*Boom*

A loud sound reverberates throughout the whole building..

It startles the people who heard it, but just for a moment. Since in the next minute, they were all sighing in unison, and thinking inside their heads that it was the usual. All the while, showing a bitter smile..

"You're late again. How many times does that make it?"

A smiling face that looked somehow like a creature of legends was asking me in an irritated tone, with her brow twitching from time to time. Simultaneously making it look like she was happy, but also burning with rage..

Ah, my back hurts, I might need to go to the nurse's office today, for the umpteenth time..

I was currently stuck to a wall, with my back somehow enduring the impact due to the specialized uniforms. If not, I would have been dead in a second..

"A-aah, I overslept since my alarm didn't go off, yeah, let's go with that. Good job, me..-Eh?"

"*Pops vein* A-ri-ma.."

Eh, what's wrong with her?

"Yo-yoshizawa-sensei?"

"*Smile*"

That smile was too sudden..

Usually a smile from a beautiful woman like Ms. Yoshizawa, would make their hearts flutter..

But not me..

Honestly, I want to run for my life right now. The only thing I saw in that smile was never ending dread..

My sweat was flowing down my back while I was smiling wryly towards her, simultaneously looking for a way out, asking my friends to help me out of this situation..

But all I got in return, was pitying stares, and clapping hand gestures making it look like they were paying respects to the dead. You heartless bastards..

No matter how much I tried to ask for salvation, it was futile. I could only reluctantly accept my fate..

Then, she snapped..

"Are you making fun of your teacher, huh?!?"

A sudden uppercut followed by a strong gust of wind made its way to my lower chin before I could react..

Not that I could do anything about it, even if I did..

Ah, it's been a long time, the blue sky, the flowing clouds, the gentle breeze flowing past my dark hair..

I feel as light as a feather..

Mainly because I was rising higher and higher into the air..

I think I didn't feel the roof hitting my head this time, so I got that going for me..

Birds were passing by slowly, startled for a bit, but ignored me soon after..

"Even the birds have gotten used to it, huh.."

I say self-ridiculing lines to ease the nervousness I felt, since I was currently rising higher than last time..

I am currently running away from reality..

That frail-looking woman's personality is so much more different than how she looks..

In fact, it was the exact opposite when it came to me..

I don't know why she targets me in particular, but I can't do anything about it, I suppose..

Maybe the reason was because I always ace her exams but is completely useless when it comes to something that involved practical applications or strength-related activities..

But it's not my fault you know. I tried my best in working out, and using magic..

Still, my body cannot control even a tiny bit of it..

And since the practical exams cover 75% of your grade, I was placed in the bottom 10..

The so called, "Talentless Ten"

This title was only given to students who were at the bottom of the grade in the entire school..

Once you're branded with this, people will look at you with pity, some will treat you like trash..

But mostly, the one thing that hurts more, was to be ignored..

Yes, I was mostly alone..

The ten don't meet each other and gather as you might like to think..

Heck, I don't even know most of them. I'm sure they don't know me either.

Now, the reason I said mostly, was because I had someone that stuck with me most of the time..

No, she wasn't part of my group..

In fact, she was one of the top students in the entire campus..

One of the "Elite Ten" or as I'd like to call them, "The Chosen"

These are the people that excelled in every subject, and flawlessly brings out results..

When people hear their name, they sing praises, and some might even shudder at angering one of them..

For they are rumored to have boundless control over magic power, several levels above the average student..

I mean, they could wipe out an entire country if they felt like it..

Or at least, that's what I'd like to think..

Oh speak of the devil, there she is..

She was getting bigger by the moment..

Ah, she got angry for some reason..

It was like she had an expression that said, "You, just now, were thinking something rude about me, didn't you?"

Did she read my mind?

As expected of my-

*Crash*

*Crumble*

Ah, I've spent too much time in my inner monologue..

It seems, that I have just landed safely onto the ground..

Well, minus the safety part..

It feels like my entire face was swelling..

"*Sigh* It can't be helped. [Command: Lower Grade Heal]"

A relaxing green light surrounds my entire body, and I was slowly feeling lighter..

Moments later, my wounds and bleeding disappeared as if it were a lie, that I pummeled head-first into the concrete..

When I looked up, there was a beautiful girl..

Long, black hair, that seemed to reflect the sunlight, swaying in the breeze..

Deep, dark eyes, that was likely to suck you in when you stare long enough into them..

A hand outstretched in front of my face, emitting a trace of magic formulas, swirling around on her black bracelet..

Pure white skin, that looked as soft and supple as freshly fallen snow..

Bouncy, bulging behemoths caged inside a cruel article of clothing..

Slender, moderately plum thighs, covered by an average length skirt..

And-

"Where are you looking at, Baka-yuu!"

*Woosh*

I went flying into a wall before I knew it..

Man, is every woman this violent?

Of course, I knew my thoughts were going too far, but still..

That girl, my childhood friend's name, was Arisugawa Airi..

The only daughter and heiress to one of the four richest companies worldwide, "Arisugawa Group"..

She was the only one I could call a friend since I was just a little kid..

Of course we met due to special circumstances, but let's leave it at that for now..

Oh, me? I haven't introduced myself? Why am I even talking to my thoughts anyway?

Well, since this became a habit whenever I was alone, during the times when Airi was busy..

Even so, the man who has his head planted to the wall, yours truly, is named Arima Yuuki..

I don't like to brag, but I am the second son of the CEO for "Arima Enterprises"

Since my big brother was born first, he had the privilege to inherit the company name..

Meanwhile, I was free to do whatever I wanted..

But, even though we brothers had been gifted with talent for magic, I was the one who could not control it well..

My brother is also the president of the student council, so he's always busy, and we never get to meet each other anymore. Well, at least, not like we used to. Between him juggling work, study, and more work..

But, I'm fine with it since there was Airi, who was mostly there for me..

"Hmph, go die perverted Yuu!"

Ah, she's mad now..

She was stomping her feet while walking away from my pitiful appearance with puffed cheeks dyed in rose color..

I never fail to catch those minor expressions my childhood friend has, and record them in the photo album inside my head. Not that it will matter though..

Now that I look at it, a crowd of students had gathered. Some of them were from the [Disciplinary Committee], while some were part of the "Arisugawa Group", mostly bodyguards disguised as students..

Most of the time, they follow me and Airi wherever we go, whether lunch, or to the bathroom..

Ah, there was no need to worry, since all her bodyguards were female. If not, I would have been really nervous..

This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.

But most of the crowd was composed of curious students that wanted to know what was going on during their break..

Yes, in this academy, we had only little time used for classes. Instead, all that free time is for the students to develop their magic however they want, whether it be through research, duels, creating new formulas, anything was fine..

It might look easy from a third person's perspective, but it was considerably hard to further your magic capacity and spell control. I should know, there was no orthodox way in increasing aggregate magic power. Even if there was such a method, I doubt the discoverer will share it with others for nothing..

Since, this school was in fact, a battlefield..

No, no, not in a literal sense, but you get the idea. Kind of like a competition..

Nanashiro Academy, one of the few, most prestigious magic academies in the whole country..

Where everything was permitted for the strong, and only the scraps are left for the weak..

I say that, but that was the only thing written in the pamphlet. The principal might have been eccentric when he wrote this. Since it talked about absolutely nothing except the fact that only the strong can graduate..

It's tiring for me to retort to every single thing that was weird about it, so I will summarize..

Basically, the school has the best instructors gathered all over the country, but there are only few in number. As all students cannot be accommodated, most days we have nothing to do. So, the school encourages research societies, these are groups composed of mainly students to socialize and learn from each other..

An exception to this was the rankings. We are ranked according to our written and practical exams four times a semester. This rankings can change at any given time, but when you are placed in the top 10, it will be a secure spot until someone challenges you to a [Magic Duel], which can only be applicable if you are inside the top 20..

Instead of a research society, all who are in the top 10 was to run the student council while those who placed after them, all the way to the 20th spot, will be composing the disciplinary committee. No questions asked..

And if you are part of the top 10, you are automatically considered a graduate once you reach the time of the last battle. Incidentally, if you are in the top 5, you will be given a job in the government, thereby securing your future..

In other words, those who excel are given special treatment, at the same time more workload..

A testament to this was my own brother, who is currently occupying the #1 spot in all of [New Japan] in the area of magic academies and research. Also due to this, I was mostly looked down upon..

Like the top 10, the bottom 10 were also exempted from research societies..

Was the nice way of saying it. In truth, we were banned from ever joining one, or even creating our own..

But in exchange, we have nothing to do until the [Graduation Battle] that determined if we were fit to graduate or not..

The only way to get out of the bottom 10 rankings was to beat someone from the top 100 of the school. Which, was unreachable at the moment, since the school had a thousand students..

I was currently in my 2nd year of high school, meaning I had a year left till graduation..

But, thinking about it negatively will further bring down my spirits, so I will just do  my best as always..

Ah, while I was in a strange position, a tap was felt on my shoulder..

When I turned around, a smiling demon greeted me..

....

................

"*Sigh*"

I was currently rubbing my aching body while walking home from school..

That woman, does she hate my guts that much?

I complain inwardly since I know that even if I say it out loud, only despair was waiting for me..

"Hmm?"

When I was taking a detour through the park for children to get home earlier than usual, I saw a certain scene..

There were three guys with our school's uniform yelling and kicking down a boy wearing glasses..

That uniform..

What the boy was wearing had the crest of another magic academy, I think..

But, I never saw that crest before, so I was curious..

Never mind that, the kid was being bullied just because he was from another school. I could understand how people from our school looks down on the other academies since ours was reigning top, but this was ridiculous..

I automatically assumed that the kid was innocent, and I rushed into the fray..

"Oi, stop it you guys, he didn't do anything wrong!"

I shout towards the proud-looking bullies while stretching out my arms covering the boy's body from harm..

"Ah, what's with you kid? I'm your senior you know? Why are you protecting a brat from another school, huh?!?"

Scary..

The guy's face was tanned with blonde hair, with an annoyed look on his face. His lackeys were smaller in stature but had their chests puffed out, further displaying their arrogance towards the weak..

No, I must protect the weak. No matter how much I was scared..

So, I didn't mind them and turned around, towards the beaten up student..

"Are you okay, can you stand up?"

I said, while offering my hand towards him..

Just when I did that..

"Oi, you ignoring me huh? Now you've made me mad. Let's take care of this guy too.."

"Aye boss!"

"Sure thing boss!"

I suddenly felt a kick towards my back..

Ah, I forgot..

I was one of those people who were considered weak...

What was I thinking, going up to regular students..

I was lamenting my rash decision while they showered me with elementary level spells..

...

.................

A bit later, they got tired, and said to never let him see me again..

I was going to do that without you even asking, idiot..

Well, since it was over, I stood up and walked to the student with glasses..

He had black hair, and a plain hairstyle, making him look plain from afar, but if you look closer, he was slightly more handsome than me. Although it hurts my manly pride to admit it..

Well, it doesn't matter right now..

"Are you okay? You got beaten up real bad.."

His voice was slightly higher than a guy's but was genuinely worried about me..

"Ah, it's fine. I'm used to it anyways.."

It wasn't technically a lie anyway, from all those beatings and harassment from the proud students who looked down on me. But mostly from Ms. Yoshizawa and Airi, though those names will never leave my lips to protect my life..

So, I just tried to show a bright smile, signaling that I was okay..

"That doesn't matter, what does is the fact that are you okay? Can you stand up?"

With my hand outstretched for the second time, I grab his delicate? hands and pull him up..

"Alright, I think you're fine now. Don't be wandering around these parts next time alright?"

Just when I was saying my goodbyes, a different voice reached my ears..

"Fufu, you've impressed me, human. As thanks, I will give you the solution to your problems. I know that you will not use it for evil based on how you helped a total stranger out of nowhere. Rejoice, for you are the next [Progenitor]"

With a different expression than before, the kid with black hair was standing in front of me, with all his wounds gone, and he took off his glasses, revealing a wide grin and golden eyes..

"Eh...."

I was dumbfounded by the situation, so I couldn't react to what he did next..

*Poke*

His finger suddenly stretched out and touched my forehead..

"The contract is done, may you both find what you're looking for. Until we meet again, 7th Progenitor.."

After the kid said that, I experienced intense pain from my head, and blanked out..

"Fumu, so you are my host..."

A deep voice resounded in my ever-dimming consciousness..