The Academy cafeteria is so fantastically delicious that even the First Prince praised it highly, and true to the Academy’s founding intention of nurturing excellent talents, all the menus are provided free of charge.
Since it’s both free and tasty, naturally, all the cadets use the cafeteria without exception, and it was a meeting plaza where cadets who otherwise wouldn’t meet outside of class could gather.
Having found a suitable seat, Kail picked at his food while conversing with Sera, who sat in front of him.
“So, what’s the test about?”
“The Knight Department’s tests vary each time—assassination of VIPs, kidnapping of VIPs, or guarding VIPs. It’s one of those three.”
“Isn’t that a lot?”
“Well… I’ve never actually played as a knight myself, so…”
Hearing Sera’s words, Kail tilted his head, sensing something off.
“Wait, you. Didn’t you say you’re an ancient player in this game who’s done everything?”
“…Everyone has their own specialty.”
She said this while averting her eyes. Apparently, knights were boring compared to other classes, so she’d never personally tried playing as one.
Of course, she had watched videos of others playing and browsed wikis, so she knew more than he did, who remembered nothing.
‘How do you expect me to remember a 15-year-old piece of garbage game?’
If he had such a memory, he would have learned magic instead of swordplay or monopolized all the hidden pieces scattered throughout the Diaros Empire.
Of course, since he hadn’t done that, he gave up on monopolizing affinities from the start and just swung his sword around.
“Well, there’s nothing we can do to help in this test, right?”
“They say the testing grounds are created by your Magic Department. Can’t you secretly manipulate it to help?”
“Who? Me? You don’t actually think I personally research and master magic, do you?”
“Then?”
“The way I use magic is exactly like in the game. A button appears in front of me, I press it, and magic fires off… Obviously, if I had to study and apply it separately, it would take as long as it takes other sorcerers to actually learn magic, right?”
“That means…”
“This test, we have to handle it on our own. But honestly, I don’t think an Aura Master like you will fail.”
Indeed─ among the current first-year cadets, where most are Aura Users and only one is an Expert, it didn’t make sense for a Master like himself to fail.
Sera knew that too, so she wasn’t worried about Kail.
What kind of exam problem couldn’t a Master solve? The Academy wouldn’t prepare something like that.
* * *
“Everyone, you’ve equipped your magical tools, right?”
“Yes!!”
The professor asked, and the cadets responded loudly. Seeing them, the professor nodded approvingly.
Shortly after, the enormous magical barrier created by the professors and cadets of the Magic Department enveloped them, dropping them into a special illusory world made of magic.
An ultra-large-scale magic involving even the Headmaster and professors of the Magic Department swallowed them whole. The magical tools worn by the cadets reacted with the magic, completely separating their minds and bodies.
“Oh, this is awesome.”
In short, they had entered a virtual reality created through magic.
I examined the texture of the trees around me, checking for any bugs. Gawein mentioned that if anyone found errors in the magic, the scores of the Magic Department cadets would drop significantly.
‘I should find them first and hide them.’
I had a fiancée and a childhood friend in the Magic Department. It wouldn’t be good if their scores dropped. Using the equipment issued upon entering the virtual world, I chopped at trees and dug into the ground.
Surprisingly, the realism of this world wasn’t far behind reality. Well, considering it was a grand magic cast simultaneously by dozens or hundreds of magicians, it made sense.
‘Let’s see.’
I unleashed my Aura Blade to check its durability. However, the moment the edge of the Aura Blade touched the world, it began tearing apart with a crackling sound.
“Whoa? What’s going on?”
Startled, I quickly retracted the Aura Blade, and the torn-apart parts of the world slowly restored themselves. That’s when I realized this world was entirely made of magic.
And the Aura Blade cuts through everything—magic or metal, it doesn’t matter.
‘The Aura Blade destroys this world itself.’
Which meant I couldn’t fight while using the Aura Blade. On the bright side, it also meant the enemies I faced couldn’t use Aura Blades either.
I put away my sword and started rummaging through my gear. In the pile, I found a compass, a map, and a mission briefing.
[Mission Briefing]
Sir Kail Meyer, rescue our agent kidnapped at the coordinates (E.44° W.21° S.107° N.99°).
“I guess this is what they meant when they said there wouldn’t be any written exams.”
Studying theory day in and day out doesn’t necessarily mean you can apply it in real combat.
Conversely, some people can’t grasp theory no matter how much they study, yet they use it surprisingly well in real situations.
The reason knights are trained is for practical application, so this must be about cultivating talent that can be immediately used in real combat.
“This works for me.”
Using the map and compass, I calculated the coordinates written in the mission briefing. Then, I dashed forward. Zipping past trees growing everywhere, I arrived at the destination in no time.
However, arriving at the destination didn’t mean everything was over. Frowning, I saw a massive wooden palisade surrounded by dozens or hundreds of soldiers patrolling and searching the area.
‘…They’re not giving us free points, huh.’
I belatedly realized it wasn’t just the Knight Department that had been late in equipping magical tools. Cadets from the Military Department had also entered the virtual reality wearing them.
And if this was a test for Military Department cadets, it obviously involved mercenary skills and strategies for handling soldiers effectively.
Unlike the Knight Department, which trains individual combat strength, the Military Department teaches how to effectively use an organization’s strength.
‘Ah, so─’
For the Military Department, the test was to stop me, and my goal was to break through the wall of soldiers and rescue the captured agent.
Realizing this, I unsheathed my sword slightly and moved forward.
‘Sorry…’
What bad luck, to face me and fail the test.
Of course, feeling pity for them didn’t mean I’d go easy on them.
If I went easy on them, my score would drop accordingly.
‘Let’s see.’
I circled the palisade, identifying weak points and heavily guarded areas, and started planning my infiltration route.
The soldiers were diligently standing guard, but to the eyes of an Aura Master, they were full of openings.
“Alright─ let’s go.”
Crack─ I tore off nearby branches and crafted primitive spears. They’d break after one or two hits, but that was fine. That was the plan.
After making a few spears, I infused them with Aura and threw them with all my might.
Up into the sky.
After hurling dozens of spears high into the air, I leaped over the poorly guarded palisade and infiltrated the base.
* * *
The Military Department cadets realized this test was excessively easy. Though they’d heard from seniors that the test content changed every time, they never imagined it would be this simple.
“What? We’re supposed to stop Knight Department cadets with hundreds of soldiers?”
Even if they were the same year, Knight Department cadets could only be Experts or lower. At that level, breaking through hundreds of soldiers was impossible.
They firmly believed their professor had arranged an easy test to boost their scores. Otherwise, the test content was incomprehensible.
But.
BOOM-!
“What, what’s that!?”
A sudden explosion echoed from somewhere. There were no sorcerers, and they hadn’t given explosives to the Knight Department cadets, so this shouldn’t have happened.
Startled, the cadets rushed outside and discovered the wooden gate destroyed.
“Intruder!”
Before they could fully comprehend the situation, their bodies moved instinctively. An intruder. That Knight Department cadet had finally shown himself.
It was better to show some effort before failing rather than doing nothing and getting eliminated.
Thinking this, the cadets led their soldiers toward the direction of the explosion. But strangely, only shattered wood fragments were visible—no trace of the intruder.
“…What the hell is this.”
Just as the puzzled cadets and soldiers began searching the area, dozens of spears suddenly rained down from the sky.
It was like a bombing. The wooden spears, imbued with Aura, exploded upon hitting the ground, sending all the soldiers sprawling.
Looking up belatedly, the cadets were shocked to see dots floating in the sky.
“No way, what the─”
Before they could finish their sentence, all the cadets were swept away by the spears and lost their lives. Only then did they realize belatedly:
The reason dozens of cadets had gathered here was because there was a reason for it.
* * *
“Good, it looks like they’ve all been drawn over there.”
Thanks to throwing the spears to distract them, the number of soldiers guarding the kidnapped agent wasn’t large. A level where I could assassinate them silently.
I assassinated all the magically created soldiers and entered the room where the agent was being held.
The agent was also a magically created puppet, so there was no need for conversation. I swiftly slung them over my shoulder and prepared to leave.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“…Professor?”
And─ Gawein blocked my path. Why was he, a Knight Department professor, here? My confusion lasted only a moment before Gawein drew his sword with a Sleung.
Seeing this, I hardened my expression.
“Professor, aren’t you from the Knight Department?”
“Yes. And at the same time─ I’m also the examiner testing the Knight Department cadets.”
“Ah… Is that what this is?”
No wonder it felt easier. Who would’ve thought there was such a trap.
I sighed deeply, set the puppet down, and drew my sword.
Neither of us could use Aura Blades, but that didn’t matter.
“Come at me, boy.”
The opponent was a war hero who had lived as a Sword Saint for decades.
