Chapter 3: Entrance Ceremony (3)

I immediately woke up and drew my sword.

“Hooh!”

Holding the sword gave me a rather good feeling. This was a real sword. A real, metal-made sword. Not everyone gets a chance to hold a real sword in their lifetime.

Men, in the end, are creatures who enjoy things like this. Who wouldn’t like holding a real sword?

“This sword is great! Crush! Aura Blade!”

I tried to imagine myself pouring out the energy within me with an overflowing tension while swinging the sword, but in reality, I just ended up making a fool of myself in the room.

“Damn it.”

I guess I need to research this.

“Wait, hang on!”

At that moment, a thought of great importance brushed past my brain. If I’ve entered the game, there’s something obvious I need to say!

“Status Window!”

— Ding!

With my shout, a cheerful sound rings out!

“Damn, look at these stats!”

This is bullsh*t!

“This is a complete mess…damn it all…!”

What kind of initial stats are these? Just seeing them made me feel drained. They clearly represented the status window of a total loser with an F-rank.

“But there’s a skill, right?”

Underneath the status window was the acquired skills tab. The only one there was a skill called ‘Weapon Enchant’. Well, it’s something like a skill, isn’t it? Feeling somewhat satisfied, I decided to check the information.

“Oh!”

Thanks for the helpful explanation!

“This is Aura Blade!”

It seemed to be a skill that infuses a blade with magic. Roughly speaking, if I coat the blade with magic, it seems like I could easily cut through something like the defense barrier of otherworldly beings.

“There are more details.”

Let’s see.

“Hmm?”

I carefully read the information that appeared…So, the rank of the skill is F, and the level is 1? In other words, it was a basic skill, but it had no proficiency, so its level was also at 1.

“I felt like collapsing and crying.”

It felt like my spirit was taking a hit. But having this is better than nothing. Right, I also received some coins.

When I thought about it, a window appeared.

“Activate it, you bastard.”

There’s nothing I can do with it now.

Is there any more information? I tried several things, but nothing appeared other than the status window. Anyway, some time has passed. Let’s sit back at the computer and try to figure out as much as we can.

As I did so.

“It’s about time.”

It was time to gather in the classroom.

“First-year, Class A.”

Is it now my fate to grow in this classroom, receiving the elite education of the academy? I guess for now, I should. But really, how do I get home from here?

Usually, in typical cliches, you have to defeat the final boss or something to return. Do I really have to go through that ordeal to get home?

“Save me, damn it.”

For now, let’s go to the classroom.

I can’t be late on the first day.

The way to the classroom was relatively quiet. The place was huge. Furthermore, the students were moving sporadically, which even made it feel relaxed.

This place is incredibly vast.

I can’t even gauge its size. A fortress-like main building, surrounded by a round wall, and large auxiliary buildings stationed all around. It could easily be mistaken for a capital city.

“There are anti-aircraft turrets.”

Even anti-aircraft turrets were installed on each building’s rooftop, suggesting a lot.

Could monsters or something intrude the academy? An unjustifiable anxiety strikes me. If they really appear, an ordinary person like me would be helpless.

I might even scream.

Or beg, crying for help.

“Phew.”

Anyhow, it feels like I’ve reverted back to high school days. Walking around a school as a high school student at the ripe age of 24 evokes strange nostalgia.

Though the school uniform and the sword are hard to get used to.

As I walked around, I managed to find the gate near the wall. First-year students seem to be entering from there.

Following the other students, I too entered the main gate and thus arrived in front of the first-year Class A classroom.

—Click.

“Wow.”

As I opened the door and entered, I couldn’t help but exclaim.

Isn’t this too luxurious? No joke, all classrooms were completely white-themed. There were no desks and chairs that I was tired of seeing during my school days, only high-end furnishings. It really felt luxurious, and the classroom was quite spacious.

Anyway, there were already students inside. Those with weapons were gathered in groups, having conversations.

I’m really not getting used to these weapons. They all have different shapes. Mine’s quite ordinary, but some are fancy. There’s even a variety, like spears and axes.

“Wasn’t the President so cool?”

“Totally… I mean, she’s the Black Night King. It’s my first time seeing her in person.”

“But how does she look so young? She only looks like she’s in her late twenties.”

“Oh, right. How old is he really?”

“I don’t know that. But, more importantly, that guy who screamed.”

“Ah… the one who swore. Got scolded on the spot.”

“Even so, I didn’t expect him to be singled out and scolded on the entrance ceremony day.”

“They say he’s like that. When he loses his temper, he even shouts at the President and turns things upside down.”

“A true war hero indeed.”

“He’s a veteran, after all.”

My story… Feeling a bit embarrassed, I pretended not to notice and looked for my seat. Will they notice if I just keep quiet? Better keep a low profile.

“Where’s my seat?”

The message directed me to my assigned seat. Upon checking, there was a sign on the desk indicating my spot, so I took a seat there.

“Oh.”

The feeling of the chair under me was no joke.

But this is nerve-racking. Starting school from today. Anyway, with nothing specific to do, I occupied myself with my phone, collecting information about this world.

Swipe.

“Hey guys, hello! Let’s get along well from today!”

“Ah, nice to meet you.”

Students started entering the classroom one by one as we conversed. They were all superhumans. There were ordinary ones, but also general students.

There were students with a martial look about them, ones with a good physique.

But why are there so many foreigners? And there were only a few with black hair. Everyone dyed their hair so radically… I’m worried about their scalp health.

Then.

Swipe.

“Uh.”

“Huh?”

“Who’s that?”

The door opened, and a beautiful woman with silver hair entered.

She stole my gaze for a moment.

That must be Miss Leona who took the oath at the entrance ceremony.

“…”

Overwhelming indeed. The other guys also seemed unable to gather their wits. Just like that, Miss Leona quietly took her seat.

This is interesting.

—
Raei  Translations
—

And so, it was 1 p.m.

There were a few vacant seats, but all the present students were sitting in their spots. Everyone is diligent. Ah, but I really want to go to the school store. There should be one, right?

Maybe it’s because I turned into a high schooler, but I suddenly craved to spend some money. I’m craving a pizza as a pizzaholic. If there’s none, I’m gonna explode.

“Are we supposed to wait?”

“Probably. Someone will come soon, right?”

“Ah… I’m nervous.”

Someone will come, I guess. But won’t there be more quest-like things? If they guided us till the entrance ceremony, they should guide us here too. Is it because it’s open world? This bastard’s neglecting his duties.

Just as I was thinking and surfing.

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeek!

Suddenly, the sound of an emergency bell.

“Huh?”

“Uh?”

“Hmm?”

As a Korean, I didn’t think much of it. I’ve been living in a world where the sound of an emergency bell means nothing serious.

Then.

Whizzzzzzzzzzz!

Suddenly, something like a warp gate opens near the teacher’s desk.

“What, what the!”

“Damn it! What is it!”

“It’s a, a dimension gate…!”

From within it.

A gigantic monster, a monstrous spider creature, crawled out.

“Motherf- aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!”

What the hell is that, this damn thing! A spider! A massive spider! A spider big enough to take up about 60% of the classroom’s width has torn through the warp gate and descended!

The sight was so horrifying it was hard even to describe! It resembled a spider but wasn’t one…! It was a monster based on a spider! Its mouth was full of venomous fangs and tentacles, and its legs were encased in a hard carapace!

“Aaaaaaargh!”

“Why, why is there a monster here!”

“A Warp Spider…! It’s surpassed adulthood! At least a C-rank monster!”

The other students were also in shock!

Hold on, aren’t you all supposed to be superhumans! I might be new here, but didn’t you all come to this school to become superheroic figures?! If you guys get scared, what am I supposed to do!!!

“Damn! We need to get out of here!”

I immediately dashed towards the door!

This is certainly no joke…! That thing is a real monster! Monsters tear people apart! Save me! I can’t die here! I refuse to be killed by a damned creature like that!

—Bang bang!

But the door won’t open as if it’s locked!

“Aaaaaaargh! The door won’t open! Damn it! Guys! The window! Let’s break the window! Hurryyyy!”

Barely suppressing my panic, I incited the students! Tears were gushing out! Am I going to die here! No matter what, I have to survive!

I’m having a flashback to the time I fainted in front of the computer…! I absolutely can’t die! I can’t afford to die!

“Aaargh!”

“Break!”

“Move! Sword Aura!”

“Ma, Magical Shot!”

As some students drew their weapons and fired their technical skills and magic at the window, a battle ensued elsewhere.

—Whoosh!

“Huh?”

Silver hair fluttered. Leona, wielding a long sword enveloped in silvery flames, didn’t hesitate to charge at the spider. That crazy girl!

—Swoosh!

It’s not just her! Some students were also preparing to intercept, generating something that looked like alien flames from their hands behind Leona!

They’ve all gone mad!

Those guys are crazy!

Do they honestly think a bunch of kids barely in their teens can defeat that kind of monster! No matter how superhuman they might be, how is it possible to kill a monster that seems stronger than an elephant with just a weapon…!

“Aaaargh! The window! It won’t shatter! Damn it! Guys! We need to attack together! We need to strike it together! We need to gather our strength! Sob!”

The tears kept flowing. While struggling to smash the window and incite the students! Nothing is stronger than the power of friendship! If we pool our strength, we can break the window!

“Ah, got it!”

“Yup!”

“Hurry up and break it, please!”

“Mommyyyyyyyyy!”

I, too, grabbed a sword and hit the window, but no matter what, it seems to be made of bulletproof glass and won’t even get scratched!

“I must survive, I must survive, I must survive…! Sob!”

I can’t die in a place like this…!

Just then.

—Boom!!!

A loud noise echoed.

“What!”

Turning my head to look at the spider.

“Huh?”

—Slurp.

The spider was disintegrating like dry ice… just fading away. In front of it stood Leona and the other students.

What the heck?

“No way?”

Did they just take down that monstrous thing?

That girl?

—Thump.

My legs gave way. I collapsed on the spot. It’s time to pull my hair out and scream now. The situation was so unreal that I couldn’t even stand. Tears were still streaming down my face, and my heart was pounding wildly.

In that state,

“Excuse me, are you alright?”

“…”

Before I knew it, Leona, who had been crouching in front of me, called out to me.

Her face seemed to scold me.

“Eh?”

“The Warp Spider we just saw was an illusion.”

“An illusion…?”

“Now that it’s over, compose yourself.”

An illusion?

“Perhaps the professors were playing tricks on us, or testing us. Even so, as a hero-in-training, should you really be crying like this? Stop it. Just stop. It’s said that a man cries only three times in his life… what was with all that bawling and screaming? Calm down, okay?”

After saying her piece, Leona rose from her spot.

“…”

My sense of reality.

An illusion.

“…”

As I dwelled on that, an overwhelming embarrassment surged through me, heating up my entire body and causing a rush of heat to my face.

Ahhh!

“…Damn.”

Why can’t anything go right…

—