Shiny black gloss.
What was in my hand felt more like a glove than a mitt.
It felt as if something like shock-absorbing material was stuffed inside.
“I expected this, but it really doesn’t suit me.”
“····.”
And my appearance wearing it resembled that of a frail girl donning black leather gloves to appear intimidating.
Instead, it only emphasized how insignificant I looked.
Still, no matter how I thought about it, discarding the traits I already possessed seemed like a poor judgment.
Right now, I have no money, but once I am equipped later, the curse’s mental power reduction effect will also decrease, so in the long run, this was the right choice.
But…
Click.
“I guess it’s hard to give up on this side too.”
Simple yet powerful firearms.
It is an ancient human desire that has persisted since prehistoric times.
In the game, one could only possess a single weapon by default, but this is reality.
“Can I take a g*n too?”
“Huh? Well, that’s not prohibited… but usually, it’s better to concentrate on one thing.”
“The more means of attack, the better.”
Like someone who stacks two pizzas while eating, there’s no reason to limit oneself to just one weapon as per the game’s format.
I still feel a sense of dissonance, but here is reality.
To survive in reality, one must not act based on the mindset from the game.
“Then… I understand.”
The professor looked a bit flustered, but since it wasn’t a huge deal, he nodded and moved on.
After checking the safety mechanism of the trigger and stowing it in my back pocket, I felt a bit more secure.
“Yeah, it’s definitely romantic~”
I never thought I’d be able to walk around with a g*n in my pocket in my lifetime, but indeed, guns are romantic.
Of course, there are plenty of those who can deflect bullets here, but still, this is something.
“Okay, everyone, if you’re done choosing your gear, follow me.”
Once everyone’s gear selection was finished, we moved to a spacious duel facility equipped for combat.
It was a sight filled with numerous dueling facilities similar to the ones used in the entrance ceremony, but stretched out in various sizes.
“Ohh…!”
“This is a safe duel arena created by our Department of Magic students, and if a serious injury situation arises, it will be immediately halted.”
“In case that doesn’t happen…?”
“I can confidently say that it will never happen.”
Saying such things always brings about problems.
It’s like a castle that has never been conquered by an enemy in thousands of years.
Or, machines that have been verified for safety to never go out of control.
The word ‘absolute’ should never be used lightly…
“Is it going to be alright…?”
Still, this is reality, not a game.
I decided to positively think that such cliché happenings from novels would not occur.
“Oh, Isaac. You came too?”
From afar, I noticed students from another class approaching.
It seems they also finished choosing their weapons… by the way, our professor’s name was Isaac. Just realized that now.
“How about your side?”
“Nothing special.”
“Really? This side has a lot of excellent students.”
“Haha… is that so?”
The professor leading the other class seemed friendly with Professor Isaac, but there was a feeling of them clashing as well.
Because over there, there were quite a few flashy characters.
[101]
Commonly referred to as 1st Year Class 1.
A class where almost the majority of characters appear in the game.
From numerous heroines to the player’s assistants, and then those who cause incidents later…
‘Yoon… what was it?’
Anyway, a place where an unnamed guy who got first place was.
I didn’t care much about it.
Just because I became a girl doesn’t mean my heart turned into a girl.
Even though he definitely had a handsome face that any woman would agree, um… there was no desire to learn more about him.
Crunch.
As I ate chocolate, I felt the atmosphere among the professors heating up.
“Really? That sounds awesome?!”
“So good! I couldn’t sleep last night because I was too excited!”
‘So childish.’
It’s quite a sight to see people who should have matured acting like that in front of students.
Is it because this is a game, or this reality just happens to be like that… or are the professors just childish?
“…This feels a bit unsettling?”
“Somehow, I feel like we might get dragged into it…”
Anyway, waiting for the argument to end, it seemed the two professors concluded something without obtaining our consent and approached us.
“Okay, the duel training that was originally planned for just our class is now decided to be held jointly with the other class.”
“Excuse me?”
“What do you mean…?”
I could hear the students around me reacting with surprise to the professor’s words.
“But, on that side…?”
One male student cast a glance at the numerous students from the opposing side, then stopped speaking.
Every single one of them was beautiful and had stunning appearances.
With overwhelming skills, powerful abilities carried down through generations, and the massive wealth of their clans that funded their basic equipment.
Among them were well-known individuals so it felt like a substantial error had been made in class assignments.
No, more than that, it seems like someone deliberately separated us.
Compared to them, our class mostly consisted of ordinary individuals, including me.
While there were some who had connections to specific clans or backing, in terms of size and numbers compared to them, it was overwhelmingly insufficient.
The world seen through the eyes of extras is that unfair.
Preordained victories and defeats from the very beginning.
Despair and frustration set from before we even started.
Those who were expected to excel in their families meeting real monsters and geniuses, unrecorded injustices.
‘That’s how the world is.’
It’s unrelentingly harsh, but the world operates around the strong.
Thus, it’s an inevitable reality.
Professor Isaac understood this too.
“I know you guys are at a disadvantage. But isn’t there a contrasting word called success because failures exist?”
“Uhm…”
[You can only succeed by knowing failure] is a phrase that seems pulled from some top 100 quotes collection, but the professor’s expression seemed like he realized he had carelessly jumped into something without thinking and found out it would be unfavorable.
‘Not my concern.’
Ignoring the professor’s words while chewing the chocolate, they quickly began pairing us for the duels.
“Hey, this isn’t fair… he and she are mismatched…”
“You know… ”
A heated back-and-forth unfolded.
Our professor was trying his best to create possibilities, while the 101st class’s professor looked like he was enjoying a challenge.
Professor Isaac’s face bore the expression of ‘Why did I do this?’.
And the matchups they created were, frankly, utterly ridiculous.
“Wow~ oh my gosh.”
[Aisha Redcloff] – [Cain Asos]
[Bia] – [Harea Gain]
.
.
.
.
[Yoon Si-woo] – [Hernia Aesha]
Essentially, they were all outmatched from the very basic specs.
Despite trying to pair students with somewhat similar skills, all those facing the main characters had the bare minimum of powers typical for extras.
In summary, it was a strategy of discarding the weak.
Only securing fights that can definitely be won. Although this ‘definitely winnable’ situation was merely about 40% chance.
But how did the students who were left out feel?
“····.”
“d*mn it…”
It must have felt awful.
And I was also included in the discarded batch.
Sure, it could be said that being the top recommendation student brought me here, but the contrary possibility was much higher.
Such is the wall of first place.
This was the professor’s best choice.
Still, I didn’t feel bad.
I don’t gaze at walls I can’t scale.
If there’s any possibility of winning, that’s fine, but I know nothing of their abilities, traits, or weapons.
This was the exact opposite of the duels from the entrance ceremony.
Thus, I thought.
‘I should just forfeit as soon as the match starts.’
I don’t want to get hurt.
.
.
.
.
.
The duel was a total defeat.
“Kugh…!”
Even those who seemed like they could win reached their limits and ultimately lost, while several were utterly toyed with instead of just losing.
They flew, fell, and even had their newly acquired weapons broken.
Amidst the many defeats, Professor Isaac’s expression grew sour, while the defeated children merely sat there, resigned beyond mere acceptance.
“Wow… our student won again?”
And the smug expression on the opposing professor’s face… was annoyingly unbearable even to me.
“Wah… I want to slap him.”
And still.
Losing.
Losing.
Losing.
“One left, huh?”
“I…”
When it was just me remaining, the professor asked for a moment and quietly said to me.
“Uh… is there any chance you can win?”
I answered him.
“Of course not. What are you expecting?”
I don’t want to get caught up in the professors’ competitive duel!
It’s not like kids’ fights are fun, and I have no reason to fight with all my might for a professor I just met today.
The chances of winning while fighting at full strength are absurdly low!
“That’s… I see.”
“I’ll forfeit when it starts.”
He looked somewhat dejected, but I ignored him and stepped into the duel arena.
The opponent I saw was a guy who had the kind of looks girls might favor.
He looked at me, and I looked at him.
And the countdown in the duel room began.
[3]
[2]
[1]
“Figh…!”
‘···.’
Something felt off.
“····!”
I was supposed to say I forfeit.
My voice wouldn’t come out.
Wait a minute, could it be.
I looked towards the professor.
And he had an expression saying he was truly sorry. d*mn it.
In that moment, I understood the whole situation.
[Silence Magic – Silence]
“Uh….”
And then, I saw the first attack from the top student rushing towards me.
