Showing Off

She didn't really know what to expect, going to the academy. Coming from a family of Heroes hailing from The Synbal Kingdom, most people were always after her last name or just despised it. So the first thing she decided to do, before she even got there, was to not reveal it to any students.

'Problem solved.' She bobbed her head up and down. Her black locks following along the movements of her head then fell in front of her face.

'How Annoying.' But then again, it wasn't her hair's fault that it did that, right? It was her fault for moving her head so fiercely. So that begs the question, should she be annoyed with herself, or physics?

Kea blinked.

'Why am I thinking of these things?' She wondered to herself, not even knowing she was stalling because she was nervous. It was a foreign emotion to her. After all, Heroes weren't supposed to be nervous.

So, mustering up courage only a Hero could have, albeit unknowingly, she walked through the doors of her assigned classroom. Only to be instantly wrought with another dilemma as soon as she stepped through the entrance.

'Where am I supposed to sit...?' She pondered on this answer. Nearly all seats were free, except for one. Someone had surprisingly came even earlier than Kea.

In that seat sat the most beautiful girl. Short white, and messy hair, pink eyes, piercings through her left eyebrow and both ears. The girl was currently sitting, staring at the air blankly with both arms in her oversized black coastal overshirt, crossed on the desk.

Kea hesitated to sit next to her. After all, she had no experience with making friends, and having been rejected too many times made her fearful of putting herself out there. No, she had even forgotten how.

'Am I... going to be alone, still?' That thought terrified her almost as much as being rejected did. So the young Hero decided to come to a compromise. She didn't introduce herself. Nor did she say anything, really, as she sat down next to the other person.

The white haired girl glanced at her, raised an eyebrow, before turning her gaze elsewhere. Kea let out a relieved breath. She tolerated her!

Friendship was within her grasp.

*****

Hayden barely paid attention as more and more students filed into the room. He had already scouted his classroom and confirmed it to be where all the main characters are. What good luck. Seeing Kea Winters only solidified it to him.

'Since she's next to me, I'll target her blood first,' he thought to himself. She had Heroes Blood, which greatly improved stat growth rate and the limit of that growth rate.

He suddenly paused. 'Why do I feel like a vampire?' But he then shrugged that thought off. Anything for more power.

Eventually the teacher had them stand up and go to an auditorium where they listened to a welcoming speech. Hayden there all the while absentmindedly drifting to and from consciousness, not caring to listen.

The first day of any school always had no substance. In erotic games or otherwise that would remain an eternal truth. It was just having the students get adjusted.

It was only when his hazy consciousness noticed a distinct lack of air conditioning, that he finally focused. Hayden soon noticed he and his classmates where in a training room. Everything was white or gray. There were different sections, other classrooms occupying them.

"Alright everyone!" The teacher whose name he couldn't be bothered to learn clapped her hands.

"Three at a time, those who's names I call up, I want you to use your magic on the targets that will appear."

"Astoria Starith, Emily, and Masaru Haruki," Hayden instantly focused upon hearing two familiar names. Astoria Starith was the main heroine, and Masaru Haruki was the Protagonist. This first scene was to show the difference in power between Masaru and Astoria. She was the goal he would aim for during the majority of the story.

Why did they have such disparity in names? Eroge logic. You really think someone thought about that when only having one hand available? Hayden certainly hadn't.

But now he knew better. Masaru came from an Eastern kingdom, basically Japan's stand-in, and where Astoria hailed from was England's stand-in. Hayden watched intently.

He wanted to see how strong the number one, Astoria was. Just for comparisons sake.

Astoria raised her hand and summoned...

"Oh my God!"

"This isn't fair!"

"I think I've heard of her! She's the heiress to Starith Kingdom!"

Such exclamations were made for a three meter long fire Spear. Not lackluster but...

Certainly nothing compared to him. Officially feeling safer, Hayden relaxed a bit and just watched as others were called up. Why did he feel safer? Because he now knew for a fact that any and all events in the first year couldn't even hurt the hair on his head. It would be smooth sailing.

"Hayden, Samuel, Juliette."

Walking past the line the teacher made clear that only those who were called up could pass, Hayden stood a few meters apart from the other two as a barrier automatically surrounded them. Three luminescent semi-transparent constructs were conjured for them to throw their all at.

Hayden watched on in amusement as two mobs tried their very best. One throwing a wind blade and the other a clump of earth. How cute.

Deciding to show these newbs some real magic, Hayden raised his hand. And just to dunk on them further, chanted it despite not needing to. A guy needed to find his joy somewhere.

[Electromagnetic Frost Murder.]

A jet of Frost shot out from his hand like a hose, instantly freezing the construct. Then, came the lightning, instantly traveling between the flakes of frost. He got the idea from the electromagnetic clouds of ash a volcano could produce and made this spell.

The lighting traveled into the construct, running through its completely frozen body like a glass cracking, or spiderwebs. The frost continued to accumulate even as the lightning melted it, both continously pelting the construct. For three whole minutes, that continued.

Freezing. Burning. Freezing. Burning. Freezing. Burning.

All that was left once it stopped was a small pile of dust like sparkling ice. It glinted under the light splendidly. As he walked back to his classmates, all the students were speechless.

A ferocious grin on his face. Showing off was fun. He didn't even pay attention to the murmurs.

*****

Kea stood there, equally as dumbfounded as the rest.

"Is she really a student?" She heard someone question.

"I... I think I heard of this! A renowned adventurer, The Calamity Slayer, was enrolling here! You think she could be The Calamity Slayer?"

Who did she want to make friends with...?

*****

Masaru stared at the back of her head. The sheer destruction she unleashed with one spell... he wanted to get to that level. He clenched his fists tightly, murmuring, "Someday, Someday!"

He would get to that level of strength, and then ask for her hand. He promised himself that.

*****

"Hey, isn't Hayden a boy's name?" One girl asked Hayden. Oblivious to any and all things, he replied,

"It's unisex." The girl made a sound of understanding, though he didn't really know what she just understood. Not knowing he only dug his grave of misunderstandings deeper.

*****

It was lunch. Once it was around this time, Hayden finally noticed he had a follower. Kea Winters. Why was she following him? Hell if he knew.

"Why're you following me?" he asked as he took a large, messy bite of the chicken breast he held. He got grease all over his face.

'Could use some more seasoning.'

"I..."

'Actually it could use a lot of things.'

"I... friend," she said softly. Hayden blinked.

"You want to be my friend?" he asked with a raised brow.

"Yes!" She nodded firmly.

"Um, sure," he answered with a shrug. A small smile grew on her face.

'I remember she's weak to her friends. Maybe if I get close enough to her I can ask her for some of her blood.' It was certainly the better alternative to sneaking into her dormitory and stealing it from her while she's asleep.

*****

As it neared the end of the day, their teacher guided them to their dorms. Giving them their keys and room numbers. It was at this time Hayden noticed something truly strange.

Why in the world... was his room in the female dormitory?!

"Uhm, hey, teach, why is my room in the female dorms?" He asked before his teacher left.

"I... don't understand?" She looked at him in confusion.

"Are the boy's dormitory full or something?"

"Oh, yeah, they are."

"Ah, got it. Well, I won't hold you here. And I promise, I will not do anything untoward to the fairer sex. You can trust me." Giving her a thumbs up to assure her, he left to go to his room. Only, he couldn't quite catch his teacher's words as they drifted through the wind.

"What a weird girl."