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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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Whoosh!
The arrow, propelled by the Power of the Wind, pierced through the flying Chaos Beast.
The creature plummeted, its form dissolving into particles.
The Chaos Beasts featured in the archery exam differed from those encountered in the swordsmanship exam.
Swordsmanship focused on melee combat, while archery emphasized ranged attacks and aerial targets.
Their roles on the battlefield were distinct.
“He should at least be able to handle a flying Chaos Beast like that,” Lyudmila muttered, observing the candidate on the screen.
However, she wasn’t an archery instructor.
She had been appointed as a temporary instructor while searching for a successor. The official archery instructor was someone else.
“There are plenty of kids who can’t even hit a stationary target,” Kyle, the archery instructor, murmured, scribbling something on the candidate’s evaluation form.
“He’s a potential candidate. That was a decent shot.”
“Wait, Kyle, you’re judging him based on a single shot?”
“I’m the one who decides who passes.”
“But I’m going to be teaching archery as well…”
Kyle pointed at Lyudmila’s form, which remained blank.
“We’re already halfway through the candidates, and you haven’t written down a single name.”
“None of them have caught my interest.”
“Lyudmila, you’re too picky.”
He sighed.
“Your relic isn’t even that difficult to activate. You’re lucky. Just pick someone decent, pass down your legacy, and enjoy your retirement. Find a husband, have some kids…”
He couldn’t understand her.
There had been plenty of promising candidates last year.
It had been inevitable. The rumors of Lyudmila’s impending retirement had spread, attracting talented archers from across the land.
But she had deemed them all unworthy, letting them graduate without a successor.
“Are you even planning on getting married? When are you going to find a husband?”
“Aaargh!”
Lyudmila slammed her fist on the table, her face red with frustration.
“I’ll find a husband when I damn well please! It’s none of your business!”
Her response only made him more worried.
Kyle sighed again, forcing himself to focus on the next candidate.
‘Here we go again.’
The eighth Chaos Beast.
This one was different from the previous ones.
It had thick, leathery hide, resistant to most arrows.
And as expected, the candidate was struggling.
It was an opponent that most archers couldn’t defeat without help.
They needed the assistance of a Stigma or a relic.
Unfair?
Well, they couldn’t deny candidates the opportunity to showcase their Stigmas or relics, could they?
And if a candidate had reached this point, having defeated the first seven Chaos Beasts… it meant they were already within the passing range.
The eighth Chaos Beast was essentially a bonus round.
‘It’s nice if they can defeat it, but it doesn’t really matter if they can’t.’
The candidate, despite having a Stigma, couldn’t defeat it. His Stigma seemed to be more suited for rapid-fire attacks.
He signaled his surrender, and his figure vanished from the simulation.
“Haa…”
Just as Lyudmila was about to relax, the next candidate appeared.
“There are way too many candidates this year.”
“It’s your fault they’re all here, you know.”
Kyle shook his head and checked the candidate’s profile.
‘From Sak. Name’s Seoyoon, huh.’
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‘This is…’
I stepped into the lake, the familiar sensation of being pulled downwards, the world dissolving around me…
And then, I found myself in a strange, unfamiliar environment.
Or rather… an unfamiliar yet familiar environment.
‘The Chaos Realm?’
Crimson particles swirled in the air, and the remnants of a long-lost civilization were scattered across the desolate landscape.
It was a remarkably accurate simulation of the Chaos Realm.
‘They haven’t included the Chaos itself, though.’
That made sense. Not all hero candidates had Stigmas or relics.
But even this simulated environment would be more than enough to unnerve most of them.
“So… I’m supposed to defeat that?”
I spotted a small Chaos Beast nearby.
The exam was straightforward.
There was nothing else in sight, no other objectives.
I nocked an arrow.
Drew back the bowstring.
And released.
The arrow flew, piercing through the Chaos Beast with ease.
I didn’t need the Power of the Wind or my inherited trait yet.
The Chaos Beast wasn’t particularly fast, nor did it have thick hide.
But I knew the upcoming challenges wouldn’t be so easy.
The Chaos Beast dissolved into particles, and a new one appeared.
I was ready, my next arrow already nocked.
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The seventh Chaos Beast.
It was a Squitch, a creature known for its erratic movements and incredible speed, flitting through the air like a shadow.
It was almost impossible to defeat with a sword, making it a prime target for archers and mages.
‘I could probably take it down with Libero’s swordsmanship…’
But that would defeat the purpose of taking the archery exam.
I had to use my archery skills.
Of course, my archery, despite months of training, was still rudimentary.
Without enhancements, I could barely hit a stationary target at a distance.
Thankfully, the Order had provided me with a bow relic that increased accuracy. Combined with the Power of the Wind, I could hit most slow-moving targets with relative ease.
‘But a fast-moving target like this…’
Well, it wasn’t just me who was struggling.
There weren’t many individuals who could land a shot on something that moved that fast.
They were either incredibly lucky or they had prior experience dealing with Squitches.
I fell into the latter category.
I didn’t have any clear memories of fighting a Squitch.
But apparently, I had encountered them numerous times during those 100 playthroughs in the Second Trial.
The faint, fragmented memories helped me predict its movements, its erratic flight path.
‘It’s not easy, but I can hit it.’
After a few misses, I finally landed a shot.
I did some quick calculations based on my player knowledge.
‘You need at least [Archery (B-)] to take down a Squitch…’
[Archery (B-)] was more than enough to get into the Hero Academy.
But considering the increased competition this year, thanks to Lyudmila’s presence, I needed to show them something more.
I didn’t want to stand out too much, but I did want to secure my spot.
‘The next one is crucial.’
The eighth Chaos Beast appeared.
Unlike its predecessors, it was large, with thick, leathery hide.
It seemed deliberately designed to be difficult for archers to penetrate.
‘Can I even defeat this?’
Defeating the seventh Chaos Beast meant I was already within the passing range.
But defeating this one… it would basically guarantee my acceptance.
I nocked an arrow.
My current arrows probably wouldn’t be able to pierce its hide.
Should I aim for the same spot repeatedly? I wasn’t that skilled.
I was a novice, relying on the Power of the Wind and a relic to compensate for my lack of talent.
But I had one more trick up my sleeve.
My third inherited trait.
I activated it, focusing its power on the arrow.
『Trait [Overload (Minor)] has been activated.』
A black aura enveloped the arrow.
› Overload (Minor)
Temporarily enhances a weapon’s performance. Significantly reduces the weapon’s durability as a trade-off.
It was a trait that enhanced a weapon’s capabilities.
The difference between [Overload (Minor)] and its original, more powerful counterpart, [Overload (Major)], was simply efficiency.
If a weapon enhanced with [Overload (Major)] could withstand three uses, a weapon enhanced with [Overload (Minor)] would likely break after a single use.
‘But I know how to overcome that penalty.’
And the solution… was the weapon I was currently using.
Not the bow, but the arrows.
Consumable weapons like arrows, designed to be used once and discarded, were essentially immune to [Overload]’s penalty.
“This should do it.”
The arrow, imbued with the black aura of Overload, flew through the air, its trajectory true.
It was an arrow infused with a level of divine power comparable to a 1-star relic, its power now amplified by the Overload trait.
It pierced the Chaos Beast’s thick hide.
But one arrow wasn’t enough.
I fired another arrow, and another, and another.
There was no point in conserving arrows. They were consumables.
After a dozen arrows, the Chaos Beast finally collapsed.
As it dissolved into particles, I nocked another arrow, ready for the next challenge.
I was pretty sure I had already passed.
But I was also curious to see what the next Chaos Beast would be like.
I might even take a shot at it, depending on the situation.
And then… the next Chaos Beast materialized.
“Holy shit…”
That was the only thing I could think of as I stared at the monstrous creature.
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