Chapter 2: To Lock
~~~ MC POV ~~~~
After the unexpected encounter with the 'protagonist?' I wandered around the city for a bit.
'So there's the library'
I opened the door. It was bigger than any library I had ever seen. The closest were filled to the brim with books.
The books were arranged on the basis of their topics. I went to the non fiction section and picked a bunch of short books.
Common etiquette, Trivia, Etc. After picking some books I went to the librarian. She was a middle aged woman with black hair and had the aura of a strict teacher.
"Excuse me, I would like to borrow these books." I said.
She looked at me and nodded. After typing stuff on the computer, she gave me a card. "A month." She said with a stern tone.
'Is this all? Shouldn't she ask for my contact information or something.' But then I realized. Being one of the most popular libraries in this city, they must have their ways.
As I entered the room. I saw another parcel there.
I opened the parcel. "Gift" was labelled on top of it so I thought it was a leftover part of the previous pack but got lost in delivery or something.
It had two books.
---------------Alien Existence (Skill) -------------
As an outsider your consciousness is of a different origin hence, you will not be affected by aura or any mental attacks(If the difference in skill is too massive there might be a slight effect.) You will also be able to control your expressions. (Not emotions, just expressions.)
Your comprehensive ability is increased.
...
"A new skill? It sounds broken as well. Also what's this?" I looked at the next book.
[Pole Arts: Blue Sun]
"..."
"Well, I needed something like this so, It helps. Let's not think about the name." I sighed. After which I started reading the books I borrowed from a library.
---- Next Day ----
I woke up early in the morning like I always do. Then I exited the apartment. Today is the big day. The day of the black su- *cough* I mean the day of the entrance interview.
I moved to the station while admiring the architecture. It was very different from my hometown after all.
Not long after. I entered Lock. I saw a lot of people waiting in line sitting in the benches enjoying the view... you know normal stuff. I didn't see any character that I recognized. I mean.. it was a novel so I don't even know what most of them look like.
But I could recognize the protagonists from their descriptions but that's all I have to work with. After some time of waiting it was finally my turn. I entered a room with a crystal ball? There were two people before it. Both of them looked bored out of their mind. Their expression screamed "Let's get this over with."
"Place your hand in front of the crystal ball we don't have all day you know." A man said his voice made it obvious that he had said it a lot of times before. I knew what my rank was but it was still kind of unnerving, so I placed my hand in front of the ball.
It glowed in a green light. "<F> rank. Not bad" said the other guy. "Now for the talent assessment." I was taken into a room inside the room. There was a device used to measure talent.
I still can't figure out how they measure a thing like talent but who am I to complain? After measuring the device glowed in a pink light.
The man who looked bored at first suddenly looked like he had snapped out of it. "<SS> rank talent." muttered the guy. '<SS> rank? so that's what pink means.' I thought to myself. 'Wait... isn't <SS> like really good.
Suck it G- luck! hahahaha' Of course this happened inside my head. Outside I was as calm as ever with the help of [Alien Existence].
I calmly asked for permission to exit. He showed it to me and I left without saying a single word. They too looked at me like I was an exotic beast. After getting out of the room they asked me to wait outside for a bit.
After some time, A man in a black suit came to escorted to the main testing hall. It was a huge empty space with seven doors in front.
In the left there were many weapons to choose from. In the right there were many students who had already chosen their weapon.
I went to the left and looked at the weapons. I had read the pole arts book yesterday and I knew which weapon would be best.
I went ahead and picked a long halberd. A weapon with a pointed top like a spear but also an axe head in the side.
I went to the other students and sat at an empty bench. Nobody approached me, It was probably a good thing.
*Clang*
Something garnered our attention. It was the announcer. "All of you gathered here are the new candidates for top rankers and such we expect you to fulfill our expectations." He paused looking at all of us.
That's why there were only a hundred or so students.
"As for the test, All of you would be called inside the rooms. You would be graded individually by the professors inside your respective room. Now, Once I call your name come in front." He opened a parchment in his hand.
"Kevin Voss, Jin Horton, ..., ..., Ace Scepter,...."
'I'm in the first batch.' I went towards one of the rooms. As soon as I stepped in the room. The door behind me closed Immediately.
"The test for Ace Scepter will now commence."
The light inside the room went slightly dim as the door infront slowly opened.
'Why do they want to make this so ominous?' I questioned inside my mind.
"Your objective is to survive the robot for three minutes or dispatch of it. You will be graded based on your performance."
"Sure" I rested my halberd on my shoulder.
A robot that was twice the size of me entered the arena.
"Begin"
The robot rushed towards me.
I grabbed my halberd and activated all my skills, I could roughly predict the movements of the robot.
The robot slammed his fist on me as I dodged. The first hit the ground. Although it didn't even scratch it, The shockwave that followed was enough to make me feel its weight.
'Wait they were serious when they used the term "Survive".' I dodged another fist aiming for my face.
This gave me an opening to attack. I grabbed my halberd and slashed the robot horizontally. The robot reacted by backing off, barely missing the blade.
It was all part of my plan, I read the pole arts yesterday, and due to my enhanced comprehension easily learned the basic moves.
The thing that seperated the "Blue sun" From other pole arts was that while other arts focused on stabbing and defending aspect of the weapon, The art that I had focused on using slashes and stabs in conjunction with each other to create a fury of attacks that both defend and attack.
And now the robot backed off leaving me the chance to go on offensive.
I took one step forward and thrust the halberd, The bot couldn't completely dodge as the tip pierced its chest, I took another step and slashed the bots neck, the sound of metal cutting metal filled the room.
And Finally, I thrust the halberd into the bots face as the tip pierced the head and ripped it clean off due to the previous cut.
The bot slowly fell down, Only leaving its head that was stuck on my halberd.
I took a breath of relief and looked at the fallen bot, it was too difficult for an entrance exam, or perhaps I was weaker than I thought.
I removed the head of the bot from my weapon and left the premises through the now open door, resting the halberd on my shoulder as the voice announced that the test was over.
As I exited the test, The examiner looked at me in shock but quickly hid it. He guided me towards another room where one boy was sitting.
"You are the second person to complete the test, Wait here until the results are in." Saying that he left the room.
I looked at the boy sitting there. He noticed my presence and approached me, "Its Kevin Voss, Nice to meet you."
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