Location:
Southern Fields of New Fornia City.
Also known as "That Place Where Rookie Cultivators Get Smacked Around."
Shunya stared at the open field.
Tall grass swayed in the wind. The sky was cloudy. A group of around thirty examinees stood in neat rows while a bored instructor twirled a stick that looked suspiciously like a sword.
In front of them? A giant stone gate.
Beyond that? The testing grounds.
The monsters were waiting.
Shunya pulled at the strap of his training armor. It was too tight across the chest. He also somehow managed to put his boots on the wrong feet.
"Why do I feel like I'm not ready?" he muttered.
SYSTEM RESPONSE:
"Because you're not."
He sighed. "Thanks for the honesty."
Combat Test Instructions (aka Very Vague Rules)
The instructor— who looked like a man who'd retired three times but kept getting pulled back— cleared his throat.
"You will each face a monster of Normal Rank. They are summoned within a barrier zone. You are allowed to use your system gifts, your basic skills, and whatever smarts you have."
He looked at Shunya.
"…If any."
Shunya blinked. "Was that aimed at me?"
"Maybe."
"Definitely," Naomi whispered behind him.
She was already tying her hair back into a high ponytail. She looked way too calm for someone about to fight monsters.
Beside her, Vikoria stood with her usual blank but thoughtful expression. She wore soft leather armor and had a small crystal dagger tied at her waist.
Shunya had… a wooden sword.
It squeaked when he moved.
"I feel brave," he lied.
The Test Begins
Shunya's name was called third.
He was pushed forward, still adjusting his belt.
The stone gate opened with a groan. Inside was a circular arena surrounded by magical runes. Glowing blue lines hummed faintly on the ground.
Across from him… a monster spawned.
It looked like a dog. A very angry, very large, moss-covered wolf with glowing red eyes.
Shunya pointed his sword at it. "We can talk this out."
The wolf snarled.
[SYSTEM NOTICE:
[Basic Combat Boost Activated!]
+10 Speed
+5 Reflex
+1 Confidence
TIP: Try not to die.]
"Great," Shunya muttered. "Super helpful."
The wolf lunged.
Shunya panicked.
He rolled left. Kind of. It was more of a fall-with-style.
The wolf skidded past and smashed into a rock.
Shunya blinked. "Did I just dodge that?"
[YES]
[Title Unlocked: Accidental Evasion Master]
The wolf circled him again.
Shunya remembered the combat move the system had given him earlier.
He shouted: "Wooden Sword Slash: Beginner Style!"
He swung.
The wooden sword made a loud smack as it bounced off the wolf's thick mossy hide.
The wolf looked offended.
Then it bit the sword in half.
"Okay," Shunya said. "New plan."
Vikoria's voice echoed from outside the field.
"Shunya! Use the mud!"
"What?!"
"The mud— it slows down their feet! You are lighter than it is!"
That did not sound like a compliment.
But Shunya got the idea.
He backed up into a muddy patch, let the wolf charge again, and then—
Jumped aside at the last second.
The wolf slipped, slid face-first into the mud, and skidded straight into one of the runes.
The rune flashed, locking the wolf in place with magical vines.
Shunya stood there, panting.
The instructor raised an eyebrow.
"Well… that's one way to win."
Aftermath (Win? probably)
Shunya stumbled out of the test area, covered in mud and smiling like an idiot.
Naomi stared at him. "You look like a scarecrow."
"I won!" he said proudly.
"Barely," she replied. But there was the smallest flicker of a grin at the edge of her mouth.
Vikoria handed him a towel.
"You remembered what I said," she murmured.
Shunya smiled. "Of course I did. I always remember what you say… eventually."
Later That Evening
Shunya lay on his bed in the small dorm room assigned to him.
His wooden sword (now half of one) leaned against the wall.
His body ached. But inside, there was a strange sense of peace.
He'd passed the written test. He'd fought a monster. And somehow, he hadn't died.
[ SYSTEM UPDATE:
"You have qualified for Basic Cultivator Rights. Welcome to the lowest tier of the most dangerous profession in this world."]
[ New Tag Unlocked: Beginner Cultivator – Rank: Hard (Minimum)]
[You have received:
50 Silver Karsh (Support Money)
1 Healing Salve
1 Lunch Coupon (Expires Tomorrow)]
Shunya grinned.
Maybe this world was insane.
Maybe monsters wanted to eat him.
But right now… things felt okay.