Volume 1 - Chapter 1.6

‘START!’

There’s not even a countdown.

“LEVEL ONE.” The system informs.

A humanoid figure appeared. Judging its distance, it seems to be around 80m away. But his weapon surprised me. Though it’s a rough image, I can tell it is a large sword.

Now then. It says level one. Though it says level one, is it weak?

Time to test it out.

BANG!

‘HEADSHOT.’ A screen displayed above the hologram that was shot.

After the hologram was knockdown, it disappeared with some pixel effect.

…Surprisingly weak. It didn’t even react.

… let’s just fool around.

After a second, the first hologram disappeared, the second one appeared— from behind. But nevertheless, the range is still 80m away.

It’s weapon changed to a spear.

BANG— I shoot a bullet through its head. It disappeared.

After a second, a hologram appeared— holding a dagger.

...Damn, this is so freakishly stupid and boring!

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!...

And this repeated for another 47 times (different weapons as it changes) until it reached level 2.

Level 2.

The holograms now appeared at five different places at the same time. They might be able to make it if I attack with only one pistol, I quickly imagined for another pistol and shot their heads with ease with a dual-pistol attack.

By the way, there’s no difference in their power compared to level one. But after one died, another one appeared. So I shoot them with an irritated look for another 45 headshot kills.

Level 3.

This time it went back to one hologram. And now I was surprised— he’s holding a freaking assault rifle!

BANG!

I reacted before it could shoot. But it did not react against my bullet or anything. So it was a disappointment.

And so, I took this slightly seriously for another 49 kills.

Level 4.

A group of 5 with guns?

One sniper, one pistol, two rifles, and one grenade launcher… Damn, this is tricky. Better run around.

I shot two and ran to dodge the bullets. And shot another two, and ran to dodge some bullets. After I repeat this process for another 3 times, I felt annoyed. Then on a vague impulse, I installed five flying swords and stabbed them with a god-like speed in one go as they appeared.

Luckily, the system acknowledges flying weapons.

Level 5.

One hologram appeared (I’m not interested in any melee weapon now). Though it’s holding a melee weapon, I can tell it’s a veteran from its movements.

I pulled the trigger, it’s able to block with his weapon. Then I shot with two bullets at the same time— and it died. What a let-down, how disappointing.

Then— a hologram appeared.

Hmm…? What is he holding…?

An assault rifle, and he fired.

“Not good…!”

I quickly reacted and ran to avoid the bullets just in time.

Shit…! I don’t want to get shot…!

Because of the arrangement earlier, I didn’t expect the hologram to be holding a gun. My reaction was immediately dulled due to the unexpected.

I quickly controlled 3 swords to block some of the bullets from the rifle, and installed a circular shield large enough to cover my whole body, just in case if the next one was using guns too.

I moved the transparent shield in front of the swords, and it works perfectly well enough to shield me from all of the bullets. Since it’s transparent blue, I can hide behind the shield and attack it with my swords.

But as for the rest that came afterwards, I killed them with the pistols.

Level 6.

It’s a group of five again. But they act more like they were in a group now. Now they proceed steadily in a formation, with 2 vanguards and 3 rear-guards, with both melee weapons and guns. Though my pistol is able to kill one of them, their intense attacks forced me to hide behind my shield.

Seems like those pistols are useless for now, but luckily I still have my swords. Thus— I’m able to kill them.

Level 7.

BANG! BANG!

As long as they are alone, I won’t have too many problems with it— level 5 was an exception, okay?

Level 8.

Now, this is surprising. They were able to defend against my sword attacks. Let’s just take it down one-by-one…

I controlled five of the swords and stabbed it on one hologram, and thus killed it.

It takes time a slightly longer time compared to before, but after 50 kills—

Level 9.

BANG!

CLANG! (The sound of the bullet hitting the wall)

The heck!? It swiftly avoided my bullet!?

I quickly added 4 more shots.

It dodged and blocked my bullets with his assault rifle without a sweat. Yeah, right— because it’s a hologram.

My pistols won’t work anymore.

I quickly uninstalled the pistols and focused on controlling the swords behind my shield. Since there’s only one hologram, it didn’t last long against my sword attacks.

Level 10. (MAX LEVEL)

Now, this is troublesome. I’m currently at a stalemate.

Though they were a group of five. Their teamwork is outstanding— entirely on sync. Not only they were able to help each other to defend against my flying swords, but they were also able to shoot me with their guns at the same time.

The flying swords aren’t strong enough… Though I already added another two of them.

To break through that defence… I need a powerful attack.

Yeah… like what she did to me.

Sacrificing my swords, I installed a flying Excalibur, the size like what the girl— Kuroyuki Shiroha tried to kill me with.

With a sway of my hand, the Excalibur slashes horizontally, cutting all the holograms to half in one go. The rest of the 45 holograms were staying in the same formation, I killed them using the same tactic over and over again, hiding behind my shield.

But after doing the same thing for more than thousands of kills, I felt fed-up like the time when it was level one.

Dang. This is stupid.

“Alright, I give up!” I declared.

The holograms, no— everything within the area of the hexagonal field came to a halt. My installed weapons too stop to move and then disappeared with a pixel effect.

“Please leave the gloves back on the magnetic field please before you wait outside.”

Thus, I removed the gloves and placed it back. Then the glass door slides open.

As I exit to the waiting room, a tall glass cup placed on a magnetic-floating lid was sent in front of me. Since I was feeling thirsty as well, I took it and drank to quench my thirst. I haven’t been drinking a drop of water since 3am. I then simply took a sit on a random bench.

What was this test all about? It’s not as difficult as I think it was. Maybe it was supposed to be easy, after all— my enrolment as a special student was already decided a few months back. That guy, the principal is manipulating my enrolment behind the scenes.

But what’s with the make-up reason for me to enrol!? Why pair me up with such a terrifying girl!?

“……?”

Someone gently tapped on my shoulder.

I quickly raised my head, but I saw no one— and look to my left and realized it was Persia— who is looking at me with a smile.

…I didn’t notice her at all. How is she able to move without making a sound?

I placed the cup back on the floating lid, and it makes it way back. I’m not sure to where, but I guess it might probably get disinfected first.

“Hey~ You aren’t tired at all, aren’t you~?” Persia said.

“Well obviously I am. See? I look completely exhausted.”

“Mentally exhausted, you mean? Your expressions felt like you’d just been through a lecture.”

“Worse than it. Actually, Persia— why are we waiting? Aren’t the results supposed to come out the moment it ended?”

“Well, well. The system is calculating your strength through estimation mode you know~?”

“Estimation mode? Estimating what?”

“It’s a system that predicts your result, assuming when you were at your tip-top condition. I know you were able to go way higher than just that, so I told the workers to calculate using that mode.”

“Hmm… Why not just let it be?”

“Because you are fooling around, aren’t you~? You aren’t the least bit serious.”

A displeased smile. It seems she hates that.

“Ahaha… You found out.” I tried to laugh it off, but it doesn’t seem to work.

By the time things are getting awkward, Persia’s screen suddenly popped up in front of her— showing a bunch of letters and numbers.

“Excuse for a moment.” She said.

She reads what’s on the screen, and inadvertently murmured—

“Oh my…”

“So what’s my result?”

Since the principal is manipulating behind the scenes, so I guess whatever the result is wouldn’t have mattered. I will be a special student anyways. I’m not really interested, so I skipped the details and asked the person instead.

“2721 kills and estimated 13600 kills.” She answered as she pouted her cheeks.

“Okay… What does this mean? Why are you pouting your cheeks anyways?”

Perhaps I understood why she did that. She’s sulking. I’m sure that number had a high value.

“Pfft……”

Suddenly, Persia placed her fingers on her mouth and looked away— it’s as if she’s trying to hold back from the laughter.

Okay, so I was wrong. She was trying to hold back from the laugh.

“……Ehem.”

I deliberately coughed to make her come back to her senses. And as soon as she realizes that, she quickly looks at me with an evil grin on her face.

“I will let you know about the practical battle ranks now~” She said.

“Huh. You are up to something, aren’t you?”

“Must be your imagination.”

I doubt that.

“For Rank C, 0-200 kills. Rank B, 201-300 kills. Rank A, 301-400 kills and Rank S, 401-1000 kills.” She said.

“My estimated results are higher than the S ranks maximum kills for 13 times,” I murmured to Persia.

…I had a bad feeling of this.

“Just out with it, Persia.” I uttered.

“Since your results are overwhelmingly high compared to Rank S and just 5 kills lower than the highest record, 13605…”

“Hold it. Don’t tell me the 13605 is from Kuroyuki…”

“Correct~ Adding up your results from the paper exam and calculate, then congratulations!” Persia said with excitement as she grabs and shakes my hand.

No, wait. Does Rank S even have a maximum value? I must be mistaken. Because that was the highest, it goes. That means I will be a Rank S special student.

“Then I will be in your care,” I said.

“Sorry, but you are not with me.”

Persia instantly stopped me from my conclusion.

“Eh? I’m not with you?”

“Since we had a special case this year, the principal did a slight alteration towards the academy’s system this year. He established a special building solely just for that special student.”

“Don’t tell me...”

I inadvertently murmured when the conclusion came into my mind, and Persia cleared away my doubts.

“Yes, you are right~! Special student number 2! Starting from today, you will be learning and living at the special building. Your classmate will be our legendary <Winter Princess>, Kuroyuki Shiroha~!”