Chapter 105 |
Entrance Examiner Kairan.
With her appearance, the children’s commotion disappeared in an instant.
“That’s the examiner! The examiner!”
Except for Balak, who was beside Kraush.
“There are three parts to the entrance exam.”
Kraush faintly recalled the entrance exam before his regression.
‘There’s one more part now.’
Back then, there were only two parts to the exam.
“The first part is to check the level of your aura.”
But back then, he had bought every elixir he could afford and trained to death to somehow grow stronger.
That’s how he barely made it to the end.
“The second part is a sparring match among the candidates. You will spar three times against opponents of higher, similar, and lower levels based on the aura check.”
This part was the same as before.
“Finally, the third part is a mock battle with the examiner. By the way, those who pass the first and second parts will be considered students.”
The students murmured.
They wondered why there was a need for a third part.
“The reason for the third part is simple. It’s to test for entry into the newly established special class.”
Special class.
Kraush was intrigued because he had never heard of this class.
It was clearly a change introduced in this iteration.
“The special class will operate separately from the departments you applied for. It will be a fast-track class for cultivating outstanding students. Additional recruitment will continue, and even after enrolling, students may be reassigned as needed.”
With a brief explanation, Kairan smiled slowly.
“Of course, if the special class fills up during the entrance exam, there will be no additional recruitment.”
That alone instantly changed the students’ motivation.
Those aiming to enter Rahelrn Academy had their own goals.
They realized that entering the special class would change their lives.
For nobles, it was the highest honor.
For commoners, it was the greatest opportunity.
And those aspiring to Martial Arts shared a common trait.
They wanted to prove they were the strongest.
That combative nature.
‘Seems like this was created because too many talented individuals showed up.’
Kraush realized why the special class was established.
Simultaneously, he understood that he needed to get into that class.
The Skyborne Generation would undoubtedly gather there.
“The condition for the third part is simple: defeat the examiner. I think many of you can do it.”
Clearly not believing a word she said, Kairan added.
Her words felt malicious.
“Then let’s begin the first part.”
As soon as she spoke, prepared examiners came out.
They quickly set up dozens of small, individual tents.
At the same time, magicians from Rahelrn Academy displayed names in the sky.
“Enter the tent with your name displayed above it and place your hand on the aurora stone inside.”
It was a simple test.
But about half of the students would fail this part.
‘The number of students is ultimately fixed.’
In the meantime, names appeared one by one.
Students with their names displayed entered the tents with determined expressions.
Despite dozens of tents, the first part took quite a while, given the four-digit number of Martial Arts applicants.
“Kraush, you’re aiming for the special class, right? I’m aiming for it too, so let’s go to the same class!”
So Kraush had to keep listening to Balak’s chatter.
“If we get into the special class, we can meet Aniks and Elfin too!”
Wood Bow, Aniks Graiza.
And Elfin Emilia.
Two of the three top members of Starlon were first-year students.
As the examiner mentioned, the special class was a fast-track program, so its students would live alongside the first-year students.
“I wonder how strong the examiner is. I’m excited.”
Kraush glanced at Kairan.
‘I wonder if anyone can beat her.’
Although not widely known,
she was a figure who made her name in the great sea beyond the wall, an almost forbidden territory.
Pirate Empress.
Kairan.
She must have captured thousands of erosion species from the great sea for research.
‘And the only associate professor with skills comparable to a professor.’
She remained an associate professor by choice, believing that directly conducting classes wasn’t suitable for her.
In other words, she was on par with the professors in terms of power.
‘How malicious.’
From the moment Kairan, who was on par with a professor, was assigned as the examiner, it felt malicious.
‘It’s like saying no one will pass the special class.’
That’s how it seemed.
Kraush chuckled briefly.
He was curious to see how far his current self could go against someone of Kairan’s level.
It piqued his interest.
***
Pirate Empress Kairan.
She found the name grand and embarrassing, but her skills were indeed worthy of such a title.
As the examiner, she was observing the students’ first part of the exam.
“Associate Professor Kairan.”
At that moment, she saw an assistant examiner approaching.
The first part of the exam was still in full swing.
Was something wrong?
Kairan glanced at him, and he hesitated to speak with a troubled expression.
Seeing her questioning look, the assistant examiner finally spoke.
“Um, one of the aurora stones has a crack.”
“A crack in the aurora stone?”
Kairan’s eyes widened.
Aurora stones were the best tools for measuring the total amount of aura.
When infused with aura, they would glow according to the amount of aura, displaying the total quantity.
Typically, aurora stones could withstand most aura outputs.
But a cracked aurora stone?
“It’s not because the applicants used it too much.”
Kairan’s eyes narrowed.
“It means there’s someone with an aura level beyond what the aurora stone can handle.”
“Yes, that’s correct. It’s clearly beyond the standard level.”
He nodded and informed her who had cracked the aurora stone.
“…Mary Diana.”
Kairan swallowed briefly.
A former candidate for the Empire’s Spear and someone who had committed the insane act of attempting regicide.
‘I heard she was born with the Heavenly Martial Body.’
Could she really possess an aura level that could crack an aurora stone?
Indeed, it made sense why the Empire had spared her execution.
If she had targeted a different royal instead of the Fourth Princess, who had almost no claim to the throne, she would have been executed immediately.
But because it was the Fourth Princess, they compromised and decided to use her as a royal pawn.
‘A monster has appeared.’
She clicked her tongue briefly and instructed him to replace the aurora stone.
‘The second part will be problematic.’
Would there be anyone as strong as Mary Diana, who cracked the aurora stone?
For Mary Diana, all three opponents in the second part might be weaker than her.
As she contemplated the second part,
Flash!
Suddenly, a strong light burst from a tent where the assistant examiner had gone to replace the aurora stone.
Students murmured in surprise at the sudden light.
Crash!
The clear sound of something breaking echoed.
Hearing that sound, Kairan felt momentarily dazed.
Then she snapped out of it and hurried to the tent, forgetting her role as the chief examiner.
Entering the tent, she saw the assistant examiner standing there, looking dazed.
Meeting her gaze, he trembled and spoke.
“A-Associate Professor Kairan, I definitely replaced the aurora stone.”
Hearing his words, Kairan shifted her gaze.
What she saw in front of her was the shattered remains of the aurora stone.
‘Replaced means.’
The new aurora stone had been unable to withstand the aura and shattered.
Kairan’s eyes wavered.
With her skills, she could manage to crack an aurora stone.
But to shatter one?
That was something even she couldn’t guarantee.
Who on earth did this?
As she lifted her head, she saw a young boy with blue-streaked black hair.
That hair color.
She remembered it clearly.
It was the same as the most troublesome person in Rahelrn Academy.
Charlotte Balheim.
The boy with sharp eyes lowered the hand he had raised.
“Should I do it again?”
Looking at the shattered aurora stone, he seemed regretful.
Seeing his arrogant attitude, she realized.
‘Kraush Balheim.’
One of the notable figures and the youngest direct descendant of Balheim.
It was definitely him.
“…You can leave now.”
“Good. If I did it again, I might have broken another one.”
Hearing his continued words, Kairan froze.
It wasn’t a coincidence that the aurora stone broke.
As she watched him walk away leisurely, Kairan swallowed.
She had thought Mary Diana was a monster.
But the real monster was right here.
***
Leaving the stunned Kairan behind, Kraush looked at his hand as he walked out.
‘I honestly didn’t expect it to break.’
Seeing the aurora stone reminded Kraush of his past.
The dim light it emitted had seemed so underwhelming even to him.
And the silent reaction of the assistant examiner watching it left him with an unpleasant feeling.
So he got curious.
Would the aurora stone recognize world erosion as aura?
‘Then might as well.’
He went all out.
With that thought, Kraush summoned Annihilation Erosion.
Thanks to the Heavenly Slaughter Star, its output had increased significantly.
He poured the maximum amount of aura into the aurora stone without harming himself.
The result.
Crash!
With a flash, the aurora stone shattered.
Kraush’s momentary output was unmatched.
So when he poured that into the aurora stone,
there was no way it could withstand it.
As Kraush lifted his head outside the tent,
Silence.
Everyone, including the entrance applicants and the current students, was staring at Kraush.
They had all heard the light and the sound of the breaking stone from the tent.
[You’re so reckless.]
Hearing Crimson Garden’s voice from the brooch in his pocket, Kraush slowly scratched the back of his head.
Then he broke the silence.
“What’re you looking at?”
A very Balheim-like comment.
Everyone remained silent as Kraush walked back to his original spot, unconcerned.
“Wow, Kraush! How strong have you gotten?!”
Unlike others, Balak, who wasn’t one to watch cautiously, reacted by jumping up and down.
It was comfortable having someone who didn’t care about the situation.
As Kraush stopped and turned,
Freeze!
Suddenly, Kraush froze.
The reason was simple.
Above the dozens of tents,
one name had changed to Arthur Gramalte.
‘Arthur.’
Kraush quickly turned in that direction.
But Arthur Gramalte’s name slowly faded and changed to another name.
While Kraush was breaking the aurora stone,
Arthur had also taken and finished the first part almost simultaneously.
The timing was off.
Realizing this, Kraush hurriedly looked around.
But there were too many people to spot Arthur.
‘He didn’t enroll earlier.’
For some reason, Arthur was enrolling at the same time as him.
Kraush frowned.
The current Arthur wasn’t the Arthur he knew.
Arthur hadn’t regressed.
So he was an unpredictable variable.
Kraush looked up to find Sigrid.
But unlike before, only her group remained without her.
Kraush realized that Sigrid had gone to meet Arthur after seeing his name.
Earlier, Kraush had noticed Mary in a robe taking the exam.
While looking for Arthur, Mary was nowhere to be seen either.
‘Fine.’
Kraush stopped searching.
They were bound to gather, one way or another.
So there was no rush.
‘I’ll walk my path.’
Little did they know that Kraush had also regressed with the same memories.
While they searched for Arthur,
Kraush was slowly baring his fangs at their necks.
End of Chapter
