Three days have passed since the selection battle. Verchiel's name now reverberates like a storm throughout Asgard Academy.
To some students, he's a threat. To others, he's a mystery. But to the academy's higher-ups, he's an unpredictable anomaly. They don't know where he came from. They don't know where he's going. But one thing's for certain: his every move shakes the system.
---
Inside the academy's observatory.
Verchiel's image is prominently displayed above the magic altar. Several elite instructors, clad in robes studded with golden glyphs, have gathered in a semicircle. In their center stands the Head of the Evaluation Division: Professor Glathur, an elderly mage with silver hair like molten metal.
"...You said the child emerged from outside the system?"
"That's right. No family history, no records of mana, and no registration in the selection ritual. But... the seal unlocker recognized him, and the system couldn't deny him access."
"We'll have to test him further," Glathur muttered, stroking his beard.
He raised his hand, and a ball of blue light formed.
[Special Order: Send Verchiel to the Secret Training Zone - Illusionary Garden Lv. 3]
"If he survives there... then we'll acknowledge that he's no ordinary student."
The next day.
Morning in Asgard was shrouded in a thin silver mist. Verchiel sat on a bench in the academy garden, watching the mechanical birds fly low. He was reading an old book titled "Mana Anatomy and Dimensional Fractals." But his eyes weren't focused on the page. He knew someone was approaching.
Light steps. Slow breathing. The scent of formal magic. A girl approached.
"Verchiel Schwarz?"
He closed his book.
"What?"
The girl wore academy robes with a dark blue badge—the mark of a magic administration student. Short blonde hair. A wary gaze.
"By order of Professor Glathur, you are invited to take a Personal Exam. Now."
"Exam?"
"Garden of Illusion. Level 3. Only selected participants are sent there."
Verchiel stood slowly, the scythe on his back shifting as if alive.
"...Fine. But if I die, I'll drag you down to hell with me."
The girl was pale.
Secret Training Zone: Illusionary Garden Level 3
This area wasn't listed on the academy map. It was located underground, connected by dark corridors filled with runes and ancient mechanisms. As the door opened, Verchiel was greeted by an unbelievable sight: a beautiful, 3-square-kilometer garden with glowing trees, breathing flowers, and a fake sky with two suns.
However, the system immediately issued a warning:
[Welcome to the Illusionary Zone - Level 3] [Objective: Survive for 6 hours or defeat the illusionary guardian] [Warning: Every death inside will cause permanent mental damage]
Verchiel snorted. "Illusionary or not, blood is still spilled."
---
At the 10th minute, a rustling sound came from behind the bushes. A thousand-eyed creature emerged: a Lv. 11 Shadow Wyrm, its body like a black mist, its eyes constantly changing expressions.
[Skill Awareness D - Active] [Skill Scythe Mastery F - Active]
Verchiel moved swiftly. His movements were unlike those of a novice student. He spun around, swinging the scythe with momentum and rhythm like a symphony of death. The Wyrm screamed, and black blood exploded.
[Skill - Scythe Mastery F upgraded to D!]
[Exp +375 (Privilege EXP x3)]
In the second hour, he faced the Illusion of His Own Self. A shadowy figure identical to his emerged from the pool of illusion. But it was different from him now. The figure wore a hoodie, held a pen, and had a limp body—an older version of himself as a writer.
"You... coward. You escaped from the real world. And now you're trying to rule here?"
Verchiel didn't speak. But his eyes were sharp. The scythe in his hand cut through the illusion until the fog cleared.
[Mental Resistance increases] [Writer's Instinct E rises to D]
---
In the fifth hour, the artificial sky began to crack. The main guardian appeared: the Guardian of Illusion - Harverik, a humanoid monster with a porcelain mask and a transparent sword.
"You don't belong in this world. I can destroy your existence."
"Please try."
A brutal battle ensued. Harverik pierced the illusion field, twisting reality. But Verchiel persevered. Every wound he received provided a new experience.
He combined the movements of the scythe, read the enemy's movements, and used the illusion system against its controller.
The attack struck Harverik's core. His mask shattered. The illusionary world slowly crumbled.
[Test Successful]
[Survival Time: 6 Hours 27 Minutes]
[Monsters Defeated: 6]
[Exp: 1,320 (x3 Applied)]
[Level Up! Level 4 → 6]
[New Skill Not Yet Available (Next at Level 10)]
---
[Latest Stats - Verchiel Schwarz]
Level: 6
HP: 140 / 140
MP: 80
STR: 10
AGI: 13
INT: 15
VIT: 12
[Active Skill]
Awareness D
Writer's Instinct D
Scythe Mastery D
---
Outside the illusion zone, Professor Glathur sighed heavily.
"...Two levels in one test. This is insane."
"And he hasn't reached his full potential yet," one of the proctors remarked.
Meanwhile, in his dorm room, Verchiel sat on the edge of his bed, his eyes fixed on his scythe.
"Level 6... Still far from enough. But every step unlocks more of this world's secrets."
He smiled. Not a smile of joy. But the smile of a writer who knows full well that the ending... isn't yet decided.