Chapter 2
Chapter 2
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Physical Examination
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"Again."
"No matter how many times we do it, it's the same. Just move on to the next test—"
"Again."
I grabbed the receptionist right in front of me and pleaded. Please, just one more time. This was already my tenth try. And yet, I still had to do it again.
This couldn't be happening. No way. It was absolutely impossible.
Think about it. I'd entered the world of a novel. That meant I was one of the protagonists.
And protagonists always had something special—some hidden talent or power to hook the readers early on. It was basic storytelling. The core of any good narrative.
Here, that should've been my latent mana reserves causing a huge stir. It should've caught a heroine's eye.
So why... why...?
Why did this message keep popping up?
I peeled the mana measurement device off my arm and handed it back to the receptionist. She wrinkled her nose like she was done dealing with me, but only one word escaped my lips.
"Again."
Justitia.
The world's top school for training heroes. A name embodying great justice—fitting for heroes.
This artificial island, crafted by dozens of mages, was the pinnacle of magitech, where science and magic fused perfectly.
Unrivaled. The absolute peak of magitech engineering.
What that meant was simple.
The physical exam results here were flawless. They couldn't be wrong.
I crumpled the paper in my hand. What else was I supposed to do? All day staring at a computer didn't build physical prowess—having high stats would've been suspicious anyway.
"Damn God."
I tried measuring my mana another five times or so before they kicked me out. Over ten devices ruined, blamed on malfunctions. And every time: [Undetectable]. The receptionist's frustrated mutter—"How did this guy even get in?"—hit hard. Tell me about it.
In this world, people without mana were rarer than hen's teeth.
Even passing kids had mana. I could lose a real fight to a five-year-old.
I'll repay this "kindness" someday, you rotten God.
BAM!!
As my hatred for God boiled over, an explosion rocked the area behind me. The final mana measurement station from the post-ceremony physicals.
"What?! The mana measurer broke? No way, a malfunction? Get another one!!"
"Isn't this a first? Impossible!!"
"Well, my mana is a bit much~"
BAM! BAM! BAM!
Consecutive blasts furrowed my brow amid the chaos. A smug woman with her nose in the air stood out among the panicking fools. Blonde hair, blue eyes.
She smirked at me, like, "How's that?" Really.
"Gender equality, my ass."
The crowd swarmed Raphael, all eyes on her, hands full of mana measurers.
"Try this one!!"
"Same result every time~"
"Whoa! Justitia finally has a gem like this~~"
I turned away. Couldn't stomach the farce anymore. No more relative deprivation. Ignoring the blasts, I walked on to the next room.
The sign read—
Combat power testing room. Please, no.
I sucked at fighting. Guys topped out at elementary level, girls at middle school—
"Not registering?"
"I have to..."
I gave my name to the prodding receptionist and sat in a nearby chair. Had to wait my turn, so I behaved.
Glancing around, a monitor caught my eye. Someone walked into an empty space.
"Show the previous guy's test too?"
"Yes. To spark some competition—"
Ugh, hate this. A system ignoring bottom-rankers. Public execution. Who designed this crap?
Not that it mattered. It was my setup to show character early in the story.
Karma's a bitch. Should've lived better, past me.
"Huh?"
Peering closer, I spotted a familiar face. The novel's protagonist. Black hair with a blue sheen, chiseled features—handsome even to other guys. He drew his weapon.
With that, he moved. Result?
Instant clear.
Blink, and the stage was done. Next one, next, and the one after. Five stages in under a minute. Everyone gawked at the monitor.
Of course. Kim Tae-hyun was already stronger than active heroes.
"Gotta mess with that guy?"
Academy's Ice Knight was a no-frustration, all-refreshment story. The overpowered protagonist's smooth winning streak hooked readers early. Early on.
Well, not fighting him directly, just sabotaging. Should be fine. I nodded.
After a long wait, my name was called. I headed to the testing room, but froze at the threshold.
"What was that?"
The guide's voice came through the speaker, but I couldn't let it slide.
"What ranking?"
"...1028th? How far back is that...?"
No answer. Just flapping sounds, like papers shuffling.
"......"
I walked into the testing room quietly. Beyond caring now. No anger left.
"No abilities, no mana, no ranking."
How stingy can you get? One power wouldn't hurt. Or at least a better rank.
Grousing, I trudged to the weapon rack as instructed. No clue how to use any, so I grabbed a random sword.
But the sword—
"It's heavy!"
Too damn heavy to lift. Pure iron was brutal for my 25 years of concentrated sloth.
Grunting, I barely hoisted it. That must've been the signal.
The scenery shifted, and three goblins lunged out.
"Whoa?!"
Even knowing what was coming, monsters jumping out spooked me. Justitia's magitech made them insanely lifelike.
My imagined goblins exactly: green skin, drooling saliva, mismatched pupils.
"Just holograms anyway."
Fake monsters via magitech. No sweat. I'd try my best.
They raised clubs. I awkwardly positioned the sword at my waist. Couldn't manage more. For real.
"Ngh."
As I gripped the weapon and they took attack stances, facing off—a weird message appeared.
"Huh?"
I blurted out dumbly as the scene warped again. Indescribable.
Some things flowed, others spun in place. Some clumped motionless.
No laws governed this view. One commonality: everything was blue. Nothing else.
Dazed, I stared at the goblins.
Them alone showed flows. A blue clump at the heart pulsed, writhing tendrils forming meridians.
"What the— Agh!!"
No time to process—a goblin charged. No mercy. I swung reflexively.
Not aimed, pure instinct. Luck or miracle, the wild swing hit a flowing blue strand.
And...
"Huh?"
It vanished. No trace. I blinked.
"That's it?"
He gave me something after all. Knew he wouldn't stiff me.
"Alright! Come at me, you bastards!!"
Confidence surging, I yelled. They hesitated at their vanishing buddy, then charged.
And I realized.
"Aaaah!! It hurts!! Why do holograms hurt!!"
That miracles don't happen twice.
"...Damn God. Rotten God. Dogshit God."
Bruised and battered, I clutched the paper. It crumpled.
Holograms used magic to enable hits. Karma hit hard.
"Hey. You nuts?"
Raphael sat beside me, glaring with furrowed brows.
"Why blame God for your lazy ass? Should've roamed outside more. Living cooped up all day? That's not human—that's livestock."
"What rank are you, Miss Perfect?"
I snatched her paper. It came easy, oddly. Looking—
"Ah."
I stared blankly at Raphael. She stood with hands on hips, chin high. Begging for a smack.
"You let me take it on purpose."
"As if~ Me? Highest seraphim angel, personally attending God? Not bragging. Just facts. Unlike some virgin who's never held a girl's hand at 25~"
Should I punch her? I restrained my fist. One guy dropped empty-handed; another shatters measurers. Deprivation maxed.
"Empty? You got something. Saw the roulette spin."
Raphael tapped her eyes.
Oh yeah, the roulette.
"Useless. Decorative. Asked for a fork, got a spoon. See my bruises?"
I showed my marks. She shrugged indifferently.
"Never heard of Pokémon?"
Know what she's saying? I shook my head.
Hitting visible flows worked, but I lacked the athleticism. Couldn't even swing properly to target.
Totally useless. Why not gluttony or greed—cheat skills that power up the weak fast?
"You read tons of webnovels."
This state? Forget sabotaging Kim Tae-hyun—doubt I'd last at school. Reality's wall hit immediately.
"What?"
"Read this."
A bright red book shoved in my face. Title: God's Note.
Looked repulsive. Fighting nausea, I opened the first page.
Wanted to slam it shut.
"Can I rip this?"
"No! Absolutely not!"
I calmed Raphael's grabby hands and flipped the page.
Good news. But "God's gifts" unnerved me.
Riiip—
"What are you doing!!"
"Oops. Sorry, impulse."
Tougher than expected. Next time, full tear. Dodging Raphael's lunge, I turned the page.
"Ah!!"
Riiiiiip.
With Raphael's scream, God's Note tore in half under my feeble strength.