I looked around at the people gathered around me.
They were all Awakened.
I didn’t approach any of them.
Instead, I found a quiet corner and began observing the entire area.
There were too many people here to bother making friends with.
Besides...
A great being like me didn’t belong among them.
I was perfectly capable of standing alone.
About an hour passed before several examiners finally arrived.
The person leading them stepped forward and addressed the crowd.
"This is the first test."
His voice immediately silenced the surrounding chatter.
"If you want to participate in the real academy entrance examination, you must first pass this test."
A wave of commotion spread through the crowd.
The examiner continued.
"Each city and village is given a limited number of positions. Only one hundred participants from this city will be selected to advance to the real examination."
One hundred...
I narrowed my eyes.
So this wasn’t simply about winning.
There were only one hundred spots.
"No matter what happens," I thought, "I have to pass this test."
The examiner raised his voice.
"Our academy does not accept just anyone. If you want the right to participate in the real examination, prove that you are worthy of it."
The crowd slowly became quiet.
"The first test is simple."
"We will test your combat ability by having you fight against one another."
"If you defeat your opponent and perform well enough, you will be given the opportunity to advance."
He paused.
"Those who demonstrate exceptional ability will be selected directly."
"And if your performance places you among the top one hundred participants, you will also qualify."
I immediately noticed something important.
Top one hundred.
That meant winning wasn’t the only way to advance.
Even if someone lost a duel, the academy could still select them if their overall performance was impressive enough.
In other words...
Everyone in this room was my competition.
I looked around again.
I began carefully observing the other Awakened.
Their equipment.
Their appearance.
Their posture.
Their expressions.
I needed to understand what kind of opponents I was dealing with.
The examiner then led us toward the designated duel area.
"Each of you will draw a number."
"Your number will determine your first opponent."
I reached into the container and pulled out a number.
65.
I looked around until I found the person holding 66.
He was around my age.
Unlike me, however, he was dressed in expensive-looking clothes.
Judging by his appearance, he clearly came from a wealthy family.
I didn’t care.
I walked toward the duel area and drew both of my swords.
The moment he saw them, he smirked.
"Oh? A dual-sword wielder?"
He looked me up and down.
"What family are you from?"
I remained silent.
He frowned.
"Hey, I asked you a question. Can’t you answer?"
His attitude was already starting to annoy me.
"I don’t have a family."
I pointed one of my swords toward him.
"If you’re here to fight, draw your weapon."
"If not, I’ll start attacking."
I said that for a reason.
If I attacked him while he was still unarmed, the examiner might disqualify me.
If there were no rules against it...
I would’ve already knocked him out.
The young man’s expression darkened.
"Oh?"
He looked at me confidently.
"Another fool who thinks awakening will suddenly change his life."
"I’ll show you the difference between trash like you and someone like me."
I stared at him.
"What’s the difference?"
He paused.
I continued.
"Do you stink more than me?"
"Or are you simply worse than the so-called trash?"
His face turned red.
"What did you say, you lowly piece of trash?!"
He immediately drew his sword and charged at me.
I didn’t care about his insults.
He could insult me.
He could curse me.
He could even insult my family.
It wouldn’t matter.
I had grown up hearing worse.
And as far as I was concerned, I didn’t even have a family.
I only knew one thing about them.
They abandoned me.
Nothing more.
The young man charged toward me like an enraged bull.
Predictable.
I raised one sword and easily blocked his attack.
At the same time, I rotated my second sword and struck the side of his head with the hilt.
THUD!
His eyes rolled back.
Foam appeared at the corner of his mouth as his body collapsed onto the ground.
I immediately checked his condition.
He was still breathing.
Good.
I didn’t know the academy’s rules well enough to risk killing someone.
After confirming that he was alive, I took his number.
66.
I had defeated my first opponent.
Now...
I simply needed to continue.
I turned toward the next duel.
The test wasn’t over yet.
I waited for the other participants to finish their matches.
After a while, I found the person holding number 67.
He had already defeated his opponent and now possessed both 67 and 68.
I didn’t waste any time.
I stepped forward and challenged him.
Only then did I realize my next opponent was a woman.
I looked at her for a moment.
Then shrugged.
Why should I care?
An opponent was an opponent.
I challenged her.
She looked at me for a moment before accepting.
We entered the duel area.
She raised her staff and aimed it directly at me.
The moment the examiner gave the signal...
The ground beneath my feet trembled.
Vines suddenly burst from the ground, wrapping around my legs and restricting my movement.
At the same time, she began condensing her mana.
Ice gathered around the tip of her staff.
A spear of ice slowly formed.
"So that’s your strategy."
Restrict my movement first...
Then finish me with a powerful attack.
If this were anyone else, it might have worked.
Unfortunately for her...
It was me.
I swung both swords.
The vines were sliced apart before they could completely restrain me.
I immediately rushed toward her.
But she had already finished forming the ice spear.
She aimed it directly at me.
My expression changed slightly.
If that thing hit me...
I’d either suffer serious injuries or be unable to continue the examination.
I didn’t have time to think of a complicated solution.
So I did the simplest thing I could.
I coated both of my swords in Darkness.
Then I swung them simultaneously.
"Dark Slash."
Two arcs of Darkness flew toward the incoming ice spear.
BOOM!
The two attacks collided with the spear.
The ice spear cracked.
Its power was greatly weakened.
That was enough.
As the spear reached me, I swung both swords again and cut straight through it.
Fragments of ice scattered around me.
I didn’t stop.
I pushed myself forward and closed the distance between us.
In the blink of an eye, I stood directly in front of her.
Both of my swords were pointed at her neck.
"Give up."
She bit her lip.
Her eyes flickered.
Then she tried to cast another spell.
I immediately moved one sword closer.
The blade pressed against her neck.
A tiny cut appeared.
A thin line of blood trickled down her skin.
She froze.
She finally understood.
If she continued...
I would kill her.
The woman slowly lowered her staff.
"I give up."
I lowered my swords.
Then I took her number.
67.
And the number she had previously taken.
68.
Two more numbers.
I only needed six more to reach my goal.
I turned around and walked away.
I didn’t even glance back at her.
There was no reason to.
She was no longer my opponent.
I simply needed to find the next one.