The Mysterious Powerhouse: Two Years Later
Imperial Central Academy.
A multitude of people stood lined up in the auditorium, and I was among them...
"Examinee Celestia Erienne El Fredericia. Until the entrance exam concludes today, your name will be number 2071. Remember that."
"Of course."
The day of the Imperial Central Academy's entrance exam had arrived.
The academy's admission process divides into two main tracks. One is the 'Pen and Paper' track. The other is the 'Fire and Sword' track. They mean very different things.
One cultivates scholars. The other trains warriors like swordsmen or mages.
In other words, depending on the track, your field of study and class assignment after passing will differ entirely.
Of course, there was an exception.
The special class doesn't belong to either...
The special class wasn't for scholars or warriors. As long as you dominated in any one field, they didn't care about scholarly or martial pursuits—you could enter regardless. And that was my goal.
There were two main ways to get into the special class. First, prove in the entrance exam that grades meant nothing with an overwhelming performance. Second, for known geniuses, get a recommendation from a professor or the academy principal.
Neither was easy.
"Then, those who chose the 'Fire and Sword' track, please gather to the left. Those who chose the 'Pen and Paper' track, to the right!"
I'd chosen 'Fire and Sword,' so I naturally headed left. As I moved, I glanced around casually.
The original protagonist should be showing up around now...
The man I'd eventually stand against. The protagonist of Star-Eyed Sword, Glan Braden.
A commoner examinee who would later spark a revolution. A guy who enchanted countless women into his harem while blushing like a eunuch in embarrassment.
He had to be around here somewhere. After all, he'd chosen 'Fire and Sword' too.
This is right around the start of the original story...
Yes. The original tale was finally beginning.
I fiddled with my Black Demon Sword while waiting for my turn.
The first test of the 'Fire and Sword' track was, like in any academy story, surviving against randomly released monsters. Survival, plain and simple.
So clichéd...
Back when I read Star-Eyed Sword, it seemed fun. But now? A boring exam.
Finally, my turn came. Including me, thirty participants were called.
"Numbers 2071 through 2100, please enter the exam arena!"
We all gathered and stepped inside. The arena resembled a massive colosseum. A vast circular clearing, with supervisors watching us through raised spectacles. And beyond the iron bars, growling echoed from the shadows.
"First test for the 'Fire and Sword' track: Verification of survival skills. Here are the conditions. You may cooperate or go solo—doesn't matter. Do not leave this arena. Survive until the test ends. No other rules. Total time: twenty minutes. Begin."
No long explanations—the test started immediately. The iron bars slid open, revealing the source of the growls.
A pack of Gray Wolves. And, inexplicably captured, a wingless dragon—a Lintbloom.
"It starts just like that?!"
"Everyone! Listen! They didn't say cooperation is cheating! Let's group up and form ranks!"
"Are you insane?! Ranks against a Lintbloom?!"
The sudden start and powerful monsters threw the participants into panic. Not me, though.
Lintbloom? That grateful beast from the lake southwest of the capital had been my experience farm two years ago.
I drew the Black Demon Sword I'd stolen from the final boss... lizard. Closed my eyes. Focused my mind. Curled my lips into a smirk.
Dopamine didn't just come from fighting strong foes. Performing spectacularly in front of these other examinees, becoming the talk of the academy as a mysterious powerhouse—that would be peak dopamine.
Perfect. Decision made. Time to shine.
With that thought, I strode forward through the panicking crowd. I felt their eyes lock on me.
A lone swordsman marching boldly into the monster horde. I could already imagine how legendary I'd look. It felt good.
"I'll take you on with my eyes closed."
A sign of respect—meaning I'd give my all.
In that instant, I surged forward at a speed no one could track visually. So fast, it must've looked like a flash of light.
I slashed through wolves mid-stride, leaping before the Lintbloom could react—right in front of it.
Kuooo—!
Animal instinct? It couldn't follow me with its eyes but instinctively opened its maw in defense. Acidic venom sprayed from its jaws.
But the Lintbloom wasn't lucky enough to hit me with such a rushed reaction.
"That won't hit."
Mid-air, I spun a full circle, swinging the Black Demon Sword. It sliced cleanly down the beast's back without pause.
Worth being a Lintbloom, maybe. One strike didn't kill it, but it was already gravely wounded.
I landed and charged again. Eyes closed, I saw everything. The Lintbloom's next moves were clear.
That massive muscle mass lunging to crush me. Terrifying to normals. To me? Just an obstacle to cleave.
Schwick—!
The blade glided softly along its arm. The limb severed; the beast screamed in agony.
No participants helped amid it all. They just gawked, entranced by my fight.
I toyed with the roaring Lintbloom, slipping to its blind spots and swinging several more times.
Sring—schwick—!
Shaaak—!
Light sounds like tearing paper severed muscle and nerves effortlessly. After a flurry of strikes, the result was a marionette with cut strings—plummeting to the ground.
Thud—!
Something's lacking...
Regrettably, its two counterattacks were too pathetic, dying after just seven strikes too lame. I hadn't shown off enough to earn proper awe from the others.
So, I swept away the remaining monsters in a flash and approached the supervisors.
"Test halted! Further testing is pointless!"
"Then, since the test is over, may I enjoy a bit more personally, Supervisor?"
"2071? What do you—"
"Test time is twenty minutes total. Only one minute has passed, Supervisor."
"What do you plan to do?"
"I'm unsatisfied. Could I go underground and kill more?"
Yes. If unsatisfied, just have more. That's normal, right? At a restaurant, if portions are small, you order sides. Common sense.
Thus, I planned to head below and cleave every last monster.
"Test halted! Entering underground is forbidden! Test duration may vary at this supervisor's discretion!"
"Tch..."
But the supervisor firmly declared it over. Fine, if time's adjustable, nothing to do.
I sheathed the Black Demon Sword and walked toward the twenty-nine stunned participants.
"Looks like you all pass the first test for free?"
I said it with eyes still closed. They'd worship me now, right? Whispering how strong and cool I was, making me happy? Thanking me?
Or so I thought, briefly...
"Gasp..."
"W-what do you want?!"
But... why those faces? They looked like they'd seen a ghost.
Imperial Central Academy, administrative building conference room.
Chaos reigned over one examinee.
"What do we do...? We have no Lintblooms left now..."
"What about the other two?"
"Well... one's too old to use, and the other's too hard to control, so we locked it away for safety..."
A hesitant woman with an aggrieved expression spoke uncertainly.
Across from her, a bald professor with a sour face sighed heavily.
"We'll have to pause the test briefly."
"Is that necessary?"
Amid the professors' talk, one interjected. Sipping coffee leisurely as he sat, his name tag read 'Edn.'
A top mage from the Magic Tower, now a professor on the principal's personal recommendation. Everyone knew his skills were impeccable.
"Got something in mind, Professor Edn?"
"For now, 2071—the one who soloed the Lintbloom. Name's... Celestia Erienne El Fredericia."
Edn smiled faintly at the name Celestia. He slid over the 2071 file with a quiet chuckle.
"I'll take this student for the special class. Don't worry about the Lintbloom. I'll match its level exactly and jump into the test myself."
"Wait... you plan to kill all the students?"
"Of course not. I've only ever gone all-out against students once... well, usually not."
Edn stood, magitome in one hand, sword sheath in the other, and quietly left the conference room.