048: Overwhelming

I’ve put in my fair share of effort.

I’ve worked myself to the bone just to ensure I wouldn’t lose to the protagonist, Allen—all so I could crush every obstacle in my path and sprint away from my own impending doom. At my core, I’m driven by a single, desperate, unshakable truth: I really, really don’t want to die.

Anyone put in my position would try to kick fate in the teeth. They’d shed the same blood and sweat I have.

But how the hell did he get so strong?

Is he my equal? No... is it possible he’s already surpassed me?

…I didn't have an answer.

The only thing I knew for certain was that this situation was extremely enjoyable.

“He dodges! He dodges again! And another one! Allen-senshu, just how many eyes does this kid have!?”

His opponent, the vice-captain Charlie Gale, was a user of the rare magic known as Stardust. It was a flashy spell that rained down projectiles from the sky, each one packing a ridiculous amount of power.

Yet, Allen avoided every single one of them. He closed the gap without letting a single spark graze his clothes, swinging his sword with a speed that rivaled my own as he silenced his enemy.

“T-The winner is Allen from Nobless Academy! What on earth are we witnessing?! Just what is wrong with the Nobless underclassmen this year!?”

Predictably, the crowd started buzzing.

“What’s with those Nobless Academy kids?” “They’re definitely freshmen, right? There aren't any upperclassmen in the mix, are there?” “Who was the idiot that said they were the weak link this year…?”

We seemed to have plenty of breathing room for now, but I couldn't afford to be careless. There was always the chance that others out there were getting stronger just as fast as we were.

Allen wiped the sweat from his brow as he returned to the sidelines, exchanging high-fives with Shari and Duke.

“You’re up, Duke. I'm counting on you.”

“You got it! Alright, let’s do this!”

By some twist of fate, Duke’s opponent was another Power Up specialist. In the original game, this guy had a perfect balance of offense and defense; winning usually required a long, grueling battle of attrition. Even with my stats, he would have been a pain to deal with—

“The winner! Duke Billian!”

…Wait, what?

“Was it just me, or was that guy kind of a pushover?” Duke asked, looking entirely underwhelmed as he walked back.

Allen scratched his cheek. “Right? Honestly, I was thinking the same thing.”

Next up was Shari. Her opponent was known for high-speed maneuvers—

“The winner! Shari Elias!”

“You’re right,” Shari muttered. “They might not be a big deal after all…”

…Okay then.

Whatever. Next up was Cynthia, and her opponent was the strongest of the lot.

“Well then, Weiss-sama. I shall be going now.”

“I’m not worried. Just go out there and crush them.”

“As you command.”

Her opponent was a pure wind mage. On paper, the elemental matchup wasn't great for Cynthia. However, she didn't seem to care about "compatibility." She simply flexed her overwhelming magical power, treating the gale-force winds like a light breeze as she put her strength on full display.

“The winner! Cynthia Violetta!”

The way she walked back with such effortless grace made her look like a literal Ice Queen.

Hmph. Truly a woman worthy of me.

“Cynthia-san, great jo—”

“Don’t you dare touch her, Allen.”

I scrambled to block him as he tried to go in for a high-five. …Absolutely not. Call it petty jealousy if you want, but I wasn't letting that slide.

We were put on standby until our next match. Normally, this was the time to scout the competition, but there was something else weighing on my mind.

“Cynthia, come with me for a moment.”

“Of course, Weiss-sama.”

As I turned to leave, I caught sight of Allen looking absolutely devastated. Apparently, me blocking his high-five had wounded his soul.

“Did I… do something wrong?” he moped.

“This one’s on you, Allen,” Shari said, shaking her head. “Even I think you went too far.”

“Wait, seriously!? Wh-Why?!”

“Well, that sort of thing is complicated, isn't it!” Duke laughed.

Good grief, those three were as noisy as ever.

“I’ll be back before the next round,” I called out over my shoulder. “Let me know if any suspicious enemies show up.”

With that, I made my exit. The venue was massive, and to my surprise, they’d actually permitted festival-style stalls in the corridors. I suppose I could chalk it up to "game logic," but it felt a bit much for a mere student event.

The hallways were packed. No one seemed to kick up a fuss when they saw me, likely because we were far enough from the arena that they couldn't recognize my face. To the average adult, one bratty underclassman probably looks just like any other.

“Get it while it’s hot! Fresh from the farm!”

…Wait.

“—Thanks for your patronage!”

“Weiss-sama, what did you buy?”

“Fried Melo-Melon.”

I took a bite. It was perfectly crispy and sweet. I shared the snack with Cynthia as we walked. To be clear, I hadn't come out here just to goof off. My goal was reconnaissance.

From our spot down by the arena floor, the view was too restricted. I didn't have a specific plan, but I felt it was vital to see the bigger picture with my own eyes. When we reached the spectator stands, a magnificent vista opened up before us.

“Now this is a view.”

The matches were still ongoing, but the participants were nothing special. Allen and the others were probably bored out of their minds by now for entirely different reasons.

But I wasn't looking at the stage. My gaze was fixed on the VIP sections, where the people with real power were laughing and chatting. Every single one of them was appraising us like livestock.

Beyond that, I was scanning the crowd for any "anomalies." In the world of Noblesse Oblige, you never knew who might be lurking. The organization that attacked the mansion was the perfect example. Fortunately, everything looked peaceful for the moment.

In fact, everyone seemed to be having a great time. I’d felt this way at the Royal Capital National Park and the Youth tournament, too—I was really starting to like this world.

Weiss, are you actually enjoying yourself?

Whoops. I’d relaxed a bit too much. I needed to head back soon, or those three would start getting anxious.

“Weiss Fancent-kun.”

The voice sent a jolt of electricity down my spine. It was a sweet, melodic tone that seemed to make the very air crystallize—a voice I had heard many times before.

I turned around. Standing there was Eva Avery-senpai.

“...The middleclassmen’s bracket doesn't start until tomorrow, Senpai.”

“Oh? Watching my juniors compete is one of life’s little pleasures.”

The commoners nearby who realized who she was were either cowering in terror or crying out in adoration. They likely remembered her performance from last year. Well, I suppose when beauty and absolute terror are wrapped in the same package, 'confusion' is the only logical reaction.

“Then I hope you’ll watch us until the end. We’re going to win this tournament.”

“I like a man with confidence. Mostly because I have so much of it myself. Well then, Cynthia-chan, I’ll see you later. Make sure you bring that trophy back to Nobless again.”

Eva gave us a sharp smile and walked away, her silver hair swaying behind her. In the original game, she’d already dropped out of the academy by this point, so she shouldn't even be here. Still, this worked in my favor. If Eva was around, I could breathe a little easier knowing she could handle any unexpected disasters.

Besides… it was easier to stay motivated when the person I eventually had to surpass was standing right in front of me.

Squish.

“Eh?”

For some reason, Cynthia had decided to bury her finger into my cheek. It didn't pierce the skin, obviously, but it left a significant dent in my face.

“No flirting allowed, Weiss-sama.”

“……Yes, ma’am.”

The female heart is a labyrinth. I had a feeling that even if I denied it, I’d still get lectured. I’ll just consider this the "fruit of my efforts" and move on.

Just then, an announcement boomed through the speakers.

『And now for the next match: Nobless Academy versus Mason Royal Magic High School!!!』

“Shall we, Cynthia?”

“Yes!”

Alright. Time to go crush the next batch of losers.