As I walked down the street, everything seemed normal. People moved about, busy with their daily lives. The streets were crowded, merchants were selling their goods, and I could hear the chatter of townsfolk.
Yet, among the crowd, a particular group stood out—adventurers, mixed with demi-humans. It was like something straight out of a fantasy anime.
Even now, it was hard to accept what was happening before my eyes. But thanks to my two years in the U.S. military—where I enlisted for a green card—I had been trained to adapt to any situation. It wasn’t too hard to keep my cool.
Or maybe... I was just in shock.
As I thought that, I made my way toward the school, following the directions given by a local. Strangely enough, everyone here was speaking English. That was weird.
I glanced up at the nearest sign. It read: "Repair Shop."
Yeah, that was definitely English. But as I peered inside, I realized it was actually a weapon repair shop.
A world where English is the common language? That doesn’t make any logical sense. Unless...
Am I in a coma? Is this one of those ultra-realistic dreams?
I did fall pretty hard before waking up here… The mere thought sent chills down my spine, but I shook my head, pushing those thoughts away. It didn’t matter. Even if there was just a 1% chance that this was reality, I had to do my best.
With that in mind, I opened my status window again.
---
Status
Name: LostGamer_Tag
Class: Mage | Class Points: 0
Level: 1 / 10
- Strength: F
- Endurance: E
- Mana: C
- Luck: S
- Speed: D
- Intelligence: C
---
It was the same as my in-game stats, but I needed to figure out the requirements for the next level.
As I thought that, a new window popped up.
---
Level 1 → Level 2 Requirements:
- Essence of Equal: Defeat an enemy of equal or higher rank.
- Leveling Orb x1: Dropped from any monster.
- Magic Herb (Rank E or above): Must be consumed.
---
This was annoying.
The Leveling Orb should be easy to get—at least up to Level 6. After that, the drop rates would probably become ridiculous. The Magic Herb should be manageable if I could find one.
But the hardest part? Beating someone equal to me.
How do I even determine who’s my equal? I can’t just go around picking fights with random people…
Sigh.
With a long exhale, I opened my inventory and checked my starter gear. A basic armor set and a weapon collection.
I should wear the armor, but keep it hidden. In the game, there was an option to hide equipment visually while still wearing it. As soon as I equipped it, I felt lighter and stronger.
It was just a basic steel armor set, but I immediately checked my stats to see the change.
---
Status (After Equipping Armor)
Name: LostGamer_Tag
Class: Mage | Class Points: 0
Level: 1 / 10
- Strength: E
- Endurance: D
- Mana: B
- Luck: SS
- Speed: C
- Intelligence: B
---
Damn. The starter armor was broken.
It gave +1 to all stats? That meant I wouldn’t need a new armor set until mid-game. No wonder this game died—it was pay-to-win as hell.
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
"Maybe that’s why it shut down…" I muttered to myself.
As I continued walking, I finally saw my destination—a massive gate with towering walls surrounding it.
The academy was huge. I couldn’t even see the main building, just a forest and a long pathway leading further in.
Don’t tell me I have to walk all the way there…
Just as I was about to start complaining, I looked around.
Something was off.
Where were the other students?
Did I come too early… or too late?
Before I could dwell on it, I heard a voice.
"Hey! Who are you?"
A guard approached me. He had black hair and wore a standard security uniform.
I quickly reached into my pocket and pulled out my ID, handing it to him. He examined it before sighing.
"You’re three hours late. Do you even want to enter the academy, boy?"
"...What?"
"You heard me," he said, rubbing his temples. "A lot of students got enrolled this year due to a clerical mistake. To fix it, they’re holding an elimination test to kick out the majority of applicants. The test started three hours ago. You''re way too late."
"Wait, that’s the school’s fault, isn’t it?" I asked, panicking.
"No way," he scoffed. "This school is privately funded by nobles and royalty. They’ll never admit to a mistake."
"Must be tough working for a place like this, huh?" I said, trying to get on his good side.
"You have no idea," he muttered. "But don’t bother sucking up—I can’t do much."
I glanced at the academy entrance, thinking.
The test started three hours ago.
Maybe I could still catch up and finish it in time.
As if reading my thoughts, the guard spoke.
"It takes an hour to reach the main building if you walk. Do you think you can make it?" His voice wasn’t mocking—he was genuinely asking.
That meant some people in this world could pull off that kind of feat.
"What’s the test about?" I asked.
"There are five trials. They determine whether you end up in Class E to A. If you fail all of them, you get kicked out. So far, no one has reached Class A."
"...So realistically, there are four trials," I muttered.
"You''re not allowed to attack other students, and you have to complete each test''s specific requirements. The test lasts until 5 PM. It''s already 2 PM. It started at 11 AM. Do you really think you can join the hardest academy in the world, where they root out anyone without talent?"
He smiled, almost excited, as he asked that question.
This guy... is he really a guard?
Something felt off. His enthusiasm wasn’t normal—almost like he was testing me.
"I see… I think I can do this, teacher," I said, watching him closely.
The moment those words left my mouth—
Smoke erupted from his body.
My eyes widened.
I got it right?!
A sly, amused voice echoed through the thickening mist.
"Ara~ What gave me away?"
The smoke dissipated, revealing a woman—tall, with violet hair cascading over her shoulders and piercing purple eyes that glowed with mischief.
She smiled at me, tilting her head playfully.
"I guess I’m not that good of an actor after all."
Behind me, the gates creaked open.
I didn’t waste a second. I bowed quickly and sprinted forward, following the path.
As I ran, my body felt like it was flying. My movements were fast but controlled. These stats weren’t a joke.
This speed… this power…
This was fun.
---
Back at the Entrance...
The purple-haired woman sighed, watching the boy disappear into the distance.
"I shouldn''t have gotten excited at the end," she groaned, rubbing her temples. "I really thought I could fool that one… but every late student saw through me. I suck at acting."
She let out a deep sigh, but her expression soon turned serious.
"But he was fast. Really fast."
Her fingers tapped against her arm as she thought.
"Talents like him… they never care about rules. They move forward like they own the world. If only they had the discipline of those without talent, they could accomplish so much more…"
Shaking her head, she sighed and transformed back into the security guard, her figure shifting seamlessly.
Just as she turned around, footsteps echoed in the distance.
A blonde-haired girl with crimson eyes approached, her presence commanding attention. Unlike the boy before, this girl walked with a slow, deliberate pace, exuding a natural air of superiority—as if the world itself moved for her.
The disguised woman instinctively took a step forward to greet her.
But before she could speak—
The ground vanished beneath her feet.
Her world spun upside down, her body twisting through the air as an invisible force seized her.
Her breath hitched.
The next thing she knew—
CRASH!
She was slammed through a stone wall, debris crumbling around her.
A cold, chilling voice followed.
"Fool. Did you really think you could deceive me with that mask?"
The purple-haired woman gasped, her body aching from the impact. She barely managed to raise her hand in surrender.
"Wait, wait! I''ll open the gate!" she wheezed.
At her words, the massive academy doors creaked open.
The blonde girl didn''t even glance at her. She simply strode forward, her crimson eyes locked on the path ahead, completely indifferent to the destruction she''d caused.
As her figure disappeared into the academy grounds, the purple-haired woman slumped against the shattered remains of the wall, shaking.
"That… was terrifying," she whispered. "Who was that girl…?"
She tried to regain her composure, but before she could even process what had just happened—
The doors flew open again, this time without anyone touching them.
A chilling gust of mana flooded the area, thick and suffocating. The very air seemed to vibrate with power, sending a shiver down her spine.
Then—
A silver-haired girl with blood-red eyes stepped through the threshold.
Unlike the blonde, who exuded arrogance, this girl felt different—almost unnatural.
The sheer pressure radiating from her caused the heavy iron doors to fling open on their own, rattling against their hinges.
The purple-haired woman froze.
She couldn’t move.
She couldn’t breathe.
Her instincts screamed at her—danger.
A nervous chuckle escaped her lips.
"Ha… Haha… This year''s students are monsters. With these two… and the boy from earlier… that makes eleven total. Eleven monsters."
Her fingers clenched against the cold stone beneath her.
"That''s more than the entire four years above them combined."
And all she could do was watch as the silver-haired girl walk past her, vanishing into the academy.