Clearing The Test

The girl opened her eyes and saw a supposed-to-be-dead person in front of her, resulting in her shrieking like a monkey.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!! A GHOST!!!"

Hearing her calling him that, Noir's eyebrow twitched.

"Jeez... Calm down."

Noir stood up and walked toward the girl. But that only made her scream intensify. The girl was punching and kicking the air now, thinking it could ward off the ghost.

Without struggle, Noir grabbed and stopped her attempt to chase him, which she thought was a ghost. However, his grip strength was too weak for her.

The girl broke free from him and ran away deep into the cave tunnel.

Ruffling his hair, Noir sighed.

"Huu... Well, she must be having a trauma after seeing her group were butchered by the Red Ogre."

Noir followed after her but stopped when he saw a puddle. Looking at his reflection in the water, he frowned.

"Damn, I've become your average Joe again."

Noir was once an average-looking guy. But he overcame that as he started caring about his well-being after succumbing to the unknown man's words about the apocalypse. Ultimately, he succeeded in gaining the opposite gender's attention.

Not stopping there, his appearance increasingly improved a month after he got his power on the Day Of Retribution.

Unfortunately, he returned to what he was supposed to look like.

Well, not that he cared about it...

"It won't do, especially in this world. Even though the hierarchy and popularity are based on 'The strong stands at the top.' One appearance could make a huge difference! Money, too! Fvck! It's all the same!"

... or maybe not.

After walking carefully for ten minutes without extra light, Noir finally found the girl leaning on the cave wall while hugging her knees. It would have taken more time if he hadn't caught her soft sobbing noises.

"There you are, Argent," Noir said softly.

The girl, Argent, flinched when she heard Noir's voice. Thankfully, she didn't run away this time, which might be because she injured her leg while trying to run in the dark place.

Stopping her sobbing, Argent lifted her face. This time, she stared at Noir properly.

"You're really Noir, right?"

He smirked. "What do you think?"

It had been a long time since he communicated with someone other than the six survivors, so his communication might have sounded awkward. Argent noticed it, but she stayed quiet.

She felt something was different about Noir. He was not like the one she knew in the training camp, which always looked down, gloomy, and sometimes creepy.

But now, that very person looked so confident.

"What... happened to you?"

"Me?" Noir pointed at himself. "Nothing much. Just... I got a revelation."

"Revelation...?" Argent started with confusion but gradually realized what the words meant. "What?! You mean that revelation?!"

Noir simply nodded.

"That is... crazy," Argent said unbelievingly.

Revelation. According to past memories, it was the term used when someone awakened and received a Resonance even before they finished the test.

You could say it was kind of an early privilege for a person the "Universal System" had chosen.

In this world's recorded history, there was only one person who experienced a revelation from the first appearance of the power system a hundred years ago until now.

However, in the case of Noir's early awakening, he didn't think it was because he was chosen. But more because of the event that happened before he came here.

That's right. The [Special Transfer] the voice used on him. Noir didn't know what that was, but he was sure it was because of it that he ended up here and getting his power registered as a Resonance in this world's power system. He wasn't even sure if he was really dead or if only his soul and consciousness were transferred.

"I know. But, isn't it good?" Noir said.

Argent looked at him. Her eyebrows raised.

"We can now pass the test easily," he continued.

Her expression grimaced. She accidentally recalled how her group was massacred by the Red Ogre but quickly shook the memory away.

With a heavy sigh, she said, "As if we could... do you even know how to utilize your Resonance properly? Without training?"

Noir didn't say anything. He just stood there and smiled confidently.

After a while, Argent gave in and smiled.

"Whatever. It's better to die while doing something than not doing anything," Argent said, extending her hand. "Anyway, help me up."

Noir pulled her up, offering to support her in case she couldn't walk. Argent refused, saying that she didn't want to add the burden on him.

"I've become a burden now. But at least one of us should pass the test and live."

Noir didn't know what to say about that. He was even confused as to why she said that. It was not like there would be a punishment if no one passed the test.

Like, hell, it wasn't even possible for people to give a sentence to the corpses... right?

Although he didn't say it out loud, he had thought about finishing the test together. He would make it happen, no matter what.

'I should at least pay her back for all she did for the stupid, another me in the past.'

He was honest with that one. But there was another reason.

'And I hate getting questioned by the media.'

***

They finally arrived at their destination. It was a long walk to get here. Also, in the end, Noir had to carry Argent on his back because she couldn't keep up.

"You're so stubborn," Argent whispered as Noir put her down.

"You too."

Noir looked around. He was inside a large, circular cave room where nothing significant seemed to exist except for one, the altar placed in the center.

"Be careful," Argent warned Noir. Her eyes examined the surroundings.

Noir tilted his head, feeling confused. According to the "knowledge," there should be a guardian or a boss monster in this room. But how come it's empty now?

They stayed in their place, knowing it was a stupid move to approach the altar. They kept sweeping the area looking for danger. After a while, they concluded that the floor was clear.

But what about the ceiling?

Sure enough, something was crawling on the cave ceilings.

"Is that a spider?" Noir wondered.

But no, it was not a spider. The creature had eight segmented legs with a long abdomen (back part) like a mantis and a thorax (front body) that stood vertically. Its head, which looked like a crab, had tens of eyes. Lastly, a pair of scythe arms that glossed in the darkness, indicating its sharpness.

As soon as Argent recognized its features, she cursed silently.

"No... that's a Chlicerite."

"Chli... what?"

Realizing it got spotted by the two humans, the Chlicerite shot a purple liquid from its mouth at them.

"Watch out!" Argent shouted.