First of All, I’m Drinking - Chapter 59

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 59

 

‘He’ll definitely pass.’

 

He would unconditionally pass the exam.

 

And he would become my competitor.

 

No, to be honest, someone like me who was merely in the lower-middle ranks couldn’t even be compared to Ragnor.

 

With that level of skill, he would surely compete with those in the top ranks.

 

“I’m curious. If Ragnor fights ‘that bastard,’ who would win?”

 

Coincidentally, there was a student in a similar position here at Millennium Academy’s 1st year Swordsmanship Department.

 

A monster who passed the entrance exam with top honors and hadn’t given up first place even once during the entire semester.

 

Fail felt a thrill imagining those two facing off.

 

Frida asked from beside him.

 

“Besides Ragnor von Grantuan, is there anyone else worth watching?”

 

“I heard Tanya is also applying this time.”

 

“Tanya from House of Belyaev? That freak is finally coming.”

 

“It’s truly unfortunate for the other applicants.”

 

Ragnor von Grantuan and Tanya de Belyaev.

 

With those two applying, this transfer exam would be determined by how lucky one was to avoid encountering them.

 

While Fail and Frida were chatting, current students began entering the Control Room one by one.

 

Usually, interest in transfer exams among current students was minimal, yet dozens of students had already gathered in the Control Room.

 

They were probably here to watch Ragnor’s exam process.

 

Several professors were also seated, prepared to monitor for any emergencies.

 

“They’re being summoned!”

 

Someone in the Control Room shouted.

 

Fail and Frida quickly turned their attention to the screen.

 

Transfer exam examinees were being summoned one by one to random points within the Labyrinth.

 

Fail’s mouth opened.

 

“It’s finally starting.”

 

* * *

 

In the center of a massive cavity surrounded by ochre stone walls, I opened my eyes.

 

I clenched and unclenched my hands, tapped my feet against the ground, checking my physical condition.

 

Not bad.

 

In my hand was only a standard-issue iron sword distributed before the exam began.

 

To prevent gaining unfair advantages through tools, only this standard weapon and a backpack containing three days’ worth of rations.

 

And except for the artifact worn on the wrist for score confirmation, no other items could be brought into the exam venue.

 

Suddenly, a voice echoed through the air.

 

[Ahem, testing. The transmission of all examinees has just been completed. You should have heard the exam rules before starting, but I’ll repeat them once more for anyone who might not have understood.]

 

The voice took a breath before continuing.

 

[You have two objectives. Survive, and if possible, eliminate as many participants as you can. There are currently 1,378 people in the exam venue. The exam will end when 72 hours pass, or when survivors drop below the selection quota of 6 people.]

 

Only 6 out of 1,378 people would be admitted.

 

That was roughly a 230-to-1 competition ratio.

 

It wasn’t for nothing that transfer exams had a worse reputation than entrance exams.

 

[You’ll receive points for each participant you eliminate. The same applies for hunting monsters hidden throughout the Labyrinth or achieving hidden Achievements. Oh, and don’t worry about actually dying. The magic cast on this exam venue will forcibly transport you to the Waiting Room just before you take fatal damage.]

 

However, being forcibly transported that way was essentially equivalent to failing.

 

[Those who survive until the exam ends will receive massive points. But surviving doesn’t guarantee admission. Even those eliminated midway might have accumulated more points before their near-death than the final survivors receive. Please refer to the distributed booklet for detailed scoring methods.]

 

I immediately pulled out the booklet from my backpack and opened it.

 

Points earned for hunting other examinees were 50 points per person.

 

For monsters, the points varied depending on the type.

 

The points awarded for surviving until the end were a whopping 10,000 points.

 

‘Ten thousand points.’

 

It was certainly a large score, but simply surviving wouldn’t guarantee admission.

 

[Now then, we’ll begin the 830th Millennium Academy Transfer Exam!]

 

With those final words, the voice cut off.

 

“Let’s get going.”

 

I began to move.

 

Perhaps because it was such a large cavity, the echoing footsteps seemed particularly loud.

 

‘Just surviving won’t be enough.’

 

Ten thousand points was a large score.

 

By simple calculation, it was equivalent to eliminating 200 examinees.

 

Eliminating 200 out of 1,378 people alone would be nearly impossible.

 

Other skilled individuals wouldn’t just stand by and watch.

 

In other words, it was essentially saying they wouldn’t let anyone who dropped out midway pass.

 

‘In the end, the final survivors will compete among themselves.’

 

When that happened, everyone would have the basic 10,000 points.

 

Ultimately, admission would be decided by mere points – how many examinees and monsters one had hunted.

 

“First, I need to move diligently and rendezvous with those guys.”

 

I recalled what Bael had told me before the exam started.

 

[The Labyrinth structure is divided into 6 floors from the 1st Floor above ground to the 5th Basement level. Let’s meet on the 1st Floor. Come to the place with the giant sea serpent statue.]

 

[How do I know which floor the starting point is?]

 

[If you can see the sky, you’re above ground. If you see a ceiling, you’re definitely in the Basement. Just keep going up until you can see the sky.]

 

I looked up.

 

A stifling ochre ceiling blocked my view.

 

‘It’s definitely underground… the question is which floor.’

 

Finding a way up was the priority.

 

I moved busily through the Labyrinth.

 

The Labyrinth seemed to be modeled after a cathedral.

 

Majestic columns connecting ceiling to floor stood in rows, and elaborately carved statues of lions, dragons, and knights with swords were placed throughout.

 

The walls were lined with torches and inscribed with murals of unknown meaning.

 

The scale also seemed incredibly vast.

 

Despite 1,378 people being in the same space, I’d been moving for over 10 minutes without encountering a single other examinee.

 

As I was walking diligently while admiring the Labyrinth’s solemn appearance.

 

Turning the corner at an intersection, I finally encountered another examinee.

 

The heavily built examinee flinched and trembled when he spotted me.

 

Then, after confirming my appearance, he let out a sigh of relief.

 

“Black hair… at least it’s not Ragnor von Grantuan.”

 

According to Bael, Ragnor von Grantuan was an extraordinary existence even among the applicants for this transfer exam.

 

The fact that such a monster was roaming somewhere in the Labyrinth seemed to terrify him.

 

“Anyway, if you’re not Ragnor… die!”

 

He thrust his sword forward and charged at me.

 

I lightly swung my sword to deflect his attack.

 

Clang!

 

The deflected sword flew from his hand and stuck point-first into the ground.

 

“…Huh?”

 

He looked back and forth between my face and his sword stuck in the ground with a dumbfounded expression.

 

I swung my sword at his defenseless neck.

 

“First, 50 points.”

 

Swoosh-!

 

My sword cut through empty air instead of his neck.

 

His body had suddenly disappeared without a trace in a flash of bright light.

 

‘I see. So this is how the forced transport works.’

 

The magic cast on the Labyrinth had determined that if my attack had connected, he would have definitely died.

 

Ding!

 

A notification appeared on the artifact screen worn on my wrist.

 

[No. 176 Asel: 50 points (Currently 29th place)]

 

I had roughly grasped the system of the exam.

 

I frowned as I checked the current ranking specified in parentheses.

 

About 15 minutes had passed out of the 3-day exam period.

 

Being 29th place with 50 points meant there were at least 28 more examinees above me who had eliminated two or more people.

 

It was much more aggressive movement than I had expected.

 

‘The stairs… they’re over there.’

 

I could see spiral stairs connecting the ceiling and floor directly ahead.

 

The scenery of the upper floor I confirmed after climbing the stairs wasn’t much different from the lower floor.

 

It was still the case that a dull ochre-colored ceiling blocked my view instead of a blue sky.

 

“The starting point was at least the second basement floor.”

 

As I was muttering to myself, I sensed a presence beside me.

 

“Found an opening!”

 

Whoosh!

 

Someone launched their body at me.

 

It seemed they had planned to wait by the stairs and eliminate examinees who came up carelessly.

 

Without even turning my head, I casually extended my sword toward the direction of the incoming attack.

 

The presence disappeared in an instant.

 

Ding!

 

[No. 176 Asel: 100 points (Currently 11th place)]

 

Unfortunately, the stairs ended at this floor.

 

I needed to find other stairs leading further up.

 

“Busy, so busy.”

 

I moved my steps with a trudging pace.

 

* * *

 

“Hi, hiiiik!”

 

The man, pale as a sheet, crawled backward on his hands, pressing against the floor.

 

But what awaited him was a dead-end wall.

 

His escape route was blocked. He could no longer flee.

 

“Why are you so frightened?”

 

The man looked straight ahead.

 

A handsome man with curly white hair stood watching him.

 

Only two people remained in the vast chamber surrounded by ochre-colored stone walls.

 

In fact, just a few minutes ago, dozens of people had existed in this space.

 

Until they were all cut down and disappeared by this white-haired man’s sword.

 

“Sp, spare me! I absolutely must pass this exam! Please just let me go this once!”

 

Since eliminated candidates were only forcibly transported by magic, there wouldn’t actually be any bloodshed.

 

But if this situation were real, the man would have witnessed dozens of lives being crushed by the white-haired man’s hands in just a few minutes.

 

It was natural for his fighting spirit to be broken.

 

“Sorry.”

 

The white-haired man shook his head as if it were out of the question.

 

“I’d like to show consideration, but I also absolutely must pass this exam.”

 

The white-haired man raised his sword.

 

The image of the blade falling toward him reflected in the man’s pupils.

 

“You’re too weak.”

 

Swish-!

 

The man was forcibly transported and the attack cut through empty air.

 

An alarm sounded on the artifact worn on the white-haired man’s wrist.

 

[No. 2,380 Ragnor von Grantuan: 1,350 points (Currently 1st place)]

 

“Phew, they’re all just weaklings.”

 

The white-haired man, Ragnor von Grantuan, sheathed his sword at his waist and walked steadily toward the dark passage.

 

“Isn’t there anyone strong around?”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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