The moment Lucien stepped out of the theory exam hall, he let out a long sigh.
"That was… surprisingly easy."
[Easy? Oh, excuse me, Mr. 'Math Nerd.' You were sweating bullets at the start.]
Lucien rolled his eyes. "That was because I thought it'd be some weird magical nonsense, not just fancy-worded math problems."
[You mean the subject you obsessed over in your past life? The one that made you a socially rejected nerd?]
"…I will ignore that."
[No, let's talk about it. Were numbers your only friends? Did you take quadratic equations on dates?]
"Shut up."
[Oh, I get it now. 'X' didn't mark the spot in your love life.]
"…I hope you get deleted from existence."
[You first.]
Lucien sighed, but before he could continue his war with the system, an instructor arrived in the hall, gathering all the students.
"Now that the theory test is over, I will announce the details of the combat test," the instructor said, his sharp gaze scanning the crowd.
A hush fell over the students as they listened carefully.
"The combat test will last three days. You must bring back an A-rank monster's corpse as proof of your strength. You may complete the test on the first or second day if you succeed early. Failure to complete this task will result in elimination from Class S selection."
Murmurs broke out among the students. Some were confident, others visibly nervous.
Lucien? He was already calculating how to not die.
"Teleportation to the Ebonshade Forest will begin tomorrow morning. Prepare accordingly."
The instructor left, and Lucien felt a chill run down his spine.
"…I need to pack."
[And maybe write a will.]
"I swear—"
[Oh, come on. It's not that bad. Just kill a ridiculously strong monster and don't die. Simple.]
"…Your definition of simple concerns me."
The Night Before the Test – Packing & Regrets
Back in his dorm, Lucien sat on his bed, packing supplies.
Mana potions (because he's still a mana-hungry newbie)
Healing potions (because dying is bad)
Rations (because food is life)
His sword (because stabbing solves problems)
As he zipped his bag shut, he took a deep breath.
"This is going to be rough."
[What's the worst that could happen? You trip, fall, and an S-rank beast eats you alive?]
"…Why do I talk to you?"
[Entertainment. Admit it, your life would be boring without me.]
"…Unfortunately, yes."
[See? Now go to sleep and dream of not getting murdered.]
Lucien groaned, flopped onto his bed, and let exhaustion take over.
Day 1 – Welcome to the Death Zone
Morning came too soon. Lucien and the other students gathered at the teleportation site.
Class S students? Nowhere to be seen.They didn't have to take this test.
Within moments, a magic circle glowed beneath their feet, and in the blink of an eye—
WHOOSH!
Lucien landed in the middle of Ebonshade Forest.
The test had begun.
"…Well. Time to find a monster to kill."
[Or a monster to kill you.]
"Shut. Up."
And so, his hunt for survival began.