Hogwarts Academy. The stated purpose of this school is to train heroes.
Why are heroes needed? It's simple. Because there are Demon Kings.
The founder of the Academy and the original hero.
Although it nominally cultivates heroes who inherit the will of Balor Huo Jin, in reality, it's merely a social venue for the noble children of aristocrats.
Nevertheless, its reputation is not entirely hollow, and its status as an educational institution is among the highest in the world, so countless special admission candidates aspire to enter this school. The competition rate is also extremely fierce.
Jiang Jianmo's success in gaining admission to the Academy through his own efforts is commendable. But I can't help but wonder why I, who only wanted a normal life, became the target.
So the entrance ceremony went as expected. It was just a boring lecture, a waste of time anyway, so it was better to efficiently tour the school where I would spend the next three years. There was still an hour until the placement test, which was plenty of time.
"...So cool."
Although I already knew this was a school for children of high society, its scale was still beyond imagination. First, the area it covered was like a small city.
The buildings filling the area were also impressive. Victorian-style annexes were scattered, and the gardeners seemed to have worked hard, as the landscape was vibrant.
Especially the main building, which was so tall that one had to crane their neck for a long time to barely see its top, reaching into the sky like the Tower of Babel.
I sat down on a bench in the shade of a tree.
Looking at the clouds floating like fluff, I missed the nicotine that could relieve my neck pain.
Even setting aside my student status, in this world, the concept of cigarettes itself doesn't exist. However, if a game set in an academy had teenagers puffing away on cigarettes, it would indeed be frowned upon.
I leaned back on the bench, supporting my head with my arm. The spring breeze carried the scent of flowers. Thinking that this might be a scene from a youth drama, my nose tingled.
The spring breeze made my eyelids heavy, and I closed my eyes.
Looking back, I had no memorable experiences in my teenage years in my previous life. Our family was doing well originally, but my father went bankrupt due to a loan guarantee.
When faced with a common plot in TV shows or comics, I had to coldly face reality at seventeen.
So I dropped out of school and started working at a snack bar. There was no grand vision, just because the shop was nearby and close to home.
At an age when I should have been holding a pen, I held a knife instead. At the time, I seemed to envy children my age, but I was more accustomed to the smell of fish than the smell of ink.
Once called the number one swordsman in the country, haha. I quietly half-opened my eyes to check the time.
There were 30 minutes left until the placement test. Although I had only closed my eyes for a moment, time had passed quickly.
Although I really wanted to take a nap with the sunlight as a lullaby, the thought of my parents silently supporting me to pay the exorbitant tuition made my body involuntarily stand up.
Putting aside my regret, I picked up my backpack, which felt like a burden.
The suitcase containing clothes and daily necessities had already been deposited in the dormitory upon arrival.
This bag contained several kilograms of dumbbells and a fish filleting knife that I had bought in a hurry.
"A test is a test, but I still need to get familiar with it."
Come to think of it, since coming here, let alone a knife, I hadn't even touched water with my hands. Having eaten with a knife for nearly 20 years, had my skills rusted after a year of rest?
Another catchphrase of my first master flashed through my mind.
"You can't put down your knife for a single day. You must hold it even when you sleep. Understand?"
Of course, I never slept holding it. What if I got stabbed while asleep?
Well, that's probably what he meant.
I untied the bindings inside and drew out a sashimi knife.
Holding the hilt of the knife after a long time, the irritable feeling seemed to dissipate.
I adjusted the angle back and forth, tried holding the hilt upright with my index and middle fingers, half-removed the sheath, and tapped the blade against my ear with my fingernail, producing a metallic sound.
The crisp "ding--" sound swept away my sleepiness. From a cost-performance perspective, the knife's craftsmanship was not bad, and the wooden sheath was also to my liking.
"Better than I expected?"
Bought at a discount, I was quite satisfied. If it hit a hard bone, the blade might wear down quickly, but for this price, it was already very good.
Feeling somehow proud, a smile appeared on my face. I also wanted to try cutting some leaves, so I removed the sheath, revealing the bluish blade.
Immediately, a "clatter--" sound and a message popped up.
【Weapon conditions met.】
【Blessing of the Sword God has manifested.】
"What, it just came out of nowhere?"
【Body level is too low.】
【Weapon level is too low.】
【Inhibitory force initiated for synchronization matching the user.】
Buzz--
【Synchronization complete.】
Followed by the last message.
++++++++++++++++++++++
《May the Blessing of the Sword God be with you.》
++++++++++++++++++++++
A sweet female voice whispered in my ear.
Immediately after, a burning sensation, like my brain was being seared by a red-hot iron, made my body involuntarily tremble.
"Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah!"
Perception of this series of actions repeated, reflected, and reversed infinitely. Instantly, an overwhelming amount of information, far exceeding human tolerance, was crammed into my head.
The smell of burning protein lingered in my nostrils, and the burning sensation invaded my brain, spreading below my forehead. The unprecedented pain prevented me from even uttering a scream.
Thinking that I might actually die if this continued, I felt as if I was being dragged, and the weight on my eyelids gradually increased.
I forced my eyelids open.
'!?'
My eyeballs seemed to be soaked in pigment, presenting a bluish-gray vision. In the fragmented landscape, like a broken mirror, red cracks extended like chains. Broken pieces of space floated in the air.
An overwhelming sense of powerlessness, never before felt, made me release the knife in my hand. Immediately, the fragmented world instantly returned to normal, as if nothing had ever happened.
After a few seconds, my rapid breathing stopped, and my parched blood returned to normal.
He squatted down, clutching his head, which felt like it was about to split open. It felt as if someone had torn his head apart. His trembling limb joints bent in strange directions.
"...Damn it, what was that?"
It was a pain beyond the concept of suffering, a searing agony he never wanted to experience again. The after-effects of the original 'Blessing of Painlessness' were merely slight muscle aches.
The 'Blessing of the Sword God' seemed to indeed have some special effects.
If activating the blessing was like this every time, it would be impossible to use.
Just holding the sword caused this; if it lasted any longer, it probably wouldn't be as simple as just fainting.
He thought it was a blessing with special effects, but it was worse than having none.
He didn't know what kind of ability it was at first. Just seeing the fragmented world in front of him, what kind of Blessing of the Sword God was this?
As he paled and steadied his trembling body.
'Hoo-hoo-ah. Ah. Microphone test.'
A voice mixed with static hit his eardrums.
'In ten minutes from now, the class placement test will be held at the training ground in front of the main building. All students, please gather.'
Coming back to his senses, twenty minutes had already passed. He swept the scattered items into his backpack.
Only one thing, whether to pick up the unsealed sword, he hesitated for a long time.
But perhaps, perhaps it wasn't like this every time? He hesitated, then cautiously reached out.
"Ugh ah ah ah ah ah ah, damn it - damn it!"
It was not a coincidence after all.
* * *
The circular training ground reminded one of the Roman Colosseum. To watch the first official event of the world's highest hero training institution - the class placement test - the stands were packed with people.
Among them, occupying the upper level were the VIP seats reserved for those of noble blood.
A portly middle-aged man timidly spoke to a white-haired man.
"Heh, heh. Sword Emperor, you've worked hard."
There was no response.
Sword Emperor Siegfried von Nibelungen.
A descendant of Aron Nibelungen, a disciple of the progenitor hero Balor Huo Jin, and the current head of the Nibelungen family. A chosen one, now known as the strongest man among humans.
"... ."
His gleaming golden eyes glanced sideways at the portly man, who immediately broke out in a cold sweat on his forehead.
"Ha, ha. Then please rest well."
He puffed out his belly and quickly walked back to his seat, his belly fat jiggling.
"...Ha."
Siegfried sighed. He thought he had come for his only granddaughter's entrance ceremony, but those immersed in worldly affairs disgusted him. Seeing them defile the glory of his ancestors, his white eyebrows furrowed slightly.
Someone approached him from the opposite side.
A beautiful woman wearing a dark robe, with long green hair cascading down her waist and mint-green eyes. Her deep cleavage was enough to attract everyone's gaze.
"Oh my, Zige. Long time no see?"
"Ha, Medea, it's you. Didn't I tell you not to call me that? And you're already the Dean, what's with this outfit? It seems you've lived seventy years for nothing."
The Sword Emperor frowned and clicked his tongue, while Medea smiled charmingly and gently patted his shoulder.
"Don't women just want to stay young and beautiful until they die? Zige, if you just say the word, I can make you ten years younger with my blessing."
"Appearance is not important to me. The most important thing for a person is their heart."
"Oh my, you old stubborn man. How are you still the same after half a century?"
"Even after half a century, you still haven't grown up."
"Hmph, never mind. What's there to say to a listless old man?"
"...You, who will be seventy the day after tomorrow, have no right to say that."
She responded with a disdainful laugh, then sat down in the seat next to Siegfried.
"Speaking of which, Zige, you've changed a lot too."
"What do you mean?"
"You, you would never have come to a place like this before. You never had any flexibility. You said you didn't want to associate with those kinds of people."
Medea pointed far away at the lazy fat man. The Sword Emperor remained silent.
"It seems your granddaughter is really beautiful. Maybe I should get married too while I have the chance. Start a family, have a child."
"You?"
"Oh my, look at you. Why me? Where am I not good-looking, or have a good figure? And I'm the Dean of Hogwarts Academy! Where can you find a woman like me, hmph."
She lightly lifted her dark robe, revealing her fair and smooth skin.
"...As a comrade who has lived and died with you, I'll say this."
The Sword Emperor whispered.
"Smoking is bad for your health."
"You bastard! Do you want to die?!"
Medea's face flushed as she grabbed his collar, while the inspector let out a dry chuckle.
Just like that, the trivial quarrel continued for a few minutes, until an exhausted Medea slumped onto the ground.
"What's the format of this year's class placement test?"
"What, you came without even knowing that?"
Medea raised her voice in response to the inspector's question. The inspector's eyebrows furrowed.
"Do you think I'm like those scumbags who take bribes? It's a place of equal education, so it's natural not to know the content on the day of the test."
"Ha - foolish. Well, you're right. Although there are indeed such rumors among hero families, it must be corrected by my generation."
Medea's fingernails lightly tapped the armrest.
"This year is a survival battle mode. Each group has 10 people, and they are scored based on the length of their survival time."
"... ."
"You wouldn't… not know what a survival battle is, would you?"
A brief silence. Medea sneered and crossed her legs.
"I know."
"What is it then? Tell me. If you don't know, you'll be called a bumpkin for a while."
The inspector lowered his voice due to a headache. Occasionally, it was accompanied by a cough.
"Battle and Royal. In other words, it's a type of king's game popular among university students."
"...Idiot."
The argument between the two giants was ongoing.
【The test is about to begin. Students, please prepare your weapons.】
The announcement for the start of the test sounded.