Yuta was pushed through physical training while being manipulated by Naoya, and once he was exhausted, he'd endure sorcery lectures from Rika while being doused in perfume. Then, as soon as his body finished healing, he'd jump straight into practical sparring with his classmates.
After continuing this lifestyle for a full month, even the formerly shut-in, gloomy Yuta Okkotsu—the guy who'd been held back a year—was starting to look fairly well-polished.
Furthermore, since Rika had somehow managed to lower the frame rate requirements to operate Projection Sorcery, Yuta had recently become capable of limited high-speed combat.
To be specific, Yuta had been trained to the point where he could hold his own in a match against a lightly holding-back Maki. Today, he was once again engaged in a sparring session with her.
"I... I give up!"
"Right, good work. Honestly, you're really starting to get the hang of this, Yuta."
"No, I was completely demolished again today..."
Despite his words, Maki looked down at the slumped Yuta with a slight smile of approval. It was obvious she had plenty of energy to spare and hadn't been going all out, but considering she was the strongest student in terms of physical combat, it was only natural for a beginner like Yuta to end up this way.
Even while holding back, Maki was someone capable of tearing a person apart with her bare hands. The fact that Yuta could even sustain a fight against her meant he deserved plenty of praise.
"Maki is like a monster made by combining a grizzly bear, a gorilla, a lion, and a tiger without ever dividing the power, you know? The fact that you survived with all your limbs intact is impressive enough, Yuta."
"Oh, hey, Panda. Are you next for sparring? Get ready, because I'm going to get a little serious."
"I get a death sentence just for stating facts!?"
"Salmon, rolled omelet."
"Ahaha... Maki really is amazing... I have to work harder too. Especially with the 'Binding Vow' and everything."
"Oh, right. Isn't the current plan to try the reverse approach and make the vow with Rika even stronger to stabilize things? Or something like that? I only heard it secondhand, so I don't know the details," Panda said.
"Yeah. Naoya and Mai suggested it, and told me I have to decide. Whether to exorcise Rika... or to make the curse even stronger. Honestly, I can't make up my mind."
"It sounds like Naoya has a plan for strengthening the curse, so the rest is up to you, right? It's a matter between you and Rika, so it's not really something we should poke our noses into, Panda."
"Salmon, salmon. Burdock root tempura."
As the four first-years chatted, they were approached by a rather unexpected pair.
"Yo, first-years. You guys working hard? You're the white-clad one, Yuta Okkotsu, right?"
"Oh? Kinji! What are you doing here?"
"Hey, Panda. I got caught using missions as an excuse to skip class and go to the parlor by the old man Yaga and Professor Sakata. They were lecturing me until just a second ago."
"They found out Kin-chan was running an underground gambling ring, so it took forever... Professor Sakata literally struck us with lightning..."
"Wait, Kirara, you got lectured too?"
"Well, joint responsibility with Kin-chan. I was helping with the ring after all... Anyway, they told us to look after Okkotsu. 'Try acting like upperclassmen for once,' they said. But since Kin-chan and I are basically delinquents, we weren't sure what to do."
The ones speaking to Panda were the second-years, Kinji Hakari and Kirara Hoshi. Coming from non-sorcerer families, they had entered the college from the high school level, and since the school was residential, everyone except Yuta was well-acquainted and on good terms.
Yuta, of course, knew almost nothing about them.
"U-Um, nice to meet you. I'm Yuta Okkotsu. And you are...?"
"...Hmm. You lack a bit of presence, but you've got a decent 'fever' in you. I don't hate it. Nice to meet you, Okkotsu."
"Fever? What do you mean?"
"Yeah. See, I love gambling. Life is always double or nothing. How much passion you can pour into changing your life determines whether you win or lose the gamble of existence. And you... you have the same scent as Naoya, Okkotsu. That man is incredible. He bets his entire life and just keeps winning big. I'm thinking you might be that kind of person too... well, we'll find out once we trade some blows, won't we?"
"Kin-chan, Kin-chan, Yuta looks like the type who got bullied, so saying it like that is just going to freak him out. Anyway, Yuta, what Kin-chan is trying to say is that he wants to spar once. Sorry, but just go along with it."
"Y-Yes, okay... um..."
"Oh, me? I'm Kirara Hoshi. Nice to meet you."
"Yuta, Yuta, just so you know, Kirara is a guy despite looking like that. I know the details. I saw him in the bath shortly after we enrolled last year."
"Hey, Panda! Don't go spreading perverted stuff like that!"
Kirara scolded Panda while Kinji was already rolling his shoulders, full of spirit for the match.
The training session with the two second-years had appeared out of nowhere, suddenly blocking Yuta's path.
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