Chapter 6
Chapter 6
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Entrance Exam (5)
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The moment I passed the second exam, instead of heading back to the auditorium, I sat on a bench on campus to catch my breath.
"Hoo, hoo..."
I took deep breaths to calm my stomach.
Even after emptying everything out from the disguise, bile kept rising.
The hallucination and poison debuffs were gone, but it seemed like a new debuff called "otherworldly bitterness" had taken their place.
"...That damn antidote. I knew it from back when my character in the game said something like that after getting poisoned..."
- '......Very, very bitter. I never want to drink it again.'
Usually, there were no scripts even when chugging potions or eating weird stuff.
But every time with that 'antidote,' a script popped up above the character's head.
Thinking back on it now, I genuinely felt sorry for my character.
Gulp, gulp.
"The bitterness still won't go away..."
I'd gargled and drunk the entire 500ml PET bottle of water handed out by the exam guide after the first test, but the lingering bitterness in my mouth showed no signs of fading.
If I'd known it'd be like this, I should've stocked up on something sweet.
But I'd blown all my money on prep supplies anyway, so I couldn't have afforded chocolate or candy.
I started to feel down about being completely broke, but I shook it off quickly.
Just enrolling in the academy meant getting a stipend, and I could make money hunting monsters in academy-run dungeons or local areas.
'Though there's some discrimination based on rank.'
Arena Academy's rules, set by the War God and Baek Yu-hwa, included some ranking-based disparities.
Arena Academy, with its ranking system, determined ranks through the seasonal 'Duel Tournament,' aka the 'Ranking Battle.'
Three hundred new students enrolled per class.
They set provisional ranks with the entrance exam, then finalized them in the 'Duel Tournament.'
You could earn bonus points for good class attitude or achievements, but nothing beat the points from beating opponents in the 'Duel Tournament.'
So, the 'Duel Tournament' was the biggest deal at Arena Academy.
...Though it got overshadowed later by the alien invaders from the Ingye.
'The game's clear condition was "Reach #1 in academy rankings," but now that it's real, who knows.'
It made sense—there was the main quest, but also an 'Ending Quest.'
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Ending Quest [Clear Conditions] - All main characters survive - Exterminate the alien existences - ??? - Reward: ??? - Failure: World Destruction (Character corruption counts as failure) 'What could that third condition be?'
And what about the reward?
It wouldn't be some cliché like "return to reality" after arbitrarily possessing me, right?
The devs even gifted the player cheat tools, so it'd probably be something fresh.
"Hoo."
I let out a deep sigh.
My head was still spinning from the bitterness.
I craved something sweet so bad.
Wonder if I could find some candy around here.
As I leaned back against the bench thinking that—
"Yahhoo~! #5!"
"Gah!"
I yelped in shock at the sudden voice from behind.
"Uh... Didn't think you'd be that startled..."
The person who'd scared me sounded a bit flustered, clearly not expecting my reaction.
"No, who the hell sneaks up on people like..."
I whipped around, ready to snap, but the words died in my throat.
Short bob haircut framing her neck.
Cherry blossom pink hair and eyes.
A vibrant, bubbly beauty, different from Lee Seo-yeon's refined elegance.
"...Shuhei Asuka?"
The one who'd startled me was none other than Shuhei Asuka.
But why was she here...?
"Yep~ Shuhei Asuka at your service~"
As I blurted her name in surprise, Asuka grabbed the bench backrest, hopped over, and plopped down beside me.
She grinned mischievously and said,
"What're you doing out here, #5?"
"...Just getting some air."
"Eh~ Why?"
"...Stomach's not feeling great."
"Stomach issues? Why?"
"......"
...What's with her?
Asuka's behavior right now matched the game's pattern when she got interested in the player.
But I hadn't done anything to spark her interest yet.
...Or maybe I had, without knowing.
'No way it was that time?'
After finishing the first exam and returning to the auditorium, all the main characters were gathered.
And they were all looking at me.
Among them, Shuhei Asuka had this amused glint in her eyes.
'She got interested just from that?'
In the game, heroine affection didn't kick in until after enrollment.
No matter if you took #1 in the entrance exams, they ignored the player.
But Lee Seo-yeon greeting me first, and now Asuka showing interest...
Guess reality tweaks things a bit from the game.
'Gotta keep that in mind.'
Not that it's a bad thing.
I needed to connect with the mains anyway, for the 'Ending Quest.'
Her approaching first was a win for me.
Was I lost in thought too long?
"Moshi moshi~? (Hello~?)"
"...Ah."
Asuka was waving her hand in front of my face.
"Finally giving me some attention."
As I snapped out of it and looked at her properly, Asuka puffed her cheeks and stood up.
"Leaving such a cute girl right next to you unattended."
She put her hands on her hips, looked at me, and said in a playful tone,
"Matta kudasai... (Seriously...)"
"...?"
"Oh, you don't know? It's trending in Korea lately."
"...What is?"
"Yeah. Saw cute characters going 'Matta...' all adorable-like on all sorts of communities, so I tried it."
Was there such a thing?
...But she's Japanese and she's lurking Korean forums?
"#5 doesn't keep up with trends much, huh."
"...Yeah, I'm kinda behind on that stuff."
I'd barely been in the game world long enough to know trends.
Plus, I'd been too busy scrambling for exam prep to check communities.
Probably wouldn't have time going forward either.
"Can't have that! You're about to join the academy—falling behind on trends means you won't be an in-crowd!"
"...Ha, haha."
I'm fine without that...
I don't need to be popular...
Grateful she's approaching me, but can't she just leave me be?
But against my wishes, Asuka kept chattering about this and that trend from beside me until her Smart Watch beeped.
She stopped with an "Ah."
Ding.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [In 10 minutes, the third exam begins. Examinees, please gather in the auditorium.] [This message is sent to examinees who passed the second exam.] Her Smart Watch alert was that, and spotting the same notification on mine, Asuka flashed a grin.
"Knew it, #5. Figured you'd passed the second one too."
Then she added, "But..."
"You're already out of the exam hall... so your rank's higher than mine, huh."
For example...
"...#3 maybe?"
"......"
How did she guess... that I passed third.
"I can see that 'how'd you know' look on your face."
Asuka giggled.
"Well... you, no, now it's #3 since you're #3... Anyway, #3, you came out right after me."
So Asuka was #4.
'Come to think of it...'
She had the Mental Defense talent.
'Jealous.'
Of her Mental Defense.
Some had to chug potions to pass.
Some breezed through with talent, no bitterness.
'Gonna get it no matter what.'
Mental Defense.
I renewed my resolve.
"Anyway, #3! Let's both pass and attend the academy together!"
Asuka jumped up from the bench, clenched her tiny fists, and yelled "Fighting!"
Then she trotted off toward the auditorium.
"Oh, right!"
She suddenly stopped, came back, and...
"Friend fee!"
...shoved something into my hand.
Then yelled "Fighting!" again, fists pumped, and dashed off.
Watching her go, I let out a hollow laugh.
What an energetic girl.
...Friend fee?
I looked down at what she'd given me.
"Th-this is."
And I was deeply moved.
It was none other than...
the sweet treat I'd desperately wanted.
"Is Asuka a goddess...?"
Hershey's chocolate, no less.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "This is the final exam."
The Principal from the first exam reappeared.
Standing in the auditorium, he gazed at us examinees—including me—and flicked his wand into the air.
A metallic bracelet materialized before each of us with a faint light.
- Please equip the bracelets, examinees.
An instructor below the Principal's platform announced it over the speaker.
Click.
As instructed, I fastened the bracelet around my wrist.
Beep.
⚔ STATUS ⚔ HP: ■■■■■■■■■■ An HP bar like in the game appeared on the bracelet's surface.
"The bracelets you've equipped are engraved with protective magic."
The instructor raised his wrist with the bracelet for all to see.
The Principal flicked his wand at the instructor.
Whoosh.
A small mana orb flew toward him.
Boom.
It hit with a small explosion.
But the instructor was unharmed.
A thin mana shield enveloped him.
Beep.
The bracelet chimed softly, and his 'HP' bar dropped one notch.
The Principal pointed it out.
"When attacked, the bracelet's protective magic activates, taking the damage in your place."
He continued.
"You'll see your HP bar on the bracelet's surface. It drops one notch per hit, more for stronger attacks. Lose all notches, and you're out of the exam."
There were 500 examinees in the auditorium now.
300 spots in the academy.
Exactly 200 would be cut.
'Everyone's tense.'
Mains and supports alike wore nervous expressions.
I felt a slight tension rising as I watched them.
No complacency here—but no guarantee that'd save me.
"Detailed instructions will come via Smart Watch in the exam area. So,"
The Principal flicked his wand into the air.
"give it your all."
With that, the scenery shifted in an instant.
Ding.
📜 EXAM GUIDE 📜 【Arena Academy Exam Guide】
The final exam is the 'Test of Power.'
Use all your strength and skill to defeat enemies and survive.
[Enrollment ranking determined by this exam's score.]
*Scoring Methods*
1. Monster kill: 100 points
2. Examinee elimination: 200 points
3. Hidden item acquisition: 500~1000 points
📍 Time Limit: None
⏰ Continues until 300 remain.
⏰ Inactive for 10 min = auto-fail.
💀 Lose all bracelet HP = elimination.
✅ Quit via Smart Watch button: Instant elimination & return to auditorium.
Tip. No holds barred. Lethal blows prohibited.
Tip2. Use hidden items wisely—they might turn the tide.
After reading the unusually long exam guide—
[Exam starts in 5 seconds.]
[5]
[4]
[3]
[2]
[1]
...Beeeep!
[Exam Start]
...
......
[Remaining: 500] The final exam had begun.