Chapter 342
Chapter 342
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 343
Chapter Title: Abyss Exploration
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Han Se-yeon chatted with me about a few recent updates before vanishing.
She left with the words, “I’m always on your side, so if you need help or want to talk about your troubles, just let me know anytime.”
It was something she often said to me, but for some reason, it felt unusually meaningful this time.
Was it just my imagination?
In any case, after returning to the dorm, I prepared a few gifts for her.
They were Gretel’s scattered “twigs” and “leaves” around the room.
They didn’t seem to have any special effects or anything, but since Han Se-yeon said she wanted to research them, I carefully gathered them up and sent them as a gift.
—Nom nom.
Two days later, in the morning.
Gretel was eating a sausage just like usual.
It looked like an ordinary sausage on the outside, but it was actually a bit different from regular ones.
Since she kept refusing to eat the spirit medicines, I’d ground them up into powder and stuffed plenty inside.
“Gretel~ Eat up.”
“Ngah.”
Oblivious to this, Gretel was happily munching away at the sausage.
Even though the taste was a little different, she didn’t notice, so her sense of taste must not be that sensitive.
[All stats of the ‘Immortal Hell Demon Tree Gretel’ increase by 0.2 due to spirit medicine consumption.]
[Good nutrients are absorbed into the ‘Mysterious Demon Tree Fruit???’.]
A faint trace of mana emanated from Gretel’s fruit after consuming the spirit medicine.
If I’d known it would show such noticeable improvement, I would have fed her spirit medicines much sooner.
Satisfied, I smiled and patted Gretel’s back before turning on the TV.
“...news. Early yesterday morning, the Wizards’ Association Special Task Force successfully raided two demon-run corporations. These companies were uncovered during the investigation into the antagonists of the ‘Demon Gate’ incident, and the task force suspects a massive unknown organization behind them. Some are speculating about a secret connection between ‘Hanseong Group’ and the ‘demons’...”
I was buttoning my uniform while watching the news when an alarm rang on my smartphone.
It was a message from Han Se-yeon.
[I detected a completely new energy from the twigs and leaves you gifted me.]
[It’s similar in composition to the life energy of spirit medicines, so I think we could process it into a special spirit medicine.]
“...Huh?”
I stared at the message, momentarily flustered.
Did Gretel’s twigs and leaves really have that kind of effect?
“Heh heh...”
I hadn’t even considered that there were other edible parts(?) besides the fruit.
I typed a reply.
[Got it. Just in case, I’ll gather any twigs or leaves that fall on the floor.]
After sending the message, I turned my gaze back to Gretel.
She was still chomping away at the sausage when she noticed me looking and turned her eyes toward me.
I smiled.
“Gretel. Want to go for a walk after school today too?”
“Ngah!”
Gretel jumped for joy.
The first midterm of the second semester had begun.
As always, the school buzzed with chaos from the scouts who came to observe on exam day.
The first test was a simple basic magic and written exam.
It was a field I was confident in, so naturally, I achieved near-perfect results.
“Kim Sun-woo, total 98 points!”
“Whoa. Insane.”
A huge cheer erupted as the basic test results came out.
Murmurs rose from the spectator seats as well.
—Man, Kim Sun-woo is the real deal...
—Did you hear? The Touwang Guild offered 10 billion in signing bonus, and he turned it down.
—I heard Chinese guilds went up to 30 billion.
“Ahem.”
I tried my best to ignore the voices around me.
—But it’s kinda disappointing. The main exam this time is Abyss Exploration, right?
—Why? Sounds fun.
—Fun my ass. It’s unconsciousness-based, so no spectating. I was hoping for some cool fights like last time. Tsk.
As I came down from the platform after the test, I overheard a conversation from the spectator seats that caught my attention.
It was about this main exam, ‘Abyss Exploration.’
“Hmm...”
Abyss Exploration was scheduled in three days.
I didn’t know the exact details, so I wasn’t overflowing with confidence about placing in the top three like before.
According to seniors—or rather, ancestors—who had experienced it, rankings were determined by escape order.
“Good job. We tied.”
Lost in thought, I heard Lee Seo-jun’s voice.
Turning my head, I saw him smiling at me.
“I got 98 too.”
“...Oh, really?”
I hadn’t paid much attention to anything but my own score, so I didn’t even know what first place got.
I looked up at the scoreboard.
+Basic Magic Exam Rankings+
[1st: 98 points - Kim Sun-woo, Lee Seo-jun]
[3rd: 96 points - Yoo Ah-ra]
[4th: 89 points - Shin Young-jun]
“Oh. Yoo Ah-ra’s only 2 points behind.”
Tying with Lee Seo-jun was impressive in itself, but knowing her personality, Yoo Ah-ra was probably moping somewhere.
Curious, I glanced around and sure enough, she was off in the distance, exuding a gloomy aura and sighing.
I debated consoling her but decided it might backfire.
“Right. Sun-woo, you know about that?”
Lee Seo-jun said to me.
“What?”
“The Abyss Exploration exam. Before it got discontinued, top students always placed dead last, traditionally.”
“Top students?”
“Yeah, mostly within the top 5. Even Jin Cheon-woo came in last.”
That was news to me.
In the original story, I recalled Jin Cheon-woo dominating first place in almost every exam during his school days.
“That’s unexpected.”
“I was surprised too when I heard. You think one of us might come in last?”
Last place among the main characters...
It made sense.
‘Abyss Exploration’ was a test that revealed the unconscious and traumas.
Come to think of it, none of the main characters seemed to have perfectly sound mental health.
By sheer coincidence, my eyes met Yoon Ha-young’s, who had been eavesdropping on our conversation from nearby.
We locked eyes for about three seconds before I said,
“Well, this one’s not coming in last, at least.”
“...What’s that supposed to mean? That rubs me the wrong way.”
“It’s a compliment. You’ve got a healthy mind. Pure, even.”
Yoon Ha-young narrowed her eyes at my words.
“...Sun-woo, are you indirectly calling me dumb right now? Right?”
I didn’t bother answering.
Instead, I turned my gaze to Yoo Ah-ra, who had been looking gloomy for a while.
In my opinion, she was a strong candidate for last place.
She seemed inexpressive on the surface, but she actually had big emotional swings over small things.
Lee Seo-jun glanced at Yoo Ah-ra too, flashing a wry smile as if sharing my thoughts.
That’s when Yoon Ha-young spoke up.
“But Sun-woo, you seem pretty confident?”
I chuckled and replied with assurance.
“I’m confident. My mental strength is top-notch.”
Three days flew by, and the main event of the first midterm, ‘Abyss Exploration,’ began.
According to the notice from the day before, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd years would simultaneously enter the mystical [Mirror of the Abyss] to peer into their unconscious.
Once inside the [Mirror of the Abyss], a new space unfolds, and they just need to escape using their own methods.
“As I explained earlier, ‘Abyss Exploration’ is a test of escaping your own unconscious.”
In the grand auditorium of the Wizards’ Academy.
Exam proctor Jang An-cheol spoke from the platform.
Beside him stood a massive mirror, the [Mirror of the Abyss], covered in magical devices to control it.
For reference, since spectating isn’t possible during ‘Abyss Exploration,’ no one outside can see what happens inside.
“As you all know, ‘Abyss Exploration’ was discontinued after fatalities occurred. One student failed to escape their unconscious and became a vegetative state, eventually dying.”
Tension rippled across the students’ faces at the mention of deaths.
“But this time, we’ve added safety measures. We’ve minimized elements that could cause ‘mental corruption’ in the abyss. That said, it’s not guaranteed safe, so don’t get complacent.”
Jang An-cheol continued.
“I can’t explain the test method in detail due to the artifacts involved, so bear with me. Oh, one thing: there’s something called ‘unconscious bonds’ in the abyss.”
“...Unconscious bonds?”
“Simply put, it’s a theory where deeply bonded people draw each other in, overlapping their unconscious minds. You’ll understand once you’re inside.”
Jang An-cheol caressed the massive mirror beside him.
Soon, a mystical energy began to infuse it.
“We’ll start the exam now. First-years, enter.”
First-years entered the mirror one by one.
Each time a student stepped in, the surface rippled like a puddle of water.
Next came the second-years, and finally, the third-years.
“Sun-woo! See you on the other side!”
Yoon Ha-young waved brightly at me before stepping in.
I lightly touched the mirror’s surface and followed her inside.
Blinding light flashed, and the space shifted.
Whoooosh...
[Entered ‘Unconscious.’]
[‘Blessing of the Unreal’ activates.]
I opened my eyes. The space had changed, and a familiar scent wafted through the air.
Feeling an inexplicable nostalgia, I slowly looked around.
It was a small room.
Books were scattered on the desk, and countless more filled the bookshelf.
Behind it was a bed. Next to it, an old fan rattled as it spun.
A familiar, wistful scene.
My throat tightened, and my fingertips trembled unbidden.
I bit my lip hard.
Then, with heavy steps, I approached the desk.
There was a photo.
It showed my family and me from my childhood.
“Sun-woo.”
At that moment, a voice came from beyond the door.
My heart felt like it stopped.
The sight that greeted Lee Seo-jun when he opened his eyes was an intense light so blinding nothing else was visible.
His body wouldn’t move as he wished. Words wouldn’t come out properly.
“......Ng.”
It felt like he’d become a baby.
What was this?
“......Finally, success.”
Then, a familiar voice rang out.
Lee Seo-jun instantly recognized it.
It was the voice he’d heard through necromancy last week—one he could never forget.
“......Lord God. Now I must ask. Why have you revived this child?”
In response to someone’s question, ‘Jin Cheon-woo’ answered.
“I die five years from now. And this child is the key to reviving me.”
“......W-Wait. What do you mean?!”
“Exactly that. I’ve seen my own death in the future. This child is the beginning of all the changes to come.”
Lee Seo-jun fell into deep shock as he listened.
This seemed to be... his childhood memory.
That’s when Jin Cheon-woo said,
“......But this child will die someday too.”
“......Pardon?”
The blinding light faded, revealing Jin Cheon-woo’s face.
He wore a bitter smile.