chapter 9
009. First test (1)
On the day of the entrance test, Berris headed straight for the dungeon thanks to the academy’s faster-than-expected work.
As expected, the inside of the dungeon, which I experienced for the first time, was a place where it was difficult to secure a view to the extent that it could be called a dungeon.
“It’s kind of creepy.”
“It is difficult to secure visibility, so let’s move forward calmly.”
How long did he walk through the dungeon with the nervous freshmen?
In the midst of that tension, Veris was watching the situation from the back of her group.
In the entrance test that finally started, the group Berris was assigned was made up of ten people. Arwen was assigned to another group and has already entered the dungeon, so if you’re lucky, you might meet her inside the dungeon. However, it was a dark blond man who broke the peace.
“Aren’t you a prosecutor by the way? Why are you only in the back?”
Amidst the new students advancing while dealing with goblins and other miscellaneous mobs that appear from time to time in the dark, disgruntled voices flew to Veris.
Well, it’s a group of 10 people. Among the randomly selected freshmen who do not have the concept of front or back rank, Berris with a sword is following Joe at the rear, so it is only natural that there will be complaints.
“That’s right.”
“Then why are you only chasing after Joe?”
“Because rear safety is important in a dark space like this?”
“If you can’t speak. Like a coward.”
Berris had no choice but to blink at the cold answer despite Veris’ explanation.
It’s like these stupid guys. The number of monsters Berris had killed from behind now amounted to dozens.
You are the one who protects the new chicks who innocently run forward, but you say what you are talking about.
“I can feel a powerful flow of mana in front of me.”
While moving without a break, a freshman raises her finger and points in front of her with a trembling face.
It is a strange shape with a large door blocking a space. It’s strange that there is such a structure inside a dungeon, but the new students don’t seem to know what it means.
“Let’s go in.”
“Wouldn’t that be dangerous?”
“What are you talking about, can there be anything dangerous in the underground dungeon of the academy?”
Fishik.
At the words of a dignified freshman, Veris let out a small laugh.
The man who introduced himself as “Golden Tanning” Was the one who wore a gauntlet around her arm, probably using a fist.
He was the one who bruised Berris a little while ago, but listening to what he was saying, isn’t he the perfect fit for the word ignorant to be brave?
“Are you laughing?”
The only problem was that he heard Veris laughing.
“Go out and see you.”
The guy who stared at Veris with cold eyes, as if he thought he had laughed at himself. But Veris just shrugged, and soon the freshmen started exchanging opinions.
“Is there any need to take risks? Our main goal is to meet only the waiting instructor in the dungeon and get a confirmation stamp.”
“But everyone knows the contents of the test, right? Picking up valuable items from within the dungeon is one of the evaluation items.”
“Yes, but… ….”
“If you’re scared, wait in front of this door. I’ll go inside.”
After saying that, everyone shut up. Several hours had already passed since they entered the dungeon. Even so, I couldn’t find even a trace of a person, so I couldn’t help but feel impatient.
‘Immature guys.’
Thought so, Veris turned her head slightly and looked at the rear of the party.
It is pitch dark. It was no coincidence that dozens of monsters had already flocked after them in that darkness.
In the black darkness, Veris looked at one spot.
It’s a sign of popularity that I can feel from a while ago. However, it seems that there is no guy who can see through that stealth technique here, so he innocently just looks forward and moves.
‘It doesn’t make sense for the instructor to wait inside the dungeon in the first place.’
If you think about it a little, isn’t it a question that will give you an answer? In this labyrinth-like dungeon that is huge enough to wrap around the entire basement of the city, meet the instructor and get a stamp of confirmation?
It would be more realistic to pick the dungeon boss and take it.
“Are you sure you want to go in the door?”
Fortunately, it seems that there are not only ignorant people in the party, a woman spat out her worries.
She seems to be from the Holy Land, but she is a woman wearing priestly clothes. However, it wasn’t the priestly uniform that Veris remembered, but rather simple outfits. Is her class different from the Cecilia I saw in the past?
“It’s pitiful. Are you afraid?”
“It’s not that kind of problem… ….”
“The instructor could be in here. Am I wrong?”
Golden Tanning persuades the party to see if he wants to enter the gate with everyone in the end. However, the funny thing is that all the freshman members gradually expressed their willingness to agree with his opinion.
“I don’t think it’s an impossible adventure.”
“Same meaning.”
“As I said earlier, there are an overwhelming majority of people in favor. Those who are afraid will be waiting at the door, but I think it is more dangerous.”
“That… ….”
“At this point, I think you understand what I mean. This is not a choice.”
Isn’t it the tongue that you trained, not the martial arts? He’s such a good talker. It would be nice to have at least half of that tongue.
After a short amount of time passed, the entire crew finally came to a tentative agreement to enter the door. Of course, it was not a result of a normal agreement, but half-threatening, but Veris didn’t pay much attention to it.
‘Because this world is a place where power moves in the first place.’
It’s a very simple world when you look at it like this.
* * *
“I’m going crazy.”
The man holding a notebook for the record murmured devastatedly.
He is the so-called ‘instructor’ who was put in to evaluate the new students entering the academy.
The members in charge this time were not particularly distinctive. Six melee combatants, one priest, and three wizards to serve as the vanguard.
The only thing that surprised him was the existence of a freshman. The one who dared to cumbersomely put on a black robe saw right through himself hiding in the dark.
He was selected as an instructor for the entrance exam thanks to his excellent skills in stealth. It’s not at the level of being discovered by freshmen, so why is it…….
What’s even more spectacle is that even when he drives a monster to attack Joe’s back, he easily takes care of them.
In other words, skills outside the standard. It was not difficult to understand thanks to the surname ‘Wittelsbach’ written in the middle of the evaluation items, but it was undeniable that it was a terrible ability for a freshman.
“How on earth did you have the courage to open the door?”
In the meantime, the problem occurred a little while ago.
Thanks to countless repeated explorations of the academy’s underground dungeon, he is an instructor who has grasped the geography, albeit roughly. However, the existence of the ‘door’ that just appeared out of nowhere is something that even he is facing for the first time.
If they had good common sense, they wouldn’t open the door created in the dungeon, but the freshmen entered it fearlessly.
It was close to an accident that happened suddenly. For safety’s sake, it was right that the test should be stopped. But could such an authority be reserved for the lowest-ranking instructor?
In the end, the man moved. Because if the freshmen got hurt, his responsibility was heavy. In the first place, the content of the test itself, about finding an instructor in a dungeon and getting a confirmation stamp, was a lie……. He just blamed himself for having to show up at the right time.
* * *
“Sir Baal!”
I realized the golden tanning right after the test started, the moment I entered the dungeon.
He said he was the one to lead them. That is why the group was full of unreliable guys.
Once you see the melee combatants, excluding the priests and wizards, you can’t help but sigh. Perhaps the most bizarre of them is a psychopath wearing a robe despite being a prosecutor.
That’s why golden tanning led them through this door for exam results. Without even properly grasping what awaited them inside.
“Die!”
─ Kwajik!
“Heo Eok, Heo Eok… ….”
What they encountered inside the gate was not an ordinary monster like a goblin or kobold.
The first thing that greeted them was a half-man, half-beast type monster called the Minotaur.
A skilled knight can handle it alone, and is highly regarded. After a difficult battle, they defeated him with a pincer attack and went deeper and deeper.
And that’s where the problem arose.
Because there were not one Minotaur, but a swarm there, which we had dealt with through a pincer attack.
The battle that ensued did not go very well. If it was one, it was capable of handling it, but if it attacked in a group, the story would be different again.
── mmm!!
The monster’s roar, like a cow’s cry, echoes through the huge cavity. A phenomenon in which the will to fight diminishes just by hearing the sound.
The ‘peer’ manifested by monsters of intermediate level or higher passed through the group of freshmen.
“Uh, what should I do?”
They just took care of the two minotaurs approaching from the front. But the problem is that two members of the crew were injured and lost their minds in the process.
To put it simply, it was as if they had already lost the ability to continue the battle. One of the priests belonging to the group was diligently casting recovery magic, but there was no guarantee that there would be no aftereffects.
Gulp.
And Golden Taning understood the current situation more accurately than anyone else. And he also knows what action he is supposed to do.
“Even, run away…… Sun.”
“Stop there!”
“Crazy! Escaping during an exam?”
In the end, I decided on golden tanning.
Run away.
I can’t make this place my own tomb, isn’t it?
It is better to live even if you roll in the dog poop, and in the end, they decided to abandon the crew for survival.
─ mmm!
Thump!
“Kwaaah!”
When the person who was blocking the cows on the front line escaped, the situation began to change rapidly.
Thanks to the accumulated battle fatigue, it is a front line that has been consistently pushed back. In addition, since one vanguard had disappeared, it was only natural that there would be members of the group who would allow the monster to attack.
“Retreat, we must retreat. You can’t die like this!”
“Where are you taking those cows! Can I pass through the door through which I came in?”
They are already besieged by numerous monsters. In a group of 10 people, how could they break through the siege and run away when two fell and one escaped?
The evil freshmen wield weapons like mad and fire magic. However, the opponent is a monster with high defense and magic resistance. Even their attacks did not easily fall.
“Whoops, you idiots.”
In the end, when the situation changed so rapidly, Veris, who was roughly letting go of their attacks, had no choice but to move.
─ Hmmm?
Soon, the monsters had no choice but to look at the cause with stupid eyes at the wave of mana that wrapped around them.
Vast magical power that is beyond words to describe. The starting point is a human wearing a hood.
“What are you trying to do?”
“How do you do it? We have to overcome this difficulty.”
“No time for jokes! What are you going to do by yourself, who was only behind because you were afraid?”
─ Saaah.
“With overwhelming power.”
In this darkness, let there be light.
──── Flashing!