Entrance Ceremony (4)
The Black Heaven Demonic Sword was emitting waves of presence, announcing its existence.
“……What’s that? It looks extraordinary just at a glance.”
“As expected of the top ranker? At least S-grade, right?”
The students were buzzing.
Seo Wooju inwardly agreed with that last remark. It looked far from ordinary at first sight. It radiated even greater presence than the Giant's Sword or the Book of Illusions from moments ago.
Yet Seo Wooju had never heard of a sword like this. He'd pored over related texts multiple times before entering the Weapon Arsenal.
I thought I'd cataloged everything from S-grade weapons down to B-grade.
Seo Wooju carefully scanned Lee Seoha's expression. He remembered how calmly Lee Seoha had given his student council pledge. But now, surprise and joy were blatantly written across his face.
So he knows something about that sword.
Seo Wooju decided he needed to report this to his superiors.
This is……
Lee Seoha ran his gaze over the blade. A pitch-black sword body, etched with a red line down the center.
Black Heaven Demonic Sword.
He hadn't expected to find this one here.
……No, it was buried here all along, which is why I could never track it down in the game.
S-grade, but according to game lore from documents he'd acquired, its performance surpassed most S-grade weapons. It had various functions, all geared toward "growth"—a sword that veteran players coveted relentlessly.
The Reverse Heaven Body was a constitution no one had ever selected. And weapon selection was a privilege exclusive to first-years, so it made sense that it was only known through ancient texts.
A weapon obtainable only by a pure custom character, not a playable one.
He felt a faint unease but shook it off. Above all, it was a sword, which suited him perfectly. Before coming here, a sword was the only thing he'd swung around even a little.
No need to struggle now, huh?
Lee Seoha's eyes gleamed as he regarded the Black Heaven Demonic Sword. It ranked at the pinnacle among weapons he could acquire now, and it wouldn't lose its shine even in the late game. But its true power lay elsewhere.
It allowed a Reverse Heaven Body user to learn the ultimate martial art through this blade.
The normal path only grants the first half of that martial art.
With this sword, he could access the second half too. Astonishingly, even the first half alone positioned it as one of the strongest candidates.
Lee Seoha smiled in satisfaction.
And he picked up the Black Heaven Demonic Sword.
Feeling eyes converge on him all the same.
Time to imprint it as my own.
High-grade weapons were excellent on their own. But to wield them properly, one had to undergo owner imprinting.
Lee Seoha held the blade forward and pressed his finger to it.
Drip.
“Urk.”
A student nearby made a weird noise.
Lee Seoha frowned briefly, then smeared the blood flowing from his finger onto the blade.
Then—
The Black Heaven Demonic Sword has recognized you as its owner!
Embedded skill, Domination Soul, has been unlocked.
You have become the owner of the Forgotten Sword! 10,000p awarded!
The aura enveloping Lee Seoha shifted.
His once-ordinary presence suddenly began to dominate the surroundings.
“……Hngh.”
That power, brief as it was, pressed down with enough force to choke even Seo Wooju, a Mid Grade hero.
As expected. He was hiding his true self behind an ordinary facade.
The air felt crushed for a moment.
Seo Wooju's eyes gleamed as he stared at Lee Seoha. It was as if his power was gradually emerging through the process of subjugating the weapon.
A chilling sensation gripped him. An overwhelming, domineering energy.
Rumors were spreading among the students that he'd awakened a talent like Absolute Domination or Mana Sovereign.
Seo Wooju found himself wondering if those rumors might actually be true.
Once weapon selection ended, Instructor Seo Wooju led us to another location.
We took a short break for rest.
Some had acquired weapons easily, but most had pushed themselves to their limits to be chosen.
“I'm dying. Did you get something good?”
“Hahaha…… Barely snagged a B-grade.”
“Whoa, I got C-grade. But it's my main weapon, so that's a relief.”
The kids clustered together, chattering away.
I slowly scanned the students.
“You—your name's Lee Seoha, right?”
A neutral voice called out.
Sky-blue hair, more beautiful and pretty than handsome—a striking beauty.
Kim Seohyeon.
The boy chosen by this world.
The one beloved by the world.
The boy called the "protagonist."
"Yeah, what's up?"
“Just……wanted to get to know you.”
Kim Seohyeon flashed a soft smile as he said it.
“I've been curious. Who beat me.”
His sky-blue eyes met mine. Piercing, burning with fiery intensity.
Looks like I'd stirred his competitive spirit.
“But you're the same, huh? Spewing that hostility and all.”
“……?”
Hostility? What was he talking about.
I'd been like this from the start……
Kim Seohyeon's words puzzled me until a realization hit.
Earlier, when imprinting the Black Heaven Demonic Sword, I'd fed it blood. And a skill activated.
Domination Soul, was it.
Domination Soul.
Seemed like a skill that gnawed at the opponent's mind. If it was always on, that could get annoying.
Can I turn this off?
I glared at the Black Heaven Demonic Sword with that thought.
Domination Soul fades away.
I felt the surrounding students' expressions relax.
“Interesting. Controlling that aura at will……”
Kim Seohyeon watched me with intrigued eyes.
This guy had been under some grand delusion since earlier. But if he was mistaken in my favor, I decided to let it slide.
Next up……
Korea Hero School was infamous for its packed schedule right from the entrance ceremony.
If the first event was proving your worth through weapon selection……
“Break time's over. Everyone up. Moving to the next event.”
Seo Wooju said it with a mischievous grin.
“Next is 'Dungeon Exploration.' Oh, don't freak out at 'dungeon.' No monsters in there—it's just a labyrinth.”
Dungeon Exploration.
In truth, just a monster-free maze.
Collect info inside, and rewards based on who reaches the end first.
……Or so the public knew.
These guys are vicious for real.
I clicked my tongue inwardly. Seeing it firsthand confirmed it—they were the genuine article.
Actually, it was a trap. A modified version of the Trial Tower, designed to mimic a sudden monster assault on the school.
You'd "accidentally" encounter monsters conjured by the Trial Tower and have to defeat them.
So the second event pretended to be routine while testing reactions to surprise attacks.
Another screening process. The school used the Trial Tower to weed out potential "demons" or villains, while forging heroes to stand against them. That was its purpose.
At least no one gets seriously hurt.
For some reason, you felt the pain if hit by monsters. But it didn't leave wounds or kill. Extreme agony might cause shock, but the Trial Tower's mysteries protected even against that.
PTSD, though—that was unavoidable.
“Alright, on to the next event…… Hold on, got a call. Rest a bit longer, everyone.”
Seo Wooju answered his phone, his face turning awkward. Then he headed off somewhere.
Up close, it was clear Seo Wooju couldn't act to save his life.
As soon as he left, some kids put on grave expressions, like they'd been expecting this.
And—
BOOM!
A massive explosion shattered one wall.
-Krrrrrrrrrrrrrrr───────!!
A 5-meter monster roared from the breach.
“Wh-what?! Why's a monster showing up in school?!”
“Everyone, careful! Melee fighters up front! Mages to the back……no, center!”
Someone shouted, and students gripped their weapons, charging forward.
“Mad Shadow Wolf?”
“Annoying. Its magic resistance is high—spells barely work.”
Hong Yuhwa drew her newly acquired weapon, the Crimson Flame Grimoire. It reacted to her mana, spewing crimson mana.
“Hey, Hong Yuhwa! Fall back!”
“You fall back.”
Hong Yuhwa shoved away a clinging mage.
Mad Shadow Wolf had high magic resistance. So what?
She was a crimson flame mage. She couldn't disgrace herself by retreating from something like this.
Whoosh!
Flames bloomed in midair. Crimson fire condensed into a single point, soon taking the form of a spear.
A massive 5-meter flame spear. More siege weapon than spear.
“Whoa, insane. That'll just punch right through.”
“Magic resistance? Just overpower it with raw mana……”
The students were awestruck by the spell.
Hong Yuhwa naturally sought one person's gaze.
Lee Seoha.
He watched her with a languid expression. Eyes saying, That all you got? Utterly unimpressed by her magic.
Grit.
That look irked her.
Hong Yuhwa launched the flame spear.
Krrrrrrrrrrrrrrr───────!!
It pierced the Mad Shadow Wolf's gut clean through.
Blue mana threads appeared from somewhere, binding the wolf's movements.
Kim Seohyeon dashed in with his battered sword for the finishing blow. It hummed, unleashing waves of sword energy.
Kim Seohyeon cleaved the wolf in half.
Lee Seoha watched them with a faint smile.
Even though he'd looked bored at first.
But now……it didn't feel half bad.
Major characters feel a competitive spirit toward you.
Major characters remember you!
Acquire 3,000p!
It was a scene that naturally brought a smile to my face.