NOVEL NEXT chapter 6
6 – I’m in First Place (1)
The final exam of the entrance test.
‘Test of Strength.’
A trial where one topples the enemy with their own strength and abilities.
The nature of this strength test varies based on the number of examinees.
The total number of students entering the academy is 300.
If the number of examinees is close to the 300 mark, the test proceeds in a tournament style, with one-on-one duels.
Then, the school principal and instructors score the participants, determining admission and ranking based on the scores.
On the other hand, if the number of examinees greatly exceeds 300, the exam is conducted in a Battle Royale style.
Just like now.
“Ah, I want to eat chicken.”
There’s a genuine desire for chicken.
And there’s also a desire to come in first in this Battle Royale.
I lifted my head and looked at the sky.
[Remaining number: 477]
A massive holographic screen displayed the ‘remaining number’ in real-time.
Below that, the scores of the examinees were listed.
[Scoreboard]
1st – Arthur Pen Dragon: 1900 points
2nd – Lee Seo-yeon: 1800 points
3rd – Lee Yoo-jin: 1200 points
4th – Shuhei Asuka: 500 points
5th – Noah: 400 points
.
.
.
The section where one could find out who eliminated the 23 examinees.
Oh, by the way, the reason I’m in 3rd place is…
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【Camouflage Robe (C)】
A robe that can blend into the surrounding environment.
*An item that can only be used on the deserted island, the ‘Battle Royal’ area of the Arena Academy.
[Hidden Item: 700 points]
– When worn, activates the blending (C) constantly.
– Deactivates blending (C) when attacking enemies.
– Cooldown time: 1 minute.
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【Noise-Canceling Anklet (C)】
An anklet that blocks the noise emanating from the body for a certain period.
*An item that can only be used on the deserted island, the ‘Battle Royal’ area of the Arena Academy.
[Hidden Item: 500 points]
– When worn, allows the use of noise-canceling (C) skill.
– Deactivates noise-canceling (C) when attacking enemies.
– Duration: 10 seconds.
– Cooldown time: 1 minute.
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I found two hidden items.
It hasn’t been long since the exam started.
However, how did I, who moved into the forest full of trees, find the items that the instructors must have hidden so easily?
The method is nothing special.
The deserted island where the Battle Royal is conducted.
All you need to do is memorize the geography of this place.
‘It’s not like I have played 30,000 hours for nothing.’
Although it’s a game, how many times have I visited this deserted island in those 30,000 hours?
I haven’t counted exactly, but it must have been over ten thousand times at least.
And the expertise of a Korean gamer.
They upload the strategies they’ve laboriously discovered to the game community.
Thanks to that, I could gather various information and compile it to create a detailed map of this deserted island.
And of course, I also uploaded the map I painstakingly created to the community’s strategy forum.
‘Because he’s a veteran.’
I nodded.
With that in mind, I nodded my head.
Anyway, it doesn’t matter whether we’re moved randomly to a forest, an open field, or near the beach.
Because I’ve memorized the entire geography, I know where items are and where monsters are.
Still, it’s nice to be moved to a forest.
Most of the items hidden in the forest are of the stealth type, like the ones I’m currently wearing.
So, it’s good if the starting point is in or near the forest.
There are many trees, providing plenty of places to hide, and if you equip yourself with stealth-type items, you have an advantage in surprise attacks.
And above all, it increases the survival rate.
Of course… if you can find the items!
Rustling.
Suddenly, I heard voices chattering beneath the trees.
Hiding in the thick branches above, I lowered my head to confirm the source of the commotion.
“…Where the heck are the hidden items?”
“Well, can we even find this?”
“No sign of items or monsters anywhere.”
Three familiar faces, standing under the tree where I was, were talking loudly.
Judging by the sweat on their faces and wet clothes, it seemed like they had been diligently searching for hidden items or monsters.
From the complaints, it seemed like they hadn’t found anything.
“Should we just hide?”
“…Why bother? Whether you have points or not, as long as you don’t get eliminated, you can pass, right?”
“……Yeah, let’s just hide. The top-ranking players in that hologram will reduce the numbers anyway.”
They’re hiding, huh.
‘Looks like they’ve given up on finding.’
The items are definitely well-hidden.
‘Just a bit more searching.’
Even if it’s not items, the monsters they’re looking for can be found just a bit further ahead, and I was a bit disappointed.
Still, those who chose to hide after giving up on searching have their own reasons.
‘Well, surviving by hiding is also a strategy.’
However, here it is:
But here’s the thing.
Are you the only examinees having such thoughts?
And did the principal who organized the exam not have such thoughts?
Tick, tock.
“…What’s that sound?”
“Um… sounds like an alarm?”
“…Where is it coming from?”
At the sudden sound, the three of them looked around.
I turned away from them and looked at my smartwatch on my wrist.
[Timer has ended.]
[Set timer duration: 30 minutes]
The designated time had come.
I silenced the alarm on my smartwatch and stretched my stiff body, hiding among the branches.
I’ll need to move vigorously soon.
“Where are you! Where are you hiding!”
“Come out! Stop hiding!”
“If you come out now, we won’t disqualify you, just come out peacefully.”
The three searched around, shouting and making noise.
I retrieved a small leather pouch and a gas mask that covered my mouth and nose from my inventory.
The reason I set the timer as soon as the exam began.
But why precisely 30 minutes?
Ring.
The smartwatch would provide the reason.
[30 minutes elapsed in the exam.]
[Remaining count: 452 examinees]
[Confirmed that a considerable number of examinees are still alive]
[Activating ‘devices’ for the exam’s swift progress.]
A message popped up on the smartwatch.
And as the message indicating the activation of ‘devices’ vanished,
A massive dome made of an island-sized electric field appeared.
And after a moment.
Zzzzzzt!
A dome emitting a blue electric glow began to buzz with a fierce sound.
“What, what is that!”
“…No, it wasn’t mentioned in the exam instructions!”
“Hey, you guys! Stop shouting and run inside!!”
The trio, faced with the approaching and formidable dome, gave up on finding me, the source of the alarm sound, and tried to flee.
But unfortunately, they wouldn’t be able to escape.
Because I was about to make sure of that.
“Where do you think you’re running?”
“……!”
The startled trio snapped their heads up at the sound of my voice.
And upon spotting me on the tree branch, their eyes widened.
Observing their reactions, I forcefully threw the leather pouch I had taken from the inventory downward.
Splat!
The leather pouch burst open, releasing green powder that scattered in all directions.
Without any plan of action, the trio was covered in the green powder.
“What, what is this…!”
“M-My body won’t move….”
“You, you… how cowardly….”
The trio stiffened and collapsed, unable to move, with the green powder on them.
Right.
It was poison.
Local paralysis poison.
And I made it.
In this Battle Royale area on the uninhabited island, there are special items hidden besides the ones listed.
There are many of them, but limiting it to the forest where I stand, various ingredients like plants and mushrooms used in potion-making are scattered around.
Even now, if you look around carefully.
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**Bomb Mushrooms**
Mushrooms that scatter spores like explosives upon impact.
They are classified as ‘poison mushrooms’ due to the paralyzing agents in their spores.
You can find poison mushrooms that paralyze three people in an instant like this.
The spores bursting from the leather pouch are also nearby me.
But I’m perfectly fine.
Hiss…, hiss…
Because I was wearing a gas mask.
And not just any mask, but one inscribed with purification magic.
Pfft.
“Cowardice, huh.”
Talking about cowardice in a battle royale.
What a laughable fellow.
I looked at him, dripping with sarcasm.
“P-Please, spare us.”
What fantasies did they conjure with my laughter? The trio begged for their lives, faces contorted with fear.
“……”
No, what are they talking about?
“Ha, absurd.”
With a sense of incredulity, I chuckled and descended from the tree branch.
That’s when these guys started succumbing to fear.
I approached the trio.
And, squatting in front of one, I spoke.
“No, why ask for mercy? I never had any intention to kill you.”
If they were corrupted, that’s another story.
Why would I kill mere extras?
As I reassured them, their expressions noticeably eased.
Yet, the faces riddled with fear remained unchanged.
“Why is that happening?”
“Th-the electrical field is narrowing there.”
“Yeah, if we remain paralyzed like this, we won’t be able to avoid the electrical field.”
They were thinking that they might die from the approaching electrical field of the dome.
“……”
What the heck are these guys saying?
Are they seriously saying this?
“Do you really think you’ll die if you touch the electrical field?”
“…N-No?”
“Look at how deadly that electrical field is. Just touching it would make you go stiff…”
…They were actually serious.
“What were these idiots thinking when they tried to enter the academy?”
No matter how much the academy’s tests change each time, they took the test without any information.
“Ugh.”
I sighed deeply at their patheticness and kindly informed them.
“That electrical field of the dome only depletes the HP of the protective magic on your bracelets. It doesn’t harm your lives, so just lie down comfortably.”
As I said that and turned around, the guys shouted.
“No, please release us!”
“Yeah! Release us!”
“What did you say?”
Ignoring their shouts, I ran forward.
While doing so, I opened my inventory and took out a leather pouch containing the same bomb mushrooms as before.
Two in each hand, a total of four.
As I held the pouches, I threw them one by one at the people I saw while running.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
“AAH! What is this?!”
“F-f*ck! My body!”
“What the hell?!”
Screams and curses filled the surroundings.
Green powder spread like a haze in the forest.
Pushing through the green powder, he continuously tossed pouches aside.
Toss. Fill.
Toss. Fill.
He kept at it until the pouches in his inventory were depleted.
“I’ve got plenty of bomb pouches ready.”
Among other things.
But for now, even with just this pouch containing bomb mushrooms.
It should be enough to reach the center where the contestants would gather.