Divine Luck: SSS-Rank Battle Maid Harem

Learning how to activate Transcension for Zach wasn't hard. It was impossible.

He spent the remaining few weeks of the break doing a bunch of other things as well, but he focused a considerable amount of time and effort into trying to activate his most recent skill. But no matter what he did, nothing happened. He didn't know where he was supposed to feel it.

Blessed Defense was in the center of his chest, and Material Extraction was in his hands. But he couldn't even begin to visualize where he was supposed to feel Transcension.

Soara had said that her power of Transcendence was a power that ignored limits. Since ignoring something usually was a conscious decision, he figured it might be with his head. That was a dead-end.

He then tried to think in different terms.

What did ignoring limits mean? Was it like stepping over or around them? Could he feel it in his feet or legs? No.

Maybe his back? Soara's name was similar to the word 'soar.' Maybe he could fly over his limits like he had wings. Far-fetched. Also no-go.

People sometimes talk about breaking through their limits. People usually broke things with their hands. Zach's hands were already preoccupied with Material Extraction, but maybe he would feel Transcension there, too. He didn't.

He struck dirt with every attempt or trial he made.

Fortunately, at least, he progressed in other areas. His barriers continuously improved since he just made more and more of them in new and increasingly strenuous ways. It also helped that he gained a deeper understanding of how they worked when he applied them to himself like restrictions to his movements.

However, since he was restricting his movements around the clock, it was difficult to tell how his physical training was going. He felt stronger but weaker at the same time.

In addition to that, though, Zach also made progress in another unexpected area.

He was getting better at throwing punches. It still felt a little weird, but unlike with his spear practice, he was improving. It was great news.

Then, there was the entrance ceremony, which he didn't pay much attention to. The first-years looked very small and young, and the girl doing the speech looked cocky standing up there on the stage and saying a bunch of things.

Zach also couldn't help but notice that again this year, there were no falling chandeliers. He was the only one who got that treatment.

After the entrance ceremony, there were a couple of introductory classes to the different subjects they would have this year. Most were advanced classes on the same things as last year. There was an extended class on familiar harmony now that people had two or more familiars.

Zach was happy about that since it meant one lesson he could skip to focus on training or other more important things, such as training. He didn't need it, anyway. His familiars got along well.

After those introductory classes, Zach gathered the club members in the club room. Since the school year had started, it meant their club activities had started. It also meant that the principal had stopped shielding the city and the Academy from the Underworld's influences.

If they didn't want a repeat or a worse version of the Underworld's kidnapping sequence, they would have to prepare.

"I think we should evacuate the city." Zach made his stance clear as he put both hands on the table and looked at the others.

"Are you sure? We're already having trouble gathering resources. If we make the remaining citizens and merchants leave, we will basically have to rely on the forest for everything." Anerias, as always, was skeptical of Zach's suggestion.

"It wouldn't be undoable, but it would be distracting. It would be difficult trying to keep everyone fed while fighting the Underworld." Dukiel thought about it objectively.

The forest had a lot of resources, and it had recovered a lot after the underworld energy retreated back underground. It was also vast. If the students in their year cooperated, it would be very doable. But it would require spreading their powers thin.

"What about keeping the bare minimum in terms of suppliers?" Nessa suggested.

"They'll be an easy target for the underworlders." Violina shot down that suggestion.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Didn't we recently get a new batch of workers who aren't doing anything yet?" Zach asked.

The others looked at him in confusion. They couldn't even try to guess what he was talking about.

"The first-years."

"..."

"...What?"

"..."

"Can you honestly say it's not a good idea? And hopefully, it's just temporary. I'm still waiting on a positive response, but I'm working on an alternative supplier as well."

"An alternative supplier? Who or what?" Anerias questioned.

"Ahp ahp ahp. No details. What if it falls through?"

"...Setting that aside for the moment. How are you going to get the first-years to work for us?" Dukiel asked.

"By asking nicely, of course!" Zach smiled brightly.

"...And what about the Academy? Do you think the principal and the instructors will let you just use the first-years like worker ants?"

"Well, Jarron is easy to persuade. Just guilt trip and blackmail him a little. I'm sure the principal would encourage it. The other instructors…Does anyone know who the homeroom instructor for the first-years are?"

"I think it might be Instructor Drupesh," Nessa said.

"Oh, I remember her. She is a tough nut to crack, but I think I have something that might just work." Zach smiled again as he put his hands on his table and leaned forward.

"So, what do you guys think? Evacuate and fortify the city. Have the first-years gather food for the Academy and any other materials we will need to start amassing potions and talismans."

"Wait, you said fortify the city?" Dukiel asked for clarification. If they evacuated the citizens, there shouldn't be a need to increase the city's defenses. What were they protecting or trying to protect by doing that? It would be easier and safer to just rebuild the city after everything had ended, regardless of who remained.

"Of course. That's where we'll be fighting, after all."