The Academy’s Guide to Useless Students – Chapter 5

5.

It’s a bit of a dilemma. What should I do? Where should I invest all this experience points? Each moment of character growth makes my heart race.

「Suuuu!」

“Mr. Great Serpent, thank you for your patience.”

I guess I’ll have to postpone my self-development time. The snake seems eager to chase after me.

[‘Physical Ability’ has increased.][‘Three Calamities Sword Technique’ has increased.]

For now, I’ve allocated those two appropriately.

Yuto is a flawless basic swordsman.

The ‘traits’ given to the player are also not unlocked, and there’s no beginner equipment pack like a growth package. He’s utterly useless. What if my growth experience hadn’t been an obsession?

I might have choked already?

At the same time, I realized that the responsibility lay with me. I had abandoned the character setup midway, so I had been set up as a basic swordsman.

But right now, regretting that is meaningless.

Crash!

「Suu?」

My sword sent the Undesirable Great Serpent’s tail flying. That simple ‘phenomenon’ caused the Great Serpent’s movement to halt.

“Were you surprised? My sword blocked your attack.”

「Sus?」

For some reason, I felt like I could understand the sounds the serpent was making.

“There’s no special trick involved. I’m simply stronger than you, Mr. Serpent.”

Scrape!

「Suuuuuuuuu!━━」

My strike severed the Great Serpent’s tail. It was howling in despair as it searched for its lost companion. If this world resembled the game I knew, the outcome of this battle was already determined.

No matter their weight class difference, the one with the higher stats would win—such is the absurdity of RPGs.

“The outcome has already been decided.”

「Suuuu!」

The Undesirable Great Serpent wriggled about, denying reality. Yet, its body was relentlessly being hacked apart.

「S, Suu…?」

It seemed to be wondering how… but I wasn’t wielding any special power. It was simply the difference of what it lacked and what I possessed.

[The Undesirable Great Serpent is obsessed.][Experience points are increasing.] [Experience points are rising…] [Experience points are…]…

Obsession is being bound to something and constantly having your thoughts consumed by it.

Thus, the more it focuses on me, the more my growth continues unabated.

It was only natural that it could not compete with my growth-oriented character.

“Please don’t bear a grudge.”

I’m struggling to survive too.

It’s a mutual understanding, right?

Crack!

The serpent’s black and red blood splattered across my face.

I finished it off.

The tip of my sword pierced the serpent’s ‘core’.

Originally, it was supposed to be well protected by a tough scale, making it hard to reach its vital spot, but thanks to my continuous strikes, its durability had weakened.

I handled it pretty smoothly.

Wasn’t it an impregnable event that even the regressors couldn’t deal with?

That said, shall I check my status?

━━━━ ◈Unique – Physical Ability [Lv.15] – Three Calamities Sword Technique [Lv.10] – Mana Manipulation [Lv.1] ◈Traits – Blank ━━━━

Incredible, isn’t it? Physical Ability [Lv.15] is not something you reach early in the story. For now, I should refrain from touching my Physical Ability. If my body is strong but lacks skill, it’ll be useless as the story progresses.

But that was an unnecessary worry.

[Due to ‘Weak’ constitution, Physical Ability permanently decreases.]

Huh?

[Causing ‘Seizures’. Physical Ability permanently decreases.]

“Cough!… I’m…”

[Coughing up blood. Physical Ability permanently decreases.]

Oh crap, wait a minute.

In my intoxication of growth, I had forgotten this crucial fact.

I was a damn weak character.

Drip. Drip.

As my consciousness grew hazy, blood pooled at my lips. Each joint felt as if weighed down by stones, making it hard to even stand.

-Physical Ability [Lv.5]

Seriously, if I can’t do anything about this stupid body, then growing stronger will be pointless.

Suddenly, my gaze drifted to the serpent’s corpse. Its body was burning away in a black mist.

The Undesirable Great Serpent is a monster of ‘Epic’ grade. It signified that there was appropriate reward time.

“Looks like there’s a way out.”

As the Great Serpent’s massive body burned, a black object resembling a twig was left behind.

「Box of the Undesirable」

Using that hidden piece might solve this miserable abnormal state.

Not a solution. It was merely the assumption that there was a possibility.

A type of gamble.

The Box of the Undesirable is a gacha item that fits the idiom of ‘poison for poison’.

When you toss in various “disasters,” “curses,” “malice,” “jinxes,” and “debuffs,” it spits out something valuable that matches the risk.

If luck prevails, I could resolve the abnormal state while also acquiring a [Legendary Skill].

I opened the box with great enthusiasm.

[Select the ‘evil’ to put in the box.]

I stuffed all the abnormal states inside.

[The Box of the Undesirable is mixing the selected ‘evil’.]

Asurabalbalta!

[The Evil God of Destruction wears an evil smile.]

What the hell?

[The Goddess of Salvation feels compassion.]

As misfortune approached, I held my breath at the reward that appeared.

[……‘Hell of No Intervals’…] [……has been obtained…]

What?

Was this something I could actually obtain as a skill?

I didn’t recall hearing anything about someone acquiring ‘Hell of No Intervals’ in the gaming community.

The reason didn’t need to be elaborated.

‘Hell of No Intervals’ is essential for defeating the final boss. It’s a ‘trait’ that can’t be acquired without specific conditions.

So why is it showing up here?

Well, anything was fine. With this, clearing the game would be a cinch.

Crack.

Before I could celebrate, a sudden pang like my heart was being squeezed hit me. My vision narrowed and a feeling of floating seized me, making my chest feel hot.

Whoosh!

I soon realized the cause of my pain.

This wasn’t a game.

When I gained a power, the backlash would hit me squarely.

It was the consequence of being complacent with my gamer instincts in confronting this world.

Boom!

A rough flame erupted violently from my heart. The design of ‘Hell of No Intervals’ was inspired by the ‘Eight Hot Hells’ concept from Buddhist scripture.

As long as my heart doesn’t stop, ‘Hell of No Intervals’ will endlessly blaze, consuming everything. Its destructive force could chew through most things.

High-tier spell. Absolute defense.

But that’s merely the spark that burns everything else to cinders.

It’s the ‘trigger’ to eradicate the ultimate villain and its level is unmatched. Yeah.

“Cough!…”

The problem is, it also steadily devours the owner’s life force. While ‘coughing up blood’ has ceased, blood burst from the damage to my heart.

[Due to the effects of ‘Hell of No Intervals’, Physical Ability permanently decreases.]

I invested the remaining experience points into ‘Physical Ability’. To handle ‘Hell of No Intervals’, I needed to enhance my physical aptitude. For the sake of clearing this, it was a fair price. Luckily, I had a means to resolve the penalties of Hell of No Intervals.

Though it’ll take some effort, that’s a matter for later.

“Phew.”

For now, I could rest easy knowing that I had solved one problem.

“Immediately take the rescue request!”

Instructor Julia urgently called for reinforcements.

The reception took place at the Administrative Council, and a rescue team was summoned consisting of the instructor and thirty Imperial Army members.

“Instructor Julia, although the summons were expedited… I can’t guarantee the safety of the students.”

“Instructor Ebony, don’t jump to conclusions. I made a promise with him. I will definitely save him in time.”

Instructor Julia’s determination was firm.

However, others, including Instructor Ebony, knew better. They could see the tear-streaked eyes of the once unbreakable Instructor Julia.

“Yuto… I’m sorry…”

“Danika, don’t cry! He’s still alive! I… I believe so!…”

“Stop, Douglas. Don’t give false hope. He has… sacrificed honorably. Let’s not disgrace ourselves by living off his legacy.”

All the C-Class students mourned Yuto’s sacrifice. They shed tears for him and repeated apologies and gratitude.

He had become everyone’s benefactor.

“Alright, everyone, hurry! Team One, enter the portal!”

Just as the rescue team was about to proceed.

Suddenly, a low-tier spatial portal activated.

“Eh? Why all of a sudden?”

The only thing beyond the portal should be the ‘Undesirable Great Serpent’… Who’s coming through?

Soon, a bright light radiated from the portal, revealing a figure. Yuto’s fierce gaze surveyed the crowd.

“Y-young man?”

The leading Instructor Julia, with a blank expression, collapsed to her knees.

Before long, Yuto shrugged his shoulders as if nothing had happened.

“No. I’m alive, Instructor Julia.”

It was the return of the benefactor.