The moment I stepped into the grand hall, a cold voice echoed through the vast chamber.
"Applicants, pay close attention."
Professor Maria began explaining the rules in a slow, emotionless tone. Her sharp gaze swept across the gathered students like a blade.
"The examination will be conducted in two stages. The first stage is a survival battle. All applicants will enter a virtual Rift, where you will fight against the other participants. You will each be given a watch to record your points."
She paused only briefly before continuing.
"These watches serve another purpose. If your life is placed in danger, they will automatically transport you outside the Rift. In other words, you need not fear killing one another inside. Everyone will remain safe."
As soon as her words fell, the massive doors of the hall opened.
With the rumble of engines, several large vehicles drove inside.
"Now then, everyone will collect their watches before we continue."
She gave a light clap.
The sides of the vehicles unfolded outward, transforming them into something resembling food stalls.
I watched with mild amusement.
…Creative.
"Hmm?"
I felt someone tug at the sleeve of my coat.
Looking down, I found a hand clutching the fabric.
Renee.
I raised my eyes to meet hers.
"Come on, Rey."
She smiled brightly, her crimson eyes narrowing into crescents as she pulled me along.
"R-Right."
It felt a little strange.
Yet at the same time, seeing her smile stirred a quiet warmth inside my chest.
I smiled faintly and followed her toward one of the vehicles, where a small line had already formed.
A few minutes later, we reached the front.
An ordinary-looking man with black hair and brown eyes handed us two watches.
"Here you go, kids."
He smiled kindly as he passed them over.
I gave him a small nod of thanks, while Renee thanked him properly with her usual cheerful tone.
We stepped aside so we wouldn't block the others and began inspecting the devices.
They looked ordinary.
Nothing advanced.
Nothing particularly impressive.
Still, appearances could be deceiving.
I lowered my head slightly, allowing several strands of hair to fall over my eyes.
Then I activated the Eye of Truth.
"…Useless."
The Eye of Truth was of little value when it came to modern machinery. It was far better at analyzing living bodies and mana than artificial objects.
Even so, I could still sense the dense magic flowing through the watch.
It reminded me of the strange particles of space I had seen the first time I awakened the Eye of Truth.
"It's a little annoying,"
Renee said beside me as she fastened hers around her wrist.
"I think so too."
I put mine on. The only visible feature was a blue number display at the center.
For the next ten minutes, Rin and I stood together in silence.
Oddly enough, it wasn't awkward.
There was a quiet understanding between us.
Perhaps neither of us liked unnecessary conversation.
Or perhaps... Renee was simply being considerate toward me.
I wasn't sure.
Then Maria's cold voice rang through the hall once more, slicing through the crowd's chatter.
"I think everyone has finished. I will now explain the final details before you enter the virtual Rift."
The moment she spoke, the wooden floor behind her began to tremble.
"What is that?"
Someone nearby muttered in confusion, only for his friend to shake his head just as cluelessly.
I ignored them and focused on the floor as it split apart.
Slowly, something rose from below.
It was unlike the black Rift gates I had seen before, the ones surrounded by rotating cubes.
This one was enormous.
A giant circular portal, large enough to swallow an entire building.
Its surface glowed blue like the sea.
"Inside the Rift, you will find four safe zones. However, after every hour, a mist will begin advancing inward from the outer edges. Anyone caught within the mist will be eliminated."
Whispers spread among the applicants, but Maria paid them no attention.
It was almost like those battle royale games from Earth.
Then her voice grew even colder.
"I assume all of you are already aware of the Academy's harsh standards."
The atmosphere froze.
"Only those ranked from first place to one-thousandth place will proceed to the second examination."
She paused.
"Everyone else... without exception... fails."
I heard someone swallow nervously.
Cold sweat formed on several faces.
Tension spread through the hall, but no one spoke.
Everyone already knew what kind of place this Academy was.
Only the best were chosen.
Maria showed no interest in their reactions.
Whether they trembled.
Sweated.
Smiled.
Or panicked.
None of it mattered to her.
"Now then, without wasting any more time—the zone will continue shrinking until only three participants remain."
"Those three will be declared the winners."
"Prepare to enter the gate. Your starting locations will be random."
Her expression never changed.
I turned toward the girl standing beside me.
"Renee, do you want to work together? Or meet again later?"
"Ren," she corrected me with a smile.
I let out a sigh
.
"Right. Ren."
This girl only became more mysterious by the minute.
"Yes," she said confidently, locking eyes with me. "Let's meet again when around one hundred participants remain. Then we'll work together, Ray."
Her smile widened.
"At that point... I doubt anyone will be able to stop us."
"…Yeah."
I still didn't know her true strength, nor what kind of ability she possessed.
But I knew one thing.
Renee she was stronger than me.
Far stronger.
And although I couldn't understand why someone like her had never appeared in the novel, I pushed the thought aside.
Ever since the battle with the bat monster, I had learned something important.
Knowing the story did not mean knowing everything.
"Be careful, Ren."
That was all I said.
I placed my trust in the mysterious girl before me.
"Hehe, okay."
Her crescent-shaped eyes and wide smile stole my breath for a moment.
…I might really be developing heart problems lately.
"Come on, let's head to the gate."
She took my hand and began pulling me forward.
Soft.
That was my only thought as the warmth of her delicate hand wrapped around mine.
Soon, we reached the line that had formed before the portal.
A faint sense of loss passed through me when she let go.
I shook my head and ignored it.
Several instructors stood nearby, checking names, counting applicants, and inspecting watches.
Despite the overwhelming number of participants, the process moved quickly and efficiently.
Each student took less than thirty seconds.
Before long, Renee and I were finished.
Now it was time.
"At last."
I stood before the gate.
"Do your best, Ray."
Still wearing that same bright smile, Renee stepped into the portal and vanished.
"Thanks."
I smiled faintly and stepped forward.
Then—
The familiar sensation of weightlessness swallowed me whole.
It did not last long.
When I opened my eyes again—
I was standing in the middle of a forest.
Fresh air.
The scent of grass.
Soft earth beneath my feet.
Everything felt so real that it was hard to believe this was only a virtual Rift.
Then Maria's voice echoed through the sky.
"All applicants have entered."
A brief pause followed.
"The examination... begins now."