Chapter: 78. The Female Protagonist “Hoshimiya Nagi” (Part 1) (5k)
“By the way, does Amano-chan have any dreams?”
“…Dreams?”
“Ah, I’m sorry, I didn’t explain clearly.” Shiraishi said, as if realizing something after the words left her mouth, “Please don’t get me wrong, I mean besides sexual fantasies about ‘exposure’—”
“Isn’t it you who got it wrong!?” Nagi interjected while glancing around.
Luckily, there were only the two of them, Nagi and Shiraishi.
“Why did you suddenly ask that, Shiraishi-senpai? Are you looking for ‘fellow masochists’?”
“No, how should I put it… I’m just coming to realize it now…” Shiraishi said, absentmindedly scratching the back of her head.
“I know that Amano-chan is determined to pass the practical examination, but I feel like you’ve never quite clarified why you want to become an ‘ability user’, especially after experiencing the ‘extraordinary disaster’… If it’s to find Erika, there are more ways than just becoming an ‘ability user.'”
What Shiraishi said was indeed true.
In reality, whether in Hoshizuki Academy or the other two universities, only a minority of students are truly determined to become ‘ability users’.
Especially after experiencing the ‘extraordinary disaster’ and feeling the helplessness and fear in battle against ‘fantasy monsters’, such students are even rarer.
Of course, their sense of justice to protect humanity and defend the world doesn’t just disappear.
However, the vast majority of these people ultimately choose to become ‘support staff’, staying away from the front lines and participating in battles by supporting and assisting the ability users from behind.
Shiraishi is one of them.
The catalyst for her awakening came from being caught in an extraordinary disaster with a threat level of 8.
At that time, she witnessed fantasy monsters sweeping through the city like a natural disaster, and the ability users falling one after another under their attack.
The ‘heroic’ actions of those ability users truly inspired her and made her yearn to follow that justice.
However, the fear of fantasy monsters was still deeply etched in her heart.
Thus, Shiraishi chose to join the ‘Fashion and Design’ club at Hoshizuki Academy—the most prestigious club in the academy, dedicated to providing ‘gear’ and ‘support’ for ability users.
This was her chosen way to protect the world.
Was it because she sensed Shiraishi’s incredibly serious gaze? Nagi couldn’t help but straighten her posture.
This question had been asked of her countless times in the past.
And her answer has not changed to this day:
“Because I want— to protect this beautiful world.”
“This beautiful… world…?” Shiraishi repeated, as if mimicking a parrot, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. “Amano-chan, do you want to become a ‘protagonist (savior)’?”
“…Yes.” Nagi paused for a moment, a complex smile rising within her.
She couldn’t help but think of her past life.
The Elemental Sovereign.
The sole protagonist.
Yet, she was the ultimate fraud who genuinely wanted to ‘destroy’ the world.
Did someone like her really have the right to say that ‘saving this world’ was her dream…?
“I see… that suits Amano-chan quite well~” Shiraishi’s affirmative tone interrupted Nagi’s thoughts.
“If it’s Amano-chan, you might actually become the new ‘protagonist’~”
“…Why do you suddenly sound like a ‘mother spoiling her child’? It’s a bit unsettling…” Nagi muttered lightly.
“Are you shy?”
“…Not at all.”
Just then, a notification came from the direction of the practical examination site, calling for everyone to gather.
Nagi and Shiraishi’s leisurely conversation came to an end.
But just as they headed towards the practical examination site.
Shiraishi suddenly turned to Nagi with curiosity and asked, “By the way, if you want to be a protagonist, you usually have a title, right? How about for Amano-chan… ‘Empress of Exposure’?”
“That sounds less like a protagonist and more like the headliner of an adult entertainment venue…” Nagi unexpectedly didn’t fully criticize the title that was overflowing with flaws.
Because she could feel that Shiraishi was intentionally playing dumb, trying to make her relax and not be too tense.
“Well, I’ve actually thought about titles and such for a long time.”
However, strictly speaking, this was not something Nagi came up with on her own.
It was a title exclusive to the female protagonist “Hoshimiya Nagi” from the original game ‘Star Pull 2’.
—————–
The process of the practical examination is not complicated.
Its essence is simply to test whether a student possesses sufficient strength to qualify as an ‘ability user’.
Hoshizuki Academy pursues ‘ability users’ who have various specialties and can play roles in different situations, rather than uniform mass-produced ‘fighters’.
So, there’s no need to deliberately make the process difficult for students.
The process of the practical examination includes: “Physical and Motor Skills Test,” “Ability Demonstration,” “Application of Ability in Scenarios,” “Simulated Combat: Individual Battle,” or “Simulated Combat: Team Battle.”
Except for the fundamental “Physical and Motor Skills Test,” which has strict standards, other sections do not have fixed criteria.
The examination content is flexibly adjusted based on each student’s characteristics and even accommodates their requests, aiming to allow them to showcase their strongest abilities as much as possible.
Although some examiners may create or add unfriendly scenarios during the ‘simulated combat’ stage to test students’ adaptability as part of the assessment, these additional challenges are considered “bonus items” and do not affect the formal scoring.
After all, the philosophy of Hoshizuki Academy is—every ability user has a unique role, and there are no “useless abilities” or “useless ability users.”
The stringent requirements for the “Physical and Motor Skills Test” are to ensure students can “survive” while fighting on the front lines.
Today, only 20 students, including Nagi and Shiraishi, are participating in the practical examination.
Among them, there are 5 first and second-year students, while the remaining 15 are third and fourth-year students who are about to graduate or intern.
Compared to the massive student body of Hoshizuki Academy, this number might seem a bit small.
However, this is also related to the voluntary nature of participating in the practical examination.
After all, unless in special circumstances, Hoshizuki Academy does not insist that every student become an ability user and head to the front lines of the war against fantasy monsters.
What is particularly noteworthy is that among the 20 participants, Nagi is the only first-year freshman.
It has been a long time since a first-year student passed the magical power test and entered the practical examination.
Moreover, she is the super beautiful freshman who has been a hot topic of discussion on the campus network.
As a result, the number of students flocking to the main gymnasium to watch today is far more than usual, creating a lively atmosphere.
The main gymnasium resembles a gigantic football field, with an open design that allows the shockwaves of abilities to surge towards the sky. The floor is paved with a special alloy, immensely sturdy, capable of withstanding various explosive impacts.
Around the spectator seats, students are crammed together, whispering, with the air thick with anticipation and tension.
In the center of the venue, five independent examination areas have been marked out.
The 20 students will be divided into 5 groups and take turns undergoing the assessment.
During the “Physical and Motor Skills Test,” Nagi, after a month of careful preparation, naturally and without a doubt—barely scraped by with a very low passing score.
This was all thanks to the “Hermes Boots,” which look like ordinary athletic shoes, specially prepared for her by Shiraishi.
Hoshizuki Academy discourages the use of “external forces” in this stage, but the examiner responsible for Nagi seemed to think that “being able to skillfully handle these shoes” is also a form of ability.
So in the end, she received a score that made it clear there was some sympathy involved.
However, the other students present seemed to have no objections to this outcome.
The reason is obvious—when Nagi changed into a white athletic T-shirt and shorts and stepped onto the track, the entire gymnasium fell silent for a moment before erupting in hushed gasps.
Regardless of gender, everyone was captivated by her figure.
The breathable white fabric clung to her graceful curves, outlining her flawless S-shaped silhouette. Especially the contours of her chest, which, even constrained by a sports bra, still swayed slightly as she ran, enough to make the boys’ throats feel dry.
Additionally, the fair, long legs revealed beneath her shorts glistened under the light due to perspiration.
It’s not an exaggeration to say it was a breathtaking visual feast.
During the test, students couldn’t help but whisper: “Is this really something we can view for free?”
Many students already expressed doubts: “Is this really something we can watch for free?”
Some even felt an urge to “tip” this beautiful freshman.
As Nagi crossed the finish line last, drenched in sweat and with a flushed face, gasping for air behind the finish line, no one in the venue seemed to care about her score anymore.
Someone in the audience stood up first to applaud, and then applause swept across the entire venue like a wave.
In such an atmosphere, what examiner would have the heart to fail this girl?
Even giving her full marks would probably not raise any eyebrows.
……
……
In the locker room backstage of the main gymnasium, the air was infused with a faint scent of shower gel.
“I’m exhausted… I’m about to collapse…”
“Good job, Amano-chan.”
After finishing the physical test and quickly washing up, the two were now changing back into their Hoshizuki Academy uniforms.
Surrounding them were third and fourth-year seniors, who had just finished the physical test and freshened up, now clustering around to provide comfort and encouragement to this hardworking and adorable junior.
For some reason, the conversation naturally shifted from the recent physical test to the topic of romance, as if they were quite concerned about whether this cute junior had a boyfriend, their gazes suggesting they felt as though they were observing a “cheating cat.”
Especially when they found out about Nagi’s boyfriend, the atmosphere unexpectedly turned into a love seminar, with discussions quickly shifting to dating guidance.
They surrounded Nagi, chattering away, sharing tips on how to identify and steer clear of bad boys, and even mentioning a certain boy’s name, seemingly to warn Nagi that “these guys are unreliable jerks.”
Nagi stood frozen, feeling as though she was not surrounded by seniors, but rather her own distant aunts and relatives, as if they were about to start matchmaking.
Fortunately, that terrifying scenario did not unfold.
The “gathering notice” coming from the corner of the locker room ceiling rushed a few senior girls to quickly change into their uniforms and finish their makeup, worriedly saying goodbye to Nagi as they left the locker room.
They were obviously extremely nervous about the upcoming “ability demonstration” segment.
Yet, Nagi and Shiraishi’s reactions were entirely different.
The previous physical test was the only segment they felt nervous and uneasy about.
After all, that was the only section they could not guarantee passing with full confidence.
As for the next two segments, for Nagi, they posed no pressure at all.
Because—
……
……
“…No ability?”
“That’s correct.”
“Then… what about a contract beast?”
“…I don’t have that either.”
In the practical examination area.
The examiner responsible for grading Nagi during the “ability demonstration” part showed a puzzled expression after hearing her answer.
Not just the middle-aged man examiner who appeared naive and wore black-rimmed glasses, but also the other examiners at the site and the students observing in the gymnasium displayed similar expressions.
Especially the students in the audience.
They had high expectations for this adorable and charming junior and had even set up a betting pool, guessing how powerful or unique this black-haired beauty’s abilities might be.
However, it now seemed that someone had “struck out” in the betting pool.
“…I’ve heard before that Kamishiro Amano doesn’t have abilities, but since she came to participate in the practical examination, I thought she must have awakened by now…”
“No abilities… then why participate in the practical examination?”
“Wait, how did she even pass the magical power test before that?”
“Ahhh~ Kamishiro-sama is really so cute~ Maybe that cuteness is her ability—can she use her ability to become even cuter~~~”
“Hey! That guy’s comment is a bit dangerous; get a teacher over here!”
“That’s a potential criminal!!! Everyone, don’t let him escape!!!”
……
The students in the audience erupted into an uproar over this unexpected situation.
Meanwhile, in the center of the venue, the middle-aged examiner with glasses confirmed through his gaze that this girl was not joking.
“Kamishiro Amano, do you understand the significance and purpose of the practical examination?” He tried to soften his tone, asking earnestly.
“Yes, the examination is to test whether we possess the ability to become ‘ability users.'” Nagi stood up straight and held her head high, attempting to appear normal, but this posture instead accentuated the contours of her chest, leaving people unsure where to place their gaze.
Unexpectedly, the middle-aged examiner with glasses did not seem to focus on Nagi’s chest; he appeared to be someone with a story, which is why he was sent to serve as the examiner for Nagi in this segment.
“Since you understand this, then why participate in this examination without having awakened your abilities?”
The glasses-wearing examiner had already seriously reviewed her report from the “magical power test” when Nagi admitted to having “no abilities” and learned that this girl was allowed to participate in the “practical examination” only because the magical power testing device was “unintentionally malfunctioning.”
This infuriated him.
After all, the “practical examination” is not a game.
Each step of the “practical examination” requires a substantial amount of resources to “simulate” specific scenarios; students like her who pass the magical power test by “luck” should not participate in the subsequent assessment rashly for fun or to “attract attention.”
This is undoubtedly a significant waste of resources.
So, he had tried to control his emotions as much as possible, hoping that she would take the hint and choose to withdraw on her own.
Meanwhile, just beneath the site of the glasses-wearing examiner.
The bald man, also an examiner for the practical examination segment, was ready to step in to help the black-haired girl.
“In the practical examination segment, one examiner stepping in to explain on behalf of a student for another examiner’s question—this should meet Mr. Light’s ‘showy’ requirements, right?” the bald examiner thought to himself.
But just as he was about to step forward—
On stage, Nagi’s clear and melodious voice rang out, responding:
“Excuse me, but I didn’t see any regulations stating that ‘students without awakened abilities’ cannot participate, in the examination guidelines for the ‘practical examination’.”
