episode_0009

The instructors gathered to supervise the exam.

Using magic communication, Elin watched the scene in real-time and smiled brightly at Sophia, a teacher from Class B of the Swordsmanship Department, sitting beside her.

“How about that? Do you understand why I’m paying attention to her?”

“…Certainly. It’s hard to believe she’s just a first-year student. She seemed quite cute, but her skills are more ruthless than one would think.”

Sophia muttered as she replayed the recent battle involving Cyan and eight students.

Having once been an adventurer herself, Sophia could tell at a glance that Cyan was quite a skilled adventurer based on her posture.

The deliberate stance of not drawing her sword to induce complacency. Swordsmanship without a fixed form. The keen sense honed through countless real battles. And the daring ruthlessness unbound by the constraints of traditional chivalry.

The sight of someone displaying such swordsmanship with a demeanor that makes you want to protect them deeply imprinted the student ‘Cyan’ in Sophia’s mind.

“…”

However, Sophia couldn’t simply admire the high level of the students.

Having worked as an adventurer herself, she vaguely knew how many people a mere seventeen-year-old girl like Cyan must have defeated to achieve such skill.

Being an adventurer wasn’t a romantic occupation of exploring unknown worlds. It was mostly a gathering of people living day by day, hand to mouth, in an era where fists were closer than the law.

In a world where recklessness could lead to death, even though Elin Agnes might want to take her as a disciple due to her kind nature, a child with a dark past could easily stray down the wrong path.

“I think I understand why you want to take that child as your disciple. We should keep an eye on her for various reasons.”

“It’s our role to guide students onto the right path, isn’t it? To ensure that promising children like her don’t stray off course, we need to pay special attention.”

“Well, yes.”

Sophia replied to Elin while adjusting her glasses. Although her personal impressions of Cyan were one thing, she needed to evaluate Cyan’s performance in the battle first.

Sophia’s navy-blue eyes scanned the documents quietly.

“According to regulations, excessive violence towards subdued opponents is prohibited, but considering the 8-to-1 situation, I’ll approve it as a strategy to break the enemy’s formation. What do you think?”

“I see it similarly. From the start, ganging up with eight against a single girl wasn’t a fair match.”

“Then let’s add 8 points to the student Cyan for defeating the eight. What about the others?”

“There’s nothing noteworthy yet. The exam has only just begun; what more could we expect?”

“The new students this year seem quite competent. There are unique entrants like Cyan and even the Frost family’s daughter. Moreover, there are many other talents worth watching.”

Yelena Frost and Cyan. The duel between these two students was so impressive that it wasn’t just these two who stood out among this year’s freshmen.

Therefore, the teachers in charge of the first-year students this year were already busy. When geniuses gather, problems are bound to arise early in the semester.

“Still, it’s fortunate that things haven’t escalated yet.”

“Hmm… I don’t quite see it that way.”

Muttering like that, Elin looked at the screen in front of Sophia.

Cyan finishing off all eight students and moving somewhere else. Behind her, the figure of a young girl came into view.

A long sword, almost as tall as herself, hung at her waist. The striking girl with messy dark navy hair and crimson eyes peeking through was quite impressive.

“Regina Strellachia, was it?”

Sian wasn’t a bad kid by any means. With the combat skills of a royal knight and the ability to sense even a slight movement, she noticed even a Swordmaster like herself.

If Sian couldn’t detect the stealth skills, then this side must be extraordinary too.

“Regina is probably on par with that Sian, if not surpassing her.”

“For now, why don’t we observe? I’m curious why she’s only evading instead of fighting.”

Elin muttered while recalling information about Regina.

Regina Strellachia.

The daughter of the Strellachia Viscount guarding the southern desert border, a prodigy talented in both magic and swordsmanship.

Until the age of ten, she was just a delicate noble girl from the Baek family. However, after an accident at ten, her personality drastically changed for some reason, becoming a peculiar student.

“This side seems quite interesting as well.”

“I agree.”

…

“Fortunately, it doesn’t seem too late yet.”

I murmured as I looked up at the sky.

With the sun still high overhead, it was not yet noon. The magical barrier surrounding the forest would diminish in the afternoon.

In a typical game, it would take roughly 10 minutes to navigate through a hidden dungeon in this location. Since this world is not a game, estimating around 30 minutes should leave enough time before the barrier weakens.

“…So, I should hide for now.”

Everything happening in the exam area is immediately broadcast to the teachers. The test was designed to evaluate survival and combat using the terrain features of the forest.

Of course, since the teachers are human too, they can’t manage all students at once… especially considering how famous I am as a new student.

Within the [Arcana Academy], there were quite a few heroines with unique unbeatable traits.

Such as reincarnators living a second life, or warriors skilled in magic rather than swordsmanship…

Among them, I happened to meet Yerena Frost for the first time. Lately, there seems to be quite a bit of attention because of that.

I must be the only student who received a challenge from the Northern Duchess on the first day of school. And not to mention, I won that duel.

Although Yerena Frost is my favorite character, and thanks to that encounter, I became friends with her, excessive attention towards me is burdensome.

“Sigh…”

Exhaling lightly, I activated my abilities and moved towards a path lined with dense foliage.

“Fortunately, it seems there are no trackers.”

After some time navigating through the dense undergrowth, I cautiously cleared away a pile of dirt, muttering to myself.

Originally, the dungeon in the northern forest of the academy was not accessible yet. In the game, one had to complete a hidden quest within the academy to obtain a key for entry into the dungeon.

However, I didn’t need a key right now. The birthmark was meant for times like these.

“To enter the dungeon, a key is required.”

“To enter the dungeon, a key is required.”

“To enter the dungeon, a key is required.”

“To enter the dungeon, a key is…”

As I reached for the door, random messages popped up. Disregarding them, I activated the birthmark.

With a sensation that never quite felt familiar, my body transformed into particles. Blinking, the lush forest landscape turned into the dull corridor of the dungeon.

A thud echoed through the passageway, accompanied by torches on the walls suddenly igniting in unison.

Simultaneously, a message appeared.

“You have entered the dungeon ‘Ancient Lich’s Tomb’ Lv. 30.”

[Dungeon Special Effect: Magic Insufficiency]

[The core in the center of the dungeon absorbs the player’s magic power. The mana consumed when casting spells doubles.]

Clearing away the rising blue windows, I slowly felt along the wall. Since dungeon doors mostly open from the inside.

Securing an escape route was fundamental for adventurers. The dungeon would start to collapse the moment its core was removed.

While some adventurers plundered miscellaneous treasures and left the core behind, that wasn’t an option in this dungeon. What I needed was the core of this dungeon, brimming with absorbed magic power.

Grabbing the handle near the door and confirming it opening, I moved my steps slowly.

“…It’s been a while since I’ve been in a dungeon.”

The musty smell unique to old underground spaces. The distant clattering of undead bones. Footsteps echoing through the corridor.

Always ready to draw my sword, I picked up a fist-sized rock and threw it ahead.

Thud!

Simultaneously, with a loud bang, a section of the dungeon wall jutted out and hit the opposite side, shattered stones scattering underfoot.

“Phew…”

Exhaling lightly, I swiftly passed through the trap area as the wall returned to its original position. The ground starting to vibrate.

Clatter. Clatter. Clatter…

The sound of undead monsters’ bones colliding echoed endlessly in the darkness.

Raising my magic power accordingly, I began to run towards the end of the corridor.

…

“…Si-an, was that her name?”

A little away from the dungeon entrance.

Touching the hilt of her longsword, the girl who had been lingering at the entrance whispered the name of the girl who had just entered.

“There shouldn’t be any students I don’t know. How… No, no student has ever defeated Yerena Frost at the entrance ceremony…? This dungeon hasn’t been discovered in previous rounds… It’s never been like this before?”

Uttering only incomprehensible words in a desperate voice, the girl, after confirming Si-an had completely entered, slowly moved her steps.

“I’ll have to ask directly. Perhaps, she might be the last hope.”