The Villain is Too Good at Sniping

16. The Protagonist (1)

“Shion-san, about that earlier…….”

“The winning condition has changed.”

Originally, the rules of the entrance exam were set in stone and didn’t change, but.

There’s an “exception clause” that can be applied if the exam takes too long. It’s for the convenience of the teachers and students.

Of course, that’s the setting, but in reality, the difficulty level is hell, so the rules have changed.

I swallowed my rising anger. Either way, I have to follow the changed rules for now.

Far in the distance, I can see the peak of Mount Daveiran.

On the peak, there’s a flag with Arsen’s emblem. Whoever takes that flag is the winner.

In the original story, the protagonist was the first to reach the peak and take the flag.

……But now that the game has become reality, there’s no guarantee that the story will unfold as it did in the original. Just look at Aire’s case.

Since the difficulty level is hell, the final enemy will likely be Serin Anette, but there’s a possibility that someone else might take the flag and become the winner before that.

If that happens, the reward will go to the wrong person, and my comfortable retirement plan will also go down the drain.

“According to the broadcast, it seems like a lot of people will gather at the mountain, right?”

“We have to go too.”

“Do we need to go now? Isn’t it too early?”

Instead of answering, I pointed to the forest. A gray mist was spreading, covering the entire area.

“If we reach that point, it’s over.”

The ominous gray mist.

It was a very intuitive warning. It’s as if the organizers are saying, “If you reach this point, you’re out.”

[The Observer’s Eye] revealed that the mist was a type of barrier. I could feel the tightly woven flow of mana. Only the one who created the barrier knows how it works, but if you reach that point, you’ll be eliminated without exception.

The changed rules seemed cruel. Since there’s no battle, they’re forcing us to clash by narrowing the exam area.

The method is simple: gradually shrink the exam area.

The mountain peak, which had risen steeply, was still untouched by the mist. Eventually, the entire mountain will be covered, but if I want to survive a little longer, I have to climb up.

The surviving students will either be eliminated by touching the mist or climb up the mountain to survive.

Naturally, we’ll meet at the peak and clash.

A fierce battle will ensue, and in the end, only one person will be left. Maybe someone will take the flag before that.

“This is ridiculous. Forcing us to gather like this…….”

“The rules are like that, so we have to follow them.”

There’s no choice but to do so now. If we don’t follow the rules, we’ll be eliminated.

The only comfort was knowing the area shrouded in mist.

It wasn’t a situation where we could suddenly return to normal, like Iri said. But we had to be vigilant, at least.

The battle that was about to unfold would be even more intense and chaotic.

We couldn’t win with a lukewarm attitude. We had to become stronger. Only the strong would survive.

Those who fell would get back up, and keep fighting until they succeeded.

The only person I knew who fit that description was Kyle Ivansteer.

…But before that.

“Iri.”

“Yes?”

“There’s something I want to ask.”

Iri’s eyes sparkled when she heard my words.

“Yes, I understand!”

…Iri disappeared into the thicket, leaving me behind.

To be honest, I was worried whether Iri could handle things on her own, but if the situation turned sour, I could provide support from a distance. Since the testing area had narrowed, there was no place my [Thousand Mile Eye] couldn’t reach.

I headed towards the outer rim of Daveuran Mountain, which was covered in rocks.

The rocky terrain. This was where the most intense battles had taken place, and it was filled with artificial destruction marks.

I approached a rock with deep scratches. Clear water flowed out from the crevices of the cracked rock. I carefully scooped up the water with my hand and brought it to my lips.

The essence of Daveuran Mountain seeped into my body, and I felt a refreshing energy.

It was as if I had taken a stamina recovery potion; my entire body felt revitalized in an instant. It wasn’t just a mental boost; the actual effects were manifesting.

The blessings of the spirit – my magic power would increase by 40% for 40 minutes.

The protection of the forest – all attack power would increase by 100% for 40 minutes.

The warrior’s regeneration – my health and magic would recover slightly.

It was only a 40-minute buff, but it was more than enough to finish the entrance exam.

***

…The rules of the entrance exam suddenly changed.

A flag stood tall on the mountain peak. I expanded my vision with magic.

“That’s the flag, isn’t it?”

The red flag with the Arsen symbol emblazoned on it was still untouched by anyone.

The student who seized that flag would be first place.

Then, would all the other students be eliminated?

It would probably happen that way. Just looking at the mist rising from the forest hinted at it. All students except the first-place winner would be engulfed by the mist.

I expanded my vision to survey the surroundings of Daveuran Mountain.

First, the rocky terrain. Two students who had been fighting intensely retreated to different areas.

Thud!

A dull sound echoed from nearby. The ground I was standing on began to shake.

“What’s going on? Suddenly!”

The source of the sound was from the cliff below. About 10 meters down, several students were entangled in a fierce battle.

Since the entrance exam was nearing its end, such battles would erupt anywhere. Since I had been acting alone, not forming a team, I had avoided most of the fights.

Thanks to that, I had reserved my strength, and my magic power was fully charged. I grasped my staff.

There were about four of them.

Everyone held specialized weapons tailored for close combat. Swords, spears, and axes clashed chaotically.

There was no student carelessly gazing out from the cliff. With blades about to be thrust into their faces, they didn’t have the leisure to do so.

“Now’s the chance….”

She could attack them without being noticed. Having been pushed out of the rankings while recovering her magic, she was in no position to hold back.

Lara quietly constructed her spell, her voice dying down.

A magic circle emerged in the sky. The air vibrated with a low hum, but the sound was drowned out by the clashing of swords.

The spell being cast was a wide-range attack.

High-level magic, Blizzard.

Water droplets suspended in mid-air were sharply fragmented, transforming into sharp, icy shards.

The target was the group of students below the cliff. She didn’t take aim. Instead, she covered the entire battlefield.

“Now.”

The moment Lara opened her eyes.

Whoosh!

Dozens of icy shards created in mid-air plummeted downward.

“What’s going on?!”

“Who is it?!”

The hail of ice blades poured down like rain. Some students looked up, but by then, the shards had already reached their faces.

Beams of light erupted everywhere. It was a massacre. Students who narrowly escaped were prostrated on the ground. Thanks to the reduced magic output, there were very few students who were sent back.

Lara didn’t bother with a finishing blow. She simply gazed at them with a broadened field of vision.

“There’s no one….”

She searched the area below the cliff, wondering if Gallion was there. A strange sense of relief washed over her.

She didn’t know if he had already been eliminated or was climbing the mountain.

“The flag.”

If his goal was to be first, there was only one place to go. So, if she waited by the flag, Gallion would surely come….

A sudden sense of unease. She turned around, and a sword attack came flying in.

Whoosh! Thud!

“What’s going on?!”

Lara barely dodged by lowering her head. She had just gotten lucky.

The sword that had been thrust at her stuck into the ground. A girl with a pale pink hair tie looked at Lara.

She wasn’t one of the students below the cliff. There was no murderous intent in her eyes. She simply gazed at Lara with clear, bright eyes.

In a battle royale, it was only natural for opponents to attack each other.

But being on the receiving end of a surprise attack didn’t exactly feel great.

The girl immediately readjusted her grip on her sword and leapt high into the air, striking down with a powerful slash.

Thud!

A heavy, crushing blow, and a barrier that unfolded in an instant.

She managed to block the sword attack, but another assault was already incoming. Before she could react, her body instinctively responded.

“Say something, at least!”

“Airi, de! Sugamond, that’s me!”

A sword that curved horizontally.

Lara dispelled her barrier and retreated. It was almost a rolling motion. Her cherished uniform was now covered in dirt, but it was better than getting hit by that sword.

“Why are you suddenly attacking me?”

Lara said, but her tone was calm.

“That’s it! I received an order to stop you! You could be the biggest variable!”

The opponent declared confidently.

There was no room for compromise. They could only clash with each other’s weapons.

“Who are you, anyway!”

“It’s a secret! My benefactor, that’s all!”

Ka-boom!

Before Lara could even raise her barrier, Iira approached her in an instant.

Lara blocked the sword with her staff, but it wasn’t a blockable attack. Lara’s knee involuntarily bent. The difference in innate strength was insurmountable. The only reason she didn’t fall was because her staff was sturdy.

“It’s only you, my benefactor! Is it important? Me too!”

“Yes, it’s important!”

Ting-ting!

…But she couldn’t lose here.

If she reached the top, she might be able to meet Galion, who might still be alive.

Then she could return the ring and erase all her debts. And if she added that she wouldn’t ignore Steelhyden, that would be the ultimate gamble.

Luckily, her staff was sturdy. It wasn’t something that would break easily after receiving a few blows.

Lara barely parried the attack.

Her magic power was slowly increasing, thanks to the ring on her hand. She had to win this fight to return it to its original owner.

Lara glared at Iira with resentment-filled eyes. Iira simply smiled back, making Lara even angrier.

“Then…!”

Just as Lara was about to attack with her staff, something unexpected happened. Lara’s body suddenly jerked.

Bang!

A gunshot echoed, delayed by a beat.

Lara was lucky to have avoided the summoning. A bullet flying from somewhere had hit her pouch and deflected.

…The crushed bullet fell to the ground.

“Where are they shooting from…?!”

Just before the second bullet flew in, Lara barely managed to cover herself with a layer of magic power.

Her magic power was weak, so she might only be able to block one or two attacks. But it wasn’t weak enough to be pierced by bullets.

Multiple bullets hit her magic shield, but ultimately couldn’t penetrate. They lost power and fell to the ground, defeated.

Small bullets accumulated on the ground.

“…!”

At that moment, she felt a sense of unease. There was another person to deal with.

Iira’s figure was nowhere to be seen. Lara cautiously surveyed her surroundings, wary of a surprise attack from anywhere.

She spread her magic power wide. By spreading her magic and resonating with it, she could find her opponent.

“Found…!”

But the person who appeared wasn’t Iira.

A man wearing a ridiculous outfit flew in. Lara’s response was delayed due to his bizarre attire.

“Just a moment, please!”

A man with a handgun in one hand and a dagger in the other.

He swooped in, unleashing a fierce attack. Just as I was about to counter with my magical energy, the dagger pierced through it.

Pazijijik!

Suddenly, my magical energy burst forth.

“What the…?”

I couldn’t understand why my defenses, which shouldn’t have been weak, were breached like that.

As I wondered about this, the man raised his handgun.

“Sorry, but please bear with me.”

His voice felt familiar, as if I had heard it somewhere before. Was it just my imagination?

“Now, just for a moment!”

Tang!

There was no hesitation, and the gun fired without warning. I couldn’t even finish my sentence. A flash of light blinded me, and everything turned white before my eyes.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back in the Geord observatory.

Inside, the eliminated students were scattered all over the place. The sight was so overwhelming that my legs gave out, and I stumbled.

“What… what… what’s going on?”

The unbelievable reality was crushing me.

“Did I… get eliminated?”

At that moment, someone approached me from the side. I didn’t even have the energy to glance at them.

“Yes. Lala Stillhaiden, you’re eliminated.”

“……”

The instructor announced my elimination in a dry, emotionless tone.