Virgil swings his spear to block the skeleton's attack.
He uses a skill to lock its spear and kicks its bony frame.
The skeleton loses a leg and crumbles.
With the back of his spear, Virgil knocks its skull away from the body.
He scans the battlefield and charges toward another skeleton.
The fight continues until the sun begins to fade and a horn sounds in the distance.
Virgil kills one more skeleton before turning away and walking back to his squad.
The skeletons also retreat, ending the siege of Tain Fortress.
There is no cheer from the human side for surviving another day.
Because who would cheer after a hundred years?
A century ago, the skeleton race attacked the human race from the western front.
At that time, the human kingdoms and duchies were at war with each other.
But faced with extinction, they united and formed the human empire.
They survived the onslaught and eventually drove the skeletons out of human territory.
Then they built a line of fortresses and a massive wall connecting them.
According to history, this entire infrastructure was completed in just two weeks.
That was only possible because this is no ordinary world.
This is the Golcard Plane.
An extraordinary world.
Suddenly, Virgil feels a slap on his back and hears a too-familiar voice.
"Today, you were energetic."
Virgil glances at Chris, his friend.
"You know why?"
Chris and Virgil met during their training days in the army.
They joined the same unit and stayed together for three years.
But tomorrow, Virgil will part ways with him.
Chris nods as they start walking back into the fortress.
"Three days later is your birthday, right?"
Virgil nods. "Yeah?"
"Just asking."
"Don't plan anything."
Chris nods again.
They enter the dorm room of their unit.
Virgil goes to clean himself.
After changing into fresh clothes, he sits on his bed and says, "Status Panel."
A virtual screen appears in front of him, visible only to his eyes.
He can choose to show it to others if he wants.
Everyone in this world is born with this ability.
It's not his golden finger.
Because he died in his past life, hit by Truck-san.
---
STATUS PANEL
Name: Virgil
Age: 17
Rank: 0
Life-Level: White
Skill:
Mortal: Spear (Mastery), Fighting (Mastery), Lotus Visualisation (Not started – 98%)
Virgil stares at Lotus Visualisation, just 2% short of getting started.
Once it starts, he will become a professional.
The extraordinary people of this world are called professionals.
He will become a Spiritualist, one of the two professions of the human empire.
There are others, but they are either too rare or too dangerous for most humans.
Tomorrow, he will finally cross that line.
He has saved enough merit points to buy the spirit potion.
He gets up, walks out of his dorm room, and turns into the corridor.
His frown deepens as he sees someone walking toward him.
It's Jake.
Jake is the vice training officer of their unit.
He didn't earn the post through merit but by being a baron's second son.
What surprises Virgil is Chris walking behind Jake with his head down.
Anger flares in Virgil's chest, and he steps forward.
"Jake, are you bullying Chris again?"
Before Jake can answer, Chris says, "No, he is not."
Jake smiles. "See, dear Virgil, you're always accusing me."
"Today, I've come to offer you an opportunity."
Virgil frowns.
Jake isn't sneering like usual—he's speaking politely.
Something is off, and it reeks.
"What do you mean?"
Jake steps forward and tries to place an arm over Virgil's shoulder.
Virgil moves aside.
Jake sighs. "The commander of our unit asked for you."
Virgil's eyes go wide. "What?"
Jake says, "No 'what'—let's go quickly. Are you going to let the commander wait?"
Virgil replies, "You should've said that at the start."
He pats Chris on the arm and walks faster out of the dorm.
Outside, he follows Jake and reaches No. 3 Training Camp.
Inside, he sees people his age—both men and women—standing in formation.
Two knights guard the gate of the training camp.
Jake says, "He's under eighteen and one step away from becoming a professional."
The knights stare at Virgil.
One asks, "Are you telling the truth? You understand the consequences of false reporting?"
Jake slaps Virgil's back and signals him.
Virgil, still confused, says, "He's telling the truth."
The knights nod and step aside.
One says, "Enter and stand in line."
Virgil, unsure of what's happening, follows the command and joins the formation.
The commander, clad in armour, enters the ground with a woman in a silver robe—the robe of a Master Spiritualist.
Behind them are a boy and a girl in plain white robes, without the mark of a Spiritualist.
They stop and face the group.
The commander's voice booms across the ground.
"Everyone should know why they are here."
Virgil has no idea but nods along with the others.
The commander says, "I will state the reason again."
He gestures to the woman. "Lady Mercen here will open a sealed channel to the Underdark."
"Only those who are not professionals can enter."
"The mission is to reach Tanris City in the Underdark and participate in the Tanris City 100-year trial."
"To qualify, you must be a professional and under twenty years of age."
He pauses, letting silence stretch for a moment.
"Now, your age and rank will be checked."
"And if someone came just to try their luck",—he sneers—"very sorry, you cannot leave now."
Virgil wants to leave.
Not because he doesn't meet the requirement.
Because he absolutely does—and that's the worst part.
He doesn't want this mission.
He wants to stay low-key and quietly reach the Legendary Profession rank.
And he has the means.
Because while the status panel isn't his golden finger, that doesn't mean he lacks one.
Virgil watches the boy and girl check each person's age and rank using a crystal ball.
It glows blue for those who qualify and red for those who don't.
When it's Virgil's turn, he steps forward, places his hands on the ball, and silently prays for red.
It turns blue.
The boy and girl move on to check the rest.
Minutes later, the checks are complete.
The commander says, "Those marked blue, follow Lady Mercen."
He adds with an evil smirk, "Those marked red, stay here."
Lady Mercen turns and starts walking.
The chosen ones, including Virgil, follow behind her.
He hears the sound of crying behind him and wishes he could cry too.
She leads them into a large dining room, where they are seated and served food.
"Everyone must be on an empty stomach, so let's finish dinner first—then I'll explain the details."
Virgil looks at the food and suspects the mission ahead must be dangerous.
The dinner feels like a lamb's last feast.
But he can't change anything now.
He picks up a chicken leg and some rice and begins to eat.
While chewing, a thought strikes him—he never told Jake his rank or age.
So how did Jake know?
Then Chris's downcast face flashes in his mind.
Did Chris tell Jake?
But why?
Why would Chris betray him?
Virgil slowly eats the rest of his meal, mind twisting in turmoil.
Once dinner ends, servants clear the plates.
Lady Mercen speaks.
"The mission is to retrieve a drop of Stone Silver Blood."
"There is only one known place it can be found—Tanris City."
"Tanris City is ruled by the Night Spirit Clan."
"The Stone Silver Blood is required by Elector Vanis Morkane."
Virgil's eyes widen at the name.
The human empire is ruled by an Emperor, supported by eight Electors and thirty-six Councillors.
The Emperor can be anyone who passes the Emperor Trial, held every fifty years.
But the Electors are always chosen from the royal families of the former eight kingdoms.
And the thirty-six Councillors come from the powerful duchies and noble houses of that era.
Everyone begins whispering, but Lady Mercen silences the room with her presence.
She continues, "Tomorrow morning, you will enter the Underdark."
"I will provide Spirit Motion potions for the Spiritualists and Blood-Boiling potions for the Knights."
"So once inside, you can advance immediately."
Everyone nods, some with hesitation, others with anticipation.
She goes on. "You will also receive either an intermediate Spiritual Meditation Technique or an intermediate Knight Breathing Technique."
"Additionally, knowledge from the three Spiritualist schools and three intermediate Knight skills."
Finally, a smile forms on Virgil's face.
If he obtains these, his path to becoming an official Spiritualist will be smoother, with fewer detours.
Lady Mercen adds, "The servants will lead you to your beds."
"And later, my two students",—she points to the boy and girl who conducted the checks—"will bring you a list."
"You will choose one technique, one knowledge, and three skills."
Virgil stands with the others and follows the servant.
The boys are divided into three groups of seven.
Virgil, along with his group, enters one of the rooms.
He sits on a bed, watching his companions settle in.
His thoughts drift to Lady Mercen's briefing.
She gave no details about what happens after they enter the Underdark.
Will the passage lead directly to Tanris City?
Or will they be dropped into some distant cavern and have to travel the rest of the way?
The uncertainty gnaws at him.