Admission (3)
In the situation room, groans erupted from the staff everywhere.
It was an unprecedented large-scale exam since the founding of Arsen Academy. All the employees were bustling about frantically, but there still weren't enough hands.
1st place changed. Dario Onin gains 4 points.
A-3 sector: Combat in progress. Please check immediately.
Two cadets approaching restricted area. Activate E-8 barrier.
At the same time, in the situation room.
B-7 sector: Combat confirmed.
8 participating cadets. Melee chaos.
C-228 cadet eliminated. Reverse summon complete.
The situation was urgent, and tasks kept piling up endlessly. The word "leisure" didn't exist here.
But there were those watching this chaos with calm detachment: the professors of Arsen Academy. They were the core administrators overseeing this entrance exam and the final decision-makers.
"…That side's already over?"
"Seems like it. A bit disappointing."
The monitors displayed the panoramic view of Daybran Mountain, the site of the entrance exam. Hundreds of cameras broadcast every corner of the test. There was no blind spot here. Cheating was caught immediately.
A-210 cadet: Cheating confirmed. Points revoked.
B-3 sector: Excessive violence confirmed. All disqualified.
With the press of a button, five cadets were reverse-summoned. In the corner of the CCTV feed, their dazed faces were broadcast live as they returned.
The group of reverse-summoned cadets to Georged Hall looked baffled. Clutching their luggage, they were chased out of the hall. The words "Cheating confirmed. Disqualified" stabbed into the backs of their heads.
"Those cadets crossed the line."
"Agreed."
The screen replayed the reason for their disqualification: bullying one cadet while farming points. A vicious act using recovery magic to gain scores. The result: all disqualified.
"Already cadets like that."
"Recovery magic isn't meant for that."
"Good thing we caught it early."
They watched like a movie, but the professors held score sheets, marking points in real-time as they viewed Daybran Mountain. The scores updated immediately. The frozen leaderboard shifted.
A certain name echoed repeatedly.
Sion Illeionhart. 1 point gained.
Sion Illeionhart, A-9 sector: Suppressed three. Total 7 points.
Sion Illeionhart. B-13 lake: Suppressed two. +3 points.
One staff member tilted their head at the relentlessly called name. Two others watching the screen exchanged glances.
"…Hey, isn't this exploiting?"
The ponytail female staffer tapped her keyboard.
Sion Illeionhart. The camera clearly pointed at his location, but…
"Where is he? He's not on screen."
"Cameras seem fine. A-839, he's in there."
"But why can't we see him? It's not paused, right?"
One staffer squinted at the screen. Still nothing. Sion was definitely in that sector, but nowhere on screen. It felt like a ghost phenomenon, goosebumps rising on their arms.
"Weird. Camera's fine, but why invisible…?"
"Invisible magic? No cadet could've learned that yet."
As confusion mounted, one professor stood.
"Cameras are fine. No issues."
Reina, the archery department professor. Invisible sniping continued on screen.
What the hell! Ack…!
Get down! We're being sniped!
No cover here! Move!
Cadets collapsed without resistance. Reina's eyes narrowed. The only one grasping this bizarre situation.
"This seems like cheating…"
As a staffer objected—
"…?"
"Huh…?"
The bushes rustled, a black mud clump rising.
"Th-that, that thing!"
"Not a monster…!"
Panicking staff. Reina chuckled from behind, pointing at the screen.
"I told you. Cameras are fine. No issues."
The mud clump shed its mask, revealing clear green eyes. Sweat dripped down his jawline.
"It's a gillie suit."
Sion Illeionhart, revealed, readjusted himself. An instructor questioned.
"…Deceiving cadets or excessive violence is prohibited, right, Professor Reina?"
"That's camouflage within limits."
"…A gillie suit?"
"Yes. No cadet's done it before, but by regulations, it's not cheating."
Reina said so, but to the watching instructors, it was just suspicious. On screen, two cadets were literally "hunted." It looked like unfair violence no matter how you saw it.
Sp-spare me! Gah?!
Where are you! Show yourself!
No resistance, just perfect hits each trigger pull. Cadets didn't even notice who or how.
"That's…?"
"Balance feels off…"
"Not reserve cadet level camouflage."
Amid the exclamations, Reina just smiled. The archery department's long-ignored grievances seemed to ease.
Doing great. Keep it up.
Had a sniper scored this high in recent years? Reina couldn't recall.
A talented cadet enrolled after ages. She wanted to cheer, but fairness prevented it. Still, her lips twitched uncontrollably.
"Just like you use swords or magic, that's his weapon."
"But, Professor!"
"Swordsmen have shields, mages have staves. Don't all reserve cadets use means to supplement their abilities situationally?"
"……."
Reina's words were spot on.
"And Sion Illeionhart is a Sharp Shooter, not a swordsman."
"Still, Professor… that's a bit much…"
"Doesn't violate rules, does it?"
No retort. The silenced instructor scratched his head, eyes wandering the floor.
"Sharpshooters have their own combat methods."
Swordsmen charge frontally, mages blast with firepower. Sharpshooters support from behind tanks. But this was solo. Without a team, snipers were sitting ducks. Unlike mages, snipers were always disadvantaged—opponents wouldn't wait for aim.
Thus, Sion Illeionhart's method made Reina smile. She shouldn't show bias as evaluator, but vicarious satisfaction bloomed.
Sion Illeionhart: Total 17 points gained.
Sion's name rose steadily on the board.
"The archery department's Reina rules Sion Illeionhart's combat method as valid. Not cheating."
It was unprecedented, but no real objection. As Reina said, not prohibited by rules.
But…
Post-exam, camouflage clauses would surely be added.
Reina eyed the screen. Sion, camouflaged, hunted his next prey like a beast.
"That…"
An oblivious female cadet approached him.
***
"A pistol? And you think that'll take me…?!"
Sion Illeionhart: 3 points gained.
Bang—!
The prone guy vanished in light. Torn cloth fluttered in the wind.
I readjusted and checked rankings. Still far to go.
1st place: a whopping 35 points. Fiercest fights were mid-mountain rocks. Serin Anette swept points there.
Telescopic Vision locked her nape perfectly, but…
"…No."
I couldn't pull recklessly. Remaining cadets shielded with mana barriers. Serin too. My only weapon: a pistol artifact, useful but couldn't shatter mana barriers. It blocks ten ordinary sword strikes from reserve cadets. And top freshman Serin Anette? She'd deflect bullets easily.
Even with Unique talent buffs, I couldn't face her now. Needed firepower boost. Pistol was just a peashooter against top ranks.
Couldn't infuse every shot with mana either. High scores, but mana drain was severe.
A bit uneasy.
Serin nagged, but regroup first. No rush. Exam mid-stage. Initial melees over; all regrouping. Remaining: point-holders, tacit truce after two hours.
Manipulating my watch for rankings—
"……?"
Sudden unease. Weight on my back.
Something sat on me.
…What?
Right hand on Glock. Stuck mid-watch check, immobile.
"Ahh, hot…!"
Blood scent. Muddy shoe by my head. Removing it revealed red, swollen ankle. Injured cadet, sat on nearby bushes (me) to regroup.
"Eek?!"
I rose. The sitter sprawled on dirt. Before she rose, Glock aimed.
"W-wait! D-don't shoot! No!"
…The revealed figure was utterly unexpected.