kscans

Chapter 103 -

We followed the female exam proctor.

It was a wide space with a sturdy-looking floor. Around the perimeter, there was some kind of impressive-looking machinery.

Apparently, this place was called the Mock Combat Area.

"The Shinonome Academy entrance examination will now begin. First, Shizukuishi Hayate-san, please come this way."

"Yes."

"Good luck, Hayate!"

"Don’t get hurt."

"But this is a competition. Don’t hold back."

Rena and the others cheered me on. Naoto’s was more of a challenge, I guess.

I intend to do my best to take first place in the rankings.

I was guided to the front of the Mock Combat Area.

"Shizukuishi-san, you are a Multi-Sword User. Your style is the four-sword style, is that correct?"

"Yes."

"It’s a bit redundant to ask you, but please forgive me as it is a rule. Have you ever entered a dungeon and have you ever experienced combat with monsters?"

"I have experience with both."

"Understood. The Manipulators you are currently equipped with are for training purposes, but have you familiarized yourself with their feel during the preparation time?"

"Yes, it’s fine."

"Thank you. Now, monsters that appear on the third floor of a Grade 1 dungeon will appear in this area. Please defeat all of them. You will be graded on the safety and efficiency of your combat."

I see. So flashy attacks are not necessary. Well, since lives are on the line in dungeon clearing, it makes sense that they aren’t looking for some romantic, powerful single strike.

By the way, the reason they’re starting with third-floor monsters right away is because this academy is not an institution for training dungeon clearing beginners. Beginners will learn the ABCs of dungeon clearing at a separate educational institution to be established in the future.

This academy is a government-led place to train serious dungeon explorers.

They are looking for personnel who will continuously clear the most difficult dungeons and supply the nation with dungeon-sourced items and resources.

In other words, dead weight is not needed. How harsh.

If I’m not careful, there’s a chance someone could surpass me.

"Are you ready?"

"…Yes."

But for now…

"Then, the exam will begi—"

I am the strongest.

"I’m finished."

"Huh?"

The holograms of the monsters appeared, and in that instant, I used my Manipulators to leap forward and cut down all the enemies.

By the way, even though the enemies are like images, there was a proper feeling of defeating them. The combat suit lent to me for the exam has a magnetic actuator built in, which makes a mere image feel like a tangible object. This is an amazing technology.

"Huh, what?"

The exam proctor was dumbfounded.

"I’ve properly defeated all the monsters. I aimed for each of their vital points as well."

The monitor indicating the number of remaining enemies showed zero. There shouldn’t be a problem.

"I-I’m sorry. I have seen your streams, but I never imagined you could move at a speed that the naked eye cannot perceive…. Um, just to confirm, you are really human, right?"

"I am human."

I wish she wouldn’t doubt that. I haven’t even used my ninja powers yet.

"Ah, I have just received confirmation. You destroyed the vital points of all targets in a single blow. That is a wonderful combat score. Next, you will face monsters from the sixth floor. Is it alright to continue as is?"

"Yes, no problem."

"Then, let’s begin. The exam starts now."

I charged the monsters at full power, just as before.

However, this time there was an enemy that could not be defeated in a single blow.

First, I eliminated the other monsters. Then, I unleashed a barrage of attacks with my four swords while spinning at the turtle-like monster, which had incredibly high defense in exchange for slow movement speed.

The enemy’s health was about to drop below twenty percent. This thing activates a healing skill at this timing, so to defeat it with maximum efficiency, I needed to shave off its remaining health in a single motion.

So, as usual, I leaped up with my Manipulators and began to rotate my body as I fell. Unlike in a dungeon, there was no ceiling here, so I couldn’t kick off it to accelerate.

The turtle monster reacted to me falling at a relatively slow speed. A shield deployed above its shell.

But it’s fine. If my calculations are correct, I can do this.

"Eight-Strike Aerial Spinning Slash!!"

I slammed down a series of blows while spinning.

The first sword shattered the enemy’s shield, and the second scratched the turtle’s shell. I hit that scratch with the third and fourth swords. This wouldn’t be enough to defeat it, but my attack motion was still continuing. I entered a second rotation so as not to give the enemy a chance to heal.

The third sword of my second rotation cleaved the enemy monster in two.

"Alright!"

I had defeated all the monsters.

"A group of monsters including that Giant Turtle, in, f-forty-eight seconds?"

So it took forty-eight seconds. I think I could have aimed for the thirty-second range if I had a little more time to tune the Manipulators.

But since the other examinees are under the same conditions, I guess I have no need to complain.

"Which floor’s enemies are next?"

"Uh, um, the monster subjugation exam is now complete."

I see. I thought the final boss, the Stone Dragon, might appear.

In the real dungeon, there was a ceiling, so I was able to defeat the Stone Dragon in a single blow. But the ceiling here is too high. If they could also replicate the ceiling, it might become possible to do combat training where you kick off the ceiling with the magnetic actuator to transition into an attack.

I’ll suggest it to Rena later.

"Shizukuishi Hayate-san, your combat score is 938. That is an S-rank judgment!"

So it’s not 999 points.

"That’s not the highest score, is it?"

"No. Your combat was at maximum efficiency, but the AI judged it as lacking in safety. H-however, a score over 900 is unquestionably S-rank!"

So jumping up is judged as a dangerous act. I’ll have to keep that in mind when I take exams at this academy in the future.