Chapter 18

Episode 18. Mental Training (3)

The gazes of the surrounding candidates focused on me.

Perhaps it was because of the events that had occurred over the past few weeks.

The eyes fixed on me were no longer filled with the mockery and disdain I had always experienced in my past life, but rather with anticipation.

‘This still feels unfamiliar.’

It was like wearing new shoes that hadn’t been broken in yet.

Having lived a life where I had never received any expectations, it was only natural.

‘I’ll get used to it eventually, I guess.’

Honestly, it didn’t feel too bad.

“Would you like to give it a try?”


“No, I’ll do it.”

I slowly stood up and walked toward Professor Morpheus.

Then.

“Uh… Dale.”

Iris gently grabbed the hem of my clothes as I was about to step forward.

Iris glanced around, then leaned in close and whispered in a small voice.

“If it gets too much, just wave your right arm.”


“Right arm?”


“Yes. Just give it a light wave. Got it?”


“Hmm… okay.”

I didn’t know what Iris was planning.

But she probably wouldn’t need to step in.

‘Illusions.’

How many seconds had I lasted in my past life?

It was so long ago that I couldn’t remember.

‘Well, it doesn’t matter.’

No matter what illusion they showed me, the result wouldn’t change.

“Just sit comfortably in the chair and close your eyes.”

It felt like some kind of hypnosis therapy.

I sat in the chair, thinking such trivial thoughts.

I closed my eyes and relaxed my entire body.

“Are you ready?”


“Yes.”


“Then, let’s begin.”

Professor Morpheus’s hand covered my eyes.

And then.

‘This is….’

A crimson land.

Sticky humidity and the pungent smell of blood stinging my nose.

A place where dismembered corpses were piled high enough to form small hills.

The classroom I had been sitting in just moments ago was gone, replaced by a gruesome land covered in blood and corpses.

‘Is this Professor Morpheus’s Illusion Magic?’

Indeed.

Even though I knew it was an illusion, the scene was so vivid that it felt completely real.

Severed limbs, spilled entrails, maggots feasting on flesh, and exposed brains.

This level of horror would make even active heroes frown and turn away.

‘This can’t be the end.’

If it were just about showing a gruesome illusion, there would be no reason for Albert, who had experienced it earlier, to scream things like “Get away!” or “Save me!”

-Squelch.

Then, a squelching sound reached my ears.

‘There’s more, huh.’

I turned my head toward the sound.

What I saw there was.

“What the hell is that?”

Squirming, slimy green tentacles.

A monster with tentacles sprouting all over its body, freely moving them, glared at me with eight blinking eyes.

-Squelch, squelch.

The writhing tentacles oozed pus-like mucus, emitting a horrific stench.

‘Now I understand why Albert freaked out.’

Even I, who had faced countless monsters in my past life, felt a sudden urge to vomit at the sight of this grotesque creature.

“Kyaaaaaaah!!”

The monster let out a scream as horrifying as its appearance and charged at me.

The tentacles sprouting all over its body flailed like hair, splattering yellow pus that soaked the ground.

Even though I knew it was an illusion, I felt an overwhelming urge to scream and run away.

“Huu.”

I took a deep breath and calmed my mind.

‘It’s just an illusion, after all.’

Suddenly.

The illusions of my comrades I had seen while wandering alone in a snowy field came to mind.

Illusions I had created myself out of sheer loneliness.

‘No matter how terrifying that tentacle monster looks.’

Could it be as horrifying as the illusions of my dead comrades?

‘This is nothing.’

Compared to the life I’ve lived.

Compared to the deaths I’ve witnessed.

A disgusting tentacle monster like this is nothing.

-Sssss!

As I stared straight at the charging tentacle monster, a burning pain suddenly flared in my left chest.

“Ugh.”

Frowning, I looked down and saw the ‘Primordial Flame’ burning around the Holy Mark.

‘What’s this all of a sudden?’

The Blessing of Resurrection hadn’t activated, so why was the Primordial Flame reacting out of nowhere?

Before I could even begin to solve the question in my mind.

“Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!”

The monster, which had been charging at me with a horrific scream, began to blur.

As if being swallowed by a massive flame.

The monster covered in disgusting tentacles, and the piles of corpses forming small hills, all turned into gray ash and scattered.

‘The Primordial Flame has this kind of function too?’

I swallowed a bitter laugh as I watched the illusion burn away, and the surrounding scenery, once filled with blood and corpses, returned to the classroom.

“Wow… this is amazing.”

Then came Professor Morpheus’s voice.

“I never thought you’d break my Illusion Magic on your own.”

Professor Morpheus looked at me with wide eyes, as if he couldn’t believe it.

“Haha. I’ve been a professor for quite some time, but… this is a first.”

He had often seen candidates endure the illusion for a minute.

Some, though not many, had too much magic power or inherent resistance, making the illusion ineffective.

But.

A candidate who had clearly been caught in the illusion yet managed to break it… no, burn it away… Dale was the first.

“How did you do it?”

How did I do it, huh?

‘I’m more curious about that myself.’

I swallowed a bitter laugh and shrugged.

“Who knows?”


“Hmm.”


“Anyway, I passed the test, right?”

As I got up from the chair and asked, Professor Morpheus smiled and nodded.

“Of course. This isn’t just a pass; it’s worthy of bonus points.”


“Bonus points would be nice.”


“Haha. I’d like to give them, but bonus points are ultimately up to the professor in charge….”

Professor Morpheus trailed off and glanced at Professor Lucas.

Professor Lucas looked at me with a proud expression but firmly shook his head.

“No matter how well you did, I can’t give bonus points that weren’t announced beforehand.”


“Tch.”

What a stingy guy.

“What, you have a problem with that?”


“How could I possibly have a problem with the esteemed Professor Lucas’s decision?”


“Cut the crap. Anyway, those who passed the test can finish the morning classes and leave early today, so give it your best shot.”

At the mention of finishing morning classes early and being dismissed, the classroom buzzed with excitement.

Shortened classes.

Was there any other phrase that could excite candidates more than those four words?

“I’ll give it a try!”


“Me too!”


“I can do it!”

The candidates rushed forward, one after another.

Seeing how easily Dale had passed the test, they all looked much more relaxed and whispered among themselves.

“Haha. Now that I think about it, Albert must’ve been overreacting, right?”


“Exactly.”


“T-this is weird… how can he look so unfazed after seeing that?”


“Anyway, you’ve got to give Albert credit for his dramatics.”


“No way… that can’t be.”

The candidates chuckled as they looked at Albert, who was sulking as if wronged.

“Now, please sit comfortably in the chair and close your eyes.”


“Eep!”

The next candidate sat in the chair with a confident expression.

And then.

“Ahhhhhhh!”

Starting with a candidate screaming in terror.

“Kyaaaaaah!”


“Eek!”


“S-save meeeeee!”


“T-the tentacles… the tentaclesaaaa!”

The classroom quickly filled with horrific screams.

“Haha. It’s good to see everyone so lively. Youth is truly wonderful~.”

Professor Morpheus smiled brightly as he continued casting illusions, and the ‘Mental Training’ class went on.

* * *

After the morning classes ended.

“Only two candidates passed the test: Dale and Iris. Candidate Camila was almost there, but it’s a shame.”

Professor Lucas clicked his tongue as he looked at the candidates sprawled out, completely exhausted.

“All that confidence, and only two passed… hehe. Do you know what happens to those who fail the test?”

Professor Lucas shook a barrel filled with a special juice, a wicked smile on his face.

The candidates paled as they saw the bubbling green liquid.

“Ugh….”

Camila clenched her fists, her shoulders trembling.

“Just five more seconds… if I had held on for just five more seconds!”

She had shown superhuman endurance, almost passing the test.

But at the last moment, the tentacles suddenly writhed and tried to penetrate a place they shouldn’t, causing her to scream and fail.

“You were holding on so well, why did you scream at the end?”


“Because that tentacle suddenly went for my butt…!”


“Your butt?”


“Y-you know… ugh!”

Camila’s face turned red as she glared at me fiercely.

“Y-you pervert! How dare you make a proper lady say such horrible things!”


“What did I do?”

What did I even do?

“Hmph! Shut up!”

Camila crossed her arms and turned her head sharply, clearly done with the conversation.

I shrugged, picked up my bag, and stood up.

As I was about to leave the classroom, ignoring the envious gazes of the candidates.

“Dale~ you didn’t forget our lunch plans, right?”


“Of course not.”

I nodded with a bright smile as Iris approached.

Iris had also passed the test, so we could keep our weekly Monday lunch date.

“I’m glad you passed the test.”


“This was a piece of cake.”


“I was going to secretly cast my ‘Blessing’ on you if it looked like you wouldn’t make it.”


“Ah, so that’s why you told me to wave my right arm if it got too much?”


“Yes.”

Iris nodded with a bright smile.

Her Blessing also had the power to increase resistance to mental magic, so it would’ve definitely helped.

“But why didn’t you cast it on Camila?”


“Hey, even though Camila is my precious friend, tests should be taken fairly.”


“Uh… right.”

It wasn’t wrong, but.

Then why were you going to secretly cast it on me?

‘Wait.’

Then.

A question flashed through my mind.

‘Camila said the illusion suddenly intensified right before she was about to pass.’

Though Iris had never shown it to me.

Her Blessing could also reverse its effects.

Meaning.

Instead of increasing resistance to mental magic, it could also decrease it.

‘No way.’

There’s no reason Iris would curse Camila to make her fail on purpose.

“Since Camila isn’t here, it looks like it’s just the two of us for lunch today.”


“Ah… yeah, I guess.”


“I already called ahead, so the food should be ready. Let’s hurry before it gets cold.”

Iris walked ahead.

“La la la~♬”

For some reason.

Iris’s expression as she walked toward the cafeteria looked more excited than I’d ever seen before.