Is it wrong to try to meet someone in a dungeon?

"New student, can you use 'magic'?"

"Huh? Ah, I know how to use it!"

I answered the question honestly without thinking.

Almost at the same time, Mr. Lyon interjected:

"Rabbi, you've only recently received the 'blessing' of God Baldr, you probably don't know 'magic' yet, right?"

"Huh? But I really have already learned it..."

Despite my confusion, I still gave the truth.

A troubled, wry smile appeared on Mr. Lyon's face.

"So you know 'magic'!?"

"What?! You should have just said so earlier! That way we could have immediately confirmed your abilities!"

"If you really know how to use 'magic,' even a Level 1 player can immediately become a defender!"

(……ah!?)

Faced with my classmates' sudden excited reaction, I was a beat slow to realize that something was seriously wrong.

"Magic" is a powerful and decisive skill, and it is a crucial and highly regarded element in the "Ability Values". Whether or not one possesses practical "magic" will greatly affect their popularity within the team.

Nina looked at me with great surprise, and the other classmates, who had initially just been half-joking and wanted to watch the fun, all showed great curiosity. I was afraid I could no longer avoid this test of my abilities!

Mr. Leon was just trying to help me by changing the subject about "magic"!

"Hmph! You're just a human... What magic attributes do you know? And what types?"

The dwarf, Iglin, brushed aside his bangs, ignoring my panicked reaction, and walked over wearing an incredibly tight combat suit.

"Huh, um... fire, fire attribute..."

"That must be offensive magic. I'll cast the barrier, so don't hold back and just attack."

Now it's not something that can be brushed off with a simple "sorry, I lied." Besides, when Eglin saw me answer the question in a stiff, quiet voice, he immediately raised the corners of his mouth in a provocative smile, creating an atmosphere that left me no choice but to accept.

Then he distanced himself from me, walked to the center of the field, stopped, faced me, and stretched out his hands.

Then, using a simplified incantation, a barrier of earthy brown light is erected!

"Here it comes—!! Iglin has unleashed his signature move, [Rock Barrier]!"

"I have a feeling this time I'll just end up being a complete supporting character again!!"

"This kid really can't learn his lesson..."

"Hey, freshman, stop wasting time!"

"Iglin himself is far more durable than that barrier, so don't worry, attack freely!"

I was urged by both male and female classmates.

Forced to take a step forward, I looked down at my palms, cold sweat pouring down my face.

If I were to actually launch an attack...

"Ughh ...

"Wa ...

"Iglin was blasted away—!"

"That power is comparable to that of a first-level adventurer!"

"You mean that's basically a level one adventurer!"

"That guy is the trespasser (Bell Craney)!!"

No, no, no!! Absolutely not!!

If I really give it my all, I'll be completely out of the game from every angle!

To avoid revealing their identities, they had to do everything they could to cover it up!

I stretched out a trembling hand and aimed it at my classmate Eglin, who had set up a barrier.

Now, I'll reduce my magic and mental energy as much as possible, at least to avoid hurting the other party...!

"Hey~~ Hurry up and chant! Are you even going to cast a spell or not?!"

"...Singing, chanting!?"

When I heard one of the sentences, spoken in a loud complaint born of impatience, I couldn't help but gasp.

No, that's right! Magic generally requires incantations!

If I use a spell without chanting (fire and lightning), people will definitely suspect me!

Facing this entirely new crisis, my mind was working overtime to the point of near overheating, leaving me with no energy to care about Nina's worried eyes. I felt dizzy from the pressure of tension and uncertainty.

The situation was beyond my comprehension; after several seconds of cold sweat pouring down my back, I desperately tried to think of a "false chant"—

"…Burn, burn to ashes! The work of external laws!"

He temporarily borrowed the chanting of his companion (Welf) due to his short-sighted thinking.

Of course, this method doesn't work at all.

I desperately tried to retrieve a spell related to fire from my memory, and used the minimum amount of mental energy I could to suppress its power. As a result, I immediately lost control of my magic.

(Ah────)

It felt like a wild horse (magic) that had broken free and was now bursting forth in one go, searching for an outlet.

I immediately realized that this first experience was what is called a "serious mistake," and at the same time, I seemed to recall Welf, who had taken care of me like an older brother, as if my life were flashing before my eyes.

(This is what Welf often makes his opponents taste—)

The next instant, a loud "BOOM!!" explosion erupted at the scene.

"What!?"

"Demon, magical power accidentally exploded (ignis fatuus)!?"

"No way!"

"Lavi-kun!?"

Whether it was Iglin, who set up the magical barrier, the other students (the audience), or Nina, they all gasped or screamed because of the flashes and wind pressure generated.

After the dust and sand from the massive explosion settled... I found myself lying on my back, spread-eagled, with the constant crackling of my body as I gazed silently at the azure sky.

(...Have I really become a first-class adventurer...?)

Just as Nina ran over in a panic, I couldn't help but secretly wish that I could be sucked into the sky and disappear forever because of the unprecedented and bizarre mistake of accidentally causing a magical explosion without chanting magic.

Thus, the mysterious new student (Lavi Flamich) who accidentally caused a magical explosion due to excessive tension is now labeled with the shameful title (tag) of "super rookie (last place)"...

"Then, Rabbi will join the 'Third Squad' of [Badelban]."

"What kind of joke is this?!"

As a complete newbie (last place), I immediately incurred the wrath of the other team members after being assigned to this team.

Having been burned to a crisp, I could only receive magical healing from Nina throughout the entire course. As the "Comprehensive Combat" class was about to end, three demi-humans expressed strong protests against the announcement made by Professor Leon.

"Teacher, why do I have to be in a 'team' with this absolute newbie (last place)!? Someone like him causes magical explosions even when he's not in battle, so you can imagine he's even worse than a burden!!"

The protester, whose tone was more agitated than anyone else's, was none other than the dwarf, Eglin, who was so anxious that he even forgot to brush his bangs aside.

Yes, that's exactly what he said...

"We...are already...a group of four...we don't need...anyone else...we can only serve as food reserves...or human shields..."

The female student who spoke haltingly was a dark-skinned girl; the lower half of her face was covered by a mask that resembled protective gear.

Besides, her statement was terrifying!

"Sigh~! Another trial from the gods?! That goddess (Fiana) of my race, jealous of my superior strength, always seems to be shoving hardship into my hands!"

The last one was a small male dwarf, just like Lily... wait, was he a girl? Uh... he should be a boy. Anyway, he closed his eyes, smiled, and said this with a confident attitude.

I was simply taken for a hardship by people...

"W-Is this true, Mr. Leon? Rabbi is going to join our 'team'...?"

"That's right. Although it might add a burden to you as the squad leader, I hope you can try to rely on Rabbi. I believe he has the ability to be your support, Nina."

Nina, who had finally finished treating me, stood up with a surprised look on her face.

"It surprises me... but it also makes me feel somewhat relieved. Perhaps Mr. Leon had this in mind from the beginning, which is why he entrusted me to show Rabbi around the campus."

I actually think so too.

This was probably arranged by Leon and Badr, but...

"...Um, excuse me, Nina, what is the 'squad' that everyone's been talking about...?"

It's not hard to guess from the literal meaning that it refers to a team unit used in combat.

My half-elf classmate reached out and helped me up from the ground, then patiently began to explain things to me.

"The 'Combat Technology Department' stipulates that students must form teams of four when going off-campus to participate in field surveys or combat missions. Due to the limited number of students, sometimes they do form teams of five..."

Since the number of classes within a "school district" is determined by the number of main gods, they are further subdivided into "teams." The reason why teams consist of students from the same class seems to be that updating ability values ​​in "teams" is more convenient.

Due to the nature of the education system, it's often necessary to find people to fill vacancies. But one has to say, the gods and teachers are truly remarkable; I've heard they always manage to find clever ways to allow team members to complement each other's strengths and weaknesses...

"...I'm sorry, Nina, I might cause you trouble again..."

"Don't say that! That's not true at all! Actually, I'm actually quite relieved to be in the same team as Lavi. Because if you were in another 'team,' I'd probably be constantly worried about your safety and wouldn't be able to eat or sleep."

Looking at Nina, whose long, tea-brown hair, with its single tuft of emerald green swaying slightly with her smile, I couldn't help but respond with a wry smile.

She really enjoys taking care of people, and I feel that she is quite similar to Miss Eina in this respect.

"only……"

I followed Nina's slightly troubled gaze.

Ahead in sight were Iglin and his teammates, who were still arguing with Mr. Lyon.

"Go for it, worst party ever!"

"If you don't get the 'credits' soon, you might have to repeat a year!"

"Don't call us that! It's outrageous!"

As the school bell rang at the central tower, the male and female students, about to leave the arena, passed by the members of the "Third Squad" and mocked them in various ways.

I blinked when I heard the phrase "worst squad in history," then looked at Nina beside me, and saw that she didn't look too good either.

(It seems there's something wrong with this squad... no, it seems there's something wrong with the "Third Squad"...?)

Just as I was thinking this, Iglin, who had failed to persuade Mr. Lyon to change his mind, walked angrily toward me and pointed at me with his thick index finger.

"From today onwards, you're a porter (supporter)!!"

Yes, I have absolutely no objection...

The three-story structure, nicknamed "Three-Layer Extra-Large Pastry (Pancake)," has its living quarters on the second floor.

Located between the control level and the academy level, this floor boasts a vast, seemingly endless space, with several pillars that also function as elevators supporting the ceiling. Since sunlight rarely penetrates the room, several large magic stone lamps have been installed on the ceiling instead. These lamps adjust their brightness according to the time of day and night, reminding me of the 18th floor, the safety point. Naturally, what I see before me is not the natural world of the dungeon, but rather a man-made forest composed of stone and metal.

The school's road structure expands outward from the central temple tower—very similar to Orario—but the residential floors for teachers and students are different; the streets are planned in a grid pattern.

The student and faculty dormitories are arranged neatly and at equal intervals. Interestingly, each student dormitory has subtle differences in appearance, and sometimes you can see buildings that are more bizarre than artistic.

I was assigned to the "Third Student Dormitory", and the "Third Squad" held its meetings in the team-building room of this dormitory.

"Introduce yourself? Is it even necessary now? My name is Iglin."

The team members reluctantly assembled at Nina's urging, and one of them, Eglin, said this impatiently.

My classmate Eglin is shorter than me, standing at around 150 cm (150 cm), with the typical short stature of a dwarf. Although he had a rose tucked into his chest and dressed like a nobleman, he was actually quite burly.

His light brown hair, even lighter than Nina's, swayed gently with his movements, and he made no attempt to hide his sour expression.

"My name is Rachel... the Dark Elf..."

Even indoors, the dark elf Reiki did not take off her mask.

She has brown skin and red hair, and is about 160 cm tall, which seems to be slightly taller than Nina.