Chapter 10

Chapter  10

When I woke up, we were already outside.

Somewhere halfway down a snowy mountain dotted here and there with conifers, perhaps?

I had told her to wake me once the sparring was over, but it seemed she had let me sleep until I woke on my own.

[I told you to wake me when it was over.]

“You were sleeping so soundly that I did not really have the heart to wake you.”

Even so, to her it would have looked like nothing more than an ordinary sword that did not speak.

Shaking my head, I looked around and felt that the air was much warmer than before.

It made me realize just how far we had already descended from the snowy mountain.

‘Even so, just as I thought, you still cannot see the sky.’

When I looked up, the heavens were entirely covered by thick gray clouds.

Not just the sky, either. Aside from the Last City and the dungeon beneath it, the whole world was likely drowned in that same gray color.

‘So that is the Downfall.’

The unprecedented great calamity born from the destruction of the Golden Rule.

Anything it touched was reduced to ashes, and it never disappeared.

This world, swallowed by that gray curtain, was one that would never again see the stars.

[I thought it was just a setting they added to save on resources.]

“Hm? What was that?”

[Nothing.]

I had assumed the day-night cycle simply adjusted the lighting, and that there were no other regions to begin with, so it all felt like a very developer-friendly setting.

But now that I was seeing it with my own eyes... it felt strangely unsettling.

[Anyway, let us hurry and finish this trial too.]

“Okay!”

Not long after we began crossing the broad snowfield, we found a huge black golem buried in the snow.

It was the Giant of the Snowy Mountain, the creature that oversaw the sixth trial.

When the examinees, us included, arrived, the sleeping golem opened its eyes.

─So you have come, you promising heroes.

People hesitated at the deeply resonant voice that rang out across the field.

I had never realized it from the screen, but perhaps because it looked so imposing, there was something overwhelming about merely standing before it.

─From this moment onward, you shall experience the three Traits and the power of Aura.

Aura was the term used to symbolize an enemy’s special patterns.

Bosses and certain elite monsters used special powers that could not be dodged or guarded against.

Instant-kill moves and large-scale patterns fell into this category, and the power used for those was called Aura.

─The trial shall be undertaken one person at a time. Each of you may choose one of the three Traits—Magic Power, Divinity, or Mysticism—and be granted it. Strike me using the Trait bestowed upon you, and you shall pass.

At those words, someone raised a hand.

“Will there be time to think beforehand?”

─You may take as much time as you desire.

The trial took the form of a one-on-one contest.

They could think for as long as they liked, but in the end, they could not avoid the fight itself.

There was no such thing as quitting midway in the Selection Grounds.

“......”

“......”

A strange silence settled over the snowfield.

Everyone wore heavy expressions. It was obvious they were thinking hard.

They only watched one another uneasily. Not one of them could bring themselves to step forward and take the trial first.

‘As expected, they are all afraid.’

The sixth trial was one of the deadliest in the entire Selection Grounds.

You had to fight the golem one-on-one, and it came at you with full intent to kill, without showing the slightest mercy.

And unlike the Knight Puppet, where winning by any means was enough, this trial also required the use of a Trait.

For most people, Traits were unfamiliar powers.

Naturally, the difficulty soared when they were suddenly expected to use something like that on the spot.

And since the chance of dying rose along with the difficulty, it was only natural that the examinees were frightened.

‘Deep down, they are probably hoping that someone like Ishara or Persica will go first.’

In a situation like this, no one would want to volunteer as the first sacrifice.

I did not think them pathetic.

It was only natural to become cautious when your life was at stake.

“Wow, they even explain Aura here.”

In the midst of all that, Ishara spoke with the most carefree expression in the world.

[You know about Aura?]

“Yes. It is a fairly famous concept.”

[Oh? How is it understood?]

All I knew was what I had heard in the game, so I had no idea how the concept functioned in reality.

Fortunately, Ishara, being a native, knew this side of things well and explained what I did not know.

“Mmm... the ultimate secret art of each Trait? I heard it is an ability one can use once the power of Thought-Force reaches the level of transcending providence.”

[A power that transcends providence, hm.]

“Yes. That is why people say you cannot face Aura head-on.”

So here it was considered a power that surpassed even the laws of the world... something like that?

Because providence itself was reorganized around the caster, techniques using Aura apparently could not be interrupted midway, nor could they be dodged or defended against.

“The claim that Aura cannot be met head-on is mere nonsense.”

At that moment, some huge man opened his mouth.

A suit-wearing giant in sunglasses.

It was Dominic, the man who had instantly recognized Ishara’s Sword Aura earlier.

“Nonsense?”

“Aura can be countered with Aura of the same kind. There may be differences in strength and weakness, but that does not mean contesting it is impossible.”

After saying that, Dominic held out a hand to Ishara.

“My name is Dominic Esmond.”

“Ah! I am Ishara~ It is nice to meet you, mister!”

Considering that she had just called a noble she had only just met “mister” to his face, Dominic’s reaction was remarkably flat. Was he used to it?

And he was so huge that looking at him felt like staring at a wall.

Was that difference in hand size even real? It looked like a pipe wrench shaking hands with a matchstick.

‘Esmond? That sounds familiar somehow.’

Dominic’s surname felt strangely familiar.

Had he appeared in the game?

If he had been a major character, there was no way I would not know him, so that meant he had not been important. But where had I seen him?

“That spar earlier was impressive. I never expected you to be able to use Sword Aura. Do you have a teacher?”

“I do!”

Smiling brightly, Ishara suddenly grabbed me and thrust me forward.

“This one!”

“......”

I did not even have the chance to ask what on earth she thought she was doing.

Before I knew it, I was making eye contact with Dominic, and under that stern, serious, dignified gaze, I shut my mouth tightly.

What was I even supposed to say in a moment like this? Hello...?

[...I am Isran.]

“A pleasure. I am Dominic.”

He exchanged a handshake with me as well. Fairies could only be touched by their masters, so he did not actually grasp anything, but still.

The absurd sight seemed to loosen the previously frozen mood a little, and I could hear stifled laughter breaking out here and there.

“Now that it has come to this, why do we not all introduce ourselves properly? Come to think of it, we still do not even know one another’s names.”

“That sounds great!”

Ishara proposed it, and Dominic backed her up.

At this point, I felt like I understood why the man had come over in the first place.

‘So he was trying to ease the mood.’

And Ishara had probably realized Dominic’s intention and chosen to play along with it.

Besides, curiosity about her must have deepened even further by now, because one by one, people began approaching to speak with us.

“My name is Copson! That spar earlier was truly magnificent!”

“I am Rantua Hollis. A pleasure to meet you.”

“I am Emily~ Please take care of me, milady?”

So this was what it felt like to be bombarded with endless requests for handshakes?

Once the ice was broken, greetings came pouring in from all directions.

Each time, Ishara answered with a bright smile, and every person who met that smile ended up looking as if their soul had been stolen clean away.

‘Ishara’s smiling face really does have terrifying power.’

Eyes that shone like stars. A smile like the sun itself.

A bright laugh and words that captivated the eye and ear alike.

Who could possibly not love that beauty, invincible as it was?

“I-I am Sonian of Kashiria! Um... after the Selection Grounds are over, perhaps a cup of tea...”

[You. Do not try anything funny.]

The nerve of him.

In the end, one fool who had completely lost his senses was stopped by me and awkwardly scratched his head.

That became the finishing touch, and laughter broke out all over the place as the atmosphere completely relaxed.

“......”

The only one unable to join in was probably Persica.

Things had been awkward with her ever since the spar, so that could not be helped.

“Have you all decided which Trait you will use?”

“I had decided before the trial even began, but... this trial is still this trial.”

Once the mood relaxed, the conversation naturally began shifting toward the test in earnest.

It was nice to see them now speaking more freely than before, putting their heads together and thinking things through.

Perhaps because the scene pleased her so much, Ishara leaned a shoulder against me with an even brighter expression.

Even if she did not show it, she must have been worried too.

[If you are that worried about the trial, I could help.]

“Mhm? Help?”

[I think there might be a way.]

At those words, not only Ishara, but even the people who had been subtly listening in nearby jolted and turned to look at me.

‘Since the board is already set so nicely, perhaps I should build a little fame.’

Once these people got out of here, they would all become connections.

If I raised their favor while making them owe me a substantial debt, it would help us for a long time to come.

[What do you want to do, Ishara?]

I deliberately asked Ishara as though seeking her answer.

In an instant, all the wide-eyed stares shifted toward her.

“I would like you to help them.”

[Really?]

As if she had seen through my intention, Ishara smiled softly and answered.

She had a surprisingly sly side to her too.

Though unlike me, Ishara seemed simply happy that I was getting attention.

[Wait here a moment.]

I flew straight over to the golem.

What I was about to do was a kind of negotiation.

Not so much a bug as a clever workaround using my position as a fairy.

‘Fairies and golems can communicate.’

Whenever I played the sixth trial in the game, the dialogue always went like this.

─Golem! Please begin the trial!

─Understood.

The one calling to the golem there was the Tutorial Fairy.

It seemed like nothing special, but if you looked closely, the golem had “responded” to the fairy’s “request.”

In other words, fairies and golems could communicate as equals.

‘That means the fairies, like the golems, are officials overseeing the progress of the Selection Grounds.’

And if communication was possible, then negotiation should be possible too.

What I intended to do now was propose a new rule to the golem.

─Fairy. For what reason have you come?

[I want to add a new rule to the trial.]

─A new rule?

[I want to add a party-play rule.]

What I had in mind was party play.

Have several people challenge the trial together and share the risk.

In exchange, the difficulty would rise a little, but it would still reduce the death rate dramatically compared to taking the test alone.

[Cooperative battles clearly exist, and yet there is no trial like that, is there? There is no harm in adding one.]

─Are you asking that an exception be permitted?

[Yes.]

I was not one hundred percent certain it would work, but I thought the odds were good.

I loaded my voice with as much Thought-Force as I could and answered, and the golem stared at me as if considering it.

After about ten seconds of that silent standoff, it nodded.

─Understood.

Apparently it had judged my proposal to be within reasonable bounds, because it accepted it.

─I shall permit cooperation of up to three people.

[Good.]

When I returned after sealing the deal, I was met with people whose faces were all painted with astonishment.

Among them, Ishara was looking at me with eyes shining so brightly it was almost burdensome.

“You are the coolest in the world!”

She threw her arms around me.

***

“I will keep the golem occupied, so attack while I do!”

“A-ah, I still have not managed to manifest the Trait yet!”

“Damn it, hurry up!”

The snow-covered field was in an uproar.

A trial that had originally been meant for challengers one by one had, because of me, been changed into a format where teams of three could attempt it together.

It had not been part of the original plan, and their teamwork was a disaster because of it.

But the danger had clearly been reduced, and that gave them a great deal more room to breathe.

As a result, by the time most people had finished the trial, while some had been injured, not a single person had died.

“When are we starting?”

[This time, we are going last.]

I had always been the type to volunteer first, but this time I waited for the final turn.

To be honest, there was something else I was truly aiming for in this test.

That was the real reason I changed the rules. Winning everyone over was only an extra benefit.

[You remember the trial rules, right?]

“Choose one of the Traits, and use it to hit the golem?”

[That is right.]

In this trial, if you selected one of the three Traits, you would be granted that power temporarily.

The examinee passed by manifesting the granted Trait, avoiding the golem’s attacks, and landing a single blow.

The reason the Traits were introduced here was because they later became the basis for learning skills.

With Magic Power, you could learn things like magic or martial arts. With Divinity, you could learn blessings, curses, and the like.

“Then what about Mysticism?”

[Mysticism is a little all over the place... but if I had to define it, I suppose it is closer to supernatural powers.]

Mysticism-type abilities were all so individualistic that it was hard to group them neatly into one category.

Representative examples included spirit arts, shamanic arts, astrology, and Words of Power.

[Out of the three, the one I recommend is Mysticism.]

Since Mysticism had no clear standard, it was one of the hardest Traits to develop, but considering Ishara’s characteristics, it suited her better than Magic Power or Divinity.

‘No, this is the key.’

Just as Magic Power had the property of penetration, Mysticism had a property of the same class.

The property gained when Mysticism was unlocked was not bound by weapon choice, and its performance was so outstanding that it remained useful all the way to the final chapter.

For Ishara, who could not change weapons, it was the perfect fit.

[I am not forcing you, but—]

“I like it.”

[...No, are you even thinking before you answer?]

“You already thought it through for me!”

Yes, that was exactly what I expected.

When it came to my opinions, Ishara agreed with endless positivity and nodded without even a second of hesitation.

If it had been possible, I would have pinched those cheerfully smiling cheeks of hers.

‘The problem is that Mysticism requires Magic Power and Divinity to be unlocked first.’

Its performance was inconsistent, and its unlock conditions were annoyingly strict.

Magic Power was already unlocked, but before we could get Mysticism, Divinity still remained as a requirement.

And that condition could be fulfilled in this very test.

[By the way, are you not curious why we are going last?]

“Mhm? I figured that if it was something you were doing, then whatever it was would be fine.”

So because I would not do anything harmful, she figured good was good?

It was nice to be trusted, but having so little curiosity was a problem in its own way.

[I intend to unlock all three Traits for you. I already took care of Magic Power, so now only Divinity and Mysticism remain.]

“Waoh.”

[Not “waoh,” you idiot. I chose the last turn so we could get Divinity here.]

Out of sheer frustration, I flicked her on the forehead.

Though of course my hand simply passed through her. Even so, I was annoyed enough to do it knowingly.

“But you said the Trait granted here is only temporary anyway?”

[More precisely, the golem takes it back.]

All the Traits here were granted and then retrieved by the golem.

Under normal circumstances, that sounded like an appropriate ability for an examiner, but there was a loophole in it.

[Then let me ask you this. What do you think happens if the golem disappears before it can take the Trait back?]

“Hm? Disappears?”

[If we destroy it.]

“But would it not still be retrieved...?”

So in system terms, what was supposed to disappear would disappear no matter what?

That would be the common-sense assumption, yes, but this was not a place where common sense applied.

In a world where people could break through walls and turn enhancements onto themselves instead of their weapons, what common sense could possibly hold?

[If the golem disappears, the Trait stays exactly where it is. It becomes yours.]

If a robber killed the owner and stole the owner’s belongings, those belongings belonged to the robber now. They did not vanish.

This was the same principle.

Ishara turned to look at the golem.

“But is it even possible to kill the golem?”

[Normally, no.]

It looked as though not even a needle could get through that thing, but surprisingly, the golem was not actually invincible.

It had health, and it could be killed.

[If it cannot be done, then we just make it possible.]

The Magic Power I had previously taught Ishara had the property of penetration.

The temporary Traits granted by the trial had that effect blocked, but a Trait you had already learned did not have that restriction.

Which meant that damage would go through.

It would be like getting soaked in a fine drizzle, but that was a problem that could be overcome with enough repetition.

[Exactly 1,567 times.]

If we hit it that many times, it would die.