Chapter: 73. Before the Combat Assessment (6k) (33/46)
Nagi didn’t expect to reunite with Mana at such a time and place.
Although she knew from the start that Mana had joined Starlight Academy, she wasn’t a “student” in the usual sense. Instead, she was an “ability user” often active on the battlefront, a top-tier ability user at that, presumably busy dealing with various dangerous supernatural disasters, spending most of her time away from the campus.
So Nagi was surprised to see Mana here, and the way she appeared at that moment had quite a few differences from what Nagi remembered.
From Nagi’s “sensation,” it was only a little over a month since she last met Mana. However, according to the passage of time, they hadn’t seen each other for over three years.
The Mana standing in front of her had shed the slightly childish and cute appearance from years ago. Now, in terms of looks, body shape, and aura, she exuded a distinctly different vibe — it wasn’t just a matter of “having grown up,” but she had genuinely transformed into a true “beauty.”
Her eyes, which used to give off a feline feel, now conveyed a more icy queen-like demeanor.
Three years… had already passed.
They were originally the same age, but one still looked like she had just turned 18, while the other had already blossomed into a beauty in her early 20s.
As Nagi lamented, a heavy sense of guilt welled up within her.
Back in Kawano City, everything had happened so suddenly—
Thinking back, she seemed to have barely said goodbye to Mana.
At that time, her mind was filled with nothing but the idea of “saving the world.” She wanted to use “her own death” to awaken Kanade a second time and end the never-ending war between humanity and fantasy monsters.
But how many people had she hurt with such a willful choice?
Not just Kanade.
There was also Mana, Renji, Sayaka, Amane, her parents… too many people had been hurt, and she owed too many “I’m sorry’s” that she never got to express.
Moreover, the world hadn’t been saved as a result, and her “sacrifice” hadn’t brought about the imagined future.
Fantasy monsters continued to ravage this world.
Was it because her current “resurrection” wasn’t a secret for the “fantasy monsters born from the future,” so they were still continually returning from the future to the past?
Or did the actions of fantasy monsters not end because of her death?
…
“Good morning.”
“…Ah, good morning, Senpai.”
As Nagi was engulfed in her guilt and struggle, Mana’s greeting pulled her thoughts back to reality.
Nagi snapped to attention and quickly bowed in response.
Despite her voice being somewhat flustered, she tried her best to keep her tone sounding natural.
Fortunately, her reaction did not raise Mana’s suspicions.
The latter, clearly used to the students’ reactions, was highly regarded and prominent within Starlight Academy, especially among the first-year freshmen, who viewed her as almost an unattainable existence.
Confirming that Mana didn’t notice anything amiss, Nagi silently sighed in relief, temporarily suppressing her guilt as she mentally prepared to escape this training ground quickly.
Yet Mana’s voice came from behind her again, calling out:
“Excuse me, are you… Kamishiro Amane-san?”
…
—————–
“Pfft—!? Please, Lord Yamiyuki, I want to be your disciple!?”
“That’s so dirty, so dirty—!!!”
During lunchtime at Starlight Academy’s cafeteria.
After class, Shiraishi met up with Nagi as agreed.
Her freshly torn bread hadn’t even been bitten into before she exclaimed in shock upon hearing the story from Nagi, drawing the attention of several surrounding students.
She quickly realized her faux pas and hurriedly lowered her voice.
Seizing the opportunity, Nagi sighed and waved her hand to correct her: “No, no, no, she just said that if she has the chance, she might give me some guidance.”
“That implies a master-disciple relationship! How wonderful~ to get guidance from that ‘ace’s masterpiece~,” Shiraishi said, her face brimming with admiration as she stuffed the bread into her mouth.
Then she seemed to notice some good news and abruptly looked up: “But if you have Lord Yamiyuki’s guidance—surely you’ll pass the assessment effortlessly, right?”
However, before she could feel relieved about the assessment.
Nagi calmly added, “But the premise is—if I can pass the assessment first.”
“Eh?”
Shiraishi froze at her words.
“Meaning—if I can pass the assessment, she might give me a little guidance…”
“Isn’t that completely hopeless?”
“Totally despairing!?”
Ignoring Nagi’s retort, Shiraishi slowly lowered her head, cradled her head with her hands, her shoulders sagging, muttering, “I can’t even imagine Amani-chan passing the assessment… it’s a completely blank slate…”
“How rude!? I’m the kind of person who performs well at critical moments, okay!”
“It’s bad—Amani-chan actually made a classic underachiever remark, just like someone who always ranks last in quizzes, yet dreams of passing the finals—although this trait combined with your cold beauty can create a wonderful contrast, I really hope Amani-chan doesn’t add any more character traits…”
“What kind of character do I seem to be in your eyes, Shiraishi-senpai!?”
“No choice… since it’s come to this…” Shiraishi slowly sat up, her facial features now sharp like a marble statue: “I can only rely on me as your coach, right?”
“What character are you supposed to be!? A hotblooded coach!?”
“I’ll make you into someone who can pass the ‘assessment’! I don’t even care if your body is like a pineapple!”
“I’m the one who’s very concerned about that, okay!?”
“Anyway, Amani-chan, put these on first!” Shiraishi bent down and picked up a paper bag from the floor, handing it to Nagi: “This is the outfit I specially prepared for you based on our discussion this morning!”
“The one that can ‘enhance physical ability’ that was mentioned this morning?” Nagi was slightly shocked by her efficiency.
After all, only a few hours had passed, and Shiraishi clearly expressed this morning that she had never made such functional gear.
“Your efficiency is just too high!?” Nagi took the paper bag, her face filled with disbelief.
“Because our ‘Fashion and Clothing Design Research Club’s’ purpose is—‘to produce prototypes at the fastest speed, then gradually optimize the final product based on experimental data,’ from stitching to the final product—this requires overtime work.”
“Please complete it during normal working hours!!”
“Oversight, staying up late, and pulling all-nighters are the craftsmanship spirit of our ‘Fashion and Clothing Design Research Club’!”
“That’s a touching spirit! But the thought that countless students have been caught in explosive accidents from this ‘first version prototype’ makes me unable to feel touched at all—”
While Nagi was saying this, she still peered into the paper bag.
As a result, just a glance made her expression freeze as if she had seen something forbidden.
“Um, what’s inside this—”
“Essential items for ensuring Amani-chan smoothly passes the assessment.” Shiraishi emphasized every word.
“How am I supposed to use high heels and sheer stockings to pass the assessment!? Are you planning to make me use coercion!?” Nagi couldn’t help but retort: “So your role isn’t just the hotblooded coach, but rather a brothel keeper tricking innocent women into compromising situations?”
“Please don’t misunderstand.” Shiraishi replied earnestly: “This set is combat-specific gear.”
“Sorry… I misunderstood… Seeing these at least 12cm stilettos and these semi-transparent, glimmering black stockings, I immediately thought of some late-night shows—”
“While they can be used for that kind of purpose, too,” Shiraishi nodded thoughtfully.
“Can I have my earlier apology back!?”
Ignoring Nagi, who was curled up in a corner shivering with the paper bag.
Shiraishi began explaining the functions of these items.
While she was still unable to create gear that was as light as feather yet could enhance strength like exoskeleton armor, she did have several solutions for slightly enhancing speed and mobility.
“First, these high heels are made from a special alloy, with internal thrusters installed in the heels. When you jump, they can adjust the center of gravity forward, gliding like a magnetic levitation train to achieve high-speed movement.”
“Secondly, these tights incorporate ultra-thin center-of-gravity stabilization components, which can help maintain body balance while sliding, preventing side flips, falls, or excessive rotations due to inertia.”
Moreover, these two items depend very little on “extraordinary power,” sufficient to meet the minimum standards of the assessment, just enough to scrape by the detection line.
After hearing this, Nagi fell into contemplation.
She had to admit that she had just misunderstood Shiraishi-senpai.
However, she still had one big question:
“So… how do I stop?”
“…”
Shiraishi fell silent for three seconds before slowly replying:
“Truly, Amani-chan, you discovered a safety hazard deeply hidden right off the bat.”
“I think this should be the most important and shallow safety issue to consider first!?”
She finally understood why there was a rumor circulating among students at Starlight Academy: “Never go near the armory.”
—I can hardly believe I noticed this issue before putting on these high heels…
But Nagi clearly overlooked the fact that there would undoubtedly be more than one problem in the process from “prototype” to “finished product.”
—————–
Time passed quietly.
Unknowingly, half a month had gone by.
Nagi, as an “ordinary student,” was about to take the “combat assessment” today.
At Starlight Academy, although the vast majority of students are ability users, this does not mean they can participate in or carry out tasks, let alone be appointed to handle supernatural disasters or confront fantasy monsters.
Every student must pass Starlight Academy’s “combat assessment” to become a true “ability user.”
This assessment covers multiple aspects: magic power intensity measurement, physical fitness evaluation, precision of ability control, and understanding and application capabilities of knowledge related to the extraordinary world.
Most importantly, in the final stage of the assessment, one must complete a simulated task involving both “individual combat” and “team combat.”
Only those who pass the above assessments can officially be bestowed the title of “ability user” and obtain their own ability level.
This is also the reason why Nagi was determined to pass this assessment.
To become an X-level ability user, earn the trust of Hikaru, and utilize him and the underlying β system to find Amamiya Akihiko, Nagi needed to first become a genuine “ability user” at Starlight Academy.
Generally speaking, students at Starlight Academy often apply for the “assessment” in their third or even fourth year.
It is extremely rare for a first-year freshman like Nagi, who has just enrolled, to apply for the “assessment.”
On the other hand, even though half a month has passed, her physical condition still hadn’t fully recovered.
Despite managing to reach the physical fitness level of a “normal person” with basic training and diet management, she still lagged significantly behind a true “normal ability user.”
To compensate for this insufficiency, she had to rely on the “support equipment” that Shiraishi specially prepared for her.
Shiraishi invested a lot of effort into this and continuously conducted experiments and improvements over this period, resulting in a pair of special shoes named “Hermes Boots”—along with matching “black stockings.”
These two items underwent more than seven iterations of optimization before finally achieving their current state.
The appearance of the “Hermes Boots” had transformed from seductive high heels to ordinary silver-white leather boots, with symmetrical metallic wings wrapping around the back, folding like wings, creating a refined design.
Beneath the exquisite appearance, the functions that were conceived by Shiraishi and Nagi at the start had almost been realized.
The “Hermes Boots” are embedded with ultra-miniature drive devices and center-of-gravity adjustment systems, capable of providing directional guidance and speed enhancements whenever Nagi jumps and moves; at full speed, these shoes could even allow her to hover briefly.
While they could not enhance her body to the extent of exoskeletons, these boots already enabled Nagi’s performance to reach the foundational level of an ordinary ability user in the areas of “evasion” and “movement.”
They also possessed the ability to dodge point-blank shots from handguns—regarding how she knew this, it was a complicated story.
As for the “black stockings” that paired with the “Hermes Boots,” after repeated requests from Nagi, Shiraishi ultimately upgraded the originally somewhat flimsy design to a completely opaque version, using a material that is harder to tear. This effectively avoids any issues of “wardrobe malfunction” during high-speed movement or when hovering in the air.
Unknowingly, Nagi’s attire seemed to have reverted back to her middle school days, as she wore an ultra-short skirt pulled to the extreme length without appearing indecent, paired with black stockings.
In a certain sense, it was also a kind of “return.”
With Shiraishi’s full support, Nagi received comprehensive assistance from the “armory.”
Besides the “Hermes Boots” and “black stockings,” the academy uniform she wore was also a custom-tailored product. However, the real key was—
The “artificial fantasy armament” crafted for her by the armory.
Although ability users can summon their unique “fantasy armaments” as they master and grow their abilities—these are extensions of their powers, materializing as weapons, armor, and so on, and are part of an ability user’s strength.
Unfortunately, Nagi could not do this at the moment.
Even though her soul was merged with the abilities of three authorities, that was not her ability.
In the records of Starlight Academy, Nagi was still classified as an “unawakened ability user.”
Thus, she could not summon “fantasy armaments” for combat.
So she requested Shiraishi to tailor for her a set of “artificial fantasy armaments.”
“Artificial fantasy armaments” are not uncommon; the most common version is the silver blade that every beginner can obtain, transformed from a silver-white bracelet.
More advanced ones include Alice’s sword sheath containing countless extraordinary “swords.”
But what’s slightly special is that—
Nagi chose not a “blade,” but rather a “gun.”
A black and white pair of modern automatic handguns, streamlined and well-shaped.
She had no interest in close-quarters blade combat, nor was she skilled in that kind of hand-to-hand fighting style.
Compared to weaving through enemy lines with weapons, she preferred ranged assaults.
After all, in her past experiences, her battles were primarily focused on ranged attacks, though she wasn’t sure if it was because no one could get close to her.
However, in the combat system of ability users, it could be said that very few people choose “firearms” as their “fantasy armaments.”
Even though “artificial fantasy armaments” now come in various forms, most ability users still tend to opt for weapon types capable of causing large-scale destruction, such as long spears, giant axes, or war hammers—these have greater practical value against fantasy monsters.
In contrast, weapons like handguns, which rely on ammunition and have limited attack ranges, appear particularly niche.
Hardly anyone would choose them.
In battles ruled by abilities and extraordinary powers, hit rates are always a concern.
Even the “Hermes Boots” crafted by Shiraishi can dodge bullets; those beings with speeds far exceeding normal would never have an opportunity to be hit by bullets.
What’s more, low-caliber bullets can hardly inflict any substantial damage on fantasy monsters, whereas using heavy caliber firearms may have sufficient power but significantly reduce portability and mobility.
Thus, over time, unless the ability user’s characteristics were highly compatible with firearms, almost no one would actively choose such weapon types.
Looking around Starlight Academy, Nagi might be the only one in the entire school who chose a “gun” as her main weapon.
……
Early morning, in Nagi’s dorm room.
Shiraishi gently knocked on the door.
“Amani-chan~ are you ready?”
“Mm.”
A brief yet firm response came from inside.
At that moment, Nagi was sitting on the edge of her bed. Sunlight poured through the gaps in the curtains, bathing her side profile in a soft halo, adding a gentle glow to her originally fair and delicate skin.
She had already put on the custom-tailored Starlight Academy uniform. The fitted cut clung to her slender waist, naturally outlining a graceful curve full of feminine charm.
From beneath the hem of her mini skirt, two fair thighs were gradually enveloped by a pair of opaque black stockings. The fabric fit snugly against her shapely legs, presenting an exquisite silhouette.
Then, she reached for two holsters from beside her bed, smoothly strapping them to the inner thighs. The holsters hugged her firm legs, leaving outlines that emphasized her lower body, contrasting against the smooth texture of the stockings to accentuate a sensual appeal.
She stood up nimbly, the hem of her skirt lifting slightly with her movement before settling just right to hide the gun holsters beneath.
Nagi walked to the full-length mirror, examining her reflection.
She was very pleased with her current appearance.
Especially when she simultaneously slid the black and white handguns into their holsters.
The clean and precise movement, with the skirt fluttering slightly, managed to stay just within the limits of not exposing anything – that delicate feeling of “it seems like you could see something, but you actually can’t” could drive anyone mad.
To create some distinction from her “past.”
Nagi had intentionally tied a strand of hair beside her waist-length straight black hair as if it were a decorative accent, giving her a lively and cute atmosphere that softened her initially cold demeanor — she aimed to win some points with the judges; compared to a cold girl, a lively girl would surely be more endearing to adults.
Her deep black hair, like the night sky, glimmered under the morning sun, shimmering as elegantly as starlight, gently swaying with her movements, fully showcasing her vibrant and adorable temperament.
However, just as she opened the door to welcome Shiraishi—
Outside, Shiraishi momentarily froze.
Nagi thought that Shiraishi was momentarily captivated by her looks; just as she felt a sense of pride within, Shiraishi suddenly exhibited a panicked expression, almost before Nagi could react, she pulled her back into the room.
“Wait, eh? Shiraishi-senpai…!?”
“Hurry, sit straight!”
“Wait, huh? What are you doing—”
Before Nagi could fully process her confusion, she found herself half-pulled, half-pushed into a chair in front of her dressing mirror.
Shiraishi rolled up her sleeves, swiftly scanned the makeup products on the table, and quickly started mixing colors.
“Amani-chan, although today is the ‘combat assessment’ for ability users and most parts focus on battle, it’s also a type of interview, right? You can’t afford to look sloppy; you have to leave a good impression on the teachers!”
“Eh, eh? But I’ve already put on some light makeup—”
“No way, no way, with how good your base looks, you absolutely can’t miss the chance to create a dazzling makeup look that makes people head over heels for you today!!!”
As she spoke, Shiraishi began to expertly work on Nagi’s perfectly beautiful face.
At the same time, she softly murmured, “Hmm… the goal today is to create a makeup look that seems casually applied, yet is meticulously crafted down to the last lash…”
“I… am I really participating in an ability user ‘combat assessment’ today?” Nagi stared at her reflection in disbelief and couldn’t help but retort:
“Don’t tell me you secretly signed me up for a beauty pageant’s ‘assessment’ instead? Coercion? After working so hard to train and prepare for half a month, was the final result still going to rely on coercion to get ahead—!?”
“Alright, alright, stop pretending; let’s save the banter for after the assessment.”
After this period of interaction, Shiraishi had become accustomed to Nagi’s tendency to play the role of the mocker.
She efficiently ignored Nagi’s feigned ignorance, holding an eyeliner pen to touch up details, and asked seriously, “Okay, Amani-chan, what style of makeup do you want today? Charming? Vibrant? Cold and elegant? Or that pure, harmless type?”
“…Are you sure this isn’t the opening line of a certain entertainment establishment?! ‘May I ask what type of girl the customer prefers~’ or something like that?”
“Please don’t make me sound like a madam!!”
