Chapter 46
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: Final Exam (2)
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Dane stared blankly ahead.
A massive knight clad in pitch-black full plate armor stood before her.
The blue glow emanating from between his helmet's visor was like will-o'-the-wisps blazing in the abyss.
If she could just take that thing down, she could head straight back to the dorms, soak in a hot bath, sprawl out on her soft bed, and enjoy some sweet, sweet rest.
That was her perfect early dismissal scenario.
But...
"......"
The sword in Dane's hand trembled faintly.
The problem was, she couldn't picture any way to win.
"Go back, kid. You're not ready yet!"
'That's... supposed to be a test monster?'
Her instincts from her past life and her survival instincts from this one were both blaring alarms.
That wasn't some monster. It was a disaster. A walking natural calamity. The sheer density of its killing intent was on another level.
'Status window!! Please tell me it's a glitch!!'
Clutching at straws, Dane silently called up her status window.
'You madman... you absolute madman!!!'
A wretched scream echoed in Dane's mind. This was like unleashing a max-level boss in a newbie tutorial zone!
No balance patch? Where's the GM? Oh right, the GM's that crazy senior!
A tsunami of injustice crashed over her. It was just a graduation exam. They said it was an event to build up the students' courage.
And for that, they brought out Demon Realm Rank 30? Grand Dark Knight?
This wasn't about strengthening students. It was population control to reduce graduates and ease job market woes.
'No way. I'm dead. Charging in means not even bones left.'
This wasn't a fight. It was like smashing an egg against a diamond wall—there were limits.
'Should I just drop out? If I kneel and beg now, will he let me live?'
Her legs shook like aspen leaves. She'd come here for a quick exit, but instead of clocking out, she was heading to the eternal sleep.
"Hey... Yuria..."
Dane backpedaled, tugging at Yuria's sleeve beside her. Her lips were parched.
"Should we... just run? This feels... off."
Yuria looked at her like she was crazy.
"You're the one who tempted me to finish faster than everyone else, Lady."
"I thought... it'd be moderately tough! Not a monster like that!"
Dane stomped in frustration.
"Can't you see? Don't you feel that killing intent? No fear at all? Are your instincts worn to dust?!"
"Hmm... well."
Yuria adjusted her staff and grinned.
"He does look strong. This must be the real demon aura Master mentioned."
"That's why we run! It's a real demon! Textbooks say run if you encounter one!"
"But Lady."
Yuria's eyes gleamed with battle lust.
"To get Master's recognition, we need to take down something like that, right? One of those is worth a hundred small fry."
"......"
Oh, right. This girl was the academy's battle maniac from the start. Trapped in the peaceful school well for four years, but her nature was a northern beast.
And crucially, Yuria's sense of scale was broken.
For four years in that peaceful academy well, she was always the strongest. Not just peers—professors couldn't match her.
To her, only out-of-spec beings like Erendel and Kasian were stronger. But they were mentors and allies, so she'd never faced a deadly foe.
Classic frog in a well.
"Step aside, Lady. I'll go first..."
'No, you lunatic! You're not the protagonist!'
Yuria began gathering mana at her staff's tip. Blue light flickered from Belial's helmet.
Dane deployed her last resort: talking.
"Excuse me!! Um... Lord Belial?"
Dane stepped forward, hands raised. Belial's gaze locked on her. Even if it wouldn't kill, pain sucked, so she spoke up.
"Wait! Let's talk! You're... being forced here by that madman Kasian, right? Blackmailed?"
"......?"
"We're victims too! Dragged here for his stupid exam! Do fellow victims need to fight? Just quietly return to the demon realm and..."
"That guy..."
Belial's heavy voice rumbled.
"You know him?"
"Yes! Too well! You have no idea the hell that bastard put me through...!!"
"Then die!!!"
Belial swung his greatsword. Just cleaving air unleashed a storm of sword wind that shook the entire ruin.
The talk worked. Just not toward solidarity—straight to guilt by association.
"Wha...?"
Yuria's spell tore apart before completion.
Boom!
"Hng...!"
"Kyaaah!!"
The shockwave engulfed them both.
Party wiped ten seconds into the conversation.
[Return complete.]
"Hah!"
Dane gasped awake, panting. Familiar sights greeted her: the tent at the island entrance.
"Wh-what... I'm alive? Ugh... Ack!!"
She frantically patted herself down.
Pain hit, but limbs intact. The artifact worked.
"......"
Yuria sat dazed beside her, staring alternately at her trembling hands and staff, mouth agape in shock.
That was when the tent flap opened. Kasian strolled in with the world's smuggest grin.
"How was it? Fun? Made it to the center alive. Enjoy the stroll?"
"S-Senior..."
"Lasted longer than expected. Good job. Thought you'd scream and wipe on entry."
"That... what was that..."
Dane pointed vaguely, speechless.
"Boss. Bosses are strong. Our sandbag's top-notch, right?"
"Not just strong! Yuria's spell shredded in one hit! Sword wind alone!"
Kasian slurped his drink, smirking.
"Why rile it up? I had it go easy."
"That... was easy?"
"Full power? No bones left."
Dane was speechless. If that was mercy, what was serious? Nuke?
"Yuria, you saw? World's full of guys stronger than you."
"......"
Yuria said nothing.
But her fists clenched white. Pride not cracked—shattered.
"Anyway, back in? Infinite lives. Regroup and retry?"
Dane glanced at the forest.
Ten minutes ago, camping there sounded hellish. But versus getting diced by that monster? Forest ghouls seemed paradise.
"Um... Senior."
"Retry?"
"No."
Dane shook her head firmly.
"Better camp with demons for 48 hours. Love camping. Fire-gazing... Can we change criteria?"
"......"
"Yuria, you agree?"
Dane sought agreement, but Yuria's eyes burned not with fear—with venom.
"...No."
Yuria gripped her staff and stood.
"Going back."
"...What?"
"Got careless. Different this time."
"No, Yuria? Calm down. Not carelessness—weight class issue."
"Rest here, Lady. I'll go smash its skull alone."
Yuria stormed out. Dane gaped at Kasian, dumbfounded.
"Partner's motivated. Not following? Alone's worse. She's lost it."
"Ah, damn... My fate... Why no normals around me... Did I sell my country in a past past life..."
Dane clawed her hair.
But she knew. Send Yuria alone? Disaster or total mental collapse.
Grudgingly, she grabbed her discarded sword.
"Off to die... Let's go..."
Kasian tossed a quip at her trudging back.
"Don't freak too much. I don't give unbreakable quests. Not that evil."
"You're the evillest now and don't know it?"
"I have a conscience."
"Conscience guy unleashes Demon Realm #30 on graduation exam?!"
"Gave it a key restriction."
Dane whipped around at "restriction."
"Wh-what? Half power?"
"Similar. No preemptive strikes, no black flames—minor stuff. Key condition's separate."
Kasian held up one finger.
"One hit."
"......?"
"Land one solid hit. It'll force-reverse-summon to demon realm instantly."
"What...?"
"Summoned via black dragon heart. Incomplete contract—crack the body, summon fails."
"For real? No lie?"
"On my honor."
"Dunno if you have honor, but I'll believe!"
Dane's eyes changed.
Win rate from 0% to 5%. Can't kill? Graze works? Doable.
"But... attacks invisible. Too fast... How? Die approaching again."
"Dodge."
"...Pardon?"
"Can't see? Sense it. Can? Watch and dodge. Retry enough, get used."
"...That's not advice..."
Dane gaped. If I could dodge, I wouldn't be here.
"Time's up. Yuria bolted. You slacking?"
Kasian shooed her out.
"You'll see!"
Dane gritted teeth, chasing Yuria.
Right. One hit. Land one, go home!
After the two girls vanished determinedly into the forest, Erendel, arms crossed nearby, clicked his tongue.
"No low blows spared for kids. One solid hit? Easy to say. Guy shrugged off my magic—telling 4th-years to nick him?"
"Why? Gotta pick battle-ready ones. Summon's imperfect—can't full power. Just tough, vicious sandbag."
He shrugged nonchalantly.
"Knights need no fancy swordplay or etiquette. Just guts and skill to charge sword-in-hand at monsters. That's it."
"......Harsh bastard."
"Harsh survives. We were harsher."
Erendel snorted at my words. Undeniable.
"You and me, suffering into old age. What mess in retirement."
"Correct that. I'm not old."
I wagged a finger seriously.
"Right, jerk. Only I aged. I ate 500 extra years alone. You skipped time—nice."
Erendel eyed the two dots heading back.
"Think they can?"
"They will."
Kasian shrugged.
"Remember what Kyle showed?"
A faint smile tugged my lips.
"We're the ones who turned impossible possible. His successors? They'll show something at the end. Including your prized disciple."
If turning at walls is average, trying to break is talented,
Smashing body against it till growth, climbing over.
That's a hero.
"So they'll do it? We wait believing..."
Then.
Pop.
"Ugaaah...."
"Cough... Krgh..."
Ejected Dane and Yuria tumbled to my feet.
"Really think so?"
"Hm...."
To Erendel's question, I looked to distant mountains.