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01 Do you want me to heat it up?
That was on the winter of my 3rd year of middle school.
I, Serizawa Atsushi, was sipping the hot food cooked in a pot with my family.
「I always thought of it. Onii-chan, isn’t…that hot?」
「No, it’s the best temperature to eat」
It’s my style to take out the food from the boiling pot and eat it right away. I toss the tofu into my mouth. I have never burned my tongue before.
「But that one was boiling! It’s really weird!」
My 1st year middle school younger sister, Yuka is in the middle of her puberty. Recently, her self-assertion is too strong, so it’s annoying. Well, I guess I can’t blame her.
My father blows the lotus,
「Haha, Yuka has a cat’s tongue after all……」
and eats it thoughtlessly.
「Nevertheless, I can’t believe Atsushi can eat this without getting burned」
It was a common family dinner.
However, suddenly, a huge earthquake happened.
「Uwa!? What’s with this shake!?」
「Kyaaaaaaa!!!」
A local earthquake with the seismic intensity of 6.
The epicenter is unfortunately, close to my house, and the floor rise vertically causing the dining table to rise.
Incidentally, the boiling hot pot fell onto my head.
「Muwaaaaaaaa!!!!?」
The food splashed onto the floor from my head causing a large amount of vapor to rise up, and my sister and my parents screamed.
「Kyaaaaaa!!!」
「Atsushi!!!」
「C-Call the ambulance!!」
My family becomes panic.
But under such situation……I’m totally calm.
「No, I’m fine… I mean…this is not even hot at all」
「How can that be!? If you get splashed by such boiling water, you’ll get a large burn!」
My father quickly lifts up the pot covering my head…
He has a strange looking face.
「Huh……? Are you sure it’s not hot?」
Not just the pot, but even the soup were…somehow like 「lukewarm temperature」 for the skin.
I who was dumbfounded for a while, reached to a certain possibility.
“Impossible, that can’t be”. Of course I have such feeling, but I can’t help but to think so.
「This…i-is this perhaps…」
「…」
My parents exchange glances while looking dumbfounded.
「That…certainly is a Talent」
Yuka said what everyone was thinking first.
It was the moment when I realized that I have a 「Talent」.
◇◇◇
「Hai, next」
And now, I’m at the National Talent Research Center.
I’m about to listen to the result of my Talent appraisal from the beautiful appraiser.
I don’t when but it looks like I was blessed with a Talent.
Come to think of it, I may have been a little weird.
Let me give some examples.
「A cold bath heats up to lukewarm」
「Even during the summer, the ice cream on my hand will never melt」
「Even in a humid room, only my surroundings feel cool」
Apparently, my parents don’t realized of such abnormality, but my sister seemed to have realized it since long ago.
And according to the appraisal, my Talent is 『Talent of changing the temperature Level 1』. A power that can change the temperature of the things I touch.
By the way, Talents are the special powers used by the heroes in the Great War. Talent users are said to be considered as 「the world’s threat」 and also 「first-class war potential」.
Fufufu, with this, I can join them, right?
While feeling excited in my heart, I tried asking the appraiser.
「Um! How can I use my Talent, 『【One who Changes Temperature (Thermo-Operator)】』, to protect the country as a war potential?」
God gave me a Talent, so why not I try being matchless?
Against I who have overflowing dreams…
The beautiful blond and blue eyes appraiser sighed deeply, and answered with the eyes of sympathy.
「Haa… Do you really mean it?」
The eyes behind the silver-rimmed glasses, are very cold.
「Eh?…Ah, yes…pretty much」
While feeling the jitters due to the cold reaction, I continued without giving up.
「I have always admired one of the heroes who participated in the Great War! I also thought that I want to be like that」
I told my dream even though it’s quite embarrassing. What returned was
「Heroes? Is your head alright?」
a very, very cold words.
「Do you even know what they did? They are just a group of monsters who pulverized mountains, punching nuclear missiles, sinking islands, and changed the world’s topographic map. You call them heroes? Don’t make me laugh」
Huh?
This person, isn’t she a government official? Isn’t she sharp tongue?
I mean, is it alright for a person working for the country to say that much?
「Let me ask you this. With the power that can only change the temperature of drinks… Who do you intent to fight with?」
「…」
Un.
Well, now that she say that, I agree.
According to the 5 level evaluation, my power’s strength is 「Supernatural Level 1」.
According to the country’s guidelines, Talent’s strength is divided into 5 levels.
///////////////////
<Talent Ability Evaluation Index> (S-LEVEL = Supernatural Level)
S-LEVEL 1 Potential <Useless>
People who are not acknowledged as useful even though supernatural Talents have manifested.
S-LEVEL 2 General <Useful>
People who possessed Talents that are deemed useful for the country in some kind of form.
S-LEVEL 3 Battle <War Potential>
People who possessed strong Talents which are useful in the war, or people who are acknowledged for their usefulness.
ーーーBorderlineーーー
S-LEVEL 4 Tactical <Calamity-class Threat>
People who have Talents of the worth of tactical weapons which can cause geographic changes.
(Threat Degree : Single-shot nuclear missile~99 shots)
S-LEVEL 5 Strategic <Country Destruction-class Threat>
People who possessed Talents of the worth of strategic weapons and is not made public by the country.
(Threat Degree : More than 100 nuclear missile shots)
///////////////////
Mine is the lowest of the 5 level evaluation, 「Level 1 <Useless>」.
In other words, it’s the weakest and there’s no way to use it. Apparently, it’s like growing hairs.
Un, I listened to that at first, so I knew it.
Not only that it’s not suitable for combat, it’s also deemed as useless.
Well, when compared with people who surpassed the 「Borderline」, it might be true…
But…but!!! There’s a chance, right?
It can’t be helped for me to think that there’s at least one chance, right?
I should try asking her!
「B-By the way, how about the evolution of abilities? Is there such thing?」
According to this cruel woman appraiser,
「Once a Talent is manifested, it will 『grow slightly according to the user』, but the trait of Talent will never change」
「And it’s impossible to obtain several Talents」
And
「Your power is indeed rare, but…it’s more inferior to a microwave oven」
she added such evaluation which I don’t want to hear.
「I see. Well, it’s unfortunate that it’s not a very useful power!」
While enduring my tears, I bluff the woman appraiser, but
「Un. Not useful at all」
…
Uwa…
This person, really likes to gouge my heart. Is this her nature? An Oni?
Don’t you think that this person definitely don’t have a boyfriend and friends?
While thinking that, she glared at me with the most sharp eyes as of now. Scary.
Dammit! Give me back my dreams and excited feeling from yesterday!
I shouldn’t have anticipated for it!!
…No.
No no no. Wait! That’s right. I need to think backwards.
According to how I think, this is better rather than being sent into the war or being experimented as a guinea pig. I forcibly agreed with it.
That’s right! I should be happy that my freedom is not robbed from me!
Freedom is the best!
Useless, banzai!
I’m glad that I’m a normal guy!!!
「T-Then, it’s okay for me to return to my normal life, right?」
「No…you can’t」
「Eh?」
My thoughts stopped for a moment.
「Even though it’s like that, a Talent is still a Talent. From now on, your life…Ahem, your ability will be placed under the administration of the country. From this spring, you will be attending the Talent training school in the imperial capital」
「…Eh?」
No way.
I open my eyes wide by the unexpected development.
I was full of motivation to attend the local high school.
What will happen to my high school romance with my first love, Eri-chan?
「As the result of the appraisal, it’s decided that you will be going to the F rank Teihen High School. By the way, due to the laws, you have no rights to object」
「…」
The appraisal stamped a seal on my Talent report,
「Hai, you can go home already」
「…Yes」
◇◇◇
On the way back, I stopped by at the convenience store because I was hungry.
When I bring the onigiri to the counter, the beautiful lady smiled and asked this.
「Do you want me to heat the onigiri?」
I replied with resolution.
「No, I’ll do it myself」
And I left the convenience store…
I wipe my tears that came out naturally, and looked up at the sky.
「I will…I will definitely get stronger…!」
Character File 001
NAME : Serizawa Atsushi
CLASS : 【Thermo-Operator】S-LEVEL 1
Capable of changing the temperature of the things he touches. For example…
「Heating up a cold bath to lukewarm」「Heating up a cold oden」「Changing the temperature to a comfortable one in a humid room」「The ice cream on his hand will never melt even during the summer」, etc.
It is classified as the lowest level, Level 1 as it has no usefulness (Microwave oven, air conditioners and even refrigerator can do the same). The range of effect is only to an extent of touching.
<Skill>
Heat Up (Heating things)
Cool Down (Cooling things)
