Chapter 79: Average is meaningless

“Ishud, would you let me join your training sessions as well?”

After all the classes were over, it was after school.

Knowing that Ishud and Gulf were training after school and on holidays, Ibuki bowed her head and asked if she could participate in their training.

“Sure, that’s great!”

“…”

“Th-Thank you!!”

Ishud immediately agreed to Ibuki’s request.

There was someone who wore a slightly dissatisfied expression at Ishud’s prompt acceptance.

(As I expected, it’s still frustrating no matter how you look at it.)

When Michela joined Ishud and the others for training, she had to treat them to a meal at a fancy restaurant, equivalent to one meal’s worth.

Of course, this was because Michela had snapped at them when they first met.

At that moment, Michela was simply interested in the strength of the Regula family’s members.

So, if it’s in a form where she requests to fight with him… Ishud felt a sense of amusement thinking, “So there are young ladies like this,” and didn’t come demanding anything when asking to participate in training.

In reality, many students are interested in the training of the Regulas.

They wonder if there might be secrets hidden in the training sessions that will make them stronger.

However, most students once mocked Ishud… the Regulas.

Even if something appropriate were prepared, it’s not certain that Ishud would accept it willingly.

“Come to think of it, are the ones participating in Ishud’s training always the same members?”

“Well, there were various things at the beginning of school~”

“It felt like they were thoroughly crushed, crushed, and utterly crushed. Now they’ve become quiet, or rather, they had no choice but to become quiet. Well, in the first place, it’s a question of whether they would participate.”

Gulf made it to the top eight in the fierce battle festival, while Michela lost to Philip but reached the top four.

Philip emerged as the champion of the year’s fierce battle festival.

Setting aside Ishud’s exceptional abilities as a student, there are hardly any students who can match up to them… especially not among their peers.

Ishud doesn’t deny the possibility that there may be hidden talents among the students, but they don’t actively seek them out.

“Well then, shall we start lightly?”

After finishing the warm-up exercises, the training began promptly.

However, most of the activities involved simulated battles.

When sparring with members other than Ishud, wooden weapons were used, but if Ishud was the opponent, real swords were used.

“Good job, Ibuki. How was it fighting with all three of them?”

After everyone had finished fighting each other once, it was time for a break.

It’s true that the real challenge starts when you’re tired, but Ishud thought it would be a waste of time to collapse from exhaustion.

※ Fighting to fully demonstrate one’s abilities is a separate matter.

“They’re not at Ishud’s level, but all three of them are exceptionally high-level. Honestly, until before studying abroad… I was a bit arrogant.”

“Hahaha!! Well, can’t blame you for that, can we? I mean, it’s clear that they’re all at that level of strength.”

Having left the territory where he was born and raised, Ishud had begun to understand the average level of society. 

He had also come to understand the strength of those who become arrogant, thinking they’re geniuses or monsters, and considering everyone else as weaklings, based on how strong they are.

“It’s appreciated when you say that. Personally… no, it’s hard to say who’s better or worse. I was particularly surprised by Gulf mastering fighting spirit.”

There are individuals in Yamato who have mastered fighting spirit, but they are still not numerous.

“But even before that, his combat style hasn’t been clearly established yet… the fact that it hasn’t been established yet is quite frightening.”

“Yeah. He’s my top pick.”

“As for Philip… he’s the type I struggle against the most.”

“Max difficulty in fighting, huh.”

His actions, behavior, and attitude are all frivolous.

Regarding those aspects, Ibuki doesn’t pay much attention to them.

Ishud is a similar type, but he doesn’t feel any aversion.

Even though their actions and attitudes may be frivolous, Ibuki knows that they don’t generally look down on or insult others, so there’s nothing to dislike about them as people.

Moreover… in reality, they have the ability to win the tournament that determines the strongest of the first-years.

So, there wasn’t any additional reason for Ibuki to dislike them.

“I felt Michela’s strength lies in her rapid dual-sword strikes. Yamato also has such styles, but… that’s not within the domain of me, my brother, or the samurai.”

“When you put it that way… could it be! The domain of ninjas!!”

“W-well, yes… Ishud really does know a lot about Yamato.”

“I’d be glad to hear that from someone from Yamato. But, yeah… using two weapons already gives her more moves than others. And, Michela is relatively strong, so she’s been getting faster with her swordplay lately, though it’s still a bit recent.”

Ishud seems crazy, but not foolishly so.

He keeps track of how the three of them, who spar with each other every day, are growing.

“Hey hey, you two. What are you talking about?”

“What does Ibuki think of the three of us?”

“That sounds scary. Well, I’m not interested.”

“…You understand yourself well.”

“I don’t have tactics like Gulf does, going all out in attacks, or like Michela, unleashing rapid successive strikes to win!”

(Philip’s good at hiding his intentions, just like him~)

What Philip told Ibuki about himself… wasn’t entirely inaccurate.

However, he didn’t mention that his combat sense and strategies are one or two steps ahead of the other two.

“Still, I lost for now~ Hey, Ishud. Shouldn’t you be Ibuki’s opponent… isn’t the President a suitable choice?”

“President…??? The head of the school?”

“The official title is Student Council President. They’re like the one who leads the students, or something like that. They’re one of the three I fought in the special matches of the fierce battle festival.”

“Hmm, that’s certainly an intriguing person.”

“Oh, really? Then maybe we should go say hi after training.”

About two hours later, Ishud and the others headed to the President’s office without an appointment, while the officers were busy working.

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