21st January.
The day of the academy entrance exam.
From early morning, the city was overflowing with people heading toward the academy gates. Some walked with tense expression, knowing what lay ahead, while others were filled with excitement to look forward. After all,the academy they were about to enter wasrenowned as one of the world's greatest academies.
The Arcwyn Grand Academy.
The only academy on this continent that had produced countless powerful figures—kings, heroes, rulers… and even villains, who went down in history.
Standing before its gates, Cael looked at the academy towering in front of him.
"…Damn," he muttered. "It looked normal in the game, but in real life, this place is insanely huge."
Taking a deep breath, Cael moved toward the entrance for the first test.
First comes the theory exam.
Then the aptitude test.
After that, the results are announced…
And during that announcement—
The attack happens.
That's when I die.
Thinking this, Cael clenched his fists.
Before he realized it,he had already reached the classroom where he was going to give his theory exam.
He entered quietly and took a seat at the center.
Sitting at his desk, Cael glanced around the room.
His eyes stopped when he noticed an elf seated a little distance away on his right.
"…So it's her."
Even in real life, her beauty was on another level.
She was one of the characters he had sworn to save—no matter what happened.
But right now, they were complete strangers.
If I try to get close to her now, Cael thought, I'll probably end up dead before I even understand what went wrong.
Turning his gaze forward, Cael saw an instructor walk into the classroom.
The instructor cleared his throat and spoke loudly.
"All students, get ready. The exam will begin in five minutes."
"You'll have sixty minutes to answer all questions."
With that, he began handing out the exam papers one by one.
When Cael received his paper, he flipped through the pages and scanned the questions.
"…As expected," he thought. "They're exactly the same as in the game."
Simple.
Straightforward.
Nothing tricky.
Just as he was reviewing the questions, the instructor raised his voice again.
"Alright! Time to begin the exam."
"Any form of cheating will result in immediate disqualification—face-first into the ground."
The instructor showed a wide grin.
Everyone in the room knew he wasn't joking.
This was a world of magic, and naturally, the room was filled with magical equipment designed to expose any attempt at cheating.
Cael lowered his gaze and began writing.
---
1. What is the purpose of using magic?
Magic is primarily used for…
2. How does an intermediate-level water spell function?
The spell works by…
…
…
…
Soon, Cael reached the final question.
He paused.
How can a person overcome a Mana Defect Constitution?
Cael stared at the question for a moment.
"…Huh."
After some thought, he began writing.
A Mana Defect Constitution cannot be fixed through conventional methods. However, acquiring a skill that allows mana storage or redirection may help the user mitigate its effects.
Once he finished, a loud voice echoed through the room.
"Alright! Time's up."
The moment those words were spoken, all the exam papers flew out of the students' hands and landed neatly on the instructor's desk.
Cael stared at the scene.
Then why didn't you distribute them like that, too?
Noticing the confused looks on the students' faces, the instructor spoke again.
"If I had distributed them this way, some of you would've started writing before time officially began."
"And if I collected them one by one, the students at the end would've tried to write longer."
He looked around seriously.
"Always stay prepared. Never let your guard down."
"In this world, even a single moment of carelessness can cost you your life."
Cael felt slightly stunned.
So that's the reason…
In the game, the screen just turned black and moved us straight to the aptitude test.
After confirming all papers were collected, the instructor nodded.
"Good luck, everyone."
"Now, stand up and proceed to the aptitude exam."
---
After leaving the classroom, the students were guided through a long corridor.
The corridor was wide, made of white stone, with magic circles engraved on the walls. Every few steps, Cael could feel faint mana waves brushing past his body.
So this is the aptitude test area…
In the game, this part always felt short.
But now that he was here in real life, everything felt heavier.
More real.
The group soon arrived at a massive open field inside the academy grounds.
The sky above was clear.
The ground was flat and wide enough to hold thousnds of people.
At the center of the field stood several large magic pillars, each glowing.
Cael stopped walking.
His eyes narrowed slightly towards the place.
This place…
This is where it starts.
Students began whispering.
"Is this the aptitude test?"
"So many magic formations…"
"I heard some people faint here."
At the front, several instructors stood in a line. Their presence alone made the air feel heavy.
One of the instructors stepped forward.
"Welcome to the aptitude test."
"This test will measure your mana sensitivity, physical ability, and mental resistance."
"Do not worry," he added calmly. "You will not be killed here."
That last sentence made several students relax.
Cael did not.
You won't be killed by the test…
But you might die after it.
"When your name is called, step forward," the instructor continued.
"You will place your hand on the mana pillar."
"One by one."
---
The test began.
Students stepped forward.
Some pillars glowed brightly.
Some barely reacted.
"Inadequate mana flow."
"Below-average physical resistance."
Praises.
Disappointments.
Silent judgments.
Time dragged on.
Then—
"Cael."
He stepped forward.
The moment he crossed the marked line, he felt it.
A strange pressure.
Not physical.
Not magical.
Something was watching him.
Focus.
He placed his hand on the pillar.
The stone was cold.
For a moment—
Nothing happened.
Then the pillar trembled.
The light flickered violently.
The instructors frowned.
Mana surged, then destabilized.
Cael felt a sharp pain in his chest.
His mana leaked instantly.
"…Tch."
He clenched his teeth and endured.
Symbols finally appeared.
Faint.
Unstable.
Hard to read.
"…Mana Defect Constitution."
Whispers erupted.
"That's bad…"
"That's almost impossible to fix…"
"So he's doomed?"
Cael heard everything.
But he didn't react.
I already knew.
Suddenly—
The pillar flashed.
Its color changed.
A blinding light burst out, forcing several people to shield their eyes.
The instructors froze.
One of them shouted in disbelief.
"…A legendary constitution?"
The crowd exploded.
"How is that possible?!"
"He has a Mana Defect—how can he have a legendary constitution too?!"
More readings appeared.
"Low mana capacity."
"Average physical endurance."
Then—
"…High perception."
The murmurs fell silent.
Cael narrowed his eyes.
At least that didn't drop.
The pillar dimmed.
Cael stepped back.
No applause.
No praise.
Only whispers.
He returned to his position.
Outwardly calm.
Inside—
I'm still weak.
But with this constitution… and the system…
I can grow.
He glanced at the sky.
The sun was already moving higher.
The announcement comes next.
And then…
His fingers curled slowly.
That's when everything changes.
At the edge of the field, far from the students—
A robed figure stood on a high balcony.
His gaze lingered on Cael.
"…Found you."
Unaware of this—
Cael took a slow breath.
Survive today.
That's all that matters.