Chapter 1.6

“I know what you want to say, Lucifer— but that soldier was indeed, a hologram.” Persia's voice echoed through the room with unsettling calmness.

Unable to believe what I’d just heard, I immediately sat up, my eyes locking onto the spot where I had stabbed the soldier. The area was pixelated, glowing faintly with white light. But when I reached out and touched the lifeless body, I could still feel the warmth of its skin, the solidity of its equipment. It felt so real— too real.

“Earlier, as you entered, we sprayed a thin membrane of nanomachines on you,” Persia continued, her tone almost clinical. “These nanomachines controls your nervous system accordingly to what the system programmed it to be— such as what you are experiencing right now.”

“…My goodness, this technology is too advanced for me.” I muttered, trying to wrap my head around what she was saying.

“Haha, I believe everyone who took this exam would agree with you as well~” Persia replied with a light chuckle, as if this were all perfectly normal. “Now then, about the conditions to pass this exam— you will need to eliminate the holograms that will be showing up later. Although there are no upper limit to the elimination, but you need to survive for as long as you can.”

“What…!? Wait a minute, I don’t even have a weapon…!” I protested, feeling the cold grip of panic start to take hold.

“That’s none of my business.” Persia responded flatly. “You were supposed to be prepared at all times.”

‘WARNING. ENEMY APPROACHING IN: 30 SECONDS’

Before I could argue further, a sharp siren blared through the room, followed by an automated voice announcing. A timer appeared in my peripheral vision at 2 o’clock, the corresponding section of the wall glowing ominously red.

It didn’t take long for me to understand the grim reality of this "exam." This wasn’t just a test; it was war.

With no time to waste, I quickly stripped the equipment off the dead hologram and strapped it onto my body. I grabbed the hologram’s corpse, using it as a makeshift shield, and pressed myself against the nearest wall, trying to steady my breathing. I glanced at the timer—seven seconds left.

I set the AR57G-60 to single fire mode, my heart pounding in my chest as I aimed at the red area, waiting for the inevitable onslaught.

I immediately understood the purpose of this exam— this isn’t exam, but war.

I hurriedly removed the equipment from the dead hologram and wore it on my body, and stayed close to a wall while holding its body in my left hand as my shield.

When I looked at the timer, I still have seven seconds left.

I carefully set the AR57G-60 to single fire mode and aimed at the red area.

‘3’

‘2’

‘1’

……………………………

Several tense seconds passed, and there were no signs of enemies. Could the warning have been wrong?

PLUNK!

The sharp sound of a bullet hitting metal snapped me out of my brief moment of confusion. I instinctively ducked as the bullet ricocheted off the wall behind me, narrowly missing my helmet.

That shot didn’t come from the red area— it came from my right! The red area was just bait!?

As I scanned the room, I saw three bullets hurtling towards me. Instinctively, I raised the dead hologram’s body as a shield to absorb the incoming shots. The bullets thudded into the lifeless form, the impact reverberating through my arms.

There were three soldiers—one wielding a shield, one with a rifle, and another with a sniper rifle.

BANG!

I fired back at them, but my bullets were effortlessly deflected by the shielder’s protective barrier. The sniper immediately retaliated, and the sharp crack of the shot was followed by a searing pain in my chest.

“—Ugh!?”

The sniper’s bullet pierced through the dead hologram and struck my bulletproof vest. The vest absorbed most of the impact, but the force still knocked the wind out of me. I realized then that the dead hologram wasn’t enough to protect me from the sniper’s fire.

Gathering my strength, I threw the dead hologram’s body toward the soldiers. As I did, two more bullets slammed into my vest, but I pressed on. The shielder couldn’t withstand the impact and was crushed beneath the weight of the lifeless form. I quickly took advantage of the opening and fired two precise shots, each one finding its mark in the heads of the remaining two soldiers.

I sighed in frustration. Guns really aren’t my thing. But in this situation, I’d take whatever advantage I could get.

But if more soldiers kept coming, I would be overwhelmed. It was said that S-ranked students could deal with thousands of these holograms, yet they weren’t even considered the strongest?

Setting aside the AR57G-60, I gripped the ballistic knives tightly and sprinted around the room at an intense speed. The moment a soldier appeared, I closed the distance in a blur and punched its head with a force equivalent to 600 m/s. The soldier crumpled instantly.

Even when ten soldiers spawned at once, I was able to take them down before they could react. However, the situation grew more complicated when an armored soldier appeared.

WHUNK!

Although I managed to kill it with a single punch, the sheer toughness of its armor slowed me down for a crucial split second.

“Gah— ow…!?”

Six bullets slammed into my torso. I barely had time to block some of them with the armored soldier’s body. If I hadn’t used it as a shield, I would’ve been done for.

The number of active soldiers on the field increased to thirty. If I slowed down even a little, I would be overwhelmed by their gunfire.

More than a hundred dead holograms were now piling up, creating a gruesome, slippery obstacle course. The pixelated remains of the soldiers smeared across the floor, their blood mixing with the white goop, making it nearly impossible to maintain my footing.

Then it hit me— I could use the bodies to my advantage.

With a powerful kick, I sent one of the dead holograms hurtling toward a group of soldiers. The sheer weight and speed of the corpse crushed them on impact, even the armored ones couldn’t withstand a hundred kilograms of dead weight flying at them like a bullet.

I continued this macabre tactic, taking down more soldiers, but soon realized something even more annoying. The floor was becoming a hazard. The white pixelated goop and blood had turned it into a slippery mess, and the stench was nauseating.

I couldn’t keep running around like this. If I slipped, even for a second, I would be riddled with bullets.

As I continued eliminating soldiers, I ran around the room, gathering the armored bodies to create a makeshift barricade. The weight and bulk of the armor provided a solid defense, and I used the gaps between the bodies to fire the weapons I had scavenged from the dead holograms. The strategy worked well enough, keeping me relatively safe as I picked off the remaining enemies.

But then, just as I was catching my breath, the ground shook with a heavy rumble. I peeked over the barricade and saw the massive shape of a tank rolling into the room.

POW!!!

The tank's turret swung toward me, and I knew I had only a split second to react. Vaulting over the barricade, I sprinted straight at the tank, narrowly dodging the shell that exploded behind me.

WHUNK!

With a surge of adrenaline, I slammed my fist into the tank's lower front plate. The metal crumpled under the impact, and a small hole opened up, revealing the soldiers inside.

Before I could take them out, the driver jerked the wheel to the right, trying to fling me off. I quickly planted my left foot on the ground, stopping the tank’s spin, and then used my momentum to flip the entire vehicle upside down.

As the tank flipped, the rear hatch burst open, and I spotted the soldiers scrambling to escape. I grabbed a nearby oil tank and hurled it into the opening. Two quick shots followed, igniting the oil and turning the inside of the tank into an inferno.

As I thought— I prefer big ones. They make a bigger target, and easier for me to take down.

I destroyed about ten tanks afterwards, one at a time.

I continued this method, taking down tank after tank with brute force and precise strikes. The challenge escalated as two tanks appeared simultaneously, then three, and so on. I adapted by using one tank as cover while I dismantled the other. The room became a chaotic battlefield of burning wreckage and shattered metal.

I repeated this strategy until ten tanks spawned simulatenously for ten turns.

After destroying what felt like an endless wave of tanks, I clung to the last one, peeling off its rear hatch and tossing in another oil tank.

BANG!

I fired a final shot, and the resulting explosion signaled the end of the battle.

“Huff— Huff—”

My chest heaved as I tried to catch my breath, sweat dripping down my face. I glanced around the now-quiet room, littered with the remains of destroyed tanks. How long had I been at this? There really seemed to be no upper limit to this test.

“Well, well. As expected from a special student.” A woman’s voice suddenly echoed through the room. “You are the second to break this ‘normal’ difficulty after Kuroyuki Shiroha.”

“Who are you?” I asked, my voice echoing slightly as I peered at the blurry glass.

“Nice to meet you, Lucifer Nightwalker von Nightmare, Special Student Number Two— my name is Luna Ainsworth, your homeroom teacher,” came the reply from the intercom.

My eyes widened in surprise.

What the— why the heck is one of the S.H.I.E.L.D. members here?! Why would they be involved in my exam?

“Nice… to meet you.” I replied cautiously. “May I know why did you graced your presence here?”

“To judge the limit of your strength,” Luna replied. “As your teacher, it’s my responsibility to evaluate your current growth.”

After a while, the door to the exam room slid open, and a woman with long peach-colored hair and striking orange eyes stepped in. Her outfit— a tight office lady suit paired with dark brown pantyhose and black high heels— contrasted sharply with the military-themed surroundings. This year, she’s probably around in her thirties—

“I’m warning you, I’m twenty-nine,” Luna said, her voice hinting at irritation.

—again, was my expression really that obvious? The comment seemed almost automatic, as if she was used to addressing her age-related concerns.

“…So, who is it from?” I murmured softly, “The biggest, or, your husband?”

“It’s both.” Luna answered. “Now, we shall commence— WAHHHHH…!!?”

POW!!!

Before Luna could finish her sentence, I sprang into action, moving swiftly to close the distance between us. I threw a powerful straight punch aimed at her, but she reacted with surprising agility. She cradled her head and squatted, avoiding the punch as the shockwave from my fist smashed into the wall, creating a sizable dent.

“…Tch.” I clicked my tongue in frustration. I had lost my chance to land the only clean hit.

“Y-You clicked your tongue, didn’t you!? You definitely clicked your tongue…!” Luna exclaimed, her voice tinged with panic as she pointed at me from a safe distance of about thirty feet.

Despite her seemingly casual demeanor, Luna was one of the six S.H.I.E.L.D. members, like Herman (her husband)— who are the royal guards for the royal family of the Central Imperial Island.

Determined to gain the upper hand, I surged forward, closing the gap with explosive speed. As I reached within arm's length, I executed a powerful foot stomp.

THOOM!!!

The floor buckled under the force of my stomp, sending vibrations through the room.

“P-Please don’t…! These heels are limited edition and they are very expensive…!” Luna cried out, her voice a mix of fear and frustration as she tried to protect her stylish footwear.

“…Just buy something cheaper.” I muttered, launching a straight punch toward Luna’s face.

POW!!!

My punch, fueled with power, was suddenly halted by Luna. She effortlessly cradled my fist with her hands, redirecting the force back toward me. I felt the energy of my own punch coming back at me, but it didn’t affect me.

“That’s a no go!? Are you really intending to kill me!?” Luna exclaimed, her voice a mix of panic and frustration as she wiped cold sweat from her brow.

“You say that, but I can’t even land a hit on you.” I retorted, pulling my fist back.

I readied myself for another attack, shifting my weight to my right side and preparing for a body slam. With my left leg behind me, I lunged forward.

Luna, however, moved with impressive speed. She sidestepped to her right, avoiding the body slam, and swatted my left shoulder, using her momentum to slip past me.

I quickly adjusted, planting my left foot in front and twisting my waist for a spinning back fist.

Luna bent just slightly— barely moving— but it was enough to dodge both my punch and the shockwave from it. She expertly cradled my fist once more and—

“Hngh…!”

“—mrk!!?”

WHAM!!!

—threw me to the floor with a one-armed shoulder throw.

I struggled to get up, but as I glanced up, I saw the top piece of her high heel just above me.

THUNK!

I barely managed to turn my body to the side, but a mysterious force— likely the outsole of her shoe—pressed down on the back of my head, forcing my face into the floor.

THONK!

My forehead collided hard with the ground, the impact resonating throughout the room.

…Talk about merciless.

“Can you please just lie down and sleep?” Luna said to me in a pleading tone. “After all that fighting, you should be tired right?”

“…I was.” I said, with my voice muffled by the floor.

“Then—”

“I’m always tired. So it doesn’t matter.” I replied, trying to grab Luna’s ankle, but she stepped back just out of reach.

“You know, you sure are stubborn like that certain someone,” she commented with a hint of amusement.

As I tried to get up, I caught a glimpse of Luna’s foot swinging toward me. She delivered a powerful kick to my side, which I barely managed to block with my left arm, dispersing the force as I rolled away.

Her moves suggested she was trained in Tai Chi, Judo, and Ballet— clearly a master of soft martial arts. In my current state, I couldn't imagine how I’d fare against her if she decided to use a weapon.

I noticed she also had the nanomachines coating on her. Maybe I could use this to my advantage…

THM— POW!!!

“……………………”

The moment I came to after hearing a cracking sound— the area where I tried to reach my hand to exploded, flattening the pile of dead armored soldiers lying there.

I was momentarily stunned by the explosion.

Looking in Luna’s direction, I saw her holding a stockwhip, around three meters long.

“Given your current circumstances, you did what is correct, so I had to stop you— even though its barbaric.” Luna said to me with a smile.

Her weapon… was a whip.

She swung it even faster than a bullet coming from a sniper rifle. I can’t even see when did the tip of her whip shattered the nearby soldiers effortlessly.

…I just have to focus on the trajectory of her hand.

“…You aren’t moving?” Luna said with a puzzled expression. “I guess I’ll need to make you.”

As her arm began to move, I reacted instantly. I used the brief moment to predict where she aimed to strike. I leapt forward, twisting my waist to evade the whip, and reached for its middle.

—POW!!!

The whip cracked loudly as it sliced through the space where I stood moments before. I managed to grab the whip and held it firmly.

“…You caught it after seeing it once?” Luna asked, astonished.

“Yes, now would you kindly let go?” I replied nicely with a wry smile.

“N-No…! That’s my line…!” Luna stammered, struggling to maintain her grip.

Despite her strength and magic, she was having difficulty holding onto the whip against my grip. Her hands trembled as she tried to pull it back.

With a simple jerk, Luna can’t withstood the tension from the whip anymore and the handle slips from her hand.

"Thank you," I said with a light bow, gripping the whip as Luna lost her hold on it.

"Geez, you just had to force my hand…!" Luna exclaimed in frustration.

Before I could react, Luna swiftly cast a storage magic circle, summoning a glowing rapier into her left hand. The blade emitted a dangerous, sunset-colored light, radiating heat and sharpness.

"Don't worry. I've set the sword to blunt— so I won't accidentally kill you…!" she said, her voice carrying a mix of warning and reassurance.

In an instant, Luna vanished from her spot, leaving only a hazy afterimage behind, and reappeared directly in front of me. She thrust her rapier with blinding speed, the tip aiming straight for my chest.

"Mrk—!?"

THUNK—!!!

I barely managed to evade the thrust by leaping to my right, feeling the rush of air as the precise shockwave from her rapier punctured a small hole in the wall behind me.

With no time to hesitate, I swung the whip at her, aiming to force her back. But Luna expertly parried the whip upwards with her rapier, effortlessly deflecting the attack. She immediately recovered her stance, preparing to thrust again, this time aiming for my right shoulder.

POK!

“—GRK!!?”

I barely blocked the powerful thrust with the handle of the whip, but the force behind it sent me flying backward, crashing hard into the burnt wreckage of a tank.

Just when I thought Luna would did a follow up to end me— yet she lowered her rapier, with her eyes still focused on me.

“You’ve done well, special student two,” she said with a surprising hint of respect. “Even though you possess no extraordinary abilities or outstanding combat skills like Kuroyuki Shiroha, you’ve managed to hold your ground.”

“…You could tell?” I murmured, my body aching from the impact as I slowly rose from the wreckage.

“After observing you for more than an hour? Yes,” Luna replied. "You fight with experience, but it's raw and undisciplined— more like a savage barbarian than a refined warrior— ruthless, savage and warlike. There’s not the slightest bit of grace and elegance.”

“…Haha, you don’t need to remind me.” I answered with a sarcastic laugh, and stood up. “…I know myself best.”

…Even though from the moment we met, I already knew the outcome of this battle. I could never beat the talented, no matter how hard I trained. It wasn’t just about power— it was about precision, skill, and an effortless elegance I would never possess.

But even if it's just for a little while... I will continue to struggle.

I gritted my teeth, refusing to let the gap between us overwhelm me. My eyes flickered toward the closest piece of debris— a two-ton piece of wreckage from the destroyed tank. Without hesitation, I planted my foot firmly against the ground and swung my leg like a hammer, kicking the massive metal towards Luna.

THONKK!!!

The sound of metal scraping against the floor echoed like thunder. The wreckage shot forward like a cannonball, but Luna, quick as a flash, dropped into a deep crouch.

"W-WAHHH!!?" she gasped.

With extreme flexibility, she pressed her entire body flat to the ground in an instant, dodging the hurling mass of metal as it flew over her, inches from impact. Her agility was almost surreal.

I didn’t wait. I couldn’t afford to.

As soon as the first piece missed, I grabbed another piece of the gigantic wreckage with both hands and I hurled it towards her again, like a boulder aimed for destruction.

“WAHHHHH!!?”

This time, Luna jumped, her body arcing gracefully in the air. She was like a dancer— effortless, flawless. The moment her feet left the ground, I anticipated her landing and grabbed another chunk of debris. This was my chance.

She flipped in mid-air, landing softly on the surface of the flying wreckage as though it were a mere stepping stone, her toes skimming across it like a dragonfly over water. Unbelievable. But I didn’t let the spectacle stun me.

Before she could regain her footing, I grabbed the nearest object— a dead soldier’s body, now a weightless hologram in my hands— and hurled it at her just as she was about to land.

Luna, with reflexes sharper than lightning, tucked her body into a roll, evading the soldier’s corpse with precision and grace. Her body twisted in a perfect safety roll, absorbing the momentum of her landing and springing back up with frightening speed. Her eyes were focused, predatory.

She closed the distance between us in an instant, rapier in hand.

SCHING!

Her blade gleamed as it cut through the air, aiming for my neck with pinpoint accuracy. There was no hesitation in her attack, only lethal intent.

This is it, I thought. My body was moving on instinct now.

I slammed my foot into the ground and braced myself. I managed to raise the handle of the whip just in time, using it to block the rapier’s deadly thrust. The force of her strike sent a shockwave down my arms, vibrating through my entire body.

“…Ugh…!?”

Despite managing to block the blow, her strength was more than I had anticipated. I could feel the weight of her talent pressing against me, my hands shaking under the pressure. The impact knocked my guard off-center, and my grip on the whip faltered.

My arms, pushed away by the sheer force of her attack, left me open—vulnerable.

Luna did not hesitate—she saw the opening, and took it.

In a split second, a storage magic circle appeared at her right hand, glowing faintly. Out of it, she pulled an orange spear, its surface radiating with heat. She didn't miss a beat, thrusting the spear straight at my chest with precision.

…Crap, I can’t dodge this…!

“G—uurk…!”

The spear came at me like a bullet, and with no room to evade, I was forced to act on instinct. At the last second, I threw my left palm forward, barely managing to catch the spear’s tip as it closed in. My feet left the ground as I jumped backwards, desperately trying to lessen the force behind the blow.

Even with all my effort, the impact still tore through me. My hand trembled violently as I forced the spear away to the left, the sharp edge grazing past my side.

Pain shot through my entire arm, the muscles spasming uncontrollably. I had succeeded in deflecting the attack, but only just. Two-thirds of the damage reduced, yet the price was steep— my left arm was practically useless now.

Still, I wasn’t going to go down without a fight.

One last effort.

Ignoring the searing pain coursing through my arm, I gripped the whip with both hands and swung it with every ounce of strength I had left.

—POW!!!

The whip cracked like a thunderclap, flying toward Luna with the force to shatter bones.

But she saw it coming. With fluid grace, Luna sidestepped to her left, dodging the whip effortlessly. The floor cracked beneath the whip's force, sending debris flying, but she remained untouched.

Before I could react, the whip rebounded from the floor with lightning speed. I could feel the recoil snapping it back, and my eyes widened in horror. It was heading straight for my face.

…This is going to hurt.

But before the whip could land—

WHACK

—the sharp sound of metal clashing with leather filled the air. Luna had stopped the whip mid-recoil with the flat of her rapier.

“…You should be careful with a whip,” Luna murmured, her tone shifting to one of genuine concern. “Even a seasoned veteran could injure themselves if they’re not cautious.”

“Thanks for the save… and the advice,” I replied, handing back her whip. “But I think I won’t be using a whip again.”

Luna sighed in relief as she inspected her whip, checking for any damage.

“Thank goodness you didn’t break it. I wasn’t expecting you to snatch it so quickly, though.” She said.

“That was just a fluke. I didn’t even realize you had swung it during the first hit.” I said with my shoulders shrugged.

Luna raised an eyebrow.

“Then how on earth did you manage to catch it?”

“Just lucky, I guess.”

—POW!!!

Without warning, Luna cracked her whip again, slashing the wall behind me with enough force to create a ten-centimeter-deep gash.

“…You call that luck?” Luna asked, eyeing me with clear doubt.

“Yes, luck,” I repeated, staring at the gouge in the wall with a deadpan expression. “…Next time, maybe warn me before you swing that dangerous thing. Almost went deaf from that crack.”

“Okay, okay~,” Luna said with a playful tone, waving her hand. “Anyway, would you like to hear your evaluation?”

“Wasn’t everything already prepared? Do I really need to hear it?” I said while heaving a sigh.

“It wouldn’t hurt to know the gap between you and Kuroyuki Shiroha, right~?”

“Not interested,” I retorted. “It’s not like that gap’s going to close.”

“At the very least, you shouldn’t let it widen any further.” Luna's tone softened as she replied.

I rolled my eyes.

“…Fine. Just tell me. How big is the difference?”

“When facing the same powerful opponent, I’ve always believed that no matter how many times you challenge them, there's never a guarantee they’ll win every time. If you challenged me a hundred times, I’m sure you could win at least two or three times.” Luna paused, her expression thoughtful. “But with Kuroyuki Shiroha… that's not the case.”

“…Are you saying she’s stronger than you?” I blinked, surprised.

“Of course not,” Luna replied quickly, though a trace of unease crept into her voice. “I did… struggle to win against her. But the difference is, Kuroyuki doesn’t allow herself to lose to anyone she considers weaker.”

I fell silent, processing her words.

“…I see,” I murmured, now more curious than ever about this Kuroyuki. “Anyway, why the heck are you working as a teacher?”

“Erm… I’m afraid I can’t tell you that just yet. But you’ll understand soon enough.” Luna’s playful demeanor faltered for a moment, replaced by something more serious.

“Sheesh. More mysterious surprises,” I muttered and huffed in frustration, shaking my head.

“Well! Now that your evaluation is complete, please head outside. Persia will guide you to your dorm and classroom.” Luna clapped her hands, her cheery tone returning.

“…Thanks,” I replied, turning to leave. But before I stepped out, I glanced back and pointed at the wall she damaged. “Oh, and I’ll be deducting your salary for needless property destruction.”

Luna’s eyes widened in horror as she looked at the wrecked wall, her voice breaking into a whine.

“Ehhh—!?”

After the tension-filled ordeal in the examination room, I finally exited and made my way to the water dispenser. The cool sensation of water quenching my thirst offered some relief, allowing me a moment to gather my thoughts.

The practical exam had been far more intense than I had anticipated. Sure, I expected to face a squad of soldiers, but a battalion of tanks ganging up on me? That was definitely not part of my expectations. Even a seasoned veteran would find themselves overwhelmed by such sheer numbers and drawn-out conflict. The thought made me sigh.

“…Hmm?”

A light tap on my shoulder drew me out of my musings. I turned around to see Persia, greeting me with her usual warm smile.

"You did great out there~" Persia complimented in a sing-song tone. "You aren’t tired at all, are you?"

"No, I’m exhausted." I answered with a sigh.

"Mentally exhausted, you mean?" Persia corrected, giggling softly. "You didn’t even break a sweat after all that."

“By the way, what level did you reach?” I asked Persia.

“…I fell halfway through the tanks,” Persia admitted, her voice tinged with a bit of frustration. “I can’t believe you broke them so easily, like they were cookies or something.”

“…Is that sarcasm, or are you praising me?” I asked, my expression flat.

“Maybe a little bit of both?” Persia answered with a teasing smile. Her eyes sparkled with mischief before she added, "Anyway, Ms. Luna asked me to guide you to your classroom. Just let me know when you’re ready, okay~?"