[Round One: Completed]

  [New Record Clear Time: 5.45 seconds]

  Ironshield’s eyes were about to pop out of his socket. “W-What happened?”

  Jin shrugged. “Five goblins, all running to their death. And I just sent them there. That’s what happened.”

  “But record time? Not even the Valkyrie cleared it as fast as you. And she’s the Triple Class Player. And you-“

  “Just a Supporter Class. I know.”

  Jin was getting annoyed being labelled like that. Classes were important, but they shouldn’t be used to judge a Player’s capabilities and skills outside of them. So, what if he were an Herbalist? All his past life experiences, skills and whatnots didn’t matter any longer?

  “Don’t waste time. Bring in the second round or whatever.” Jin took a stance. “I’ll show you what a Supporter can do. Watch.”

  This time, five goblins flickered into existence, their pixelated edges stabilising as the terminal’s system rendered them into the arena’s platform. Unlike the First Round, they didn’t clump together like glitching NPCs.

  Three spawned to Jin’s left and two to his right. But against such a simple formation, Jin didn’t need to go all out just yet.

  The first goblin on the left lunged, its club swinging in a predictable arc. Jin sidestepped, letting the weapon pass through empty air, then drove his knife into its chest.

  [ Critical Hit! ]

  The hologram flickered and dissolved into static. The next two charged as a pair, but Jin was already moving. He ducked under the first swing, grabbed its arm, and used its own momentum to slam it into its ally. Both goblins shattered into digital confetti.

  On the right, the remaining two hesitated. Jin didn’t. A lunge followed by a quick slash with his knife sent one glitching out of existence, and a kick to the other’s knee made it collapse mid-swing. The terminal system registered the kill before it even hit the ground. Another record clear time.

  Jin didn’t even wipe his sweat. There was none. Instead, a smirk was etched on his face. “Despite this being hologram monsters, I’m quite impressed with how responsive it is. Especially when it registered hits.”

  Ironshield scoffed. “Talk after you clear the rest.”

  The next three rounds played out the same way. More goblins, same result. Jin’s bracelet didn’t even register a hit. The holographic arena was designed to simulate danger, but so far, it had only simulated how easy this was for him.

  A let-down in some ways after he witnessed how the others who came before him were having trouble.

  Then the terminal message cut in:

  [Round Six will commence soon. Enemy difficulty will be increased significantly. Do you want to proceed?]

  “About time we get things serious. After all, this is an exam, right?”

  “Show-off,” Ironshield replied. His stoic expression remained, but it eased somewhat. More relaxed compared to how he was much earlier.

  The arena flickered once more. Ten goblins this time, five on each side, materialised. However, two new monsters appeared too this time. Three hobgoblins stood ahead, their massive clubs rendered in jagged detail. And crouched in the back, half-hidden by the hobgoblin's massive bodies, was the real threat: a goblin shaman.

  Jin sheathed his knives.

  He’d watched this exact setup wipe out all the other examinees before him. The goblins were cannon fodder, the type that lulled you into lowering your guard. The hobgoblins were tanks, but the shaman?

  That was their trump card. The damage dealer that wiped the floor with the aspiring Players.

  Its fingers twitched as it began weaving a spell, and the hologram magical circle appeared in what was the terminal’s attempt to simulate virtual magic. In real life, a magical circle would almost never appear. Before you know it, magic was cast and hit you out of nowhere if you’re not paying attention.

  But this was a simulated virtual training. In an exam, no less. Even with the warning, the goblin shaman’s magical attack was still very potent. Most Players folded after two direct hits from those spells.

  Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  And Jin wasn’t about to let his record of no hits get stained.

  The three-sectioned quarterstaff was Jin’s next weapon of choice. After a quick twirl, he sprinted. Not for the goblins, not for the hobgoblins, but straight for the shaman.

  The terminal system’s AI controlled the enemies, and it knew what Jin was doing. His wide-open flanks were there for the taking. The goblins on either side howled and gave chase, but Jin ignored them. Their attacks were scripted. Too predictable. And the hobgoblins were slow as hell.

  The goblin shaman’s magic? Back in the lobby, while observing the exam unfold, he counted its cast time. Ten seconds were all he had.

  But first, he had to pass through a certain hobgoblin wall.

  The nearest one swung. Jin ducked, letting the club phase through where his head had been, then jammed the end of his staff into its guts. The system registered the hit, and the hobgoblin’s model glitched once. It would take at least three more attacks to actually ‘kill’ it.

  Two more charged at him, but he tumbled away at the very last minute, forcing both to crash into one another.

  Two seconds left. The spell was almost complete. At this distance, however, it was already over. For the goblin shaman, anyway. Jin expanded his three-sectioned staff with a front push, and it hit the virtual monster at its chest.

  His magic was interrupted.

  Jin sneered. The scene reminded him of an old Cleaners’ saying:

  ‘Sticks and stones are what we find, but what ends us will be a goblin’s hind.’

  Back in the RIFT, one swing from a goblin’s club could kill a Cleaner outright. But now? With his abilities, he’d turned that nightmare into a joke. He crushed the goblin shaman’s throat, then wiped out the rest of the like swatting flies.

  [Round Six: Completed]

  [New Record Clear Time: 53.37 seconds]

  The test didn’t stop.

  Round Seven threw a pack of five Bloodied Wolves at him. Unlike the mindless goblins or lumbering hobgoblins, these creatures moved like a single, fluid unit – circling and feinting before cutting off his retreat. Their red eyes locked onto him, jaws snapping in perfect sync. Coordinated. Jin had seen this before; wolves in the RIFT hunted like this, driving prey into a corner before tearing it apart.

  But Jin wasn’t prey.

  [Round Seven: Completed]

  [New Record Clear Time: 1 minute 21 seconds]

  Speed and coordination meant nothing without predictability. And Jin, who had spent most of his youthful years on the street fighting thugs – and wild dogs – and in the process, learned how to turn an enemy’s numbers and strengths against them.

  Round Eight replaced them with a single towering ogre, its massive club swinging in a very slow and predictable arc. However, Jin’s training bracelet flared red every time the monster came within a certain distance.

  [- 5 HP]

  [- 5 HP]

  [- 5 HP]

  An Area of Effect attack.

  Engaging it head-on was useless. Instead, he circled the platform, letting the ogre’s momentum carry it into empty swings. Each time it did so, there was a delay in the next attack. A skill cooldown.

  Jin took this opportunity when his foe was in its cooldown mode to strike once and pulled away before it fully recovered. Five times the charm, and the virtual monster finally collapsed without Jin taking any more damage.

  By Round Nine, it was more of the same – recycling old enemies and their formations with minor tweaks to their numbers. Jin barely broke a sweat.

  And Round Ten was anticlimactic.

  [New Record Clear Time: 1 minute 29 seconds]

  [Total Time: 13 minutes 43 seconds]

  [Congratulations! You have finished all the training arena’s recruit Battle Mode]

  [You have set the new arena’s record!]

  Jin exhaled, rolling his shoulders as the holographic enemies dissolved into static. Despite feeling a little disappointed with how ‘easy’ the exam was, he still earned that break. But before he could step out of the arena, a shadow fell over him.

  Ironshield stood there, grinning like a man who’d just won a bet. His eyes gleamed with something Jin didn’t like – more work.

  “Been a while since I’ve last seen anyone fight like that. And you’re newly awakened? Hah. Where’d you train? Army? Some famous dojo?”

  Jin faked a tired smile. “Everywhere. Most of the time, on the streets. Meanest teacher there is.”

  Ironshield’s grin widened. Rubbing his chin, he continued, “Then you won’t mind doing me a favour?”

  So, it was really more work.

  “Is it part of the test?”

  “Could be.”

  “Then no.” Jin shook his head as he stepped off the platform.

  “Why not?” Ironshield was relentless. “You might have some fun at least.”

  “I don’t need fun. I need to pass the exam and get my license. ASAP.“

  “Then you’ll need to accept this favour. It will definitely skyrocket your chances.”

  Jin stopped dead in his tracks. Slowly, he turned his head. “Well, let’s hear the favour then.”

  “Nope. You take then you hear. Or you walk out wondering what ifs.”

  After a moment of hesitation, Jin heaved a sigh. “Fine. You win. So, what is it?”

  Ironshield burst into laughter. “Knew you’re something else, Frank Stein.” He then rushed towards the terminal. “Lila! Hanma! Activate the special test!”

  The intercom cackled to life.

  “S-special test?! Are you crazy? No one has ever cleared-“

  “It doesn’t matter!”

  “What do you mean it doesn’t matter?! Not even that monster Eleana did it. And she has President Hunter of White Raven with her that time. What can you and this zero CP-oi, Lila! L-Let me go!”

  There was a struggle coming from the other side.

  “Ironshield! Don’t you dare take my baby Frankie and-“

  “Shut up, Lila.” Ironshield’s voice cut through the static. “I’m not asking. Kill the feed. Prep the stage. Now.”

  Jin didn’t have time to process what was happening before the arena shifted. The stage sank, and in its place rose a monolith – no bigger than a tree stump – pulsing faintly. More impressive still was that his surroundings had changed. The arena has been filled with virtual scenery, almost like the one he saw back then inside the virtual e-RIFT.

  “This will be a wave battle, Frank,” Ironshield said, patting Jin’s shoulder. “You and me, protecting that monolith from the enemies.”

  “And this is part of the exam how?”

  Ironshield laughed. “What’s with all the questions? You scared, Frankie boy?”

  The man scoffed. “In your dreams, hotshot. You better not drag me down.”

  “Likewise, newbie. Need a rest before we start?”

  Jin cracked his knuckles, rolled his neck and shoulders, and stretched his limbs. “No need. Bring on whatever this special test of yours.”