Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Do You Understand?
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Do you understand?
Louisdel Academy entrance exam day.
The area in front of the exam hall was bustling with a long line of applicants stretching out.
“Applicants! Come forward and get your number tickets!”
“The order doesn’t matter! Just come up one by one as you like!”
Aren received his number ticket according to the instructions.
“Aren Bright, applicant number 187.”
Turning around with the ticket in hand, he saw an endless crowd lined up behind him.
‘All these people are applicants…’
A wave of tension hit him for a moment, but Aren shook his head and steadied his mind.
As one who bore the name of the Extreme Divine Single Sword, there was no reason to feel intimidated.
Just then, someone tapped his shoulder.
“Got your number? Mind stepping aside? There are people waiting behind you.”
“Oh, sorry!”
The owner of the voice was a tall boy in work clothes, with navy blue hair and goggles on his head.
“…No need to apologize that much.”
The boy went straight to the examiner and got his number ticket.
“Number 188.”
“I’m 187.”
“But does the number ticket even mean anything?”
“Probably dividing us into groups of 32 for the exam.”
At those words, the boy turned to look at Aren.
“How do you know that?”
“I was watching. There was a noticeably long gap when they called 32 and 33, then 64 and 65.”
“Interesting. Never thought someone would notice that.”
“If I’m right, we’ll be tested in groups of 32.”
The boy examined his number ticket this way and that before speaking.
“Then you and I have a good chance of being in the same group?”
“Pretty high probability.”
“Then we should at least exchange names. I’m Elia Work. Apprentice craftsman from the Work Workshop.”
“I’m Aren Bright. From Baran.”
Elia smirked and said,
“Baran? That’s total countryside. Won’t be easy going home for breaks. I’m nearby, so it’s convenient for me.”
Aren gave an awkward smile and rubbed the back of his neck.
“But… we might not pass, right?”
“Me? Or you?”
“Both.”
“Who knows, we’ll probably both make it.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Occupational habit—I can tell at a glance. Not as many kids here stronger than you as you’d think.”
Elia yawned and turned away.
“See you later.”
Watching his back, Aren sighed inwardly.
‘Doesn’t even consider he might fail…’
But Elia had a point.
Even looking around, there weren’t that many who stood out to his eyes.
Aren had been able to sense the ‘light’ emanating from people’s bodies since childhood.
Those with light were without exception extraordinary, and right now, in this exam hall, there were about thirty such people.
One of them was Elia.
‘Never seen this many lights back in Baran… The capital really is different.’
Once number ticket distribution ended, an examiner in uniform appeared on the platform.
“Applicants, welcome. I’ll now briefly explain the entrance exam, so listen carefully.”
The exam content was the Shadow Dungeon.
As Aren had predicted, thirty-two people would form parties of four, divided into eight groups to conquer a mock dungeon.
‘Good. I’ve been in dungeons over ten times back in Baran.’
“Party members will be randomly assigned by lottery.”
At those words, one applicant shouted in a dissatisfied voice.
“Wait! What if we get grouped with people who don’t match our skill? If luck’s bad, we’re screwed!”
The examiner stared him down coldly and said,
“Then carry them.”
“No, what if someone way weaker than me drags me down?!”
At the applicant’s complaint, the examiner slightly lifted his shirt, revealing over ten deep scars on his abdomen.
“As you can see, I’m from a raid squad myself. And from my experience, I’ve never seen a real pro among those worried about others dragging them down.”
The applicant’s face flushed red.
“Worry about not being a burden to your teammates first. That’s the explanation.”
Aren wholeheartedly agreed with the examiner.
‘As expected of Louisdel Academy. Skill alone isn’t enough.’
Even back when conquering dungeons with acquaintances in his hometown, Aren had thought the same as the examiner.
If there were lacking teammates, the true expert was the one who could fill those gaps. That was his sword path as well.
‘Don’t worry about others—focus on doing my part.’
“Remember your numbers. We’ll start party assignments soon.”
No sooner had he spoken than a magic circle appeared on one side of the exam hall, and translucent letters floated in the air.
[Group 1]
[Party 1 – Richard Dean / Alex Luker / Ron Klaus / Lania Angus]
[Party 2 – …]
[Party 3 – …]
Soon, the roster for Aren’s Group 6 appeared as well.
[Group 6]
[Party 3 – Aren Bright / Elia Work / Lan Pen / Mine Rose]
“Same group after all.”
“Please take care of me.”
“No need for that.”
Elia glanced over his shoulder, and two women were walking toward them.
“Our team’s stacked.”
“Ah, those are…”
One had her brown ponytail tied tightly and wore her martial arts uniform neatly.
A top candidate for top scorer in the entrance exam, Lan Pen.
She smiled brightly and cupped her hands in a fist salute.
“I’m Lan Pen. Nice to meet you.”
“Elia Work. Apprentice craftsman.”
“Oh, that famous Work Workshop? Would appreciate you looking at my gauntlets later.”
“Bring the money, anytime.”
The other was a woman with a soft smile.
The empire’s saintess, Mine Rose.
Even in a backwater like Baran, her name was famous.
“I’m Aren Bright. It’s an honor to meet the empire’s saintess.”
“I’m Mine Rose. Let’s all do our best and ace the exam.”
Both were dazzling with light.
‘With a lineup like this, the exam should be no problem.’
Once group assignments finished, the examiner spoke again.
“Each group, enter the Shadow Dungeon with your party now. Goal: Defeat the boss monster within the time limit while minimizing damage to allies. Note, it’s not disqualification if not everyone survives.”
He paused briefly, then added with a meaningful smile.
“And I’ll say this upfront—this exam is a competition.”
“Isn’t that obvious?”
“Exams are always competitive…”
Elia snorted and clicked his tongue.
“That guy’s saying something funny.”
“Funny how?”
“Basically telling us to fight each other to the death inside.”
The exam had eight parties starting from different entrances to assault the boss simultaneously.
But since it was a dungeon, the boss was likely just one.
In other words, competitors included not just monsters, but other applicants as well.
Aren took it a step further.
‘That competition could happen even among party members.’
But he soon shook his head.
‘No way. No reason for that.’
Logically, there was no reason to turn against those you should fight alongside.
Of course, he had no intention of voicing it.
His party members were rare experts, and stirring suspicion among them over his words would do no good.
“Good. Groups, line up at the entrances by party number starting from Group 1. Exam starts soon.”
“Wait!”
At that moment, another voice rang out from among the applicants.
The examiner openly sighed deeply, and the other applicants turned toward the voice.
Confirming the owner, the examiner couldn’t help furrowing his brow.
This time, the one stopping him was a celebrity second to none in the empire.
“Did Halibal Belder not apply?!”
Cecilia Ren.
From the moment she arrived at the exam hall, she had been searching for Halibal.
She wanted to tell him before the exam started that she would crush him this time.
But Halibal never showed, even after all numbers were called.
Cecilia remembered him repeatedly expressing his ambition to enter the academy.
There was no way he’d skip the exam.
Indeed, at the mention of the Mourning Sword from Cecilia’s lips, the other applicants began murmuring.
“Now that you mention it, I didn’t see that name either.”
“No way he didn’t come? He’s our age, right?”
“Maybe he’s postponing to next year?”
After watching the commotion briefly, the examiner sighed shortly and said,
“Applicant 316. This examiner doesn’t know every applicant’s name.”
“…”
“And if you stand here as one applicant, not a lady, wouldn’t it be better to focus on the exam rather than others?”
Cecilia glared sharply at the examiner before turning away.
‘…Where are you, Halibal.’
In her hand was number ticket 316.
Senia quietly watched such Cecilia. She too thought Halibal wasn’t the type to skip the exam.
Then, only two possibilities.
Caught up in an incident.
Or—
‘The center of the incident himself.’
Senia smiled softly and looked toward the dungeon entrance.
She felt as if someone beyond was watching her.
“You mean the Mourning Sword who just cleared a beast dungeon?”
At Aren’s question, Mine smiled brightly and answered.
“Yes! He’s amazing.”
“Do you know him too, Saintess?”
“Well, he visits the medical corps quite often.”
Mine seemed oddly lively when talking about the man named Halibal.
Finding her reaction intriguing, Aren mulled over the epithet Mourning Sword several times in his mind.
Come to think of it, he had heard the name from his master multiple times as well.
“He’s probably the strongest among your peers.”
That’s what she always said.
He heard the Mourning Sword wielded a sword like him. Called the Halibal Style. How did it differ from the Extreme Divine Single Sword?
Aren wanted to feel that difference himself.
‘If only I could face him this time.’
“We’ll start dungeon entry now! Time limit: 90 minutes! Even if you don’t defeat the boss, we’ll comprehensively evaluate survival, teamwork, judgment, etc., to decide passers!”
With the examiner’s shout, Group 1’s eight parties entered the dungeon one by one.
⁎⁎⁎
“What a letdown.”
“Wasn’t it because Lord Richard’s strategy worked perfectly?”
“As expected of Lord Richard!”
Group 1, Party 1.
Richard’s party, consisting of three nobles and one commoner, had arrived at the boss room first among the group.
But oddly, their numbers had decreased by one from the start.
The reason was simple.
They had fed the commoner party member to an elite chimera monster midway.
Louisdel was known to make no distinction between nobles and commoners on the surface, but that was only superficial.
To Richard, heir of the Dean count family, a commoner was just expendable.
So he used the commoner up to the mid-boss, then threw him as bait before the elite monster.
And with the two young nobles from noble factions like the Dean family, he reached the boss room.
“Let’s quickly clear this pathetic welcome dungeon boss and get out.”
“Just hearing you say it bolsters our spirits!”
“We trust only in you, Lord Richard!”
Richard casually opened the boss room door, and before his eyes was a ruined temple.
In its center, before a small flickering fire, someone sat.
‘Campfire? No, a bonfire.’
Richard peered intently at the silhouette.
An existence unclear if human or monster wore worn, rusted armor and sat motionless, back turned to Richard’s group.
It was like beholding a fallen knight of old.
Aside from this being showing no interest in Richard’s group, no obvious boss was in sight.
“Lord Richard… Is that the boss?”
“Something feels off…”
“I’ll prepare my arts. You two focus on its movements.”
Right after Richard spoke, the being that hadn’t stirred before the bonfire creaked to its feet.
At the excruciatingly slow movement, Richard scoffed.
The squirrel-type monster wrapped in electricity they’d faced moments ago was blindingly fast.
Its speed was such that even Richard, trained in the imperial swordsmanship institute since childhood, could barely keep up.
Compared to that, what was this?
Pathetically slow for a boss.
“Good. Alex, you approach first.”
“I…”
That was the moment.
“Huh…?”
With a gray flash, the armored knight kicked off the ground and leaped, closing in on Richard’s group in an instant.
‘What… what is this!?’
Before Richard could collect himself, the bodies of the two party members at his sides were shredded and vanished like illusions.
‘D-dead? Just like that?’
Slash! Slash!
The sound of sword cutting flesh followed belatedly.
Flash!
“Ah.”
With a short scream, Richard’s body collapsed to the ground.
“…Do you understand?”
A grating voice like scraping metal issued from the armored knight’s helm.
In his fading consciousness, Richard heard its final words.
“…Louisdel’s Blade, Valhillar.”
‘What the hell is that, damn…’
Richard’s body scattered like an illusion.
⁎⁎⁎