Chapter 21
Scarlett's weapon, the Zweihänder, was as hard to wield as its massive size suggested. Every swing demanded a wide arc, leaving more openings than most weapons. Precision was key. It wasn't suited for batting away a barrage of incoming arrows one by one.
She leaped back with all her might, and arrows thudded into the spot where she'd stood moments before. More arrows materialized in midair and rained down relentlessly, while armored soldiers sprouted from the ground and charged.
With a light spin, she dodged a spear thrusting at her side, then twisted her Zweihänder just enough to deflect the blade. She kept shifting positions to evade arrows, slashing through soldiers with broad sweeps. The bisected foes dissolved into smoke without spilling a drop of blood.
More soldiers spawned endlessly, pressing her hard. The test ramped up over time—not just in numbers, but in individual strength.
Once they started using auras around the five-minute mark, she actually seemed more at ease than at the start.
The test ended in only two ways: enduring until the artifact's final stage, or taking damage that would be fatal in reality.
By the ten-minute mark, bigger, faster soldiers and even orcs appeared, barreling toward her. They weren't as strong as real orcs, but she was still a freshman greenhorn. Other Class A students might handle one or two orcs easily, but...
In Wiyeongdoe, Scarlett was in Class B, not A.
She was as lacking compared to the other Class A students as I was. Wounds began accumulating from the bolstered soldiers' assaults, and then an orc's club smashed her dead-on, sending her flying far away.
Battered and grievously injured, Scarlett shuddered as she used her Zweihänder as a crutch to force herself upright. Even illusory wounds brought real agony—her face twisted in torment. She barely managed to regrip her sword, but couldn't react to the next orc charge hurtling her way.
Just before the orc's blow landed, all the illusions dissolved into smoke. Her wounds vanished too. But stamina was separate; she collapsed right there.
No matter how fake the pain, feeling on the brink of death could cause real issues.
The proctor scribbled something on his paper and called the next name.
"Good work! Next up, Kania from Class S! Come forward and get ready!"
Kania rose from the back and stepped into the center. Her black hair swayed like rippling water, her eyes a faint crimson glow. In Wiyeongdoe, she was one of my absolute favorite characters.
One of the rare few—countable on one hand—who wielded magic and sword without relying on artifacts. Stia, bearer of the Star's Blessing, was one; Kania was another.
But unlike other magic swordsmen, she could only use blood magic. Born half-vampire, she'd been abandoned at the edge of Korea's four forbidden zones, the Black Forest, because her parents didn't know her father was a vampire.
Vampires weren't evil. They were one of the few races on friendly terms with humans. But prejudice existed everywhere. Her mother, repulsed upon learning half her daughter was vampire, discarded her immediately.
The infant half-blood faced death at birth. Beasts drawn by her scent swarmed. But fate had other plans—a passing vampire rescued her, taking her to the vampires' forest home. There, Kania grew up among them.
Tangled in their world, she learned blood magic. Bullied by peers for her human half, she crushed them with overwhelming power. Once old enough, she ventured out and met Principal Galowin.
Recognizing her talent, he urged her to join the academy.
"There's an academy that trains talented kids like you."
"You'll find others in similar situations. It'll definitely help."
With no set path anyway, Kania accepted.
She drew her sword—ornate, nearly as large as Scarlett's. Holding it horizontally, a faint red aura rose along the blade.
Illusions spawned and charged, but—
Whoosh!
The crimson energy swept everything away.
* Vampires boasted overwhelming physical prowess but couldn't use regular mana, limiting them to blood magic (barring rare cases). Kania was different. She inherited exactly half vampire traits and half human.
Her physical abilities were halved from a full vampire's, but she could wield mana. Her blood magic was weaker than average, yet she gained a unique power: infusing blood vitality into mana.
Her pale red eyes filled with bloody light, her mana turning vivid crimson. Twenty minutes in, dozens of orcs rushed her—only to be bisected by a single horizontal slash.
That power placed her among Wiyeongdoe's top five strongest. The drawback? Prolonged use amplified her ferocity, eroding self-control. She could maintain reason longer as she grew, but not yet for long. Timing was crucial.
After five minutes of rampage with blood vitality unleashed, Kania sheathed her sword and forfeited.
She didn't even seem winded—just a quick exhale before returning to her seat.
* Next was Iphelsar. As she headed out after being called, she'd whispered to Scarlett, "That girl earlier scared me. Called me a noob." Scarlett had glared daggers.
Boom!
Thud thud!
Watching Iphelsar tear through foes for 23 minutes, Scarlett quietly rolled her eyes. It was kinda funny.
Most subsequent students lasted around 20 minutes. The final stage was 30 minutes—only Dina and Jasangnam succeeded. Dina obliterated illusions instantly; Jasangnam brute-forced it with raw power and defense.
Stia could've aced it effortlessly but held back and forfeited to hide her strength.
Finally, my turn.
Fuck, why do I have to go last?
What a malicious order. I stood at my call, drawing only my sword from my bracelet. The countdown began.
"Huuuuh..."
I lacked the others' special gifts. Just decent sword talent and sharp senses.
Even that's from traits.
Observing everyone, I'd analyzed every move. Physical Intuition captured them precisely; Swordsmanship Prodigy would let me mimic.
Countdown ended—arrows flooded in. I swept my sword, knocking them aside easily. Five minutes was manageable for me.
Dodging attacks by a hair, slicing soldiers. Overfocus? Five minutes flew; soldiers doubled in speed and power.
I channeled mana to cope, recalling their moves. Like Scarlett's swings, I poured mana into a full-power slash. Soldiers scattered in the explosive sword aura.
But I lacked experience. Two arrows struck—left thigh, shoulder.
"Guh!"
First time feeling metal bite flesh. Chilling heat pounded my heart. Body heating, I kept moving. Pausing meant impalement. Running drained faster.
Can I do this?
I could match Scarlett's stats barely, but Kania? Nearly double hers.
Still...
"No choice but to try!"
Screech! I halted. Spear inches away—don't panic. Dodge at the last instant.
Twist lightly. Kania's efficiency shone: minimal motion for maximal evasion, lethal counters.
But her stats enabled it. Mine? Swordsmanship Prodigy and Physical Intuition maxed awkwardly mimicked, but body lagged. Muscles spasmed, bones twisted in agony per move.
Imperfect dodges let red lines—wounds—multiply.
Doesn't matter!
Hot pains flared everywhere, but I pressed on. Tension sharpened already-maxed senses. Presences crystalized from all directions.
Arrow whistling from left rear, spear and soldier frontal charge. Ten minutes: orc spawning right.
Heartbeat accelerated. Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud. It drowned surroundings; only my pulse remained.
White darkness fell, foes' presences enveloping me. Eerie pleasure curved my lips.
Swordsmanship Prodigy instinctively optimized motion. Evade incoming; if not, tank and slash. Cleave everything sensed.
Body lightened.
Shwick!
In the white void, an orc's arm flew. Next, its neck. Mana-charged sword arcing—then strength fled, knees buckled.
Void crumbled; shield interior reappeared.
And filling my vision last:
The orc's fist hurtling at me.