章節 24: Group Battle-II

...

The principal, Armin, watched with glee as his soon-to-be students dismantle the monsters of the Enclosed Forests. He is most delighted when he saw these students tear each other apart.

"That's some creativity, principal. Every year, it just gets better."

"It sure is. Our head professor, Merrick racked his brains to make the assessment more interesting this year, since I am already getting old, I am hoping for retirement already. Merrick would come as a fine headmaster, don't you think?"

"You must be jesting. The principal is still strong. What old? Only people's perceptions get old. You are still as young as ever, principal."

"… Stop the flattering, you brat!!"

Armin sipped on his cup of tea and looked at the young journalist beside him. He is not one who can be easily manipulated by flattery, but he doesn't mind receiving one.

Jimmy, the journalist saw this and continued praising the principal.

"Come on, principal! I was sincere the whole—"

However, "Jimmy… Can you interview me?" It looked like the principal has a different plan in mind. The young journalist held his tongue too shocked by the sudden windfall.

Jimmy Simmons has messy coffee-like hair and youthful vigor. He is a professional freelance journalist whose stories never stop selling. He is always high in demand among the many news stations he is acquainted with.

"Seriously?"

"Yes... Quite an exclusive story, don't you think so?" Armin endorsed.

Jimmy knows the personality of the principal too well since Jimmy once attended this school himself. Heck, he is a batchmate of this school's head professor.

"Yes… but... there is no free lunch in this world, Jimmy... So, I hope you could do something for me." The principal called, hinting that interviewing him comes with a price.

Though it was the principal who suggested it, Jimmy was rather surprised by the undisguised shamelessness of the principal…. No, no, no… this should be called 'openness'.

"That's my motto. You speaking it feels weird. If you want me to return to hero work, then it's a no." Jimmy said in a jest, but with a serious tone.

"Still," Jimmy added in doubt, "C-come on? It is you who asked, right? Why it is like that... that it was me who is paying for the meal then, and not the other way around? Dear principal, what are you scheming?"

For Jimmy, it doesn't make sense for the principal to specifically 'ask' him to do the interview. For all Jimmy knows, his reputation is not really positive, especially in the eyes of the Hero Society.

"There is no hurry Jimmy. I only want you to write stories about this exam."

"I am already doing it, so there is no need for you to give me an exclusive."

"I want you to make a series of special stories featuring the most promising of this generation. Each individual, with a story unique to their own. Use your connections... Do so, and you have my deepest gratitude..."

"How about the exclusive?"

"That as well, I am all in your care."

"So, a favor and an exclusive story in exchange for this tiring labor you request?"

"Yes."

"Splendid, let me work at it."

Jimmy feels vaguely thrilled as he watches the magical screens the principal created. He isn't sure why, but the principal always convinces him. So rather than resisting, he might as well fall from it whether he likes it or not.

'It's just news articles, how hard could it be?'

...

Deron is fighting, and he is not picky about choosing his targets. Goblins fell with a single swing. The ogres took two or more with their tough hides. Meanwhile, the trolls took at least a dozen before they succumb to their deaths.

Ogres are generally stronger than trolls, however, depending on what kind of mutation an individual possesses, the difficulty of subjugation might differ.

Deron flexed his sword, a gilded sword that Eron gifted to him, it's a single-edge sword about 70 centimeters long. He liked this sword very much, to the point, that he never left its side since… ever.

"A troll has an insane regenerative ability... So, they are a good punching bag." He is relentless in his hunt. Getting points is not his main priority though, training is more like it especially since the opportunity of entering the Enclosed Forest is quite rare to come by.

Admittedly, Deron is not picky about which to hunt. If he sees a monster, he kills it. Simple as that. Still, it's not a lie that he has preferences. It would be nice if he could encounter more trolls, they are really-really-really good punching bags.

'Don't pass up the opportunity to train once you arrive in the Enclosed Forests. For an upstart, that place is perfect to train.' These are Eron's words to Deron, to train like there is no tomorrow, is the way.

The idea of getting stronger alludes to Deron as if he was a moth to the fire. Almost too self-destructive, if not for his miraculous body, he would be long dead already.

…

"Deron, an orphan. Not bad. He has spirit."

Jimmy is intrigued by Deron's suicidal approach, but he must give credit— Deron is getting stronger as he proceeds to carve a path toward the center of the forest.

"Such visible rise in strength. This is incredible!"

As a former pro hero, Jimmy is not ignorant of fighting, especially with the use of Special Abilities.

"Looks like an all-rounder with superhuman specs. And his ability to adapt is tremendous. He never repeats a mistake twice. A perfect all-rounder that gets stronger through an unknown synergy of... of what? I wonder what it is..."

...

Pierre with his purple hair is like a gloomy storm preparing to unleash his wrath.

But...oh no...he is not merely clouds and lightning. HE IS A DISASTER.

The earth caved and trees were crushed as he mercilessly destroy the monsters in front of him. Because of his display of violence, his fellow applicants avoided him like a plague.

Pierre has the power to infuse attributes into space. His Special Ability is a very unique variant of telekinesis that allows him to create invisible waves of razor-sharp slashes, needle-drilling stabs, and ranged heavyweight stomping. It's like space was frozen, then weaponized.

The destructiveness of invisible swords, hammers, and spears are none like others!

Pierre laughed like a madman as he revels in the destruction.

...

"This guy is too violent," Jimmy whispered to himself taken aback by the destruction Pierre is causing. In his notes, he wrote 'unstably violent', and just left it at that.

...

Cain is standing idly as the students in front of him attack each other. His white hair sticks like a sore thumb among the students, especially his inaction.

"Weird, is this mind control? Principal, I need a little help here."

Jimmy activated a portion of his powers. Jimmy asked permission for the principal's cooperation, as he tries to make sense of what is happening.

[Kaleidoscope Eyes] The miraculous mutant abilities of Jimmy that denies lies and perfects the truth. It saw through Cain's ability easily. Well, that is what Jimmy at least wants to believe.

"No, it is not mind control. It is not psychic either. Chemical-based hypnotism? I can't see anything..."

At his confusion, Armin offered an explanation.

"Jimmy, I think he's not using any mind control at all. Look at this file I have here, it is his information."

The Heromaker Academy has lax requirements for accepting students, but they take it very personally when researching an individual's skills— most importantly their Special Abilities. Jimmy could have asked for this particular student's information, but as a competent journalist, he took it to himself to observe first.

Undoubtedly, Jimmy felt his pride taking a hit when he thought that he can't accurately deduce Cain's powers. So he gave up his pride, and finally received the file that Armin was handing him.

In Jimmy's hand, is Cain's file, he read it. Thus, Jimmy learned more than just his Special Ability. Apparently, Cain's circumstances are so bad, the academy cannot help but take note of it.

"A failure? His bloodline is defective and subpar. Suffers from acute albinism, and has impaired vision... He has the ability to filter light... Peculiar. Albinism means, that he is very sensitive to light, and his impaired vision means that he can't see well. But he looks quite normal to me..."

Hearing Jimmy's self-muttering, Armin offered his own conclusion.

"It must be because he is an irregular. Also, his power must be formidable if he is able to exude that kind of aura."

The only reason the principal's [Specter Eyes] can see through Cain's essence is because of their massive difference in levels.

Currently, Cain is under the effects of invisibility. By manipulating his Special Ability with fearsome accuracy, he was able to achieve this level of stealth.

To Jimmy, this is too mind-boggling. Jimmy deduced that Cain's powers to conjure lenses to bend light and by extension, perform invisibility are impossibly difficult!

The only reason Cain was able to do this is because of his monstrous computation power.

Unique invisibility derived from camouflage, that's what Cain's power is like right now. However, that's not where his abilities end.

Cain stood there not doing 'nothing'. Using his ability, he filtered his presence from the chaotic free-for-all. He looked idle, but he is not. Silently and very unnoticeably, Cain is accumulating a dangerous amount of power in his palms.

Then… he released it. It was s-o-o-o- frighteningly fast, that the principal wasn't able to react.

"Fuck, he'll kill them!" The principal cried.

Jimmy was shocked by the principal's swearing, but he can sympathize. Jimmy's power is related to light, like Cain's, so he is aware of the immense damage about to unfold.

"No, you don't." Jimmy summoned the [Rainbow World] and swallowed the light Cain unleashed. Though there was a far distance between them, Jimmy easily breached this gap through his eye powers together with the assistance of the principal who was pouring out enormous psychic waves.

Cain was confused by his powers suddenly vanishing, but MORE CONFUSED when he realized that the chaotic free-for-all disappeared along with it. All of the students in his vicinity were suddenly gone...

"Hmmm... Was it the principal? Sheesh… what a bummer. That was boring, but what is done is done. Time to score some points." Cain complained, but no one is their to hear him.

Realization struck Jimmy. Cain possesses unbelievable granular control. He is truly filtering light. That's why his skin is not being harmed by sunlight despite his albinism, and it is the same for his eyesight. Jimmy theorized that Cain is filtering lights to images, through a retrogressive calculation.

...