I Don’t Have Any Magic Power but I’m Having a Blast at the Academy

3

Located in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, the ‘Eternity Academy’ is the world’s top institution for nurturing superhumans.

That’s why every year, countless people from around the world apply to Eternity, and out of them, only 5000 who pass the preliminaries can take the ‘entrance exam’ for Eternity.

However, even the reduced number of 5000 is still too many. It’s impossible to check all those people one by one. Therefore, the practical test at Eternity is conducted quite simply.

How?

Through ‘Arena Combat.’

It might be a barbaric way, but since the demons that the transcendent beings must hunt are the most barbaric creatures, there was a certain logic to it.

I scanned the 40 novice candidates gathered in the practical exam room. I did it just in case I recognized any faces, but ended up being quite surprised.

‘Of all people…’

Short black hair down to the shoulders. Fair white skin. Slightly large eyes. She looked like a girl drawn in a painting.

But the reason I was surprised wasn’t because of that.

A graceful sword at her waist, tapping her foot against the window sill while tapping on her smartphone. Even a somewhat drowsy expression.

The air around her was filled with annoyance… no doubt about it.

She was Eung-aye, one of the main characters of “Eternity: Black Castle” who possessed the formidable gift of [Gravity].

Apart from the protagonist Cheon Woo-jin, she was known to have the greatest talent with a sword, a member of the Silver Family.

She must be playing a game on her smartphone. Eung-aye tended to pass the time with games whenever she was bored.

Was it because it was the first face I recognized? For some reason, as if feeling a strange joy, I found myself staring at Eung-aye. Sensing the gaze, Eung-aye turned to look at me.

I waved at her with a smile.

Eung-aye furrowed her brows as if saying, “I didn’t expect to see you here,” then quickly turned her head away. I awkwardly dropped my hand.

Did I ruin the first impression?

“Attention!”

The instructor refreshed the atmosphere as if it was time for the exam.

“You’re late for greetings. Welcome, everyone. I am the examiner in charge of this practical exam, Han Jin-cheol.”

After a brief introduction, Han Jin-cheol got straight to the point.

“When you entered the exam room, you would have received a number tag. Pair up in groups of 20 in the order of those numbers and engage in combat.”

Han Jin-cheol pointed to the large circle drawn on the floor of the exam room.

“If you step out of the circle, you’re considered eliminated. Don’t worry about getting injured. The shield embedded in your number tag will protect you from most things. However, if the shield breaks, you’re out.”

At that moment, one candidate raised their hand to ask a question.

“How many will survive in the end?”

“Just one.”

“If only one survives, then what about the rest?”

“They’re eliminated.”

As the candidate’s face turned pale with the answer, Han Jin-cheol added.

“Of course, we’ll select one more from the losers, so don’t worry.”

Han Jin-cheol casually threw out comforting words that were completely unrelated and asked, “Any more questions? If not, come out in the order of the names called.”

After Han Jin-cheol finished speaking, the roll call began. I let out a sigh of relief. Eung-aye was assigned to Group 1, and I was in Group 2.

“I dodged a bullet.”

Sure, I got a sword, but realistically, what were the chances of me beating Eung-aye in this state? Highly unlikely.

Although “Eternity: Black Castle” was known for its unbalanced gameplay, it wasn’t to the extent of getting a sword and knocking down the main character. It was way more unbalanced.

I looked at Eung-aye stepping into the circle.

She seemed uncomfortable in her skirt, walking awkwardly.

Doubts arose whether she could wield a sword properly. But what lay within her…

“Begin!”

Beep! With the sound of a horn as the signal, Group 1’s combat began.

And at the start, one candidate was immediately thrown out.

“374th, Oh Hakjong, eliminated!”

The eliminated candidate had a bewildered look. It was understandable since they had blocked it properly but still let it slip away. Even I would be surprised.

The one wielding the sword was none other than Eun Gae-ye. Despite sending her opponent flying out of the ring, she didn’t seem to exert much effort. And thus, starting with the first sacrificial lamb, the fierce battle began.

A bulky candidate charged at Eun Gae-ye. Perhaps not seeing a candidate fly just moments ago had boosted their confidence.

It was no wonder, as Eun Gae-ye appeared to be nothing more than a slender woman skilled in handling a sword.

Swish!

The sight of the massive greatsword striking down on Eun Gae-ye was overwhelmingly impressive to anyone who witnessed it.

And silently, I wished them good luck.

“That jerk, he’ll take care of it himself.”

Sure enough, as the candidate swung the greatsword down, they were sent flying like a deer hit by a dump truck, crashing into the wall of the test arena.

Eun Gae-ye’s gift, [Gravity].

She could manipulate gravity to reduce the ‘weight’ of objects touching herself or her surroundings as she pleased. This allowed her to move swiftly even while holding extremely heavy objects, as the weight applied to herself was close to ‘0’. On the other hand, she could make the weight of an object apply fully to others. Notably, the weight of the sword she wielded, enhanced by gravity magic, was 4 tons. The opponent had to endure the full weight of those 4 tons.

Thanks to this deceptive ability, she was not only skilled in swordsmanship but also in martial arts. Her body itself could be considered a weapon.

Ultimately, due to her insane destructive power surpassing her level, Eun Gae-ye became a monster who even earned the title of “War Princess.” Not a shaman (巫) during her shaman days, but a warrior (武).

“It seems like it’s not fully developed yet.”

As the candidate flew away, the candidates realized Eun Gae-ye was a monster, but their efforts to combine forces were futile.

It was as futile as hitting a rock with an egg to try to defeat Eun Gae-ye.

Each time they collided, flying around like deer hit by dump trucks, was chilling to watch.

It was a relief that I wasn’t involved in that.

Beep!

The match of the 1st team ended abruptly. Naturally, Eun Gae-ye was the winner.

The defeated members of the 1st team were carried out, and the test arena was neatly emptied. It was time for the 2nd team.

“I believe in you alone.”

I clenched my sword tightly and walked back inside. And soon after.

Beep!

With the sound of a horn, the melee of the 2nd team began.

***

“Oh, died again.”

Eun Gae-ye sighed and deleted the RPG game app.

It was somewhat enjoyable at first, but the excitement quickly faded.

“When will this end?”

The practical test seemed to drag on forever. Eun Gae-ye was leaning by the window, tapping her foot.

“Hey, Gae-ye~”

Someone wrapped their arms around her neck. Without turning around, Eun Gae-ye spoke.

“Three seconds.”

Two seconds. One second. As she quickly counted, the person clinging onto her let go with a ‘thud.’

Glancing back, she saw her childhood friend and only friend, Han Seyeon, smiling faintly.

“Gae-ye, bored?”

“Yeah, I had high hopes, but seeing these lackluster folks, my enthusiasm plummeted.”

“Still, isn’t it nice because there are a lot of people?”

“Pretending to like people.”

As they chuckled, Han Seyeon smiled without a word. Eun Gae-ye raised her eyebrows slightly.

“Hey, Han Seyeon.”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t smile like that. It’s scary.”

“You only liked me, right?”

“I don’t know about that. It’s because I don’t know; ignorance is bliss.”

Han Seyeon innocently rolled her eyes. Eun Gae-ye shook her head in response.

Suddenly, the surroundings became noisy. Eun Gae-ye turned her gaze towards the arena where a brawl was taking place.

The clash of Group 2 was reaching its climax.

There were only a few people standing. Even they were witnessing one person launching a relentless attack.

Watching the side that was evading, Eun Gae-ye widened her eyes.

“Oh? That person…”

“Do you know them?”

“Just their face.”

It was the person who had waved their hand with a creepy smile earlier.

The spectators who had come to watch the brawl started to chatter.

“It’s over. There’s nothing more to see, that’s it.”

“But they’re really good at dodging.”

“Does it matter? They can’t even launch an attack.”

“Well, they do look pitiful.”

A wry smile broke out. To anyone watching, it was clearly the victory of the candidate who was launching the attacks. On the other hand, Eun Gae-ye furrowed her brows.

“What is that person doing?”

The spectators were clueless, but she could see it.

The side evading was preemptively reacting to the opponent’s attacks.

This was only possible if they had a complete grasp of the opponent’s moves.

But why were they just dodging? And why even feign clumsiness like that?

“Oh! Could it be that they’re acting?”

“Huh, do you think so?”

Han Seyeon chuckled as if finding it amusing. Eun Gae-ye clicked her tongue in disapproval.

Even if it was acting, did they have to roll on the ground like that?

“There are all kinds of funny people.”

A sardonic laugh escaped her. However, as the match continued, Eun Gae-ye could no longer find it amusing.

“What’s that…”

Superficially, it looked so amateurish, almost precarious. But their judgment in selecting the direction to evade or the position to strike was chillingly accurate.

If it were a game, it was like controlling a Level 1 against a Level 20 opponent.

As the spectators watched the prolonged match, they gradually began to question. It had seemed like a mere exchange, but now it appeared more strategic.

“Hey, aren’t they deliberately toying with each other?”

“You’re right. It did seem odd.”

“Wow, was that Im Myunghak? Didn’t really pay attention, but he turned out to be a cruel jerk. That guy.”

Criticism poured onto Im Myunghak.

The question was, what reason did he have to torment an opponent he had already defeated?

Meanwhile, Im Myunghak, the one receiving the criticism, was feeling unjustly persecuted to the point of madness.

“Damn it, I want to finish too! What’s the point of coming at me with the wrong moves!”

He wasn’t the type to play around with an already beaten opponent; rather, he was someone who fainted at the sight of blood.

Yet, he ended up being labeled as human trash. Even those filming with smartphones were seen.

“Ugh, ugh. Please, hit me, I beg you.”

“Seriously?”

I shrugged my shoulders, dodging Im Myunghak’s sword.

He looked pitiful to some extent, but it wasn’t my concern.

Unexpectedly, the situation dragged on longer than I had anticipated.

“I can’t believe I can’t use Gram’s gift.”

Gram’s gift, [Division], literally caused the sword to split into multiple blades flying around like ‘arrows’. This split arrow was known for its impressive performance in chaotic situations, making it ideal for passing practical exams. However, I couldn’t use it.

It was due to my physical stats being insufficient to use Gram’s gift.

I hadn’t experienced such a situation while playing Cheon Woojin, so I was unaware.

You learn from experience. I truly felt the reality of my defeat in the game.

Nevertheless, despite the unexpected turn of events, losing wasn’t an option for me.

In a great sword like Gram, it wasn’t just about the gift attached to it.

Swish!

The sword came down. It was a strike that, if it were the usual me, I wouldn’t have been able to dodge, let alone react to.

I moved to the side, narrowly avoiding the sword. The sword that followed barely grazed past me. It wasn’t me who dodged it; it was Gram moving my body.

[Gram◆Understanding Ratio 5%]

Well, even at just 5%, it was more of a vague sensation, close to me moving, but that was enough.

It was akin to bringing the movements of the hero from Norse mythology, Sigurd, to life. Moreover, Gram possessed its own magical power. It surpassed the level of an entrance exam.

“Die!”

At that moment, Im Myunghak swung down a sword crackling with magical energy. The heat radiating from it was intense, almost as if it was a prelude to murder in the entrance exam. They’re even filming this…

Anyway, it was an opportunity. Excitement surged as Im Myunghak’s movements became more pronounced. At that level, I could also engage.

Whoosh!

Dodging the sword rolling on the ground, I plunged into the opening left by Im Myunghak’s abandoned guard.

“Huh!”

Startled, Im Myunghak hurriedly tried to retrieve his sword, but it was too late.

From Noble mtl dot com

Swoosh!

The safety shield shattered, and Gram was aimed at Im Myunghak’s throat.

“The winner! 386th candidate, Yi Haesol!”

The name reverberated throughout. I shrugged and turned away.

Though I encountered an unexpected situation of being unable to use Gram’s gift, I managed to overcome it somehow.

“Now, just the written test.”

Well, the written one should be easier than this.

Having cleared the game, it wouldn’t make sense to stumble now. This meant my admission was secured. I calmly stepped out of the battlefield.

Meanwhile, a stillness settled over the exam room where the fierce competition had taken place. But that calm didn’t last long.

“Wow, he got wrecked.”

“Seriously, he thinks he can win? Is this for real?”

Most reactions were incredulous.

The match was completely one-sided, yet the outcome was the opposite, so it was understandable. However, for Eungaye, it was the expected result.

“You know, Seyeon.”

“Yeah?”

“You did well in the Infinity, I think.”

“Huh, glad to hear that.”

A glimmer appeared in Eungaye’s listless eyes. Those eyes were fixed on Yihaesol, who was leaving the exam room.

She defeated her opponent solely with judgment, without revealing any of her skills.

Are these the kind of people entering Infinity?

A smirk formed on her lips. She was already looking forward to her life at Infinity.

“Ah, well done. Now, it’s just the written test, right?”

“Ugh.”

At Seyeon’s words, Eungaye’s face stiffened like a rock. It was as if the inevitable had arrived.

“Let’s go, Gaya.”

“Wait, hold on, I’m not mentally prepared yet…”

“Yes, yes, take all the time you need to prepare mentally.”

As Eungaye was dragged away by Seyeon, tears welled up in her eyes.

“Please, just a moment…”

She was confident in her physical abilities but lacked aptitude in the intellectual aspect.

All she could do was hope the rain wouldn’t fall.

***

Some time later, having finished the fierce competition, I arrived at the written exam room with a light heart.

Everyone was busy looking at their notes, seated before the start of the exam.

It felt heartwarming, like watching students during the college entrance exam.

I would have been horrified in that situation, but having cleared it until the end, it didn’t concern me.

However, as soon as I received the exam paper, I realized how mistaken I was.

[The following is about Maesu A. Maesu A is a 6th-grade individual and has consumed a total of 100 demons. Calculate the magical power Maesu A possesses. Also, describe three or more methods to attack Maesu A.]

“Damn.”

I have no idea what this is all about.