Chapter 188
Chapter 188
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 188
Chapter Title: A Line I've Always Wanted to Say
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"Hmm."
I stood in a vast, empty white space, rubbing my chin as I pondered deeply.
Today's test was straightforward. Not like the physical exam from the start of school, but similar to the combat power test at the end.
We're doing something like that. This combat power test has stages.
Stages 1 through 10. Whether you can clear them determines your combat power.
But the test isn't absolute. You can't take it as gospel. After all, there are non-combat students too.
The monsters that appear don't change based on your [Unique Mana Power] or [Mana Attribute].
What that means is, for some, it's a perfect matchup they can win easily, while for others, no matter what they do, it's an unwinnable scenario.
Take me, for example. My Unique Mana Power is 「Mana Eye」. It's absolute murder against magic users, but if a horde of mana-less monsters pops out, it's tough.
And if they keep coming in waves? No way to advance stages.
Because of these inconsistencies, you just go, "Ah, I see," and move on. That's this test.
"Of course, that doesn't apply to me."
Since they're holograms, 「Mana Eye」 shreds them all anyway? Just an example. Yeah.
Anyway, why am I agonizing over this─
"Which stage to pick."
Should I? The goblins I couldn't beat and got pummeled by during the physical exam are stage 1. Getting revenge on those guys sounds good. Real good.
"But I don't know what tomorrow's training is."
This test is for the training, they said. They didn't tell me jack, but it'll probably form teams based on results.
Or make a matchup chart. Or form teams.
One of those. To suck up the sweet honey, I should half-ass stage 1 and lose. That's the play, no doubt.
It is, but.
"Lachesis."
I don't wanna.
"The cameras around here. Can you wreck them all?"
The old me would've hit stage 1 without looking back and cleared it sloppily. But now, different thoughts come first.
How far can I go? Honestly, no clue. I know I've gotten stronger.
But that's with Leviathan, Raphael, and Sion nearby. With their buffs and magic support, I can hang with those demon bastards.
What about raw me, no buffs? Hologram monsters are all one-shots, sure.
One-shots, but as stages climb, even that gets harder. Stronger monsters, obviously.
Justitia's tech mimics them perfectly, so higher stages mean they won't even give you openings.
"So you can't?"
Lachesis clicked her tongue at my taunt, and the nearby cameras let out weird noises before going silent.
At the same time, I selected the stage in front of me. 1 to 10. I agonized over where to start.
When in doubt, half is standard. Start strong, right?
"My heart's pounding a bit."
Number two on my list of boy manga protagonist lines I've always wanted to say.
I swatted the blue windows filling my vision aside and stared at the hologram materializing in the air.
Two legs planted on the ground. A roaring head topped with horns. Bipedal despite a bull-like appearance that screamed wrongness.
The classic Minotaur stood before me.
"Hmm."
Holograms formed in an instant. Ten Minotaurs burst out.
I didn't hesitate, pulling [Death Reaper], [Death God Robe], and various pendants from my [Inventory] and equipping them.
"Lachesis. How long till they notice the CCTV's down?"
Can't be helped, huh. I spun my scythe and approached the roaring monsters.
Some gripped axes in one hand, others maces. The variety of weapons made cold sweat trickle, but.
I didn't stop.
"No Leviathan 「Auto-Defense」 or stat boosts."
Their roars ended, eyes locking. The drooling bull-head charged me.
"No Raphael blessings, no Sion magic support."
All I can trust is this damn cat, myself, and my gear. Pendants reacting fiercely to incoming attacks.
My vision blinked. I triggered it myself, so no surprise.
Agility (High) from choice and focus. Faster than these musclebound, sluggish Minotaurs? Natural.
Aiming for the neck. Not the visible mana. Kinda like that old "soft hands, hard fists" saying.
I wanna see how far I can go raw. Mana stabs when it's too much.
Feels fine now, so neck it is. Slices clean, obviously.
No blood spray. Severed neck and body dissolve into mana and vanish.
No time to take it in or reflect. Minotaurs charge even as allies get decapitated.
Brave? Stupid?
Who knows. Doesn't stop my scythe.
Hearing Lachesis's call, I judged in a flash. Not thinking. Body moved on its own.
Like it knew exactly what to do. Pure spinal reflex.
Hurled the scythe at the left Minotaur. Ignored the rising blue windows.
With the scythe flying fiercely, I cloaked in the robe. Reappearing behind a Minotaur.
Not where I threw. Behind the three in front.
Minotaur heads shredded, I activated the technique 「Retrieve」.
Scythe flies back from afar. Familiar grip returns as the two finally turning Minotaurs lose their heads.
"Stupid it is."
Lining up like that? Begging "Kill me please." Kinda funny, but no time to laugh.
The dodged Minotaur's rage club swings down.
My state post-Decapitation, a wide AOE. Big motion technique used.
Can't easily change stance. Unchangeable posture. Incoming club.
If this were real combat, that hit lands and─
─I'm dead.
That thought hit, and my body moved naturally. Shifted the scythe's direction. Not like it changes just 'cause I want it to.
Mid-air redirect on a swung scythe? I'd be a hero elsewhere already.
Redirect needs risk. Focused every ounce of strength.
Hugged the two-handed scythe to my body and spun.
Dumb method. No aim like this, success iffy.
Fail, and even dodging leaves an opening for the next hit. Guaranteed.
Super dumb, high risk, low return.
"If it works, who cares."
Scythe veers off straight line, slams down. Meets the charging club.
Minotaur bisected diagonally. Etched the sight as I crash-landed.
Recoil from forcing the trajectory mid-air.
"Gonna die for real."
Not really, even if hit.
"Still hurts like hell."
Stood, reset stance, spun the scythe at the remaining half Minotaurs.
"Sylphid."
「Yes.」
"Use wind without permission and Lily brainwashes you."
「......」
Five Minotaurs left. Five stages left.
"Doable."
Chest pounding? Suspension bridge effect, probably.
"Yes, so I─"
"Don't lie. Even MSG needs restraint to believe."
"No, it's─"
In a room where two men sipped mixed coffee and chatted. Screens everywhere.
Split screens showed the class's recent tests.
Space monitoring and recording multiple tests. That's where they chatted.
Justitia's tech leads a generation. Unrivaled.
No issues ever. No system glitches seen or heard in their tenure.
"So I─"
That's why they joked. But complacency breeds problems.
The issue started when one glanced at a screen mid-chat.
"Huh?"
"What's─ Huh?"
One man's panic spread. Simple reason. Dozens of screens.
One room. One room's feed totally down. Black screen, nothing.
Man's mind blanked instantly. First time, no clue how to handle.
'This. No way.'
Instinct kicked in, bolted from the room. Frozen brain recalled one thing.
'Screw up and we're all screwed!!'
Justitia, glitch-free, but they slacked on the "just in case" watch?
He knew what'd happen. Ran.
Knew the test room. No exercise ever, lungs burning, arrived to─
"Ah. You're here?"
A boy stood there. Black-haired, sweating buckets, wiping with hand.
"It broke. Gotta retake the test?"
"Uh. That. Ask the teacher..."
Man stammered in relief, boy sighed and walked out.
Man rushed to check machine.
"Totally busted."
No casualties, so maybe okay? Staring at [10 Stage Clear] screen, he pondered his punishment.