Chapter 3
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: Entrance Ceremony (1)
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“...It's huge.”
The main gate was big enough for dozens of people to line up side by side and walk through.
Not only that, but the wall next to the gate boasted a height of about twenty meters.
And if you looked closely at the top of the wall, you could see mysterious orbs embedded at regular intervals, their purpose unknown.
-There's all sorts of facilities inside. That's why it's so massive.
“Even accounting for the facilities, it seems huge. There must be two or three thousand new students, right?”
-New students?
I told Lee Seojun the number of students enrolling this time.
-It's 300.
“300? This is a three-year program, right? So that means a total of 900 students?”
-If you go by student numbers, it's probably around 500 to 600.
If there were 300 students per year from first to third year, that would make 900, but Lee Seojun said 500 to 600.
-It would normally be 900 like you said, Lee Seongmin... but quite a few drop out.
“Drop out? Oh, because the training is tough?”
-Something like that.
I nodded at his words and soon arrived at the main gate.
The guards there were stopping students and checking something.
“What are they checking?”
-ID cards. Yours should be in the pocket of your uniform, Lee Seongmin.
I rummaged through my uniform pocket for a moment and pulled out what I felt.
True to his word, it was an ID card with my photo on it.
'I don't remember taking this photo.'
It must have been automatically generated the moment I entered this world.
-By the settings, you've already taken the entrance exam and passed, Lee Seongmin.
“That's why I have the ID.”
Anyway, as I approached the gate, one of about ten guards stepped in front of me.
“Please present your ID first.”
“Sure.”
I handed my ID to the guard, and he inserted it into some machine and waited.
-He's checking if it's forged.
I glanced at Lee Seojun for a moment.
I couldn't speak openly with the guard right in front of me.
-There are infiltrators in the Hero Officer Academy. Of course, this doesn't catch them all.
“Confirmed. Congratulations on your enrollment, Cadet Lee Seongmin.”
“Thanks.”
Hearing “Cadet Lee Seongmin” from the guard felt strangely surreal.
But without showing it, I gave a curt reply and soon entered.
-Now head into that large building on the left.
“Just go in and that's it?”
-You'll have a simple entrance ceremony inside, go through a small event, get your supplies, and then head to the dorms.
“...”
There was still a lot to do.
'Might as well raise my proficiency.'
Since I'd made it to the Hero Officer Academy on time, I moved my other body on the opposite side to raise proficiency again.
Thanks to that, my body sensations doubled, and the awkward creaking started up like before, but I endured it for the ability's sake.
-Hey, Lee Seongmin. Walking like that has everyone staring.
“Huh?”
Because I was moving so cautiously, like a rehab patient taking careful steps, Lee Seojun said people were looking.
I turned my head and saw a few students giving me curious looks and whispering.
“What's with him? Is he hurt?”
“He looks fine on the outside. Maybe his legs?”
“Wow. He got in here with a body like that?”
It started with a few students, but the stares grew as I went along.
-They picked the top 300 from the best across the nation. Seeing you like this makes them wonder.
“Ah.”
-You should seal Absolute Clone for now and only use it when you have time.
“Nah. Don't worry about it.”
-It's not something to brush off. If word spreads about how you look now, the other students might shun you.
I turned to Lee Seojun and asked why.
“Why?”
-Because there are group exercises. They'll see you as dead weight if you can't even handle your own body.
It made sense when he put it like that.
This place focused on combat training, after all.
If there was a student like me in a group exercise, it'd be a hassle in every way.
But.
“It's fine.”
-Fine?
“Once I show my abilities, my physical condition won't matter.”
-Pardon?
Lee Seojun blinked in confusion at my response, staring blankly at me.
-What gives you that confidence?
“Didn't you tell me to trust you earlier?”
-That's why I'm saying this.
In short, he was telling me to hold off on proficiency grinding with Absolute Clone because of the other students' eyes.
I smiled faintly at the fidgeting Lee Seojun and assured him there was no need to worry.
“Don't worry. What I'm saying now is that if I wanted to, I could save the world right this instant.”
-What does that even mean?
“It means my ability is that outstanding.”
Lee Seojun stared at me for a long while with a puzzled expression before guessing.
-Did you learn something in your original world? But it won't help here.
“I'll show you bit by bit.”
His reaction told me he wouldn't buy whatever I said right now.
So I said I'd demonstrate gradually and headed toward what I assumed was the auditorium, a massive building.
Then.
“You okay?”
Someone approached and asked if I was alright.
I turned to see a male student with a gentle, kind face looking concerned.
-Ah, damn! Already running into this guy!
Lee Seojun yelled in annoyance at the approaching student.
From his reaction, I figured the guy wasn't a good person.
-Lee Seongmin! Stay away from him no matter what!
Regardless, the male student approached with a friendly face and spoke again.
“You look uncomfortable. Let me help you walk.”
“No, I'm good.”
“You gonna make it to the auditorium like that? Come on, lean on me.”
“It's not discomfort. I'm training.”
When I said training, the student looked surprised.
But without grounds to interfere, he nodded and backed off.
“Training, huh... I'm curious what kind. Alright, keep at it.”
As the student left after speaking first, Lee Seojun let out a sigh of relief.
-Phew. That went better than expected.
“Who is that guy?”
-He's a Doomsday Cultist.
“What's that?”
-Think of it as the opposite of pacifists. More simply, he's one of the enemy factions you'll face, Lee Seongmin.
Enemy faction?
“Makes sense there'd be antagonists if we have goals.”
-Exactly. I'll explain more about him later.
Our ultimate goal—mine and Lee Seojun's—was to save this world.
Of course there would be opposing forces.
'Plus, it's a game world.'
It was a game, so antagonists were a given.
Anyway, creaking along, I entered the auditorium and saw hundreds of chairs arranged in the vast central space.
“Sit in one of those chairs, right?”
-Yes. Sit and wait a bit; the ceremony will start soon.
I nodded and headed to the chairs, glancing at the second-floor inner balcony for a moment.
On the second floor, people who looked like civilians, not students, were sparsely seated.
“Second floor?”
-Guild reps. They're here to check out the new students. Not the big shots, though.
Listening to Lee Seojun, I counted the guild reps on the second floor.
There were about a hundred of them.
“Just to look at faces?”
-They have the entrance test videos and scores already.
“This school shares that with guilds, huh.”
-Various reasons. Guild sponsorships, over half the graduates joining guilds, etc.
They were scouting faces early.
Though not important enough for top brass.
“Speaking of, the entrance test had rankings?”
-Yes. From 1st to 300th.
“What's mine?”
-300th.
“...”
300th out of 300...
Ridiculous, but expected.
Aside from the initial EX-grade perk, all my stats were F's.
Likely started at 300th in the game too.
Still, I asked Lee Seojun to confirm.
“Same in the game?”
-Yep. Part of the fun was climbing the ranks.
Starting from rock bottom wasn't wrong.
'Over half the students are already seated.'
Most had filled from the back.
Forcing me toward the front rows.
Sitting down immediately eased my body.
'How's the proficiency now?'
Thankfully, the other body had been diligently moving toward the mountains, so proficiency had risen—just a tiny bit.
Truly minuscule, so I let out a small sigh as Lee Seojun looked around restlessly.
“Looking for something?”
-Well, you see...
♪~
As Lee Seojun started to say something, a melody echoed through the auditorium.
[The time has come. Please stand from your seats.]
-Stand up first.
I stood like the other students, following Lee Seojun's words.
Then he explained why he'd been looking around earlier.
-Lee Seongmin. Now I'll introduce you to an important person from Hero History.
“Important person?”
-Like a companion you'd team up with in the game.
With that, Lee Seojun pointed someone out first.
-Look to the front right. That girl over there—you have to recruit her no matter what.
I turned to where he indicated.
There stood a woman with neat black long hair and a slightly petite build, standing calmly.