard what she said, except those four, gasped for her insane condition, while the training instructors who have witnessed her strength only sighed and muttered about them being her next victims while deadpanned.
As for those four, their anger has turned to rage to the length they got the intent to kill her for good.
"You're going to regret for making that kind of challenge, you gamers bitch! Reichi, Shinji, Yoshiki… Let's teach this bitch the lessons for looking down at us!" Daisuke seethed in anger while ordered his goons, which they agreed while angered too like him.
Risa closed her eyes and calmed herself so she can concentrate to dodge to the fullest. When she opened her eyes, she saw that Daisuke already unsheathed his sword, Reichi pointed the sharp tip of his spear, and Shinji and Yoshiki prepared their spells.
If I remember, Hiyama got a job as Light Warrior, Kondou as a Dragoon, Nakano as a Pyromancer, and Saitou as an Aeromancer. Other than Hiyama, those three might be very dangerous if my concentration slipped down. Risa thought while observing those four and their job from Meld since the first day. Then she rushed at those four while pulling her scarf until it covered her mouth and nose.
The one who first attacking her was Reichi, with a thrust on his spear aimed at her heart. He knew that her agility is very high and she will dodge it easily, but it'll be her fatal mistake because Shinji and Yoshiki have prepared the spells if she dodged his attack sideways, with Shinji on his far left and Yoshiki on his far right. But it was a fatal mistake, because their opponent is in borderline between normal and abnormal.
Before the attack hit, Risa twisted her body just enough to avoid his attack in a nick of time and kept moving forward, which made him shocked for a while because of her insane evasion, even the summoned heroes who watched it. With that opening, she punched him to his face with all power she had until he's unconscious.
"One down, three to go." She said calmly then rushed at them again.
The remaining three started to get terrified when they saw her able to make Reichi unconscious with just a single punch. But they're still confident because they still have number advantage, even though it's angered them even further.
"You'll going to pay for this, transfer student! Incinerate all that stands in my paths, Fireball!" Shinji shouted angrily at her while casted a fire magic toward her.
"I'll help too! Rend my foes O wind, Wind Sphere!" Yoshiki casted the wind magic toward her too.
Even with all of those spells they shot at Risa many times, she's able to dodge all of it without sweat. Because she's able to dodge their spells, both Shinji and Yoshiki got angered even further and pushed themselves even further.
When she's almost reached either one of them, Daisuke tried to shot her with his fire spell. Because he's being influenced by his anger, he didn't know that instead of that spell hit Risa, the fireball hit Yoshiki when she dodged it by crouching. Because of that, she got a chance to uppercut the Aeromancer until he's in the same state as Reichi.
"Yoshiki…!" Shinji shouted when he saw his friend got knocked down. But suddenly, he felt a great pain on his abdomen. When he saw it, it was Risa who has punched him. "S-Since when…?"
"In battlefield, it'll be fatal if you got distracted. Keep that in mind, Nakano." Risa gave him an advice in calm tone while pulling her fist from his abdomen, even though the advice she gave to him based from her gaming experience.
Before he fainted, he thought about something regarding her.
She's too agile… and too strong! Is it… the result of her continuous spar?
"Now it's only you left, Hiyama Daisuke." She said calmly while walked slowly toward him.
After all of his friends got defeated easily, Daisuke started to get terrified at her, but his resentment toward her much greater than his fear because of what she said and always looking down at him. With an angry shout, he rushed at her with a sword in his hand.
When Risa saw Daisuke rushed at her, she stopped her movement and waited while keeping her calm expression.
Such action caused him even angrier than before to the length he swing his sword in powerful slash, but easily dodged by her. The more he tried to attack her, she's always able to dodge it to the length her back faced him and moved away slowly while dodged everything from behind, like she has another set of eyes. But his anger and patience almost reached its peak when he saw she's still wearing the same calm expression on her face before that.
"Dammit, stop dodging it and turn away!" Daisuke said in rage and impatience while attacked her many times without getting hit even once. But suddenly, he got a punch on his face when she turned herself. "Argh! It's hurt!"
The punch she gave to him is not powerful enough to make him unconscious, but enough to hurt him until he ffell to the ground and got nosebleed. Then she walked toward him and crouching after she near him.
"It's my win! Keep in mind that just because you have powers, doesn't mean you're the strongest and use it to abuse someone who is weaker than you. Okay?" Risa gave him an advice in fake cheery tone. Then she continued in dangerously low tone. "You, Kondou, Nakano, and Saitou almost killed someone with your 'help', and that someone is your classmates. I don't know what kind of problem you have with Nagumo-kun, but have you prepared yourself for to be known as a killer by everyone?"
"Ki-Killer!?" Hearing that word made Daisuke terrified because he doesn't want someone he likes a lot called him that.
After Risa said everything she wanted to say to him, she stood up and walked away from him. She even heard her classmates started to compare herself with a certain hero, which made a certain hero admirer pissed for hearing that. Because of that, she only sighed and pretended she didn't hear it and muttered about them being a spectator without doing anything. But suddenly, she heard someone screamed in rage at her. It was Hiyama Daisuke, with his sword prepared.
"Shiramine! A transfer student like you… shouldn't meddle with my problem!" He screamed while swinging his sword at her many times, which always easily dodged by her with bored expressions on her face.
Then they heard someone shouted at them which made them stop.
"Stop attacking Risa-chan, Hiyama-kun!"
The one who shouted was Kaori with angry expressions on her face, and following her were Kaede and Shizuku. Risa knew that the reason Shizuku come too was because she concerned about what her childhood friend wanted to do to him.
"Shirasaki-san!" Daisuke shouted in panicked tone to the length he's sweating a lot after knowing the one who shouted at them. "L-L-L-Listen to me, Shirasaki-san… Shiramine's being competitively insane for beating me, Reichi, Shinji, and Yoshiki without reason. S-So, c-can you tell her to-" His stutter got interrupted by a loud slap on his face, which made him shocked to the length the sword in his hand fell down. "W-What? Why… are you… slapping me, Shirasaki-san?"
"I've heard everything from Kaede-chan about how you bullied Nagumo-kun to the length he got a lot of serious wound, and I don't know what will happen to him if Risa-chan didn't stop you. Right now, Tsuji-san and Suzu-chan healing Nagumo-kun… But why are you doing that to him, Hiyama-kun? Did you really want to kill Nagumo-kun so badly?" Kaori said in suppressed anger while trembled when she gave him questions.
Daisuke didn't know what he wanted to say to her and only panicked while sweating a lot. The reason he didn't told her why because he doesn't want to be hated by her and he likes her a lot. Because Kaori always gave Hajime her attention, he got jealous at him to the length always insulted and beating him while tried everything to gain her attention.
Meanwhile, Risa observed Kaori and Daisuke while thought about what she said previously and his expression and how he didn't tell her.
If I remember correctly, Tsuji-san, or Tsuji Ayako, got the same job as Kaori, but with lower stats than her. And she always associates with Yoshino-san, Endou-kun, Nomura-kun, and Nagayama-kun. Also, why Hiyama stutter at her presence? She's thinking so hard about it, until she got a thought about it. Don't tell me, it has something to do with Kaori!? Her thought got interrupted with Shizuku in concerned tone.
"Risa, did you got hurt somewhere?"
"No, I'm not."
"Then I'm glad." Shizuku sighed while smiled in satisfaction. Then she gave Risa a scolding. "You should tone down your competitive attitude, Risa. It'll be bad if you got injured because of it."
"Yeah, listen to what Shizuku-san said. I'm really worried about you, Risa." Kaede joined in scolding her.
When Risa heard they scolded at her, she only sighed in resignation.
"Sorry about that, maybe my gaming habit got me better. But, I promise I won't overdo my training again." Risa said with reassuring smile on her face.
While Kaede and Shizuku still skeptical about what she said, even though the latter still didn't know much about Risa, they only nodded at that while the former promised internally to keep an eye on her best friend.
"Anyway Shizuku, where's Amanogawa?" Risa asked Shizuku about a certain hero.
"Kouki is… meditating… after he saw Nagumo-kun conditions when he knew the one who did that is Hiyama-kun and his friends." Risa only raised one of her eyebrow because she's still doesn't understand what Shizuku said, until she explain it more while Kaede listened too. "At first, Kouki thought about both of them are best friends because of the 'harmless jokes' Hiyama-kun always gave to Nagumo-kun. But now, he doesn't understand their relationship anymore while Ryutarou tried to reassure him."
"Eh?" That's the only thing Risa and Kaede said after they heard everything from Shizuku.
After their talk, they turned to Kaori and Daisuke direction. And from what they saw, he still didn't say anything to her and only trembled.
"No answer. Then I want you to stay away from Nagumo-kun. If I saw you hurting him again, then I'll do the same thing to you. Do you understand, Hiyama-kun?" Kaori threatened him while smiling.
When he heard the girl he likes threatened him, it has become the end of his love life because his fear has come true, Kaori's hate him. Now, he never had a chance to become Kaori's lover. He only said 'yes' to her in hollow tone, then she leaved him alone and walked toward Kaede, Risa, and Shizuku.
An ugly thought came to his mind about the one who's responsible for his misfortune. And just thinking about her name infuriated him even further while gritting his teeth and clenched his fists.
It's all Shiramine's fault! She will pay for make me being hated by my Kaori! Daisuke thought angrily.
"Risa-chan, I want to say thank you for saving Nagumo-kun. I don't know what will happen if you not interfered." Kaori thanked Risa sincerely.
"I-It's okay, Kaori, I mean, isn't it normal to help a classmate who needs help?" Risa said in matter-of-fact tone while Kaede nodded in agreement.
Hearing what Risa said made Kaori and Shizuku flinched and averted their gaze from her.
"Y-Yeah, you're right. I think I owe Nagumo-kun an apology." Shizuku said while muttering for the last part without letting Kaede and Risa heard it while Kaori muttered the same thing too.
Then Risa felt exhaustion on her body and fell. But not before she fell to the ground, Kaede already grabbed her.
"Risa, are you okay!?" Kaede shouted worriedly, which earned Kaori and Shizuku concern. But she's glad after she saw her breathing.
"Kaede-chan, let me heal Risa-chan!" Kaori offered herself to heal Risa, but Kaede shook her head.
"It's okay Kaori-san. Besides, Risa just sleeping for exhausted herself." Kaede said reassuringly while thought about her best friend lied to her about last night.
Then the three of them saw Risa has troubled expression on her face and said something while she's still sleeping in her best friend arms.
"Maple… you're suffocating me with your wooly form."
That's what you dreamed about! Kaede shouted internally while Kaori and Shizuku only deadpanned at her, which made her laughed nervously.
Then the Knight Captain and the other training instructors came after they heard what happened to Hajime. The other training instructors bring the unconscious body of Reichi, Shinji, and Yoshiki to the infirmary while Meld wanted an explanation.
Kaede explained everything to him while wanted a permission to let Risa have a rest. He agreed for that until he gives an announcement to all summoned heroes.
"Tomorrow, all of you are going to have another practice training again, this time in Great Orcus Labyrinth. So pack everything you need, including the equipment you need in treasury room, because tonight we will stay at the inn in Horaud. Inform it to the other who didn't attend in here or injured. Today training is ended, now dismissed. And Daisuke, tonight, we need to have a talk." Meld informed all summoned heroes while wanted to talk with Daisuke tonight.
"Yes, Captain Meld." Daisuke answered which the knight captain nodded at that, even though his answer has no enthusiasm.
While everyone started to leave the training hall, no one knew that Daisuke glared hatefully at Risa's sleeping body while she's being carried by Kaede in princess carry, even though she's struggling for that.
A/N
There's nothing I want to say in here, but I'm going to close the poll for my new story. So don't be disappointed if the one you vote is not win.
If you have any questions, input, or suggestions, just write it in review or PM me. Also no flames and spam please.
Thank you.
