“How can this be?”

Hearing Roy’s words, Stella instinctively felt it was impossible.

Although a Mage knight’s rank didn’t represent their absolute strength, it generally accounted for the vast majority of it.

If Ikki were a C-Rank or even a D, Stella could believe it was possible for him to be among the Top Ten.

But F? That was the absolute rock bottom.

Being rated as an F meant his mana capacity was essentially no different from that of a normal human.

“An F-Rank having the strength to rank in the top 10, or even the top 5 of Hagun Academy… isn’t that a bit too absurd? Is his Noble art incredibly special?” Out of her growing trust in Roy, Stella chose to entertain the idea.

She figured Roy wasn’t the type to spout baseless nonsense.

“Ah… my noble art is just the most standard physical enhancement,” Ikki smiled awkwardly. “And I’ve never officially participated in the academy’s ranking battles, so I really shouldn’t be ranked that high.”

“Roy wouldn’t lie. If it’s just basic physical enhancement, it’s impossible to be that strong. You must have some kind of secret,” Stella said, staring intensely at Ikki.

Physical enhancement was the most fundamental ability of any Blazer. As long as a person had mana, they could use it to boost their physical stats.

With Stella’s massive mana capacity, she could casually enhance her physique five or six times over without breaking a sweat.

“I sparred with Ikki under the chairwoman’s supervision, so I know his true strength,” Roy explained with an easy smile.

“Ikki’s mana is indeed rock bottom, but that doesn’t stop him from being an absolute monster in actual combat.”

Both Stella and Alice looked at Ikki with surprise, making the humble guy look deeply embarrassed.

Roy continued, “In this world, there are always geniuses who forge their own paths. Ikki’s total mana is nonexistent. So, he found another way. He compensated for his weakness through sheer skill and overtook everyone on the corners.”

“Ah… Roy is exaggerating,” Ikki laughed dryly. While he was touched that Roy was defending him so highly, it made him blush.

He couldn’t help but wonder if Roy was praising him too much.

“Am I exaggerating? Don’t you know your own STRENGTH by now?” Roy shot him a knowing smile.

Ikki could only respond with a sheepish grin.

He didn’t deny it.

Stella took a deep breath, once again realizing the hidden depths of Hagun Academy’s student body.

“Since you didn’t deny it… that means it’s exactly as Roy said. Your actual strength is terrifying.”

To reach that level of power with only that mana was an achievement that would shock anyone in the mage knight league.

“No wonder I was assigned to share a room with Ikki!” Alice suddenly chimed in, winking flirtatiously at Ikki.

“Oh my, Ikki, what should I do? I’m finding you even more A-T-T-R-A-C-T-I-V-E now!”

“That… is probably just because my room had a vacancy at the time,” Ikki forced a strained smile, desperately trying to deflect Alice’s aggressive romantic offensive.

“But if you have such incredible strength, why were you held back to repeat a year?” Stella asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

“It was due to personal reasons. Last year, the administration forbade me from participating in the practical combat classes, so I couldn’t earn enough credits to advance,” Ikki looked slightly downcast for a moment before flashing a confident smile.

“But it shouldn’t be a problem this year.”

“You were held back for such a ridiculous reason?!” Stella was outraged.

“If that’s the case, the teachers at Hagun Academy are completely incompetent!”

“That’s exactly why the Chairwoman was replaced this term. The new Chairwoman is a true warrior who values personal strength above all else,” Alice explained with a smile.

“Under the League’s currentevaluation system, there is no way to accurately gauge Ikki’s true combat power. However, the new Chairwoman isn’t the type of person to rigidly abide by flawed rules.”

“That’s how I finally got a lifeline,” Ikki nodded gratefully.

“If there’s ever a chance, will you let me see your strength for myself?” Stella was eager to fight this guy.

She was a true warrior at heart. Her primary reason for traveling thousands of miles to study in Japan was to cross swords with the strong.

“Sure,” Ikki smiled honestly. Stella was Roy’s roommate and, by extension, a new friend.

The next day, near the campus gates.

Because he now had a roommate, Roy couldn’t sleep in.

He had accompanied Stella to get up early for morning exercises.

Along the way, they happened to bump into Ikki and Alice doing their own morning routine, and the two groups merged.

Though…

While walking..

Roy and Ikki looked perfectly fine, hardly breaking a sweat, while Stella and Alice were bent over, panting like they were at death’s door.

“Haa… haa…”

Stella gasped for air, her vision swimming. In a trance-like state of exhaustion, she finally crested the slope, stumbled over to Roy, and nearly collapsed onto the grass.

She had tied hair into a high ponytail and wore a fitted tracksuit that perfectly highlighted her figure.

On the other side of the path, Ikki supported a trembling Alice, helping the tall maiden slowly sit down on a nearby stone bench.

Alice looked completely drained, barely able to keep his legs from giving out.

The reason for their miserable state? Stella and Alice had foolishly attempted to match Ikki’s daily workout volume.

A 20 kilometer run was just Ikki’s baseline morning routine. Refusing to admit defeat to an F rank, both Stella and Alice had forced themselves to run the entire distance.

However, this volume vastly exceeded their usual cardiovascular regimens, leaving them utterly spent.

“Why don’t you have a drink?” Ikki took out his thermos, poured a small cup and handed it to Alice.

This was the potion Roy had brewed for him. Knowing its effects on fatigue, Ikki poured a cup to help the half dead Alice restore his energy.

From her spot on the grass, Stella watched Alice accept the cup.

As Alice took a sip, his lips pressed directly against the rim of Ikki’s cup, effectively securing an indirect kiss.

For a brief moment, Stella stared at Alice in absolute awe, internally marveling at the sheer, terrifying tactical brilliance of his romantic maneuvering.

I can’t lose!

Determined not to be outdone in this unspoken game, Stella wobbled over to where they had dropped their bags.

She pulled out her own thermos, poured a cup of water, and took a sip.

Then, turning her back to ensure no one was watching her closely, she deliberately traced her lips all the way around the entire rim of the cup, making absolutely sure there were no missed spots.

“R-Roy… would you like some water?” Stella turned back around, her face flushed as she held the cup out to him.

—

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