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			Stomping the Step
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TL : om3gakais3r
ED : Chinozuku


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I(we) moved to a part of the corridor where nobody can see us.

Behind me, Lenoir’s shoulders were trembling.

You didn't have to be that afraid, you know.

「Please don’t be that vigilant. What I’m going talk about isn’t something bad」

「Ah, you’re not angry because I spoke that much?」

About her making up stories huh. She has done me a favor by making it so that she was the one who defeated the monster, so there was no way that I'm angry.

「No, you’re wrong. Rather, there are some parts that caught my attention. First, the Dead Reaper’s weapon was a Big Scythe. Look at this.」
 

Lenoir’s eyes were going everywhere due to Storage Skill I used and I took out the Big Scythe from an empty space.

「Y-you have storage skill!?」

「Please keep it a secret, ‘kay?」

After saying that, I handed the Big Scythe to Lenoir.

While she was examining every nook and cranny of the scythe, I brought out a material for her to see.

「This is the Dead Reaper’s skull. It’s broken, though.」

「Whoah... this is the Dead Reaper’s real material....」

Good, good. As I thought she took the bait.
 

After that, I raised a finger and start the real negotiation.
 

「With this, your story’s credibility can be proven. How about you buy them for a low price?」

I asked for only 100,000 Ria, Lenoir jumped out of happiness.

「Are you okay with just 1,000,000 Ria? If so, I’ll buy it right away!」

She added one more 0 by mistake out of surprise, but perhaps for the daughter of an Earl family, having 1,000,000 Ria anytime anywhere was our difference.

Of course, I didn't have to refuse such money.

Putting away the weapon and the material, she went back to the classroom with a happy face. Even for me, I smiled while going to the auditorium.

I thought, it's okay to give half of it to my family and save the rest for my future.

Entering the auditorium, there were already a lot of queues were made.

「Noir~, over here.」

Emma beckoned to me and I stood by her side.

Looks like she had reserved the foremost position.
 

「So you have reserved this place for me. Thank you, Emma.」

「We’ve always been neighbors, haven’t we? So I did it out of habit.」

Sticking out her tongue, Emma protruded her head into my direction greedily. So for the meantime, I patted her head.

She likes her head being patted. Her soft hair slipped by my fingers, it felt nice.
 

The board chairman went up to the podium which meant his greeting speech was going to start.

He talked about how important freedom is in this Hero School.

It seems for the possible future careers after graduation, there are Adventurer, Dungeon Seeker, Mercenary, Monster Hunter, Royal Knight and etc.

I will attend every class while deciding what I need for my own self.
 

After the Board Chairman’s speech, the audience became noisy when the Headmaster started to explain the schedule for the rest of the year.
 

「Hey, that person’s head...」

「Yeah, it’s ‘that’....」
 


The Headmaster was a middle-aged man, around his 50's, but there was an unnatural thing about him. It was his hair.

It was clear as sky that he used hair growth care.

Hair growth care, it was exactly as how it was written: to make one’s hair grew longer. It was a method where one smeared mucus which were vomited by monsters named Charapillar on the head and put someone’s hair into the smeared part.


The stickiness would lose its effect after 24 hours. Of course, when the time runs out, the effect would also wears out. 
The liquid was sold in any stores such as general stores for a high price.
 

His hair growth care’s finishing touch was perfect, but I couldn't really say that can be called a natural look.


If the one who did it wasn’t good at it, then all the hair would be stuck on the scalp and the hair’s direction would be strange. 
But, 

there were also cases when you could spot it from distance.

「Ehm- For starters, this month.....」

While the giggling noise from the audience became audible, the Headmaster continued his speech.


While showing a sad expression, Emma said
「Isn’t it cruel to laugh at him.」

「Yeah.」
 

While thinking that Emma was as kind as usual, I tried to check whether I could create a hair growth skill. (ED: This MC really do anything for money, he don’t want to miss any chance)

[Head Hair Growth, 300LP]

It seems that I could create them. After that, I checked how many points do I need to Grant the skill to Headmaster who was in front of me.

300 (Create) + 7000 (Grant) = 7300LP

Ain’t it too high?


I changed the target from the principal to Emma and it’s changed greatly. 
The LP cost for Grant lowered from 7000 into 50.

「One man’s ceiling is another man’s floor.」 Like that proverb, huh. 

Headmaster’s scalp circumstances wasn't well suited with hair growth skill. On the other hand, Emma is still young, furthermore she’s a girl, so hair growth skill was more feasible for her.


Perhaps it also applied to Battle-related skills. 
When increasing the strength of my allies, perhaps I’d better grow their own field of expertise.


The entrance ceremony has ended and we were going back to the classroom. Immediately, there was a greeting from our homeroom teacher. 
She was a woman in her early twenties with mysterious makeup from somewhere. She has a fit body and it was not wrong to call her a beauty by her face.

「My name is Elna. I was a mercenary since I was 7 until 24 years old. Under some circumstances, I become a teacher here just last year.」

The teacher somehow lifted her black hair up due to her bad mood.

「I know more or less about all of you, so let’s start the first period lesson. Change into battle gear, bring your weapon and gather at the schoolyard.」


Because Ms. Elna suddenly went out of the class, we were changing our clothes in a hurry. I also hang the Double Edge Sword on my waist. In five minutes, everyone has gathered at center of the schoolyard.


She was carrying a wooden sword and put the blade part of it on her shoulder. 
In a calm manner, she said “In this world, there are so many monsters, bandits and bad guys. In the future, perhaps all of you will fight with many foes. Because of that, I’ll teach you the most basic movements. There are some of you who have already mastered it though.”
 

She was looking at our faces one by one as if assessing us.

「Noir Stargia over there. Go to the front and draw your sword.」

Whoah, she suddenly called my name.

I did what I was told and Ms. Elna’s eyebrow raised a little bit.

「Isn’t that a good sword you have there?」

「I got it from my father.」

「Okay then, try to hit me. You can also do it with killing intent.」

「With killing intent... is it?」

「Don’t worry, you won’t hit me.」

That was an overwhelming confidence, but it seems that she has certain reasons for it.


Name: Elna Stangs

Age: 24

Race: Human

Level: 232

Profession: School Teacher

Skill

Strength UP, Taijutsu A, One-handed Sword A, Single Pierce, Earth Wall, Earth Bullet, Heal


W...wasn't she too OP?.....

On top of her level exceeding 200, it looks like she has a lot of useful skills.

The fact that she has been a mercenary when she was 7 years old wasn't just for show.

「What’s up? Hurry and try to hit me.」

「Yes」

I decided to move my body with all my strength.

It wasn't my place to hold back in front of someone who was like standing above the clouds compared to me.

Dash! I kicked the ground with power.

I rushed in one beat and while closing the distance, I launched my slash to her side.

I slashed her!

I believed that I had hit her but after that I was astonished.

She backed off with an agile movement as if she was not a human like me. It was just a Back Step but with her doing it, it was in a different league.

Fwoop, I slashed air and my posture crumbles. I tried to fix my stance swiftly, but—thwack.

Suddenly the Teacher’s palm hit my head.

I, who clearly lacks in battle experience was dumbfounded, but on the other hand she looked surprised.

「...Not bad. As I thought, you’re strong enough. Is your level higher than 30?」

「Roughly」

「Your step and slashing technique weren't bad, you still have room for improvement.」

「....I’ll work hard.」

「Ah, you don’t have to be ashamed. What I want you to do was the movement earlier.」


To the students who were watching, Teacher told them to learn Back Step. 
In a battle, it was a movement that could be used for evasion according to the enemies' movement.

「There are lots of those who unexpectedly couldn't do it right. I’ve seen from up close 10 people who wrongly assessed the moment and did a suicidal movement.」

「10 people... What happened to them?」

「Do you want to know, Noir-kun?」

Smirk, her mouth's edge was raised and she shook her head.

After that, she told a gruesome entrails-coming-out-from-the-stomach story.

I said it in my heart that I don’t want to hear it though!?

「Anyhow, learn today's lesson thoroughly. You should do it until you can evade one of my strike.」

So that’s why she used a wooden sword, huh? If she did it with a real sword, it looks like she would destroy S class.

「The top batter is Noir, huh~」

「Eh, but I just did it」

「No complaining, please. For the others, it’s still unreasonable for them」

「Humph」

「Pfft. You’re interesting. Well then~ If you could perform Back Step from at least one of my three strikes, I will give you a reward.」

For someone weak to the word “reward”, I gulped my breath.

Scratching her lower chin, she pondered 「is this okay, or is that okay?」

「How about I sit on your stomach while grinding my buttocks?」

「Is that really a reward?」

「Well then, let’s start.」
 

It seems that pushy personality was required to be a mercenary. Because there was a chance I’d be a mercenary in the future, I need to imprint that boldness into my body.

We were going to spar again, however now I’m on the defensive side.

Once, if I could avoid her wooden sword even once then it’s my win.

Now then, come here at any mo—ouch!?

「Blegh..」

「Ah, sorry.. Is that a little too strong? I dunno how to hold back ya see.」

The teacher’s movement was too fast. While I was trying to backstep, the wooden sword hit my flank. The shock was strong, it made me vomit.
 

「I’ll patch you up now. Heal.」

Sensei touched my stomach and used her recovery magic.

I think I saw white light coming out from her hand. While the light was flickering, the pain was disappearing.

「Thou shalt remember the pain and become stronger.」

「Isn't that a wrong line to say, teacher?」

「Nahaha, next time be careful, 'kay? Now once more, stand up.」
 

It seems she would continue until I succeed in using backstep. As I thought, what a Spartan method of teaching.

It seems that she has lowered the level (she’s holding back more), but I don’t want to feel pain again.

Hyaah.

If it’s like this, I’ll get Taijutsu C.

....It was no good.

1000LP was too expensive.

If so, then I’ll try to create [Backstep Enhancement]

Oh, this one was 200LP and I could do it. For my current LP, it’s safe for me to create it.

「Well then, here I come!」

「Eh?」
 

Wasn’t that even faster than before? ...Wait, rather than thinking, now I have to dodge!

I backed off reflexively.

「Unfortunately for you, with that kind of timing, it’s sure that you would get hit.... Hah!?」

After I succeeded in using backstep, my feet were sliding on the sand.

Fuh-, somehow I made it on time.

The evading speed of Back Step has been increased so I didn’t get hit by the wooden sword.
 

「Why?? Even though I’ve increased my speed from before...」

「Teacher, you’re cruel.」

Although she’s an adult, but the child-like and absent minded Ms. Elna was cute.


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