Enrollment (5)

"It's over..."

Davebran Mountain, midway up the slope. Rocky area.

The current top rank, Serin Anette, brushed the dirt off her hands with a few pats. It had been a place boasting beautiful natural scenery, but now it was filled only with traces of destruction. Even the rock she was sitting on was scarred with sword marks ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠everywhere. Cadet uniforms and fragments of personal items lay scattered like decorations.

...It had been a melee.

No fewer than fifteen cadets had gathered here. It had started as a standoff with just about three others, but more had rushed in after hearing the commotion, escalating things. Most cadets had been defeated on the spot and reverse-summoned. Some managed to flee, but only after suffering heavy losses.

And Serin Anette was the final victor who survived that chaos.

Several bracelets taken from the cadets dangled from her spear shaft. As she counted them, Serin Anette suddenly glanced to the side.

"Ah, damn... Busted."

A cadet who had approached undetected raised both hands high. He looked utterly harmless. But Serin Anette merely leveled her spear at him.

"Stop."

"O-Okay! Stopping!"

He had a foolishly kind face. Yet Serin instinctively sensed there was more to him than met the eye.

"...!"

A sudden thrusting strike. But the attack merely bounced off the man's sword.

Serin immediately reset her stance and thrust again. The man seemed utterly lacking in every way—full of openings.

"You...!"

But her attack was blocked. This man was parrying her spear thrusts with ease, something no other cadet had managed.

What was even stranger was the complete lack of killing intent.

The man retreated a few steps and gave an awkward smile. It only made her angrier.

In the end, Serin lowered her spear for a moment. She had thought he would be an easy catch, but the man before her was no pushover. The fight would drag on now that she hadn't subdued him in one blow.

"What's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠your name?"

As Serin Anette lowered her spear, the man sheathed his sword.

"Oh, I'm Kyle. Kyle Ivanstair."

"..."

Serin glanced at him and fiddled with the watch on her left hand. A name had climbed to 2nd place that had definitely been lower down before.

Serin gripped her spear shaft tightly. Despite his 2nd-place score, the man looked like a total brat.

Was it that innocent face that had tricked her? The thought flashed through her mind.

"We're enemies right now, but let's get along from here on out."

What a bizarre guy.

***

The moment I severed the thorny vines, a golden glow rippled through the area.

I picked up the apple-like thing from the debris. My face reflected in its mirror-shine surface.

Cameron's Golden Apple.

A special item only available in the extreme early game, here on Davebran Mountain. It looks like a regular apple, but the skin gleams gold—hence the name.

It looks utterly inedible, but consuming it once purifies the user's mana purity. Like the elixir from the Esperand family, the effects aren't immediately noticeable. But the higher the mana purity, the cleaner and more powerful your spells become.

Unlike the Esperand elixir, it won't harm the body either.

"Here's another one."

There was one more apple. I tossed the extra to Iri.

Iri fumbled but caught it neatly.

"Th-This...?"

"Eat it."

"Is it really okay to eat? It looks like it'll break my teeth...?"

The golden apple gleamed. Sure, as Iri said, the visuals were a bit off-putting... but it's good for you.

"You're hungry. The exam's dragging on."

I took a bite first. The inside was soft like a peach, despite the exterior.

"Uh...?"

Iri soon bit into hers as well. First hidden piece cleared.

Alright, next.

I checked the map on my watch. Davebran Mountain has more than one hidden piece. Three items total, scattered throughout.

Next target: the spring. Find the medicinal spring in the rocky area where the melee had happened earlier. It grants a persistent buff for a set time.

Small buff, but in games like this, those tiny edges decide wins and losses all the time.

Too bad the game showed exact numerical boosts. Not anymore.

...Can't tell now. I'd need the measurement devices in Arsen's physical training room to know my exact stats, but first I have to pass the entrance exam.

Not that I'm expecting much. Esperand training showed me I'm still a frog in a well. I can't even beat Camille Esperand in arm wrestling.

That's why I shifted to ambushes over head-on fights. Strength isn't everything.

I led Iri deep into the mountain. To avoid drawing aggro from other cadets, we stuck to the deepest woods.

That's when we ran into a magical beast.

-Raaargh!

A snarling beast resembling a civet—not a vine. Killing mountain beasts still gives points.

I'd eaten my fill, so I yielded to Iri.

Slash-!

Iri's sword cleaved its ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠throat.

"...Feels like a walk in the park."

I was rummaging through treetops when I heard that from below.

"A bit too intense for a stroll, no?"

"When I fell earlier, I thought I was done for. This feels like a walk by comparison."

"Fair point, I guess."

...Was this always this hard to find?

Just similar-looking branches everywhere. In the game, items popped right off when grabbed. Now I had to search and snap them manually.

Never thought I'd use Telescopic Vision here.

I infused mana into my eyes to enhance my sight. Spotted a branch with unusually shiny leaves.

Carefully snapped it and pulled the whole thing.

"...Found it."

Not edible, but prime material for later weapon crafting.

...Like a wand or arrows. Use undecided, but better stock up when I can.

"Wh-What's all this...?"

As I descended with the branch, Iri's face twisted hilariously—like she'd spotted a lumberjack.

I stowed it in my subspace rune for now.

That's when I heard movement at the forest edge.

Rustle-

Bushes shaking blatantly. Iri and I reacted in sync.

"Shion-ssi."

"Saw it."

Iri drew her sword; I gripped my Glock.

With Telescopic Vision active, I scanned ahead. A hulking figure loomed beyond the bushes. The growth wasn't tall enough to hide his bulk. A glimpse of hair poked out.

I fired a warning shot.

The hidden figure emerged.

"Wait! I'm not here to fight!"

The silhouette was familiar. Gorilla-like male cadet. From Georged Hall, I realized.

"Not here to fight! Wait!"

He repeated himself, covered in wounds. His uniform was torn, exposing skin everywhere.

Impressive he'd lasted this long. That durability deserved respect.

The gorilla eyed me, recognizing who I was.

"You still alive?"

That's my line.

Before I could respond, Iri stepped forward, sword raised.

"...That's the guy."

She whispered. Her explanation revealed how she'd been injured.

"He ambushed me. Four others with him... but they're gone now."

I spoke for her.

"Where'd your buddies go?"

"Well..."

Click-

Only after chambering a round in the Glock did the gorilla spill.

"Those bastards! They fought each other and all got eliminated! Rocky area side!"

"...Rocky area?"

"Yeah! ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Over there!"

The gorilla caught his breath. He looked pathetic, gasping.

"Monster girl's there. You alone... no, even two of you can't win."

No wonder the top ranks spiked. He and his crew must've tangled with Serin Anette.

"So..."

I could already guess the rest. Ominous.

"Ally with me. Just till we take her down."

"...!"

Iri reacted, glancing at me sidelong. Major PTSD, apparently.

"Shion-ssi... Ally with us...?"

"Obviously."

I smirked and eyed the gorilla.

"Sorry, no dice. Adding you makes four, max party size."

"Sorry for what?"

He didn't get it.

Did I need to spell it out?

Bang-!

I answered with the trigger. The gorilla vanished in a beam of light.

My party was full. Even if not, no way I'd team with him. My honed Sense picked up his subtle hostility and killing intent. High chance he'd backstab later.

"...You scared me."

"Huh?"

"Thought you might fall for it..."

"Why would I party with that guy?"

"Still, what if..."

Iri's mutter reached me clearly. I almost laughed—

Boom-!

The distant forest shook. Flocks of startled birds took flight.

Rocky area. Where Serin Anette likely still was.

"Let's go."

"Huh?"

"Exam's entering the late stage. Time to see the end."

"You mean...?"

Checked rankings before moving.

Early top names gone. Mid-tiers dropped out. Only elites left.

As the exam hit late stage, fights would intensify.

Lower ranks irrelevant. Focus on the top five.

...Especially 2nd. His name sat proudly there.

"Took him long enough."

"Huh? What?"

"Nothing. Just mumbling."

Kyle Ivanstair. The guy who shot up like a comet.

'Kyle.'

The protagonist of this world.

Beep!

As I gauged remaining cadets, the watch blared.

Iri and I checked simultaneously. A message filled the screen.

The fiercest final flag battle began.

My smile vanished.

"Shion-ssi, what's wrong?"

"..."

This exam's finale would determine my future path. It gauged the world's difficulty.

Game started with difficulty selection. Now, thrown in blind.

Easy~Hard: Last one standing wins. Manageable. Random opponents scaled to player level.

Hard+: Different. Specific characters as final foes.

Very Hard: Lara Steelhiden, whom I'd met before.

But now—

Serin Anette. Purest powerhouse among entrants, already bursting with potential.

She'd be the final boss alongside Kyle.

Even against her, strategies exist. Could maybe scrape by.

Real issue is... yeah, that.

Her persistent #1 spot confirmed my fears, dashing faint hopes.

No wonder Esperand training was brutally hard. Now I get this world's difficulty.

Confirmed.

This damned world is set to the highest difficulty.

Should've questioned the angel who gave me the Unique Talent instead of biting.

"Shion-ssi?"

"..."

Difficulty: Hell.

The angel tossed me into a hellish isekai, not true Hell.

With survival perks and all.

...Save me.