Chapter 4- Entrance Exam

After parting ways with Alice.

After wandering aimlessly for a while, the time had come.

It was time to take the test known as the 'entrance exam.'

'It's been 15 years since I last did this.'

It wasn't a particularly difficult test.

A ten-stage combat simulation with a phantom creature within a special barrier.

You passed if you could take down at least one slime in the first stage.

The difficulty was set to filter out ordinary people who had cheated their way in.

However, despite the low difficulty,

Most of the new students who were about to take the entrance exam were extremely nervous.

-Murmur, murmur.

"Do you see those reporters over there?"

"Look at that, even headhunters are here!"

"Ugh, I'm so nervous..."

Awakeners were an indispensable profession in society, like idols or heroes.

Reporters flocked to get any scoop they could for their articles.

Headhunters sent from clans were also eyeing the scene.

This was the first time the fledgling awakeners would stand before the world.

Nervousness was natural.

I was a little nervous too.

'I failed to make a good first impression on Alice... but if I show how well I fight, things might be different.'

Alice, one of my wives from the first timeline.And another one.

I had to make a good impression on both of them.

Looking cool was a critical matter.

So, I silently stretched until it was my turn.

"Ahem. Then, starting now, in the order I call your names…."

'One, two. One, two.'

Everyone else was waiting in stylish outfits, aware of the cameras, while I stretched in my workout clothes alone...It was a bit pathetic, but I had no choice.

My main abilities were just above the average adult male, around 3 points.

Among these rookies, I'd be in the middle to lower tier.

'Or maybe the ones weaker than me aren't combat-type awakeners. Am I actually the weakest?'

Correction. I'm the weakest.

Awakeners had their stats significantly boosted according to their inherent talents at the moment of awakening.

Strength for melee types, agility for ranged types, intelligence and magic for mage types, etc.

But my inherent talent was hypnosis.The most useless stat, luck, was the only one that skyrocketed.

So, purely in terms of stats, I was the weakest here.

Among the giggling 20-year-old girls, as a grown man.

'...I need to pump up my stats as soon as I get in. This is too humiliating.'

I stretched with even more vigor.

But I was a former S-rank No.1, so I couldn't just get pushed around due to lack of stats.

I was determined to clear all ten stages.

-Murmur, murmur.

"A male awakener, and he's handsome? Huh. Should've brought a bigger camera."

"Boss, there's a good-looking guy just by his appearance… No, I'm serious."

'Reporters… well, whatever.'

The reporters were probably gossiping about some student causing a fuss, but I didn't care.

Show and prove. I'd just have to show them what I could do.

Anyway, as I continued stretching,

-Rustle, rustle.

"Sorry for being late!!"

'Oh. Nice outfit this time.'

The fixed event. Late Alice made her appearance.

She must have hurriedly changed her clothes, given her neat appearance.

She must have been really bothered by the comments about her outfit.

As I stared blankly,Alice, who was looking around, met my eyes.

"Ah! Eugene!"

"...?"

Why was she happy to see me? Didn't I fail the first impression?Just because I gave her a drink...

"Thank you for the drink. I'm glad to meet a fellow pine needle enthusiast!"

"Ah."

'So, the drink was the reason.'

...It was the drink.

I knew her favorite drink, but she didn't know that.

Oh, is she thinking that giving such. a strong-tasting drink to someone I just met means I'm a fellow enthusiast spreading the word?She must be thinking that.

Of course, I had no such taste.

Even though Alice recommended it before I regressed, I never got used to it even as an adult.

I could drink it, but why bother?

'But… to get close to Alice, I have to endure pine needle drinks.'

Forget about that. From today, I'm a pine needle enthusiast.

My blood flows with the eyes of pine needles…!!

"Did you like it too? Pine needle's eye."

"Yes! I even ordered it from overseas to the UK!"

"Wow. That makes me a bit happy. Whenever I gave it to someone, they all hated it."

"Exactly! Why don't they understand? This refreshing taste!"

The price of abandoning my dignity was sweet.

Not only did I restore my favorability, but we also got closer through our conversation.As we talked, my nervousness gradually eased.

'I thought it would take a month to get close since she is shy, but luckily, it didn't.'

Maybe it was because I had been working so hard for the past two weeks.

The kindness and time spent with my beloved wife were so sweet... Well. I never got nervous during a battle.

My master's greatest compliment to me was that I enjoyed everything.

But here I was, getting nervous over trying to win.

That wasn't like me.

'I don't have to be perfect from the start. I'll get stronger from now on.'

"Then… No. 21, Cadet Seo Yujin. Step forward."

While healing in pine needle mode, my name was called.

I stood up with a smile.

Without the anxiety that had been quietly eating at me, I moved leisurely."It's my turn. I'll be back, Alice."

"Yes! Do your best!"

'Direct-sounding Alice is cute too.'

Step by step, I walked slowly forward.To the center of the arena where the simulation barrier was set up.The instructor spoke up.

"Cadet Seo Yujin, 20 years old. Correct?"

"Yes."

"The test content is…."

"I'm familiar with it."

"Good. Then, choose one of these to start with."

Choose one of these.

He meant the weapons lined up on the nearby table.

I leisurely scanned them with my eyes.

Longsword. Dagger. Rapier. Scimitar. Main-gauche. Hammer, and other melee weapons.

Longbow. Spear. Throwing axe. Handgun…?Why is there a gun?

Skipping those extra weapons. Next.

The staff weapons… they still didn't prepare much.

Mages are really rare, huh.

"Still haven't decided? If you can't choose, I can recommend a suitable weapon..."

As I admired the modern weapons they used, time flew by.

The instructor, thinking I was still deciding, handed me a dagger.

I firmly refused.

'What's with a dagger?'

"I'm fine. I've already decided on what to use."

"Is that so. What weapon?"

"This one."

As I picked up the weapon, a chorus of sighs erupted.

"A katana… Hah. I won't stop you."

'Is this all? Katana still has a terrible image.'

The weapon I picked was a katana…In Korea, it wasn't well-regarded.

The current No.1 S-rank, my master.Her trademark weapon.

Naturally, many awakeners admired and imitated her.

But in reality?

'Yeah. Master also disliked those idiots.'

What kind of weapon is a katana?

Focused on cutting power, it's good at slicing but that's it.

Even reinforced with mana, the thin blade breaks easily.A two-handed weapon that can't use a shield, and only has slashing as an attack method.

No wonder it's poorly regarded.

Its relatively light weight also contributed to its poor evaluation.

Weight equals attack power.In games, swinging a greatsword deals 100 damage, while a katana deals 20.

It has its merits, but…At least for newly awakened rookies, it wasn't the right choice.

That was the consensus of all experts.

Yet every year, many rookies still flaunted katanas, imitating the No.1 S-rank.So, katana hatred was widespread.

'On the flip side, it means you just need to use it well.'

But I insisted on using a katana.

The current No.1 S-rank using a katana?

My master and wife.

As her immediate disciple, wouldn't I know how to handle it?

I might not be as good as her, but I wasn't lacking either.

'Besides, with my low stats, it's my only choice.'

"It's because I'm not strong enough yet. Heavy ones are a bit…."

"That's why I recommended a small, easy-to-handle dagger… Hah. Never mind."

As I smiled while holding the katana, the instructor sighed even louder.

Her reaction wasn't unique.

-Murmur, murmur.

"A katana…?"

"Another idiot influenced by her. Sigh."

"They come out every year, huh. Katana users."

Headhunters and reporters alike.

They all wore awkward smiles as they looked at me.

The katana was just that despised in Korea.…They're right, but their gaze is infuriating.

It didn't feel good to be disrespected in front of my beloved wives.

In defiance, I dramatically drew the blade.

'Well, doing this is just for show….'

-Ding!

[You have gained proficiency through repeated experience! Passive skill Zaha Swordsmanship Rev. Lv.4294967295….]

[Error occurred. Skill level is not designated.]

[Reassigning skill level based on user experience….]

[Success! Passive skill 'Zaha Swordsmanship Rev. Lv.Max' acquired!]

'Zaha Swordsmanship Rev (S Rank) – A sword technique refined by a master who mastered sword principles for his disciple. Additional stat bonuses when using a katana.'

'…What is this?'

As I drew the katana, a dazzling purple flame burst from the blade and then faded away. It was the symbol of the Zaha Swordsmanship that my master had taught me.

Come to think of it, my master had said it: that what's important isn't skills or tricks, but truly mastering the sword. She said that if I mastered the sword, I'd be strong even without any skills.

'It was true...'

-Murmuring.

"What was that just now!?"

"Is that an innate talent? Close combat type?"

"No way, then the instructor wouldn't have recommended a dagger. That's for supporter-type awakened ones."

I was astonished, as were the onlookers.

Only one person was clapping.

"Wow, Yujin. That was amazing!"

"Alice?"

"I believe you'll show us something impressive!"

Alice. The woman who was once my wife. The beloved person I vowed to protect this time.

'Well, that worked out.'

Thanks to that, I could show off a bit.

"Yeah. Look forward to it, Alice. I wasn't planning to hide it..."

-Shing.

"Actually, I'm pretty strong."