Chapter 7
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: The Beginning of the Novel (3)
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Shin Jias first impression of Kang Seoyul was simply that of a handsome man.
A man she had happened to strike up a conversation with while searching for information on Pialle Allo.
To her surprise, he was an elf.
An elf, an ancestor of the Shin clan who had completely vanished 10,000 years ago.
Watching Kang Seoyul freely wield the protection of the World Tree, Shin Jia had been thrilled.
She was simply overjoyed at the appearance of an ancestor who could revive her family.
She was deeply grateful that the one who had defeated Pialle Allo was not some stranger, but her own ancestor.
When she found out he would be her classmate at the same superhuman academy, she felt like she was flying.
She couldn't fathom her ancestors profound intentions, but she figured that for him to reveal himself after 10,000 years, he must have a mission of great importance.
That was why Shin Jia had sought out Kang Seoyul.
To help him.
No, because she wanted to help him.
Because she wanted to get even a little closer to him.
*Swoosh! Thwack!*
Wow. He hit it again.
So there was a reason he was aiming to be a superhuman with all F-rank stats.
How enraged she had been when people mocked him for his all-F stats.
He's deliberately hiding his skills, and those idiots are getting all excited without even realizing it
How agonizing it had been to restrain herself from wanting to turn everything upside down.
But that was over now.
*Swoosh!*
Wow another bullseye.
How can he shoot so well with F-rank stats?
I dont know. Maybe he has a skill specialized for archery.
It seemed that even her broad-minded ancestor couldn't just stand by and listen to others' insults.
A divine archer. Hes simply a divine archer.
Talent will out.
Even if you try to hide an awl in your pocket, it is bound to poke through.
*Swoooosh! Thud!*
Wow he hits the bullseye from 500 meters like it's nothing.
Its not just the bullseye. Look closely around the target.
Why? Huh.
The area around the bullseye was littered with arrows that had been split in half.
Hes not aiming for the center. Hes hitting the arrow he shot before. Hes been doing it this whole time.
Crazy.
Hearing the gasps from the crowd, Shin Jia shrugged her shoulders.
Of course. Who do you think made Korea famous for its master archers?
Kang Seoyul continued to shoot, his expression impassive.
What impressed Shin Jia again was the fact that he was deliberately making his forearms tremble to show that his Strength was F-rank.
Wow. The attention to detail.
To an onlooker, he truly looked like he was struggling just to draw the bowstring due to a lack of strength.
At this rate, 1km wont be much different. Good. Lets move straight to 2km.
The instructor also seemed to be in a good mood, thanks to the sudden appearance of a genius archer.
Yes.
With Kang Seoyuls calm reply, the target 2km away slowly rose into view.
This is only the second time weve brought out a 2km target at an entrance ceremony. I have high hopes.
Kang Seoyul paid no mind to the instructors words.
*Kwwwwwaaaaa-*
He simply drew the bowstring with a steady hand.
Ah.
His posture was so beautiful,
so exactly like the graceful image of the elf she had dreamed of.
Shin Jia felt her face flush without realizing it.
Fire.
At the instructors command, Kang Seoyul released the bowstring.
*Swoooooosh-!*
Along with the sound of the arrow tearing through the wind.
*Thwack!*
Came the sound of the arrow hitting the target.
Woooooah!
Cheers erupted in its wake.
Perfect. Kang Seoyul. Archer aptitude, A. A shame. Thats the highest score I can give for technical skill.
The instructors voice was filled with anticipation.
Teaching a student like this was something to look forward to, even for an instructor.
Thank you.
Kang Seoyul gave a small nod and stepped away from the firing line.
The only peculiar thing was that his footsteps made absolutely no sound.
It was so noisy that no one else seemed to have noticed, but Shin Jia did.
It seems like its difficult for him to pay attention to every little habit, like his footsteps.
That was the unique footwork of the elves, passed down through lore.
A special gait designed to avoid leaving tracks or damaging the forest.
I should mention it to him later.
He hadn't told her the reason, but her ancestor seemed to want to hide his identity, so she had to assist him as much as possible.
She was smiling to herself when it happened.
I guess its true what they say, even a grub has a trick for rolling. Thats him, alright.
Totally.
*Flinch.*
The sudden sneer soured her mood instantly. Shin Jia whipped her head around, her eyes sharp.
Those two.
They were the same two who had directly provoked Kang Seoyul earlier.
Simple-looking faces that made you think even their brains were made of muscle.
Well, hes still all Fs in the end!
Hahaha!
She didnt want to judge people by their appearance, but seeing their words and actions, she thought it might actually be true.
How annoying.
Shin Jias eyes grew as cold as a midwinter frost.
A moment ago, Kang Seoyul had clearly told her to leave those two alone.
But he had likely said that out of concern that his identity would be revealed.
In that case
Dont you worry, Seoyul-nim. Nothing will happen that could harm you.
Shin Jia smiled coldly and took her phone out of her pocket.
Yes, Young Miss.
Mister Taejin. Could you please run a background check on two people for me?
A background check?
What for?
She had no intention of finding some pretext to do something to them.
Doing so might cause trouble for Kang Seoyul, who had already been insulted by them.
So what should she do?
The answer was simple.
Dig into everything, starting with their relatives. If you find any trace of illegal activity, take care of it immediately.
She would just have them thoroughly torn down within the confines of the law.
Im counting on you.
They might end up with a few extra charges on their records, but she hoped they would see that as a small price to pay.
Yes. Understood.
***
The entrance ceremony ended without a hitch.
We were each assigned to our own rooms.
This is really nice.
It was a pretty big room for one person.
Maybe about 350 square feet?
It had a separate bathroom, too.
The bed was quite soft.
And all of this was free.
Hooray for the top student scholarship.
I took some comfortable clothes and underwear out of my suitcase and headed to the shower.
Oh, the bathrooms nice too.
It seemed better than my own place.
And every student gets a room like this?
The superhuman academy really was something else.
After a quick shower,
I sat on the edge of the bed, ruffling my wet hair with a towel.
Just then, the tattoo on my shoulder caught my eye.
The reason I was able to handle the bow so freely during the weapon aptitude test was probably because of this tattoo.
It had been glowing every time I checked it.
It seemed to activate only when I held a bow.
Was it something like a Bow Mastery skill?
But why?
The problem was why this tattoo had such power.
The only thing I was sure of was that it had something to do with the Protection of the World Tree.
I just dont get what Ignore Equipment Restrictions has to do with a tattoo.
I couldnt find any overlap between the two elements.
Honestly, it was a relief.
With no suitable equipment at the moment, having a power to rely on was something to be happy about.
It was something to be happy about, but
Something feels off
It felt like I was missing something.
***
Tuesday, 9 AM.
If yesterday was for measuring physical abilities, today was for testing academic skills.
Ugh, I hate this. Superhumans just need to be good with their bodies, why do we need tests?
You need to know more precisely *because* youre a superhuman.
Gah! A boomer!
Whatd you say, punk?
The classroom was disorderly.
Some were grumbling about not having studied, some were cramming at the last minute, and others were asking friends about things they didnt understand.
It felt just like a high school exam day.
To think Id see a sight like this again. Should I be happy or sad?
I was smiling wryly when it happened.
Everyone, take your seats. We will begin the exam immediately.
The teacher entered the classroom.
This is just a test to gauge your basic knowledge, so theres no need to be too nervous.
The test was administered on the tablet PCs at each desk.
There are 50 multiple-choice and 50 short-answer questions. We will begin now.
As he spoke, the screens lit up.
I quietly began to read the questions.
The questions were varied.
[Describe the worlds four major restricted zones.]
There were basic knowledge questions like that one.
[In the following situation, what action should the superhuman in charge of rear guard take?]
There were also situational judgment problems like this.
[Describe, to the best of your knowledge, the disaster-class monsters that have appeared in Koreas history.]
I wrote down the answers to every question with ease.
If you were to ask how I could write so smoothly, I could only answer that for some reason, I just knew the answers.
I figured it was because the protagonists knowledge, recorded in my brain, was subconsciously lingering.
In any case, I decided to just go with the flow.
Just imagine if the top-scoring student on the written exam failed the first test.
My admission could be revoked.
Ughh.
Nngh.
I could hear the groans of students despairing over the difficulty of the test.
I chuckled inwardly as I listened.
You poor souls.
I hummed a little tune in my head as I solved one problem after another.
***
[Written Exam Rankings Announcement]
[Kang Seoyul]
[1st Place]
I proudly took first place on the written exam.
I heard he got a perfect score.
They said this test was really hard. I guess the top student isn't the top student for nothing.
So thats how he got in with all F-rank stats. At this point, its actually kind of amazing.
The looks of admiration directed at me felt good.
Finally, I will announce your assigned classes, and then we will be dismissed.
At the teachers words, a new notice appeared on the tablets.
[Kang Seoyul. Year 1, Class 1.]
My stats were so different from the original that I had been a little worried.
Thankfully, I was assigned to Class 1, just like the protagonist in the original story.
Looks like I wont have to change my plans, thank goodness.
I let out a sigh of relief.
Thats all for today. You are dismissed.
And with that, all the tests were over.
***
Wednesday morning.
Today was finally the day classes would officially begin.
Ah, seriously. I freaked out when I saw how hard yesterdays test was.
Me too. I left most of the short-answer section blank.
Year 1, Class 1 was quite lively.
It seemed they had gotten fairly close over the two days of testing, and some social circles had already formed.
Of course, I was alone.
Top of the class admission.
Perfect score on the written exam.
Lowest stats.
A-rank talent in archery.
There was no way an eccentric would approach an outcast with such a bizarre record.
Hey.
No, wait, there was.
I turned to see who had called me.
Huh?
Weve met before, right?
I was wondering what kind of weirdo it was, but it turned out to be someone I had already met.
You dont remember? In the clearing
Ha Siyeon.
Cmon, you have to remember. You almost got a sword stuck in your head while walking.
Kim Cheoljin.
And Choi Jihoon.
It was the trio I had coincidentally met at the park.
These three were also in the same class as the protagonist in the original story.
Ah, yeah. I remember.
Honestly, I had forgotten.
It wasn't a forgettable incident, but I'd had so much on my mind lately that I hadn't had the chance to think about it.
Hows the injury you got back then?
Its all healed. It was just a scratch.
Thats a relief.
Ha Siyeon replied with her characteristically refreshing smile.
You.
It was then that Choi Jihoon suddenly picked a fight.
Why are you pretending to be weak?
Or maybe it wasn't a fight.
Maybe I just felt that way because of his confrontational tone.
Pretending to be weak? What do you mean?
I genuinely didnt know what he was talking about, so I asked him to clarify.
All F-rank stats. Is that true?
Yeah. Embarrassingly so.
I smiled sheepishly.
Look at this bastards acting.
Choi Jihoon scoffed.
The classroom fell silent.
Everyone was focused on our conversation.
Do you know what that sword you were holding back then was?
Choi Jihoon said with his hands in his pockets and a smirk on his face.
The Black Iron Greatsword. The Black Iron Greatsword.
Gasps of astonishment erupted from the classroom at his words.
The Black Iron Greatsword!
He held that? You need at least A-rank Strength for that weapon. But isnt he F-rank in Strength?
So what? He faked his stats?
I put a hand to my forehead.
The Black Iron Greatsword.
I was well aware of that weapon.
The Black Iron series, made from black iron, said to be the heaviest metal in the world.
Among them, the Black Iron Greatsword was famous for its weight.
I never would have imagined the sword from back then was the Black Iron Greatsword.
I hadn't had a clue.
The guy who lifted that thing with one hand is F-rank in Strength? Don't give me that crap.
Choi Jihoon took his hands out of his pockets and grabbed my shoulder.
Then, he squeezed, applying a slight pressure.
Ill ask again. Why are you pretending to be weak?
Choi Jihoons sharp gaze pierced through me.
The situation had become quite complicated.
How was I supposed to handle this?
*Screeeech-*
It was then that Shin Jia entered the classroom.
You!
Shin Jias eyes widened as she saw me.
What are you
*Smack-!*
Doing!
Having somehow inserted herself between me and Choi Jihoon, Shin Jia slapped his hand away with the speed of light.
Are you crazy?
Was I imagining things?
I thought I could feel a strong sense of hostility in her eyes.
She probably thought Choi Jihoon was picking a fight with me.
Choi Jihoon. Answer me.
This doesnt concern you. Mind your own business, you devolved elf.
What?
Choi Jihoons Soosung Group.
Shin Jias Shinhwa Group.
The two groups maintained a reasonably decent relationship, and naturally, the two of them were acquainted.
The brute from Soosung Group sure has a loose tongue
You.
In any case, one thing was certain.
The situation had just gotten a lot more complicated.
What? Are you going to lash out in anger again? Id be happy to oblige. Come at me.
You bitch.
Is this what they call a powder keg waiting for a match?
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