episode_0002

“Huh?”

The place where I stood on my own two feet was not a filming location lined with cameras.

A new world suddenly unfolded.

Buildings with a modern feel and a bright blue sky with the sun shining brightly.

The stores visible between the tall buildings had strangely familiar names and shapes.

All the cars passing on the road were unknown models.

‘What’s going on here… Filming? Who’s that employee?’

Things that come into view are not fully accepted.

My head rejected the assumptions and information that I had in mind. The sense of reality that came from the blowing wind and the faint smells that seeped into my nose was disconcerting.

My consciousness turned white and my body didn’t move.

How long did I just stand there blankly?

The chattering sound of conversation pierced my ears.

─ I told you that if you fail the placement test today, your mom will cut your allowance!

─ You said you were confident in your memorization and played every day, but you didn’t even do a lightning test?

─ Ah, I don’t know! What should I do···!

A cheerful energy awakens the consciousness that had sunken.

“Ha.”

I closed my eyes tightly and exhaled.

I bit my tongue without mercy and felt the pain and taste of blood in my mouth.

‘First of all, isn’t this a dream…?’

A clear sense of being alive.

Recognize that the current situation is real.

Then, he started to move his gaze left and right and started to gather information.

The passersby had colorful hair and eyes that felt natural.

Occasionally, figures with animal ears and tails were seen.

As if it were such an obvious picture, no one paid any special attention to it.

The majority of pedestrians were dressed in matching attire and were heading in the same direction.

‘That outfit···.’

Of course I remember it.

Abyss City, where the character ‘Rohan’ modeled after me was scheduled to be released.

The conquest of Orion Academy, located in Academy City, the main stage of the game, was in exactly that form.

‘Suindo is a race that commonly appears in Abyss City.’

A world where, although rare, even elves exist.

I lowered my head with understanding and looked at my hands and body.

“···.”

All I was holding in my hand was a student ID card that I had received as a gift.

And for some reason, I’m also wearing the Orion Academy uniform.

My smartphone that was in my pocket was gone, and a model I had never seen before was inside.

anyway.

A conclusion was reached by mobilizing the evidence and circumstantial evidence surrounding it.

That’s right.

No matter how many times I think about it, it’s hard to believe.

‘I’m not the main character in a novel…’

I was definitely dropped into a game called Abyss City.

Like the characters in the web novels I enjoyed reading.

··

··

This world has a uniquely bright atmosphere and an inner intimacy that arises from enjoying the game.

But there was also an unfamiliar aspect that actually touched my skin.

‘I’m still in a state of shock.’

Somehow I left those things behind.

I was worried about what to do from now on, but fortunately, there was a milestone for me.

[ First Step ]

◇ Quest Content: Complete the Orion Academy placement test.

◇ Category: Tutorial

◇ Success Reward: 100P

◇ Penalty for failure: None

The moment you accept that you’ve fallen from the game and try to move your feet.

A translucent window appeared in front of me, welcoming me.

Is this something only I can see? No one paid attention to this mysterious substance floating in the air.

‘It’s the academy placement test…’

I quietly savored the translucent window.

I’ll list down some information that comes to mind.

‘Isn’t that something you can’t experience in a game?’

The starting point of Abyss City is when the class assignments are complete and the surrounding characters are confirmed.

I only remember the placement test being mentioned in passing as a side story.

It literally means that you only know the existence of something and not the content of the test.

‘That sounds fun.’

Although it was a part full of unknowns, the worries didn’t last long.

My destination was decided to be Orion Academy, as recommended by the quest.

There was no great reason.

I’m just curious and intrigued.

There may be characters that I love, but if they exist, I really want to see them in person.

Aren’t you also curious about the identity of the 100P reward?

What moved my heart the most was this.

‘There is no compulsion in the quest.’

The part where there is no failure penalty gave me a feeling of freedom.

The nuance is that it doesn’t matter whether you go to take the placement test or run out of Academy City.

That’s what I like most about it.

I took out the unfamiliar smartphone that was sleeping in my pocket and checked the date, February 26th, and the early time.

I walked among the cadets heading to Orion Academy.

As I followed the twitching ears and swaying tails of the people that appeared one by one,

I could see the main gate of Orion Academy, which I had only seen on the monitor.

‘Wow, it’s really impressive when you see it in person.’

At the entrance, a no-vehicles sign flashed, showing off its presence.

The cadets were lining up, bustling on one side.

“New students! Please take out your student ID and prepare it in advance!”

“Check your student ID here and get your placement test number!”

“The written test starts at 10 o’clock!”

I understood what was going on thanks to the figures moving around making loud noises.

I naturally and shamelessly took my place at the end of the line.

“Next.”

As the number of standing cadets decreased, we moved forward step by step.

Now, when I stick my head to the side, I start to see people showing their student IDs and receiving number tags.

‘ah!’

One thing that just came to mind.

I fiddled with the student ID in my hand.

‘Is this okay?’

Come to think of it, wasn’t this student ID a gift?

Although it looks similar to the student ID cards that other students are holding and has someone’s seal on it, some may wonder if it is counterfeit.

“Hmm.”

As soon as I realized it, my throat started to feel tense as I secretly grew bigger.

‘There was nothing in my pocket except for a strange smartphone.’

So, given the circumstances, there was a vague expectation that this student ID would function as a genuine one.

However, if you look at it calmly, there is also the ominous feeling that it may turn out to be fake.

If there’s an uproar over a fake student ID, should I run away?

Take a moment to look around to make sure you have a way out, as if something is going to happen.

It’s my turn.

“Please give me your student ID.”

“···Here it is.”

The person sitting at the table did not look like a cadet.

It is assumed that he is a faculty member of Orion Academy.

“Huh?”

An employee who had been working with a blank expression on his face changes his expression and looks closely at his student ID card.

I wonder if there is a problem.

The short moment of waiting for an answer was suffocating. It felt like my throat was being grabbed by a vicious hand.

“Ah! Sorry. I heard that there was a Southerner among the freshmen this year, but I didn’t know it was true.”

“···.”

The employee apologized again, saying he didn’t mean it in a bad way, but was just curious, and then pointed to the paper.

“Please just write your name in the signature field here.”

You seem interested in the country of affiliation written on the student ID.

I understood it right away.

‘It’s definitely like I remember, in the south.’

I felt like a sigh of relief would pour out if I opened my mouth, so I held my pen in silence.

After writing ‘Rohan’ exactly as it was written on the student ID, he straightened his back.

“Please bring your student ID and get a number.”

The number assigned to you is 99.

With the ambiguous number, I followed the swarm of cadets once again.

‘But why are you from the South?’

With curiosity about my character.

[ Test site 4 ]

I felt an explosive excitement because there were faces I had seen in the game inside the testing room.

I quickly came back with regret because only characters that I had neglected and never raised were floating around.

“Ugh.”

I sat at the desk numbered 99 and looked around, twirling the ballpoint pen on the desk.

Unlike me, who doesn’t even have a bag, the cadets are taking out their books, mumbling, and doing the final organizing.

Written exam. Will I do well?

A common web novel cliché.

People like me who are possessed by games or novels often completely destroy theory exams with the knowledge they acquired beforehand.

Indeed, what about me?

‘If something goes wrong, there’s nothing I can do.’

I didn’t think much about it. I was satisfied because I enjoyed the new experience.

I was so happy with the dreamlike situation of just being immersed in a game.

I spent my time peacefully, admiring the airship and the scenery of the school city outside the window, without even knowing what subjects were on the written exam.

At some point, the front door opened with a bang!

Again. Again. Again. Again.

A woman who looked tough came in carrying a thick envelope in her arms.

The fact that he was wearing a pistol on his waist made it feel like the Academy was real and also amazing.

“There are no empty spaces. Put everything else aside from the pen and turn off your smartphone.”

Some of the students who were organizing their books while muttering let out a sigh that was almost like a sigh, as if they were running out of time.

“The written exam lasts 120 minutes. Students who finish the exam within the time limit may leave the room and take the practical exam. However, once you leave the room, you cannot re-enter until the exam is over.”

The examiner continued his explanation, telling us to keep that in mind.

He started to push away the pile of test papers without moving from the desk with one finger.

The test papers fluttered through the air and landed one by one on the desks where the students were sitting.

The cadets’ eyes widened at the examiner’s amazing power control.

“”Oh!””

“Be quiet. Do not open your exam paper until I tell you that the exam is starting. The moment you open it, it will be considered cheating.”

In the silence that came as a sharp warning.

Only the faint voices of the cadets mumbling so as not to forget their lessons could be heard.

The examiner’s head rose from his wristwatch on the desk.

“Test starts.”

The cadets came to their senses at the sound of the frosty voice and opened their test papers all at once with a squeaking sound.

I also picked up my pen with determination and opened the first page of the test paper.

Question 1) In what cases is a fine of 50 coins imposed under the Academy City Elysium Law?

1. A person who enters a restricted area without permission.

2. A person who causes disruption to the normal operation of important facilities.

3. Anyone who takes out weapons owned by Orion Academy without permission.

4. A person who summarily executes an escaped prisoner and fails to report it to the Elysium Police Department without a justifiable reason.

‘···statute!?’

I really didn’t expect this.

The moment I saw the problem beyond my imagination, my eyes became dizzy.

I flipped through the test paper and checked other subjects as well.

There were some issues with the monsters and equipment, and some of the names looked familiar.

but.

The answer wasn’t found just by looking at a few words I knew.

‘What is the formula for horsepower conductivity?’

It’s quite common for web novel readers to get first place in written exams as if it were nothing.

The Orion Academy written exam is not at a level where you can solve it by using information learned from the game.

It feels like someone is hitting you in the head with a hammer, telling you that this is reality.

‘···.’

I picked up the pen and drew a cool line.

I submitted my test paper as first place and headed straight to the practical exam room.