"The Magic Sword, Scythe, is a weapon capable of projecting a high-speed, vacuum-compressed blade of wind."
Even though no one had asked her, Kodama smoothly began her live commentary for the bewildered freshmen.
"..."
Takeru stood frozen in a daze, but Suzuki observed with keen interest. He knew that this was a glimpse into the true power of this world.
Maken.
These were the tools—or rather, the divine weapons—born from the era of the gods, their lineage continuing into the modern day. Naturally, some were vastly more powerful than others. While the original god-tier weapons still existed, the vast majority of the armaments wielded by the students at Tenbi Academy were high-grade replicas. After all, the academy wouldn't simply hand over priceless mythological artifacts to a bunch of untrained freshmen who hadn't proven their loyalty or talent.
Suzuki analyzed the situation coldly. The world outside this academy was rapidly advancing. Human labor was being replaced by automated machines that were cheaper, more efficient, and didn't unionize. To survive and thrive in modern society, an individual needed a unique, irreplaceable specialty so they couldn't be easily discarded.
When Principal Minori had announced that they would spend their next three years mastering the Elements, Suzuki had internally rolled his eyes. What was the practical societal application of the Element, other than beating people up?
What else is this good for?
Worse yet, if someone brought a weapon like Kinua's Scythe into downtown Tokyo, they would be immediately arrested by a SWAT team for carrying a weapon of mass destruction.
In other words, the students trained here were destined to become shadows. They would live outside the public eye, operating in the darkness like the buried roots of a tree, while normal civilians lived in the sunshine like the leaves.
Hmm... but being a root isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Unlike the leaves that withered and fell every season, the root was absolutely essential for survival, even if it remained hidden beneath the earth.
Furthermore, while the Maken were strictly destructive weapons, Suzuki theorized that the Element itself could be highly beneficial. If properly applied, it could revolutionize healthcare, allowing practitioners to become miracle-working doctors or therapists using advanced alternative medicine.
No, wait, I'm overthinking this.
Suzuki shook his head. He didn't need to worry about solving societal problems or securing a career path. He had the Manager. With his AI-assisted intelligence, he could effortlessly excel in any conventional career he chose. He didn't need to rely on magical swords to live a wealthy, comfortable life.
"But facing an opponent wielding the Volatile Eagle, a straightforward projectile is completely meaningless," Kodama continued her explanation.
As the vacuum blade tore across the stage, Azuki leaped high into the air. With breathtaking agility, she executed a flawless 360-degree somersault, moving as freely as a bird in the open sky as Kodama explained the unique power residing within her Maken.
"She's up there!"
"What the hell is happening?!" Takeru panicked.
Kinua gritted her teeth as her attack missed. "It's over! You can't hide or dodge while you're airborne! Now it's game over for you, Azuki!"
She swung Scythe again, unleashing another massive vacuum slash aimed directly at Azuki's mid-air trajectory.
"It's over."
The crowd held its breath. The outcome seemed obvious. Unless Azuki could literally fly, there was no way for her to change direction in mid-air. She was entirely at the mercy of gravity!
"Magical Heel: Hawk!" Azuki shouted.
BOOOOM!
A sharp explosion of compressed air echoed across the stage. Defying all laws of physics, Azuki launched herself off empty space, reappearing instantly behind Kinua.
"Yes, it really is over," Kodama narrated calmly.
The one whose match was over was Kinua. Azuki's Maken granted her the terrifying ability to walk, run, and jump freely on the air itself, giving her the absolute mobility of a soaring hawk!
"Kuh!"
Kinua reacted instantly, desperately trying to bring her sword up to defend herself and launch a counter-slash. But Azuki was faster. A powerful, toned leg swept through the air, stopping just mere centimeters from Kinua's face.
"...I yield," Kinua sighed, lowering her weapon. She knew she had been completely outmaneuvered.
Despite securing a flawless victory, Azuki didn't gloat. She lowered her leg respectfully, knowing that if Kinua had anticipated the aerial maneuver, the battle could have easily gone the other way.
"That was amazing..." Takeru gasped, utterly awestruck by the impossible display of power.
Suzuki, however, felt distinctly underwhelmed by the Maken themselves.
I could easily do better.
Sure, seeing someone launch a vacuum blade or double-jump on air was visually impressive. But could it match the lethality of modern military hardware? If someone shot a sniper bullet at them from a kilometer away, could they dodge it?
Well... it's not entirely bad, though, Suzuki admitted, vigorously crossing his legs tighter to cut off the blood flow to his lower half.
The aerial acrobatics had resulted in a devastating barrage of panty shots. The way the girls' short skirts flared with every high-speed movement—exposing smooth thighs, frilly panties clinging to round buttocks, and bouncing, heavy chests—was an absolute nightmare for a healthy teenage boy's self-control.
...If I pop a boner right now, I'm going to be labeled a massive pervert on day one.
Suzuki was genuinely baffled by the male characters in ecchi manga. How on earth did they remain so completely oblivious and calm when surrounded by beautiful, scantily-clad girls with god-tier bodies? Were they all just packing incredibly small equipment, so even if they got excited, no one noticed through their pants?
Why does my life have to be so difficult? Suzuki mentally wept, feeling a sudden surge of bitter jealousy toward those dense harem-romance-comedy protagonists.
Regardless of the wardrobe malfunction, Suzuki truly had zero interest in acquiring a Maken. It was just a magical tool. If he really needed one, his alternate selves had him covered. The Arifureta Suzuki could mass-produce them; the Solo Leveling Suzuki could get god-tier artifacts from his system; the Jujutsu Kaisen Suzuki had access to Japan's cursed tools; and the Tensura Suzuki could literally hire legendary dwarven blacksmiths to forge absolute masterpieces.
The 6th Suzuki possessed all their shared knowledge. Even if his only innate power was his Element, he already knew multiple ways to artificially craft weapons that far surpassed a standard Maken.
Wait... instead of the Maken...
Suzuki turned his head and stared intently at Takeru's collar. Specifically, he was looking at the strange, magatama-shaped birthmark hidden beneath the fabric.
"Hey, Takeru."
"What's wrong?" Takeru asked, still buzzing from the fight.
"Do you have a birthmark on your shoulder?"
"Ah? Yeah, I do. Did you notice it earlier when I was changing?" Takeru casually pulled his collar to the side, exposing the dark mark. "It's got a really unique shape, right?"
"Yeah."
Suzuki nodded, but his internal Manager suddenly blared a silent alarm.
A heavy, suffocating wave of pure, concentrated killing intent washed over him. It was so thick and cold it made the hairs on his arms stand up.
What the heck?
Suzuki slowly turned his head.
Kodama was no longer looking at the stage. Her eyes were locked dead onto Takeru's exposed birthmark. The playful, teasing upperclassman was gone. Her eyes were entirely devoid of light, burning with an ancient, deeply personal hatred.
She had finally found the enemy she had been waiting for. It was time for revenge.
"...." Suzuki sighed internally, realizing his boring school life was officially canceled.