Chapter 146: New Semester

Summer vacation had ended at the Hero Academy. The second semester was about to begin today.

The most important class from the previous semester, Practical Combat Training, had now been upgraded to Practical Combat Training II. It now carried even greater weight in both importance and grades. Except for minor sparring lessons and basic physical conditioning, nearly ninety percent of a student’s grade for the semester hinged on this single class. Appropriately, it was scheduled five days a week, Monday through Friday, filling the calendar to the brim.

And so arrived the very first day of Practical Combat Training II, a class on which the futures of every cadet practically depended. Class C’s lecture hall, packed wall-to-wall with cadets, was silent. Not a single student dared skip the opening session.

The doors opened, and in stepped a towering man with the aura of a prowling beast.

It was Professor Kane, the professor in charge of the Warrior Division and also Class C’s Practical Combat Training.

His sharp, predatory gaze swept over the room. “Let’s see here... Surely, no one was dumb enough to skip today?”

It went without saying that there wasn’t a cadet alive foolish enough to miss Professor Kane’s very first class of the new semester.

His eyes landed on me. “Dale, did you have a good vacation?”

“Yes, sir. A very fruitful one.”

It wasn’t an empty reply. If I looked at only the results, this vacation had been nothing short of extraordinary, almost like I had stumbled across several rare opportunities in quick succession.

Yurina had grown at a terrifying pace, proving that the word genius fit her without exaggeration. Berald had not only improved his skills but also inherited the Legacy of the Iron Fist, achieving explosive growth. Camilla had steadied her wavering heart and firmly chosen her path forward. Iris had dramatically enhanced her mastery over the Seven Eyes by casting large-scale holy magic through the use of offerings. Even Jules, who had joined our training after the summer break, had achieved remarkable progress.

I wasn’t an exception either. Before the break, my failure to control Blazing Fire had burned down an entire dormitory, a painful mistake. But now, I had finally reached the point where I could wield it in actual combat.

So, yes. It was a vacation far more rewarding than I had ever expected. I couldn’t help but smile in satisfaction.

Professor Kane continued, “Well, well. You even got to spend time at the Celestial Resort. Must’ve been so fulfilling you’re about ready to burst.”

“Wait, how did you know about that, sir?” I asked.

“Professor Baldwin wouldn’t stop bragging about it. Even when I had absolutely no interest, she forced me to hear every detail.”

“Ah!”

She had already run her mouth to Professor Kane.

Professor Kane glared at me with bloodshot eyes, a truly terrifying sight. “

Hahaha

! Some of us were stuck here all summer, buried in supplementary classes, while others were off enjoying their youth, forgetting the passage of time!”

He ground his teeth. “I’m so god damn jea— disappointed! A hero cadet, frittering away your break on fun and games instead of training like you should!”

I looked at him. “Professor?”

He continued staring at me. “I also wanted to— A hero’s duty is to place discipline and self-cultivation above all else! Always! Everywhere!”

I was speechless, as he kept rambling on. Also, it seemed his inner

thoughts were leaking out more than they should have.

“I hope this damned world goes to hell— Don’t forget that you are first and foremost a hero, Dale!”

Watching him spit fire with those bloodshot eyes, I couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for him.

Next time, I should probably invite him along too.

Finally, he let out a long breath. “Anyway. I trust everyone made good use of their summer.”

He scanned the cadets, his lips twisting into a sharp grin. “But that ends today. This semester will be crammed with classes so brutal you won’t even be able to compare them to last term. Brace yourselves.”

The weight of his words hardened every face in the room.

His smile widened as he looked over the anxious cadets. “

Heh

. Don’t look so scared. I’m not planning to crush you all on the very first day. Instead... Since it’s the start of the new semester, why don’t we have Class C’s representative cadet step forward and share their resolve for the term?”

The room buzzed at the words representative cadet. The academy was divided into six classes, A through F, and each class had about eighty cadets. Everyone was curious about who would carry the title of Class C’s representative. In Class A, it would be Yuren Helios, no doubt. But Class C was home to particularly distinctive individuals.

Camilla Vediche, the candidate for the next Sword of the Holy Empire; Iris, the revered Saintess of the Holy Empire; and I, Dale Han, the so-called last place hero whose reputation had skyrocketed since last semester. Among such notable names, the cadet chosen as representative was someone unexpected.

“Well then.” Professor Kane motioned with a casual wave toward a freckled boy with a slightly dopey expression. “Albert. Step forward.”

Albert, who had been lounging comfortably with a look that screamed, “

No way he’ll pick me,”

leaped from his seat in shock.

“WHYYYY? Why is it me again?” Unwilling to accept his fate this time, he slammed his desk and shouted, “Isn’t the representative supposed to be the top cadet from the previous semester?”

“You earned a diamond token in the final evaluation, didn’t you?” replied the professor.

“T-that was just me riding on my party members’ coattails!”

Professor Kane said, “

Hooh!

Outstanding grades, and humble to boot! Truly the mark of a worthy representative.”

Albert clutched his hair, thrashing in despair. “GAAAHHHH!”

His eyes darted desperately around the room until they landed on Iris and Camilla. “W-wouldn’t Iris or Camilla be far more fitting as representatives than someone like me?”

Professor Kane asked, “

Oh

? Are you trying to pass the responsibility on to the Saintess and the future Sword of the Holy Empire?”

Albert was on the verge of tears. “N-no! That’s not what I meant!”

Suddenly, he brightened as if struck by a brilliant idea. He spun toward me. “Y-yeah! Dale! Didn’t Dale get the top score in the final evaluations?”

Professor Kane narrowed his sharp eyes. “Albert. Do you really think it makes sense to let an idiot who’s been suspended three times serve as the class representative?”

“Why? Why are you only logical at times like this?”

Thus, Albert was dragged up to the podium by Professor Kane, looking like a prisoner being led to execution. Every cadet’s eyes turned toward him.

Albert, suddenly thrust into the role of representative, stammered with a face pale as a sheet. “

Uh!

S-so, what I mean is... This semester... The classes will be even harsher. Some of us may get badly hurt. Some... may even lose their lives.”

His voice trembled, but he pushed on. “Some people might think it’s unfair. That we’re forced to risk our lives just because we were born with a soul stigmata, that we’ve been stripped of the right to live as ordinary people, forced to walk the path of heroes. Some of you might even believe heroes aren’t needed anymore. After all, it’s been five hundred years since the Great Five Heroes sealed away the Demon God.”

He continued, “However, last year alone, inside the Empire, 2,551 people were killed by demons and demonic monsters. That’s just the official number. The real count is far, far higher. Even now, in places unseen, or perhaps in places we don’t want to see, countless lives are being lost. Professor Kane told us we don’t need to protect humanity or save the world. But I see it differently. I believe power comes with responsibility.”

Albert placed a hand over the soul stigmata carved into his chest. “If we were born carrying the blessing of the gods, then we can’t turn away from the people who need us.”

He paused, then smiled faintly at me. “Someone once told me this: no matter how small or useless we feel, each of us has a role. Even if it’s frightening, exhausting, and painful. Even if your knees are shaking in terror. Even if you want nothing more than to run away. Let’s not forget: we are heroes.”

When Albert’s speech ended, silence fell over the lecture hall. The stillness broke as applause rang out. It spread, growing louder and louder, until the room thundered with it.

Cheers and whistles erupted from every corner of the class

“Damn, Albert! I didn’t know you had it in you!”

“Listen to him trying to act cool.”

“

Argh

, that was so cheesy my hands and feet are curling! You better take responsibility, Albert!”

Throughout Albert’s speech, Professor Kane had been standing nearby, arms folded, watching quietly. Now he let out a low chuckle, his mouth curving into a satisfied grin. “As I thought... My judgment was not wrong.”

“

Oh

, come on. You only did this to mess with him,” someone said.

“Now he wants to brag about his keen eye? What a joke,” I muttered softly.

Ignoring my remark, Professor Kane strode to the podium, clapped a meaty hand on Albert’s shoulder, and grinned widely. “That was an excellent speech, Albert!”

Albert gave an awkward smile, wincing under the professor’s crushing grip, and let out a sigh of relief. “

Phew!

Well, at least it’s over. Somehow, I managed to get through it. When I first stood up there, my heart was about to burst out of my chest, but I made it.”

“You did more than ‘make it.’ That was a truly impressive speech.”

“

Haha!

Thank you, Professor.”

“

Heh

. I’ll be counting on you next time, too.”

“Yes, next ti—” Albert’s eyes bulged, and he whipped his head around to stare at Professor Kane. “Wait. Next time?”

The professor ignored him and bellowed toward the class instead, saying, “

Hahaha

! Our Class C representative will be Albert Hoover! Nobody has any objections, right?”

The cadets agreed.

“Yes, sir!”

“Of course not!”

They clapped and cheered with wild enthusiasm. A chorus of praise filled the room.

“Congrats, Albert!”

“You’re the perfect representative!”

“We believe in you, Albert!”

In contrast to them, Albert stood frozen, face ashen, staring at Professor Kane in horror. “W-wait, Professor! What do you mean? Wasn’t this supposed to be just a one-time thing?”

Professor Kane replied, “That was my plan, but after such a stirring speech, how could I resist? From now on, you’ll be our representative!”

“Noooooooo!!!”

Albert’s screams echoed as Professor Kane strode briskly out of the classroom, saying, “I’ll be submitting it as a formal proposal to the faculty meeting!”

And thus, under the fading summer sun of early September, a new semester began.