kscans

Chapter 102 -

Mid-December. We were at Shinonome Academy, the dungeon explorer training institution scheduled to open next April.

"Hey, shouldn’t we be able to get in as special scholarship students?"

Rena had brought us to a huge, gymnasium-like facility. And now, at her instruction, we were changing into combat suits fitted with motion sensors.

Apparently, we were about to take an entrance exam.

However, prospective students had received a notice that the official entrance exams would be held from January to February of next year. Plus, since it was an academy run by the Shinonome Zaibatsu, Rena had told us that there was no need for me or Naoto and the others to take an entrance exam….

"It’s fine if you don’t take it."

"Then why?"

"Let me ask you instead, do you really not want to take the entrance exam? It’s a common exam that over fifty thousand applicants from all over the country are taking to get into this academy. Don’t you want to give it a try?"

What does she mean. What’s so special about a common exam.

"I thought you might want to dominate the entrance exam, Hayate."

"Huh?"

"The exam results will rank things like combat power. It will be announced who is number one in which subject. Of course, the rankings will change with exams after enrollment, but the initial result still has a big impact. If you achieve an overwhelming result there, you can show the people who took the official exam the difference in your class."

"I-I see."

"So it’s a ranking system."

"I wonder if I’ll be okay?"

"You’ll all be fine, I’m sure! Besides, I want to see it. You dominating the entrance exam, Hayate."

Ah, so that’s her real motive. Well then, I have no choice.

"Alright, fine. I shall dominate as my princess wishes."

"Yay!"

Rena is so cute, pumping her fist in a small victory pose.

"You can go all out too, Naoto."

"There’s no way I can get first place with Hayate around."

"Oh, don’t worry about that. There are rankings for each weapon type used. And you’ll also be ranked according to your abilities for roles within a party, like attacker, defender, and healer."

"Oh. In that case, I might have a chance."

It seems Naoto was fired up now too.

In the weapon-type rankings, I could only take the Multi-Sword User category, but I’m an all-rounder who can attack and defend. I have no intention of giving up the number one spot in the defender division, not just the attacker division.

"I know what you’re thinking, Hayate. You’re aiming for number one in the defense category too, aren’t you."

"You know me well. That’s right."

"Hey, how about we ban Haze? I don’t feel like I can win if you use that."

Hoh. So he feels he has a chance of winning against me as long as I don’t use my four-sword style’s secret technique, Haze. Is that what you’re saying, Naoto-san? Very well. I accept your challenge.

"Fine. I won’t use Haze. Let’s compete to see who gets a better rank. The loser buys the usual meal plus dessert at our usual spot."

"You’re on!! Let’s do this."

He thinks Haze is the only secret technique of the four-sword style. Just because it’s a secret technique doesn’t mean there’s only one. You’ll regret your naive assumption later.

"The boys are all fired up. What should we do, Rena-chan?"

"Even for ranged types, scores are given for things like attack accuracy and the timing of entering an attack motion, and those are ranked. Let’s you and I compete with dessert on the line too."

"Roger. I won’t lose, you know."

"Yes. I’ll do my best too!"

Rena and the others decided to have a competition as well. This kind of feeling is nice.

Our strength grows through competition. The ranking system is wonderful.

Dungeon clearing isn’t a game, and you can suffer fatal injuries. It’s not a joke. If you take it lightly, you’ll regret it someday. I think I understand that well enough.

But I can’t stop this feeling of excitement.

An exam proctor came to the waiting room to get us. We followed that person to the exam venue.

Alright, time to give it my all!!