Chương 102: Chapter 95: Story Pacing

"Students of Onyx Spire Academy," Kaimon's voice resonated through the vast expanse, carried by sound magic.

"You are all brave spirits with immense potential who have qualified to enter these halls. First and foremost, I congratulate you on that achievement." He extended a hand toward the sea of students gathered on the pale stone floor below.

"Bruh… bro could've at least put some more hype into that. Sounds like a middle school principal." Noa leaned back in his chair.

"Yeah…" Vionette mirrored his deadpan expression, her eyes tracking Kaimon with a look of childish disappointment. Kaimon, surrounded by his inner circle of nobles, sat on the opposite side of the grand colosseum from the Crimvane group. He had orchestrated it this way to maintain a direct line of sight, keeping the unpredictable powerhouse under constant observation without appearing too obvious. Lucion's eyes narrowed as he quietly studied the shifting dynamics of the students around him.

The first event of the opening ceremony should be…

"The first exam you will be facing today is… a survival event." After finishing his announcement, Kaimon lowered himself back into his ornate seat, gesturing for an announcer to take center stage. The announcer, a man wearing dark sunglasses, threw his arms wide to command the crowd's attention.

"You all will be transported into another dimension inside an artifact. This realm is filled with hostile landscapes and populated by various monsters. Your objective is simple: survive within that dimension for exactly six hours." A collective, breathless shock rippled through the stands. The audience nearly surged to their feet the moment the word'artifact' escaped the announcer's lips.

"The rankings will be assigned according to the difficulty and quantity of the monsters you successfully eliminate. The stronger the beast, the higher the points. But do not worry! Even if you happen to face death inside the dimension, the artifact will safely eject you back to this world with no physical wounds." An artifact? Vionette's eyes narrowed, a sly smile stretching across her face. A self-contained alternate dimension, where people can come back to life after dying inside…

<Darling, we might've just found our next target. > Vionette's telepathic voice dripped with wicked amusement. <Oh… you mean the artifact, right? > Noa glanced over at her, raising an eyebrow. <But Vio, are you also planning to open an academy or something? > <I can just adjust its functions to something useful using [Crown of Accumulation] or some other bullshit, > she replied, her gaze drilling into Kaimon. <But seriously, why the hell did he announce it so openly to the public?

Even if it's not as good as that summoning artifact from Thalaor, an artifact is still an artifact. > Artifacts were ancient relics that defied human craftsmanship. A single one possessed enough value to incite wars between entire nations. For Gergrain to reveal possession of one so brazenly to a crowd could only mean one thing: Kaimon was dead serious about this academy. Vionette ran her tongue over her lips, her expression that of a hunting snake. I'll definitely get that thing.

"There are no specific rules during this event because you will not suffer any permanent harm," a second announcer spoke up, her tone noticeably less energetic.

"You are permitted to form temporary alliances to take down powerful high-tier monsters, but all the points will be awarded to whoever delivers the final strike. Furthermore, you cannot manually share your points with another. However, you are permitted to kill others inside the dimension to forcibly transfer half of their accumulated score to your own total." The crowd began to buzz with tense energy.

"Each of you will be given a bracelet to display your score in real time," the energetic announcer declared loudly, jumping back into the spotlight.

"And by the way, that bracelet cannot be destroyed, tampered with, or taken off by any means while inside the trial!"

Deep within a humid jungle inside the artificial dimension, Lucion stood with his back pressed against the rough bark of a towering tree, ensuring he wouldn't be easily spotted by any passing competitors or prowling beasts. His eyes stared intently at the glowing purple window of his system. [New missions available!] [Story Mission: Survive in the dimension without dying] The Necklace of Ishlim—an item that expands the wearer's Aether Core capacity—is secretly hidden in this dimension.

He cast a glance through the dense foliage before pushing forward. I have to acquire it at all costs to boost my Aether attribute. He navigated the labyrinth of ancient trunks, checking every shadow and blind spot before slipping to the next patch of cover. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Judging from my first experience, these Story Missions from the system give very useful rewards.

Even if dying here doesn't equal disqualification from the academy, I still have to survive the full six hours to complete the system's objective. His thoughts were shattered by a deafening roar just a few paces away. A lion, easily twice Lucion's size, tore through the thick undergrowth ahead. Its vibrant fur crackled with wild, crimson flames along its mane, and its long, whipping tail burned like a brilliant torch. I've been spotted already?

Well, these magical beasts possess keen senses, so I suppose it was only a matter of time. His expression remained calm as his right hand dropped to his hip, unsheathing his iron sword with a metallic hiss. The moment Lucion moved, the beast's slit-pupiled eyes burned with feral rage, and it lunged. Vaulting high into the air, it came crashing down toward him. One of its heavy paws ignited with a concentrated burst of roaring fire, aiming straight for Lucion's skull.

[Threaded Observation (Uncommon)] • Enhances the user's ability to follow movements, patterns, and interconnected details in real time. Lucion slid to the side, evading the descending strike. The blazing paw slammed into the dirt, detonating a wave of intense heat that cracked the earth beneath him, leaving the soil smoking. Spinning on his heel, Lucion pivoted behind the monster's flank.

He infused the metal of his blade with a faint aura and moved the sword upward, before burying the steel deep into the beast's side. This won't be enough! Thick blood hissed against the heat of its own burning fur, but the wound only served to fan the flames of the creature's rage. Lucion wrenched his sword from the flesh and leapt backward, using the momentum to spring into the dense cluster of trees and circle the lion.

As the beast thrashed in a frenzy trying to catch its elusive prey, Lucion began casting a spell. It's basic logic what fire hates most. —Tier 1 Magic: Water Arrow— Ten arrows forged from high-pressure water manifested in a spinning halo behind Lucion's back. He stepped out from the cover of the timber and pointed a finger directly at the lion's chest. Sensing the sudden threat, the lion roared.

From its blazing fur, flames flared into the air, coalescing into concentrated fireballs before shooting outward to intercept. The opposing elements collided mid-air, extinguishing one another and erupting into a thick, billowing grey fog. The steam completely blanketed the clearing, while the scent of scorched ash crippled the beast's sensory tracking. Before the mist could begin to clear, Lucion darted through the lion's blind spots.

Drawing small daggers from his belt, he rapidly drove them into the creature's flanks from multiple angles, drawing sprays of crimson in his wake. As the desperate beast blindly lashed out in search of its unseen tormentor, Lucion's cold grey eyes suddenly appeared right beneath its jaw. He had slid flat across the dirt beneath its chest, a hunting knife gripped tight in his palm. Gritting his teeth, he thrust the blade upward, burying the iron deep into the lion's throat.

The beast let out a choked, gurgling roar of agony, mindlessly thrashing its limbs and flaming tail in a chaotic frenzy. Lucion rolled away from the flailing claws, vaulted onto a low-hanging branch, and launched himself onto the creature's spine, his longsword raised high.

"One down," he muttered, plunging the sword through the beast's eye and straight into its brain. [+200 points] The monstrous beast finally went limp, crashing into the dirt as the counter on Lucion's bracelet ticked upward.

"Finally…" he panted, wiping a mix of sweat and monster blood from his brow. He knew he couldn't simply overpower these monsters through brute strength like a warrior, nor could he chant destructive spells like a genius mage. But Lucion wasn't a warrior, nor was he a mage. He was a gamer. And the trait a gamer needed most to manage multiple keys and execute split-second mouse clicks under pressure was… [Speed: D → C]

"That boy is good," a noble sitting beside Kaimon muttered.

"For a commoner who clearly had no access to formal training or luxury, that tactical sequence is a feast on its own." Outside in the real world, the live progress of all two thousand freshmen was projected across hovering magical screens blanketing the sky.

"I agree. The boy truly is skilled …but," Kaimon pointed a ring-adorned finger toward a different sector of the display.

"he is not as talented as most." The screen Kaimon indicated focused on a young girl with dark grey hair. She stood alone, clutching a long staff in her hands, her left cuff bearing the black commoner insignia. Facing down a towering, corrupted monster, she calmly chanted an incantation as the mindless beast closed the distance. With a blinding flash, a pillar of radiant light detonated, leaving the beast utterly obliterated with a gaping hole through the center of its torso.

Noa's ears, enhanced by Aether, picked up the distant conversation despite the immense gap between them. He rolled his eyes in annoyance and grumbled, "Idiotic old geezers. Do these guys even know how an MC acts? You can't just have your academy protagonist overpower every student in the early-game phase! That completely ruins the pacing. You need..."

"What? What?" Elina asked, her draconic eyes sparkling with fascination. Noa raised a dramatic fist toward the sky and closed his eyes with a confident smile.

"You need to raise them slowly so the stakes actually become intense for the viewers!"

"Ohhhhhhhh!" Elina's eyes widened, deeply enlightened by this 'profound wisdom.'

"True! I agree completely," Vionette chimed in, nodding. She somehow had a pair of retro blue-and-red 3D movie glasses perched on her nose, casually holding a bucket of popcorn.

"So… what or who exactly is this 'MC' you guys are talking about?" Lina looked between her brother and Vionette, her brows furrowed in confusion.

"I dunno," Vionette shrugged lazily.

"I don't even know who Kaimon and his nobles were talking about. There are like five candidates on the screen for now."

"Huh?" Noa snapped his head toward her, his eyes wide.

"I see at least ten of them."

"That's because you suck at filtering out the background extras, you idiot."

"Hey—""Though…" she pushed the glasses up to her forehead, locking her crimson eyes onto the screen displaying Lucion.

"That black-haired kid over there is quite fascinating."