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The Paper User: Exiled for a ‘Trash Skill,’ Awakens True Power and Rises with Two Unique Skills - Chapter 27

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Galdy

A few seconds later, Galdy narrowed his eyes to slits like needles and finally spoke.

“You… what’s your name?”

“Almine. A party leader with a good eye, thank you very much.”

“Almine, huh? I’ll show you what overwhelming power looks like.”

Galdy raised his right index finger and began chanting a spell.

A black sphere materialized at his fingertip and started to grow larger and larger.

Once it surpassed a meter in diameter, he flicked his finger.

The orb began flying straight toward us.

Wait—no way!

But just before it could reach us, the sphere suddenly veered off course and slammed into the corpse of a Magisteel Spider nearby. A loud boom rang out as the monster’s hard body shattered into pieces.

“This is the power of the strong!”
Galdy grinned smugly, his lips curled at both ends.

“You may have defeated a swarm of Magisteel Spiders, but I could’ve wiped them out in a single shot with my magic.”

“So you blew up the spider’s corpse… just to prove that?”
Almine scratched her head, clearly unimpressed.

“That’s just a waste of base mana.”

“This is nothing,” Galdy scoffed. “I’ve got the Mana Boost skill. My base mana pool is over 100,000.”

“Ooh, Mana Boost, huh? Not a bad skill.”

“I’ve got two other combat skills, too.”
He held up three fingers confidently.

“To be on top, you need strength. That’s what matters.”
He clenched his fist with emphasis.

“Only the strong can truly see strength in others. And I could tell just by looking—this guy is weak.”

Galdy pointed his finger directly at me.

“Any party with someone like that in it is second-rate… no, make that third-rate.”

“Seems like we have a difference of opinion,” Almine said, scratching her head again.

“Well, guess time will tell who’s right.”

“Hmph. You’ll realize your mistake soon enough.”

“You mean you will.”

“Tch! Don’t forget what you just said.”

With that, Galdy turned his back to us and walked away.
The other members of the Holy Sword Guild hurried to catch up with him, looking flustered.

Almine let out a soft sigh as she rubbed her head again.

“Yeah… working with the Holy Sword Guild might not be an option after all.”

“Almine.”

I called out to her.

“Thanks… for standing up for me.”

“I was just telling the truth,” she shrugged.

“I think even that A-rank guy will figure it out soon—just how strong you really are, Yakumo.”

“…Strong, huh?”

“Hmm? What’s with the face?”

“I mean… sure, I’ve gotten stronger, but I’m still just E-rank. I can’t even win against Kinako in a mock battle.”

“Obviously,” Kinako said, smacking me on the butt with a paw.

“You’re sealing away your Paper Manipulation skill during practice, aren’t you? Of course you can’t win a hand-to-hand fight against an A-rank martial artist. But…”

Kinako stared up at my face.

“You’re still inexperienced, but you make split-second decisions fast. You’re also good at reading enemy movements. Even without using your skills, I’d say you’re more than just ‘decent.’”

“More than decent, huh…”

I pressed a finger to my lips and fell into thought.

Ever since hitting my head, my thinking during combat had become quicker. I was getting better at reacting to my opponent’s movements.

And thanks to my training with Kinako, my body had started catching up with my thoughts.

Still… I’ve got a long way to go.
I need to get stronger—strong enough to really be useful to my party.

I clenched both fists tightly.

Notes (Cultural & Contextual):

  1. “Magisteel Spider” (魔鋼蜘蛛) – This creature combines "magic" and "steel," implying high defense and magical danger. In RPG terms, it’s probably a mid-tier monster with strong physical resistance. Blowing one up casually is meant to be impressive—though overkill here.

  2. Galdy's Showoff Magic – This trope is common in Japanese fantasy: a cocky, overpowered rival character flaunts their strength to intimidate the hero. His black orb and flashy destruction serve narrative drama rather than strategic sense.

  3. Almine's Leadership Style – She represents a more level-headed, capable leader who judges people by more than brute force. Her calm dismantling of Galdy’s ego is both humorous and highlights her intelligence.

  4. Skill: “Paper Manipulation” (紙使い) – This likely allows Yakumo to create or control paper as a weapon or tool—possibly with creative or versatile applications. The fact that he seals this power during training suggests discipline and restraint.

  5. “Mana Boost” Skill & 100,000 Mana – High mana values like this exaggerate power levels for comedic or dramatic effect. In-game terms, 100,000 mana would allow massive spells, but also signals that Galdy relies on firepower more than finesse.

  6. Character Growth & Reflection – Yakumo’s reflection about training, combined with Kinako’s honest praise, shows typical shounen-style inner growth. The narrative reinforces that raw power isn’t everything—tactical thinking and heart matter just as much.

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