Chapter 40 Ready
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Benno-sensei’s voice boomed from the front of the lecture hall. “The Academy Martial Arts Tournament is, in a manner of speaking, the first filter to determine who possesses the caliber to become a Holy Knight—humanity’s protectors.”
”Holy Knights require more than just strength,” he continued. “Knowledge is also paramount.”
As he spoke, the assistant teachers began distributing forms to all the students present—those who had indicated their intention to participate in the Martial Arts Tournament.
”Therefore, before you can enter the tournament, we must test whether you have the necessary knowledge,” Benno-sensei announced.
To put it simply, it’s a mid-term exam, the Voice chimed in, complete with an imaginary scoff.
I had absolutely no idea what kind of exam the Voice was referring to, but I knew one thing: my current situation was a disaster. I’d spent my time doing everything the Voice told me to—skipping mandatory classes and using time everyone else spent studying for so-called “level grinding,” which usually involved self-harm or other unpleasant things. Of course, I hadn’t accumulated any normal knowledge. I could already see myself failing most of the questions. Even if I had studied, my current physical and mental state was terrible.
My body was overly sensitive to the slightest movement, my mind was plagued by hallucinations and auditory illusions that made me impulsively crave drugs, and the sickening afterglow of that recent, horrific “reign of terror” was still poisoning my spirit. The Voice had brutalized everyone who happened to be nearby until they were beyond recovery, just to “destroy the evidence.” The shocking sensation of soft flesh being pulped and bones shattering still clung to my hands, making me nauseous. In this state, there was no way I could perform to my actual ability.
”This test contains only difficult questions that cannot be solved by half-hearted effort,” Benno-sensei said, narrowing his eyes. “There are some students who aren’t even attending classes—the lazy ones—but such a test is impossible for them to solve.”
It was perfectly clear who Benno-sensei was referring to. I felt the girl next to me glance at me sideways and sensed the sneering contempt in her look.
”Are you ready? Then—” The air in the classroom thickened with palpable tension.
Well, if you’ve played through this game multiple times, getting a perfect score is easy, the Voice remarked.
Right as the Voice finished speaking, the signal to begin the test was given.
*
All right, time’s up. That was just a mini-game about how quickly you could grasp the questions and write the answers, like mental arithmetic.
With a trembling hand, I gently placed my pen down. It hadn’t taken me even a full minute to fill in every single answer blank.
Now, let’s seize this moment to earn some bonus hatred, the Voice said.
Before I could even process what the Voice meant, I stood up while everyone else was still busy solving the problems.
”What is it, Reina? Giving up before you even try—” the teacher began.
I cut him off, opening my mouth. “I’ve already solved all the problems. They were so easy I nearly yawned,” I spoke.
A commotion instantly rippled through the classroom. Benno-sensei squinted at me as I held the test paper, fluttering it dismissively with one hand.
”I can’t afford to waste time on something this simple. Waiting for everyone else to solve it so slowly is pointless, so I’m leaving now,” my mouth smoothly articulated, the words flowing without a hitch. The air in the classroom immediately turned hostile.
”Since even a lazy student who barely attends class can get all the answers correct, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious about the results of the serious students who are taking so much time to answer,” I continued.
I hated my mouth for spitting out those words, which antagonized everyone, regardless of what I actually wanted. My cowardly heart screamed in terror as a barrage of hostility was directed at me all at once.
”As your teacher, let me warn you—you will destroy yourself someday,” Benno-sensei said darkly.
”Is that so? Well, goodbye then,” I replied.
…I think so too, I thought to myself.
* * *
Now, almost all the students are taking the test, and most of the teachers are busy supervising to prevent cheating. This is burglar bonus time, the Voice informed me.
I frowned, wondering, If I do that now, wouldn’t I be the only suspect?
Well, it’s not like we’re breaking into anyone’s personal room. We’re just collecting hidden items in the academy area, the Voice clarified.
I didn’t really understand what the Voice meant, and how collecting hidden items was any different from burglary. As usual, the Voice’s reasoning was incomprehensible, and its standards were difficult to grasp.
The training grounds, the pool, and the gathering grounds are empty now, and it’s the only chance we’ll get, so let’s be efficient and quick, the Voice urged.
I gave up on my pointless overthinking and started moving, knowing I had no power to resist anyway.
This is the Earrings of Far Sight. When used with the Evil Eye, you can freely view the opponent’s Ability (skill/stat/power) without being noticed, the Voice explained.
The first place we headed was the gymnasium. I collected the earring dangling from the ceiling. I had no idea why an earring was hanging there, but apparently, it was necessary equipment.
This is an additional Seed of the Trajectory. I’ll immediately poly it, the Voice said.
Next, we went straight to the nearby training ground. I entered the third private room from the back, pulled up the corner floor stone, retrieved a seed, and swallowed it right there.
This is the Ring of the Water Spirit. Equipping it prevents environmental suffocation, the Voice stated.
I found the ring caught in the pool’s drain and put it on.
This is the Choker of the God of Death, which strengthens resistance to instant-death attacks. It’s an absolute must-have because you can’t even train against instant-death effects without it. Still, since training with this is a gamble every time, we just need the minimum for now, the Voice advised.
I put the black choker around my neck; it had fallen outside the fence on the rooftop of the old school building, a place full of painful memories.
In the gathering grounds, we’ll collect the ingredients for Instant Death Potion. We only need the minimum, but since you could get a Game Over on the first bottle, this is a prayer point, the Voice warned.
Though this was the first time I’d set foot in this forest, I walked on as if I already knew where everything was. The way I efficiently gathered the target items, even though I couldn’t tell what kind of plants they were just by looking, still felt completely unnerving.
The last item is the Flute of the Divine Beast. It’s normally a New Game Plus item for subsequent playthroughs, and it’s specifically for Lucia-chan, but we’re stealing it, the Voice declared.
We reached the deepest part of the forest’s gathering grounds—a mysterious, unsettling place where a strange aura made me subconsciously think I had to go home, where direction and even day or night became indistinguishable. Forcing our way through that path led to an ancient, weathered shrine. I reached for the battered-looking flute kept there. My hand instantly began to melt.
”Eh, ah!?” I cried out.
As the name implies, it’s a solid block of light attribute. For a Homo-chan specializing in Darkness Sorcery who has absorbed multiple demon beast bodies, it’s a potent poison, the Voice said coolly.
It hurts, it hurts, it hurts! Terror and pain took over my mind; my body was rapidly disintegrating.
But hey? Homo-chan has Evolution, and the Regeneration skill gained from it, so there’s no problem. In fact, this is an opportunity to gain a Resistance skill, the Voice countered.
The fear and pain were unbearable, as if my very soul was being invaded.
Okay, Homo-chan, do your best to become strong enough to carry this back, the Voice cheered.
The test’s ending time came and went, but the ordeal didn’t end. I spent the time until the next morning desperately trying to scrape together my own crumbling body as pieces of me dropped onto the floor.
Notes:
• –
• Benno – A male teacher with a blunt demeanor, overseeing physical tests and blessing checks, seemingly unaware of the darker forces at play in his students’ lives.
• Lucia – A female classmate of Reina with the (Regeneration) blessing, a power of immense value, unaware of the world government’s interest in her abilities.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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