The Day Before the Entrance Exam (3)

"Whoa... I can't see a damn thing."

The deep forests of Masa. Nothing but darkness filled my vision. I pressed forward, using the moonlight reflecting off the stream as my lantern.

Just follow this stream.

The reason I'd come this far was simple.

"There are a few hidden pieces around here."

Masa was packed with hidden Easter eggs. That was because it was a location that appeared frequently in episodes. So, they planted these events in places players would visit often. Most of them were ones I'd placed myself, so the memories were still fresh.

East, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠west, south, north. A total of four. Including the achievement, that made five.

You could unlock the Masa Conqueror achievement by roaming the entire area and opening up the region.

The direction I was heading now was east. That was where the hideout of Hallock, the master artisan of artifacts, lay hidden.

Dozens of years ago, during the height of the continental wars when demand for weapons skyrocketed, Hallock's artifacts were in high demand. The whole continent was burning with desire to find him.

And the hideout he'd fled to was right here.

Back when Masa hadn't been pioneered yet, this was the home Hallock had claimed. Only I knew about it, so only I could find it.

"Here we are."

The final bend where the stream flowing alongside Masa pooled. Unlike the surrounding mountains, there was a gently sloping flat area. The stream continued to babble on, but this spot in particular was shrouded in a barrier.

Hallock had a particular fondness for this scenery. Even in his temporary hideout, he'd left behind ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠one of his 'relics' because of it.

I recited the phrase.

Whoooosh—

The moment the passphrase ended, a log cabin materialized like a mirage. It blended perfectly into the scene, like weathered ruins. Cabin, trees, water's surface.

"Let's head in."

The exterior looked extremely rundown. It didn't seem spacious, and it was only a single story.

Creeeak.

"Whoa..."

The hinges screamed in protest. As soon as I opened the door, spiderwebs and dust assaulted me. It had clearly been abandoned for decades.

The interior was sparsely furnished. Traces of daily life remained: a waterside chair, a bed, a kitchen, a bathroom, a table. That was it.

No ornate dining table or antique-patterned furniture. Nothing extravagant. It felt practical, and I liked it a lot.

"This'll do for living here."

I had to camp out anyway. I'd come here not just for the hidden piece, but for this reason too.

I had no intention of moving into the dorms even after enrolling at Artina Academy. Hell, I couldn't.

Most commoners at Artina were either prodigies recognized for their talent or those sponsored by nobles. Tuition was covered by student loans and scholarships for top students, and dorm fees worked the same way.

But I had zero plans to stand out or draw attention. No noble sponsorships or top-student scholarships for me.

"Loans can cover tuition somehow, but dorms are a no-go."

After paying Artina tuition with a student loan, only a tiny bit of money was left. That had to cover food and living expenses. Investing in a dorm would secure a stable place to stay, but then ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I'd struggle with two of the basics: food, clothing, and shelter.

"That's why I'm here."

It'd be busy at first, but with some fixing up, this could become livable. Food? I'd hunt it myself. As a sniper, poaching was a given.

I hung my sniper rifle on the fishing rod holder. A modern military marvel next to a bamboo rod felt surreal.

"I'll head out in a bit."

I wanted to eat right away, but there was still something left to find. Hallock's relic.

A way to implant ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠mana circuits directly into the human body, bypassing the chronic issues of enchanting objects with magic. Serial 77—literally seventy-seven masterpieces. That was the main lore, and it appeared rarely while playing the game.

I rummaged through the cabin and found it quickly.

"There it is."

A 'rune' tucked in a crude wine cellar. What did that mean? It felt out of place among the dusty bottles. Hallock was a heavy drinker in the lore, but...

He probably just tossed it there without thinking. 'My relic collection is OP.' Pour another glass.

"Got it anyway."

I picked up the relic. It looked like any old rune-inscribed stone, but infusing it with mana would grant a skill like a skillbook.

"Alright, let's see."

I pressed my index finger to the rune and slowly channeled mana.

Vrrr—

Mana flowed along the rune lines, and the magic circle gradually floated into the air. Just as I wondered how long it'd take, it absorbed into me completely.

I was about to check the skill excitedly when—

"...!!"

Agony exploded. It felt like every mana pathway in my body was boiling at once. The pain was unlike anything I'd ever felt; I couldn't even scream.

There was a setting like this?

I'd assumed there'd be things I didn't know since the game had become reality, but this was too sudden.

"Guhk—."

Pain like being beaten with clubs all over. Urk! The backlash was so intense, blood surged up my throat.

This isn't gonna actually kill me, is it...?

I clutched my stomach, waiting for the pain to pass. After a few minutes.

"Thought I was gonna die..."

I wiped the blood from my mouth. I looked like hell. But my mind was clear—Unyielding Spirit was no joke. Turning a tough guy like me into this.

I changed clothes and opened my status window.

"At least I got it."

A relic-grade artifact. Release had been added to my previously empty skills section.

"Boosts trait grades, huh."

Even skimming the description, it was amazing. Traits had clear grade limits, progressing sequentially. But this one skill could bump them up a level. Fitting for Serial 7—a single digit.

"Wish I could grab more."

As the game progressed, Hallock's relics kept appearing. They showed up in episodes, held by villains and heroes alike. Grabbing at least two made the late game easier. Not that I could just snag them whenever...

"Might as well test it."

Got it, might as well use it. Starting with my most basic trait: Clairvoyance.

"It's a Unique trait already, and Unique is the top grade."

What came next? What could it be?

I channeled mana inwardly. Clairvoyance's base was infusing mana into the eyes.

Shhh—

My total mana was 500. Already low. I poured it all into my eyes.

Then, Release on Clairvoyance.

Tszzt—.

In that instant, the world transformed. Like blue paint overlaying my vision, everything turned azure. The surroundings rippled, waves of information crashing in: air and mana flows, a spirit's faint form, a figure beyond the door.

"A person...?"

Bewitched, I opened the door. There stood a familiar face, hesitating outside.

"Hehe, hi?"

Seeing that psyche info hit me like a brick.

Lumina fired off a question the moment we met. She couldn't hold back her curiosity any longer.

"If it's not too rude, can I ask you something?"

I'm so curious!

Lumina recalled the scene from earlier.

A few minutes ago, she'd chased the boy swiftly. He finally stopped at the stream's end, and when she looked ahead—

The forest scenery captivated her instantly. The boy standing like a painting by the streamside. Moonlight bathing him softly. His silver hair glowed vividly, and his blue eyes exuded intellect.

"Um..."

As Lumina tried to speak—

"Silver waves whisper,"

His breath sank low. He murmured an incomprehensible phrase.

"singing through the cracks in the rocks."

Lumina had no idea why he was doing that. But his words carried mana. The environment shifted with the incantation.

Moonlight reflected off the water veil, and crickets in the rock crevices chirped in unison—zreeee—.

"The moon's dream flows away."

By the full moon's edge. The round moon mirrored perfectly. Everywhere glowed bright. Even at night, this place lit itself.

Lumina's mind was stolen by the breathtaking vista.

"and the forest's breath mists thickly over the water's surface."

But as those final words echoed through the forest—

Whoooosh—

A fierce wind extinguished all light. The barrier dissolved.

"......"

The forest plunged into silence and darkness in an instant. A cabin appeared before the boy, as if kindling a fire...

The boy stepped inside, and Lumina watched the scene, murmuring,

"So pretty... And who is that guy...?"

Her curiosity exploded. That bizarre phenomenon was more than enough to ignite it.

"Can I ask my question?"

Thus, Lumina was thrilled. Excitement from meeting her silver-haired savior mixed with the surprise that this enigmatic guy was taking the academy exam.

Her spirit familiars were buzzing too.

The elder in the spirits' cradle—the upper wind spirit Gail—remained silently observant.