The main auditorium of Arsene Academy.
Today, it was the designated location for the freshmen entrance ceremony. On the first floor, the students gathered, while on the second floor, the professors were seated, their view overlooking the grand auditorium.
The only peculiar thing was that the professors were divided into two groups. The criterion that divided the professors was neither the department nor the age.
A much clearer criterion than that.
It was nationality.
Professors from the Ruben Empire.
And professors who were not from the Empire.
As if to prove the strained relations between different countries, the professors from these two factions didn't even spare a glance for each other. They simply engaged in small talk within their respective factions. Amidst this, the professors' attention gradually shifted downward to the first floor.
It's because the freshmen were starting to appear.
Among them, there was an individual who managed to capture the attention of the professors from the Empire faction.
"Oh, that young man is..."
"He's the eldest son of House Deorg, I've only heard of him in stories."
With light-brown hair and green eyes, he was a handsome young man with a slim body. The professors exchanged various conversations while observing him with his blunt expression as he walked.
"Isn't that Himmel Deorg?"
"Yes, that's him."
"It's said that he entered the academy after scoring 4th rank in this year's entrance examination. Especially, he excelled in swordsmanship and combat."
Count Deorg was a prestigious Knight family known for producing renowned knights throughout generations.
Besides, Himmel was an outstanding talent who was said to be a swordsman genius. Naturally, it was no surprise that the professors' gazes were drawn to him.
Meanwhile at the same time.
Professors from the opposing faction paid no attention to Himmel. Instead, their gazes were fixed on a modestly built, silver-haired girl.
Dilia Arpen.
She was a genius magician that the Kingdom took pride in.
"Is she the hope of that famous kingdom?"
"She looks much younger than expected..."
"Hey, what does age matter?"
"As long as the magician has good magical skills."
Various conversations were exchanged, and the professors' eyes shimmered with curiosity and anticipation.
Representatives of the Empire and the Kingdom, two exceptional individuals had taken their places. The professors then resumed their mundane conversations. No, that's what they intended to do.
Until Ulan appeared.
"..."
For an instant, the auditorium became quiet.
Both the students and the professors fixed their gazes on Ulan, at least for this moment. His conspicuous presence made it hard to ignore, even if one tried to turn away.
With a stature approaching 2 meters, a muscular body exposed by his attire, and even an axe in his hand.
Huh? Hold on. An axe?
"You can't come in with a weapon!"
"It is forbidden to carry weapons during the entrance ceremony."
The guards, realizing the situation, blocked Ulan's path. Fortunately, Ulan set the axe down in the right corner without much resistance.
As he resumed walking with determined steps,
The professors were stunned.
"Haah! I never thought I'd live to see a barbarian strutting through the academy."
"About forty years ago, I did see one brought in as an experimental subject, but this is the first time I'm seeing one as a student."
"For a barbarian like him to be the top-seat, there must certainly be something wrong! Or maybe he cheated or something."
Scorn, disregard, mockery, and more.
The professors all regarded Ulan with cold gazes. It was a rare moment of unanimous agreement between the two factions, all united in their opinions.
Of course, there were others with different thoughts.
"Tsk, that's why prodigies are no good."
"That's right. They're blinded by their preconceptions and can't even recognize a true gem."
Ethan and Stella from the Military Studies Department.
The two professors, who recognized Ulan's true worth long before now, clicked their tongues. For both of them, Ulan was a much greater talent than Deorg's swordsmanship genius.
A little while later, the entrance ceremony began.
As the acting Principal delivered the formal welcome, Ethan yawned. In the midst of this, he glanced toward the first floor when he spotted something.
Young men adorned in blue armbands. With their bright smiles, they were chatting amongst themselves discreetly, as though partaking in some secret scheme.
"Senior, what are you looking at?"
"Student council members."
After answering in a dull tone, Ethan narrowed his eyes.
"Looks like they're thinking of committing it again."
"Huh? Committing it again? What do you mean by it?"
"Something like that. You'll know it when you see it."
As soon as he finished his answer, Stella's expression subtly changed.
"I feel a little uneasy when.... senior say that. Don't you think you should stop them?"
"It's okay. It's Arsene's policy not to interfere in matters between students."
As long as it didn't escalate into bloodbath, most things were left for the students to resolve amongst themselves. This was Arsene's policy.
"Again, if it were him, he would be fine."
Somehow he felt that way.
Ethan grinned.
It was a smile that held a hint of anticipation.
━━━◇◆◇━━━
"Congratulations once again on your admittance to the Arsene Academy. From this point forward, you shall embody the noble character and conduct befitting a student Arsene…..," echoed the acting Principal's welcome as it resonated through the air.
Among the current students, stifled yawns escaped as if in response. Even the incoming freshmen were not exempt from this display of weariness; after all, the proceedings were rather boring.
Noah, on the other hand, was relatively unaffected.
She had to be.
Today's entrance ceremony was a big deal for her, a pivotal moment for the chapters yet to unfold.
She looked nervously at the stage.
"Ha ha!"
She heard a loud yawn.
Noah had never heard anyone yawn so loudly before, so she reflexively turned around.
And then, her eyes widened.
It was a familiar face.
'Swordmaiden, Ibella Elearde.'
The girl yawned one after another, unperturbed by the cascade of curious eyes. And there was one more, someone who looked like her.
Worse than her, to be exact.
Unlike the Swordmaiden, who at least listened to the speech, the other girl, with silvery tresses falling over her lowered head, dozed on in blissful oblivion.
'Dilia Arpen, the Star Witch.'
Both names belonged to the Heroes Party.
Allies of Ulan's in the future.
'I don't know about the others, but I'd like to get to know them somehow…...'
Do I need to dye my hair first?
Noah sighed as she ruffled her dark hair. The next few minutes were boring, and then the moment she'd been waiting for came.
"Without further ado, the Student Council of Arsene Academy will begin their address for our new students."
The address marked the commencement of the true event, the point from which everything would unfold.
Noah's gentle palm against her cheek brushed away any lingering drowsiness. With a glimmer in her eyes, she gazed at the stage.
Soon after, Noah's brows furrowed subtly.
'The script is quite different from what Ulan had to deal with.'
Not at all like the speech Ulan had been given. But she shouldn't have worried. She'd anticipated this, and had written a response that would be safe for anyone to hear.
"…And with that, I conclude my address. Once again, a warm welcome to Arsene!" With the closing of the student council's speech, a round of applause erupted.
"Next, we will have the freshmen representative respond to the address from the senior members of the student council. We appreciate your attention."
Finally, it was Ulan's turn.
Emerging from behind the curtains, Ulan walked forth with purpose. Yet, in that moment, the surroundings erupted into a cacophony of voices.
Conversations flowed openly among the current students.
Among them, the 3rd year students were particularly boisterous. Perhaps they had received some cryptic instruction from the student council or were simply living up to their reputation as the lively bunch.
'It's unfolding just as planned, much like what I read in the strategy guide.'
There are several patterns to the Student Council's sabotage tactics.
Some of them involve deliberate distractions; intentionally disrupting the overall ambiance to create distraction. Or they could sabotage the amplification equipment to muddle the proceedings.
But she wasn't worried.
'It's alright. My script is flawless.'
Now all she needed was for Ulan to read it properly.
He'll be able to overcome the student council's interruptions and finish the ceremony smoothly, and he'll be able to catch the eye of the next student body president.
But at that moment,
The unexpected happened.
Boom!
From the teacher's podium, flames suddenly shot up, an unexpected inferno.
The flames quickly engulfed the table.
Up until this point, all was well.
Ulan was standing beside the podium, but he remained untouched by the fire. The issue lay in the fact that the script was placed atop the podium.
"The, the script...!"
The script went up in flames.
At that moment, a torrent of water poured out of nowhere and doused the flames on the podium. In the untimely fire, someone must have used water-magic.
Fortunately, the fire was quickly extinguished, and no one was injured.
The sudden turn of events left the main auditorium in turmoil.
After a few moments, the moderator bowed to the students and professors and apologized.
"I apologize. It seems there was a minor mishap. However, I believe it's not a significant issue. We shall proceed with the commencement ceremony as planned."
No big deal!
The script was burned to a crisp!
Noah felt the urge to shout out his frustration.
'Ugh, why is this happening...?'
There was a pattern of stealing the script, but there was nothing like this.
Noah clenched her fists in frustration.
Partly because the plan had been thrown out of whack by an unforeseen variable, but also because the script she'd spent a day working on had disappeared into thin air.
'I worked so hard to write that!'
If she ever found out who was responsible for this, she would surely place a curse upon them!
She gritted my teeth in frustration.
But the problem wasn't over yet.
"What is it? Why are you still?"
"Yeah, it feels like quite some time has passed."
When the moderator announced that the ceremony would resume, Ulan remained standing, and the 3rd graders snickered.
"Maybe he froze because he didn't have a script?"
"Haha, that makes sense."
"It must be hard to memorize with a barbarian brain."
"I'm more amazed that a brute like him can read at all."
Soon the auditorium erupted in laughter.
Noah frowned.
"...Truly childish"
Without a doubt, that must be one of the student council's disruption tactics - sabotaging the 'voice amplification device.' But now was not the time to analyze the problem.
She had to find a way to help Ulan, no matter what. As she desperately racked her brain for a solution...
Thud, thud, thud!
The still Ulan moved.
Toward the center of the stage.
━━━◇◆◇━━━
After the conclusion of the student council address, Ulan walked out onto the stage.
A cascade of numerous gazes fell upon him in an instant. Though there might have been a fleeting moment of unease, his expression remained unchanged.
As he walked toward the teacher's podium, in the midst of his journey, someone unexpectedly popped into view. "Hello? We meet again," came a voice he had heard before.
A young man with a face as familiar as his voice: Mond, the student council executive.
"I figured you've probably never been in a place like this before, so I thought I'd lend a hand."
He approached Ulan with his trademark wry smile, though his eyes were still not smiling in the slightest.
"First of all, you can put the script on the table. The crystal ball here will amplify your voice, so you can speak normally."
Still, he did as he was told.
One wouldn't dare perform any tricks in such a watchful setting, after all.
Yet, the unexpected had swallowed Ulan whole.
Wham!
Or, to be precise, the podium and the script had been engulfed.
"What, what is this?!"
"Back off! I'll evolve!"
With a panicked moderator.
Mond stepped forward quickly. He tapped his clear, jewel-encrusted staff in the air, and a cool stream of water washed over the table.
Shoot!
The flames were quickly extinguished.
But in the process, the script was completely ruined. Ulan, who had been near the podium, found himself soaked and resembling a drenched rat.
In the aftermath of the somewhat resolved situation, Mond's expression turned grave. "Who on earth would commit such an act..."
But despite his serious demeanor, his lips couldn't cease their playful twitching.
Of course, it couldn't be helped.
After all, the one responsible for this debacle was none other than Mond himself.
'Arrogant barbarian.'
The reason for this was simple.
Because an uncivilized barbarian who subsisted on foraging and survival at the fringes of the empire, standing here without a shred of decorum.
'Even if you did, you should have known your place.'
Even his status as the top candidate was undoubtedly rigged.
Otherwise, how could such a mishap occur? A chilly sneer curled on Mond's lips, bearing the weight of mocking sarcasm.
'Go ahead, humiliate yourself.'
There were still plenty of surprises left in store for Ulan.
In the midst of the stifled laughter.
Ulan furrowed his brows.
A displeasure etched in his eyes, and there was only one reason for it—Mond.
Soon after the podium was engulfed in flames.
And then, as Mond raised his staff to quell the flames, there was a momentary scent of burning emanating from the staff's end.
In other words, it meant Mond had inadvertently set fire to the script. A blow to his pride, much like an affront. Ulan gave Mond a sharp, discontented look.
'I could smash his head.'
If it were the Ulan from years ago, the seventeen-year-old Ulan who hadn't regressed, he would have undoubtedly bashed Mond's head in. The absence of an axe wouldn't have prevented it.
'But...'
He shouldn't.
Or else he'll get in trouble.
Ulan swallowed his anger and summoned his coolness.
Retribution could wait until later.
"I apologize. It seems there was a minor mishap. However, I believe it's not a significant issue. We shall proceed with the commencement ceremony as planned."
With an apology, the entrance ceremony carried on.
But a new problem arose.
"Huh? That's weird. It was working fine this morning."
The voice amplifier had failed.
Mond muttered in frustration.
"What do we do? It might take quite some time to replace it with another..."
Though his inner thoughts were far from his outward appearance.
Even the most unresponsive fellow, when the situation was twisted this way, would surely find themselves bewildered or at a loss, their feet shuffling with uncertainty.
Mond, his thoughts exploding inwardly, was engaging in an internal uproar.
But he was wrong.
Ulan's response was far too casual.
"I'm fine."
"Huh?"
"I don't need that."
With these words concluded, his gaze turned toward the auditorium.
Separate from the events unfolding on the stage, a remarkably bustling and chaotic ambiance enveloped the space. The professors seemed disinclined to quell the fervor.
Amidst this tumult, a trio of familiar faces came into view.
Ibella, appearing concerned as she surveyed the surroundings.
Dilia, wearing an expression of partial wakefulness.
Noah, grinning with an air of enigmatic amusement as if she had just placed a potent Curse.
Despite the chaotic atmosphere, all three of them were looking at Ulan. In response, Ulan spoke the first words of the script he'd received from Noah.
"Greetings."
A feeble voice wafted forth.
The reason was evident. The awkwardness was palpable.
With all due respect to Noah, her script was extremely formal.
In other words, it lacked sincerity.
Ulan thought back to the first time he'd gone hunting in his past life. His father had delivered a speech to uplift the spirits of the warriors, saying:
"To move the hearts of listeners, one must shout with sincerity and vigor."
Hence, this approach wouldn't suffice.
Having concluded his thoughts, Ulan promptly took a step forward. It was for the sake of stirring the hearts of everyone present.
"Huh? Wait a minute."
"That's not the place for the presentation,..."
The moderator and Mond extended their hands.
Ulan had already reached the center of the stage. He took a deep breath and slowly lifted his foot.
And with all his might, he stomped it down.
Thud! Kaaaaaah!
The stage collapsed with a loud crash.
And in that very instant.
The auditorium erupted like it had been doused with icy water.
The once chattering students, the nonchalant expressions of the professors—without exception, all eyes were fixed upon the stage where Ulan stood.
"Now they're finally looking this way."
Meeting the gazes of all present.
Ulan let out a triumphant chuckle.
With that, he was all set.
He immediately activated his spirit. The spirit quickly circulated through his body and soon began to condense as it rose to his throat.
It was a technique from his past life.
He had named it 'Warrior's Roar'.
'Fixating highly condensed spirit energy at the throat, then maximizing the amplification of vocal power.'
Infusing it with killing intent, the roar could intimidate enemies, or when directed at allies, it would restore their magical strength and encourage them.
And now, this moment.
Ulan has only one thing to infuse.
Sincerity, enough to move hearts.
Next came the loud voice.
After a deep breath.
Ulan gathered his heartfelt sincerity and let out a resounding roar.
"Nice to meet you—!"
The thunderous cry spread throughout the room.
Rumble!
An intangible shockwave swept through the auditorium.
Its force was incredible. For a moment, the auditorium shook. And just as Ulan's greeting swept through the auditorium like a tidal wave...
Screams erupted from everywhere.
"Aaah! My, my ears…..!"
"Wha-what? What's going on?"
"I can't hear anything"
"Why can't I suddenly hear anything?"
That can't be right. Ulan's eyes flashed.
To shout louder.
"I am-! A warrior from the grasslands! Ulaan-! Batorrrr-!"
A series of shouts of warriors.
It shattered the noisy, chaotic atmosphere that had enveloped the auditorium so far. Trouble was, it didn't just shatter it.
Crack, crack, crack!
One by one, the windows shattered.
It was partly due to Ulan's loud voice, but the exact reason was the spirit.
"This tiiime─! As freshmen─! represeeeentaaative─! I'veeee taken chaaargeee─!"
What shattered wasn't just the glass windows.
Students sitting close to the stage, and even professors exposed on the second floor, were also affected by the impact. The blood trickling down from their ears served as evidence.
"Aaahhh!"
"Professor, snap out of it! Professor!"
"Quick, get something to cover your ears!"
"No, first, let's pull that brat down!"
Did they finally realize the seriousness of the situation?
The guards rushed over.
However, they couldn't stop Ulan. He was immersed in his address, and with veins popping in his neck, he let out shouts that echoed through the room.
"Frriiieeennndddss─!"
A furious shout that echoed through the room.
The auditorium had truly turned into chaos. From students writhing on the floor with their ears covered to those who had lost consciousness, the scene was quite a spectacle.
But there was one person who suffered the most.
The individual closest to Ulan.
And it was none other than Mond.
"Gahh! Aaahhh!"
Mond, bloodied and clutching his bleeding ears, writhed on the stage. Since Ulan's cheerful address moments ago, he hadn't heard a single sound.
That wasn't all.
His head was pounding, and his nose was bleeding.
Could he be near death?
Trembling, Mond gripped his staff in his shaky hand. Perhaps a protective spell, just in case.
But there was a problem.
"What kind of magic can I use to stop that?
The answer was silence magic, but Mond couldn't easily find the solution. Perhaps due to the intense pain or his head not functioning properly, he couldn't think clearly.
And then, at that moment.
Ulan took a deep breath.
"...!?"
A sense of impending doom washed over Mond.
Mond's eyes widened significantly. Then he wildly raised his hand and shouted.
"No, don't······!"
Please just shut up!
That was the sentiment he desperately wanted to convey.
But his voice was drowned out by Ulan's roar and soon disappeared without a trace.
"Let's get aloooong─! And be frieeeends─!"
Rumble! Rumble!
The main auditorium shook as if an earthquake had struck.
Even the glass windows that had barely survived couldn't withstand it any longer and shattered all at once. Naturally, Mond wasn't left unscathed either.
"Grrrr! Grrrrr!"
Mond collapsed, his eyes rolling back in his head.
His mouth was filled with white foam.
The auditorium lay in ruins as if it had been bombed. Looking at it, Ulan bowed his head.
"With this, I shall conclude the welcoming ceremony."
His tone was as polite as a gentleman's, but no one paid any attention to it.
They weren't in a position to.
Forty-eight individuals with ruptured eardrums.
Including unconscious students and professors, there were over a hundred casualties.
The scene was a mess.
As this sight was being gazed upon with astonishment,
"He shut his mouth!"
"Get him now!"
Ropes wound around his body.
On the day that would be recorded in history as the conclusion of the historic entrance ceremony, Ulan was led away by the student council.