Chapter 13: Delinquent Vs Rank - A

After their regular bath, Ryuji and Yumiko joined practice; after five days, even the most unfit students saw slight improvements, making them more enthusiastic about trying.

However, Ryuji noticed the hero party had come to their training grounds. He immediately noticed the lovely blonde with azure eyes drawing his attention.

'Why did she seem so polite and nice to me?'

"All right, everyone, good work on the warm-up. It's time for the daily sparring session; make sure not to hold back, as the enemy will never do so."

Ryuji noticed that even Alan's attitude towards lower heroes became less abusive and supportive of the weakest members.

'Maybe it's because they are trying harder?'

"I wonder why the hero party brought that old knight?" Yumiko muttered as she sat on Ryuji's thigh, as if natural.

Their actions changed the longer they spent together; even when eating, they would share food and drinks without noticing, causing many of their fellow heroes to feel lonely.

"Oh? Isn't he one of the knight commanders? I am sure he's close to that council."

"If it isn't Lord Alan!" the old man with a handlebar moustache said in a deep, overpowering voice.

"Lord Qwass... Is there anything I can do for you?"

Alan seemed to struggle to deal with this person. Ryuji instantly felt tension and rejection from his gaze; years of spending time with his parents and their dark line of work made him sensitive to these feelings.

Lord Qwass was Alan's enemy and likely the same type of person as Ryuji's father.

'An ambitious man who will use any means to rise further.'

"Of course, I heard from a reliable source that you would send a hero from this group to help the knights train tomorrow. I thought it was a little..."

"It is Idiotic to trust such weak heroes who will never face the demon lord with this task. Thus, I brought my star pupils to face the hero for the spot."

"That's foolish! He has earned the spot, and they have already arranged everything!"

Alan seemed angry, Ryuji thought while watching him bite his lower lip and clench his fists while visibly shaking.

"Hmmm... maybe it's about money? Then how about I pay the hero to learn his place and take a step back? How much is he being paid, ten silver? fifteen?"

Lord Qwass felt a little too overconfident, his hair dyed black with a thick beard while wearing a noble outfit instead of Alan's armour to train the heroes.

Qwass didn't care for the heroes.

The heroes were just tools for the kingdom.

"One silver, that is all he asked." Alan's tone sounded as if it was a ridiculous number, making Qwass's eyes bulge as he choked on his drink.

"Ah?! One Silver?! That's so small; maybe he doesn't understand the amount usually paid. Haha, such foolish humans dare to enter the dungeon."

'Too arrogant.' Ryuji thought as he stood up, feeling that there was an undeniable need to put this cocky bastard in his place, not that he could do anything about Lord Qwass himself, but since he wanted to challenge him with a hero.

Ryuji would fight. He wasn't a coward. He felt Yumiko's ear hand against his, gently gripping it before standing on the stage beside Alan.

"I don't understand why you think you are worthy of judging my choice of payment; send out your hero, and the winner can take the spot." Ryuji's voice was more husky than usual, and his eyes were narrow, giving the impression of a grim reaper.

He didn't show the respectful gaze or tone as he did with Alan, but the icy chill caused many to feel a moment of fear.

"Kya... Ryuji is so sexy when he's mad!" Yumiko couldn't help but get excited at the slightest changes in her emotions; this was the simplicity and honesty of the beastmen.

"Hoho! This is the one?!"

"Yes..." Alan replied with a smirk on his lips.

Lord Qwass had been tormenting him for years, acting as an advisor to the king.

Despite Alan being family, their rank stopped him from speaking out, while Lord Qwass used his influence to crush many minor nobles working for the kingdom but would outshine him, and thus, he crushed them.

"I wondered which trash I would fight, but it's just a thug with a nasty pair of eyes. Idiot, I will show you the difference between trash and a Rank-A hero!"

Haruki Tanaka, a level ten holy knight and soccer captain, stepped onto the duelling platform with a steel longsword and shield.

What made Ryuji confused was that Erika looked at him with concern, not Haruki; when she mouthed, 'Be careful', Ryuji couldn't help but speak back in his more extroverted mode because of anger, 'If I win, let's have dinner together.'

Erika's face turned red as she looked around and nodded, causing Yumiko to tilt her head. She felt a strange sensation in her chest but could not ask as the two knights started the fight.

However, his actions made the holy knight jealous when he saw the girl he loved now blushing after speaking to Ryuji.

"You bastard!"

"Both of you, get ready to fight!"

"Prepare for battle; after three, you may start!"

"Die!" Haruki charged forward without hesitation; he believed Ryuji was trash compared to him, as he was the holy knight who would save the world and marry the princess.

Yet the moment he swung his sword, Ryuji moved with incredible speed. No, rather than speed, he moved with knowledge, technique and skill because he knew Haruki was faster; he focused on the movement of his muscles and dodged before the slash came out.

In his mind, Ryuji analysed every muscle contraction, bone shift, and position, thanks to his insane perception skills, which his relentless mother had trained him in from the age of five. To Ryuji, this was bonding.

This training was his mother's way of showing her deep affection and care for him. The harsh training is beyond an average human; it is as if his mother was training him not for his former world but for this one!

"Eh?!" Haruki froze as Ryuji avoided the attack, then swept his feet with the pole of his axe, landing several kicks to Haruki's face as he fell.

Because of their differences in attributes, the damage wasn't severe. Ryuji just busted Haruki's lip and his nose, which showed Ryuji's discipline after he stopped and took a stance two metres away.

"Huh?" Haruki coughed up blood; he never expected Ryuji to dodge and counterattack him, mainly because the stats and classes were completely different. "You cheating bastard!"

Yet the moment he stood up, Ryuji slammed the axe pole into Haruki's leg, causing him to kneel.

"Watch your language, boy." Ryuji's eyes seemed to glow as he spun his axe and chopped it down on Haruki's shoulder.

With Ryuji's strength, the sharpness of his axe, and the holy knight's defence, Haruki screamed in pain. However, dealing damage to the holy knight was almost impossible.

However, Alan shouted out, "Stop!"

Qwass looked furious and disappointed; seeing his pupil defeated by Ryuji in less than twenty seconds, he pointed at Ryuji. "Cheater! Trash, how dare you hurt my pupil!"

Alan snorted and pulled Ryuji away while Qwass dragged Haruki off the stage to heal his wounds.

"Thanks, Lord Qwass is always a troublesome guy," Alan whispered with a laugh while Ryuji winked at Erika, which caused her to blush and chase after Lord Qwass despite him beating the hero so effortlessly. Her face showed a beaming smile.

Meanwhile, Yumiko looked like someone slapped her with her tail fluffed out and hitting the ground as she watched Erika vanish.

A whisper sounded in Ryuji's ears as he calmed down, returning to his usual self.

"Good luck, young man! That there is a tigress!"

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