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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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Leaving Professor Diena’s office, I headed for the Evolution Chamber to investigate Trial 2.
The outcome of my wager with her was beneficial either way.
If I lost, I would become her disciple and grow under her guidance.
If I won, I would obtain the Ash Grey Scatter Shot, a hidden piece of equipment only obtainable in the mid to late game.
Crossbows were an uncommon weapon type, with very few legendary-grade options, making them difficult to farm.
This unexpected opportunity to acquire one was a sweet deal.
And then there was the item I had obtained after thwarting the Nagas’ plan:
Given the demanding structural requirements of a crossbow, finding a body strong enough to withstand this bowstring wouldn’t be easy.
In other words, only something like the Ash Grey Scatter Shot, dropped by a Great Demon, would be compatible.
Of course, the combined product of these two hidden pieces would likely have incredibly stringent equip conditions, but those were nothing the ‘Gamer’ trait couldn’t handle.
Arriving at the Evolution Chamber lounge, I encountered a familiar face.
The unfortunate protagonist of ‘Reincarnation Academy’,
Edwin, was catching his breath, utterly exhausted.
-Cha-ching!
“Seriously.”
He was even weaker than me.
I had helped him awaken as the Executor, yet his average stat was still stuck in the 1s.
How could someone this weak ever seduce Lilith and defeat the Great Demon…?
-!!
He seemed to have noticed me and asked cautiously,
“Lev, Deneb… are you here to challenge the Trial as well?”
He still hadn’t memorized my name, a testament to how little attention he paid to me.
Slightly hurtful.
Anyway, he seemed to be struggling with Trial 1.
Out of frustration, I blurted,
“Hey, let’s get serious, shall we?”
“…Huh?”
“No time to rest. Go back and try again.”
“…”
He had the ‘Tenacity’ passive.
When activated, it provided a hidden bonus of additional experience points.
So he should be pushing himself relentlessly for faster growth.
He was truly a frustratingly slow learner.
At my encouragement, he let out a chuckle.
“Sorry, but even Trial 1 is no easy feat for us less gifted individuals. You’ll probably face some setbacks as well.”
Then, as if he were my senior, he added grandly,
“I’ve definitely hit a wall. But I won’t give up. I’ve made up my mind… I’ll clear it this week, no matter what. It’s a promise I made to Melissa…”
I half-listened to Edwin’s words, my mind replaying the events of the novel.
He probably cleared it around this time.
Just as Edwin felt defeated by the Evolution Chamber and was about to give up,
Melissa, the top student, would appear, provoking him with words like ‘Nothing comes easy’ and ‘I misjudged you’, urging him not to give up.
That’s when he would solidify his resolve.
Edwin’s current rank was C; clearing the Trial would make him the first to do so in his rank.
This would be an exceptional feat in Clarice, and it was the catalyst for him to be noticed and entangled with the main characters.
Edwin said to me in a calm tone,
“So, you shouldn’t give up either.”
“Yeah, good luck with that.”
“Don’t look at me with that pitying gaze. I’ll clear it… before you.”
“Sure, sure. I really hope so.”
I patted the shoulder of this textbook shonen manga protagonist and headed for the entrance to Trial 2.
“Uh… Lev Deneb? Only those who have cleared Trial 1 can enter there…”
“I know,” I replied, leaving Edwin’s muttering behind me.
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-……
Cynatis’s eyes locked onto the boy with ash-grey hair and black eyes.
Lev Denec.
He had arrived.
The very subject that had annoyed her, yet whom Ariel, the King of Wind Spirits, had personally ordered her to observe.
Just moments ago, she had received a call from Professor Diena.
-Honorary Professor Cynatis, a student named Lev Denec will soon attempt Trial 2.
-By the way, how did that student even clear Trial 1?
Cynatis had struggled to evade Professor Diena’s probing questions.
-This time, will be, different, different.
But Trial 2 was unlike Trial 1.
This time, it was about endurance, surviving until the time limit.
Any attempt to cheat with the time limit had been blocked beforehand.
-A strong heart, sustains, myself!
Suddenly, one of Krun’s famous quotes, number 324, popped into her mind.
She clenched her tiny fist.
This time, she wouldn’t lose!
Lev stood before her.
-Welcome.
Cynatis, hiding her inner turmoil, spoke in a calm tone,
“It’s been a while.”
-Yes.
Was he always like this?
Or had he changed, now that the curse was lifted, as Ariel had mentioned?
He wasn’t as repulsive as she had thought.
He was just a young man with sharp features.
But Cynatis found him unsettling.
Most freshmen would be shocked to learn she was a monster, but this boy didn’t seem fazed.
“I’d like to enter Trial 2.”
He spoke with unwavering confidence.
No freshman from this year had even attempted Trial 2 yet. What was he thinking?
-‘Clear, these, thoughts.’
Cynatis brushed aside her doubts and replied impassively,
-2-A, your, spot, is, there. The, middle, room.
He was a ranger, after all.
So, Room A, which tested physical strength and agility, was the appropriate choice.
“Yes.”
Lev strode confidently into the chamber.
-‘No, hesitation?’
His lack of hesitation made Cynatis uneasy.
She couldn’t predict how he planned to clear it this time.
But she had set up the trial meticulously.
He had to endure 20 minutes in that room; it wouldn’t be easy.
A few seconds passed…
-Professor.
-!!
His voice echoed from within the chamber.
And what he said next was…
-I forfeit.
-Huh…?
He had forfeited in under 10 seconds, maybe even 5.
And forfeiting meant he couldn’t attempt the same trial for a week.
The same rule applied even if he had cleared it.
Lev Denec had set the deadline for his wager with Professor Diena before the Dungeon Exploration Practice.
This meant the bet was practically over.
‘I… won…? Huh?’
Cynatis, who had somehow been handed a victory, was left dumbfounded.
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Unlike Trial 1, which simply assessed peak strength or magic power,
Trial 2 evaluated four attributes, divided into two separate rooms.
The first room tested stamina and agility,
while the second room tested mana and mental strength.
Physical students who relied on stamina faced the 2-A chamber,
while magic students who utilized mana faced the 2-B chamber.
As I entered the 2-A chamber, thankfully, nothing had changed from the novel.
Countless holes, evenly spaced, lined the walls…
Trial 2 tested concentration and perseverance.
In 2-A, all I had to do was dodge the barrage of arrows that rained down from those holes.
Similarly, 2-B involved enduring a magic fog using mental strength.
But with my current agility and stamina, it was clearly impossible.
I needed at least 4 in both stats to have a chance.
And there was no way I could achieve that in a week, even with constant training.
‘There’s only one option.’
But I had entered knowing I wouldn’t be able to clear it.
Since no status window regarding changes to the setting had appeared, it meant it was possible.
So I readily gave up.
“I forfeit.”
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“The foundation of mana sensitivity lies in the six-stage process of detecting mana within an object.”
Aria Bluebell listened attentively to Professor Harfan’s [Basic Mana Sensitivity Theory] lecture.
“First, it’s crucial to organize your surroundings and calm your mind. Then, you determine the area within your mana’s reach, focusing on where you’ll attempt to sense.”
This class was notoriously difficult, with mostly A and S-rank students enrolling.
“Next, you infuse mana to investigate the information within the object and re-examine the corresponding inscription. Through this process, the caster gains new knowledge…”
For Aria, who diligently reviewed and previewed her studies, it was a manageable lecture,
but she couldn’t help but let her thoughts drift.
‘The upcoming Dungeon Exploration Practice…’
She needed to be on the same team as Lev Denec.
Aria had a hunch.
It was about Yeriel, the head resident of Seraphi Black Dormitory.
Considering her relationship with Lev,
it seemed likely that Yeriel, as an Elder, would invite Lev to her party.
This meant that if Aria requested it, she could be on the same team with him again.
‘Monsters are different…’
Aria had heard that he was incredibly fast during the duel but lacked power.
Just enough to briefly knock out his opponent.
However, when he had defeated the Patchwork, the sheer force of his crossbow was undeniable.
And when he had returned from Ebenbahu after dealing with an unknown demon,
there had been no trace of a struggle.
In other words,
‘He must have taken it down in one shot again.’
Lev Denec was strong.
Perhaps even stronger than she imagined.
But he was hiding his power within the academy.
Why? Was it related to the demons?
‘That’s why this time…’
She had to observe closely.
Just how much power was he concealing? And did the black magic manifest when he unleashed his full strength?
“That’s all for today’s lecture. Mana sensitivity requires a high level of concentration, so practice meditation regularly.”
As the lecture ended,
Aria was about to head to her next class when
Selena, the platinum-blonde elf, appeared before her.
“Aria Bluebell, I need to speak with you.”
.
.
.
-One quick-acting potion, please!
The two sat facing each other in a small lounge area within the potion shop, frequented by students suffering from chronic mana deficiency.
Two of the most beautiful girls in Clarice Academy.
The only difference was that Selena was about a head taller than Aria.
-…
They were both A-rank students, but aside from Lev Denec, they had nothing in common.
During the duel with Gailon,
Aria had treated Lev and Selena’s fatigue before swiftly excusing herself,
while Selena had simply been teaching archery to Lev.
They only acknowledged each other with a nod.
Selena was the first to break the silence.
“Are you close with Lev Denec?”
It was a difficult question for Aria to answer.
But if she had to choose between yes or no, the answer would be,
“It’s hard to say we’re close.”
As if expecting that answer, Selena got straight to the point.
“Good. I’ll be blunt. Stay away from Lev Denec.”
“…May I ask why?”
“He’s dangerous.”
“That’s true.”
“… ”
Selena was taken aback by Aria’s quick agreement.
But she couldn’t back down now. She had to say what needed to be said.
She continued,
“I’d like to ask for your cooperation.”
“Go ahead.”
“For the upcoming Dungeon Exploration Practice, I plan to be on the same team as Lev Denec. So…”
“With all due respect, Selena, I plan to be on his team as well.”
Seeing Aria standing her ground, Selena sighed softly.
“Aria Bluebell, there’s something important I need to confirm…”
“It’s the same for me. I apologize.”
“… ”
For some reason, a subtle war of nerves ensued,
where neither party’s opinion was taken into consideration…
-Hey! I came to buy a potion…
-Oh, sorry…
A male student who had been about to enter the lounge quickly shut the door and retreated.
Selena, amused by the situation, asked,
“Don’t tell me… you have… ”
“…?”
“Romantic feelings for Lev Denec?”
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*face palm*
Yes, but das not the point here
That’s one way for heroine to fight over you lmao