CHAPTER 43: [43] DON’T JUDGE A BOOK

Xavier turned to find a slender young man with thick square-frame glasses staring at him. The glasses were so heavy they kept sliding down his nose, requiring constant adjustment. Behind them, brown eyes darted nervously, never quite meeting Xavier’s gaze.

"Hey, what’s up? I don’t think we’ve officially met. You’re Traore, right?" Xavier extended his hand.

The shorter student pushed his glasses up with one finger and tentatively reached for Xavier’s hand. "N-N-Nolan Traore. It’s a p-pleasure to m-meet you, Valentine-san." His voice came out barely above a whisper, each syllable requiring visible effort.

Xavier shook his hand, noting the surprising firmness of Nolan’s grip despite his nervous demeanor. "Just Xavier is fine. No need for the honorifics."

"I ap-apologize for the p-presumption," Nolan said, bowing slightly. "In my research on s-social customs, I found Japanese honorifics to be most r-respectful in the w-world when addressing new acquaintances."

Xavier sized up his new partner. Nolan stood at least eight inches shorter than him, with a slight frame that seemed almost fragile. His posture was hunched, shoulders curved inward as if trying to make himself even smaller. Dark hair fell across his forehead in a practical but unremarkable style.

Oh yeah, this is a D-rank, Xavier thought dismissively. Probably got in on academics rather than combat potential.

The moment the thought formed, the hair on the back of Xavier’s neck stood straight up. His muscles tensed, heart rate spiking as his body instinctively shifted into a defensive stance. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

Nolan hadn’t moved. He hadn’t activated any visible Essentia. He was just standing there, adjusting his glasses again, looking at the floor.

Yet every survival instinct Xavier possessed—honed through years as an assassin—screamed danger.

"Are you all r-right, Xavier-s... I mean, Xavier?" Nolan asked, head tilted slightly.

Xavier forced himself to relax, though his senses remained on high alert. "Yeah, just felt something weird for a second. So, how do you want to do this? You want to activate your Essentia first, or should I?"

"P-perhaps you could demonstrate first?" Nolan suggested, his stutter less pronounced now. "I’m quite interested in your Input Buffer system. The technical precision required suggests a fascinating connection between physical execution and energy manipulation."

Xavier nodded, still trying to understand what had triggered his fight-or-flight response. "Sure, I’ll go first. But I need to know—what’s your ability? Just so I have some idea what to expect when it’s your turn."

Nolan pushed his glasses up again. "My ability is called Underdog’s Resolve. It’s... rather situational." He paused, seeming to choose his words carefully. "It activates when others underestimate me."

A chill ran through Xavier. Had his dismissive thought somehow triggered Nolan’s ability? That didn’t make sense—how could Nolan know what he was thinking?

"Interesting. How does that work exactly?" Xavier asked, keeping his voice casual while scanning their surroundings. Phantom had moved to the other side of the room, observing different pairs.

"It’s q-quite simple in theory," Nolan explained. "When someone genuinely believes I’m weak or incapable, my physical and mental capabilities increase proportionally to their level of dismissal." He smiled faintly. "The more someone looks down on me, the stronger I become."

Xavier felt a cold weight settle in his stomach. If what Nolan said was true, then his earlier thought...

"So right now, are you..." Xavier trailed off, not wanting to finish the question.

Nolan adjusted his glasses again, and for a brief moment, Xavier caught a glimpse of something behind those lenses—a sharpness that hadn’t been there before.

"Enhanced? Yes, somewhat. Though only mildly." Nolan’s stutter had completely disappeared. "Your assessment of me wasn’t particularly harsh—just a passing thought about my ability. But it was genuine, which is what matters for my ability."

Xavier reassessed the unassuming student before him. If a mild dismissal created enough enhancement for Xavier to sense danger, what would happen if someone truly insulted or threatened Nolan?

"That’s... quite an ability," Xavier said, watching Nolan carefully. "Must be difficult in social situations."

"Indeed." Nolan nodded. "People tend to stop underestimating me once they see what happens when they do. Which, ironically, reduces my ability’s effectiveness." He smiled, a small, tight expression. "It’s why I maintain this appearance and demeanor. The more forgettable I seem, the more effective I become when it matters."

"Pretty clever."

"Thank you. Now, shall we proceed with the exercise?" Nolan gestured to the space between them. "I believe you were going to demonstrate your ability first?"

Xavier nodded, still processing this new information. He stepped back, creating space between them, and focused on activating his Essentia. The pink meter appeared beside him, empty but ready.

"For this to work, I need to perform combat techniques," Xavier explained. "Since we’re just practicing sensing, I’ll do some basic forms without actually making contact."

"That would be a-appropriate," Nolan said, the stutter returning as another student walked past them. Xavier noticed how quickly Nolan shifted back into his meek persona when others were nearby.

Xavier began moving through a series of strikes and defensive maneuvers, his body flowing from one position to the next. The meter beside him responded, glowing brighter with each properly executed technique, though it stayed empty without an actual opponent.

"Now close your eyes and try to sense the energy," Xavier instructed.

Nolan closed his eyes and stood perfectly still, his breathing slowing. After a moment, his head tilted slightly.

"It feels... rhythmic," he said, eyes still closed. "Like a heartbeat, but mechanical. Each pulse corresponds to your movements." His hand rose, fingers tracing patterns in the air that matched Xavier’s meter fluctuations with uncanny accuracy. "The energy concentrates primarily around your hands and core, then channels outward when you execute techniques."

Xavier stopped, surprised by the precision of Nolan’s observations. "That’s... exactly right. You’ve done this before?"

Nolan opened his eyes. "No, but I’ve studied Essentia theory extensively. The practical application is fascinating." He adjusted his glasses. "Shall I demonstrate my ability now?"

Xavier nodded.

"For this to work effectively, I need you to think less of me," Nolan explained matter-of-factly. "Which is admittedly an unusual request."

"How am I supposed to do that on command?" Xavier asked.

"Perhaps consider my physical stature? My social awkwardness? My inability to maintain eye contact?" Nolan suggested. "Most people find these qualities easy to dismiss."

Xavier felt uncomfortable with the request. "Look, I’m not going to stand here and insult you, even mentally."

"I understand and appreciate your reluctance," Nolan said. "Perhaps we can modify the exercise. I’ll activate a minimal level of enhancement, and you can attempt to sense it without closing your eyes."

Before Xavier could respond, Nolan’s demeanor shifted subtly. His shoulders straightened just slightly, his eyes sharpened behind his glasses, and a faint golden glow appeared around his body—so subtle it was barely visible.

Xavier felt it immediately—a pressure in the air, like the moment before a thunderstorm. The energy was different from Xavier’s own—where his flowed and pulsed, Nolan’s seemed to compress and intensify, growing denser rather than larger.

"Can you sense it?" Nolan asked, his voice steady and clear.

"Yeah," Xavier said. "It’s... concentrated. Dense. Like gravity getting heavier around you."

Nolan nodded, looking pleased. "An apt description. The energy compresses rather than expands, creating increased density in my muscles."

The golden glow faded, and Nolan’s posture returned to its previous hunched state. The stutter returned as well when he spoke again. "Th-thank you for being a g-good partner, Xavier."

Xavier studied Nolan with new interest. "Your ability... how strong can it get?"

Nolan adjusted his glasses. "Theoretically? There’s no upper limit documented. The more someone dismisses me, the stronger I become." He hesitated. "During my evaluation, an A-rank examiner called me ’completely worthless’ while genuinely believing it. The resulting enhancement allowed me to temporarily match his strength."

Xavier whistled low. "That’s... impressive."

"It’s situational," Nolan corrected. "And ultimately dependent on others’ perceptions rather than my own capabilities. Not particularly reliable in controlled environments."

Their conversation was interrupted by Phantom clapping his hands for attention.

"Switch partners," the masked instructor called out. "Find someone new to work with."

As Nolan prepared to move away, Xavier caught his arm. "Hey, Nolan. That’s a hell of an ability you’ve got. Don’t sell yourself short and keep it close to your chest."

Nolan’s eyes widened slightly behind his glasses, genuine surprise crossing his face. "Th-thank you, Xavier. That’s... unusually kind."

Xavier watched him walk away, mentally adding Nolan Traore to his list of people to keep an eye on. The unassuming student with the thick glasses might look like the weakest person in class, but Xavier now knew better.

Sometimes the most dangerous people were the ones you never noticed until it was too late.