After submitting the exam paper, I quietly opened the door and stepped out into the hallway.
In the hallway, two people who appeared to be academy staff were standing.
One of them spoke up as soon as they saw me.
“The practical exam venue is on the first floor. Just follow the signs to the gymnasium.”
“Thank you.”
The moment I heard the destination was the gymnasium, a map formed in my head.
If the interior of Orion Academy was exactly like the game, I could probably get there with my eyes closed.
‘Wait, aren’t there multiple gyms? Well, it’s probably that one.’
I was the only one using the wide staircase that had been bustling with cadets just moments ago.
The moment I reached the first floor,
a semi-transparent window blocking my vision reappeared.
[ Skill Window has been unlocked. ]
“!”
I naturally stopped in my tracks.
‘If this were a game, does this mean the shortcut key K has been unlocked?’
I was possessed before even getting a detailed explanation about the character.
I was too curious about the skills I might have.
‘Is the method to view it the same as the quest window?’
I had already figured out how to bring up the quest window on the way here.
Summoning a semi-transparent window only required willpower.
< Skills >
[ Weakness Affliction ─ Lv.1 ]
◇ Afflicts a physical attribute weakness to the target upon contact.
[ Shop ─ Lv.1 ]
◇ Spends points to purchase items.
“Whoa…!”
The skill window, dragged out by sheer will, floated in the air.
Its presence excited me in a different way than the quest window. I quickly scanned the information with interest.
‘As expected.’
The skill names in the skill window had a faint glow to them.
Not to mention, they showed levels, indicating growth potential rather than fixed grades.
This meant they were unique skills only I could use.
‘Two unique skills!’
As expected, I’m S-rank.
I had a hunch after receiving a personal pickup schedule, but seeing the number of unique skills confirmed it.
However, the skill composition seemed more unique and unfamiliar than combat-focused.
Weakness Affliction seemed like a debuff-type skill. It definitely looked applicable in combat.
But as for the Shop skill in Abyss City, it didn’t quite click. There wasn’t anything similar to compare it to.
“Hmm.”
I stretched my legs toward the gymnasium while continuing to think.
‘If the Shop uses points as currency, does that mean quest rewards are consumed? And Weakness Affliction…’
I’m not sure how unique skills will evolve as their levels increase, but
if the types of weaknesses I can afflict become more diverse, it feels like a universal key that lets me form a party without excluding my favorite characters.
Conversely, for gamers who only care about performance and clearing, it’s the same.
Depending on the skill’s form, it could become a must-have for those types of gamers too.
‘Is this…?’
That familiar scent of a “human rights character.”
The skill reeked of that unique vibe.
…
…
The gymnasiums lined up in Orion Academy are—
That’s not enough; I can even see the new gymnasium being built far away.
“Was it eight when the protagonist was in their second year?”
It’s only natural, given the large number of cadets flocking from various countries and the fact that most classes involve physical activity.
“There she is.”
A woman sitting at a table, just like the one I saw at the entrance, comes into view.
Her rabbit ears twitch as she stares at me. The existence of beastkin is still fascinating.
“Are you here for the practical exam?”
“Yes. I’ve finished the written part.”
“You finished it really quickly!”
I awkwardly smile at her words and show her my student ID and number tag.
She folds one of her ears, a sign of concentration, and moves her pen over the documents.
“Just head to the first gymnasium over there.”
“Thank you.”
“The exam will start once the minimum number of participants has gathered, so please warm up inside while you wait.”
With a nod, I head toward the gymnasium marked with the number 1.
*Creak!*
Pushing open the iron door, I find no one inside.
It seems I definitely finished the written exam the earliest out of everyone.
“What’s that? Is it related to the exam?”
As I step inside, I see a bunch of square stone blocks neatly arranged in the center, but I have no idea what they’re for.
“Hmm…”
I keep walking and head toward one side of the gymnasium.
Swords, spears, axes, guns, bows, and more.
The wall is covered with familiar weapons, and it brings me a sense of calm.
“Of course, this is what an ideal academy should be like. Korea should have something like this too.”
I reach out and pull a sword from its sheath.
*Swoosh!*
A heavy longsword.
Just from gripping it, I can tell it’s well-maintained. The blade is properly sharpened.
“The weight distribution is good too.”
I give it a light swing and hang it back in its place.
Right now, it’s not the sword I need to focus on; there’s something else that requires my attention.
“Can I just use skills by will, like summoning a quest window?”
I wonder if it’s as simple as just thinking about it.
“…”
The moment I think about using the Shop skill, something inside me reacts.
[Updating shop list…]
[Estimated time remaining ─ 05:17:36]
“Look at this guy.”
I laugh as I dismiss the semi-transparent window.
Update or not, I already have a good grasp of how the skill works.
It’s similar to how I handle the abilities I have as a Hunter, but the points of consumption feel different.
“A few more tries should be enough.”
I focus intently, trying to firmly grasp that unfamiliar sensation.
*Boom─!*
Someone forcefully opens the door.
“Huh? I’m not first?”
A refreshing voice that my memory recognizes.
My neck almost snaps as I turn around, and I come face to face with a beastkin woman radiating a strong presence.
‘Noah Frozenheart…!’
A beastkin from the northern royal family, inheriting the blood of the white tiger.
Her long limbs and noble lineage are unmistakable.
Crystal-clear blue eyes.
A dazzling, confident, and adventurous smile.
Unlike the Orion Academy uniform, she’s dressed in casual, free-spirited attire.
On her right index finger sits a ring, the symbol of her exclusive weapon.
Then…
“Noah. What matters is that you got first place in the exam. Being first in line doesn’t mean anything.”
A soft voice chimed in from behind.
A girl with closed eyes, her jet-black hime-cut swaying, entered with graceful steps.
In her pale hand was her exclusive weapon, a jet-black tachi named Yoru (Night).
“Ichinose Yui too?”
I bit down hard to stop myself from cheering out loud.
Seeing characters I genuinely cared about, not the ones I left at level 1, made my heart pound like it was about to burst.
Was it the uncontrollable excitement and joy?
My gaze, losing all restraint, followed Ichinose Yui as she walked toward Noah.
“This is no joke…”
The petite girl, even with her eyes closed and stretching her legs, maintained her composure.
Unlike Noah, she was neatly dressed in the academy uniform.
Polar opposites.
Noah Frozenheart, easily over 170 cm tall, and Ichinose Yui, barely scraping 150 cm, made a combo that was a feast for the eyes.
“Ah~ If only Nose had finished the written exam a bit earlier.”
Was “Nose” a nickname for Ichinose? Precious info that wasn’t revealed in the game.
As a spectator, I finally pulled my gaze away and focused on listening, trying hard to suppress the smile tugging at my lips.
“I already said, I never asked you to wait. And unlike someone, I solved all the problems.”
Yui’s tsundere response was adorable.
Noah laughed, her round ears twitching. Her carefree voice added, “What’s the big deal about the written exam?”
“Even so, without me, you’d have gotten lost in the academy and missed the practical. Just admit you’re grateful.”
“That’s absurd! There’s no way I’d get lost on the way here.”
Yui’s voice slightly cracked at Noah’s provocation, her tail swishing.
It was a satisfying sight, like my lifespan was increasing.
“So the ‘directionally challenged’ trait is still intact.”
As I focused on their conversation and pretended to stretch, cadets who had finished the written exam began filling the gymnasium one by one.
Once a decent number had gathered, Gymnasium 1 was set.
A man with a bored expression and a scruffy beard entered, introducing himself as the instructor.
He stood in the center, announcing the start of the practical exam.
“I’ll explain this once. You can only use the academy-supplied weapons hanging on the wall. Or, you don’t have to use any at all.”
The explanation was as brief as the exam was simple.
They’d score based on the depth and width of the damage inflicted on a golem.
The scruffy-haired instructor, scratching his head, shuffled over to a square block of stone.
“One attack only. Hit, slash, or launch this test golem however you like. Oh, and no recording, so put your phones away.”
I blinked in disbelief as the instructor tapped the white mass.
Judging by the reactions around me, I was the only one who didn’t know about this.
‘Was that a golem?’
It was more like a giant lump that didn’t even have the bare minimum of effort or shape to be called a golem.
“The results of the class assignments will be available on the opening day.”
With those words, the instructor yawned loudly and glanced at the paper in their hand.
“Yawn… Number 99, step forward.”
Of course, it had to be the first one.
I pulled the longsword hanging on the wall and stepped forward.
“Name.”
“Rohan.”
The instructor nodded and gestured toward the test golem with their chin.
“You have one minute. Start within that time.”
“…Understood.”
I raised my hand, pretending to check the golem’s hardness.
Then, I focused repeatedly to activate my skill.
‘The skill is similar to the abilities I used during my Hunter days.’
Thanks to the brief practice I had.
‘Weakness Affliction.’
A strange, indescribable wave spread through my palm.
I could feel the energy or vitality in my body—what Abyss City calls ‘magic’—draining significantly.
[Weakness Affliction: Grants a physical attribute weakness to the target.]
A successful response.
But there was no time to celebrate.
‘Maintaining the weakness also continuously consumes magic.’
I imprinted the skill’s information in my mind.
Before my magic ran out, I gripped the sword tightly with both hands.
Since I didn’t know how effective the Weakness Affliction skill was, and my skill level was only 1.
I didn’t expect to show anything impressive with my now paper-thin fragile body.
If the physical resistance was lowered, I thought I could at least leave a scratch on that tough golem.
“Huuu…”
I slightly bent my knees, lowered my stance, and exhaled deeply.
The trajectory I envisioned in my head was a downward slash.
“Hyup!”
I swung the longsword upward, pouring all my strength into the downward strike.
**Whoosh──!**
And just like that.
The moment Rohan’s longsword sliced through the air and reached the golem.
The blade cut through the golem like butter, slicing it cleanly in half.
The blade completely split the target and lightly tapped the gymnasium floor.
The neatly split golem fell to both sides with a thud.
“””…”””
Silence filled the testing area.
Noah, who had been watching with her arms crossed, grinned as if she had found something amusing.
Ichinose slowly opened her eyes and looked at the man who had split the golem in half.
