Chapter 8
Chapter 8
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: First Place Is Mine (2)
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⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
Remaining: 452
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⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
Remaining: 449
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A dome appeared out of nowhere.
Was it the pressure from the electric field barrier closing in?
Those trying to eliminate rivals.
Those searching for hidden items to rack up points.
Those hiding in hopes of reaping the benefits later.
All of them dropped what they were doing and fled toward the island's center to escape the dome's electric field.
But not every examinee could make it.
Boom! Bang! Boom!
"Hey, you fucking bastard—!"
"Aaaagh! What the hell is this?!"
"...P-Please, spare me!"
The examinees shifted to the forest area were successively paralyzed, rolling on the ground amid a barrage of bomb bags flying from who-knows-where and sudden bursts of green powder erupting from beneath their feet.
I couldn't help but scoff at their pathetic sight.
Even if killing was forbidden, this was a Battle Royale test site.
A battlefield in every sense.
Yet they ran blindly with no defenses whatsoever.
Of course they fell to poison.
Even with preparations, without talents or skills related to poison resistance, they'd drop just the same.
'Almost there.'
After running nonstop, the forest's edge came into view.
And right on cue, my bomb bags were depleted.
I still had bomb mushrooms in my inventory, but they wouldn't pack the same punch as the bomb bags on their own.
The bags contained not just bomb mushrooms, but additives that amplified their effects.
Still, they weren't useless.
Not great for crowds, but perfect for individuals.
The moment that thought crossed my mind...
"...You bastard!"
One examinee ambushed me.
Yelling loudly, no less.
"......"
Unbelievable.
This wasn't some playground scuffle.
Screaming while ambushing an enemy?
"Tch."
I clicked my tongue and transferred an item from my inventory right in front of him.
A tiny bit of mental power and mana drained, and the designated item vanished from my inventory.
A brown leather pouch—like the one that held the bomb mushrooms—appeared before him.
"Ha! Poison again? Too bad for you. I've got poison resistance—this shit won't work!"
Sneering, he swung his knife at the pouch.
I smirked at the sight.
"Is that so? What a shame."
As I said it, I transferred another item behind his back.
"But here's the thing. That pouch doesn't have poison."
"What?"
His face went blank at my words, but his blade had already sliced the pouch, spilling its contents.
Slash.
Something was cut.
And then.
BOOM!
A massive explosion rocked from the severed pouch, the shockwave hurling him backward.
"Gaaah!"
He screamed as he flew.
His short flight ended with his back slamming into a thick tree.
And then.
"...W-What?! Why can't I get off this tree?!"
Stuck flat to the trunk, he panicked and flailed wildly.
I tossed him a pitying line.
"Idiot."
Did the guy ever think?
Even in panic, it was simple.
'Just take off your shirt.'
My Transfer skill was still too crude—I could only send items outside clothing.
He had no clue.
'Just get eliminated, then.'
I turned and dashed out of the forest.
Checking the count on the items I'd just used.
【Thunder Bag (C)】 A pouch containing 'thunder mushrooms' that emit a deafening boom on impact, and a scroll enchanted with 'Sound Amplification (D)' magic.
I had two Thunder Bags left...
【Sticky Grass】 A grass that oozes sticky fluid. *Grown massive and extra adhesive due to the uninhabited island's abundant spiritual energy.
Plenty of Sticky Grass remained.
'Sticky Grass...'
Harvesting that crap had been a nightmare.
Normal Sticky Grass—used in magic reagents—wasn't huge like a pitcher plant and only mildly tacky to human touch.
But the wild variety here had gorged on the island's spiritual energy, ballooning in size with bond-like adhesion.
If it stuck to you—a local specialty—you needed a solvent to unstick it.
How many examinees knew that? Fewer still carried solvents.
Anyway, finding the patch was great.
But harvesting it used up all my solvents.
It got everywhere on me.
Ran low, so I swapped gloves multiple times.
Maybe one of mine was on that guy's back.
"Die, you bastard!"
"You die, asshole!"
Clang! Clang! Boom! Crash!
Emerging from the forest into open plains, battles raged everywhere.
Examinees clashing with magic, skills, and weapons.
I blew past them, sprinting onward.
No time to fight when the center beckoned.
'Can't they see the electric field closing in?'
The dome's electric barrier started slow but accelerated over time.
No clock amid random attacks, but at least ten minutes had passed.
Visibly faster now.
Yet they stopped to thin rivals.
Music to my ears.
"Die!!"
"...As if that'll actually kill me."
A few spotted my Camouflage Robe's assimilation effect and charged.
"Die... Huh...? Wh-What...? Gahk!"
I transferred Sticky Grass their way—they slipped like in a slapstick routine, faces planting.
Panting past them, I neared the center.
A sharp noise halted me; I dropped flat.
Open plains, no cover—but Camouflage Robe minimized detection.
Its assimilation matched surroundings.
If spotted... well, fight.
Crawling toward the noise.
Clang! Scraaape!
The closer I got, the louder the weapon clashes.
Soon, I saw faces.
'...Lee Seo-yeon and Arthur.'
Lee Seo-yeon.
Arthur Pendragon.
Main characters fiercely crossing swords.
Dozens of examinees littered around—supporting cast included Shuhei Asuka and Noah.
Downed by one of them, probably.
'Those two are on another level.'
Among main non-player characters, they boasted cheat-level talents, skills, and hero-ready stats.
Plus myth-grade weapons from the start.
Lee Seo-yeon's Blood Demon Sword Dainsleif.
Arthur's Holy Sword Excalibur.
Sealed early-game, sure—but still myth-grade cheats.
Clang-clang-clash!
Blades dancing in a flurry.
The principal's gear prevented injury, but unflinching before flashing steel, faces impassive.
Look closer: eyes darting.
Tracking swings.
Footwork.
Perfectly reading each assault, parrying flawlessly.
But balance tipped soon.
"L-Lee Seo-yeon’s getting pushed?"
"...Heard he’s huge in England."
"...This is examinee-level fighting?"
Arthur's Fairy Eye cheat proved too much; Lee Seo-yeon faltered.
A crack in her stoic mask.
One eyebrow twitched as defense crumbled.
Then.
Vmmm.
Her sword hummed, crimson blade aura surging.
Arthur's blade gathered golden mana into its own aura.
I gaped.
'Idiots! Fallen examinees everywhere!'
Principal's gear was solid, but bracelets maxed at B-grade.
Blocked most attacks, but limits existed.
Especially blade auras—mid-to-high hero tier.
A-grade equivalent.
B-grade couldn't handle it.
Clash those aura-clad swords, and shards fly everywhere.
Shredding helpless downed examinees.
"You morons!"
Think before fighting!
I cursed, leaping up.
Activated Noise-Canceling Ankle Bracelet's effect, charging at full speed.
- 10 seconds.
Pulled last two Thunder Bags, gripped one each hand.
- 9 seconds.
Pondered transfer item.
- 8 seconds.
They hadn't noticed me.
- 7 seconds.
They reset stances, widening gap.
- 6 seconds.
Feet forward.
- 5 seconds.
Bodies leaning, primed to lunge.
- 4 seconds.
Ground cratered; they charged.
- 3 seconds.
Threw Thunder Bags.
- 2 seconds.
Bags airborne; they entered my skill range.
- 1 second.
Transferred Sticky Grass wildly to their backs, arms, legs.
- 0 seconds.
- Noise cancel off.
""...?!""
They finally spotted me, eyes widening.
Swords veered from each other toward incoming objects.
Slash!
Pouches shredded.
And.
BOOOOOOM!
Massive blasts and shockwaves flung them back.
Thud.
Flat on backs, stuck.
"...?!"
"...?!"
Stoic masks shattered into blatant bewilderment.
Quite the sight.
"Oh! Third place guy!"
"...The one who passed fifth in the first exam."
Shuhei Asuka and Noah—awkwardly rising—recognized me.
Seemed they'd planned to act on the auras but floundered when I stopped them instantly.
I waved at Asuka and Noah, then approached Arthur and Lee Seo-yeon, standing between their prone forms.
"You kids? Thrashing around without a care for location?"
Trained in restraint back home, yet hyped by equal foes?
Scolding tone, I pointed skyward.
"And even if you fought, first place ain't you."
All eyes turned to the sky hologram.
📊 Scoreboard 📊
1st: Lee Yoo-jin - 17,800 points 2nd: Arthur Pendragon - 4,900 points 3rd: Lee Seo-yeon - 4,600 points 4th: Shuhei Asuka - 2,500 points 5th: Noah - 2,400 points
""...?"?"
Question marks hovered over dumbfounded faces.
I removed my gas mask, grinning.
"Chicken's mine."
My Smart Watch beeped; hologram shifted.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
[Test Ended]
The final exam was over.