The Survival of the Third-rate Villain

A few days passed quietly...

Everyone was doing their own thing. The training grounds were lively each morning, filled with students running, sparring, and casting spells to hone their control.

They were all getting ready for the new semester.

Professors were seen giving pointers, monitoring, or scolding the lazy ones. Trying to motivate them to improve.

After all, the professors knew things would be harder soon...

Raye knew that too.

So, he trained harder than ever.

Especially now that he has a goal to help Old Man Rey.

Swoosh—!

BZZT!

CRACK—!

Electric bolts danced in the air around Raye's body as he hovered slightly off the ground. With both of his arms outstretched, he manipulated a heavy boulder midair using [Telekinesis] while spinning shards of metal around him in a circular formation.

He was multitasking.

Blue sparks of lightning crawled on his arms, then zipped through the shards, making them vibrate. He was experimenting, combining the electric attribute he learned from Ramiel with the [Telekinesis] spell taught to him by the Headmaster.

He was trying to make a floating lightning trap.

It was hard—absurdly hard.

But not impossible.

His mana pool became bigger, but it was still not infinite like the main characters. Raye was covering that up by improving his control to lessen the usage of it. So even things that would've drained him dry before, now… they were manageable.

And yet, Raye didn't overdo it. He wasn't careless.

He trained, studied his limitations, and improved every day.

He was improving much much slower, even slower when he first got into this world... But that didn't stop him.

He still trained everyday!

...Though training wasn't everything for him now.

Every afternoon, no matter how tired or busy he was, Raye would stop what he was doing—clean himself up, wear something nice...

"Hello!"

"Hi."

And meet Jerusha.

They went out to eat together.

Every day.

No exceptions.

He didn't care how much it cost. He had more than enough gold now, and even if he didn't, he would've still gone. Jerusha was someone he wanted to spend his time with.

Their meals weren't extravagant all the time either. Sometimes they just shared coffee, cake, or local snacks. But they'd talk, laugh, and enjoy the peace.

Sometimes Pyro and Zephyrus would tag along, especially when Raye promised to buy them cake again.

And every day too—they visited Old Man Rey.

They would sit quietly by his bedside, talking about their day, updating him on what was going on, hoping that maybe... just maybe... he could hear them.

But through the days that had passed... He still didn't show any sign of waking up.

*****

After that— Back at the cabin, training resumed.

-Gaaaaaahhh!

Pyro shouted as he fired a burst of fire from his mouth, panting right after. The fire he blasted was bigger than the cabin.

-Huff... huff... again!

He gritted his teeth and went for another round.

Zephyrus floated calmly above, controlling wind blades in the air that was sharper than mana-coated swords, his eyes sharp and focused. He was no longer the clumsy little puffball from before.

And Raye? He trained with them too.

Sometimes he would spar against both of them at once. Other times, he taught Pyro magic control.

Though, he can't teach anything to Zephyrus because he doesn't really need it, he was more knowledgeable than him, to be honest.

And also, Jerusha would come back to the cabin with them... and she helped as well.

Especially when it came to spirit control and stability—she was a natural in that field. Not just a genuis, but a monster.

Pyro loved it. He kept clinging to her when she praised him.

Zephyrus pretended he didn't care, but he floated a little closer to her whenever she gave out tips.

Everything was progressing.

The group grew stronger.

...

...

*****

A couple more days passed.

And finally—

The results of the assessment test were posted.

A large crowd gathered in front of the [Xapham Hall], students pushing and craning their necks to see the paper stuck on the giant enchanted board. It was glowing, rotating names as if on a screen.

"Is it up already?!"

"Move! I can't see!"

"Who's first?!"

The students exclaimed.

Then—

Raye, Jerusha, Devin, Lycus, Lena, Sofia, Leon, Allen, and Aria arrived not long after.

"Ah!"

"They're here!"

The moment they got there, the crowd made way.

People glanced at Raye and his group with mixed expressions—admiration, envy, awe.

After all, they already knew who was going to be at the top.

Still, they all looked up, reading the names together—

=====

[TOP RANKINGS — 3rd Year Assessment]

1st — Raye Alvah

2nd — Leon Lightbringer

3rd — Lycus Fenrath

4th — Lena Dravenhart

5th — Devin Dustin

6th — Allen Iverson

...

...

10th — Aria Themis

19th — Sofia Vergara

=====

"..."

"Damn."

"That's crazy…"

"I expected Raye and Leon to be the top two, but I didn't think it'd be this close."

"I heard they were equal in their fight."

"Dude, Raye jumped from [B+] to [S-] in two months. That's not just growth. That's freakin' evolution!"

"Monsters... all of them."

The students kept whispering.

Meanwhile, Raye just glanced at the board, then shrugged.

"Told you you'd be number one."

Jerusha whispered to him with a smile.

"Haha, thanks."

Raye replied, smiling back.

Just then, Devin tapped him by the shoulder.

"Well, you better treat us next time we go to the cabin. You're number one now."

Lycus laughed.

"Yeah, that's a good idea."

Raye squinted his eyes.

"Eh, sure, whatever."

Then he just answered with that.

"Hmm..."

Allen spoke up, crossing his arms.

"Seeing it officially written like this... makes it feel more real."

Lena nodded.

"Agreed. I don't usually care about rankings, but this year felt different."

Then they all turned to look at Leon, who had been silently staring at the board.

"...What?"

Leon asked with an awkward smile.

"You're not salty about being second? You just got the first place last year from Lena, and now Raye already took it."

Devin teased.

Though at his words— Leon just chuckled.

"Raye beat me. That's all there is to it."

"Hmm, you're really something."

Lycus muttered. His respect to Leon just increased greatly.

Then, at that moment—

"Anyway, it's just one assessment. There's still time."

Leon added, hinting that he could still steal back the first place.

"True."

Allen said.

"I can still try next time."

He added, feeling competitive.

But it was not just him, really... Lena, Devin, and Lycus of course. They want to dethrone Raye for some reason.

And knowing what's on their mind, Raye just smiled smugly and brushed his shoulders.

"Next time... I'll do better."

He said, hinting that he still hasn't show them his full strength.

The group were about to retort back to him_

When, all of a sudden—

SWOOSH—

Another part of the board lit up.

An announcement appeared right after the ranking:

=====

[ANNOUNCEMENT]

Tomorrow — A Grand Ceremony will be held.

Location: Ceremony Room of Xapham Hall

Purpose: Rewarding and Important Announcement.

Attendees: All Four Prestigious Academies

Mandatory for All Students.

=====

"Whoa..."

"No way... all four academies? The other three are here again?"

"It's tomorrow already?!"

Everyone's attention was drawn to the new notice.

Jerusha blinked.

"Hmm, that's a bit of a sudden."

Lycus looked intrigued.

"I wonder if they all got stronger too."

He was pertaining to the students they met from the other academies before.

"Hmm, are we going to fight them again...?"

Leon added, curious.

"I'm in if that's the case."

Devin smiled.

"..."

"..."

Allen and Lena didn't say anything, but they were thinking the same thing as the others.

"..."

Raye just stood there quietly. His expression calm... but his eyes were sharp.

'So this is it...'

The latter part of the game is about to begin.

"Tomorrow... will change everything."

Raye whispered to himself.