Chapter 6
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: The Novel's Beginning (2)
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My mind was in utter chaos.
Was it because I was thinking about the error message?
Because I was trying to figure out what the World Tree tattoo meant?
Because I was trying to recall how to restore the Blessing of the World Tree, which had been overloaded from excessive use?
Because I was trying to formulate a plan of action, considering all these things?
Those were all part of it, but none were the fundamental reason.
The reason for my confusion was quite simple.
Its a normal house.
Shin Jia had come to my home.
Yes. Its normal.
Without any warning, completely out of the blue.
How could I not be flustered?
Here. Have some green tea Haha. I dont really have much in the house.
Thank you.
Shin Jia, who had been kneeling, lifted the teacup with an elegant motion.
Do you enjoy this sort of thing often?
Huh? Oh, yes. I do.
...I see.
Then, she took a light sip.
There was no noticeable change in her expression, but I could guess. It probably wasn't to her liking.
Then again, no one drinks green tea from a teabag for the taste.
Silence fell.
The awkwardness grew each time our eyes met.
Why on earth had Shin Jia come to see me?
It couldn't be because of the Piale Allo incident.
The CCTVs and other surveillance devices, which operated through the Status Window, would have all malfunctioned due to the interference. There shouldn't be any evidence left.
And indeed, a full day had passed, and no one had come looking for me.
Except for Shin Jia!
May I ask why youve come to see me today?
I decided to be direct.
Before that, I should introduce myself. My name is Shin Jia. Im a fellow student who will be entering the Superhuman Academy with you, Mr. Kang Seoyul.
Yes. And as you already know, Im Kang Seoyul.
Wait, did she just call me Mr. Kang Seoyul?
Not just ssi, but nim?
The reason Ive taken the liberty of visiting you today is because of the freshman representatives address tomorrow.
Ah.
Only then did I feel a sense of relief.
The freshman representatives address.
The Superhuman Academys entrance ceremony consisted of a short, 20-minute event followed by seven hours of testing.
The freshman representatives address was a speech given by the top students in both academics and combat.
So you were the other top student, Ms. Shin Jia.
Yes.
Shin Jia was the top student in combat.
And I was the top in academics.
In other words, I had earned the top spot through theory.
Tomorrow, the two of us would stand on the stage together.
But the freshman representatives address was nothing more than reading half of a pre-written speech from the school.
Was there really anything to prepare for?
Just as I was tilting my head in confusion, she spoke.
That is the official reason for my visit.
...Official?
Suddenly, Shin Jia changed her posture.
She knelt on one knee, bowing her head respectfully.
So, to summarize.
First, allow me to offer my greetings. I am Shin Jia, of the direct lineage of the Shin clan.
She was bowing to me.
My pupils trembled.
What in the world was happening?
It is an honor to meet you, Ancestor.
...Ancestor?
Shin Jias family was an ancient house that had inherited the blood of elves in the past.
Of course, the bloodline had thinned to the point where they were no different from ordinary people now, but they had certainly carried elven blood in the past.
That meant Ancestor referred to an elf, and she thought I was one.
I dont know what youre talking about. An ancestor?
I decided to play dumb.
I saw you. That day.
But Shin Jia was firm.
I saw you, Ancestor, drawing a bow from the World Tree.
...!
Her words were more than enough to startle me.
But I couldnt let the shock show on my face.
I desperately swallowed my surprise.
Im not sure what you mean
It was a bow recorded in the book passed down in my family, an elven artifact. It was definitely called the Blessing of the World Tree.
I put a hand to my forehead.
The moment she mentioned the Blessing of the World Tree, it became an undeniable truth that Shin Jia had witnessed me fighting.
...Let me ask you this first. You should have been unconscious. How did you see me?
At this point, feigning ignorance was pointless.
My expression hardened.
Its true that I fell to his unknown attack, but I never lost consciousness.
She wasn't unconscious?
Even after being hit by Piale Allos Status Window interference? How was that possible?
I believe it has something to do with my skill.
Ah.
Right, Shin Jia had a skill called Mental Fortitude.
A passive skill that blocked mental attacks.
I never imagined it would be able to defend against Status Window interference.
It was a blind spot.
Even so, to think she would mistake me for an elf.
No, I could understand it.
She saw me using an artifact that only elves could wield, so it was natural for her to make that assumption.
...You wouldnt believe me even if I said I wasnt an elf, would you?
I will do my utmost to believe you!
She had the expression of a junior soldier forced to shout, I saw nothing! under threat from his superior.
How was that the face of someone who believed me?
Ah, what a headache.
I scratched the back of my head.
What was I supposed to do in this situation?
Excuse me.
You may speak comfortably!
No, but still.
As if you were addressing a subordinate!
No, I mean
Shin Jias eyes sparkled.
She looked like a puppy waiting for its masters command.
It felt like cheating, her making that face with that expression.
I sighed internally.
Okay. Fine. Ill speak casually.
I was older anyway, so speaking informally wasn't a burden.
Yes!
Shin Jias smile blossomed like a flower. She seemed so happy.
First, youre the only one who knows what happened back then, right?
This was important.
If word of that incident got out, that group might start making moves right from the beginning.
Yes. I am the only one who knows. Ah, and please feel free to call me Jia.
...She had quite a few requests.
And you came to see me today under the pretext of us top students having something to discuss?
Yes, that is correct.
Then no one would find our meeting suspicious.
So, why did you come to see me today?
My reason?
Shin Jia tilted her head cutely.
Like you have a favor to ask. Or maybe you plan on using my secret to blackmail me.
Shin Jias eyes widened.
No, no! How could I dare harbor such disrespectful thoughts! I simply came to see your noble face, Ancestor, and offer my greetings.
She waved her hands frantically, desperately denying it.
...You just came to say hello?
The Shin Jia I knew wasn't like that.
The lore did say she idolized elves, but her personality was extremely cool-headed, rational, and logical.
There had to be some other motive.
...Well. To be honest, I do have one personal wish.
I knew it.
Tell me.
Shin Jia fidgeted with her fingers as she spoke.
Well, I do not know what thoughts led you, Ancestor, to decide to enroll in the Superhuman Academy, a place for 20-year-old freshmen.
...Huh?
Is that how she interpreted it?
But for you, Ancestor, who has been hidden for thousands of years, to reveal yourself again, there must be a grave reason.
...
Uh, hey.
Theres no grand reason like that.
If that is the case, then please. Would you not permit our Shin clan to assist you, Ancestor?
...Excuse me?
Shin Jia clasped her hands together, her eyes sparkling as she pleaded.
Please
***
The entrance ceremony at the Superhuman Academy was basically a physical fitness test.
Once the short, 20-minute event was over, the physical ability assessment began immediately.
Some might ask why they needed to measure physical abilities when they had the Status Window.
There was a reason for it.
In this world, allowing others to view your Status Window was taboo.
The Status Window didn't just contain stats. It also held personal information, including skills and weaknesses.
If such information were to be leaked, it would become a major handicap in battles against villains.
That was why the governments of each country had abolished the Status Window registration system.
And what emerged from that was this ability measurement system.
Next. Yoon Jisang. Strength C. Are you sure?
Yes!
Good. The Strength C test will be held in Section 3. Head over there. Next!
The method was simple.
You state your stats and take the corresponding test.
This way, they could accurately measure abilities without revealing everything in the Status Window.
Next! Kang Seoyul.
Here.
Strength F. Are you sure?
...Yes.
It was so accurate that there was no way for me to fudge my pathetic stats.
Wow. F-rank.
Isnt he the top student? Is he just all brains?
I could hear the whispers around me.
Nah, no way. Maybe hes a mage?
Sorry to disappoint, but I dont have a single point of magic power.
...Alright. F-rank doesnt require a separate measurement. You may proceed to the next assessment.
To be honest, my strength was probably not even F-rank.
They said an athlete from my original world would have around F-rank strength.
Next is student Kang Seoyul. Oh my. Youre the top student. Lets see Agility is
The agility test was the same.
...Agility F? Is this a system error?
...No. Thats correct.
Ah. I, I see.
The instructor seemed very flustered.
Ahem. Well then, student Kang Seoyul, you may proceed to the next test. Theres no separate measurement for F-rank.
Okay.
And so, under the bewildered gazes of the instructors and the whispers of the students around me, I finished all the ability tests faster than anyone else.
Now I was just sitting in the auditorium, spacing out.
Thats him. The all-F guy.
Wow. What kind of confidence does he have to enroll in the Superhuman Academy?
Every kid who walked by looked at me like I was some rare animal.
Who knows. Hes smart, so maybe he plans to switch to an analyst role later?
Can he even graduate with those stats?
Thats not my problem.
I was practically a celebrity.
Apparently, I was the first student in history to enter the academy with F-rank stats.
Sigh.
If only I had awakened an S-class Status Window, Id be a celebrity for a different reason right now.
I had expected this, but it was more uncomfortable than I thought.
Did you hear? Someone over there got a B-rank in magic power.
Who? Dont tell me its Shin Jia again.
Yeah. It is.
Wow. Holy crap. So B-rank is her minimum? Thats insane.
How can the two top students be such polar opposites?
In contrast, Shin Jia, as befitting the person who took the top spot for physical ability, was acing the tests.
Oh, here she comes.
Just then, Shin Jia entered the auditorium. Having finished all her tests as well, she was probably looking for a place to rest.
Should I try talking to her?
Leave it. Shes the eldest daughter of the Shin clan. She lives in a different world from us.
Shin Jia stood in place and quietly scanned her surroundings.
It might have looked like she was searching for an empty seat, but she wasnt.
She was looking for me.
Ah!
Sure enough, Shin Jia quickly found me, sitting all by myself.
She looked at me and smiled brightly.
To me, it looked like a puppy asking for praise.
But it seemed others saw it differently.
Wow. Are they already having a staredown?
Can they even compete? Its an average F versus an average B.
Who knows, maybe theres something we dont know.
The murmurs grew, and the misunderstanding around us deepened.
It was then.
Well, well, if it isnt our all-F-rank top student.
Someone approached me, jeering loudly.
I wonder how you ever got the nerve to become a superhuman with skills like that? Hah hah!
I turned my head to see a muscle-bound oaf standing there.
Two of them, actually.
Hey. Wanna make a bet? On when this dud is gonna quit?
Ooh. Sounds good. Ill bet on one month.
Then Ill be a little more generous and go with two months.
What a pair of jackasses.
Are they beagles or something?
Perhaps because their voices were so loud, the auditorium instantly fell silent.
No, it wasn't just because of them.
*Gogogogogo-!*
One of the reasons was Ms. Shin Jia, who was radiating a chilling aura from the auditorium entrance.
Everyone was holding their breath, watching the situation and gauging Shin Jias reaction.
Shin Jia looked at me and gave a cold smile.
Then, she mouthed words to me.
Should I take care of them?
At the same time, she made a throat-slitting gesture with her finger.
Gasp!
Was that a declaration of war?
I heard someone inexplicably gasp from nearby.
Ignoring it, I gestured for Shin Jia to please calm down.
Hold back.
I will dispose of them as quietly as possible.
Please, just hold back.
Tsk.
Shin Jia bit her lip in frustration.
Anyway, Mr. Top Student. Try to hang in there.
Hahaha!
The two clueless goons laughed uproariously and walked away.
But the silence remained.
An instructor walked in, cutting through the silence.
Next. We will proceed to the practical weapon handling test.
Behind the instructor, students who looked like upperclassmen came in, each pushing a cart.
Everyone, please pick a weapon you are confident with and move out.
I quickly got up and headed for the carts.
Each cart was filled with all sorts of training weapons.
What weapon is an all-F going to use?
Wow. I cant even imagine.
You cant even imagine what I havent decided on yet?
I surveyed the weapons with such idle thoughts.
If you havent decided on a suitable weapon yet, you may test various ones as time allows. So feel free to choose.
Well then, without any pressure, shall I start by testing a weapon Ive used before?
Oh. A bow?
I guess thats the weapon least affected by stats.
I stood before a cart full of bows and picked one up.
Ugh!
The moment I did, a sharp pain shot through my left shoulder blade.
It felt like my shoulder was on fire.
I slightly lifted my athletic shirt to check the area where the pain was coming from.
...Huh?
The World Tree tattoo was glowing.