Heroine-Saving System: Reborn In A Third-Rate Manga As The Protagonist-Chapter 38: Noble Recruitment
In the training hall, each student of Class 5 was now standing in their tracksuits once more, stretching and preparing for the practical lesson.
Kōya stretched both hands above his head with a small yawn, working out the stiffness from sitting through earlier classes.
"Okay!" Saki announced cheerfully.
She had changed into her own tracksuit, and her breasts bounced noticeably as she moved, the fabric leaving little to the imagination. Either the professor was doing it on purpose, or she genuinely didn’t seem to notice the effect it had.
Renji grabbed Kōya’s arm suddenly, his grip was really tight.
"I think... I think I’m in love," Renji muttered, his eyes following Saki’s every movement.
Kōya rolled his eyes with exasperation.
It wasn’t like Renji had a chance anyway... this was Saki, and there was a reason she had a lot of guys pursuing her but never actually got with any of them. She was completely oblivious or completely uninterested, maybe a bit of both.
Saki soon stood in the center of the training room, clapping her hands to get everyone’s attention.
"Now sit down in a lotus meditative position while holding your scrolls," she instructed clearly.
Everyone sat down on the padded floor, adjusting their legs into the lotus position, which was a very popular meditative stance across different martial traditions.
"Read your scrolls and draw in the ambient mana in the air..." Saki continued. "Focus this mana to every part of your body and make sure you don’t miss a single spot. Mana Mode covers the whole body uniformly... if there’s even one crack in that coverage, then you can be taken advantage of easily in combat."
The warning hung in the air with appropriate weight.
Everyone immediately unraveled their scrolls with rustling paper, revealing the chant written in clear script.
"Breathe deep, draw the flow, Through flesh and bone, let mana grow"
It was a simple chant that had only two lines, but it would get the job done for beginners.
And after a moment of reading, there was a chorus as all of the students around him began saying it at the same time.
The ambient mana swirling invisibly in the air began flowing into their bodies in response to the synchronized chanting, filling them up with external energy.
As one-liners and even Kōya as a two-liner, their bodies couldn’t naturally retain or produce significant amounts of mana yet, which was why they had to actively draw ambient mana from their surroundings.
As everyone else performed the chant diligently, Saki watched them with eager, analytical eyes.
She walked slowly between the rows, observing each student’s progress.
It seemed Misora was getting the hang of it quickly... she was almost at the threshold of Mana Mode already, the faint blue sparkles were already beginning to form around her body.
The same thing went for Mio, who was gathering the ambient mana rather quickly but she was experiencing problems in equally distributing it throughout her body to form complete Mana Mode coverage.
Regardless, the other students were taking to it with varying degrees of success, gathering the ambient mana into themselves through the chant.
Though some of them hadn’t gathered nearly enough mana to even begin manifesting the visible signs of approaching Mana Mode.
’I’ll classify those under the slowest learners,’ Saki thought with clinical assessment.
If she wanted this Class 5 to ascend through the class rankings over the semester, she needed to lay the proper groundwork now which meant overworking the lowest of the low until they sprouted into beautiful butterflies.
She slowly walked over to Kōya, noticing something unusual.
He was the only student that hadn’t attempted the chant yet... his scroll was closed and set aside for some reason.
His eyes were shut as if he was in some deep meditation as he was completely still.
’Come on... surprise me,’ she thought with anticipation.
She partly expected this genius to achieve Mana Mode on his first attempt, but that seemed too much even for someone of his demonstrated talent.
Still, she was curious.
She settled behind him and pushed her front against his back without thinking, her bountiful breasts pressing against Kōya’s shoulders and upper back as she leaned forward to observe him more closely.
That physical contact alone kicked several students out of their concentration immediately, breaking their chant rhythm including Renji, who was eyeing Kōya with an openly jealous face, his own practice forgotten.
’So this is what being handsome means...’ Renji thought bitterly while touching his own face with self-examination.
He wasn’t average-looking in any way... he had his own appeal, at least his real face did however, comparing himself to Kōya was just flat-out asking for a humbling experience.
’He has the kind of face that they can make edits abou—’
"Finally."
Kōya muttered the word, and the air in the training room changed instantly and dramatically.
As he opened his eyes, all the ambient mana that the students had been struggling to slowly collect from their surroundings suddenly flowed into him like a rushing river finding its path.
His entire body lit up in that same blue outline that Saki had demonstrated earlier, but the activation was instantaneous rather than gradual.
Complete Mana Mode on the first try.
Kōya turned around to face Professor Saki directly.
"I did it."
Saki pushed herself backward reflexively and landed on her ass, staring at him in complete disbelief.
He had gathered mana without using the chant at all... chantless activation on his first attempt and had already achieved full Mana Mode immediately with perfect coverage.
What kind of prodigy was she looking at?
Was he some long-lost son of one of the great clans? He most certainly had the looks and talent for it.
"How did I do?" Kōya asked as he stood up smoothly.
There was a vast difference between being in Mana Mode and his normal state that he could feel immediately.
The first and most obvious was this jump in practically everything physical... he felt like his senses were dramatically sharpened, his vision was clearer and the sounds more distinct.
His muscles felt more defined and responsive as well, like his body had been upgraded.
"You gathered mana on your own without the chant, and you reached complete Mana Mode in an instant..." Saki said, still processing what she’d witnessed. "And this is your first time attempting this, right?"
Her eyes were practically shining with excitement and professional pride.
"Yes," he confirmed simply.
He willed the mana to disperse, and it obeyed his mental command... his body released the gathered energy back into the ambient environment, and his Mana Mode deactivated smoothly.
That enhanced feeling died down immediately, and he returned to his normal baseline state.
"Congratulations for being the first student to pass..." Saki started to say, beginning to stand up. "You can help me watch over the other students and—"
There was a sudden burst of mana that cut off her words.
Misora had reached Mana Mode as well... her blue mana aura revolved around her body elegantly like a gentle whirlpool as she stood up with perfect poise.
Her chest bounced once from the movement.
"I guess that would also mean I passed, Saki-sense—"
There was another immediate burst of mana before Misora could finish her sentence.
Mio had reached Mana Mode as well, standing up with visible satisfaction.
"I passed as well, Sensei."
The rest of the class’s eyes widened collectively at the rapid succession of successes. Had the three geniuses been deliberately waiting to show off like this in sequence?
It wasn’t fair at all to the others still struggling.
Renji bit his lip in frustration and focused on gathering his own mana with renewed intensity, determination replacing his earlier jealousy.
The other two girls dispelled their Mana Mode auras, the blue glow fading.
Saki wanted to jump up and down in pure excitement at having three students succeed so quickly, but she maintained her professional composure.
She stood up with a warm smile spreading across her face instead.
"Congratulations to the three of you..." Saki said, her voice carrying genuine pride. "I honestly expected you all to take considerably more time to achieve this, but it seems you’ve amazed me yet again."
She nodded her head with satisfaction.
"Ara ara~ You can now become Assistant Professors for this session!" she announced cheerfully. "Go around and teach the other students based on what you’ve learned and experienced. If one of you grows stronger, that means the rest of the class will grow as well through your guidance."
The three successful students nodded and began spreading out to help their struggling classmates.
...
"Kōya-kun, over here! Please help me out!"
A girl from the middle row called out desperately, still unable to manifest even basic mana gathering.
Meanwhile, Mio’s eye twitched as she placed her hands on one of the male students’ shoulders, watching him squirm uncomfortably under her touch.
"Relax... take a deep breath and focus on the chant," Mio instructed with forced patience.
The guy breathed slowly and deliberately as he started attempting to gather mana again, his voice shaky.
"Mio-chan, your fingers are so war—"
She smacked him sharply across the head before he could finish the inappropriate comment. He stumbled forward from the impact.
Mio walked off to find another student, but she caught sight of Misora, who was standing behind the muscular Koichi.
"Focus, Koichi-kun... gather your mana and be at ease," Misora advised in a gentle, encouraging tone.
Her hands rested lightly on his broad shoulders.
Koichi seemed to respond well to her calm guidance... he visibly relaxed his posture, and a burst of mana suddenly erupted from him.
It wasn’t complete coverage yet, as there were still noticeable gaps in his mana mode, but it was definite progress.
Saki turned around from observing another student and gave Koichi an enthusiastic thumbs-up.
"Focus more, Koichi! I can sense your greatness from all the way over here," she called out encouragingly. "Misora, you can move on to help another student now. Mio, you’re being too rough with them—how will you ever get a boyfriend at this rate...?"
The assassin’s face reddened without her consent, heat rushing to her cheeks. That particular topic had always been sensitive for her, touching on deep insecurities.
However, she did have someone specific in min—
"Your fingers are so thick, Amagi-kun."
The choice of words made not only Mio but also Misora and even Saki creak their heads sharply in that direction.
Kōya was standing behind one of the female students with both hands placed firmly on her shoulders.
She was trying as much as possible to gather mana through his guidance, and small sparkles had already begun forming around her body in response.
"Good... ease into it," Kōya said encouragingly. ’System, remind me why I’m doing this again.’
「You’re trying to score brownie points with Saki-sensei. I have to say, I understand your tastes completely... she is quite an excellent woman」
’Scoring brownie points with who...?’ Kōya thought with confusion. ’I’ve never even thought about that—’
He glanced involuntarily at Saki and then back to the girl he was helping. The movement made him acutely aware of Saki’s figure in her tracksuit.
’Now I’m acting like I’ve never seen breasts before... sigh...’
「Host, if you were to ask Saki-sensei out right now... there is a 20% chance of her agreeing to a date」
’You already know my standards... I’m not going for anything unless it’s 80 percent and above,’ Kōya thought firmly. ’Besides, why are you actively trying to set me up with my own professor?’
「Interacting and growing closer to women... as long as they are either a Heroine or Sub-Heroine will get you a Fate Point bonus, especially if you do something intimate with them」
’What is this FP bonus you’re talking about...?’ he thought with growing suspicion. ’And also, when exactly did Saki become classified as a Sub-Heroine?’
「The FP bonus for getting Saki-sensei’s affection rating over 50 is 50,000 FP. If you manage to get Hakua Shirogane’s affection over 50, then you shall receive 100,000 FP. The other heroines’ rewards are more or less in that same range. Performing intimate activities with these women is a primary way of increasing their affection ratings as well...」
’Isn’t the name of the System "Heroine-Saving"?’ Kōya thought with dawning horror. ’I still don’t understand how we’re going to save these heroines from anything, but did you just transform into a pornstar system?’
「The hardest choices require the strongest wills... to earn more FP efficiently, you will have to become a Playboy Host, and I support you every step of the way!」
The System’s enthusiasm was almost palpable through the text.
’Oi, I didn’t agree to—’
He felt someone’s intense glare boring into him from across the room. He looked up and met Mio’s eyes, then glanced down.
He was still holding the female student’s shoulders, his hands resting there perhaps too familiarly.
She had successfully reached Mana Mode but hadn’t announced it or moved away... instead, she was leaning back slightly, easing into his touch with a pleased expression.
’Fuck,’ he thought with alarm.
He pulled his hands back immediately and walked off to help the next student, putting distance between himself and the situation.
Another girl smiled hopefully as he approached her position.
"Can you gather mana yet?" he asked professionally.
He leaned down and placed both hands on her shoulders in the same teaching position, but the moment he made contact, she let out an unmistakable moan that drew multiple gazes toward their direction.
Several hateful, jealous stares were directed his way from male students.
"Please don’t make sounds like that... they’ll get completely the wrong idea," he said quietly, embarrassment coloring his tone.
He adjusted his finger positions on her shoulders, trying to be more clinical about it.
"Alright, start gathering man—"
"Amagi-kun, please go deeper!"
The girl’s breathless request cut him off.
His eye twitched involuntarily, and it seemed both he and the System were on the exact same page for once.
’Pervert.’
「Pervert」
...
It was lunchtime now, and Kōya was walking toward the cafeteria with purpose. He was prepared to sit down somewhere quiet and just eat Mio’s packed lunch in peace.
The other classes after mana breathing training had been purely theoretical... lectures and note-taking and they had suffered through another round of Professor Shusuke’s History class as well.
"I’m tired~" Renji complained beside him as they walked through the hallways.
"I feel you," Kōya agreed with genuine sympathy. "That History class was absolutely draining... and I used to think History was supposed to be interesting and fun."
"Right? Fuck Professor Shusuke and all of his next generations," Renji declared loudly, earning shocked stares from students around them.
It would not be a surprise if he got some Individual Points docked instantly by some uptight student reporting him.
"But leaving him aside... you’re also a criminal, Kōya-kun."
"How so?" Kōya asked while pulling out his water bottle and chugging down the cool liquid.
He wiped his lips afterward... he desperately needed the hydration after the classes.
"’Amagi-kun~ Please touch my shoulders~’" Renji replied in a pitch-perfect imitation of a girl’s breathy voice.
The mimicry was disturbingly accurate.
"Should I be genuinely concerned that you can replicate a woman’s voice so completely and convincingly...?" Kōya asked with a raised eyebrow.
Renji gave him a playful punch on the shoulder.
"No, dipshit... we should be concerned about your insane popularity with the women," he said, switching back to his normal voice. "Honestly, I won’t be surprised if some noble suddenly invited you to have lunch in the Erīto Kizoku section."
Renji’s tone was teasing but also held a note of envy. Just as they were about to enter through the cafeteria’s main doors...
"Hello there."
The abruptness of the polite voice made both Kōya and Renji physically jump in surprise. They turned to see a maid standing there, her posture was perfect and professional.
She was looking at them or rather, looking specifically at Kōya with focused attention.
"Amagi Kōya-sama," she addressed him formally with a slight bow. "My master, Aozora Itsuki-sama, has invited you for lunch in the Erīto Kizoku section with him personally. He has requested that I escort you there immediately."
Renji gave Kōya a look that clearly communicated ’I literally just called this’ and ’I told you so’ simultaneously.
With an amused shake of his head, Renji walked off toward the regular cafeteria section, leaving Kōya to his fate.
Kōya shrugged internally... he wasn’t losing anything from having a meeting with Itsuki. It might even be informative or useful.
"Let’s go," he told the maid simply.
They walked together through different corridors, moving away from the crowded common areas and entering the door to the nobles section, after that... He went through another door that led to the place where he was called to.
As he entered, he couldn’t believe that this was even a part of the Academy. The Erīto Kizoku section looked like it belonged in a luxury ten-star hotel rather than a school cafeteria.
Crystal chandeliers hung from high ceilings, and the décor was all rich wood and gold accents.
There were elegant four-seat tables with pristine white tablecloths, and each chair looked like it cost more than Kōya’s entire monthly allowance.
Well-dressed maids moved gracefully between tables, carrying trays with elaborate high-class dishes that looked more like art than food. The maid showed him to his designated seat with a gesture.
Right at a table where Miyuki and Itsuki were already sitting, waiting for him. Both siblings had distinctive blue hair that marked them as Aozora clan members.
Kōya gave Itsuki a quick once-over, taking in his appearance properly.
The guy had an elegant gold crest line that ran from the corner of his mouth down to the side of his chin.
They were clearly siblings, sharing similar refined features.
Miyuki, on the other hand, kept her face turned toward the table, unable or unwilling to look in Kōya’s direction.
She couldn’t bring herself to face him after their last encounter and her brother’s orders. Itsuki watched Kōya approach with calculating eyes, assessing him carefully while the maid pulled out Kōya’s chair with practiced smoothness, and he sat down.
He looked at Itsuki firmly, meeting his gaze without flinching or showing deference.
Other maids approached the table almost immediately, setting down plates of exquisite food... delicate appetizers, perfectly arranged sashimi, and other high-end dishes.
"I’ll get straight to the point..." Itsuki said after a moment of deliberate silence, his voice cool and businesslike.
He looked directly at Kōya with intense focus.
"I want you to work for the Aozora family."
