Reborn in a Gray Academy, I Became the Enemy of the World with a Smiling Girl - The two's first battle

The Colosseo after school was wrapped in an unpleasant heat. A circular outdoor arena. On the ground, a hundred meters in diameter, were carved crests for amplifying Miko. The six hundred spectator seats surrounding it were nearly full today. (*Why... why is this happening?*) Souma Kazami stood frozen at the arena entrance. His dull black hair clung to his forehead with sweat. His deep brown eyes were narrowed sharper than usual. One week since his transfer. Ever since that day—when he and Chigusa had seen the entrance to the underground facility—Souma had spent every day with extreme caution. Feeling Mahiro's watchful eyes on him, trying not to stand out. Keeping his contact with Chigusa restrained, so as not to draw attention. But today was different. Gouda, the instructor in charge of practical training, had suddenly announced at the start of class: "Today's mock battle will be a special arrangement. Transfer student Souma Kazami and Nishizono Chigusa. You two will form a pair." The air in the classroom froze in an instant. (*Why me and Chigusa?*) Souma understood immediately. This was pressure from the student council. Mahiro had prepared a stage to humiliate him and Chigusa in public. "Wait just a minute! Why am I paired with Souma?!" Chigusa raised her hand vigorously in protest. Her bright chestnut hair, tied high in a ponytail reaching down her back, swayed. Her large blue eyes, clear as the sea, stared straight at Gouda. "It's decided. No complaints." Gouda dismissed Chigusa's protest with a single stroke. A man in his late forties, with a Miko rank of A. His skill as a practical training instructor was solid, but he was in no position to defy the student council. From all around the classroom, snickering laughter began to leak out. "Hey, look. The Miko-zero is doing a mock battle." "Chigusa's got it rough. Why does she have to be paired with *that*?" "It's because she sided with a Hagure. She brought it on herself." The voices were clearly adjusted so that Souma and Chigusa could hear them. Souma clenched his fists. (*I don't care about me. But even Chigusa...*) "Souma." Suddenly, a voice came from beside him. When he looked up, Chigusa was smiling. That usual, sun-bright smile of hers. Her double tooth peeked out. "We've just gotta do it! Leave it to me!" Chigusa squeezed Souma's hand tightly. It was a small, warm hand. "...Yeah." Souma replied shortly. Something warm spread deep in his chest. She was always like this. No matter what anyone around her said, she reached out her hand straight to him. —The Colosseo. The two of them stood at the center of the arena, bathed in the jeers of the spectator seats. "Oi oi, is that Miko-zero seriously going out there?" "It'll be over in a second. Not even worth betting on." "Chigusa, why are you paired with a guy like that?" The spectator seats were filled with vulgar laughter, anticipating the sight of Souma being beaten one-sidedly. Souma looked at the two opponents standing in front of him. Garam. A large male student. A giant frame of nearly 190 centimeters. A crew cut and a rugged face. Miko rank B. He possessed a Miko that manipulated rock. Suzume. A petite female student. Black hair cut evenly at the shoulders, with narrow, sharp eyes. Miko rank B. She possessed a Miko that manipulated wind. Both were students close to Mahiro. Assassins, so to speak, under the student council's influence. "Sorry, transfer student. I can't go easy on you." Garam grinned, the corner of his mouth curling up. "Chigusa-senpai, why are you siding with someone like this? You could aim so much higher." Suzume's voice was cold. "Shut up. You two have no right to badmouth my friend." Chigusa stepped forward. The dolphin-shaped Miko crest sticker on her left upper arm glinted in the evening sun. "...Chigusa, don't overdo it." Souma said in a low voice. "It's fine. I'm confident in my handling of water Miko." Chigusa turned back and smiled. That smile made Souma's chest sting. (*Because of me, she has to fight too...*) Gouda raised his right hand. "The mock battle will now begin. Are you ready?" The four of them each took their stances. "Begin!" The signal to start echoed through the arena. In that instant, Suzume moved. "Blow." Behind Suzume, a semi-transparent bird-shaped Miko core materialized. A form like a white hawk. When it flapped its wings, the dust that had settled on the arena floor rose up all at once. *ZAAAAAAH!* The dust cloud robbed Souma of his vision. "Guh—!" Souma shielded his face with his arm. His eyes stung. He couldn't see anything. (*Damn, a wind-manipulating Miko...*) "Souma! Over here!" Chigusa's voice came from beyond the dust. The next moment, a heavy *gogogogo...* sound approached. "Got you!" Garam's massive body burst through the dust cloud. His right arm was covered in rock Miko, transformed into a giant fist of stone. (*This is bad—!*) Souma reflexively leaped backward. But with the physical abilities of someone without a Miko, he couldn't escape Garam's charge. "I won't let you!" Chigusa jumped out in front of Souma. "Water Wall!" Around Chigusa, a semi-transparent dolphin-shaped Miko core materialized. When the dolphin swung its tail, the moisture in the air gathered in an instant, and a thick wall of water deployed in front of the two of them. *GAKIIIN!!* Garam's rock fist collided with the water wall. The water wall shook violently, but somehow held. "Tch, not bad." Garam clicked his tongue and retreated. "Chigusa, are you okay?" "Yeah, still fine! But those two—their coordination is good." A faint sheen of sweat had appeared on Chigusa's forehead. The water wall was maintained by consuming her mental energy—her *Kimochi*. If she took continuous attacks, it wouldn't last long. "Let's finish them in one go." "Understood." The two split to the left and right. Suzume stirred up the wind again, robbing Souma of his vision. Garam circled around in that opening and brought his rock fist down. "Kuh—!" Chigusa, shielding Souma, desperately redeployed the water wall. *GAKIIN! GAKIIN! GAKIIN!* The rock fist struck the water wall again and again. "Ahaha, look. Chigusa's desperate to protect that piece of trash." "Pointless. Just having a Miko-zero there is only increasing Chigusa's burden." Jeers rained down from the spectator seats. Souma gritted his teeth. (*I'm dragging her down.*) (*If only I weren't here, Chigusa could fight more freely...*) "Souma, don't worry about it!" Chigusa shouted, as if seeing right through his heart. "I *want* to fight together with you! So just stay back!" Those words pierced Souma's chest. (*Together... she wants to fight together.*) (*Even though I can't do anything...*) Garam and Suzume's continuous attacks grew even more intense. Suzume's wind broke Chigusa's stance. Garam's rock fist shattered the edge of the water wall. *PARIN!* A portion of the water wall shattered like glass. "Ah—!" The fragments grazed Chigusa's cheek. A single line of blood ran down. "Chigusa!" Souma couldn't help but shout. "I'm fine, I'm fine. This much is nothing." Chigusa smiled as she wiped the blood away. But that smile clearly showed signs of fatigue. (*At this rate, Chigusa's Kimochi won't hold out.*) Souma desperately racked his brain. (*Something... isn't there something I can do?*) (*What I can do is—*) Souma observed. Garam's movements. Suzume's movements. (*Those two—before they activate their Miko, they must have some kind of tell.*) Souma's observational eye sharpened. The jeers around him, the sound of the dust—everything faded into the distance. Only the enemies' movements were clearly visible. (*—I see it.*) Garam. Just before swinging down his rock fist, he always pulled his right foot back half a step. Suzume. Just before stirring up the wind, she always took a small, chant-like breath. (*This is it.*) Souma grabbed Chigusa's shoulder. "Chigusa, listen." "Eh?" "When Garam pulls his right foot back half a step, he's about to swing down his rock fist. When Suzume inhales, she's about to stir up the wind. At that timing, release your high-pressure water blade." Souma's voice was low and calm. Chigusa looked surprised for a moment. But then she immediately smiled. "Got it! I'll trust what you say!" Chigusa released the water wall. "Oh? Giving up?" Garam laughed. "Your water wall's at its limit, isn't it? Just give in." Suzume took her chant-like breath. —*Now.* "Chigusa, right side!" "Roger! High-Pressure Water Blade!" Chigusa's dolphin Miko core leaped high. The next instant, an ultra-thin blade of water was released from Chigusa's right hand. *SHUPAAAAH!!* The high-pressure water blade sliced Suzume's wind vortex clean in two, and grazed Suzume's shoulder as it continued. "Kyaa—!" Suzume's body staggered badly. "Wh-what just happened?!" Garam, shaken, pulled his right foot back half a step. —*It's coming.* "Chigusa, this time it's from the left! Water wall!" "Got it!" Chigusa quickly deployed the water wall. Garam's rock fist collided with it. *GAKIIIN!!* But Chigusa had already moved on to her next action. "Water Blade, consecutive!" Chigusa's high-pressure water blades were released, aimed at Garam's rock arm. *ZASHU! ZASHU! ZASHU!* The rock arm was shaved away by the water blades. "Guoh—?!" Garam's massive body lost its balance. "Why... why aren't our attacks landing?!" Suzume shouted in panic. "Chigusa, this time blow them both away together. At your maximum output." "Eh? But I still haven't—!" "It's fine. You can do it. They're already rattled. Finish it in one go." Souma looked straight into Chigusa's eyes. Chigusa nodded firmly. "...Okay. We've just gotta do it!" Chigusa clasped her hands in front of her chest. The dolphin Miko core began rotating around her at high speed. Moisture from the air gathered in a swirling vortex. "GOOOOO!!" With Chigusa's shout, a massive torrent of water was unleashed. *DOOOOON!!* A great wave of high-pressure water blades swallowed both Garam and Suzume together. "GUAAAAH—?!" "KYAAAAH—?!" The two were swept away by the torrent of water, blown clear outside the arena. *DOSHA!* A dull sound as they were slammed into the ground. The two of them stopped moving entirely. —Silence. The spectator seats, filled with jeers just moments ago, fell silent as if doused with water. "...Wh-what was that just now?" "Did the Miko-zero... give instructions?" "Impossible... that Hagure... changed the course of the battle...?" The jeers had vanished from the spectators' faces. In their place floated confusion, and just a hint of awe. "That's enough! Winners: the pair of Souma Kazami and Nishizono Chigusa!" Gouda's voice echoed through the arena. "...We won." Souma muttered in a daze. "We did it... we did it! Souma! We did it!" Chigusa, beaming, tried to throw her arms around Souma. But her body crumpled and collapsed. "Chigusa?!" Souma hurriedly supported her body. "Ahaha... sorry, I think I used a little too much power." Chigusa laughed weakly. "If it weren't for your instructions, I'd be dead." "Idiot, don't say that." Souma held Chigusa's shoulders. (*I didn't do anything. You're the one who fought.*) (*But... was I able to help, even a little?*) A new sensation was born in Souma's chest. (*So this is what it means to fight alongside someone.*) It was just a small thing—but a certain, warm thing. —The Colosseo exit. As the two of them walked, leaning on each other, a single figure stood there. Long silver hair. A white uniform. A perfectly composed smile. Toya Mahiro. "Well now, you two. Good work out there." Mahiro approached slowly, clapping. "That was a splendid match. Your instructions were especially impressive, Souma Kazami-kun." Mahiro reached his hand toward Souma's head. Souma reflexively tried to pull away. But his body wouldn't move. Ma

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Episode 3

Name: Reborn in a Gray Academy, I Became the Enemy of the World with a Smiling Girl
Author: Novelia

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