The Strongest Student of the Weakest Academy

"Now... how do I solve this?"

I pondered, looking at the slime girl floating inside the capsule.

Her thin, slimy body glowed faintly in the dim red lights. The green of her eyes was lifeless, staring into nothing.

Not knowing what to do with something like this sucks. Most especially when you are stuck in the middle of an enemy lab and alarms are probably just seconds from blaring.

"Whatever... let's be rough..."

I cracked my knuckles.

I moved closer to the capsule, gathering mana into my fist. It shimmered faintly, frost licking at my knuckles.

Without hesitation, I swung.

CRASH!

The glass exploded outward, scattering shards across the lab floor. A thick blue liquid gushed from the capsule, splattering my boots and soaking the floor.

I caught the slime girl as she slid out, her body was surprisingly light but strange.

Gurglee.....

Her form shifted a little in my arms, cool and slippery, like trying to hold a bag of jelly. For a second, I froze, weirdly uncomfortable.

Gurglee...

Her body is slimy indeed.

Ahem.

Setting her down gently, I moved to the other capsule, where the morph weapon rested

I didn't know if it would still be able to change its aspect because there was no slime girl when Lucas got this weapon.

So, I don't know if it will work.

Gathering mana again, I punched the capsule.

CRASH!

The glass exploded as it had before, and I grasped the weapon. This time, it was a hatchet, but it vibrated in my hand with a faint hum, as if it were... alive.

"Alright, that's two for two."

I glanced back at the girl.

She looked fragile, unconscious but breathing, her form shifting slightly like a calm pool of water.

I didn't know how much time I had, but I was glad she was alive.

RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!

"Fuck..."

Red lights flashed everywhere, bathing the lab in an angry glow.

The high-pitched wail of the alarm echoed loudly.

My gaze snapped to the capsule, where a small plaque blinked: Safety Measure Activated.

I didn't notice it.

"Dammit!"

The vents.

I needed to get her out before whoever triggered the alarm showed up.

Immediately, I moved back to the vent and gritted my teeth when I noticed that we couldn't get out together.

I would need to push her into the vent, and that would take quite a long time.

'Wait... when Lucas escaped there was a giant vent mentioned...'

I took a deep look around, my eyes constantly flinching due to the flashing red lights, but I ignored it and searched fanatically.

But the vent wasn't anywhere.

Not in the walls, not in the ceiling, not even hidden behind the equipment.

"Shit... Nothing."

I muttered in annoyance.

"OI!"

A sudden shout made me whip around.

A group of people in black uniforms stormed into the lab with their weapons at the ready. Their gaze locked on me instantly, and I could easily feel their hostility towards me.

『 Judgement Eye (✦ S-Level Skill✦)』

My vision distorted, glowing softly as their details snapped into view.

'All are B-level rankers...'

Every single one of them.

This was bad, really bad.

And they didn't waste any time.

One of them barked an order, and the group advanced with their weapons pointed at me.

"Put her down, now!"

I didn't respond.

Talking wasn't going to solve anything either way, I forced my entry here.

With the slime girl cradled awkwardly in one arm, I tightened my grip on the morph weapon with the other.

I didn't have any experience with a hatchet, so I hung it on my waist and sheathed my sword since it was my main weapon.

The first one lunged.

CLANG!

His sword clashed with mine, sparks flying as I parried his attack. Taking the opportunity, I ducked and then drove my knee into his gut.

He crumpled to the floor with a grunt, but the others didn't hesitate.

Three more came at me simultaneously.

SHING!

I barely deflected the spear while twisting myself out of the way of a blade angled toward my neck. Then, the third swung an enormous mace, and I ducked at just the right moment.

It slammed into the wall behind me with an earsplitting crash.

"You're dead meat!" one snarled, swinging at my legs.

Sweep!

I jumped back, narrowly avoiding the blade, but my footing faltered on the slick floor, and I had to adjust quickly to keep my balance.

SLAM!

One of them aimed a kick at my side, and I had no choice but to take the hit. Pain shot through my ribs as I staggered back, gritting my teeth to stay upright.

"Damn it."

I cursed, shifting the slime girl's weight in my arm. Her unconscious form was making this way harder than normal.

The guards didn't let me rest; another one came from the left and swung a twin-headed axe directed at my waist.

CLANG!

I blocked the first but had to pivot to avoid the second. As I did so, I swung the sword in an upward manner.

CRACK!

It slammed into his shoulder and sent him sprawling, drawing out blood.

But there was no time to catch my breath.

Two more charged in, one wielding a dagger and the other a broadsword. The dagger-wielder went low, aiming for my legs, while the broadsword swung high.

I gripped the slime girl's body a bit more, ducking under the broadsword before taking the opportunity to deliver a strong kick at the dagger-wielder's knee.

Thud!

He went down with a small cry of pain, but the broadsword user quickly recovered and swung directly at my head.

I immediately raised the sword with just one hand, the force of the impact jolting my arm.

"Hah...!"

I pushed forward against his blade and twisted my sword to knock it out of his hands.

CLANG!

His sword hit the ground, and I drove my elbow into his jaw, sending him crashing into a nearby table.

The other guards hesitated, re-evaluating. I could see it in their eyes—they hadn't anticipated this much resistance or strength.

But I was struggling too.

My breaths were coming faster now, my ribs screaming in protest every time I moved.

"Don't let him escape!"

The seeming leader of them stepped forward with a glaive in hand.

'Of course... Fucking bastard.'

He lunged, the blade of his glaive cutting through the air in my direction.

Swoop!

I twisted, narrowly avoiding it, and struck back with my sword.

CLANG!

The blades clashed, and the concussion ran up my arm.

I moved in, pushing him backward until another guard found an opening from behind.

THWACK!

"Kugh...!"

A heavy weapon struck the back of my body and sent me stumbling forward, gasping as pain shot around my body.

The leader grinned sinisterly and raised his glaive again.

"You're done!"

But I wasn't going to give up.

Even if I couldn't use my Sword Art because I needed to wield the sword with both of my hands, I still had a huge amount of experience in killing demon beasts.

Much less humans.

Gathering what strength I had left, I shifted the slime girl in my arm and swung my sword upwards.

CRACK!

It caught the glaive, knocking it off balance. Using the opening, I drove a mana-infused kick into his chest.

THUD!

He flew back, crashing into a control panel.

The others hesitated for a moment, but their hesitation cost them.

Since the battle began, I was also inserting a bit of mana into the morph-weapon, to see if it actually worked.

And now I understand how it worked.

Basically...

'I understand it now.'

I put my sword to my waist, switching it with the morph weapon, and then channeled what little mana I had left into it.

The weapon glowed weakly, its blade slightly shifting as it morphed into a long, hooked scythe.

SWOOSH!

I swung it in a wide arc, sending the guards scrambling.

But the leader recovered quickly, his glaive glowing with dark energy as he charged at me once more.

BANG!

He brought the glaive down with a crushing force, which sent shockwaves around the lab. Equipment flew everywhere, and I...

CRASH!

Was sent flying.

I slammed hard into the wall as my body protested with screams and went sliding down to the floor.

"U-ugh... damn..."

Everything went fuzzy for a moment as my mind commanded my legs to lift me off the ground, and through it all, I managed to spot something underneath the capsules.

A huge vent.

It had been hidden by the bulky equipment, but now, with everything thrown around, it was clear as day.

"There you are..." 

I gritted my teeth in annoyance.

The guards were regrouping, closing in on me fast.

And I did not have the energy to fight anymore. Collecting the last of my mana, I slammed the morph weapon into the ground.

CRACK!

Ice spread instantaneously, forming a thick, fortified wall between the guards and me.

"He's trying to escape!" one of them shouted.

I ignored them, sprinting towards the vent with the slime girl still in my arms.

The red lights were still flashing, the alarm still blaring, but I didn't stop.

Reaching the vent, I kicked it open and slid inside, the cold metal scraping against my back as I crawled forward as fast as I could.

Behind me, the guards were pounding on the ice wall, their shouts growing fainter as I moved deeper into the vent.

Finally, the noise faded, and I allowed myself to take a deep, shaky breath.

"Made it... for now."

I muttered, clutching my side as pain flared up again.

Gurgleee.....

The slime girl shifted slightly in my arm, her soft gurgle the only sound in the suffocating silence of the vent.

"Ahh... how am I going to explain to the Saintess?"

Looking at my gruesome injuries that would make an average joe limp if not pass out, I pondered, thinking of a familiar figure in my mind.

The Saintess of the Holy Nation.

Christina Solara.