The Weakest in the Academy Became a Hero Rider with Limits

Sirius Academy.

This academy literally occupies an entire small, vast island in the northeast of the continent.

They have built their own independent economic system to prevent external interference. First and foremost, the currency used here is not the usual currency used elsewhere. The only currency that can be used here is called "points."

The most common method for students to earn points is by undergoing performance evaluations organized by the academy or other forms of testing. Points are then awarded to students in varying amounts depending on how well someone scores or other specific criteria. Points can also be earned through part-time work, but it's not very efficient. Ideally, points should be considered a supplementary action to use when funds are running low.

Another common method is exchanging local currency for points. This is the most common legitimate method used by students. However, this can only be done before the start of each semester, at least until the first semester's tuition is paid. If someone has a lot of points, they can even pay their tuition with them.

But what if a student runs out of points? Then, the student has no choice but to borrow from others or work part-time. If that's not possible, the last resort is to borrow points from the academy's bank. Otherwise, the student will simply starve. After all, this is a harsh place.

At the beginning of the year, all first-year students who come to the academy are given 5,000 points.

With textbooks and uniforms provided by the academy, unless someone spends excessively on unnecessary things or acts wasteful and indulgent, they should at least have enough to survive until the next performance evaluation.

Knowing this, I decided to use the points I received sparingly by eating the cheapest meals in the cafeteria for lunch and dinner. Of course, everything still tasted delicious, and I felt satisfied, probably because I was used to military life in the past.

Thinking about it, this feeling is so strange.

In essence, after defeating Trevor on the first day and going through the series of admission ceremonies and orientation, including the mana evaluation on the second day, I can now be fully confident that I have transmigrated into the world of [Flame Chaser].

Earlier today, I also went to the library with Celine and read basic magic books suitable for my current level and some legend books.

Fortunately, I could understand the contents of the book well because it wasn't too difficult, probably due to my knowledge of the game, even though I didn't know about mana or magic before.

After confirming that I could understand the basics of magic well, I tried looking at intermediate and advanced magic books and started reading them.

Of course, the content was very different from the basics.

Hmm, it's harder than I thought.

Physics? Chemistry? Mathematics?

Just by looking at the text, I could see that magic in this world is influenced by scientific knowledge.

Just looking at the complicated formulas and equations made my head spin, probably because it's been a long time since I graduated from high school, and my ability to understand science has diminished. So, I quickly closed the book and returned it to its place. I then returned to the dormitory in the evening with three books I borrowed.

For now, it's better to just focus on understanding the basics of magic. No need to rush.

Oh, by the way, there are a total of 4 dormitories at Sirius Academy. The dormitory a student occupies depends on their grades each semester.

As for me, I live in "Bronze Hall," the lowest-ranked dormitory with relatively poor facilities, at least in the eyes of others, not mine. Dormitories are assigned to each student based on their entrance exam scores.

Indeed, as expected from the lowest-ranked dormitory, "Bronze Hall" is for students who are less capable in various aspects, especially their magical abilities. Of course, this is where those with the lowest scores in the academy gather. Kevin Islana, the main character, will also stay in this dormitory for a while.

Then, I entered my room.

All my belongings, of course, had already been moved here, including clothes, toiletries, stationery, and other things I needed.

However, the room is a bit small. Of course, I mean it's only small compared to the other dormitories.

As a former soldier who had been on the battlefield in my previous life, I can easily adapt to these conditions. Besides, I'm already used to "economic hardship" since I was born into a somewhat less fortunate family, so I'm accustomed to simplicity and limitations.

What I need to do is keep this room comfortable to live in and keep it clean.

As a reference, the academy deliberately built Bronze Hall's facilities narrower and more lacking than the other dormitories to motivate students to try to get out of this place. A truly wise method.

Even so, although it's said to be lacking, at least the toiletries are well provided.

This is 1000% better than the front lines of the battlefield where, let alone bathing, even sleeping was almost impossible.

I am once again grateful for the life I've lived so far. It has shaped my resilient personality, allowing me to adapt to all kinds of limitations and even extreme conditions.

But, of course, that only applies to me...

"What the hell is this!? I'm stuck in this garbage dump!?"

"Huh!? Why this room so small !?"

That surprised me, you know.

It sounded like someone was shouting in the next room—a frustrated scream filled with a strong desire to escape.

It seems that a room like this is a devastating blow that symbolizes a nightmare for spoiled nobles who have always lived their entire lives in very nice places filled with luxury and abundance.

I closed the door behind me, placed the books I borrowed from the library on my wooden desk, and sat on the wooden chair. As I sat down, the chair creaked and felt really rough.

"...."

It's been 4 days since I transmigrated into the game [Flame Chaser]. It's time for me to accept it with an open heart, even though I feel my heart aches because there are many things I need to do on Earth, especially concerning my parents.

However, I can't keep moping like this. If I have to stay in this world, then I need to set a clear goal.

And that is—

I must complete this game.

The main problem is that right now, the main character, Kevin Islana, is no better than a beginner, and of course, with his death or absence, a bad ending will surely occur.

The Hell difficulty is clearly a very challenging experience, starting from the insane enemy specifications. Therefore, players are required to have excellent control skills from the start.

Of course, since I'm not the main character but Kevin is, on the first day, he almost died and brought the world to the brink of a bad ending.

Well, I don't intend to blame Kevin entirely; his loss to Trevor was natural. I already knew he tried well enough because he managed to hold off Trevor's attacks until I arrived.

But that doesn't guarantee the same thing will happen in the future. Therefore, there's only one option.

I just have to become stronger. Stronger than the protagonist to protect him and stronger than the heroines so I can keep them safe.

I can only hope Kevin grows well because if I keep intervening, I won't know what kind of crazy variables will appear.

However, if Kevin can't grow well, then it's my duty to help him. Of course, I don't want to get too involved with him, but I think I can help him in various ways later.

According to the story scenario, this happens because Kevin was born with the light element, which is the weakness of demons and evil creatures, even though he is human. Thus, Kevin can defeat demons with his light attribute even if there's a significant level difference.

But after seeing it firsthand, it seems the light attribute doesn't play such a big role in defeating demons; what Kevin needs is mastery of his techniques. If he has mastered the techniques he needs, then the light element is there to make it easier.

Usually, the ability to use the light attribute and divine power can only be used by a Saintess blessed by the gods or those with high ranks in the Holy Church, such as the Pope or Cardinals.

In other words, simply put, there should be no ordinary human born with the light attribute like Kevin.

However, it is eventually revealed that Kevin has mixed blood of a human and a goddess, which of course has the power of light and divinity. This is the full explanation of how Kevin can use the light attribute and divine power in the future, even though he is not a high-ranking person in the Holy Church or blessed by the gods. That's definitely a backstory that will be revealed much later.

Of course, both Kevin and I must gradually increase our strength. The light element has other uses besides fighting, and even if Kevin can't use divine power in the future, he is still needed because demons and other evil creatures will often appear, and some even have the status of "invincible."

When that time comes, Kevin must remove the "invincible" status with the 8-star light magic spell [Punishment] along with his ultimate weapon, "Luminous Sword." In other words, at least enough power is needed for the story to proceed well.

But in the end, the biggest problem remains the final boss.

The final boss of the game.

The Evil God—Primordial Evil, Erebos.

That is a very tough boss. In Hell difficulty, even if the player reaches maximum specifications, the game will end if hit by a direct attack even once. This is because Erebos can easily use the 9-star magic [Black Flame of Destruction], a level of magic that can destroy the world. After all, he is the black flame of calamity itself. A being who has slaughtered gods in the past and is considered the most evil of evil gods, bringing the world to the brink of destruction.

But I have doubts. No, perhaps more accurately, a premonition. Can Kevin defeat Erebos, who even the six great heroes couldn't defeat? They could only seal him. Does the light element really affect Erebos? Didn't Erebos slaughter the gods? That means divine power is useless against Erebos, right?

Doubt eventually creeps into me. 

This, of course, happens especially because the magic circle that seals Erebos is engraved on the roof of the "Hero Hall" at Sirius Academy.

However, it's impossible to see or touch the engraving because the 9-star magic blocks perception absolutely. What if someone destroys the building? In an interview session for the game, someone once asked something like that, and the developers' answer was that it's useless. Yes, that's what they said. They said, "There's no point in destroying the building because the magic circle itself has transcended space and time."

In the end, it's only a matter of time before the seal breaks, and Erebos rises again, burning this world with his flames.

Still, if we defeat Erebos, it will end everything.

But how? How to do it?

Honestly, I really doubt this now. Is it possible to defeat Erebos with Kevin's power, which is the same as the power of the gods that Erebos has slaughtered?

But I have no choice now. I can figure it out as the story progresses. So, I must not despair now.

After all, Erebos is still sealed in the void, and can only send a small amount of mana to this world at a time to his minions, the Demon Commanders.

The mana sent will be used by the Demon Commanders to create demons, monsters, and other evil creatures. Since the mana sent is limited, and the commanders don't want to act recklessly, they can only create and send demons occasionally to come and kill Kevin.

That means, now I must monitor Kevin and help him if necessary to prevent a bad ending by defeating those demons.

To carry out this plan, I must become stronger until I find a way to defeat Erebos...

As long as I am Rei, my goal is clear.

The salvation of the world is the top priority.

Let's see my current potential.

[Potential]

Stat Points: 30

•Growth Rate

-Physical Training Efficiency (C+): 28/100

-Magic Training Efficiency (F): 0/100

-Learning Efficiency (S): 100/100

•Elemental Resistance

-Fire Resistance (E+): 6/100

-Ice Resistance (E): 1/100

-Water Resistance (E+): 6/100

-Lightning Resistance (F): 0/100

-Rock Resistance (E+): 6/100

•Special Combat Skills

-Heroic State (S): 100/100

Where should I invest my stat points first?

Finally, it's time for me to start thinking about the future.

There will be a class placement evaluation on the last day of orientation, and at that time, demons will appear.

The problem is that to hunt demons, there are strict requirements I must meet. I must avoid elimination for 5 hours in a battle royale during the evaluation, where I will surely be the first target of those stronger than me.

I really need to level up, even if just a little faster.

Then, [Physical Training Efficiency] and [Magic Training Efficiency] will be the right things.

After making the decision, I distributed 10 stat points to [Physical Training Efficiency] and 20 stat points to [Magic Training Efficiency].

Trinnnggg—!!

[Potential [Physical Training Efficiency] has been upgraded from C+ to B!]

[Potential [Magic Training Efficiency] has been upgraded from F to C-!]

Yup, this is good enough, although I can't expect drastic changes. I just need to train hard.

Now that I've finished that, what I need to do next is create a schedule and training method.

...With that said, I started drafting a training plan to improve my abilities and wrote down future plans on some parchment.

In the middle of that, for some reason, I fell asleep.

————————————

Every room in the top-ranked dormitory at Sirius Academy, "Diamond Hall," is luxurious, matching its magnificent exterior.

After all, this is a dormitory reserved for the top 10 students from each department and year, so the facilities are super luxurious.

There are also facilities that can be used by the staff.

The academy itself has prepared high-quality human resources for the students living in Diamond Hall.

There, Liana Astralin, an exceptional student who holds the second seat in the first-year class of the Magic Department, was sitting at her luxurious desk, resting her chin on her hand, lost in her thoughts.

In the dark room, the soft light from the magic lamp quietly illuminated her beautiful figure wearing a luxurious nightgown.

"That doesn't make sense..."

Liana was pondering what she saw today and yesterday.

Yesterday, when the black-haired boy defeated the demon, Liana clearly felt a massive amount of mana overflowing from him. Especially when he gathered mana in his sword, "massive" was no longer the right word; what could describe it was "terrifying." The proof was that the power could split a mountain in two, which caused a stir throughout the academy and spread to the entire world, becoming a topic of discussion for many people.

However, during the mana evaluation today, the same person who had defeated the demon was graded with an F, the lowest and worst grade.

That is a clear contradiction. It could only mean that the mana measuring device used on him was broken.

Could it be that the black-haired boy didn't release any mana at all? That's impossible. Liana clearly confirmed that he emitted a rainbow-colored elemental aura.

Moreover, at that time, Liana clearly felt that the mana within him was very weak.

There's no way that's true...

After all, the abilities displayed by the black-haired boy when he defeated the demon far exceeded common sense.

It's not that she was mistaken about his abilities because Liana herself clearly understands how to manipulate mana. Because of that, Liana could tell that what he showed yesterday was terrifying.

How could someone as strong as him be graded as an F? She almost burst out laughing when she saw that.

However, contrary to her expectations, Professor Ferdinand confidently said that his mana measuring device wasn't broken; he even tested it with his own mana.

Also, the black-haired boy didn't raise any objections at all; he looked like he had predicted that this would be the result.

Even though all the students giggled and mocked him as incompetent, he didn't flinch at all.

It was almost as if he knew this would be the result from the beginning...

—It is said that an Archmage or Swordmaster who has control over their mana beyond common sense can manipulate the amount of mana in their body.

She couldn't help but think of Professor Ferdinand's earlier words. Being able to fake the amount of mana, by altering the mana itself? What's the difference from saying that the person can manipulate the cells in their body at will?

No, first of all, it's impossible for someone her age to reach the realm of "Archmage," whose existence almost matches that of transcendental beings.

"Archmage" itself is a title given to those recognized as the best mages in the entire world.

Even the most successful first-class mages, such as the Magic Tower Master, famous Guild Leaders, high-ranking officials, or Court Mages, are not even comparable to the tip of a fingernail in front of an Archmage...

Even Liana's family, the Duke Astralin family, with their high social status, would be forced to bow their heads in front of an Archmage.

The level of an Archmage is at a point where—whether it's a blessing from the gods, unmatched talent, or extraordinary effort—all of that is required.

First of all, even though the amount of mana the boy emitted was quite strong when facing the demon, it was still slightly weaker than the first-class mages Liana has seen so far. It's not strong enough to say that the boy has reached the level of an Archmage.

However, the problem is the mana he gathered in his sword and his fight today.

That completely contradicts the F grade he received. It's impossible for an F grade to move that fast or to slam that foolish noble into the ground, creating a large crater. All of that is impossible for a student with an F grade.

It's as if he's two different people...

I also noticed that the blond guy didn't know about him.

After the black-haired boy fainted and was taken away by the masked person, Liana went to wake up Kevin, who had fainted under the tree, and used healing magic on him.

His wounds healed quickly, as if Liana's healing magic only acted as an accelerator.

During the healing process, she asked Kevin about the black-haired boy.

But Kevin said he didn't know anything because he was focused on holding off the demon that was trying to kill him. Liana couldn't help but feel disappointed, but she held it in.

She decided to stop talking because she thought it was a waste of time, but the guy she saved kept talking to her and approaching her, forcing Liana to respond politely.

She had told Kevin to go to the medical room and check his condition, but Kevin kept refusing, so Liana eventually forced him. There, they kept talking and became close enough to continue chatting today as well.

For some reason, the blond guy seemed somewhat attractive...

Liana shook her head vigorously, recalling her attraction to the blond guy, and refocused her thoughts on the black-haired boy.

Liana had indeed decided to report the incident to the academy, but she manipulated the information.

An unknown demon suddenly appearing near the academy could cause disaster for the students, but the existence of the black-haired boy was another story. If his power was that great, even the academy wouldn't believe it, and it would only make the problem more troublesome. So, she decided to keep it a secret by manipulating the information she provided, replacing the black-haired boy with a mysterious masked person who suddenly appeared to defeat the demon, including the one who split the mountain.

She reported that she didn't know anything about the demon slayer and that it was impossible to know their characteristics. She reasoned that if she was considered an enemy, her life could be in danger, so the academy understood.

However, even after all this, the thoughts she had only led to further confusion. There's only one insane possibility that she thinks might happen.

A "Hero" or someone on par with a "Hero."

"Really, no, that's impossible. Absolutely impossible..."

"Is he really a hero..? Could the seventh hero have appeared in this world...?"

"Haha, what nonsense am I thinking...?"

Liana stared blankly at the sky outside her window, her thoughts tangled.

————————————

Meanwhile, in another room in the dark "Diamond Hall," illuminated only by a dim magic lamp, a girl was combing her long, dark brown hair that flowed down in front of a mirror. After tidying her hair, she stared at her beautiful reflection in the mirror.

Then—

"Sebas."

She called someone's name, and an old man dressed as a butler suddenly appeared behind her from the darkness.

"Yes, Miss."

He greeted his master respectfully.

"Please keep an eye on Rei. And make sure he's safe; if any fool dares to touch him, eliminate them."

"What if the fool is a high-ranking noble, Miss?"

"It doesn't matter, just eliminate them. Don't let any fool dare to touch the seventh hero, Rei."

"Understood. I will protect Hero Rei well, as per your orders, Miss Celine."

The old man then bowed slightly to his master and disappeared into the darkness.

Meanwhile, the girl left alone smiled slightly.

"I won't let you die this time, Rei. So, please stay alive for me and for the future of this world."

Her blue eyes as clear as the ocean reflected in the mirror radiated her deepest affection for the person she loved