Entrance Ceremony Day # 3
Entrance Ceremony Day # 3
I immediately got up and drew my sword.
"Hoo!"
Holding the sword felt pretty damn good. A real sword. A real metal sword. I'd never had a chance to hold a real blade in my life.
Men are ultimately creatures who love this kind of thing. Is there any man who wouldn't enjoy holding a real sword?
"Nice sword! Kyaap! Aura Blade!"
With overflowing excitement, I thrust the sword and imagined unleashing the energy inside me, but all I did was make a fool of myself in the room.
"Fuck."
I'll need to research this.
"Wait, hold on!"
At that moment, a crucial thought flashed through my brain. If I'm inside a game, isn't there something I obviously have to say?!
"Status Window!"
―Ding!
A cheerful sound rang out with my shout!
―――――――――――――――――
[Status Window - Kim Geun-cheol]
[Rank : F]
「 Strength : 13 」
「 Dexterity : 12 」
「 Stamina : 12 」
「 Durability : 10 」
「 Magic Power : 10 」
―――――――――――――――――
"Wait, my stats are godawful!"
This is complete dog shit!
"Fucking hell, you piece-of-shit bastards...!"
What the hell kind of starting stats were those? Just looking at them drained all my strength. This was unquestionably the status window of a pathetic, bottom-feeding F-rank.
[Possessed Skills]
「 Weapon Enchant 」
"Oh, but there's a skill?"
Below the stats, there was a possessed skills window. The only thing there was a skill called Weapon Enchant. But did I actually have some kind of skill? Just as I felt a little satisfaction and thought about checking the info—
[Weapon Enchant]
-A skill that imbues a weapon with magic power. The magic power wrapped around the blade will cut through the dimensional shields of otherworldly species more easily.
"Oh!"
Thanks for the kind explanation!
"This is basically Aura Blade!"
It seemed like a skill that infuses magic power into a sword. From the look of it, if you wrap magic power around the blade, you can cut through defensive barriers used by otherworldly species.
"There's detailed info too."
Let's see.
[Weapon Enchant]
(Skill Rank : F)
(Lv.1)
"Huh?"
I read the displayed info carefully. So... the skill's rank is F-grade. And the level is 1. In other words, it's a basic skill with zero proficiency, so even its level is 1.
I read the displayed information carefully. So... the skill was F-rank, and its level was 1. In other words, it was a basic skill with zero proficiency, so even its level was still at 1.
"I felt like doubling over and crying."
It felt like my soul took a hit. Still, it was better than nothing. Right. I got some coins too.
A window appeared as soon as I thought of it.
[Coins Possessed : 100]
(Inactive)
"Activate it for me, you bastard."
So I can't even use it right now.
Was there any more info? I tried a bunch of things, but nothing came up besides the status window. A little time passed. I sat back down at the computer and started looking up absolutely everything I could.
While I was at it—
"It's time."
It was time to gather in the classroom.
"Class 1-A, huh."
So now I just take superhuman education at the academy in this classroom and grow stronger? That seems to be the plan, but how the hell do I get home? According to the usual cliché, you have to finish off some final boss before you can return... Do I really have to go through that shit to get back home?
"Kill me now, for fuck's sake."
Let's just head to the classroom first.
Can't be late on the first day.
* * *
The path to the classroom was fairly quiet. The place was so huge it felt leisurely with students moving about sparsely.
It's really fucking huge.
I couldn't even estimate how many square meters it was. A fortress-like main building, round stone walls surrounding it, and massive annex buildings on all sides. You could believe this was some kind of capital city.
"There are anti-air turrets."
Even the rooftops of each building had anti-air turrets deployed, which said a lot.
Could it be that monsters actually invade the academy? An irrational unease crept over me. If they really showed up, a commoner like me wouldn't be able to do a thing.
I might just scream.
No, I might cry and beg for my life.
"Hoo."
Anyway, I'm basically back in high school. Walking around school in a high schooler's body at the age of 24, I even felt a strange sense of nostalgia.
Though I wasn't used to the uniform and sword.
Walking along, I spotted a large gate in the wall. Looks like first-years enter through there.
I followed the other students through the main entrance and arrived in front of Class 1-A's classroom.
―Creak.
"Oh."
When I opened the door and stepped inside, I could only marvel.
This was way too fancy. No kidding, the whole classroom was white-themed. There wasn't a single one of those desks and chairs I'd been sick of seeing all through school. It was decked out entirely in high-end stuff. It had a genuinely luxurious feel, and the classroom itself was quite spacious.
At any rate, there were already students inside. Kids carrying weapons were clustered in groups of three to five, chatting.
I really can't get used to those weapons. Even the sword designs are all different. Mine's plain, but some kids have flashy ones. There are even spears, axes—all sorts.
"Wasn't the Chairwoman really cool?"
"Yeah... They call her the Black Yaksha. That's my first time seeing her in person."
"But how is she so young? She only looks to be in her mid-to-late twenties."
"Oh yeah, I heard that too. What's her actual age supposed to be, again?"
"No one knows that. Ah, more importantly, that kid who yelled."
"Ah... the one who cursed. Got singled out right away and got chewed out."
"Even so, I didn't expect her to pick on someone like that on the first day, seriously."
"I heard she's always like that. Once she loses it, she even shouts at the Sovereign Commander and flips the table."
"As expected of a war hero."
"They were comrades-in-arms to begin with, after all."
They're talking about me... Feeling a bit embarrassed, I pretended not to notice and looked for my seat. If I act like I don't know, they won't know. Just stay quiet.
But what's a Sovereign Commander?
And 'war hero' probably doesn't mean a hero of the Korean War. I'll look it up later.
"Where's my seat?"
I checked my messages and it said to sit in the assigned seat. I saw a label on a desk marking my spot, so I sat there.
"Oh."
The chair's comfort was no joke. But I'm so nervous. To think I have to attend school starting today. Since there was nothing else to do, I browsed my phone and collected information about this world.
―Slide.
"Hey guys! Let's get along starting today!"
"Yeah. Nice to meet you."
While that was happening, students began filing into the classroom one by one. So all these kids are superhumans. Some looked ordinary, but there were also the brawny types—kids with huge builds who looked like prime soldier material.
But why are there so many foreigners? And black-haired kids were a minority. Living with such heavy dye jobs... it makes me worry about their scalps.
Then.
―Slide.
"Uh."
"Huh?"
"Who's that?"
The door opened and a beautiful woman with silver hair walked in. In an instant, she stole my gaze. That was Leona, wasn't it? The one who did the pledge at the admission ceremony.
"..."
Overwhelming. The other guys were out of it too. Then Leona quietly took her seat.
Fascinating.
Well, 1 p.m. came around like that.
There were a few empty seats, but all the students present were seated. Everyone's so diligent. Ah, but I want to go to the snack shop. There's got to be one, right? Maybe because I turned into a high schooler, I suddenly started craving a pork cutlet and cold noodles like crazy. A whole pizza and Pizza Holic too. If they don't have them, I'm gonna throw a fit.
"So we just wait?"
"Guess so. Someone should come soon."
"Ah... nervous."
Someone will come. More importantly, isn't there a quest window or something popping up? It guided me all the way to the admission ceremony, so it should tell me more here. Is it because it's open-world? This shit is neglecting its duties.
I was thinking that while browsing, when—
―Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!
A sudden alarm bell rang out.
"Huh?"
"Wha?"
"Hmm?"
Being Korean, I didn't think much of it. I'd lived in a world where alarm bells were treated as something that just goes off for no reason.
And then.
―Fzzzzzzzt!
Suddenly, something like a warp gate opened near the teacher's podium.
"Wh-what the!"
"Fuck! What is that!"
"A-a dimensional gate...!"
From inside it.
―Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
Some fucking gigantic monster spider bastard crawled out.
"Oh my god, fuuuuuuuuuuuck!!!!!!!!!!"
What is that, holy shit! A spider! A huge-ass spider! A spider so big it took up about 60% of the classroom's width, tearing through the warp gate and descending upon us!
Its appearance was so horrifying it was hard to even describe! It looked like a spider but wasn't a spider...! A monster based on a spider! Its maw bloomed with poisonous fangs and tentacles, and its legs were encased in tough carapace!
"Kyaaaaaaaaaa!"
"Wh-why is a monster here!"
"Warp Spider...! That size is past adult! It's at least a C-rank monster!"
The other students were terrified too!
Wait, aren't you guys superhumans?! It's one thing for me who just got here, but didn't you come to this school to become superhuman heroes?! How can you be scared?!
"Fuck! I gotta get out!"
I bolted straight for the door!
This is no joke...! That's a real monster! Monsters tear people apart! Help! I can't die here! I can't be killed by some shitty monster like that!
―Bang bang!
But the door wouldn't open, as if it were locked!
"Aaaaaaaargh! The door won't opeeeen! Hey, fuck! Guys! The windows! Let's break the windows at least! Hurryyyy!"
Barely suppressing the panic bursting out, I incited the students! Tears were spurting out! Do you think I'm gonna die here?! I'll survive no matter what!
It reminded me of that moment when I passed out in front of the computer...! I definitely won't die! I can't die!
"Aaaah!"
"Break! Break!"
"Move! Sword Aura!"
"M-Magical Shot!"
While a few students drew their weapons and hurled all sorts of skills and magic at the window, a battle broke out over there.
―Fwoosh!
"Huh?"
Silver hair fluttered. Leona, with silver flames wrapped around her longsword, charged at the spider without hesitation. That crazy bitch!
―Fwoom!
Not only that! Several cadets stood behind Leona, conjuring some kind of unnatural flame in their hands, preparing to intercept!
They're all insane!
Those guys are insane!
How the hell can a bunch of teenage brats take down a monster like that?! Even if they're superhumans, there's no way they can kill a monster that looks stronger than an elephant with just a weapon...!
"Aaaaaaah! The window! It won't break! Fuck! Guys! Let's attack together! We have to hit it together! Pool our strength! Hic!"
Tears streaming, I fought to rally the students and break the window! Nothing is as strong as the power of friendship! If we combine our strength, we can break the window!
"Ah, okay!"
"Yeah!"
"Just break it, please!"
"Mommyyyyy!"
I also grabbed my sword and pounded the window, but the motherfucking thing was covered in bulletproof glass or some shit; not a scratch!
"I have to survive, I have to survive, I have to survive...! Hnghhh!"
I can't die in a place like this...!
Then.
―Kwaaaaaang!!!
A thunderous noise rang out.
"What the!"
Turning my head, I looked at the spider.
"Huh?"
―Fizz.
The spider was melting away like dry ice... dissolving and scattering. Leona and the other students stood before it.
What?
"D-don't tell me?"
Did they deal with that crazy monster?
That girl?
―Thud.
The strength drained from my legs. I collapsed on the spot. Now I could just clutch my head and scream. I had no sense of reality at all, I couldn't even get up. Tears were still flowing, and my heart was pounding like it would burst.
As I was like that.
"Hey, are you okay?"
"..."
At some point, Leona was crouched in front of me, calling me. With a face like she was scolding me.
"Huh?"
"That Warp Spider just now was an illusion."
"An illusion...?"
"You're okay now. Get a grip."
An illusion?
"Probably the professors playing a prank or testing us. Still, how can a hero cadet cry like that? Stop it. Stop. They say a man cries only three times in his life... And you were screaming and yelling at the top of your lungs. Stay calm. Alright."
After saying that, Leona stood up.
"..."
My sense of reality.
"An illusion."
She said it was an illusion.
"..."
The moment I chewed over that, overwhelming embarrassment crashed over me, and my whole body went scorching hot as a powerful heat rushed to my face.
―Whoooosh!
"...Fuck."
Can't anything go right...