The sun was setting, casting long shadows over the enormous trees that loomed around me, their branches stretching out like dark, skeletal fingers in the fading light. Perched high on one of those branches, I couldn’t help but grin, swinging my legs back and forth. My body began to flicker, slowly dissolving as the end of the examination drew near. After three grueling days, the testing period was finally over.
Three days had passed since the incident with Lyra and Maria. A lot had happened in that short time. After Lyra collapsed from my... well, sneak-attack, her allies had retreated, most likely because they considered me a threat after I managed to defeat her.
That had given me the perfect opportunity to slip away, though not before I had made sure to incapacitate Laren, who’d been showing signs of waking up. I knew the amount of points I’d gathered made me a prime target, so I opted to lay low, moving quickly and finding a safe place to avoid any further confrontations.
I glanced at the shimmering number displayed in my watch...
**[Number 473: 223340 points]**
I chuckled under my breath. "I really did a number on her."
It wouldn’t surprise me if Maria wanted me dead for this. When she woke up, she’d probably come after me with a vengeance. The exam wasn’t just about survival or strategy; it was a psychological war, too. She and her allies had thrown everything they had at me, and I’d still come out on top. Now, as the last moments of the trial passed, I felt the relief of the blessed darkness that enveloped me.
A loud, sudden hum filled the air as my consciousness returned to the present. The transparent cover of the VR pod slid up with a soft hiss, revealing the sterile, brightly lit interior of the testing chamber. I blinked, adjusting to the light, and gasped, taking a few steadying breaths as my muscles ached from days of intense simulated combat.
"Haah!" I exhaled, pushing myself up out of the pod.
"WELL DONE FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO PASSED! THE REST? HAHAHAHAHA! PREPARE FOR TORTURE WHEN NEXT YOU RESUME!" echoed the maniacal voice of the proctor over the whole room. Those around me who were also regaining consciousness grimaced, sharing uneasy glances. I smirked internally.
I instinctively scanned the room for a particular face, and sure enough, in a corner, Lyra was staring at me. Her gaze was unsettling, like the calm before a storm. Though she was perfectly still, I could feel her anger rolling off her in waves, and the promise of retribution was clear in her eyes. It wasn’t hard to imagine the schemes she was plotting now that we were free of the constraints of the exam. I quickly hopped out of the pod and made my way to the exit. No one stopped me; for now, I was in the clear.
Or so I thought.
A massive, flashing leaderboard filled the center screen as I exited the chamber. My eyes widened as I skimmed the list.
[ Results
From Group A Luna Class
1. Leo Dyrian Myred 223340
2. Maria Leventae 210273
3. Renee Nella Dinero 123473
4. James Kollen 112893
5. Emily Lora Raitilian 97432
6. Jayden Lorenzo 90432
7. Anna Kasmia. 84020
8. Jacob Morez 79342
9. Fredlin Augutus...]
The names continued down the list, but my eyes were glued to the number beside mine which was beyond everyone else.** That wasn’t just a win—that was domination. But as much as I felt a thrill at the sight, my heart sank when the following message appeared:
**[Mission in Progress: Death Looms Around the Corner.]**
**Objective: Survive until tomorrow [00:10:34:32].**
**Reward: Skill - Shadow Clone.**
**Failure: Death.**
**Respawn Count: 5/5.**
I cursed under my breath, realizing the implication. Anna Kasmia. Of course, she couldn’t stand to see me take the top spot. It didn’t matter that I’d kept my distance from her Jayden throughout the exam; just surpassing him on the leaderboard was enough to trigger her wrath.
"She’s really not going to let this go, is she?" I muttered as I moved through the bustling hallway, avoiding eye contact with the other students, who were either chatting about their results or nursing their prides.
As I stepped out into the dimly lit corridor leading to the dormitory, I sensed a familiar presence lurking behind me. Her footsteps were light, barely audible, but I knew she was there. Her obsession had reached a boiling point, and now, she was after me.
I took a deep breath, strategizing. "Alright," I said quietly to myself. "It’s time to finally take care of this yandere problem for good."
**[You do know you can’t kill her, right?]** The system chimed in, echoing in my mind like an annoying voice of reason.
"Who said anything about killing her?" I replied, a small, devious smile creeping onto my lips. I could feel the beginnings of a plan taking form, each piece clicking together perfectly in my mind.
**[What’s your plan, then?]**
"Just sit tight and watch." I stepped into the main lobby, where several female students at the reception counter turned, their eyes widening as they blushed. My charm stat had skyrocketed over the past few days, a little perk I had invested in heavily to balance out my more ruthless tactics. The notifications had been constant, even annoying at times.
**[+1000]**
**[+3000]**
**[+5000]**
It was an endless barrage of positive attribute points, something I’d never experienced before. But the attention was more than a little unsettling.
"I need three items," I muttered under my breath, knowing the system would respond.
**[What three items?]**
I moved swiftly toward the stairwell, avoiding the elevator due to certain "complications" from last time. I could already feel the strain in my legs from all the running and fighting, but with my heightened stats, it was manageable.
"The mana reversal potion," I whispered, mentally ticking off each item. "An aphrodisiac, and... a little insurance." I smirked, thinking about the reaction I’d get when she realized just how much trouble she was in.
**[An aphrodisiac? You do realize that trying to take advantage of one of the heroines will get you killed.]** The system’s warning came through, but I waved it off, confident in my plan.
"Oh, am I?" I whispered with a wicked smile, the pieces of my strategy snapping into place like the final moves in a well-played game.