I Became The Academy’s Narrow-Eyes

Entering the Academy.

My original goal was nothing more and nothing less than just that.

As long as I succeeded in entering the academy, I didn’t care about the entrance ranking, grades, or anything else.

I had to hide my black magic and assassination skills, which were my left and right arms in the first place.

It is not feasible for me to consider rankings or grades when even getting into the Academy is difficult.

But things have changed.

A new goal has emerged.

That is collecting Kasha Hanahan.

‘No, not collect. I’m supposed to help her.’

I couldn’t let Kasha die a miserable death in a mental breakdown like she did in the original.

It was a cosmic loss to let such a tease-able character break down and die.

Was she destined to live a miserable life and die a miserable death anyway?

Wouldn’t it be better if she came into my [favorite tease list] and got periodic help and was lightly teased in return-a mutually positive give-and-take?

‘Ahem. It’s not a bad idea.’

So I resolved to collect- I mean, save kasha.

That led me to the conclusion that I must become the top student at the Academy.

If another hardcore gamer of Tose finds out about my plan, they might say something like this:

‘What does collecting Kasha have anything to do with becoming top student at the Academy? Are you crazy?’

If I were an experienced player who knew everything about games, maybe I could come up with around 500 ways to save Kasha Hanahan.

I would have picked the best one and executed it.

But even though I may not be crazy, I am definitely ignorant when it comes to gaming.

There was only one way to save Kasha that I could think of.

Getting the top spot at the Academy by surpassing Drin.

Unfulfilled need for recognition.

As far as I know, that was the cause of Kasha Hanahan’s mental illness and selling her soul to a demon at a bargain price.

So in order to prevent her bad ending, I need to fulfill that need for recognition.

It’s not like I can just go up to Kasha and say, “You’re cool, I’m your fan, give me a hug,” and expect it to work.

The only ones who can fulfill Kasha’s approval desire are her family and the person she recognizes as the best.

For Kasha, that person is Drin.

But if I take away Drin’s position as top student at the Academy?

Kasha will recognize me as the best instead of Drin.

Then I will have fulfilled her need for recognition.

‘It’s my plan, but it’s amazing.’

NOTE: It’s a satire

It was a complete piece of crap plan with logical leaps, confirmation bias, and conjecture.

If I were to write such nonsense on a planning document at work, my boss would awaken his power to turn trash into wood. And then he would realize that there was no need for him even bother using his strength against this kind of planning document; he could simply turn me into wood. Because only trash can write such plans.

‘I must be going crazy.’

But unfortunately, this was truly the best plan I could come up with right now.

Therefore, there were only two things I could do:

‘Oh, I should have played the game harder. I’m done for.’

Cursing those people who didn’t know anything yet lectured me about prioritizing studying over games.

And following through with this garbage plan.

‘So how am I supposed to do it? Becoming the top student at the Academy.’

As expected, it was not easy from the beginning, just like a garbage plan.

Becoming the top student at the Academy.

It was more like, ‘Chapter One, Get into Oxford, Picking Up Girls.’

‘Is there an answer…?’

I tried to come up with a way to become the top student at the Academy while concealing my black magic and assassination skills.

It was a challenge, and I set my thinking and imagination free to spread its wings.

Then, to the best of my ability, I came up with two options.

1. Assassinate participants who are better than me using assassination skills.

2. Use black magic against participants who are better than me using black magic.

‘Is this really your best idea, my intelligence?’

My body despaired.

Actually, it wasn’t entirely due to my lack of intelligence.

It was because of my overall ability excluded assassination skills and black magic.

The gap between becoming the top student at the Academy and these abilities could not be filled simply by being clever.

In other words, it was practically impossible to become the top student at the Academy without using black magic and assassination techniques.

But if I were to use black magic and assassination techniques to become the top student, there would be a funeral before the entrance ceremony even took place.

‘It’s giving me a headache.’

While I was pondering, suddenly an image of Drin’s angelic face came to mind.

I wondered if it was my subconscious trying to comfort myself by thinking of Drin’s face in the midst of my mental struggles. At that moment, I heard an imaginary voice from Drin.

‘You seem like someone who would excel as an assassin~ Excel…excel…(echo)’

That was Drin’s evaluation when he saw me in action.

“Wait.”

I blinked.

A light bulb went off over my head as I realized what Drin had said.

I had been excluding black magic and assassination techniques from my actions because I didn’t want to reveal my true identity. Not only did it involve practical power and skills, but also talent for those things. But now that I think about it…

‘Is it really necessary?’

The reason why black magic and assassination techniques are considered taboo is not only because they possess inherently evil qualities, but also because obtaining such powers involves highly immoral methods.

To learn assassination techniques, one must enter into the underworld and catch the attention of “Harashin,” a secret society that has existed since ancient times.

To learn black magic, one must attract the attention of demons who are eagerly seeking ways to increase their influence in the underworld along with their followers. The methods involved in catching their attention often require sacrificing one’s humanity or committing heinous acts.

In other words, learning assassination techniques and black magic itself became evidence of being wicked individuals.

‘A change of perspective is needed here.’

What if it’s like this?

Instead of being someone who learned assassination techniques and black magic, I am an actor who possesses the talent to handle them without actually learning them.

‘Would that work?’

Humans are not machines. They cannot simply choose which functions to turn on or off. But with my unique abilities, I can make such impossible actions possible. No one would be able to see through the facade I created by completing those seemingly impossible tasks.

‘It will work.’

I believe that this will work. However, I cannot guarantee the outcome.

‘Is it worth taking on these risks for Kasha, who has nothing to do with me?’

It was a difficult dilemma.

“5, 4, 3, 2, 1-”

I didn’t even have time to sit back and think about it.

“Good luck!”

As soon as Sinia finished speaking, I was summoned to the inside of the magic circle.

In front of me stood the battle target of the second test – a Mana Golem.

‘It’s quite challenging.’

I remembered what the secondary test was in the game.

I’m pretty sure it wasn’t a Mana Golem.

This was my first encounter with this opponent. Naturally, I had no idea about their tactics or weaknesses.

Standing face-to-face with them felt like facing a pillar-like creature – literally made up of arms and legs attached together – but there were no visible openings or weak points whatsoever in its structure.

In this situation, I decided to do what I had in mind.

I decided to try something that I had thought about before excluding all aspects related to assassination techniques from my actions: resurrecting only my talent for deception skills.

[Ceylon].

Level: 14

The level remained unchanged.

Skills: Deceiver’s Sword Lv.1 (Legendary), Ashen Magic Lv.1 (Heroic)

However, instead of ‘Lost Sword Lv.1 (Heroic)’, the skill had transformed into ‘Deceiver’s Sword’.

The moment I realized it, I felt the world-or rather, my vision-expand.

At the same time, I sensed an irresistible attraction from the countless strands emanating from the Mana Golem.

That was exactly what I desired – to see all the paths that my talent as an assassin could take and to know which path was most correct.

I chose that path and charged towards the Golem.

In that instant, my body resonated with mana in a way similar to when using swordsmanship skills. But this mana wasn’t solely contained within me; it seemed ready to interfere with the opponent’s mana at any given moment.

Every time I use Assassination Technique, I realize why it is a taboo power.

It acts by interfering with the opponent’s mana.

‘I see why it’s taboo.’

It dominates my thinking in a different perspective.

Instead of finding ways to gain an advantage over the opponent, I think of ways to bring them down beneath me.

I check the golem’s field of vision and adjust my stance, hiding my movements and deceiving it at the same time.

At the same time, I scatter his senses with mana.

Instinctively, I could feel that the technique called “Deception Step” that I used with assassination techniques was fundamentally similar in nature.

It’s a crude imitation, barely conceiving of its form.

But its effect was undeniable.

-Thud!

-Thud!

The golem’s arm sliced through the air and slammed into the ground.

It wasn’t that I dodged it at a speed beyond what the golem could react to.

The golem was fooled by my movements.

I wondered how a golem with no emotions or senses could be fooled.

Perhaps it was due to my mana interfering with the mana core that makes up its consciousness.

With such thoughts in mind, I completed a series of actions seamlessly flowing together as one motion.

In a flash, I was behind him and plunged my sword into the mana core in the back of it’s head.

The weakened mana core cracked with a loud crack.

-Boom!

Both the mana core and the magic circle collapsed with an explosive sound.

***

“No matter how you look at it, this-”

Sinia, who had rewound the record several times and observed Ceylon’s movements, concluded.

This is an assassination technique.