Dungeon Clearing Exam [ 2 ]

The second icicle this time was as large as my palm, increasing the amount of power generated as I get closer. But, this time, I counterattacked out of curiosity.

I use my skill, Fire Arrow, which already hit the level 15 mark. That was more than enough to counter an early student encounter like this.

Right as I threw my newly-charged flame arrow, I realized that I had made a fatal mistake.

The only person in this entire academy who could make large icicles like this consistently, was none other than the main character of this game, Kim Si-woo.

Ah.. If I meet and fight him right now, I could potentially change the future, leading to unwanted changes in this world. Or maybe, just maybe, by meeting me, he loses his chance to save the world. 

Why do I think like this? It's because of the butterfly effect.

The main idea is simple. Small things or unwanted variables can ultimately result to something with much larger consequences.

Just like my existence in this game world, I'm not supposed to be here.

I should avoid Kim Si-woo as much as possible.

A sudden call from the very person makes me turn cognizant, and I run away from the opposite direction as fast as possible.

Just as I was running, I had a sudden intrusive thought play out on my mind.

Why are you running away?

Huh..? What is that voice?

A duplicate version of myself covers my central vision hastily and flies around the dark place. Eerily similar as a ghost.

Isn't it boring to just follow things the way it is? Don't you want to make a change for once?

What the hell is this thing saying.. Am I hallucinating now? I think I've gone insane.

But... What he's saying isn't wrong. I do want to make a change for once.

Am I going to be a pathetic loser just like how I did in my past life, a coward to take responsibility?

Or will I change everything in this very moment, pushing my way through unpredictability and success?

I stop myself from running, standing in the dark and narrow space, with cold feet, clenching fists, and gritting my teeth, I decided to change this very moment.

I then slowly walk back to Kim Si-woo, which then I found out that he wasn't even there anymore.

I mustered all that courage inside me for what? Just to find out he wasn't there? I'm really a loser...

15 minutes later...

[ Level up! ]

I use my rusty longsword to skillfully slice through a silver wolf's flesh, resulting in another familiar bell sound rang throughout my mind.

The monsters I hunt are getting even stronger. Every time I take a singular step, the monsters slowly but surely, increasingly gets stronger.

Not like I'm tired.

I also got a brand-new skill while hunting one of the monsters, which I didn't expect.

I'll check it out in detail.

"Status Window."

[ Status ]

[ Park Jinsung, Level 20 ]

Skill Points: 0

[ STR: 31] [ VIT: 20]

[ DEF:24] [ STA: 17]

[ AGI: 21] [ MAG: 25]

SPECIAL SKILLS: PERFECT MEMORY 4 [S] REINCARNATOR 3 [S] QUICK SLASH 18 [E] FIREBALL 10 [D] FIRE ARROW 20 [C] AURA STRIKE 1 [B]

I already got aura strike in the early game? That's a jackpot! Also, I could see the surroundings of the cave more than I can see before.

A sudden crashing sound made my sensitive ears flinch, a scary thought was imbedded inside my mind, and left me standing still like a stone statue.

I knew it would happen, I thought that the first scenario was happening extremely late!

The first scenario, which was the starting point of the game, was usually randomized by the 4 exams, all having different outcomes.

But, it's expected that the Dungeon Clearing Exam would be the most impacting scenario in the early stage of the game, it went like this. 

An unexpected dungeon clearing exam was announced right at the opening ceremony, which during the students were exploring the humongous cave-like maze, an unnoticed intruder rigged the exam, making the monsters around five times stronger, which resulted in numerous, unwanted deaths.

That intruder was named "Stab Happy". The earliest boss of the game.

After that specific incident, the academy stopped making surprise exams, which resulted in a huge skill-difference between the first-years and second-years, but the quarrel of the first and second years is in another scenario.

Rumbling filled the place, each second getting more intense, which students began to feel worried as if there was something wrong.

The magic cameras the teachers have suddenly turned off as well, which resulted in teachers not able to see the students movement and status.

Shit, it already started..

I run as fast as I can to the boss room, since I already memorized the entire layout of the dungeon, which after I got there another 15 minutes later, I see a familiar scene.

It was Kim Si-woo once again, a corpse of a giant golem, a tall black hoodied man covered in a mysterious blackish-red aura, and another character that I haven't mentioned, which was Evangeline Windsor.

What? Why is Evangeline supporting him? Shouldn't it be Saori that's helping him?

She was supporting from the backseat by giving Kim Si-woo numerous strength and speed buffs, and firing dark magic bullets as well.

I'm sure that Kim Si-woo cannot defeat the earliest boss without Michiko. I've tried to defeat the boss with other characters, but it simply gave me the same message, game over.

Their going to die at this rate!

If I can change the storyline of this world like a butterfly, I might as well do it.

"Huff.. Huff.. Evangeline, please give me a speed buff!"

"Alright!"

Evangeline gave Kim a buff, which resulting her in her legs giving up, and blood came out of her mouth.

"Ugh.. Kim, I can't go on.. My magic power is already depleted, and I could die if I could go on- Blaurghh...!"

Evangeline said while spitting out blood once more.

"Haa!! Die! Do not intrude this school ever again!" Kim said with determined light blue eyes, swung a clumsy sword slash, and hyperventilating.

Looking at both Kim and Evangeline, they were both worn out as they kept pushing through, attacking the boss with attacks that deal a tiny scratch on the boss.

Kim had a seriously injured knee, with a cut extremely deep and wide, and Evangeline unable to move due to mana exhaustion, and blood coming out of her mouth.

I run to them, closing my distance between them much more, charging up this attack.

"Aura Strike."

A bright white light surrounded my rusty longsword, which for a tiny moment, became as shiny as glitter. But the boss noticed the attack, and it was too late for him to react, and it was all over.

Damn it... I feel like I'm about to die. I should've increased my magic power if I knew I was going to get this skill. At this rate, I'm going to get magic exhaustion.

The burst of the vivid color white, the deafening sound, and the stone cold ground below shattered all over.

"Augh..!" Kim and Evangeline both grunt as they tried to withheld the explosion.

It was over, the first boss of the game was defeated, and the story was going like normal, except for the fact I helped them.

[ Level up! ]

Oh right, I forgot you gain tremendous experience points when you defeat a boss.

"Status Window."

[ Status ]

[ Park Jinsung, Level 26 ]

Skill Points: 18

[ STR: 31] [ VIT: 20]

[ DEF:24] [ STA: 17]

[ AGI: 21] [ MAG: 25]

SPECIAL SKILLS: PERFECT MEMORY 4 [S] REINCARNATOR 3 [S] QUICK SLASH 18 [E] FIREBALL 10 [D] FIRE ARROW 20 [C] AURA STRIKE 2 [B]

As I walk away from the scene, one of them notices me and calls me out, which I turn my back to hear them out.

"Um.. Thanks for saving me and Windsor-yang."

Looking at them I smiled, and responded to them with "No problem."

As I was walked to the teleportation gate, a blue light once again surrounded me, and before I teleported, I saw a glimpse of a worried instructor running her way to Evangeline and Kim. She had beautiful ginger hair and eyes, and she looks like she's in her early 30's.

I teleport back to the huge main lobby to the academy, which the gate was covered with numerous yellow tapes that had "Keep out" written on them, a crowd that was focusing at the center of the magic screen, which then I proceeded to dash my way out of the gate as nobody has noticed me at the gate.

I raised my agility to the point that moved similarly to a 60kmph car, and to my surprise, nobody noticed me, yet.

Until I found that guy, Kim Young-Gi.

"Hey! Park-ssi, are you okay?"

Haah.. I'm tired already, I want to go to the school dorms.

As I was talking to Kim, a conspicuous boy with light green hair, wearing a green hoodie was looking at me with utter shock.

"Huh? A student can move as fast as that? The crowd didn't see, but a dark-blue haired boy dashed away from the crowd as he went out of the gate."

His eyes brightened up and the corners of his mouth curved slightly upward as he thought,

Interesting...