The protagonist of a typical story has an outstanding talent for growth.
Even if they start off weak, they quickly become strong, and by the end, they effortlessly join the ranks of the strongest in the world. That’s just how protagonists roll.
But what about the extras in the story?
They don’t even get to properly appear in the story. At best, they’re just there to admire or envy the protagonist from the sidelines.
And even that counts as a success for an extra. Most of the time, they’re just random passersby on the street.
And then…
“That person is me.”
Yep, I got possessed by an extra.
And not just any extra, but some random guy I’ve never even seen before.
“Examinee No. 81 – Rudion.”
I’ve been playing this game for a while now, but I’ve never once heard the name Rudion.
Judging by his appearance, it probably doesn’t mean much. I’ve never really paid close attention to NPCs who don’t even interact with you.
I thought I was dead, but now that I’m here, I’m all kinds of confused. Sadly, I don’t have the luxury to sort out my thoughts.
“…Therefore, any unnecessary contact between examinees or any acts of dishonesty will result in disqualification. Keep that in mind.”
Looks like the game has already started, so I guess I’d better focus on this for now.
“Then, we will now begin the entrance exam.”
The entrance exam event that you face right at the start of the game. I never thought I’d be the one taking it.
With a sense of curiosity, I follow the other examinees as they obey the proctor’s instructions.
It’s overwhelming to suddenly be in this world, possessing the body of an extra, and taking an entrance exam. But regardless of that, I know exactly what I need to do.
After all, this world is my home turf.
If we’re just talking about world knowledge, I’m probably at a PhD level, right?
‘Of course. It’s a game I played right up until the brink of death.’
I enjoyed every bit of content to the point where I scraped the bowl clean, hunting down every Easter egg and pulling off crazy stunts. There’s no way I’d struggle with a mere entrance exam.
Since I had everything about what happens where and how in my head, I could approach the exam more relaxed than anyone else here.
“Applicant number 81, theory… perfect score… Excellent. Please follow the assistant to the practical exam hall.”
I breezed through the theory exam first.
It was really nothing special. Questions like the characteristics of certain monsters or how to handle specific situations in battle were child’s play for someone who’s mastered the world lore, monster info, and all sorts of strategies. The level of the entrance exam was embarrassingly low.
‘…Honestly, I was a bit scared something I didn’t know might come up.’
You know how usually, when you get possessed or something, complex spells or theories you’ve never seen before pop up and leave you baffled?
I was worried that if that happened, I’d have to study throughout my entire academy life. Thankfully, it was all straightforward stuff from the game.
So, I started off with a perfect score. While the theory and practical exams are weighted 2:8, so it’s not a huge help, it’s better than nothing, and most importantly, it feels good.
Humming a little tune, I followed the assistant and soon arrived at the practical exam hall.
“From here, you can go in alone.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you for guiding me.”
“Sure, you did well on the theory, so do your best on the practical too.”
I parted ways with the assistant who guided me. I knew who he was, but it wasn’t because of that; it was just common courtesy.
There’s a lot to do, but in a game where combat is the main focus, acting rudely? That’s just asking for a lesson in manners through violence.
So, it’s better not to make unnecessary enemies. Not that I’m the type to do that anyway.
With those thoughts, I entered the practical exam hall, and inside, it unfolded like a colosseum.
The practical exam was more of a combat ability assessment, which is why it was set up this way.
Through sparring, they gauge the applicant’s skills,
At this point, the winner can continue the battle, but the loser will have their exam terminated immediately.
This survival-style system might seem unfair at first glance, but it actually wasn’t. Even if you got utterly crushed, the exam supervisors calculated every factor to evaluate you, so the grades turned out surprisingly accurate.
The survival rule was just there to cut down on exam time—no unfairness involved.
Well, the rules were whatever. What mattered was how well you could perform here.
Even if you aced all the theory, if you flopped here, it was game over.
Still, from the moment I possessed this body, it felt light and full of energy, so it didn’t seem like I was stuck with low stats. Too bad I couldn’t see the exact numbers, though…
-Ding!
[Checking stats.]
Oh, there’s a system? Is this turning into a real game or something?
I suddenly wondered if I could access other system windows, but for now, checking the screen in front of me was the priority.
[Rudion]
[Strength: 17]
[Endurance: 8]
[Agility: 26]
[Magic: 11]
…Higher than I expected.
These stats shouldn’t be possible at the starting point.
With these, I could easily make it to the advanced class, maybe even the top class.
“If I play my cards right, I might even get second place.”
Rudion’s stats were impressively high.
Compared to the top-tier characters, they weren’t overwhelmingly superior, but with maximum efficiency, there was definitely potential.
First place… well, with *that guy* around, it’s probably out of reach.
Anyway, with specs like these, just following the academy’s basic growth path should keep me comfortably in the upper ranks…
-Ding!
[Due to a trait effect, your stats can no longer grow.]
Oh, come on.
Give me back my stats.
No wonder the initial stats were this high, but I never showed up in the game. I must’ve been the target of those threats some professors throw out every semester: “A lot of you will be demoted this term.”
In a game where stats are everything, having your growth completely blocked is a death sentence.
Of course, if the trait that caused this penalty was ridiculously OP, I might’ve accepted it, but…
[Irregular]
[This is an experimental feature. Please be cautious to ensure that actual players do not acquire this trait.]
I decided not to think too much about it since there wasn’t even an explanation, whether it was a scam or not.
Right now, finishing the test was more important, and even if my growth had stalled, my current specs were honestly so good that words couldn’t describe it.
With stats like these, I could easily crush my way up to the intermediate level just with raw physical ability. So, I wasn’t worried about falling behind anytime soon.
Besides, the “me” inhabiting this body now wasn’t just any ordinary player.
I was a legend, a player so experienced I was practically rotten. My strategy posts had hundreds of thousands of upvotes, and there wasn’t a single player in this game who didn’t know me—the legendary user “Park Daegam’s Butt Cover.” That was me.
…I should’ve put more thought into my username. If I knew I’d be this serious, I wouldn’t have named myself something like that.
Anyway, with my skills, even with the same specs, there was no way I’d lose. The idea of me losing with these stats just didn’t compute.
The original story? The butterfly effect? I died long ago and ended up here, so I’m not even going to bother worrying about that stuff. I’m just here to enjoy this world.
Sorry to the fresh-faced newbies who just enrolled, but… from now on, it’s the time of the seasoned veteran.
With that thought, I boldly tried to join the sparring session, but…
“Ah.”
The training ground was completely empty.
Oh, right. Everyone’s still taking the theory exam. I completely forgot I submitted mine early and left.
And… as far as I know, there’s only one other person scheduled to be here at this time.
Realizing that, I tried to run away, but it was already too late.
Right before my eyes, a character I’d seen countless times in the game approached. With every step she took, her shimmering platinum hair swayed, and my heart sank.
Standing right in front of me, she looked at me with an expressionless face and spoke.
“Nice to meet you. It seems like it’s just you and me here. Shall we spar?”
A character with an insane lineage and overwhelming talent, growing into an unstoppable force… by the middle of the story, she’s basically running solo as one of the strongest in the world.
No matter what route you take, she’s the one who ensures the protagonist can never take first place—ranked #1 by Forbes as the best at defending the top spot.
Seria Rubetia. She just challenged me to a spar.
