I WAS The Rank–1 Hero-Chapter 110: Special Training [1]

Special training session; 06:00 P.M.

Location- Open training hall-II, west wing, Nova Academy

…

Standing before me was a woman dressed in navy blue jeans and a white shirt, which was tucked into her jeans. Over it, she wore a long, dark black coat. A long katana with a golden hilt was attached to her slim waist.

"You all are five minutes late!"

Her words weren't particularly loud, but paired with her intense glare, they were more than enough to freeze me in place.

"I-Is that her?" someone exclaimed, but I wasn't in any position to see who that voice belonged to.

"The world is truly cruel."

Beside me, Aria wore the same expression as me. In all honesty, she was her daughter after all, so she knew exactly how harsh her mother could be during training.

A couple of my classmates rejoiced upon realizing that a single ranker would be taking our training session.

"W-Wow, don't tell me our instructor is Madam Envy!"

"How cool…"

"I'm glad I enrolled here."

"She's so gorgeous."

That was what everyone thought of her. Seriously, it wasn't their fault. My master, Envy, had a completely different image in the outside world. She was treated as a pure, polite, calm, and lighthearted person.

At one point, I was astonished after watching one of her interviews. The way she acted there was completely different from how she behaved with me and Ruby.

I still remember that one time she was teaching me one of her advanced sword styles. She made me swing a long metal sword made of lead for thirty-six whole hours—nonstop. And that too, with one hand tied behind my back.

And that wasn't even the worst part. When I finished swinging it with one hand and asked her—

[…Master, I-It's done… Can I eat something now…?]

She just looked at me with pity, and her straightforward reply still haunts me to this day.

[Very good, now do the same with the other hand.]

[....?!]

From that day on, I named her the sadistic devil.

"...Huuu."

I shivered just remembering it. And now, here she was, standing before me, wearing that same expression as before.

But—Anna, who was standing just a few centimeters ahead of me and Aria, had the complete opposite reaction.

She turned to us, her eyes shining with excitement.

"Look, you guys! A single ranker! We're so luck—huh?"

She stopped mid-sentence after reading both mine and Aria's faces.

"…What's with those sloppy expressions?" She narrowed her eyes.

"…You too, Aria? What's with you guys?"

Looking up at Anna, I more or less understood what she was thinking. 'Did you two see a ghost?'

Yeah, I really wished it was just a ghost.

What should I do now? If I continued reacting like this, Aria might think that I already knew about her mother and her devilish training methods.

I needed to control my expression.

Shaking my head, I replied.

"Who? Me? I just feel tired."

Seeing me shake my head, Anna narrowed her eyes further.

"Is that so…"

She then turned to Aria.

"Are you feeling tired too…?"

Aria was still in shock, blankly staring into the distance while murmuring something. I had to shake her body to bring her back to her senses.

"Oi…!"

Aria blinked.

"Huh?"

"Don't 'huh' me!" Anna puffed her cheeks.

Stuttering and shaking her hands, Aria quickly composed herself.

"N-No, I'm fine, Anna… for now."

Then, she lowered her gaze once again.

Seeing her like this, Anna's lips twitched.

"Um… what does that even mean?"

But Aria didn't reply.

Confused, I followed her gaze, and the moment I did—

My entire body froze as I gulped down a large lump of saliva.

The person in question—b—was now standing right behind Anna, who was still busy poking Aria's elbow for answers.

And at that moment, I did what any sane person in my position would do—I lowered my head.

But—Anna, on the other hand, didn't seem to notice her. She kept pestering Aria, but upon noticing the change in our expressions, she tilted her head toward me.

"Why did you two go pale?"

Don't ask me!

"Why are you sweating like this? Did you see a devil?"

Indeed, it's a devil…! Now, for the love of God, please stop talking to us!

I just saw my Master's eyelid twitch slightly…

Alright, Anna is finished. Good to have known her.

I clasped my hands together and prayed in my mind.

…She was a good friend, always brimming with joy. May the gods rest her soul.

'Oi…! She's still alive, you know,' Sera scolded me.

With absolute calmness, I replied.

Not for long.

Confused, she asked, 'What…?'

I ignored her. Why can't she just read my mind?

Losing her patience, my Master, Envy, finally spoke.

"You there, Miss. Little Matchstick."

Upon hearing a familiar voice from behind, Anna flinched slightly.

"?!"

I could see sweat dripping down her forehead. Her eyes trembled as she barely managed to turn her head toward my Master.

"M-Madam Envy…" she stuttered.

Envy locked eyes with Anna, her gaze radiating an intense, chilling aura. Just one look from her could freeze anyone in place.

"In the flesh."

She seemed pissed.

BEside me Aris seemed to have the same thought as me— 'Anna… nice knowing you—RIP.'

Anna was frozen. Now she finally understood why Aria and I were acting so strangely.

Sigh…

A long sigh escaped from Envy's mouth before she continued her scolding.

"Little Matchstick," she said, addressing Anna, "do you know what I hate the most?"

"…"

Anna, however, was lost for words.

Little Matchstick?

Was that supposed to be Anna?

Envy's gaze intensified, resembling that of a hungry wolf staring at its prey.

"…I asked you something."

Anna gulped. She tried to avert her eyes from Envy, but she couldn't. It was as if she knew that the moment she looked away, it would be the last day she'd ever see this world.

Internally, I screamed at her, No matter what happens, Anna, don't you dare make her wait!!

Summoning what little strength she had left, she stuttered, "I-I'm sorry…"

Those were the only words she could manage.

Meanwhile, my classmates were all watching this scene unfold.

Knowing my Master, she would now use Anna as an example to knock some sense into everyone else—so that they'd think a million times before going against her will.

Envy, however, wasn't satisfied with Anna's answer.

"That wasn't what I asked."

"…"

"…"

Aria and I exchanged looks.

Taking a step back, Anna opened her mouth again.

"I-I was j-just asking out my friends… They both seemed pale."

She pointed her finger at us.

"Eek!"

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Both Aria and I hissed at her.

Envy's gaze drifted to Aria first, then landed on me.

"Is that so? They do seem pale…"

At this point, I was sweating buckets.

A slight devilish grin crept onto Envy's face. It lasted only a second, but I definitely saw it.

I'm fucked.

"So this little warm-up made them pale?" My Master asked, looking between Aria and me.

Envy hated when people made her wait, even for a second, so without wasting any secons, I replied.

"Not at all—!" Both Aria and I spoke in unison.

The moment we did, we exchanged glances.

Numerous chuckles and murmurs spread among the students around us, but all it took was one glare from my Master to shut them up.

She then turned her attention to them all.

"Let me make it clear for all of you first year…"

She took a brief pause, as to gather all the attention on her.

"…You all were 'just' lucky to survive that incident. If it wasn't for the single rankers and the hero 'Defender' protecting you, you all would have been turned into rotten, pulpy flesh by now."

"..."

"..."

"..."

Silence fell over the training hall. No one dared to raise a question against this. They all knew that they were just first-years and that they didn't have any means or enough training to defend themselves in a place that had next to no knowledge, even to humanity itself.

But what Envy was saying was absolutely true. It was lucky for them that the hero 'Defender' was in that fresher's party and that he also got caught in that teleportation. They were lucky that because of him and him alone, they managed to regroup and were finally found by the other single rankers.

"You have two choices." Envy stretched out one finger.

"Choice one, remain this sloppy and keep whining about how 'Oh, I'm gonna die from all this training,' attitude, and rot away in whatever noble house you belong to. Or—"

She raised a second finger.

"Choice two, train yourself to death, hone your skills to perfection, and challenge those who stand above you. Fight, survive, and grow—until your name is etched in history, not as someone who endured everything, but as someone who conquered everything."

Envy scanned each one of the faces here.

"Those who choose the first one may leave from this hellish training that I am about to give you, so choose wisely. You only got three seconds."

The clock ticked, and the seconds flew by quickly. After three, Envy scanned every face—no one seemed to move, as they all chose the second option.

Envy formed a smile and commanded,

"Very well then…"

Taking a few steps back, Envy gave her very first command.

"For today's training, all of you show me the best skill you've got."

"Eh?" My ears perked.

Is that all?

Envy continued.

"...Impress me, and as a prize, you shall get early leave every time in the future while this training session is held."

Murmurs filled the hall, as everyone now seemed excited—not for early leave, but to showcase their skill infront of a single ranker and witness everyone's skills firsthand.

I was excited too, but my reason for excitement was that 'early leave' my master promised. Now nothing will stop me from getting that prize.

'Don't do anything foolish,' Sera reminded me.

I know, I replied to her.

I don't plan on using any of my insane skills like <Paradox Invoker>, <Distortion> or anything similar, but instead, I will use only my basic Ice Elemental skill.

I still remember at the Demon Continent, I had unleashed my <Ice Field> in front of everyone, so using it here won't affect anything.

Eitherway, I don't think that after exposing these skills of mine at the Demon Continent, I'll be able to live a peaceful life at the academy now.

…So why don't I go just a little bit overboard this time?