「Man, seriously... things really turned into a mess, didn't they?」
「Still, the enemies were pushovers. Considering we racked up Experience Points and Affection Levels, I’d say it was worth it, right?」
「That unknown scenario branch really spooked me, but I’m just glad everything worked out in the end!」
Late at night, in a deserted classroom, the gathered reincarnators chatted away with carefree attitudes.
They were discussing the battle against the black crab monsters that had recently swarmed the academy, seemingly delighted that no major damage had occurred thanks to their intervention.
...Actually, let me rephrase that. They were delighted that they had been the ones to shine.
As long as their own favorite characters were safe, they didn't give a damn about what happened to the mob students.
They had treated the monsters like a hack-and-slash game, mowing down hordes of fodder enemies. Now, they were simply basking in the praise of the students who had witnessed their "heroics."
Proof of their shallow motives sat right there in the room: a single youth who wore a sullen expression and refused to join the conversation.
Zenon Ash... during the crisis, he had been defeated by the culprit, Rush, and spent the rest of the incident in the infirmary. Unlike the other reincarnators, he hadn't played any part in the resolution.
Consequently, unlike his peers, he wasn't being showered with praise. If anything, his reputation had plummeted.
「Hey, Seto? Tough break. But for a guy called a 'Hero,' getting blindsided by trash like that? Not a great look, buddy.」
「And to top it off, you had to be rescued by that Scum Yugo while you were down for the count? Man, how does it feel? Having to be looked after by the guy you looked down on!」
「Shut up! Just shut the hell up, you pieces of trash!!」
The hierarchy between Zenon and the other reincarnators had completely flipped.
Zenon had originally earned the students' admiration by defeating Yugo and "freeing" them from his tyranny. However, his total lack of contribution this time—combined with being saved by the very "villain" he had once defeated—had caused his standing to wither.
In his place, the reincarnators who had stood up during the academy's crisis were now being hailed as heroes, their fame soaring.
The gap between them might have looked small on paper, but it was monumental. With the prologue ending and the game about to start in earnest, this disparity would likely dictate the entire course of their future academy life.
Zenon understood this better than anyone. He cursed his own incompetence for failing at such a critical juncture... but his misfortune was only beginning.
The other reincarnators were already moving to eliminate their rival, conspiring to kick him while he was down.
「By the way, Seto... things have been getting pretty weird lately, haven't they?」
「Melt won't join your party, Yugo is suddenly acting like a big shot, and then there's this whole incident... when you think about it, didn't all this happen because you kept making unnecessary moves? That’s what we’ve decided, anyway.」
「Ugh...!?」
He had no comeback. Deep down, Zenon suspected the same thing.
The other reincarnators didn't know it, but Rush—the boy who had transformed into a Magic Armor Beast and thrashed him—was now Lost.
Zenon knew he was the catalyst for that tragedy, but he had no intention of exposing his weakness. He kept that vital information buried as his own dark secret.
「Well, it all worked out this time, but it’d be a real pain if this kind of thing kept happening!」
「So... Seto, why don't you just stay quiet for a bit? Consider it a penalty for causing us so much trouble. You aren't allowed to interfere with us for a while. If the characters, items, or events we want overlap with yours, we get priority. No questions asked!」
「Wh-what!? You can't be serious! If I do that—!!」
Zenon’s voice cracked as he shouted against their merciless decree.
As previously noted, the period when the game truly began was vital. Whether or not one could secure their target characters and equipment now would drastically determine their growth and status in the academy later.
If he was forced to step aside now, he would be left in the dust—a delay that would snowball into an insurmountable lead for the others.
In a footrace, someone who fails their start dash has no hope of a comeback. He’d finally been reincarnated into the world of Luminous History—to be dropped from the Hero Race this early was simply too much to bear.
However, the current Zenon lacked the strength to defy the group.
He was completely isolated. With his credibility among the students fading, Zenon was out of moves.
「Oh, come on, don't look like that! You can just spend your time flirting with your precious Claire-tan!」
「Yeah, exactly! Just take it easy, heal up, and then try your best to enjoy your school life! Good luck, Seto!」
「U-uuu... uaaaaagh...」
He knew exactly what they were planning. Once they had grown strong enough, they would challenge Zenon to a duel and take Claire away from him.
Sensing their malicious intent to snatch away even the last favorite character he had left, Zenon choked on his tears of despair.
Ignoring his plight, the other reincarnators continued to roar with laughter, mocking Zenon with every breath.