NOVEL NEXT Chapter 125
[Hwanseangaka] Chapter 4: The Selection Test for Aspiring Heroes
The event theme is set around survival and adventure on an island, but of course, it won’t go smoothly.
Caeran Hiss and the Assistant Chair of the Magic Guild, Maclead Haisman, create chaos as the magic stones of the demons activate.
This will effectively create a portal for the demons, turning the land into hell.
From this chapter, Caeran gains the ability to copy and wield the power of the demons, and Crow Pay will start to lean toward the demon side.
Now, if we look at just this…
One might think that the story will be completely consumed by demons afterward, but that’s not the case.
In the upcoming Chapter 5, a powerful ally will enroll at the academy… the legendary saint and war hero, Psyche.
Initially, she is officially missing as a former war hero…
But the setting is that she has been reincarnated anew by divine power.
Therefore, her story involves joining Claris while hiding her identity to keep an eye on Yellody.
Even though Selena, Yeriel, and Aria have fallen out of Caeran’s favor…
The reason they are safe is because of her.
In other words, in this world, which has been massively power-inflated to a hellish degree…
This Chapter 4 can be said to be the last battleground where the heroines I like face danger.
After this, it will just be Caeran’s one-man show, with Psyche protecting them.
However, considering that Dalian has now handed over her power to me…
Markosias will surely come after me.
This is an inevitable situation, if just for Caeran’s sake.
I don’t want to put the heroines I like in danger in the world I changed.
So, while I believe that using the methods I’ve thought of will yield some chance of victory…
In the worst-case scenario,
I might not even be in this world anymore.
…
Time quickly flowed and it was the day of the selection test.
Since there was no dimensional gate leading directly to Mystic Island, we moved to a nearby magic tower first, then took a boat.
I opened my status window to check the skills passed down from Dalian once more.
–Ding!
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[Black Elf, Dalian’s Blessing]
: The maximum wind energy of Wind Archery increases by 200.
If the target can wield dark magic, all stats increase by 0.5 to 1.0.
(*If you do not possess the Wind Archery skill, one randomly determined stat will additionally increase by 1.0.)
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[Fourth Style: Wind Bow Shot] (Active) (Normal Skill)
: Guidance – The wind is not something to be calculated, but something to overcome.
When using Wind Archery, an additional effect is granted that ensures hits by consuming additional wind energy. (On/Off skill)
[*Due to the contract with Ariel, the consumed wind energy is reduced, and damage significantly increases.]
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[Sniping] (Normal Trait)
: Hit rate is fixed at 100% for marksman-type attacks. When an attack hits, critical hit probability and damage scales with agility. Characters with this trait gain an increased distance and field of view when aiming at enemies, and the probability of being discovered by foes is slightly reduced.
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Thanks to Dalian’s blessing, my status pumped up, and even though I hadn’t cleared Trial 4, I got my hands on the new Wind Archery skill.
As for the final form of Wind Archery, the Fifth Style’s pinnacle…
It hadn’t appeared even in the live server, so it must be something that gets enabled by meeting specific conditions or through combination techniques.
–Krrrrr!!!
The surrounding area darkened as if entering another world.
–Oh, dark clouds…? What’s this?
–The atmosphere suddenly changes…
Soon, the boat arrived at the small dock of Mystic Island.
Surrounded by fog, we couldn’t see the island’s landscape, and the only place we could reference our position was…
The starting point on the beach. Only here.
And in the distance, the crimson Death Valley burning like a volcano threatened us.
–Wow, is this for real…?
–I hear there used to be a village here…
–How could anyone survive here…?
–Are you stupid? That’s why everyone evacuated!
The students lined up orderly as they disembarked one by one, and Lily approached me with her hand on her hip.
“Lev, something feels off today, or maybe these days…”
“…What’s that?”
“I sensed something strange with Lily. Lately, you just feel different from usual, Lev.”
“…That can’t be. Let’s do our best today. You’re a great asset to our party, right?”
“Yeah! Just trust me!”
I ruffled Lily’s hat and thought to myself.
‘Looks like it’s noticeable.’
I couldn’t even remember how the last few days passed.
There hadn’t been any exchange between Aria and me.
Seeing this, Yeriel seemed to feel our situation wasn’t just a light dispute and quietly showed her consideration.
–Today’s meal prep is on Lev’s…!
–Um, got it.
–…Thanks for your help.
Thus, with minimal chatter, we dedicated ourselves to training… until the test day arrived.
As I checked our party members, Bella’s amplified voice, strengthened by her magic, began to resonate from the front.
“Alright, I warmly welcome all of you participating in the selection test for aspiring heroes. You’ve probably been tired of the tedious explanations, so I’ll skip that. Once your party group is confirmed, we’ll move out immediately.”
Bella finished by pointing her chin toward the depths of the island.
“Equipment and items necessary for your adventure will now be distributed one by one. There’s plenty in stock, so maintain an orderly line. Also, after preparing, wait for the signal sent from the center with a magic core. That’s when the test starts.”
–Wooo…
The magic pressure in this place felt extremely heavy.
–Ugh…!
Compared to Pandemonium, it was far from sufficient, yet quite a number of students looked like they were about to throw up, mixing nausea with sea sickness.
“Seems like everyone has eager expressions wanting to dive straight into that forest teeming with demon creatures. Don’t worry. This time, it’s not just illusions of demon creatures; real ones will be present as well.”
With that horrifying announcement, tension began to seep into everyone’s faces.
Heroes are… warriors who must fight deep within, even beyond the frontline.
Naturally, it’s a stage where only competent fighters who can protect their lives challenge themselves.
Once Bella’s somewhat vague explanation and scare tactics finished,
I glanced at Edwin next to me.
His face was stiff, unlike usual.
In front of him, Aveline and Melissa seemed to be trying hard not to pay too much attention to him by looking straight ahead.
‘You must be thinking a lot too.’
Sadly, Edwin grew stronger each time Caeran snatched a heroine from him.
Therefore, just as I asked him to… he probably overheard Caeran’s conversations with Melissa and Aveline.
To avoid any misunderstandings due to Edwin’s limitless trust in our truce-like situation, I needed to clarify our positions beforehand.
Even though I merely informed him of the truth and didn’t manipulate him, I felt slightly guilty.
“You good?”
As I casually spoke up,
“…Uh? Oh! I’m fine…! But what about you, Lev? Aren’t you the one who’s tense?”
He forced a smile.
“…I’m nervous… very.”
“Eh? You, Lev?”
“Yeah.”
“Don’t worry…! Just… trust me, okay?”
His overly confident expression seemed rather strained.
Thus, the students received supplies for camping and minimum food and drink one by one,
Now it was our turn.
“Next! Edwin Gwynn!”
“Let’s go, guys!”
“Yeah.”
“Just trust Lily…!”
“Of course.”
With Edwin’s spirited words, Lily and Yeriel proceeded to Bella one after the other.
And my turn came when Aria hesitated before following them.
“……”
This wasn’t déjà vu. It was a memory—she had stood like this during the first selection test.
She slightly turned her head to glance at me.
-……
Unlike back then, Aria was clearly looking at me now.
With slightly sad eyes. It felt like she was asking if she had any words left.
As I kept silent, she finally spoke shortly.
“…Let’s go.”
Her blue… Cheong-geum-seong eyes remained.
Even if she knows I’m intertwined with her revenge… would she still show me that clear lake color?
‘It won’t be easy.’
The skill I obtained by taking down Bunea, the Spring of Souls, is essential to take advantage of Markosias’s gimmick…
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[Spring of Souls] [Lv.N/A] (Passive)
: When dealt lethal damage, resurrect at a previously designated source of magic.
(*Resurrection status is determined by the size of the remaining ‘vessel.’)
(*Resurrection location can only be specified in Pandemonium.)
(*1-time use)
Acquisition Difficulty: Very Hard
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As expected of a Great Demon’s skill, the major penalty is that I can only resurrect in Pandemonium.
If I die and revive, I still have to come back to life in Pandemonium…
So the chances of survival are slim.
In other words, assuming the worst-case scenario, I would need to…
Immediately use the ‘Game Over’ I receive as a reward after clearing Aria’s revenge during this narrative.
Then I would be completely detached from this narrative.
Let’s assume that, upon barely suppressing Caeran and Markosias and returning to my original world…
Unlike the original story, Edwin awakens by witnessing Melissa and Aveline’s actions with the essence of the Black Dragon.
Selena learned Wind Archery,
Yeriel grows with the Essence of Immortality.
Lily embarks on the path of a noble summoner,
And finally, Aria… she will fulfill her revenge against Andras this time and awaken.
Even if I face the worst-case scenario, I do have minimal preparation in place.
‘The stagnant waters will cry out.’
Of course, I don’t want to escape in such a pitiful manner…
Now that I’ve messed things up, I want to see it through to the end and get thoroughly scolded by Yeriel and Aria.
‘There’s just one last variable…’
A reward skill for raising Luck to its max level of 5.0.
–Ding!
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[Luck (Max)] – [Fate’s Dice]
In situations that test fate, allows the caster to ensure the desired number is rolled.
: When probability events occur, results can be selected (1-time use).
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In a final situation… the skill, Fate’s Dice, creates one last probability variable.
If I use this skill at the right timing, a singular root to resolve all the adverse conditions… will open.
But for that prerequisite… Aria is the key.
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[Supporting Role Quest]
[Main Event ???]
[Mission Object: As a supporting role, you know the answer. Help the healer “Aria Bluebell” with her revenge.]
[Aria Bluebell’s Revenge: Eliminate Andras with her own hands.]
[Reward: Aria’s Awakening, Activate ‘Game Over’ (Max level achievement of Foundational Gamer trait)]
[Remaining Time: 81 hours 19 minutes 22 seconds (Countdown starts upon quest popup)]
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I must complete this quest.
‘The courage to be hated… strange.’
If Aria knows that I’ll disappear the moment she achieves her revenge…
Will she be able to kill me?
I can say with certainty, no.
Her feelings toward me must be genuine.
–Swoosh…! Crash!
The dark waves crashed, scattering onto the gray sandy shore.
As we heard the sound of the waves, we exchanged glances for a while.