Ch.3Chapter 3. Academy Entrance Ceremony (1)

Teleportation is an ability that’s always mentioned when discussing supernatural powers, and it’s probably something everyone has dreamed of having at least once.

Imagine closing your eyes and opening them to find yourself transported from the middle of the street to your room—what ability could be more convenient and beneficial?

This ability, also called instant movement, had a much wider range of applications than one might think.

Simply using it as a means of transportation from one space to another would be convenient enough, but it could be utilized in ways beyond just being a “transportation device.”

The most straightforward application was incorporating this ability into combat.

Whether with swordsmanship or magic, regardless of which path one chose.

“The final exam will test your combat abilities. This year’s test is called ‘Golem Hit.'”

*Murmuring sounds*

‘Already the final exam?’

Everyone seemed to be thinking the same thing as me. When the proctor mentioned “final exam,” the surroundings immediately became noisy with murmurs filling the hall.

It felt like showing up for a college entrance exam only to find out there were just ten questions.

Which was perfectly fine by me.

“The exam is simple. You’ll be evaluated on how many hit points you can score against an automatic golem developed by the Academy. The automatic golem isn’t programmed to attack, but it does have ‘very basic’ counterattack programming, so please keep that in mind.”

‘Hmm.’

Based on the proctor’s explanation, this exam didn’t seem particularly difficult, just like the previous ones.

In other words, I just needed to fight a golem that wouldn’t attack but would occasionally counterattack.

“To prevent any potential cheating or exploitation, the exam will be conducted in a special space we’ve prepared. You’ll engage in one-on-one combat with the golem in a space designed so that examinees cannot see each other’s tests. The entire process will be monitored in real-time by our examiners, so please refrain from any form of cheating.”

The hall, which had briefly become noisy after the proctor mentioned the final exam, gradually quieted down as the explanation continued.

‘The structure isn’t bad.’

After hearing that the final exam involved fighting a golem to measure combat ability, I understood the structure of the two previous exams.

The first exam was so brief it barely took five seconds—embarrassingly simple to even call it an exam.

You placed your hand on a crystal orb that the Academy “developed themselves” (as they proudly kept mentioning). If the orb glowed blue, you passed; if not, you failed.

It was an exam that eliminated students who didn’t meet the Academy’s basic qualification standards by measuring basic mana levels or potential through the crystal orb.

I had expected most examinees to easily pass the first exam, but surprisingly, many failed when they couldn’t make the crystal orb glow blue.

While the first exam tested a sort of “basic qualification,” the second exam was more substantial.

The second exam seemed designed to identify the “specialties” of examinees who had passed the “basic qualification” test. We had to use our most confident technique to strike a barrier.

Some wielded swords, others shot arrows, and some used magic—each attacking the barrier in their own way.

If you cracked or broke the barrier, you passed immediately. If not, you failed, though some examinees who couldn’t damage the barrier still passed at the examiner’s discretion.

“Your exam score will be determined by the points recorded as you hit the golem in this test, so please do your best. Now, let’s begin the exam.”

‘Ah, I see.’

I had been wondering how they would determine the top student since both the first and second exams were simply pass/fail tests, but the proctor’s explanation cleared up my confusion.

So the two previous exams were just testing the minimum requirements to participate in the final exam, and this was the main event.

‘So I need to do well here to be the top student.’

The thought of having to compete against others to achieve a higher score sparked my competitive spirit.

Since I wasn’t entirely sure about the level of the other examinees, I decided I would need to give it my all to become the top student. While I was making this resolution, my turn came quickly.

“Next ten examinees, we will now transport you to the exam location.”

With the proctor’s words, the ground beneath me began to glow, and suddenly a stone golem was standing before me.

‘It’s been a while since I experienced warp magic.’

With that idle thought, I quickly surveyed my surroundings.

I was in what appeared to be a circular arena about 15 meters in diameter, with a ceiling approximately 5 meters high.

For someone like me who specializes in “teleportation,” detailed spatial awareness was crucial.

That way, I could prepare for any possible situation.

*Whirr*

As I finished scanning the space, the automatic golem lit up its eyes and slowly began to move, as if it had been waiting for me.

I stood still, waiting to see how the golem would approach, when I suddenly realized:

‘Oh right, it can’t attack.’

*Tap*

I immediately pushed off the ground and charged toward the golem.

In a real battle, I wouldn’t have moved my body so aggressively to rush forward, but right now, numerous examiners were likely watching me in real-time.

I needed to appear as student-like and straightforward as possible.

‘I also can’t let them discover that I can teleport without using mana…’

In Arcaria, like any fantasy world, there existed a wide variety of abilities, but the source of all those abilities was mana.

However, my special ability, “teleportation,” didn’t require any mana at all.

It was simply an ability I could use whenever I wanted.

That’s why I needed to put on an act.

In a world where even the simplest magic or technique required the use of “mana,” revealing that I could teleport without using any mana would cause serious problems.

For this exam, I had decided on the concept of being a “fighter.”

*Thud* *Ding* *Thwack* *Ding*

‘Something like this?’

I wrapped a little mana around my fist and quickly struck the golem’s stomach and chest in succession.

Along with the solid impact sensation in my fist, a pleasant “ding” sound erupted from the golem.

*Whoosh*

After taking two quick hits from me, the golem swung its fist at me in a counterattack.

As I dodged the punch, the automatic golem jumped back significantly, creating distance between us.

Even after just one approach and strike, I could roughly predict how the exam would proceed.

The golem would continue to react this way to my attacks, and I needed to hit it as many times as possible to earn a high score.

*Whirr*

Looking at the golem emitting a green light from its face area while staring at me, I thought:

‘I chose the wrong concept.’

Because I had chosen the concept of a bare-handed fighter, I had to keep approaching the golem to hit it.

Examinees who could attack from a distance without needing to approach like me would probably be able to score points much faster and more efficiently.

Even during the second exam, there were quite a few examinees who used magic, including one who shattered the barrier in one shot by firing flames.

‘Tsk.’

As this thought occurred to me, I started to feel a bit anxious.

This was genuinely disadvantageous. And I needed to get first place.

*Tap*

As I leaped toward the golem again, I quickly racked my brain.

I needed a way to hit the golem as many times as possible within the limited time.

“Aha.”

The answer came to me faster than expected.

If the problem was that the golem kept running away after taking a hit from me, then I just needed to prevent it from being able to evade.

‘Without getting caught, without getting caught.’

As the golem staring blankly at me drew closer, I began my act.

I drew up mana and surrounded my body with it to make it look like I was using magic, then focused on the golem’s back.

While instinctively gauging the speed of my body’s movement and the distance to the golem, I scattered the mana I had gathered around my body and concentrated.

Though no mana was actually used in the process, observers would likely think I had used some sort of “movement magic.”

In that moment, my body pierced through what was literally empty space.

The process of moving through space that I had come to sense through various efforts.

What felt quite leisurely to me now was probably just a fraction of a second in real time.

*Thud* *Ding*

My body, having pierced through space, emerged behind the golem while maintaining my momentum, and I immediately kicked the golem upward.

*Whoosh*

Since the golem looked quite heavy, I put some strength into my kick, but the golem flew helplessly toward the ceiling.

It was lighter than it looked.

*Tap*

I quickly jumped up toward the golem that had risen higher than expected.

The method to prevent the golem from evading after being hit by me?

Lift it into the air and keep hitting it without giving it a chance to resist.

*Ding* *Ding* *Ding*

‘Oh, this impact feels so good.’

The golem, unable to evade my attacks in mid-air, spread its limbs and couldn’t properly counterattack as it continued to take hits from me.

The “ding” sound that rang out with each hit was so pleasant that I found myself unconsciously timing my strikes to match the rhythm.

*Ding* *Ding* *Thud*

After who knows how many hits, the golem that had risen high into the air finally fell to the ground.

True to its nature as an automatic golem that couldn’t feel pain, despite being hit countless times by me in mid-air, it immediately stood up after landing, formally swung a fist at me, and then jumped back again.

Just like before, it was now at a distance, emitting a green light and watching me. I couldn’t tell if it was my imagination, but it seemed to show a hint of fear.

“Okay, shall we go one more time?”

*Tap*

Although the golem couldn’t possibly understand my words, I threw out a warning as I leaped toward it again.

‘It feels good to be back in action after so long.’

I’d just repeat this until the exam was over.