"2nd Year Minor Ability Class! ~Overthrowing the Hierarchy with Subtle Powers!~" Episode 1 [Creative Awards 2024 - Manga Original Story Category Entry]

Synopsis
A boy calling himself Nikko Niko transferred to a certain academy in Tochigi Prefecture. Tomi Toshogu, the class representative of Class 2-B, frowns at his behavior, which is far too cringeworthy for a second-year high school student. However, due to her position, she finds herself forced to get involved... Tomi Toshogu A school comedy where a single transfer student stirs up a whirlwind in an academy that prioritizes ability, using his subtle power, a "
minor ability", begins here!

Main Story
0
“A new school year starts today...”
A girl in a blazer with well-defined features, her long, straight black hair tied into a single braid, approached the school gate of the academy she attended.
“...”
“Oh? What’s that...”
The girl spotted a boy in a school uniform. It was a different uniform—a transfer student, perhaps? The boy looked up at the school building and laughed, raking his hand through hair that was neither too messy nor too long or short.
“Heh heh heh... Is this the Liangshan Marsh where my legend will be carved from now on...”
“Huh?”
The girl let out an involuntary sound and hurriedly covered her mouth, watching the boy’s behavior. Fortunately, it seemed the boy hadn’t heard her.
“Hmph, my magic eye is throbbing...”
“Eh? Oh...”
The girl peered at the boy’s face again. He was wearing a black eyepatch over his left eye. The girl nodded, feeling somewhat convinced. The boy didn’t stop muttering.
“Now then, I wonder if there’s anyone here who can quench this thirst of mine?”
“Throbbing, thirsty... you’re certainly busy with all sorts of things...”
The girl muttered to herself and entered the school gate, trying to avoid the boy.
“Heh heh heh...”
“And now he’s laughing again...”
“Ha-ha-ha-ha!”
“!?”
Startled by the sudden loud laughter, the girl turned around to see the boy shouting with his arms spread wide in an exaggerated gesture.
“You’d better do your best to entertain me!”
“Ugh... a severe case of '{Chuunibyou', huh... well, it shouldn’t have anything to do with me.”
The girl glanced at the boy and immediately turned back to face forward. Yes, she was a second-year high school student starting this year; surely—no, definitely—she would be in a different grade than that pathetic boy. Even if they were in the same grade, they wouldn’t be involved with each other much. The girl entered her classroom, and homeroom began.
“...Uh, it’s the start of the new school year, but I’d like to introduce a transfer student... Please, come in.”
“Fu-ha-ha-ha! My name is {Niko Nikko! You should feel honored to be able to spend time with me!”
“...This is the worst.”
The girl held her head in her hands as the boy in the school uniform who called himself Nikko entered the classroom.
“...Uh, so, everyone, please get along with him. Niko-kun, your attendance number is {18...so, that seat over there.”
“Hmph! As expected, the center is the only place fitting for me!”
“I think it’s a bit off-center, actually. Please, take a seat.”
The teacher stated flatly.
“Hmph...”
Nikko took the assigned seat.
“Uh, we’ll now begin the opening ceremony. Everyone, look at the monitor. We have a message from the principal.”
The teacher pointed to the monitor installed in the classroom. An elderly man began to speak.
“...So, once again, I hope you all have a meaningful new school year. That is all.”
The teacher turned off the monitor.
“Uh, so that’s it for today.”
“O-oh, it’s over!?”
Nikko was confused. The teacher nodded.
“Yes.”
“I-I see...”
“After this, I assume you all have your own things to do, like club activities, so you are dismissed.”
“E-excuse me...”
The girl sitting in the front seat by the hallway raised her hand.
“Yes, what is it?”
“Is it correct to assume that you are our new homeroom teacher for Class B?”
“No, it’s not me, but I believe one will be decided eventually.”
“E-eventually...”
“Well then... Oh, that’s right, Azuma-san.”
Just as the teacher was about to leave the classroom, he called out to the girl as if he had just remembered.
“Y-yes.”
“Please show him... Niko-kun... around the academy.”
“W-why me!?”
“It’s your job as class representative. Please do it.”
“H-how could you...”
As the teacher left the classroom, Nikko stood by the girl and called out.
“Pigtail girl! Won’t you become my '{vassal'?”
“Absolutely not!”
The girl rejected the incomprehensible offer from Nikko with all her might.

1
“Hey, wait! Pigtail girl!”
Nikko called out to the girl who had quickly left the classroom. The girl, who had thought about ignoring him, stopped, sighed, and turned back toward Nikko.
“Azuma...”
“Eh?”
“I am {2nd Year Class B,attendance number {1, Azuma Terumi}. I’m not called Pigtail girl.”
Nikko was taken aback by Terumi’s clear-cut way of speaking.
“F-f-f-hmm...”
“I’m not thrilled about it, but if it affects my school report, I have to do it properly... Uh... Niko Nikko-kun, was it?”
“You may call me the Ruler of Darkness if you wish.”
Nikko placed one hand near his forehead.
“The Ruler of Darkness has quite a sunny-sounding name...”
“Hmm...”
“You’re not used to this academy yet, right? I’ll show you around.”
“T-that would be a great help...”
Nikko nodded at Terumi’s words. Seeing his attitude, Terumi thought that if she took the lead, he might actually be surprisingly obedient.
Terumi pointed to the classroom.
“Where we just came from is our classroom. We take classes there except for moving classrooms. Well, I think that’s the same at any school, though...”
“Hmm...?”
“What? Do you have a question?”
Terumi asked Nikko, who was tilting his head. Nikko entered the classroom again and looked around the room.
“Hmm...”
“What’s wrong?”
“...I heard it was a class of 30 people, including me...”
“Ah, yeah...”
“What was that about earlier?”
Nikko spread his arms. It seemed that only about a third of the students had attended the homeroom earlier. After lightly holding her head, Terumi answered.
“Uh... as class representative, I hesitate to say this, but... everyone is skipping.”
“Skipping?”
“Yes, it’s not a mass absence due to some epidemic or anything like that.”
“Why would something like that happen...”
“...They have no motivation.”
“Motivation?”
“Nikko-kun.”
“Nikko is fine.”
“Ah... Nikko-kun, you’ve surely noticed that only this Class B building is different, right?”
“That goes without saying. I was suddenly brought from a concrete building to an old-fashioned wooden school building. Isn’t that quite rare these days?”
“...This is the current situation we in Class B are placed in.”
“I feel like I understand the story, but I don’t.”
Terumi sighed again at Nikko’s words.
“...Weren’t you given any explanation when you transferred?”
“There might have been, but I didn’t think it was necessary to listen, so I didn’t.”
“...Did you take an aptitude test?”
“Ah, I was made to take that. It was strange. I thought it would just be a simple transfer exam, but they did physical tests and attached many suspicious devices to my body... What was that?”“It’s to perform a screening... This '{Ability Research Academy', commonly known as '{Noken Academy
', gathers boys and girls with various abilities from all over the country here in Tochigi Prefecture, and while they live their school lives, it promotes various research on the students.”
“Research of various kinds, you say?”
“Yes.”
Terumi went back out into the hallway. Nikko followed her and nodded.
“I see... So the results of that research are that magnificent concrete school building and this wooden school building?”
“You’re quite sharp.”
Terumi turned a surprised look toward Nikko.
“The results of the research and the results of the tests are blatantly dividing the treatment of the students, then.”
“That’s right.”
“The teacher also said he was a substitute, now that I think about it...”
“Yes, the teachers don’t have much expectation for us in Class B either...”
Terumi looked out the window, looking lonely. Nikko tilted his head.
“Hmm... various abilities...”
“What? Is something wrong?”
“Then does that mean not only I, but you also have some kind of ability?”
“If you’re a student at this academy, you should mostly have some kind of ability.”
“Fu-ha-ha-ha!”
“!?”
Terumi flinched at Nikko, who suddenly let out an eerie, loud laugh. Nikko held his face.
“In other words, that’s it! That’s what it is, isn’t it!?”
“What is!?”“It means my ability has also been recognized as '{superpower
', doesn’t it!?”
“! N-no, well... uh... that’s... I wonder about that...?”
Terumi gave a bitter smile at Nikko’s question. In contrast, Nikko wore a fearless smile.
“As expected, the beginning of the legend was in this land...”
“Ah!?”
“What is it!?”
“No, look down!”
“Hmm!?”
When Terumi pointed below the window, she could see a small student in a blazer being harassed by students who were slightly larger than them. Terumi shouted.
“A 1st-year Class B student is being harassed! We have to do something!”
“Class B, as in this wooden school building...”
“Yes, a junior!”
“Then I must go and help!”
“Eh!? This is the third floor, though!? You jumped out the window!?”
“If this ability is a superpower, then I am truly a fallen angel who has gained wings! I will dash in dashingly from the air, and the small evil will be gu-gu-gu-ugh!?”
Nikko missed his landing spectacularly and rolled on the ground. The students below were confused.
“W-what was that!?”
“Ah... just as I thought...”
Terumi, who had come down the stairs, held her head. Nikko shouted at Terumi while enduring the pain.
“H-hey! What is the meaning of this! Am I not a possessor of a superpower!?”“I don’t know the details yet, but you are a possessor of an ability... However, the fact that you were assigned to Class B means you are a possessor of '{minor ability'... a possessor of a '{subtle ability
'.”
“M-minor ability!?”
Nikko was stunned by Terumi’s explanation.
“W-what is this guy...”
The large boys turned confused eyes toward Nikko. Nikko pointed his finger sharply and opened his mouth.
“Hey, you guys! Stop this ridiculous behavior!”
“I-isn’t he a senior?”
“If he jumped from the third floor, is he a second-year? This is bad...”
“Heh, he’s not a big deal.”
The boy who seemed to be the leader among the boys stepped forward.
“H-hey... i-isn’t this bad?”
The leader-type boy turned around and laughed.
“Don’t be scared. Since he came out of this crappy school building, that’s what it is, right?”
“A-ah, yeah...”
“That’s true...”
Hearing the leader-type boy’s words, the other boys also wore smiles.“That’s right, it means he’s a possessor of a subtle ability, right? In other words... he’s not an enemy of us '{superpowered people
' in 1st-year Class C!”
“Guoh!”
When the leader-type boy held up his right hand, Nikko was lightly blown backward. Terumi raised her voice.
“Nikko-kun!”
“Ugh, w-what is...”“Ha, this is my superpower, '{strong wind
'.”
“St-strong wind, you say?”
“How about that, you’re scared, aren’t you?”
Nikko slowly stood up and muttered.
“...Hmph, I thought a breeze had blown. That’s not much of an ability.”
“You’ve got a lot of nerve saying that! Hey, you guys!”
“Yeah!”
“Ah!”
“Uoh!?”
Following the leader-type boy’s command, the other two also held up their right hands. Nikko, hit by strong winds from three directions, fell down again. The leader-type boy laughed.
“Heh heh! How about that, our coordination?”
“Ugh...”
“Stop it! You guys!”
Terumi warned them. The leader-type boy turned his gaze toward her.
“Huh?”
“I’m going to call the teacher!”
“Hmm...”
“In the current situation where you aren’t controlling your abilities well, I’ve recorded it!”
“Eh?”
“If you see this footage, some kind of punishment will be handed down, right?... Like being sent to a 'correctional facility'...”
“H-hey! This is bad!”
“Wait, wait, don’t panic.”
The leader-type boy calmed his panicked companions. Terumi tilted her head at his composure.
“What...”
“Look closely, this big sister is actually a pretty good-looking woman...”
“Oh... it seems you have a pretty good eye.”
Terumi showed a reaction as if she wasn’t entirely displeased.
“Perfect. Let’s have this big sister play with us!”
“Kyaa! Wh-what are you doing!”
When the leader-type boy held up his right hand, a light gust of wind blew, and Terumi’s skirt was about to flip up. Terumi hurriedly held down the hem of her skirt. The leader-type boy laughed.
“Heh, hey you guys!”
“O-oh!”
“Heh heh!”
The other two also raised their right hands, and wind blew from three directions. The skirt was about to flip up at any moment. Terumi glared at the trio while holding down her skirt.
“St-stop it! I’m going to get seriously angry...”
“What can you possibly do in that state!”
“Ugh...”
“Wait!”
“!”
Where everyone turned their gaze, there was Nikko, who had taken off his eyepatch, discarded his school uniform, and was now in a red T-shirt. The leader-type boy laughed loudly.
“What is it, senior? We’re currently having this big sister play with us.”
“Yeah, yeah, can you read the room?”
“Don’t get in the way, okay?”
“I can’t let that happen...”
“Look! In a little while, that skirt that boasted iron-clad defense will flip up!?”
“Oh!?”
As it turned out, Nikko also started watching the scene. Terumi got angry.
“Hey! What are you doing, Nikko-kun! Isn’t this the part where you’re supposed to come in and help!?”
“Ha! Y-you’re right. It’s a little, no, quite a shame, but...”
“Your true feelings are leaking out!”
“Ugh, hey, pigtail girl!”
Nikko approached Terumi’s side.
“Azuma Terumi!”
“That’s right, Azuma Terumi! Look at my left eye!”
“Eh!?”
“Just do it quickly!”
“Geez, what is it! Wait, eh!?”
Terumi was surprised because Nikko’s left eye was glowing green. Nikko asked.
“What color was my left eye!?”“It’s {green
!”
“I see, it’s green today!”
“What do you mean by 'today'... what is going on!?”
“I’ll say it again! Azuma Terumi! Become my 'vassal'!”
“I’ll say it again, absolutely not!”
“Ugh! Th-then, how about 'comrade'!”
“I don’t remember sharing the same aspirations!”
“Muu! Then, how about 'friend'!”
“It’s the worst to be friends with someone who’s a second-year but acts like they have chuunibyou!”
“Ugh... why are you so stubborn!”
“I don’t want to hear that from you!”
“Th-then, uh... that...”
Nikko showed a shy demeanor. Terumi was dumbfounded.
“Is there any reason to be shy now!?”“E-e-ei! Azuma Terumi! B-become my '{friend
'!”
“...Ah, well, if it’s just as friends...”
Terumi nodded for the time being. Nikko wore a fearless smile.
“Fu-fu! By gaining an understanding person, my ability is strengthened!”
“!?”A {large black wing on one side
grew on Nikko’s back.
“Hmph... this single wing is beautiful today too. I’m captivated by it myself...”
“Wh-what... s-seriously...”
“A-a wing on one side...?”
The boys and Terumi stared at Nikko with surprised eyes. Nikko laughed while raking his hair.
“Hmph, it seems you can’t even speak properly out of surprise.”
“Ugh...”
“Now it’s our turn!”
Nikko flapped his wing. The boys and Terumi were surprised.
“H-he flew!?”
“N-Nikko-kun, are you actually a possessor of an amazing ability!?”
“Can you surpass me, the 'Ruler of the Sky', just by being able to create a little strong wind!?”
“Ugh!? Hmm?”
Nikko landed immediately. Terumi tilted her head.
“...Eh?”
“Hmph... I can fly in the sky... for about 2 seconds at a time!”“!? Th-this is the true '{Space-Time Two Seconds
'... wait, it’s a subtle ability after all!”
Terumi raised her voice. The leader-type boy shouted.
“You made me panic for a second, you bastard!”
“Uoh!?”
Nikko was hit by a strong wind and crashed into the school building. Terumi raised her voice.
“Nikko-kun!”
“Ugh, I ended up catching more wind because I grew a wing...”
“Are you an idiot!?”
“Wh-what do you mean by idiot!”
“I just said what I thought honestly!”
“That kind of honesty can sometimes hurt people!”
“Sometimes honest speech is necessary!”
Nikko and Terumi started arguing. The boys were confused.
“H-hey, what should we do...?”
“They’re getting excited while leaving us aside...”
“Tch... hey, you guys!”
“What!”
“We’re in the middle of something!”
“Huh? You’re acting pretty cocky, aren’t you!”
“Uoh!?”
“Kyaa!?”
The leader-type boy swung his right hand with all his might, and a stronger wind than before attacked Nikko and Terumi. Nikko was pressed further against the wall, and Terumi desperately held down her skirt.
“Wh-what is this skirt that won’t flip up even then!? Is it really made of steel!?”
“Wh-where are you looking! Forget about me and do something about yourself!”
“Hey, you guys!”
“A-ah!”
“Got it!”
“Let’s go! Let’s finish off that painful guy... here!”
“Uraah!”
“Oraah!”
“Nuohaa!?”
Blown by the strong wind, Nikko’s body was lifted to somewhere between the second and third floors.
“Ha, if he falls from around there again, he might get quite an injury this time~”
The leader-type boy laughed. Terumi protested.
“You guys! That’s too much!”
“We just accepted the fight that was sold to us... if he’s some kind of sky guy, he should be fine, right?”
“Wh-what are you planning to do!?”
“For now, if this wind that keeps blowing suddenly stops... what will happen, I wonder?”
“Wh-what!? Stop doing stupid things!”
“If he’s an ability user, he’ll manage somehow, right? Hey, you guys!”
“Yeah!”
“Heh heh...”
Following the leader-type boy’s command, everyone lowered the right hands they had been holding up. The strong wind stopped abruptly, and Nikko began to fall.
“Hmm...”
“Nikko-kun! It’s dangerous!”
“Hmph, this much is easy!”
“Eh!?”
“Wh-what is it!?”
Terumi and the boys were surprised. Nikko, who had positioned himself at 90 degrees to the school building, began to run down the school building with great force.
“Th-that’s also an ability!?”
“N-no, it must be a bluff!”
“Judge for yourself whether it’s a bluff or not!”
“Nikko-kun! Do you have a plan...!?”
“I-I can’t stop~!”
Terumi slumped at Nikko’s pathetic shout. The leader-type boy laughed.
“Ha-ha-ha! It’s no use if you go and hit the ground yourself!”
“N-Nikko-kun! At least get into a defensive posture!”
“Not necessary!”
“Not necessary, you say!”
“Because!”
“Gah...!?”
“Guh...!?”
The next moment, Nikko’s feet landed precisely on the boys’ faces.
“It just so happened that there was a perfect landing spot...”
“Wh-what... how did you do that!?”
The leader-type boy expressed his surprise. Nikko answered while raking his hair.
“I just used the school building I ran down as a running start and flapped with this single wing...”
“Th-that’s...”
“It depends on the proficiency of my ability, but if I have 2 seconds, I can fly quite a distance...”
“Hmm...”
“G-gu...”
“M-mu...”
“You guys!”
The two boys who were pitifully stepped on by Nikko collapsed on the spot. Nikko, who had landed on the ground again, turned back toward the leader-type boy.
“'Two delinquent boys used as a stepping stone by a flying boy'... I don’t know if there’s a newspaper club at this academy, but wouldn’t that be a pretty good headline?”
“Don’t talk to me like that! If you want to fly so much, I’ll make you fly as much as you want!”
The leader-type boy held up both hands. A strong wind blew at Nikko, and Nikko’s body was lifted again.
“Uoh!? This is... a bit bad... hey, friend!”
“Eh? M-me!?”
Terumi was surprised at Nikko’s call.
“Who else is there!? You’re an ability user too, right! I need your help!”
“Uh...”
“No, don’t 'uh' me!”“I got it! Uh, uh... '{Do something, ngo!
'”
“Huh!?”
Nikko was taken aback by Terumi, who suddenly shouted something incomprehensible.
“...”
For a moment, the atmosphere in the place froze. Nikko shouted.
“What was that!?”“I don’t know either! Anyway, it’s an ability where I end up adding '{~ngo
' to the end of my sentences!”
“What kind of ability is that!?”
“That’s what I want to ask!”
The leader-type boy, who had stopped moving for a bit, pulled himself together and raised his voice.
“Heh, I’ll keep lifting you up like this!”
“Ugh, do something!”
“Even if you tell me to do something!”
“Ngo... I see!”
“What is it!?”
“Something like... that! Try holding up your hand!”
“Eh...? L-like this? !?”
When Terumi held up her right hand, a small red bubble popped out and flew smoothly toward the leader-type boy. The leader-type boy burst out.
“Pfft! What is that... Uoh!?”
When the bubble hit him, the leader-type boy was enveloped in small flames. Not only the boy but Terumi was also surprised.
“Wh-what is this!?”“Just as I thought! 'Ngo' is like a switch for an ability that '{bursts into flames
'!”
“Eh!?”
“Uooo, hot! It’s burning!”
“Kya!”
The boy hurriedly took off his clothes, both top and bottom. Terumi looked away. Although the boy’s clothes were burned, his body was safe. The boy tilted his head.
“Wh-what...”
“Opening!”
“Eh!?”
At Nikko’s shout, the boy and Terumi looked up. Then, they saw Nikko falling in an unstable posture. The boy laughed.
“You’re the one who’s full of openings! What are you going to do in that posture!?”
“N-Nikko-kun! Defensive posture!”
“Not necessary!”
“Eh!?”
“Space-Time Two Seconds!”
“Gah!?”
Nikko, who was about to hit the ground, seemed to have regained his posture, then flew just above the ground, swept the boy’s legs, and knocked him down. After that, Nikko landed quickly.
“How’s that! If I can fly for two seconds, I can do things like this too!”
“Ugh...”
The boy tried to stand up.
“Are you still going to do it!”
“O-of course, do you think I’ll end it just by being looked down on...”
“I see... alright, burn his shirt and pants too.”
“G-got it. I’m not thrilled about it, but...”
Responding to Nikko’s instruction, Terumi pointed her right hand at the boy. The boy clicked his tongue.
“Tch! H-hey, you guys! Wake up!”
The boy hurriedly woke up his companions who had collapsed.
“Hmm... ah, what... wh-what is that outfit of yours!?”
“What happened!?”
“That doesn’t matter! We’re pulling out of here!”
“A-ah...”
“G-got it...”
The boys ran away from the scene. Nikko laughed.
“Ha-ha, trivial!”
“What should I do...”
Terumi held her head. Nikko tilted his head.
“Is something wrong?”
“No, even though it was due to the circumstances, I caused a fight, and on top of that, I burned someone’s uniform... I’ve done something outrageous...”
“You said it yourself, it was due to the circumstances. I think the fault clearly lies more with them.”
“Even so, if they run to the staff room...”
“I don’t think there’s any need to worry about that.”
“Wh-why can you say that for sure?”
“According to your story, this school building... the people in Class B are quite looked down upon. If they spread the word that they were beaten by people from such a Class B, it would be like spreading their own shame. So there’s no need to worry.”
“I-is that how it is?”
“That’s how it is.”
Nikko nodded at Terumi’s question.
“St-still, to think that I was equipped with such an ability...”
“Did you not notice you were repeating 'ngo' over and over?”
“I wasn’t repeating it. It’s embarrassing, you know.”
“I see.”
“But to emit fire... I say this myself, but isn’t this quite an ability...”“Your proficiency with the ability is still low, and the intensity of the fire itself is insufficient... I think it’s at most '{minor flaming
' level, but it’s a minor ability to a magnificent degree.”
“Don’t pour cold water on me!”
Terumi snapped at Nikko, who was analyzing and laughing flatly.
“Uh... thank you very much.”
The small boy who had been harassed by the boys thanked them. Nikko waved his hand.
“It’s nothing special, don’t worry about it.”
“I-is that so...”
“Be careful not to get harassed again.”
“Th-that’s the thing, I was thinking of quitting this academy...”
“What?”
“It’s been like this since middle school, and I’m tired of it...”
“You’ve just entered high school, it’s a waste.”
“But... I get harassed by people like that. It’s not every time, but... why do I have to spend my school life carrying such an inferiority complex?”
“Th-that is...”
Terumi was stuck for an answer to the boy’s question. The boy sighed.
“Sigh... I’m going to the staff room.”
“W-wait! Graduating from this academy is advantageous for further education and employment!”“...That’s a story for so-called excellent people, right? It has almost nothing to do with the students of Class B who attend this school building... the '{dropouts
'...”
“Muu...”
“...Boy.”
Nikko, who had been silent with his arms crossed, opened his mouth.
“Y-yes...”
“Leave it to me...”
“Eh?”“Now that I’ve come to this academy, I won’t let anyone call Class B dropouts anymore... I’ll make them the '{best group
'! Believe in me!”
“! Y-yes!”
The boy was overwhelmed by Nikko’s intensity, nodded, and left the scene. Terumi tilted her head and muttered in a small voice.“C-can he really do something like that...?”