The Academy entrance exam? I smirked to myself. Easy. I remember every detail of it.
"It's time to set off for your academy journey tomorrow," Adis said with his usual serious expression. Hearing those words, I quietly packed my belongings that night.
The next morning, as we stood by the door, Adis added, "Make sure to visit during the holidays. And don't abandon your training." "I'll see you during the holidays, Master," I replied before stepping outside.
The sky was clear, the air cool and crisp. I was finally free… Stronger in both body and mind. This year, both mages and swordmasters would be taking the exam together. The test? To locate hidden flags scattered across a vast forest. And lucky for me, I already know where they are—thanks to reading the novel.
After a long walk, I reached the first warp gate. Warp gates were magical portals that connected distant locations. To reach the academy, I had to pass through three: from the rural outskirts to the city, from the city to the capital, and finally, from the capital to the academy.
By morning, I had finally arrived at the Academy's examination grounds. There was still an hour before the test would begin. Normally, warp gates had long lines, but academy applicants were given priority access. While waiting, I scanned the crowd—searching for familiar faces from the novel.
Then I saw her. Silver hair, deep blue eyes, and a chilling aura.
Senia Noveria.
A noble mage who had mastered ice and water magic. Known for her cold personality and distant demeanor. The Noveria family was famed for its powerful ice magic, and Senia was no exception—one of the novel's main heroines.
A bit further away stood a green-haired boy with brown eyes and a massive sword strapped to his back.
Tempe Thorn.
The Thorn family was well-known for swordsmanship. While most of his family preferred light blades, Tempe was the only one who trained with a heavy sword. He was meant to be the protagonist's loyal companion… But this time, I'm changing the story.
I didn't see the rest of the main characters. They must be in another region, I thought.
A professor stepped forward to explain the exam, but I didn't bother listening. I already know what he's going to say.
The exam rules were simple: form a team of three, collect as many hidden flags as possible in the forest, and bring them back to a designated starting point to score points.
Looking around, I noticed groups beginning to form. Some fools had created teams with three swordmasters. Rookie mistake. The most effective team setup was two swordmasters and one mage. After all, finding flags required either strong tracking skills—or magic.
In the original novel, Ian had teamed up with Tempe and a mage named Artis. Artis was a supporting character. But this time, I won't be teaming up with either of them.
Instead, I'll partner with one of the story's villains: Sebastian Serus. With jet-black hair, crimson eyes, and striking features, Sebastian had the looks of a hero. That's why he was so popular at the academy. But I knew better. Beneath that charming exterior hid a twisted mind.
Sebastian was preparing to enter the forest alone when I approached him.
"Team up with me," I said bluntly.
He paused for a moment, then gave a small smile.
"Unfortunately, I'll have to decline," he said.
To the others, that smile seemed kind and graceful. But I knew—it was nothing but a mask.
I leaned closer to his ear. "Don't worry," I whispered. "I have a dark plan too. Let's work together this once… and secure victory."
His eyes lit up with curiosity.
"You know my plan? Doesn't matter. I'm intrigued by yours. Fine, let's team up. We might get along better than I thought."
To confirm our team, we tapped our wristbands together. Each student wore a band that tracked their health and team status.
The professor raised his voice again: "Once you're in teams, you'll be teleported to random locations in the forest. Each team leader will receive a map with the locations of the two starting points. Bring your collected flags to one of those points to score. Your wristbands display your HP. When your HP drops to zero, you'll be automatically eliminated and teleported back to the starting point. And remember—once you're out, you can't return. Good luck!"
A flash of light surrounded us—and just like that, we found ourselves deep in the forest.
"Follow me," I told Sebastian. I opened the map and sprinted toward the nearest starting point.
When we arrived, he turned to me.
"So? What's the big plan?"
"There are only two starting points," I said. "Every team has to return to one eventually." A grin spread across my face. "We'll dig a pit here. When students fall in, we'll steal their flags."
Sebastian frowned slightly. "Even if we trap them, these aren't normal people. Academy students can easily jump out."
I chuckled. "That's why… we'll be chopping wood."
He blinked in confusion. "Wood? What for?"
"We'll craft wooden spikes and place them inside the pit. Anyone who falls in will lose all their HP instantly. We take their flags. Simple."
Sebastian looked at me in stunned silence. Then smiled.
"I like you."