I Became an Extra Without Growth in the Academy

Growing up without entering the Akadeumi is really tough.

It’s not impossible, but unless you want to face a proper hell, it’s way safer and more efficient to just attend the Akadeumi.

So, in this world, there’s a significantly bigger gap between those who receive an Akadeumi education and those who don’t.

Especially in the early stages of growth, the gap can be drastic. New students in the top tier getting utterly wrecked by the bottom tier of second years—yeah, that kind of level.

And right now, standing in front of me is Grain… who, as mentioned, is specialized in exploration. Yet, she still has enough power to maintain her position in the upper tier of the second year.

My stats, which barely allowed me to sweep through first year, are just meaningless numbers compared to her.

But hey, does it matter if I win right now?

Nah, it’s just about showing that I’m not someone to be taken lightly, that’s all.

I’m busy accumulating karma, and how I’ll deal with it later? That’s a worry for another day!

“Got a minute to spare for some daydreaming?”

Before I knew it, Grain lunged to grab my clothes.

At that moment, I realized—she’s grown beyond what she knew from the original story.

Her main weapon for exploration is a bow, and the necessary stats for using a bow are not agility, but strength and magic.

Strength is to pull stronger and tougher bowstrings, while magic is to add magical effects to regular arrows for increased firepower.

In the end, archers in this world are just a bit stronger and simply an extended line of mages… Unless you’re one of those unusual races like elves that charge directly into the frontline, it’s only natural that agility stats wouldn’t be that high.

Grain would clearly be no exception to that…

‘Holy speed, Batman!’

For some reason, her speed exceeded my expectations.

I can’t check the numbers with my eyes, but it’s definitely higher than mine.

‘Wait a damn second, my best stat!’

How is someone with no specialization in agility like her starting off second year at this level?

Even if she’s growing fast, this is just ridiculous!

The theory that this world hasn’t released the difficulty level just gained even more credibility, and my anxiety only increased.

But that aside, it’s not really a tough situation where I’ll get my ass kicked, so let’s focus on the now.

I step back to dodge her outstretched hand.

She immediately tries to follow up to grab me again, but this time I dash forward and evade.

My body passes right through Grain.

“Uh?”

This is the dodging through a person’s body tactic I first experienced during my fight with Lilith.

Except for Seria and Alkiné, who watched my trials, everyone started doubting their own eyes.

But I couldn’t just ponder over questions during a duel, and Grain quickly turned around to try another attack.

Rather than trying to grab me again like before, she aims for a direct hit this time; perhaps she sensed something was off.

But whatever it is, it all means nothing. I dodge all of it.

Once. Twice… Ten times.

Only after dodging a total of ten attacks did Grain finally stop her assault.

Is this the end? As I think that and sneak a glance at Grain, I see a confused expression plastered on her face—clearly, she can’t process what just happened.

If she couldn’t figure it out, then it must truly be something beyond her traits.

So, does that mean the only trait I have is “no growth”? This is just ridiculous. What even is a trait?

At that moment, perhaps sensing my momentary lapse in focus, Grain charged at me again.

Oh, this motion is perfect for a parry.

I can parry with bare hands. Unlike fending off with a shield, this is more like grabbing and throwing, but anyway, it’s possible.

Instinctively, I snatch her incoming punch and make a full rotation, using centrifugal force to throw her away.

With the system adjusting it, there was no resistance at all.

Whoosh!

I didn’t feel any shock or weight that should’ve come my way—all I felt was the result of throwing.

Grain, who got hit, flew and slammed into the ground.

“Uh… did I throw her too hard? From what I saw, I think she landed face-first.”

But hey, someone of her caliber in the Student Council shouldn’t get hurt this easily, so no need to worry.

At least now, I’ve made it into the Student Council, and there’s nothing they can say about that, right?

Joining the Student Council has its perks, so even if I get chased out later after my secret is exposed, it’s worth it to join now.

…But why is Grain still lying down and not getting up? A parry shouldn’t have caused her any major damage.

“Um… Grain? Are you okay?”

When I cautiously ask, she finally raises her body.

She doesn’t stand fully, just shifts from lying down to sitting.

Only then did she realize something was off with the situation.

Grain is on the smaller side, and with my bulk tossing her like that… I looked like a real bully.

“Um… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to go that far.”

As I apologized, Grain remained silent. Even when I tried to help her up, she just refused.

In the tense silence, Alkiné stepped in to handle the situation.

“Rudion, Seria. I’m sorry to say this after calling you here, but… could you go back now?”

This was the summoning order. Well, it’s time to go back after seeing the show, anyway.

“I’ll directly come to meet you after the entrance ceremony tomorrow.”

There’s another chance to meet with the president scheduled, but since everything seems to be wrapping up now, we can head home.

After saying quick goodbyes to everyone, Seria and I made our exit.

The eventful series of happenings finally came to an end.

‘Once I get back, it’s time to properly figure things out.’

With the entrance exam taking off right after my reincarnation, I was just scrambling to keep up.

I learned a few things during the exam, but it didn’t feel like enough at all.

From here on out, it was time to discover more.

///

‘The president has a keen eye for potential; I bet he saw something in that cocky brat.’

That’s how Grain first thought.

Even if the president was directly recruiting, he was still just a newbie who hadn’t received Akadeumi training yet.

At best, he’d be on the same level as Seria or just a tad better.

That assumption and acting hastily turned out to be her biggest blunder.

‘…Uh?’

Before she knew it, she found herself lying on the floor, looking up at the cocky junior.

The thing she just experienced, ‘that incident’, was something utterly incomprehensible. She tried to assess it by using her traits, despite the side effects, but strangely, nothing made sense.

Yet, the person in question acted like it was no big deal—as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

At that moment, Grain realized Rudion wasn’t approached because of his potential.

‘Great, now I can’t argue against that.’

After experiencing the shock the president mentioned, her reasons for objecting to his entry into the Student Council had evaporated.

It’s fine. After all, it was just a protesting type of resistance.

Even if Rudion hadn’t proven himself and ended up joining the Student Council, she wouldn’t have actively opposed him.

The president was aware of that fact as well and likely orchestrated this situation on purpose.

But regardless of her own thoughts, the current outcome was just humiliating.

This cocky junior… I can’t even call him cocky anymore. After this catastrophic loss, it’d be akin to spitting in my own face.

She had completely overlooked and dismissed the junior’s abilities.

Now, she felt apologetic towards the two who followed her without question. Glancing back, they looked equally stunned, as if they never expected her to lose.

“This makes no sense!”

“President, please call them back! Do we look like food to them?”

They seemed so shocked they could barely think straight. They had witnessed everything. How could they not have a plan? Probably because they were in disbelief.

While she couldn’t scold them for that, it was still…

Anyway, even if they stepped in, she couldn’t consider a different outcome.

Knowing that much, she stood up and stopped them.

“Kain, Golid. That’s enough; let it go.”

“But still…”

“Didn’t you see? What just happened isn’t something we can define by the level of a newbie. It’s completely out of the question.”

That’s why her traits didn’t even overload.

It was something that couldn’t be analyzed from the get-go.

“We’ll head back now, President. Just disregard our previous opinions.”

“Fine, understood. You can go.”

They left the scene as if to escape.

I led Kain and Golid into a quiet café.

“Are you okay? With that kind of ability, it’s not too much for you, is it?”

“That’s not it. That didn’t even register as my trait. I thought of trying out a skill I hadn’t used today, but… nothing showed up.”

“…Is that even possible?”

“That’s why I said it’s outside the norm. That’s not something you can comprehend using common sense. Trying to understand it will only give you a headache.”

The irony being that my head doesn’t hurt because of it, haha.

Various emotions hidden in my dry laugh left Kain and Golid speechless.

“Why are you looking at me like that? I’m really fine. After all, it’s meaningless to consider something like that with a newbie.”

“Grain.”

“Kain, let go. I’m going to get angry.”

“Get angry if you want. But before you do, just spill it out honestly.”

Hearing his words, I revised my emotions a bit.

I felt angry, and there was also bitterness.

Among those emotions, the strongest was definitely…

“Disgustingly embarrassing. Damn.”

Shame. The reason I ignored Rudion when he asked if I was okay stemmed from that feeling.

Why the hell didn’t the president intervene when he knew me? He just let me go.

No, that’s not right… he did warn me. I just insisted on stepping up…

“Now Seria is going to think of me like a fool… I really wanted to make a good impression on the junior…”

“Ugh… yeah, that’s right, I guess that’s more important than your pride.”

As if expecting that reaction, Kain handed Grain a small note.

“What’s this?”

“The junior came to me and dropped this off.”

A junior? I thought he went straight home, but I didn’t expect him to write a note and give it to me.

Was he thinking about something after all?

What sort of words did he want to convey by writing this note?

Filled with curiosity, I opened the note… and found something completely different from what I expected.

“Got wrecked by a second-year newbie, huh?”

Wha… what the hell?!

“What kind of crazy brat is this?!”

The title that had barely established itself as ‘junior’ was once again demoted to cocky junior in a heartbeat.

Using shame to channel my anger. That kid really had a brain.

Grain’s image in Kain and Golid’s minds subtly brightened. Ironically, it was a thoughtless teasing remark intended for fun, but… meaning is all in the interpretation.

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