Skills: Parallel Thinking.
This is an ability skill that generates expanded thinking within oneself.
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— No applause for the mob needed —
"The mob is a stage device that highlights the main character," the man said with an uncomplicated smile as if it were a matter of course.
"I'm fine in the background."
There was no hesitation.
"Playing the role of the mob is always a battle with oneself. The biggest enemy is the desire for approval within oneself."
—A strong will to never stand out—
We decided to investigate his movements.
We got close to the man's daily life.
What drives him to be a mob to that extent?
—Don't become strong. Even if you are strong, deliberately lose.—
"Don't be afraid to be a mob," he said as he walked the academy route.
"It's the hungry spirit, isn't it? To try to be a mob."
Amachi Suguru.
People call him a small fry.
Or they call him a minor mob.
Occupation: Mob.
"Why are you so obsessed with being a background character?" they asked him.
"Well, I guess I'm a little shy. No, that's not it," he replied.
"I don't know how to live any other way."
"But it seems like you're starting to stand out a bit," they pointed out.
"Life is strange, isn't it? If you try to be a background character, you'll attract negative attention, but if you act against being a background character, you'll end up being one."
Our observations of his daily routine began with his conversations with his classmates.
"This is important," he said.
"You can start with the weather, or bring up some of the stupid topics that guys tend to talk about. There are many ways to do it. Well, just watch and learn."
We were mesmerized by his acting skills.
"Hey, how's it going lately?" he asked, starting off with a completely meaningless conversation.
No greeting, no common topic.
"Just how's it going lately?"
Meaningless conversations like these are the hallmark of professionals in the background character industry.
Ayaka, the girl who sat in front of he, responded with an equally ambiguous "it's okay."
It was a conversation that produced nothing of value.
"Right, we have a test today. It's probably going to be another average performance," he continued to talk to himself, without being asked any questions.
The sense of conversation that talks about whatever they want without being prompted is a hallmark of a background character.
We observed his every move and every word carefully.
"Well, okay then," Ayaka muttered, seeming uninterested.
It was just a series of meaningless conversations between background characters.
"In short, engage in meaningless conversation," he declared.
Have you seen it? Mob characters have meaningless conversations. You can't add any meaning or foreshadowing to each word of the conversation. Occasionally, there are mobs who make cryptic remarks. They are the elites. In the world of mobs.
We felt a sense of discomfort.
But you said it was a test...
"Ah, I'm sorry. Is this also going to be a cryptic word? I guess I still need more training," he scratched his head and wrote "test" on his notepad.
I see...
"Anyway, let's move on. We're going to have a pop quiz now. This is also important. In the case of a written exam, you need to get an average or slightly below average grade."
Later, we would come to know the true meaning of his words.
"Getting an average grade is good, but it makes you stand out a bit," he showed us the results of the pop quiz.
"The average score this time is 62 points. I got 53 points, slightly below average."
Don't hold back your efforts, aim for the highest, even if it's not the best score or the lowest score.
"Well, you know, if you get the highest score, you're a strong character. Even if you get the lowest score, you're still a strong character. Nowadays, there are many strong characters appearing, even with an average score. It's tough, isn't it?"
He smiled refreshingly with a troubled look on his face. "So, we'll need to adjust our scores, won't we? Please watch the practical exercises this afternoon," he said.
We decided to participate in the practical exercises together. During the practical training, he performed a feat of causing magic to backfire and turn black.
"With this, I'm practically at the bottom in the practical exam. Below average in the written exam, and at the very bottom in the practical. I can make everyone around me believe that I'm really the guy who can't do anything," he said.
"What do you mean?" we asked.
"You can pretend to have tried hard by getting an average score on the written exam. This 'pretending to have tried' really comes into play here. You can show that you've tried hard but don't have the talent for the practical exam. It's a matter of pacing, you know. This way, you can truly become the third weakest person in the class based on overall evaluation. It's a comprehensive evaluation system, you know, these days."
"People often say that the weakest person is the strongest person because they can be at the very bottom. However, no one ever calls the second or third weakest person. This area is the true bottom-feeder."
"I call this area the 'real bottom-feeder black box.' I believe that the second and third weakest people are the real bottom-feeders. I'm aiming for this area. I've never regretted my efforts."
"It's easy to get the worst score. You just have to deliberately get the lowest score. Only foolish people would think that way. Those guys have the potential to be the main character."
"The real bottom-feeders are those who get the second and third worst scores. It's difficult to get the second and third worst scores because they're harder to adjust. You can't imitate it overnight. That's just the way it is."
We were left speechless.
We felt his strong conviction and the traces of his efforts in his eyes. We caught a glimpse of a true mob professional.
"What does 'mob' mean to you, Amachi?"
After a moment of contemplation, Amachi replied confidently, "It's a complex concept that can't be summed up in just one word. I think they're an essential presence, though."
As he dashed off to his next job, stumbling along the way, it was clear that he was living the life of a mob himself. He had taught us that the path to becoming a mob was a difficult one.
Through our day of shadowing him, we came to understand the challenges of being a lowly mob character.