"The Black Lands…"
Elric's expression darkened as he quietly left the corridor, thoughts racing.
He just said whatever he wanted and walked away.
Putting that aside
Could he really be… a war orphan from the Black Lands?
The thought lingered as he walks away.
The Black Lands the dead zone that bore the fiercest battles between humans and monsters during the final stages of the war. It was the last bastion of chaos. Even Selene's own parents, who trained her relentlessly in assassination techniques since she could walk, had forbidden her from ever stepping foot there.
Does that mean… he survived in such a dangerous place alone? For a long time?
Selene stopped in the empty hallway, frowning to herself.
...He might be kind of cool.
She immediately shook her head.
No. That doesn't mean he deserves this much attention.
From a nearby window, Selene Whitmore watched Kael's retreating figure and flinched.
"A-Argh!"
She gripped her head, groaning.
"What am I even thinking again?!"
The Next Morning
Kael Vi-rel awoke in his dormitory to the gentle hum of mechanical motion.
After a quick shower, he stepped into the living area and was greeted by a soft voice:
"Good morning, Cadet Kael Vi-rel. Your coffee is ready."
A sleek, floating robot gently lowered a steaming cup into his hand.
"Oh, thank you. Wow, robot delivery… that's kinda nice."
He took a cautious sip.
"Hot—hot hot hot—!"
Ding!
A new alert popped up in his vision.
> SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
One of the main characters is on the lookout for you.
One of the main characters is showing interest in you.
One of the main characters has a good impression of you.
> GAME POINTS +1400
Kael blinked, stunned.
What? That's… way more than I expected.
He checked the breakdown. A good chunk of the points had come from Silva's duel.
I got all this just from sparring with Silva?
Before he could ponder further, a voice came from behind him.
"Master Kael. The video has been edited and uploaded successfully. The new man-made drone prototype has also been assembled."
Kael nodded and moved to sit on a sleek chair near his desk.
"Alright… from the moment I was pulled into this game and rolled that cursed roulette, I've kept detailed records of every action."
He scrolled through the system's camera logs, skipping over earlier footage.
Still can't connect to the real-world internet…
He sighed.
No new updates from Earth. Still can't upload anything to my usual accounts.
He tapped his fingers against the table.
"Hey, did you finish syncing the system,Vismora glasses with the new drones?"
"Yes, Master. The platform for photos and videos has been successfully integrated into the system interface of this world."
Kael's eyes lit up.
"Perfect. If I can upload videos through that, then I can rack up Game Points faster. Web content never dies even in another world."
He smiled faintly.
"I've always had good instincts for viral content."
---
Suburb of Cangwon — Monster Habitat Zone
The next test came faster than expected.
Cadets stepped out of the warp gate into a large, rocky expanse surrounded by jagged cliffs. The sky was cloudy, and the smell of wet stone and distant blood hung thick in the air.
"Is today a practical test?"
Ding!
> QUEST #2 UNLOCKED — Show Your Skills!
Description: Do you think you have escape being a weakling? You are just a weakling who haven't step out of his shell?You're not even in the main story yet.
Success Condition: Defeat the training monsters completely.
Reward: 1x Medium Potion Box, 100 Game Points
Failure Penalty: Reputation loss
Kael skimmed the quest quickly.
So this is the type of quest designed to pressure you into showing off... Tch.
He folded his arms.
A battle against monsters… under instructor supervision. Not like the duel with Silva. I could use this to show off a bit without giving everything away…
But if I don't act, the system might toss me into an "emergency" quest.
He sighed, running a hand through his hair.
What a pain.
The atmosphere grew chaotic as the test began.
All around, cadets engaged monsters with raw enthusiasm.
"BANG—BANG—FWOOOSH!"
Damon Reid, with a punch glowing red-hot, sent a troll flying into the air.
Lucian Crowe chanted two spells simultaneously, a shimmering ring of glyphs rotating behind him.
"[Wind Blade]—[Aether Slash]!"
Two trolls were sliced apart in perfect synchronization.
Both cadets turned toward Kael, their eyes sharp and expectant.
Kael blinked.
"…What? Why are they looking at me like that?"
"It's the eyes of competition," Hay responded flatly from beside him.
Kael groaned internally.
Can I ever just coast through a day without standing out?
He glanced around and noticed Selene Whitmore and Clara Winslet looking at him, subtle but clear.
What now? Waiting for praise? Hoping I trip?
Suddenly, the birds overhead flew away in a frantic flurry.
A sharp chill ran down Kael's spine.
"…No way."
He turned, instincts screaming
This game won't let me lie low for long, huh?
---
C-Rank Orcs Encounter
CRACK—CRASH!
The trees nearby exploded outward as a massive shape lumbered into the clearing.
BOOM—BOOM—BOOM
A C-rank Orcs stepped out of the underbrush, its yellow eyes scanning hungrily.
> WARNING!
A C-Rank Orcs has appeared unexpectedly.
A cadet screamed. "I-It's a C-rank! How many are there?!"
Chaos exploded.
Sirens blared.
Lights turned red.
> EMERGENCY SIGNAL ACTIVATED
All cadets evacuate to the warp gate!
I repeat—ALL CADETS, EVACUATE!
"Move! MOVE!"
"Get outta my way!!"
"The gate it's not responding!"
"What?! It's jammed?!"
Kael's vision flickered again.
> EMERGENCY QUEST UNLOCKED
Objective: Hold off the Orcs alongside main characters.
Conditions:
Hold the front until rescue arrives (10 minutes)
Prevent any main character from dying
Sub-Objective: A traitor among the cadets is plotting something.
> Failure: Death of a main character
Kael narrowed his eyes.
So it's not just a monster attack. There's someone else behind this.
He clenched his fists, summoning his weapon.
"Fine. If I have to stand out, I'll do it properly."