Bringing a Graduation Project to the Entrance Exam (1)
Bringing a Graduation Project to the Entrance Exam (1)
The entrance exam of Pentagon Academy was a significant event where new awakener cadets displayed their talents to the world for the first time.
Most of the new cadets were excited at the thought of showing off their abilities.
They had dressed up, hoping they might appear on the news.
However,
-Rustle, rustle.
'The best record so far had been Stage 4... Was Stage 5 really that much of a wall?'
Among the shadows cast by the crowd of new cadets was a woman.
She blended into the darkness as she evaluated the cadets.
...The number one clan in the country. Cheonhwa.
She was Yoo Sia, the clan leader's third daughter.
'I wasn't expecting anyone at my level, but at least Stage 5?'
The reason Yoo Sia was doing this was to find talent befitting the clan.
Strong awakeners were different from the very beginning.
As the saying goes, an awl in a bag cannot be hidden—even if you try, it will pierce the bag and reveal itself.
People destined for greatness displayed their extraordinary qualities from the entrance exam onward.
Yoo Sia intended to focus on befriending people like that.
Befriending them would make it easier to recruit them into the Cheonhwa Clan later.
But,
-Muttering, muttering.
'A katana... a Japanese sword? You've got to be kidding me.'
Instead of finding talent, she'd reached the point of seeing someone volunteer to use a Japanese sword.
Without even looking closely to see who it was, Yoo Sia turned away.
'There's no need to see that guy. I'll just use this break to go to the bathroom,' she thought.
—It was a mistake.
-Smoothly.
'He's probably already done, so let's see... the next cadet... Huh?'
When she returned after finishing her business, she realized something was unusual.
The clearing should have been bustling.
Instead, it was unnaturally quiet.
Everyone seemed to be holding their breath and concentrating.
'What? While I was in the bathroom... What!!?'
She too inhaled sharply.
In the center of the clearing, inside a prominently activated barrier, a youth was fighting, swinging a katana.
...Against an ogre.
'That was definitely Stage 5... Had he cleared every stage through Stage 4 in that short time!?'
The ogre appeared at Stage 5.
It was the stage she'd chosen as her benchmark for talent.
And a cadet using something as useless as a Japanese sword had reached it this quickly?
She was dying to know how he'd done it.
Fortunately, the answer came from an instructor nearby.
"...Judging by his katana skills alone, he isn't far behind even Aika."
'Aika!!? The No. 1 S-rank!!!?'
"Furthermore, his pattern recognition is flawless. I'd believe he was a veteran with twenty years of experience."
'What on earth... Oh, it really was true!'
Yoo Sia strained her eyes as she began observing the fight.
It took her less than three seconds to recognize the young man's extraordinary skill.
"Grrrrrrraaaaaaaarrrr!!!"
The enraged ogre fiercely swung both arms.
It moved so fast that the air cracked like a whip and green afterimages trailed behind its arms.
An attack so ferocious that an average awakener would quickly become minced meat.
But...
-Swoosh, swoosh.
Tap, tap. Tap, tap.
Light footsteps danced across the ground.
They were like blades of grass fluttering in the wind.
With nothing more than those light steps, he kept the world-shattering fists from even grazing him.
'I'd put on enough of a show. It was time to finish this.'
-Slash.
As he gradually closed the distance, a violet flash gleamed at the back of the ogre's neck.
It was a vital point known to be difficult to target while an ogre was berserk.
A berserk ogre swung its arms wildly and attacked in every direction.
Therefore, killing it before it went berserk, or accumulating damage carefully with ranged attacks, had been the standard strategy...
"Gr... waaa......."
-Thud.
'He really took it down... An ogre in a berserk state, with just one katana.'
A sight that defied conventional wisdom unfolded before her eyes.
It was a flawless takedown worth recording for use as training material.
He had achieved it not by overpowering the ogre with an ability, but through perfect pattern knowledge and technique.
A perfect solo clear.
The onlookers finally released the breaths they'd been holding.
-Muttering, muttering.
"Whoa... What is that? Is he really a new cadet?"
"Not even an A-rank can do that!!"
The volume of the exclamations showed just how extraordinary Yujin's display had been.
Yoo Sia was also greatly impressed.
'His physical stats weren't impressive... but we could fix that. Cheonhwa had to recruit him.'
A brat who used a weapon like a katana?
No. A raw gem overflowing with talent.
The talent she had been waiting for.
Greed for recruitment made her eyes burn.
"Cadet Seo Yujin. Will you continue challenging?"
"Please."
'Stage 6 would be too much, though.'
But Yoo Sia, the instructor, and everyone else thought the same thing.
They all believed that even he could never pass Stage 6.
The reason was simple.
In practice, Stage 5 was the highest a new cadet could clear.
Stage 6 was different.
It required the professional-level skill of an academy graduate.
"Then I will begin Stage 6. Three, two, one. Start."
-Shooo.
'A lust demon... Stage 6 and beyond were considered graduation assignments, but this was truly brutal. How was a melee fighter supposed to solo it?'
The creature summoned this time was a lust demon—what people overseas called a succubus.
It was a monster that primarily attacked the mind.
...It was absolutely not something a new cadet could handle.
To withstand her temptation, a "Mental Barrier" that protects the mind with mana was essential.
Even talented awakeners could barely deploy one in their second year, while ordinary students managed it in their third.
Fighting a succubus without such a defense?
It was obvious you'd be charmed in 1 second and have your heart pierced with a blissful face.
There was no fight to begin with.
If you had to name a way for a new cadet to win...
Deal overwhelming burst damage from outside the range of her temptation.
Or kill her instantly through an overwhelming difference in ability.
Neither option was possible for Yujin.
It was only natural that everyone was certain he would lose.
As pessimism settled over the crowd, the succubus's eyes shone pink.
"Fufu. Baby, let's spend some quality time together♡"
[Under the effect of the skill 'Demon's Temptation', acquiring Status Effect 'Charmed'...]
-Ding!
[A skill of the same category is present. Comparing their ranks.]
[Overwhelming rank difference! Skill 'Complete Hypnosis' scoffs at the inferior skill.]
[As backlash from the failure, the succubus acquires the Status Effect 'Charmed'. Furthermore, the target falls 'completely' under hypnosis.]
"......?"
Nothing happened.
Both Yujin—whom everyone had expected to walk over and offer his heart at once—and the succubus stood still.
Onlookers blinked in confusion.
Only Yujin found the result unsurprising.
'Not even the monsters that would pour out fifteen years later could inflict Status Effects on me.'
The rank of his Innate Talent was EX-rank.
Before the regression, it had been a rank held only by him and his master in the entire world.
Even the monsters that helplessly overpowered him couldn't lay a finger on his mind.
So when a mere low-grade succubus tried to dominate the mind of someone with a skill like his...
It was only natural she'd be the one affected.
Her recklessness ended in defeat.
"Hey, you."
"Did you call for me, Master♡"
"———Your core. Hand it over."
"Yesh♡"
-Stab!
The succubus's hand mercilessly pierced her own chest.
She rummaged around for the throbbing core.
And then,
-Grip.
"Here you go♡"
It was the equivalent of a monster's heart.
An organ called the nucleus, or core, revealed itself.
"Mas, ter...."
-Slump. Swoosh.
Without her core, the succubus collapsed before taking even one step and turned to ash.
Yujin merely looked down at her expressionlessly.
Everyone watching fell into confusion at once.
'What is that!!?'
They clearly thought he was a melee-type awakener.
Reflecting a mental attack? Making his opponent kill herself?
No melee type should have been capable of that.
But the preceding battle...
One question led to another.
All those questions converged into one and filled everyone's minds.
What exactly is that guy's ability?
"Cadet Seo Yujin, what in the world is..."
"Please move straight to the next stage, Instructor."
'Alice hated cruel things. I had to move on quickly.'
But Yujin was only thinking of his wife.
His indifferent golden eyes turned to the instructor.
The instructor, feeling somewhat intimidated, quickly manipulated the device.
"Th-then I will begin Stage 7. Three. Two...."
-Whirrr.
Everyone's attention focused again.
Yujin's katana carved down violet streaks once more.
"Tired from flying around? Wanna come down and rest a bit?"
[Mental Barrier judgment... Partial success. The target falls under 'weak' hypnosis.]
"Grrk? Grrrr...."
"Good. Nice and obedient."
-Slash.
Stage 7. A Hisk that flew and spat acidic venom.
Taking advantage of the moment its wings stalled under the hypnosis, he sliced it down.
"......."
-Clank.
'There was a time I thought hypnosis wouldn't work on inanimate objects like golems.'
"Problem detected in drive unit core. Initiating emergency maintenance protocol."
[Mental Barrier judgment partial success. Target...]
-Slash.
'But that turned out not to be true.'
Stage 8. A stationary golem that defended all directions with a barrier and fired magic bullets on its own.
The instant the barrier dropped, he flashed his blade through the core.
"Die..."
[Under the effect of the skill 'Complete Hypnosis (Replica)', acquiring Status Effect 'Hypnosis'...]
-Ding!
[Skill 'Complete Hypnosis' erupts in fury at the fake's petty trick!]
[The target falls 'completely' under hypnosis.]
'Yes! An easy-win pattern triggered.'
Stage 9. A doppelganger that copied all his stats and skills.
Falling under reverse hypnosis, it crouched down unseen by others, destroyed its own core, and died.
It took only three minutes to break through Stages 6 through 9.
That was how overwhelming hypnosis was.
'Even I gave up on Stage 9, thinking I couldn't clear it...'
-Gulp.
"...He's on a different level."
Yoo Sia, who had been watching as though it were a movie, murmured a single phrase.
It was a line that spoke for everyone's inner thoughts.
And then,
"I'll challenge Stage 10 immediately as well."
"A-are you sure you'll be all right? If you want, the graduation-exam regulations allow a one-hour rest..."
"I'd feel bad for my classmates if the schedule were delayed because of me. I decline."
"R-right. If that's the case. Three, two, one."
This was no mere entrance exam, but the final hurdle of the graduation assignment.
Stage 10.
It began.