A Monster Has Entered
"I'll be going then."
I stepped out of the car and gave a polite bow.
Urbashi waved at me from inside.
The car pulled away shortly after.
The moment I got out, a familiar sight unfolded—one that reminded me of the university campus from my original world.
"About time."
I lifted my head and checked the clock. The entrance exam would begin promptly at three.
Young students were moving in groups of three or five, all heading toward Elphon Academy. Everyone entering right now had come to take the entrance test.
I sat down on a nearby bench.
My phone buzzed.
Urbashi had assigned someone to me under the title of exclusive attendant.
There was one peculiar thing about the status window. The mana value read 0(+1). If a stat was zero, it should simply be zero—so why the extra (+1)?
I knew the reason. It was Nam Doyun's unique mana. Its properties were completely different from the mana everyone else in this world possessed. That was why it appeared in this special format.
While I was lost in thought, I suddenly felt a poke in my side and turned.
"Ah... Hello. You are Nam Doyun, correct?"
A woman with short red hair stood there.
"Yes, hello."
"Ah! Yes! I'll guide you from here."
She led me all the way to the exam hall. Inside was a large auditorium filled with students clustered in small groups.
"Can I ask you something?" I said.
"Of course! Ask me anything—I'll answer as best I can."
"Have you heard anything about what the exam might involve, even roughly?"
The problem was that I had no idea what the entrance exam in this world actually tested. In the game, they had skipped it entirely and started the story inside the academy.
"No, I haven't heard any specifics. But I understand it has traditionally consisted of four gates."
"What about the detailed categories?"
"Those change every time, so I'm afraid I can't say. I'm sorry."
She bowed her head.
Ah...
If I wasn't careful, I might fail before I even set foot inside the academy. After all, Nam Doyun's stats were abysmal. Meanwhile, every single person here to enter the world's top academy—Elphon—was a monster in their own right.
Was it even possible to pass with no preparation?
"That aside..."
She trailed off, glancing at me hesitantly.
"...What is it?"
"I'm not sure if I should say this, but..."
She kept fidgeting.
"It's fine. Just tell me."
"Is my presence making you uncomfortable?"
"...!?"
Where had that come from?
"You've been using formal speech this entire time."
Ah...
She was the attendant Urbashi had sent. Of course she would feel awkward if her supposed master kept speaking to her so politely.
"Would you be more comfortable if I spoke casually?"
Only then did she smile and nod.
"Understood. I'll drop the formal speech, then."
"Yes! Doyun, look over there."
She pointed at a student in the auditorium who was casually bench-pressing 100 kg. He knocked out thirty reps in a row without breaking a sweat. Beside him, someone else—apparently inspired—gave a sandbag a light punch. The bag exploded instantly, sand pouring out.
Everyone around me possessed physical abilities that far surpassed ordinary humans. Meanwhile, my body couldn't even match a normal person's.
Competing with these monsters and actually passing already felt impossible.
She laughed as though their efforts were adorable. Then her expression grew serious, her gaze locking onto one spot.
I followed her eyes.
A perfectly straight nose that looked sharp enough to pierce through her own face. Skin so pale it almost seemed translucent. Long silver hair.
Many of the boys kept stealing glances at her, but none dared approach. The icy aura radiating from her was enough to freeze the entire world; no one could casually step into that space.
"As I thought, even you can't help noticing her, Doyun."
"........."
She was one of the game's major characters. Among all the monstrous students here for the exam today, her ability stood head and shoulders above the rest. Born into wealth, she had received an overwhelming amount of early education and possessed incredible talent. The result was a perfect fusion of effort and genius.
Every other student looked visibly nervous. Entering Elphon Academy—the best in the world—was practically a guarantee of future success. Simply graduating would bring endless offers.
But the entrance exam could only be taken once. There were no second chances. This single test would decide the rest of their lives.
Yet Cha Jiyun showed not the slightest hint of tension. She looked as if passing was the most natural thing in the world.
And there was one other person wearing a similarly relaxed expression.
"There's another guy over there worth watching."
I turned toward the person she indicated. He was the youngest son of a family renowned for swordsmanship.
"I heard that at only seventeen he's already being discussed as the next family head, having surpassed his older brothers."
Radeon, youngest son of the prestigious swordsmanship family. Even within that household, he was known as a true genius.
"Right now, those two seem to possess the most outstanding ability by far."
Creak—
At that moment the door ahead opened. Every student's eyes snapped toward it.
A middle-aged man entered, accompanied by a female student who appeared to be our age. A necklace reading 'Elphon Academy Instructor' hung from the man's chest. The girl beside him wore one that said Entrance Exam Assistant.
Everyone gazed at the middle-aged man with open envy. After all, becoming an instructor at the world's greatest academy required monstrous skill. These were people whose names alone commanded respect anywhere they went.
The instructor ignored the stares, stepped onto the podium, and spoke.
"Everyone, please gather on the training ground."
The students quickly assembled outside. The instructor drew a long line on the ground with a stick in front of where he stood, separating himself from the crowd.
The students immediately began murmuring.
"What's the test?"
"Did you hear anything?"
"No idea."
The buzzing grew louder. The instructor closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them.
Students who cross the line on the training ground: PASS
Those who cannot: FAIL
"Is that really all?" the students asked, looking puzzled.
"Yes. Pass that and you'll receive full marks immediately."
"That easy? There has to be a hidden trick, right?"
"Just cross the line. I'll go first."
The muscular student who had been bench-pressing 100 kg stepped forward and began walking casually toward the line.
"What? It really is that simple?"
"Isn't it first come, first served? Let's go!"
The students rushed after him. But suddenly, the muscular boy's steps halted. From the exact point where the line was drawn, his feet refused to move forward.
"What's wrong? Why aren't you going?"
The kids behind him called out. But he didn't appear to be holding back on purpose. The muscles in his thighs bulged as if they might explode.
"Ah... Don't tell me..."
The students sighed and turned to the instructor. Only then did he smile at them.
"Correct. This is a mana barrier test."
"Ugh..."
The students began retreating to their original positions. The instructor glanced at the assistant beside him. She nodded and stepped out from inside the barrier.
Only then did everyone truly groan.
"What? We have to hide our mana completely?"
"Is it even possible to conceal it so thoroughly that the barrier can't detect it? Especially when it's a barrier created by an Elphon professor."
Everyone in this world was born with mana. The only difference was the amount. It seemed the barrier could only be crossed by those capable of hiding their mana entirely.
"Completely erase it as if it doesn't exist in my body at all..."
The students sighed again. Perfect mana concealment required exceptional control. No one stepped forward readily anymore.
"Ten minutes remain. Anyone who hasn't crossed by then will be marked as failed. However!"
At the word however, every gaze snapped back to the instructor.
"Once only one minute remains, the barrier's intensity will increase. I suggest you hurry. Ah—and any student who passes during that final minute will receive bonus points."
"We have to move now. Bonus points don't matter if we fail."
One student walked forward. This time he seemed to have gathered his mana; at first glance, none could be sensed from him. He moved slowly toward the line.
"Ugh."
Yet again, the moment he reached the line, he could go no farther.
"Seven minutes left."
"Damn it—why won't this work?"
"Move. It's my turn."
With the time limit announced, the students began rushing their attempts. But no one had passed yet.
"It's harder than it looks, huh?" Yebin said with a grin beside me. "Even those who went ahead seem to have decent mana control, but it's nowhere near enough."
"Oh. There she goes."
She was looking at Cha Jiyun, who was walking gracefully toward the barrier.
"Hey, move aside already!"
The students arguing in front of the line glanced back, then quickly stepped aside.
"....."
She gave a silent bow and crossed the line on the training ground without the slightest difficulty. The barrier that had stopped everyone else let her through as if it didn't exist.
"Wow. She's seriously a monster?"
"It can actually be done like that?"
The students let out stunned sighs.
The instructor nodded. "Pass. Congratulations, Cha Jiyun. Please wait in the lounge of that building over there."
"...Yes."
She bowed once more and left the auditorium. Stimulated by her success, Radeon—the youngest son of the swordsmanship family—soon stepped up and crossed the line just as easily.
"Pass. Congratulations."
"As expected, those two really are on another level," Yebin said, watching them with interest. "Of course, Doyun would pass something like this without any trouble. I'll head on first."
She crossed the barrier without issue and reached the other side.
"Pass. Please proceed to the waiting room."
"No, I'll stay here and watch a little longer."
"As you wish."
She looked at me, eyes sparkling, clearly urging me to cross quickly.
"One minute remains. From now on, the mana barrier's strength will be increased. However, passing during this period will grant bonus points."
Ziiing—
The once-transparent barrier began to take on a faint blue hue.
"Oh—"
Yebin watched with clear fascination.
"Instructor!"
"Yes?"
"Can I try crossing once and come back?"
The instructor nodded.
Yebin walked toward the barrier—then bounced off it and landed hard on her backside.
"This... got a lot stronger, didn't it?"
The instructor smiled at her.
I wasn't worried. Nam Doyun's unique mana could never be detected by a mana barrier. I began walking toward the line.
****
"Thirty seconds left. Anyone who hasn't crossed will fail."
The instructor's voice rang out.
"This isn't fair!"
One student stood before the instructor, breathing heavily.
"Creating a test so difficult that even students who already passed can't succeed—doesn't that violate the fairness of the exam?"
"Didn't I clearly state that the barrier would grow stronger once one minute remained?"
"Even so, there's a limit! This is too much. If this continues, I'll have no choice but to file a formal complaint."
"It's troublesome when you blame your own deficiencies on me."
"Then how do you explain that not a single person has passed since the one-minute mark? As it stands, I will formally protest to Elphon Academy."
The instructor shook his head, visibly fed up. These new students are all complete failures.
Just as he was about to end the test, one student brushed past him.
The instructor stopped mid-sentence and stared at the boy who had just crossed the line. There had been no resistance at all—as if the boy contained no mana whatsoever. Even Cha Jiyun and Radeon had not passed this naturally before the barrier was strengthened.
"A monster has entered."
The instructor murmured quietly.
He gazed at the student who had just crossed the mana barrier. His name was Nam Doyun.
The claim that this year's new students were all worthless was hereby retracted. It had been a long time since someone this interesting had appeared.