Volume 7 Chapter 6 Athletic
In the afternoon class, students had an athletic exercise while wearing combat uniforms.
The teacher created the course using skills, but they had to go through it using only their physical abilities.
Jacob swung his wooden sword and shouted.
"Listen up!! This 'athletic exercise' was supposed to start in the third term. But this year, to improve our physical abilities, we're doing it from the first term!! I don't expect everyone to clear it, but I want you all to give it your best!!"
Elk and the others were in the largest area of the school, the '22nd Training Ground.'
They would use the entire space for the athletic exercise.
When Jacob opened the door... it looked like a different world.
"W-what is this..."
Elk couldn't help but speak.
Jacob grinned and stabbed his wooden sword into the ground.
The training area looked like a 'rocky zone.' It was rocky, but there were ropes, nets, and obstacles set up everywhere. It would be pretty tough to get through without using skills.
"Alright, go!! I'll give a reward to those who clear it!!"
"A reward!! Alright, I'll be the first!!"
Fine jumped into the athletic course first.
Next, Elwood, Yato, Kaya, and Merry also started running.
Soara stood next to Elk. From her chest, Sylphid peeked out.
"Are you not going?"
"I'm going. What about you, Soara?"
"I want to go with Elk... is that okay?"
"Y-yeah, that's fine."
Soara tilted her head cutely.
Other classmates also started running one after another.
Elk put on an eye mask and a hood.
"Okay, let's go!!"
* * *
"Yosh, ho!"
Elk crossed the pond by stepping on the floating stones, climbing up the net to reach the high rock.
Many students fell off the stones, dropped into traps, got stuck in the mud, or tripped on sticky floors, unable to move.
Elk thought, "Not everyone has good physical ability."
However, Soara was right behind him.
"Elk, you're light on your feet."
"You're amazing too. I mean, I have pretty good athletic skills."
"I'm confident in using my body as well."
Elk and Soara jumped from the high rock. They spun in the air and landed... just as the ground cracked.
""!!""
Before the ground broke, the two jumped again, avoiding the pitfall.
"That's mean... I can't believe it landed there."
"Safe!"
As they started running side by side, they saw a huge net that looked like a giant spider web.
This net was the last obstacle, and many familiar faces were there.
"Help meee!"
"Oh, Janet!"
Under the net was a muddy swamp. Elk and Soara saw Janet, who they had teamed up with in the dungeon, covered in mud.
"Ughhh..."
"Damn it..."
"Ugh, I messed up..."
"Oh, Fine and Gambo. Kaya is here too."
They saw the 3 of them struggling in the mud.
Looking at the net, Yato, Merry, and Elwood were carefully climbing it.
Then, Soara noticed something.
"Elk, look at that."
"...I see. There's no way Gambo and the others would fall from just a net."
There were more than ten medium-sized 'spiders' on the net.
But these weren't just regular spiders. They were metallic spiders that looked lifeless. The spiders quickly attacked Yato and Elwood, who were climbing.
"Ugh..."
Yato tries to draw her sword, but the unstable net makes it impossible.
Elwood has one of his twin swords in his mouth. However, he can only hold onto the thin net, struggling to move as he wants. Merry is in the same situation.
"Aaaahhh!!"
"Oh no, Merry fell!"
Splash! Merry falls into the mud.
"Ugh... so muddy."
"Welcome to the world of mud..."
Fine warmly welcomes Merry.
Soara checks behind her and tells Elk.
"Elk, it looks like we are the last ones."
"Yeah. What should we do?"
"I'm going for it!"
Soara jumps onto the spider web net and starts climbing quickly.
Elk jumps after her. There's no rule about who gets to be first, but he still wants to win.
But then──
"Spider... Heh, I'm strong even without Telekinesis."
He bends his right hand and unfolds his blade.
A weapon that doesn't need to be held can be used anywhere. Elk grabs the net with just his left hand and lifts his body up with pure strength. Then, he raises his right leg high and entangles it in the net, facing the spider that attacked from behind.
He's hanging in the air by his legs. Elk stabs the spider with his right blade. The spider lets out smoke and falls.
"Alright!"
He lifts his legs and grabs the net with both hands. He climbs up quickly.
It seems that the spider only attacks one person at a time.
"Aaahhh!?"
"Oh, Yato!"
As Elk climbs, he sees Yato get knocked off by a spider.
He also sees Elwood fall at the same time.
And then Soara.
"Ahh... munch munch."
She was biting into a spider.
Elk grabbed the spider tightly with both hands while hanging onto the net with both feet.
He passed by Soara and said,
"Hey, aren't you using a skill?"
"Ah."
The skill 'Gluttony' lets you eat anything when activated.
Soara said, "I messed up," and dropped the spider.
The two of them climbed over the net and headed for the final stretch.
Then, they reached the goal.
Jacob was waiting there with a wooden sword.
"Alright!! Elk passes. Soara, you fail because you used a skill!!"
"Ugh."
"Yes! I did it! That teacher, what's the reward?"
"Okay, reward time!! Good job, good job!!"
Elk was patted by Jacob as much as he could... it seemed this was the reward.
* * *
After that, the classmates challenged the obstacle course many times while still covered in mud.
For adventurers, moving through muddy areas and camping in the forest is not unusual. It seemed like they were also training to get used to a bit of dirt and messiness.
They pushed their bodies hard on the obstacle course, and the class for the day ended.
Half of the classmates were out of breath and looked like they might fall over.
"That's it for today. Hehe, it was tough, right? Training your body and using it makes a huge difference in how tired you feel!! Get used to this feeling!! Now, dismissed!!"
As they were dismissed, the classmates wobbled out of the training area.
Elk took off his mask and hood and stretched out.
"Ah~ it's over. Gambo, let's go to the mall and get something sweet. Miss Sophia said sweets are good for tired bodies."
"You idiot with all that energy... you're the only one looking so happy."
"Well, I'm pretty tired, though."
"Anyway, I'm going home to take a bath today. See ya, Elk."
Gambo had left.
When Elk looked at Merry, she shook her head, and even the usually cheerful Fine was walking unsteadily. Soara stayed close to Fine, and Sylphid was worried about Fine from above Soara's head.
The athletic training. Elk didn't know much, but it seemed to be one of the toughest subjects for new students.
"What should I do... I want something sweet... oh!"
Elk saw Kaya and Yato walking briskly.
"Yato, Kaya, good job!"
"Thanks..."
"Good job. You look so relaxed, I'm jealous."
"Don't say that. Hey, I'm hungry, let's go eat some dango."
Dango. When Elk said that, Kaya looked at him.
"Lady Yato?"
"Kaya, just call me Yato."
"Oh, I-I'm sorry."
"Seriously, we were talking normally at first, why are you using honorifics again?"
"Um, well... it feels too formal."
"...Fine. Just do what you want."
"So, what about the dango?"
"...I'll go. Kaya, you too."
"Yes. I'll join you."
Elk and the others changed clothes and headed to the Tea House in the shopping mall.
* * *
At Yato's favorite Tea House, they enjoyed dango and tea.
At first, there wasn't much conversation, but then Yato spoke up quietly.
"I'm sorry."
"Huh?"
"I was avoiding you. I... I'm sorry."
"Lady Yato!"
"Kaya, you should apologize too. He's not the kind of guy who would spread our secrets."
"...Yes. I'm very sorry."
Kaya bowed her head slightly to Elk.
So they really didn't trust him... Elk thought.
But Kaya and Yato seemed to relax their guard.
"You're right. From now on, let's treat each other as classmates and dorm mates."
"I'm planning to do that from the start, Yato."
"Yeah. So, I have a favor to ask right away... You're in charge of security for the presentation, right?"
"Yeah. I can move around freely."
"Then, can I join you for security? It seems like it would be a fun challenge with you."
"Your motivation is not pure... What about Kaya?"
"I'm going to follow Lady Yato."
"That's settled then."
"Wait, wait, is it really settled?"
There are ten days left until the presentation.
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