Chapter 3: The Placement Test Part 1

Released:

Creak.

After submitting my test paper, I quietly opened the door and stepped out into the hallway.

Two people, who appeared to be staff members of the academy, were standing there.

The moment one of them saw me, they spoke up.

“The practical test hall is in the first-floor gymnasium. Just follow the signs.”

“Thank you.”

As soon as I heard the gymnasium was my destination, a map of the layout formed in my head.

If the interior of Orion Academy was exactly the same as in the game, I felt like I could get there even with my eyes closed.

Aren’t there multiple gymnasiums, though? Well, it’s probably the right one.

Using the wide staircase that had been bustling with students earlier, now empty and mine alone,

I descended to the first floor.

The moment I arrived,

A translucent window appeared in my line of sight again.

[The Skill Window has been unlocked.]

“!”

I instinctively stopped in my tracks.

Does this mean the shortcut key K has been enabled if we’re talking in game terms?

I have been thrust into this body before even getting a detailed explanation of the character,

So I was incredibly curious about what skills I might have.

Is the method to check it the same as opening the quest window?

I had already figured out how to summon the quest window on my way here.

Summoning the translucent window required nothing more than sheer will.

< Skills >

[Inflict Weakness ─ Lv.1]

◇ Inflict the target with a physical attribute weakness upon contact.

[Shop ─ Lv.1]

◇ Consumes points to buy items.

“Whoa…”

The skill window that was dragged out by sheer willpower floated in midair.

Unlike the quest window, its presence excited me in a different way. I was filled with curiosity, so I quickly scanned the information.

As expected.

The names of the skills displayed in the skill window shimmered with a faint glow.

On top of that, the inclusion of levels suggested the potential for growth, rather than a fixed grade.

This indicated that the skills were unique and usable only by me.

Two unique skills!

Just as I had predicted, I was an S-rank.

I had suspected as much since I’d even been given a personal pickup schedule, but seeing the number of unique skills confirmed it for me.

However, the skill composition felt unique and unfamiliar, not entirely geared toward combat.

The skill “Weakness Infliction” seemed like it belonged to the debuff category. It was clear that it had applications in battle.

But the “Shop” skill, in a place like Abyss City? It was difficult to visualize. There wasn’t anything quite like it to compare it to.

“Hmm.”

Stretching out my previously halted legs, I resumed heading toward the gym while continuing to think.

If the shop uses points as currency, does that mean quest rewards get consumed? And as for Weakness Infliction…

I couldn’t yet predict how these unique skills would evolve as their levels increased.

If it allowed a wider range of attributes to be inflicted as weaknesses, it could serve as a universal key, and allow for a party composition that excluded no favorite characters.

On the other hand, even for players who prioritize performance and clearing objectives over sentiment, it would be invaluable.

Depending on the form of the skill, it will be essential for gamers with such tendencies.

Could this be it?

The smell of what’s commonly referred to as a “must-have character” was strong here.

The skills gave off that distinct vibe in spades.

··

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There were a total of 5 gyms lined up in Orion Academy.

Even from afar, the newly constructed gymnasium could be seen.

Was it eight when the protagonist was in second year?

Given the sheer number of students flocking in from various countries and the fact that most of the classes involved physical activity, it was only natural.

There it is.

Just like at the entrance, a woman was sitting at a table.

She had rabbit ears on her head which twitched slightly as she looked in this direction. The presence of beastkin was still a fascinating sight.

“Are you here to take the practical test?”

“Yes, I’ve already finished the written test.”

“You finished it incredibly quickly!”

At her comment, I responded with an awkward smile and showed her my student ID and ticket number.

One of her perked-up ears folded down as a sign of focus, and she scribbled on a document with her pen.

“You can head to the first gym over there.”

“Thank you.”

“The test will begin once the minimum number of participants has gathered, so please warm up inside while you wait.”

Acknowledging her instructions, I headed toward the gym marked with the number one.

Screeeech!

When I pushed open the heavy iron door and entered, I saw that no one else was there.

It seemed clear that I had finished the written test earlier than anyone else.

What’s that? Is it related to the test?

As I stepped inside, the center of the gym was filled with rows of square stone blocks; their purpose was unknown.

“Hmm…”

Without stopping, I headed toward one side of the gym’s wall.

Swords, spears, axes, guns, bows—

The wall was lined with familiar weapons, and seeing them brought a sense of calm to my mind.

Of course, this is what an ideal academy should look like. Korea could use something like this.

I reached out and drew a sword from its sheath.

Srrrng!

A heavy longsword.

Just gripping it was enough to tell. It was a well-maintained blade. Its edge had been expertly sharpened.

The balance is excellent too.

I gave it a light swing before placing it back in its holder.

There was something more important to focus on right now than swords.

Are skills simply used like tools for a doctor?

Could they be activated as easily as summoning the quest window, relying solely on willpower?

“…….”

The moment I thought about using the shop skill, something stirred inside me.

[Updating the shop list.]

[Estimated time remaining ─ 05:17:36]

Well, would you look at that?

I dismissed the translucent window with a chuckle.

I got a feel for the skill right away, even though it was an update.

The method of handling supernatural abilities as a hunter was similar, yet the points of stimulation consumed were entirely different.

A few more attempts should be enough.

How much had I focused, trying to firmly grasp that alien sensation?

Thud─!

Someone suddenly burst through the door with force.

“Huh? I’m not the first one here?”

A clear, refreshing voice my mind immediately recognized.

Deep within my consciousness, something resonated powerfully, and my head turned so sharply it felt like my neck might break.

I found myself face-to-face with a beastkin woman exuding an intense presence.

Noah Frozenheart…!

A royal of the northern lands and a beastkin who inherited the bloodline of the White Tiger.

Her elegant long limbs and striking blue eyes born of her noble lineage were captivating.

Her daring, confident smile radiated brilliance.

Unlike in the game, she wasn’t wearing the Orion Academy uniform but rather casual attire.

She even had a ring on her right index finger which was the symbol of her exclusive weapon.

Then—

“Noah. The results of the test being first is what matters. The order in which you arrive has no importance.”

A quiet voice spoke from behind.

A girl with closed eyes and pitch-black hair cut in a sleek hime-style entered with graceful, deliberate steps. Her hair was swaying softly as she moved.

In her fair, delicate hands was her exclusive weapon. It was a pitch-black katana “Yoru”.

Ichinose Yui too?

I clenched my teeth to keep myself from shouting in excitement, forcing my mouth shut.

Unlike the characters I had left at level one, seeing the ones I truly cherished made my heart pound so hard it felt like it might burst.

Was it the overwhelming joy and excitement?

My gaze lost all self-control and kept following Ichinose Yui as she moved to stand beside Noah.

This is unreal…

The petite girl, even with her eyes closed as she walked, maintained an air of perfect composure.

Unlike Noah, she was neatly dressed in the academy’s official uniform.

The contrast between them was striking.

Noah Frozenheart stood well over 170 centimeters tall, and Ichinose Yui was barely over 150. A combination that was heartwarming just to look at.

“Aah~ If only Nose had finished the written test a little earlier.”

Was “Nose” a nickname for Ichinose? This was a rare piece of information that hadn’t been revealed in the game.

As a bystander, I finally pulled my gaze away and focused on listening to the two, all while struggling to keep the corners of my mouth from curling into a smile.

“As I said earlier, I never asked you to wait for me. And unlike someone else, I completed every single question.”

Yui responded with a sharp tone. Her reserved demeanor made her even more cute.

Noah’s round ears started twitching as she laughed in amusement. Her cool voice that implied that the written test didn’t matter at all was just the icing on the cake.

“Well, if it weren’t for me, you’d have gotten lost inside the academy and missed the practical test entirely. Just admit it and say thank you.”

“Such baseless assumptions…! There was no chance of me losing my way getting here.”

Noah swung her tail back and forth as she made a provoking remark. Her tone was tinged with a faint irritation.

The scene felt so satisfying as if it might even extend my lifespan.

So, the part about being bad with directions stays the same.

While focusing on their conversation and pretending to stretch for appearances, I noticed that the students who had finished their written tests were gradually filling up the gymnasium.

Before long, the space was considerably full, marking the end of activities in Gymnasium No. 1.

A man with a bored expression and a scruffy beard entered and introduced himself as the instructor.

Standing at the center, he announced the start of the practical exam.

“I’ll explain this just once. You’re only allowed to use the academy-issued weapons mounted on the walls. Of course, it’s fine if you don’t use a weapon at all.”

The explanation was as brief as the test itself was straightforward.

Scores would be determined by evaluating the depth and width of the damage inflicted on the golem.

The instructor who was scratching his messy hair with a lazy air shuffled over to a rectangular stone block.

“You get just one attack. Feel free to strike, slash, or send this test golem flying however you like. Oh, and filming is prohibited, so put away your phones.”

As I watched the instructor casually tap on the lump, I blinked in disbelief.

Judging from the reactions around me, it seemed like everyone except me already knew.

That’s supposed to be a golem?

It looked nothing like one. It was just a huge lump with no effort put into even the bare minimum of design or appearance.

“The placement results for each group will be announced on the first day of class.”

With that, he yawned loudly and glanced at the sheet of paper in his hand.

“Alright… Number 99, step forward.”

Of all things, I was called first.

I grabbed a longsword from the weapon rack on the wall and walked forward.

“Name?”

“Rohan.”

The instructor gave a small nod and gestured toward the test golem with a jerk of his chin.

“You have one minute. Start within that time.”

“…Understood.”

I raised my hand as if to examine the hardness of the golem and started preparing.

Then, I focused intently and prepared to use a skill.

Skills are similar to the abilities I used during my Hunter days.

Perhaps the brief practice I had done paid off.

Inflict Weakness.

An inexplicable, strange wave radiated from my palm.

At the same time, I felt a sharp depletion of something akin to the energy or vitality within my body. This was what might be called “mana” in Abyss City terms.

[Inflicting the target with a physical attribute weakness.]

***

It worked successfully.

But there was no time to feel any sense of accomplishment.

Seems like maintaining the weakness continues to consume mana.

With that knowledge etched firmly in his mind, he gripped the sword tightly with both hands before his mana could completely run dry.

He didn’t know exactly how effective the skill “Inflict Weakness” would be, especially since the skill level was still at 1.

With a body as frail as a piece of paper, he didn’t expect to pull off anything extraordinary.

His only thought was to see if he could at least scratch the sturdy golem, assuming its physical resistance had been reduced.

“Hoo…”

He lowered his stance by slightly bending his knees and exhaled a long breath.

The trajectory he visualized in his mind was a downward slash.

“Hup!”

Channeling all his strength into the longsword he raised high, he brought it down with full force.

Whoosh──!

At that moment, the longsword swung by Rohan sliced through the air and connected with the golem.

The blade cut through the golem as if slicing butter and carved straight down.

The weapon completely cleaved through its target and only came to rest with a soft thud on the gymnasium floor.

The golem that was split cleanly in two fell heavily to both sides with a resounding thud!

“……”

Then silence fell over the testing ground.

Noah who had been observing with her arms crossed grinned and revealed her molars as if she had found something amusing.

Ichinose slowly opened her previously closed eyes and looked at the man who had split the golem in two.

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