Chapter 52
Chapter 52
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Magic Beasts (2)
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Following Camilla, we arrived at a place where two men were waiting.
"Ah!"
"You're..."
And there, spotting the bear-like man, I couldn't help but point at him.
"Why are you here?"
"Oh? You know Eric?"
"We were just riding in the same carriage until a moment ago."
She nodded once at my response before pointing at the two men who had approached and spoke up.
"Let me introduce them. This is Eric Grizzly. He's an acquaintance from my hometown. He's an outstanding tank, so he'll definitely be helpful."
"Pleased to meet you!"
"......"
I tried greeting him first, but as expected, Eric just nodded silently without a word.
Seeing him like that, Camilla hurriedly continued.
"Ahaha, sorry about that. Eric isn't much of a talker. Don't take it personally if he doesn't respond."
"...Got it."
Forcing myself to accept it, I turned my gaze toward the voice that rang out next.
"That leaves just me. Nice to meet you. I'm Paul."
"Paul is someone I hired. He's a scout specializing in stealth and reconnaissance. He's also skilled with daggers, so he can handle off-tank duties too."
A tank and a scout...
It was a pretty unconventional lineup for a mere four-man party.
"Camilla, is this party composition okay?"
>
Our main damage dealers were just me, a swordsman, and Camilla, a mage.
And since my skills were below average, in reality, Camilla would have to shoulder the main DPS alone.
"It's fine. I can handle most things myself."
"Well, if you say so..."
It was too late to change the lineup now anyway, so even if I felt uneasy, pushing forward like this was the rational choice.
I nodded readily, though my expression betrayed my doubts.
—Now, attention!
At that moment, a booming voice echoed from the academy's main gate.
The presence emanating from beyond the gate silenced the surrounding noise, and a woman brimming with feral charm stepped into view.
"Ooh! More than I expected this year!"
No, was "feral charm" even the right way to describe her?
Choppy red hair cut haphazardly.
A red tracksuit that looked like she'd thrown it on at home.
And slippers barely clinging to her feet.
She looked more like an unemployed slacker than an instructor, and the crowd fell silent for a moment.
"That's... the instructor?"
Camilla stared at the instructor with trembling eyes.
Regardless, the woman sauntered forward, ignoring the stares, and spoke up as she reached the gate.
"Well, come on in for now?"
With that casual remark, she turned and headed inside.
We stood there dazed until she vanished beyond the gate, finally snapping out of it and following.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Entering the academy, we arrived at a massive exam hall.
The hall was two stories tall, structured so that the examiners on the second floor could look down on the examinees on the first.
It seemed examiners were stationed throughout the venue.
"Alright, let's get started."
After scanning the examinees once, she slowly began to speak.
"First off, let me introduce myself."
"My name is Yi Hwa-ryeon. I'll be the one teaching you practical combat techniques from here on out."
She paused there to look over the examinees before continuing with the exam details.
"The test will be in a practical format. The examiners will open a gate shortly, and you just need to take down the magic beasts that come out."
"Evaluations will proceed in the order of your registration, whether you're in a party or going solo. But keep in mind parties are capped at four members."
"The magic beasts from the gate are identical to real ones, so be careful."
"If things get dangerous, the instructors will step in, so don't worry!"
With that, Hwa-ryeon gestured to a nearby instructor.
"Shall we begin right away?"
Woooong—!
"Oh! Intentionally interfering with other examinees will deduct points, so keep that in mind!"
Gates began appearing in the air simultaneously.
"Wait, right now like this!?"
"Who wants to go first?"
"Me! I'll go first!"
The frontmost party raised their hands at Hwa-ryeon's question.
"Great! Let's start then!"
At the same time, barriers enveloped everyone except the party stepping forward.
"This is...!"
"A barrier. A pretty sturdy one too."
Probably the venue's built-in safety measure.
As I gazed at the barriers around each examinee, my attention was stolen by the magic beast emerging from the gate.
Krararang—!
Moments later, the magic beast burst from the gate with a roar, and tension etched across the faces of the opposing party members.
"It's coming! Everyone, get ready!"
At the leader's shout, the wolf-like magic beast charged, drooling profusely.
"Haat!"
The frontline tank bashed it with a massive shield, and the waiting archer loosed an arrow.
Krarang—!
The beast dodged the arrow with agile movements and lunged at the tank.
"Jason!"
"Damn it!"
"Everyone, hold formation!"
Evading the other frontline swordsman nimbly, the beast finally scratched the shield before retreating.
As the formation wavered momentarily, the party leader yelled, and thick aura rose from the swordsman's blade.
"We've got the firepower! Stay calm and take it down methodically!"
"Doris! Aim for its eyes!"
"Got it!"
The leader began chanting a spell, while the tank and swordsman distracted it, and the archer drew back to blind it.
'Amazing...!'
Watching them, I couldn't hide my admiration.
As expected from G1 rankers—every party member wielded aura freely.
'And they're even emitting it.'
Force Emission, a feat hailed as genius even if mastered in one's twenties, and they were doing it as naturally as breathing.
'This is Slane...!'
This must be Slane's average level.
I swallowed hard in tension, observing their battle without pause.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Objectively speaking, the exam was quite difficult.
Even among geniuses, only a handful had real combat experience.
And even they struggled against the magic beasts from the gates.
>
'Too tough for these chicks after all.'
Yi Hwa-ryeon gave a wry smile as she watched another examinee fall to a magic beast.
There were promising students, but their numbers were disappointingly few.
And even those few eventually gave up against increasingly stronger beasts.
'Kids these days have no patience. No patience at all.'
Fleeing in fear before even trying.
Tsking softly at the previous party, she turned to the next examinee and her eyes lit up.
"Hmm~? It's you this time?"
A man in a black military uniform, massive shackles on his limbs.
An eccentric outfit that raised questions about his tastes, but anyone who knew his identity wouldn't dare speak lightly.
"Solo as always?"
"Let's start."
Gripping long shotguns in both hands, he stood still facing the gate.
And just as the magic beast emerged—
Kwaang—!
The custom-modified shotgun thundered like lightning, obliterating the beast and the gate alike.
"Next."
The overwhelming sight drew awed gazes from the other examinees.
"Nice. I'm curious how far you'll go too."
>
Unlike the stoic enforcer watching impassively, Yi Hwa-ryeon signaled the instructor with an intrigued expression.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 'As expected, he's off the charts.'
Yi Hwa-ryeon muttered her brief impression while watching the enforcer's fight.
Twenty-three, twenty-four?
After taking down a whopping twenty-four magic beasts, the enforcer finally showed a real fight.
His opponent: a manticore, tricky even for top hero candidates.
A ground-dwelling beast with wings was no easy foe.
"Heh."
But he butchered it like livestock. Unreal.
"Stop! That's enough!"
In the end, she shook her head and ended his test.
'No point dragging it out; it's a waste of time.'
The guy was an anomaly from the start; comparing him to these chicks was pointless.
"Next up!"
Sending the enforcer back, she called the next group and her eyes sparkled at the party that appeared.
"Heh..."
'All the rookies are at the back, huh.'
Composing herself, Hwa-ryeon regarded them.
"Ready to start?"
"Yes, please."
The Imperial Princess, huh.
Rumors said she was a magic specialist.
Her party members all looked exceptionally skilled.
Probably scouted from the transfer exams' top performers.
'Let's see just how good they are.'
Hwa-ryeon watched her battle with eager anticipation.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Meanwhile, at Ramos Magic Academy.
Professor Ricardo gazed at the sky, a dark smile spreading across his face.
"Heh heh heh, all preparations are complete."
Success or failure didn't matter.
His goal was merely to draw attention.
While he sowed chaos in Academy City, the Great Terror would strike unexpectedly.
Imagining the scene, Ricardo smirked in satisfaction.
"Hahaha! I can't stop laughing!"
Those foolish humans were probably taking their exams leisurely right now.
Oblivious to the catastrophe unfolding above them!
"Time to begin."
Savoring his glee, Ricardo gripped the gem in his hand.
Woooong—!
Resonating with his mana, the gem activated, and magic circles unfurled across the sky.
"Heh heh, hahaha, hahahahaha!"
Unable to hold back, Ricardo burst into mad laughter as the violently trembling gem shattered—
Paaaaah—!!
And massive gates opened from the magic circles in the sky.
"Despair in terror, humans...!"
Spreading his arms wide, Ricardo shouted, and hordes of magic beasts poured from the gates.
An overwhelming swarm!
Unable to hide his excitement, Ricardo watched the unfolding chaos.
"Academy City will now be dyed in terror!"
Ricardo cried out in rapture.
The magic circles pulsed red.
The moment countless magic beast legions surged forth—
■■■■■—!!
The horde was torn apart through space itself.
"...Huh?"
Ricardo's eyes turned to dots.