Chapter 3
Chapter 3
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: Entrance Exam (3)
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‘Rowen, was it...’
Estelle, who had been silently destroying cores, watched the boy battling the golem and thought to herself.
Even with such low stats, he severed the golem’s joints with perfect technique.
His movements were so efficient, as if he could foresee every attack and countermove.
The sight reminded her of the Swordmaster she had seen as a child, stirring a sense of curiosity in Estelle.
‘He could handle this on his own just fine...’
By stage 7, the golems had grown tremendously stronger.
The rat-like mage had already been reverse-summoned,
and the frontline tank appeared to have reached his limit.
He was covered in wounds, receiving healing from the healer.
In contrast, Rowen was lightly catching his breath, as if he had just finished a casual spar.
His silver hair shimmered with a blue tint, paired with sky-blue eyes. His petite stature and delicate features gave off a cute impression.
Yet the moment battle began, he led the fight with the aura of a battlefield dominator—completely at odds with his appearance.
‘And that gaze of his, like he’s genuinely pleased to see me...’
Unlike the others, whose eyes hid ulterior motives, his were filled with pure innocence.
She was highly attuned to people’s expressions, which only heightened her curiosity.
“Alright, let’s push just a little harder!”
His tone was like that of a leader rallying his team.
It wasn’t bad at all, so Estelle raised her staff once more.
I’m screwed.
Did I get too carried away?
Rowen couldn’t help but panic under Estelle’s gaze, which he had been feeling for a while now.
She only showed interest in people she couldn’t understand.
Yet for some reason, she had started paying attention to me, even though I was just moving normally.
From stage 1 to 8, I had simply cut the golems’ joints to immobilize them.
‘And the rest of the team seems to be waiting for my cues...’
It felt like I had become the leader of this group.
‘Still, it feels kinda rewarding.’
The sense that my teammates trusted me.
I offered words of encouragement, feeling a strange emotion well up inside.
“You’re all doing amazingly well.”
“I wonder if we could’ve made it this far without you.”
“Yeah! Rowen, your commands were spot on!”
To think I’d receive this kind of praise for offering minimal help...
Our team members are really nice people—
I prepared for the next fight.
As I took my stance with my sword, the team began to move in sync.
Lian picked up his shield, Marian gripped her Rosario,
and Estelle raised her staff as if she had been waiting.
With all preparations complete, the thing began approaching from afar.
A golem of enormous size, filling the entire cave.
We tensed up at its utterly different presence.
“That one... Rowen, buy us some time.”
For the first time, Estelle made a request—basic spells wouldn’t cut it.
To pierce that defense, she needed advanced magic, so I gave a curt reply and approached the golem.
As if annoyed by my presence, it swung its fist down.
Like a hobbit facing a goliath, I began deflecting its attacks.
“Lian! Don’t block it—deflect!”
No matter how much of a tank he was—even if he was country rice soup tough—no freshman could withstand the overwhelming mass behind those blows.
A direct hit would leave no trace behind.
We kept deflecting its attacks when,
“White Night, Flowing Light, piercing rays of brilliance—penetrate!”
⟨ Penetrating Light ⟩
A voice chanted the incantation, and an immense light illuminated the cave.
Once the intense glare faded and I opened my eyes, the golem’s entire upper body had been obliterated, leaving a massive hole.
“Whoa... that’s a whole different level.”
“No way... to wipe out a golem like that...”
Lian and Marian let out disbelieving chuckles.
‘So this is the magic hailed as the strongest firepower...’
In the game, it was just a skill button press, but seeing it in person, I couldn’t help but marvel at its power.
But since the technique was still imperfect, it must have taken a toll on her body.
No sooner had the thought crossed my mind than Estelle slumped to the ground, breathing heavily.
“Estelle! You okay?”
“Ugh... there’s still the final stage... I can pull it off one more time.”
More competitive than I expected, Estelle stood back up and readjusted her stance.
Before I could admire her resolve, stage 10 began without any preparation time.
“Everyone, get ready! It’s not over yet!”
Amid the crumbled rocks emerged a single blue-glowing golem.
Human-sized with sluggish movements.
Just as tension eased at the sight,
KABOOM!
In an instant, it closed the distance and sent Lian flying shield and all.
“Kyaaah!”
“It’s a Mana Golem! Be careful!”
The frontline was wiped in a flash.
Glancing back, Lian was vanishing in a sparkle of particles from the impact.
“Stay calm! I’ll take the front. Maintain formation!”
But without the main tank, handling all the attacks was impossible,
and soon Marian fell to its strikes, reverse-summoned as well.
‘Ugh... definitely different from the game...’
In a single moment of carelessness, we had lost two teammates.
I decided to execute my prepared plan.
“Estelle, I’ll hold it down. Hit both me and it when the time comes.”
Asking her to blast him along with the golem. What if he slipped up?
Estelle looked at Rowen, who showed such immense trust in her, and reluctantly agreed to follow his lead.
“...Got it. Just hold on a little longer.”
Of course, her magic alone wouldn’t destroy it.
But if I struck its weaknesses in sequence and vanished with her spell...
‘They’ll think Estelle carried the show perfectly.’
With my flawless plan in mind, I began slashing its weak points in rhythm with its movements.
‘First, right hook—then left roundhouse kick!’
Deflecting and slicing in flow, the golem’s movements gradually slowed.
‘When mana flow concentrates, sever it and drive it toward the core!’
Slashing its side, knee hollow, neck, armpit—mana surged toward the chest core.
Soon all mana had gathered there, and the golem prepared its final attack.
I could pierce the core now and finish it, but...
‘Don’t wanna draw unwanted attention.’
Right on cue, Estelle’s magic was ready.
“Estelle! Now!”
The words barely left my mouth before she began chanting.
I closed in tight on the golem, forgoing evasion, and thrust my sword straight into it amid its attack.
“Cough... that hurts like hell...!”
At the same moment, Estelle’s magic enveloped both it and me, consciousness fading.
FLASH!
“That cadet... what was his name?”
“Rowen, sir. Passed dead last in the first exam—thought he was a nobody, but he’s surprisingly fearless.”
“Still, I doubt it’s enough to catch Knight Commander Serin’s eye.”
The instructors dismissed it as luck, turning their gazes to other students.
But Serin Arjen, the youngest Swordmaster, had seen it all.
Deflecting attacks while slashing like a beautiful dance.
If she had been in that situation...
“Ha! A real monster’s joining us!”
Skills beyond any cadet’s level.
‘But... for some reason, he’s trying to hide his true strength.’
The plan was intricate enough to fool the instructors, but not a Swordmaster.
With demon worshippers and the Demon King’s Army on the rise lately,
there was no guarantee the academy was safe.
Serin found Rowen’s concealment of power suspicious and decided to pass him for close observation.
“Are we passing that cadet?”
“Well, they cleared stage 10, but... he didn’t deal any significant damage.”
“He drew aggro, sure, but without Cadet Estelle, they wouldn’t have passed. And he’s a commoner to boot...”
Open classism, and instructors blind to his skill.
Serin felt disappointment but responded tactfully.
“Fearlessness in the face of death is a tremendous talent. I’ll pass Cadet Rowen under my authority.”
“But he has no backing, and his skills...”
“Enough! Since when was the academy divided by status? Here, only effort and passion matter. I’ll see to your discipline personally.”
Angered by the persistent discrimination, Serin calmed her mind.
‘Is that skill a brilliant talent... or a demon’s pawn...’
Whatever his goal, hiding his prowess was fact—she couldn’t shake her suspicions.
“But if he stands with the Empire...”
He could surely exterminate every last demon.