Chapter 24

Time has passed, and the day of the group evaluation has arrived. All the second year classes gathered in the wide open space located behind the main building. However, their appearances were varied.

The Royal class, relaxed and brimming with confidence. The Noble class, eyes burning with determination, as if to prove they are no less talented than the Royals.

The Common class, usually not so frozen, seemed intimidated by the aura exuded by the upper classes,

“Ha, it’s really unbelievable. Even if it’s a joint class, do we have to dine with such halfwits?”

A haughty looking blond young man muttered to himself. Though he called it muttering, he spoke loudly enough for some of the Common class students to hear clearly. But they only contained their anger internally, without stepping forward to say anything.

Because he was an opponent of poor quality. He was Dennis Douglas, infamous as a troublemaker of the Noble class.

But even among troublemakers, he was different from Max Celtrine. If Max was the type to blindly rely on his family and wealth, Dennis was more cunning.

To those he deemed superior, he was as docile as a lamb, but to those he considered inferior, he was a tyrant without equal. In short, he was strong against the weak and weak against the strong.

People who knew him gave him this nickname due to his attitude that changed as easily as flipping a hand.

‘Double Faced Dennis.’

So it was not strange at all for Dennis to look down on the Common class with disdain.

“Shouldn’t they just not be included in the joint classes… Hm?”

He was about to spew more sarcasm when suddenly he fixed his gaze on someone and stopped talking. A sneer appeared on his lips. The expression of someone who has found interesting prey.

Soon, Dennis strode towards where his prey was.

“Hey, who do we have here?”

Dennis spoke as if he was pleased to see the person, But it was clear from his voice that he was not actually pleased.

“Stuttering Allen, what a surprise to see you here.”

His words continued.

Indeed,

The person he had spotted was Allen Benesse. They had been classmates in the Noble class until the first semester of their second year. Of course, they were just classmates, not close friends. After all, Allen didn’t have a single close friend. Rather, their relationship was closer to a bad fate. No, it was definitely a bad fate. Allen, who had a habit of stuttering a bit when nervous, was sarcastically called Stuttering Allen.’

“Uh… Uh, long time no see.”

Allen spoke with a troubled expression. Sweat had even formed on the back of his neck, indicating his nervousness. He seemed more tense than when facing Max. And for good reason.

Dennis had been the person who had tormented him the most persistently since their first year.

Once he realized Allen was an easy target, he had continued to do so.

“Long time? Yeah, it’s been a long time, but why are you here?”

Dennis’s smile faded, and he suddenly turned serious. His eyes became as sharp as a snake’s. This was the tyrannical Dennis when facing the weak.

“Why, why are you here? Today is a joint………….”

“Hey.”

Dennis cut him off coldly.

“Huh?”

“I don’t understand what you’re saying?”

“Why does a fool who fell to Common class dare to sit in the same class with me?”

It was an absurd accusation. Everyone knew that. But there was no need for logic in words meant to provoke a quarrel. Allen’s hands trembled.

In his mind, he was probably cursing Dennis ten times over. But due to his personality, he couldn’t do anything in reality.

“That, that’s nonsense…………”

That was all he could manage to say.

“Ha, our stuttering Allen has grown up a lot?”

Dennis chuckled, tapping Allen’s shoulder with his hand, Then suddenly he gripped Allen’s shoulder tightly. Allen’s eyes crinkled in pain.

Dennis looked at him coldly and said,

“Hey, get lost.”

“What, what…….”

“Get lost right now.”

Allen was cornered and frozen. But the classmates around him just watched without doing anything. They didn’t want to get involved in a troublesome matter.

Since there was no one in the class who was close to Allen, it was perhaps natural that no one would step forward to help. If things continued like this, he would be bullied until the professor arrived.

But at that moment.

Thump!!

Dennis’s hand, which was holding Allen’s shoulder, was knocked upwards. Someone had hit it away. The eyes of the watching students widened in surprise. They hadn’t expected anyone to step in. Especially not that person.

Allen looked bewildered, as if he couldn’t believe it.

“Hey, you get lost.”

That person, Max Celtrine, spat out words. Those words seemed to ignite the tension in the air. It was inevitable. When two human bombs collide, an explosion is the only outcome.

“Ha, really unbelievable.”

Dennis showed his disbelief by tilting his head. He knew very well who it was. Max, the notorious troublemaker of the second year. But even troublemakers have their hierarchies.

Since the first year, he had been rotting away in the Common class, a nobody with no talent to speak of, and he was on a different level from Dennis. He was just a mad dog that blindly relied on his background. More than anything, his instincts told him. This guy was beneath him.

“Hey, do you want to die?”

Dennis said coldly. Family is far, but fists are close. It’s only right for a brainless fool who doesn’t understand that simple truth to be beaten. But instead, it was the other who had the faster fist. Without a word, Max threw a punch,

Thump!

The punch landed hard in Dennis’s solar plexus.

“Gu, guh…….”(TLN: that was satisfying)

Dennis clutched his throat as if he couldn’t breathe, staggering backward. The shock was greater because he hadn’t anticipated the surprise attack.

Wow.

He really hit him.

Wow, he just threw a punch without saying anything.

He’s really crazy.

The other guy is not sane either.

There are levels of craziness.

The crowd murmured. Dennis’s face turned red with embarrassment. Not just because his breath was taken away, but also because it was humiliating. To be hit first by a guy like Max in front of all the second years? Where else could such humiliation be found?

“You, you son of a b*tch!”

Dennis, who had just caught his breath, screamed as if he had lost his mind. Just as he was about to rush at Max like a madman.

“What are you doing there? Quiet, quiet.”

Professor Karen’s voice rang out. She had appeared just as the clock struck the hour. The noisy atmosphere calmed down instantly.

Dennis quickly suppressed his anger.

It wasn’t for nothing that Dennis was called ‘Double Faced Dennis.’ In front of the professor, he was the epitome of a gentle model student. Dennis returned to his seat with a smile on his face. Of course, inside he was boiling with rage.

‘I’ll definitely kill him. That bastard.’

“Now, pay attention, I’ll assign your positions before we start the test. Everyone, regardless of class, gather in groups. Spread out widely…”

“Thanks for the help.”

Allen whispered in a subdued voice. He still had a bewildered look on his face. A look of not understanding why I helped him. But I didn’t step in to help him specifically.

I just couldn’t stand the sight of a nobody messing around in my territory.

I know him.

Double Faced Dennis,

An extra just like Max. The same as in getting beaten up after picking a fight with the protagonist. I don’t remember where he died. Probably got killed off somewhere without anyone knowing.

It’s Hell Academy, after all, with its many incidents and accidents. Anyway, the guy I remember is simple. Weak against the strong, and strong against the weak. So you can’t appear too easy. That’s why I threw a punch first.

‘The effect is definitely there.’

I thought, looking at the silver bracelet on my right wrist. A bracelet that increases strength. An artifact I got when I got caught up in a dungeon with the protagonist. An item that increases strength by 10%.

The effect was certain. If it were the old me, even if I attacked the vitals by surprise, I wouldn’t have been able to incapacitate Dennis in one blow. After all, he was a guy who had some standing in the Noble class. Of course, it was possible because of the fundamental strength I had been training all along.

“Hey.”

“Huh?”

“Don’t be intimidated by such a guy, get your head straight.”

“That, that’s…….”

Allen was flustered by my cold words, But whether he was or not didn’t matter. Being soft on this guy won’t strengthen his tofu mentality. He needs to be made clearly aware of his own problems.

“How strong do you think that guy is? From what I see, you and he are the same. Just average guys.”

Was that a compliment or an insult? Allen’s expression was just that. I continued speaking to him.

“But there’s a crucial difference. He fully utilizes his abilities, while you only do so in your thoughts.”

“You were probably beating him up in your thoughts earlier. But what about reality? You were too scared to do anything.”

Allen’s body jerked as if struck by the truth.

“Get it? No matter what skills you have, if you can’t show them in reality, you’re just that kind of guy. A nobody.”

Allen’s eyes were shaking with uncertainty. He must have understood what I meant. He must have been aware of his own problems. But that’s not enough. If he could change just by talking, he wouldn’t have gotten to this point. He needs a big catalyst that can shake his mind. And just then, I saw something that could be that catalyst.

‘Good timing. I was planning to test the waters anyway.’

I cleared my thoughts and spoke clearly to Allen.

“I don’t particularly care about you or have any reason to pay attention to you. We’re not anything to each other, right?”

“……Yeah, that’s right.”

A reaction all too familiar to the loner Allen. But why does he seem so down? Is it just my imagination? Maybe, for whatever reason, he’s just realized the bitter reality that the first person who helped him is showing the same reaction as everyone else. But that’s how society is, kid.

“But you know.”

“Huh?”

“You shouldn’t cause harm to others, right? I can’t stand people who cause harm to me.”

It’s ironic that I, who can’t stand being second to anyone in causing harm to others, would say such a thing, leaving even the bewildered Allen with a dumbfounded expression. You need to have a thick skin to survive in society, kid.

“What, what are you talking about…………….”

Allen scratched the back of his head, not understanding.

I kindly explained to him.

“That guy from earlier. Dennis.”

“Um.”

“That guy, he’ll definitely come for revenge after class, won’t he?”

“That・・・・・・ That’s right.”

Allen had to agree, knowing better than anyone that Dennis was more than capable of that. I raised my voice.

“So what kind of nuisance is this? Why do I have to deal with such annoying things because of someone?”

“That, that’s…….”

Allen was at a loss for words. He couldn’t even make an expression of injustice, as if to say ‘What does it have to do with me when you caused the trouble?’

Why?

Because he’s not so timid as to lack a conscience. Because there’s the clear fact that it happened while he was being helped. In short, it was an irrefutable debt.

“I’ll say it again. I hate people who cause harm to others the most in the world. Those people lack the basics of being human.”

I, known by others, would evaporate with disbelief at such words, but I said them shamelessly without changing my expression. It’s okay. Because it wasn’t my doing. Of course, Allen, who was caught in the debt, couldn’t even open his mouth.

“You’re not that kind of person, are you? Surely you’re not such trash that lacks even the basics. We’re still teammates, after all. There can’t be such trash among teammates.”

A splendid finishing attack. Allen’s body twitched every time he heard the words. In short, this is what it means: If you’re a decent human being, don’t be a nuisance and handle this situation whether you become a hero or a zero.

But being the kind person I am, I gave him a clearer direction. I whispered in his ear.

“Dennis, that bastard, isn’t anything. You can beat him. And getting beaten up a bit won’t kill you, man.”

If he’s still scared and does nothing even after I’ve set the stage, then he’s just that kind of guy and I can ignore him. But if he manages to break out of his shell.

‘He might become someone useful.’

I smirked to myself. And then

“Alright, shall we get started?”

With Professor Karen’s triumphant voice, the group evaluation finally began.