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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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The next day.
The long-awaited entrance ceremony day had arrived.
On the way to the academy…
“Ahem, ahem.”
Constantly clearing my throat, I adjusted the fit of the student uniform I was wearing.
Why am I suddenly wearing a student uniform, you ask?
When I went outside to check out of the studio in the morning, the student uniform had been delivered.
After checking the missed messages on my smartwatch, I saw that the delivery time was last evening.
I had fallen asleep early due to fatigue, so I ended up receiving it right before checking out of the studio.
Still, thanks to the Transfer skill, I was able to quickly change out of and into clothes.
“…It feels awkward.”
Even though I put it on flawlessly with a clean transfer, I kept touching the clothes because it felt awkward to be wearing a student uniform.
My current appearance may look like a young man who just turned twenty, but before I was possessed, I was a thirty-year-old ahjussi.
So it felt very strange to be wearing a student uniform and going to school again.
As I was feeling that awkwardness and almost reached the academy…
Murmur murmur.
Students who seemed to be new students like me were whispering.
But… When I listened carefully to their whispers…
I could tell that the topic of their conversation was me.
‘No wonder…’
They kept glancing at me.
“Hey, hey. That guy is the one…”
“…You’re right. That’s the guy who ranked 1st in the third exam.”
“I heard he blew away Lee Seo-yeon and Arthur with a single gesture?”
“…With a single gesture? Lee Seo-yeon and Arthur?”
“…What an incredible guy.”
Something, something is strange.
There’s something strange in their conversations.
‘…I blew away Lee Seo-yeon and Arthur with a single gesture?’
What kind of nonsense is that?
The reason Lee Seo-yeon and Arthur were knocked back was because of the Sonic Pouch that creates a shockwave…
Didn’t they see me throw that?
‘Maybe they didn’t see it?’
As soon as I threw the pouches, Lee Seo-yeon and Arthur immediately changed the direction of their swords that were aimed at each other and sliced the pouches.
‘…The pouches exploded right away and disappeared, so they only saw me extending my hand?’
Thinking that way… It was quite understandable to misunderstand.
Realizing that the students had a serious misunderstanding, I entered the auditorium where the entrance ceremony would soon begin.
And I learned that what I had heard from the students outside was just the beginning.
“I heard he’s the top student?”
“They say he has an S-grade skill?”
“I heard he also has an S-grade talent.”
“Wow… A complete monster.”
“That’s why he must have surpassed Lee Seo-yeon and Arthur to become the top student.”
Whispers could be heard from here and there.
Perhaps because I was listening carefully from outside the auditorium.
Even their quiet whispers were clearly heard.
That I have an S-grade skill.
That I have an S-grade talent.
Hearing those absurd rumors, I almost let out a snicker.
‘I only threw two Sonic Pouches.’
Isn’t that too far of an exaggeration?
Laughing inwardly, I calmly headed to the very front of the auditorium, pretending to be unfazed.
The order of the chairs arranged in the auditorium is based on the entrance ranking.
Since the order is based on that ranking, I had no choice but to head to the very front.
But…
‘…What is that?’
Next to the chair at the very front, there was a nameplate that said ‘Top Student’.
And next to it was a nameplate that said ‘Second Place’, and Arthur was sitting on the chair.
‘…Right. There was something like that.’
Just like now, even in the game, if you became the top student or second place, a nameplate with ‘Top Student’ or ‘Second Place’ written in a fancy font was placed next to your chair.
If you looked into why they embarrassingly set up such a nameplate…
In line with the philosophy of Arena Academy, which is based on skills and heroic spirit, it was to inform that ‘We prepared this for such people.’
Literally, ‘Do you want to receive this treatment? Then raise your ranking.’
“…”
I wanted to get rid of that nameplate right now.
But unfortunately, I couldn’t do that.
Because the words ‘Top Student’ and ‘Second Place’ written on the nameplate were written by a tremendous person.
‘No, even though that person is old enough, what is this…?’
That tremendous person was none other than the founder and chairman of the academy.
1st generation transcendent and a living legend.
…
……
Mushin Baek Yu-hwa.
But even if it’s Mushin’s work……
‘…I don’t want to sit.’
It was just embarrassing to blatantly advertise that the person sitting in this chair was the ‘Top Student’!
But I can’t keep standing, so I have no choice but to sit…
“…You’re here.”
As I sat down in resignation, Arthur, who was sitting upright, greeted me without even turning his head.
So as I turned my head to greet him…
‘…Pfft!’
I almost burst out laughing.
Arthur, was sitting in a proper posture and looking forward.
Arthur’s ears were bright red.
And judging by the blush on his cheeks…
‘You’re embarrassed too, huh?’
He was also embarrassed by the nameplate next to the chair.
“Yoo-hoo! Top Student! Second Place!”
At that moment, Asuka with pink hair resembling cherry blossoms stood up from the fourth seat and waved at me and Arthur.
Yesterday she called me 5th place and 3rd place.
As expected, today she was calling me Top Student.
With that thought, I also waved back at Asuka.
Then, I made eye contact with Lee Seo-yeon sitting in the third seat.
Nod.
Lee Seo-yeon slightly bowed her head in greeting and then turned her head forward again.
“Hehe!”
As I accepted her greeting, Asuka let out a lively laugh and sat back down, and the principal appeared in the auditorium with a flash of light.
The principal, who appeared by teleportation as always, descended from the air and stepped onto the stage.
Then, after briefly looking around at the new students, including me, he brought the wand to his neck and said,
“I sincerely welcome all of you who have been admitted to Arena Academy.”
The principal, who greeted us in a gentle voice like a grandfather, swung his wand towards the air.
Then, the auditorium, which had been bright due to the daylight, instantly darkened.
Pop, bang, boom!
In the darkness, colorful flames adorned the air like exploding fireworks.
“Wow… It’s beautiful…”
“…As expected of the Grand Wizard. To use such grand magic without even chanting…”
Exclamations of admiration erupted from here and there.
Some people marveled at the feast of flames adorning the air.
Some people marveled at the principal’s ability to easily use grand magic without chanting.
I didn’t express any admiration.
Not only because I was familiar with this scene as a veteran, but also because someone was staring intently at me.
Amidst the feast of flames…
The principal’s gaze on the stage was fixed on me.
I wasn’t sure why he was staring at me.
But since there was no reason to avoid his gaze, I also stared intently into his eyes.
“…”
“…”
How long did we look at each other without saying anything?
– You’re an interesting child.
The principal’s voice was heard in my head.
– A child whose destiny cannot be seen.
This must be a voice that only I can hear.
By the way, a child whose ‘destiny’ cannot be seen?
‘…What does that mean?’
Faced with an event-like conversation for the first time, I couldn’t help but raise a question mark above my head.
Yoo Baek, the principal of the academy.
As he became a transcendent and was given the title of ‘Grand Wizard’ by the world, he can use all kinds of magic and read the celestial bodies in the sky.
Literally, he has the authority to read people’s destinies.
But my destiny cannot be seen?
It was something I had never heard of despite playing for 30,000 hours and achieving 99% of the achievements.
However, this was not a good place to satisfy that curiosity.
‘I must ask the principal when I meet him face-to-face later.’
While I was thinking that, the principal’s eyes sparkled as if they were shining.
– Those whose destiny cannot be seen are largely divided into two types.
Oh, is he going to tell me now?
– But since this is not a good place, I will tell you later.
…Ah.
No, Principal. Are you really doing this?
My mood suddenly turned sour.
Perhaps seeing my expression…
The principal’s eyes curved in a crescent shape as if he found it amusing.
– Hahaha. Don’t be angry. I think you will meet me face-to-face soon.
At those words, I suppressed the frustration rising in my chest.
With that, my eye contact with the principal ended.
The darkened auditorium became bright again with sunlight.
Then, most of the students applauded in response to the principal’s performance.
Clap clap clap clap clap!
The grand applause resounded throughout the auditorium for a while.
When it seemed enough, the principal raised his hand to stop the applause.
“I am simply grateful that you all enjoyed my welcoming ceremony so much.”
Saying that, the principal’s gaze, which was scanning the students, turned towards me again.
“Now, let’s begin the entrance ceremony. First, we will have the oath of the new student representative. New student representative, please come forward.”
At those words, I got up from my seat and stepped onto the stage.
Then, the principal stepped aside from the stage, and I took his place.
Standing on the stage, countless gazes were all directed at me.
Many emotions could be felt through those gazes.
Admiration, envy, jealousy, anger, fear, and so on.
Various emotions poured over me like a deluge.
But I maintained a poker face until the end, pretending to be calm.
Even though I was secretly breaking out in a cold sweat.
Click, click.
Behind the seats where the students were sitting, at the end of the auditorium, the sound of camera shutters rang out one after another.
That sound made me even more nervous.
If I make a mistake here, the next day’s newspaper will have a headline saying ‘Arena Academy’s Top Entering Student Makes Such-and-Such Mistake’, and I will be ridiculed back and forth like hyenas tearing into their prey.
Even with such tension causing my hands to sweat profusely…
“Oath.”
The voice coming out of my mouth showed not a hint of trembling.
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“…With this, I conclude my oath.”
Fortunately, I was able to say the entire oath I had thought of in my head without forgetting or stumbling.
Only after successfully completing the oath did I feel some of the tension that had been tightening loosen.
But since it wasn’t completely over, I didn’t let my guard down.
“Top student, that was an excellent oath.”
The principal approached and extended his hand.
At his request for a handshake, I stepped off the stage and shook the principal’s hand.
Clap clap clap clap clap!
Only then did the applause erupt.
After a brief round of applause, when the sound completely died down, the principal and I released our handshake.
And I, with my legs trembling from the tension, pretended to be calm and returned to my seat from the stage.
Plop.
‘Phew…’
As soon as I sat on the chair, my tension dissipated.
Accordingly, the strength left my body.
‘I wish I could return to the dormitory quickly.’
I just want to go to the dormitory and sleep.
But there were still a few scheduled events before I could return to the dormitory.
In a typical school, when the entrance ceremony ends, the day’s schedule is over, so they would send the students home or something, but Arena Academy has none of that.
Rather, only after the entrance ceremony ends does the real schedule begin.
“With this, I conclude the entrance ceremony.”
As the principal said those words, he lightly waved his wand.
Then, a light flashed on the bodies of all the students.
When I blinked once, I had been transported to a completely new place instead of the auditorium.
Looking around, it was a lecture hall-style classroom, not as large as the auditorium but still spacious.
And 100 people, including me, were sitting in their respective seats.
100 people.
The main and supporting characters among them.
That’s right.
The principal had used teleportation to move everyone from the auditorium to their respective classrooms.
Just as I was thinking that the Grand Wizard’s magic was indeed the best in the world…
Clap clap.
Someone clapped their hands, drawing everyone’s attention.
As everyone’s gaze, including mine, turned towards the source of the applause…
“Welcome to Class 1-A.”
Short sports-like hair.
A long diagonal scar running from his forehead to his cheek.
And a giant with enormous muscles that looked like his suit would tear at any moment.
Instructor Kang Cheol-su was looking at us with a grin, showing his healthy teeth.
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Omg that’s so cliche