The First Test

"What?!!!

The sacred swords didn't arrive this morning?"

"Hey man, I joke a lot in school, but I am dead serious this time. Tell me the truth; the test is about to start," the announcer said while taking off his mask, revealing a guy with dirty blonde hair and a star-shaped pupil instead of a circle. He was so handsome that he could be mistaken for a model.

"Do I look like I'm joking to you?" the other person replied sternly.

He let out a sigh and rubbed his temples. "So, what's the problem that caused this mess? Didn't we place the order well in advance? I made sure everything was set for delivery by today. How did this slip through the cracks?"

"I don't know," the assistant replied, clearly frustrated. "We tried to contact the company supplying the goods, and they said they already sent the plane."

The announcer's eyes narrowed in thought. "Do you think another school or some organization might be involved in this?"

"Who knows," the assistant said with a shrug. "The company mentioned they've sent an investigation team to locate the plane and the goods. But until then, we're left in the dark."

"Ahhh," the announcer groaned in frustration, rubbing his temples. "Why does this have to happen when I'm the main host? To rub salt in the wound, there were more than 150 swords in that shipment, all intermediate tier. Do you know how costly this is? I promised the school a great test for the students, and now it's failing miserably."

"So, sir, what do we do now?" the assistant asked, concern evident in his voice.

The announcer rubbed his face in frustration before ordering, "Report this to the school immediately. Tell them my proposal to help the company find the swords. And let's pray the students didn't choose the swords."

The announcer sighed, "There are about 42 swords in there. Hopefully, not too many students chose them, considering the other choices available."

"Oh, I remember something."

"Hopefully, it's not bad news, right?"

"It depends on your perspective."

*Sigh* "Just tell me."

"The Arm Breaker broke this morning."

"What?! How's that possible?"

"Don't freak out. The one who broke it is among the participants."

"Did a student do that?"

"Yes, with a score of 2283."

"WTF, who did that?"

"Participant number 32, Crudele Valerius."

"Is he an E or D ranker, or does he have a very strong ability?"

"None of that. He did it with raw strength."

"What the hell? That's a feat that even a D ranker would struggle to achieve."

"I think he took that 2400 or something score seriously. And to think we placed that score to scare the students, to make them believe there's someone stronger to tense up the situation…"

"I think you should get back to the stage before the crowd starts getting restless," he said.

The announcer nodded and quickly put his mask back on. He took a deep breath to regain his composure, then hurried back onto the stage. As he stepped into the spotlight, the murmurs and whispers from the audience began to die down. With a confident smile, he addressed the students, "Apologies for the brief delay. Now, let's get back to the entrance exam. We will be calling the names of the first group of participants shortly. Please be prepared."

Crudele shifted in his seat, his injured hand throbbing painfully in his pocket. Despite the discomfort, he tried to focus on the announcer's words.

The tension in the hall was palpable as everyone awaited the first names to be called. Crudele glanced around, noticing the determined expressions on the faces of his fellow participants. He took a deep breath, reminding himself of the hard work he had put in and the need to stay composed.

"Thank you for your patience, everyone. Now, let's begin." He pulled out a list and started calling names. "Participant number one, please proceed to door A. Participant number two, to door B." As names were called, students stood up, some with nervous glances and others with determined strides. Crudele's heart raced, anticipation and adrenaline coursing through him as he waited for his name to be announced.

"Participant number thirty-two, Crudele Valerius, please proceed to door C," the announcer called out. Crudele took a deep breath and stood up, feeling the weight of the stares from the other students. As he made his way to the designated door, he felt a mix of excitement and tension in the air. This was his moment to prove himself. Ignoring the throbbing pain in his hand, he clenched his fists and walked with determination, ready to face whatever challenge awaited him inside.

"So he's the infamous participant who broke the Arm Breaker," the announcer muttered, giving Crudele a sidelong glance as he approached the door. The murmurs from the crowd grew louder, whispers of Crudele's impressive feat spreading like wildfire. Crudele, undeterred by the attention, focused on the task ahead.

Crudele entered the room and saw a girl in the same uniform and mask as the announcer. She was busy organizing some equipment, her movements swift and efficient. As she noticed Crudele, she gave him a nod and gestured for him to join her. "You must be Crudele Valerius," she said, her voice calm and steady. "We've heard quite a bit about you already."

Wait, what did she hear about me? Crudele thought, feeling a mix of curiosity and apprehension.

"Here are your items," she said, handing him two amulets, a watch band that served as an ability enhancer, a tunic, a normal sword, and a—

A cute dog-like wolf with its tongue lolling out ran straight to Crudele and knocked him over, licking him enthusiastically. Unlike most wolves, its upper canine teeth were much larger, protruding from its mouth. Seeing it, Crudele's stomach filled with butterflies, and he was too stunned to even move.

The wolf misfit wagged its tail furiously, licking Crudele with closed eyes, clearly happy to see its master. Crudele finally snapped out of his daze and started to cuddle the wolf. He began gently, but soon his cuddling grew faster and more enthusiastic, a wide smile spreading across his face.

"My little boy, do you know how much you made me wait to see you?" Crudele said, his voice full of affection as they continued to shower each other with love.

"If you're done playing, take your items and proceed to door number four," she instructed, getting ready for the next student.

To Crudele's surprise, the room had more doors that looked like vault chambers from a bank rather than regular doors.

He proceeded to door number four, and just after entering it—

Thud!!!

The door closed with a loud noise. The chamber was massive, exactly as the announcer described. One side was covered in slippery ice, with patches of icy water, while the other side was filled with bubbling molten lava, casting an eerie glow. The room felt both freezing and scorching at the same time, creating an unsettling atmosphere.

His wolf kin seemed to have no problem, but Crudele's injured hand was a significant disadvantage.

"I can't use the sword with my right arm. I have to find a way to deal with it," he muttered.

Just as he finished talking, a section in the wall opened, and a 2-foot tall robot with two arms and hovering ability appeared.

"Just before the fight starts, let me inspect it," Crudele thought.

[Inspect]

Level 10 - Mechanical robot with anti-gravity ability.

"Enough? Nothing more than that?" he pondered, preparing himself for the challenge ahead.

The robot launched itself at Crudele, its arm transforming into a drill.

Crudele dodged it without any problem, trying to avoid using his X-10's for as long as possible to achieve better results. He needed to rely on his natural agility and reflexes to conserve his energy for later stages of this test.

While observing the stage, Crudele formulated a strategy to avoid obstacles. He decided to head toward the lava area for better flexibility. It might seem dangerous, but it was far better than the slippery ice. He just had to focus on his senses and reflexes to navigate the hazards.

However, the robot AI was specifically designed for this stage, giving it far more experience than Crudele. The robot quickly maneuvered to the molten lava area, its anti-gravity ability allowing it to glide effortlessly over the treacherous surface.

It waited for the perfect moment, using the unpredictable nature of the lava to mask its movements. Crudele, focusing on his strategy, was unaware of the robot's cunning approach. The machine hovered silently, positioning itself for a sneak attack, ready to exploit any momentary lapse in Crudele's attention.

"WTF, it can even do that?" Crudele exclaimed in surprise.

The wolf misfit began to howl in a specific direction, trying to alert Crudele to the robot's position. Understanding the clue, Crudele decided to employ a more cunning move. He pretended not to get the hint, turning here and there as if searching aimlessly to fool the robot.

The wolf misfit continued to try and warn Crudele by biting his uniform. In response, Crudele petted it, though he knew this wasn't the time for cuddling. The wolf misfit didn't hate the affection, but it was clearly frustrated by Crudele's antics. It was a serious moment, and the wolf misfit wanted Crudele to focus.

The robot attempted a sneak attack from the left side, but Crudele evaded it effortlessly, having already predicted its move. He was deliberately wasting time, and it had already been a whole minute without him activating his ability or even trying to attack the robot. The test seemed to be going well for him, or so he thought.

Hissss… sizzle…

Suddenly, molten lava began spouting towards him from the lava pool, catching Crudele off guard. But just a second before it could touch him, the wolf misfit lunged and knocked him aside, preventing him from falling into the lava and saving him from the dangerous flow.

But the robot wasn't foolish enough to miss this golden opportunity and lunged at Crudele with astonishing speed. However,

Thud!!!

The wolf kin sprang into action, launching itself at the robot. With a powerful strike, it knocked the robot's arm away, rendering it unable to harm Crudele.

The wolf kin had saved Crudele not once, but twice in a row. Crudele felt overwhelmed with gratitude, unsure how to express his thanks for the wolf's heroic deeds.

"My boy," he said, his voice choked with mixed emotions and a tear slipping down his face, "I swear, if this school fails you, I'll bring the world to its knees for you." His face hardened with resolve as he adjusted his posture, ready to face the challenge ahead.

Crudele quickly devised a strategy and activated X-10 speed. Moving so rapidly that the robot couldn't even process his movements, he managed to sever the robot's arm from its socket. Crudele landed gracefully on the platform.

With only its remaining body left, the robot's red eye began to glow ominously. Having read enough comics to recognize the signs, Crudele immediately began leaping from platform to platform using his X-10 speed, preparing for the impending attack.

The laser beam fired from the robot, cutting through the air with precision. Defying Newton's third law thanks to its anti-gravity ability, the beam aimed directly at Crudele. However, the downside was that the robot couldn't maneuver, leaving it stationary and vulnerable.

Seeing the opportunity, the wolf kin prepared to strike the robot's back. But something felt off to Crudele. As the wolf kin lunged toward the robot, Crudele shouted, "Wait, buddy! Don't go near him!"

The robot is equipped with an AI system developed by Kamado University itself. This advanced AI has decent adaptability and decision-making skills, making it a formidable challenge for new students.

Which means the robot is aware that the wolf kin is assisting Crudele and sees it as an opponent. Anticipating that the wolf will try to help again, it is now prepared for the misfit's intervention.

The robot then pulled out a gun-like device from its back and aimed at the wolf misfit.

Bang! Bang! Bang!