Chapter 265
The people living in the Washburn Mountain Range loved to talk about the mysterious “old castle” at its summit.
They said once you entered, you could never leave. That it was filled with terrible monsters capable of overturning the world.
That the master of the castle was a beautiful woman who had hidden herself away in the mountains.
But if one were to discuss these rumors, the first two were true, while the last was not.
Inside a sulfur spring, where steam rose in a hazy mist, a man in his late twenties was soaking his body.
With his pale skin, slender build, and long hair, one might briefly mistake him for a woman, but he was undeniably male.
As he leaned back and stared blankly up at the ceiling of the castle, footsteps echoed through the hall—tap, tap.
“All preparations are complete, Lord Magnus.”
It was none other than a zombie in a butler’s uniform, with a powerful wave of Darkness unique to an Ancient Undead rolling off him.
Magnus turned to look back, speaking in a languid tone.
“What about the access to Roke Island?”
“The guest instructor case, the central report case, and even observation of the BMAT exam have all been blocked. At this point…”
“The Witch of Death must have intervened.”
Magnus smiled in satisfaction, stroking his clean-shaven jaw.
“She must be very fond of her daughter.”
“How about we file a formal complaint with the Keyzen Headquarters, on the grounds of losing Talaze?”
The zombie butler adjusted his monocle as he spoke.
“Of course, we’d be reprimanded as well for sending forces to Roke Island without authorization…”
“A complaint? You want me to go whining like a little brat?”
Magnus let out a sharp laugh.
“That’s not my style! Besides, they’re all in on it together. That brat Loraine might end up controlling headquarters someday, why would I give her a reason to resent me?”
“Y-yes, sir. That was a misstep.”
“The goods?”
The zombie butler turned and nodded.
His subordinates dragged in four monsters bound in chains.
“These the ones?”
“Yes.”
Class-4 Threat Level monsters—Harddile.
These creatures, resembling sea crocodiles, had their jaws bound in several layers of iron chains, but they had struggled so fiercely that the chains were tattered.
“There was a Harddile habitat near the BMAT test site in Keyzen. We’ve infused them with a curse that leaves no trace, they won’t find anything suspicious.”
Fwoooosh.
Magnus rose from the sulfur spring, white steam rolling off his body.
“Well, a subordinate died, so I ought to repay the debt properly.”
He threw a robe over his wet body and turned around.
“Alaze, are you there?”
The moment the words left his mouth, the floor writhed, and an undead, like a mass of flesh, burst forth.
[Alaze. Talaze’s enemy. Must avenge.]
“I know, I know. Talaze’s enemy will be dealt with. Rip off a bit of your flesh and feed it to those monsters.”
[I will obey the Legion Commander’s command.]
Wearing only a robe, Magnus sat upon the castle’s throne and raised a wine glass.
“Well then, let’s wait quietly for the news.”
* * *
Finally, the day of the decisive battle.
The morning of the 3rd BMAT exam had arrived.
“Ladies and gentlemen! Thank you for waiting!”
On the grand stage set up across the Keyzen campus, a man in flashy attire shouted into a sound amplification crystal with all his might. Below the stage, a massive crowd of spectators had gathered.
“Thank you very much for attending the 3rd BMAT examination! I’m your host once again—Conrad Hayabon!”
The crowd erupted into cheers. The host responded with a deep bow.
“Ahaha! Great to see you! Oh—some familiar faces out there! Oh, ma’am, you’ve come again! I heard even parents have a one-in-a-million chance of winning an observer ticket—what luck! Hahaha!”
As he stirred the atmosphere with lively audience interaction, the host pulled a card containing his script from his pocket.
“Now! Let me introduce the professor from Keyzen who will be assisting me with commentary for this 3rd BMAT observation!”
He spoke casually, but his heart was pounding in his chest.
‘Not Professor Belya, not Professor Belya, please anyone but that woman…!’
Desperately praying in his heart, the host glanced at the card.
“!”
His face brightened. He wanted to scream with joy, but restrained himself like a true professional and announced:
“A truly distinguished figure has come to assist us! Please welcome the vice-chancellor of Keyzen, currently in charge of Class A of the first-year students—Ms. Jane Olivia!”
The crowd went wild at the mention of “vice-chancellor”.
The sound of heels echoed sharply across the stage. A woman with a sharp, cold aura and neatly cropped bob haircut walked gracefully onto the platform.
‘I’m finally free of Professor Belya!’
The host, grinning ear to ear, hurried forward.
“Vice-chancellor! Right this way, please! Hahaha!”
With the elegance of escorting a lady, the host lowered his posture and guided her, but Jane simply walked past him without a glance. The ignored host awkwardly straightened up.
Once at center stage, she picked up the communication crystal. The audience eagerly looked up, curious to hear what the vice-chancellor of Keyzen would say.
“Lighting team.”
That was her first line.
“The mana screen on the side is tilted 15 degrees to the right. Because of the sunlight, it’s uncomfortable for the audience seated on the left.”
Upon hearing this, a lackey from the lighting team bolted as if his life depended on it.
“Sound team. Must I point out even the basics of fully charging a sound crystal?”
“Seating arrangements need to be redone.”
“There are multiple defective Tongue Pads. This is a matter of student safety. Planning team leads, come forward.”
When the senior members stepped up with expressions of guilt, Jane turned off the sound crystal and began berating them directly. Her criticisms were so thorough and logically sound that no one could open their mouths in defense.
‘What the hell’s going on?’
‘No idea.’
The audience was bewildered by the sudden scene.
“V-vice-chancellor! I’m so sorry for the delay!”
A member of the lighting team, now summoned by her, trembled as he spoke. Jane scolded him coldly.
“Are you a professional? What were you thinking when setting up the mana lights like this?”
“M-my apologies! But we set them up the same way for the 1st and 2nd exams…”
Fire ignited in her eyes.
“Tell me in detail what reason, beyond your own inconvenience, justifies repeating the same mistakes of the past in the present.”
“I-I’m sorry!”
“Come to headquarters after the event. You’d best have your incident report prepared in advance.”
Jane personally directed the setup, rearranging the seating and configuration herself.
And standing just behind her, the host unconsciously clasped his hands together politely, unable to make a sound, completely shriveled up.
‘...This time it's a perfectionist.’
It felt like there were no normal people in Keyzen.
“We apologize for the inconvenience caused by the shortcomings of the organizing team.”
Jane bowed her head to the audience. In truth, the spectators hadn’t noticed any issues, but given her overwhelming presence, they decided to just go along with it.
In the end, it was the host’s job to lift the heavy atmosphere.
“Ahem, haha! Seems there were a few minor issues, but let’s resume! Let us welcome vice-chancellor Jane—!”
“I’m here in my capacity as a first-year professor for commentary. Please refer to me by my academic title.”
“Ah! Understood! Let us welcome Professor Jane!”
Clap clap clap clap!
The audience clapped somewhat dazedly. She held up the communication crystal and spoke in a very solemn, dignified tone.
“To the parents and guests attending our school’s event, thank you very much. As an elite necromancer training institution, our school is dedicated to maximizing our students’ capabilities…”
Now, even a formal speech.
Jane didn’t let a single thing slide.
Once her speech ended, the host, sweating buckets, spoke up.
“W-well then, Professor Jane! Let’s take you to your seat!”
The broadcasting assistant was already sending furious signals at the host, gesturing frantically to wrap things up quickly.
‘As if you weren’t frozen stiff in front of the vice-chancellor yourself.’
Having successfully seated Jane at the commentary table, the host hurried to continue the event. Jane seemed displeased with the table setup and looked like she was about to call over a staff member, but the host moved first.
“Well then, Professor! Could you please explain the 3rd BMAT exam theme for us?”
“Yes, please bring up the main screen.”
At her instruction, the main screen displayed the vast ocean.
“This 3rd exam’s theme is the sea.”
Murmur, murmur, murmur.
Unlike the students, the audience was visibly surprised, having heard this for the first time.
“As you all know, the sea is the worst natural condition for a necromancer.”
Jane’s crisp voice rang throughout the campus.
“Humans cannot choose the battlefield or the environment. We never know what might happen, and we must be able to fight in any harsh condition. That’s why we’ve chosen the sea as the testing ground.”
“Ahh—! Truly amazing! A sea-based exam! Then, the key evaluation point this time must be the students’ swimming ability?”
It was meant as a good-natured joke to lighten the mood, but Jane stared at him like he was a bug.
“...I apologize, Professor.”
Even the host himself couldn’t believe it, but he never imagined a day would come when he’d long for Professor Belya.
Jane opened her mouth again.
“This test will evaluate students’ adaptability, responsiveness, and creativity in unfamiliar and difficult environments. Since time is limited, I’ll now explain the rules for the audience.”
No sooner had she finished speaking than the main screen popped! and changed. The subordinates, clearly shaken up, were now highly alert and responsive.
“Please look at the screen.”
The main screen showed the seafloor.
“Do you notice anything unusual?”
At Jane’s question, the audience squinted and stared at the screen.
At a glance, it was just a murky, mossy seabed. Some said they saw something, others didn’t. A few even stood up, straining to see.
“Zoom in on that part.”
The screen focused in sharply on a specific spot.
A single coin was embedded in the seabed. Its color was similar to the sand, making it hard to distinguish.
“This is the ‘coin’ used in the exam. The passing cutoff for this BMAT is simple. Collect ten of these coins from the seafloor.”
“F-from the seafloor?!”
At that moment, everyone except Jane thought, That’s not simple at all.
“So it’s like a treasure hunt!”
“...I’m not fond of that comparison, but fine. And for this exam, combat between students is permitted.”
All participating students would wear protective vests over swimsuits. If they lost consciousness or their barrier gauge hit zero, they’d be eliminated—losing all coins and teleported to the safe zone.
Eliminated students could re-enter the ocean after 30 minutes, with their barrier gauge restored to 100%.
“Incredible! That means the competition is going to be fierce, Professor!”
Unlike calm Jane, the passionate host raised his voice, hyping up the crowd.
“Some students will scour the seafloor, while others will target them! And once a student gathers ten coins, does the exam end for them?”
“Of course not.”
She smiled.
“That’s when it truly begins.”
At her command, the main screen split into dozens of sections.
“What’s all that?”
“M-monsters?”
There were octopus-like monsters swinging dozens of limbs, massive stingray-like beasts crackling with electricity, and deep-sea fish monsters opening and closing their jaws from the ocean floor.
“Collecting ten coins is the bare minimum to pass. Students who fail to collect ten within the four-hour exam will be disqualified. Those who succeed must then head into deeper waters to earn ‘points’.”
The opposite screen now showed monsters and their corresponding point values.
“When a monster is defeated, students’ arm-mounted Tongue Pad records the points. The student with the highest score by the end of the exam will be ranked first.”
“Aha! I understand perfectly! Coin collection is the basic requirement to pass, and overall ranking is determined by monster hunting! As expected of Keyzen, there really is no such thing as an easy test!”
The host paused mid-sentence, then spoke again in shock.
“Wait a minute! If a student who has collected ten coins is attacked while hunting monsters and is taken down by another student...”
“Yes, all their collected coins and points will vanish. They’ll have to start over from the beginning.”
“Whoa! That’s an incredibly high risk!”
As the two continued discussing the rules, a massive cheer suddenly erupted from the audience.
All the screens now showed all 847 students standing at the starting line on the sea’s surface.
It looked like they were ready to begin at any moment.
“Go, Elisa! The pride of Dresden!!”
“Let’s go, Jansen! We can’t lose to Dresden!”
“First place is going to be Shatel Maer again!”
“Go, Ivory Tower sisters!”
The loudest cheers were directed at the star students. At last, the crowd seemed ready to enjoy the event. The host jumped to his feet.
“In the end, it’s not just about the rules—it’s about the people! We need to talk about the people! So, Professor! Who should we keep our eyes on in this sea-themed 3rd BMAT?”
She answered without hesitation.
“There are many variables, but students skilled in aquatic combat will have the advantage. Elisa, who captains the Ghost Ship, Raheim, Lord of Snowfield Castle, and finally…”
“And finally?”
Her head turned.
In the center of the screen, a boy was shown stretching and checking over his Bone Armor.
Superb.
When are we getting more free chapters?
Thanks for the new chapters