The day the rankings are announced.
Titosso has become the champion of the Lower Class.
“Who is this? Isn’t that Johannes, the eldest son of the renowned general Brahe from the Talande Kingdom’s defense?”
“Get lost.”
“What rank did you get? Huh? Johannes, who is two heads taller than the Academy’s third smallest Titosso, didn’t manage to make it into the top 1000, did he?”
“I said get lost.”
“Oh? Strange. But why did he come out of the Brown Room? That’s where students ranked below 1000 receive their notifications! Could it be that Johannes, who failed to even make it onto the 1000 list, is just a loser?”
Titosso beams.
Time to bully the lower-ranked students!
Johannes, frustrated and with veins popping on his neck, shouted.
“1690th place, 1690th place! Happy now? How well did you do to start this?”
“Ehehe. Not too great, just 250th?”
“Ugh! Titosso being 250th…!”
“What was that? I can’t hear the words of someone ranked 1690th because they’re so small~!”
“How many times do I have to emphasize it? Stop already!!”
“Wow! To think Johannes in 1690th is talking big, is this okay? How shocking!”
Titosso’s relentless bullying only stopped when it finally caught the eyes of some other students.
“Titosso surprisingly holds quite the grudge. After all this time, during every break, going around only to bag those annoying kids.”
“That’s just deserved! If they hadn’t bullied Titosso first, it would have been fine, right?”
Remembering her humiliation until she holds the upper hand, Titosso waits for the chance to take revenge!
Her nickname “The Third Smallest Girl in the Academy” is fairly well-known, and everyone has at least once uttered it.
Thanks to that, Titosso has ended up as the unchallenged ruler of the Lower Class, launching indiscriminate bullying against countless students.
“Hey guys, did you know Shader is only ranked 1380th?!”
“My report card! What business does Titosso have with it? Hand it back this instant!”
“Does 1380th talk back to someone ranked 250th?”
Clang.
“YYYYAAAAAH! My report caaarrrd!”
“Ehehehe!”
The report card that fell from above Shader, who is holding on with eyes wide and fainting, floated down slowly.
“…”
Even the assassin duo watching couldn’t find words; it’s truly king-like.
Not satisfied with just tormenting one victim, Titosso directed her indiscriminate bullying sensors toward a student trying to sneak away.
“Ppyoi! Where do you think you’re going without stepping into the cafeteria?”
“…I’m on a diet!”
“So what’s your midterm exam rank?”
“I’m sorry, I got only 1311th!”
Facing this horrific scene, Jiang commented.
“Looks like the stress got pretty high.”
“I see!”
“But shouldn’t we be the ones mad about being teased because we’re short?”
“Tito doesn’t kill people!”
“That’s true.”
Jiang found enlightenment.
“Appropriate violence and murder might help reduce stress from usual life.”
“Exactly!”
Titosso’s relentless bullying paused as she spotted Prince Hector passing by.
Whiiiii, whiiiii…
Titosso awkwardly whistles while dragging her shoes on the ground, pretending to be uninterested, while a frowning Hector leads his loyal retainer Deipobos and other followers past her in a line.
Only once they all passed, did Titosso’s foot stop dragging, and her head rose slightly.
“William! You’ve also teased me about being short, show me your report card!”
The strong prey on the weak, a pure instinct to humiliate!
Concerned for his own safety, Jiang shook his head.
“Even if it’s a friend, that’s too much.”
“Well, it’s a bit sad to bow down to someone like Hector! Titosso should get some special training apart from maid practices.”
After letting Ishtar and the Warrior Party pass by, Titosso, looking for new prey like a hyena, stumbled to search around the cafeteria.
That reaction shows she couldn’t gauge if the opponent is stronger or weaker, leading to uncertainty in her approach!
“Mob! You’ve also teased me about being short, right?”
“I just said it’s surprising since you’re as small as Oknodie.”
“That counts as teasing!”
“Huh? Is that how it is?”
Back in the days of [All In Strength Room Class], it was okay to be feared, but being a target of mockery? SHOCKING!
Having always been compared to Monster mk2 and Killing Machine mk2, it hurts to feel lower in rank!
“Does Oknodie care about being short too?”
“I’m fine. As long as I take off my bulky backpack, I can grow up anytime!”
“I wish to be at least 160cm. Just not too tall. It’d be inconvenient to hide in tight spaces when I’m too big, and my body becomes heavier while assassinating.”
As they exchanged whispers, Titosso’s ranking sensor categorized Mob as a target, successfully stealing their report card.
“1485th? Mob?”
Titosso was bewildered.
“Is the result wrong? Mob couldn’t possibly be this weak.”
“It’s accurate.”
“I haven’t asked 1293rd Jaku though!”
“Want to try me out?”
“Hmph. There’s a Light Stand nearby?”
Not liking Titosso’s arrogant manner towards the weaker ones, Jaku reluctantly spoke.
“Mob was wearing that enormous armor throughout the exam, stupidly heavy. Just passing without failing in that armor is impressive.”
“I’m sorry… if I could’ve adjusted to the weight a bit faster.”
“Why are you apologizing to me?”
“Because you’re my rival.”
“If you know that brat’s cumbersome armor is something you should wear only moderately. You can clear an exam just fine.”
“Bloop bleep~ Ppyoi knows! The reason Mob can’t take off the armor is because…!”
Mob charged in at full speed and covered Ppyoi’s mouth, sternly warning.
“Say that, and you’ll have a lifelong enemy.”
A desperate struggle of a man who couldn’t reveal his shame of wearing Bikini Armor.
“Mob, don’t feel disappointed for having a lower score than Titosso. It’s not an embarrassing loss.”
“You’re admitting Titosso’s strength?”
“Of course! Though she may look like a tiny loser who cries, believe it or not, Titosso’s specs are quite high.”
Jaku, one of the few men with some common sense in the Academy, exhibited sharp insight.
“Titosso’s Light Stand dazzles if you leave it alone, but if you approach to grab it, your mana gets sucked out until you faint. Worse case, you could die.”
“That’s true.”
“And it can’t be damaged either. Titosso learned how to defend herself and her Light Stand through classes. Blocking light-based magic is tricky.”
It’s even harder to block an attack utilizing light, which isn’t pure physical force.
“Honestly, magical tools must be purchased with [Permit] using Points and require [Usage Permit] to use in tests.”
“Huh? Now that I think about it, hasn’t Titosso been carrying a Light Stand since the semester started?”
“She earned points through in-game purchases to use that deadly light. Titosso is also the daughter of a wealthy lord from the Southern Sacred City-State Federation.”
“I was secretly envious, thinking she was just the one getting an easy ride on her exam due to her wealthy family…!”
Mob gasped in revelation.
But correction needed to be made for corrections!
I stepped in, having listened to Mob and Jaku’s conversation with [Hiding].
“Seems Titosso’s Papa must have gone through substantial trouble just to lend her that Light Stand. The fact that only Ghost Papa came to visits while her actual father didn’t hints at it!”
“Ugh! Out of nowhere, Oknodie suddenly popped up from behind the lamppost!!”
“I was also there.”
Jiang knocked against the armor stealthily behind Mob.
If it had been in real combat, Mob would have collapsed from the surprise knock that held immense power.
“How could two people hide behind any lamppost? The Academy’s shortest Oknodie and Jiang, but the lamppost couldn’t be that thick.”
Deeply contemplating, Jaku looked upward and I pointed with my finger at the answer.
“Look above!”
“There is only a light.”
“I was hiding up there!”
“…That little light stand?”
“I climbed and jumped up to sit there with Jiang!”
“Only a bat could even think about that!”
If I hadn’t been lighter, I wouldn’t have dared to replicate such a thing.
Hoo hoo hoo. Not being 230cm but 133cm indeed gives one quite an advantage.
“Yikes! Oknodie, Jiang… Were you on top there all along?”
“Not the whole time.”
“When did you get there?”
“Since Titosso started bullying her peers.”
“From the start! Wahhh so embarrassing!”
“It’s okay, I get it. After learning assassination, I also want to stab annoying kids in the back. Human psychology is similar.”
“Really?”
Gaining confidence from Jiang’s consolation, Titosso recovered her signature bright smile.
“Oh look, it’s the duo of magicians!”
“Are you going to humiliate them with their grades too?”
Titosso hesitated with an indignant face.
“I teased them for being short but… they’re both strong. Ugh… I feel insecure.”
“Shall I ask for you instead?”
“Okay!”
Jiang threw a knife under the passing legs of Rosgini and Sandkooker heading towards the cafeteria.
THUNK
FLAME BARRIER
The two activated their defensive techniques, becoming alert.
“What’s going on here?”
“Jiang! What are you doing to Rosgini?”
“Just trying to ask a little something. What are your ranks in the upcoming exam?”
“54th.”
“77th.”
“Got it. Cheer up, Titosso.”
Jiang really just asked for her before patting Titosso’s shoulder.
SUPREME DIVINE BEING
Then, she stealthily faded from sight.
“What happens if you just leave like that?!”
How cool was that?
No clue what’s going on, but a fuming Rosgini glared at Titosso.
The weak hInging so often glanced at me, the strong one, for support.
“Oknodie, help me…”
“Find someone else to help.”
Rosgini coldly blocked any rescue attempts.
“I’m also here seeking help from Oknodie.”
“Huh? Me?”
Realizing that Rosgini’s intentions weren’t aimed at themselves, the insulted one’s tears vanished as Rosgini pointed straight at me.
“Oknodie. I’ve mentioned I’m an apprentice sorceress from the Red Magic Tower, right?”
“Yeah. I remember.”
“Well, there’s a problem at that tower. It seems that the Demon Minions are targeting the Red Magic Tower’s operations.”
“And?”
“Demon Minions possess Dark Mana in abundance. Dark Mana can interfere with or compel the actions of those with lesser amounts.”
“Yeah, that’s true.”
“So, I’d love for Oknodie, who holds a lot of Dark Mana, to accompany me to the Red Magic Tower’s operations.”
A field trip event from the Academy has emerged.
