The next morning—
Sunlight slipped through the curtains.
Quiet.
Normal.
As if nothing had happened the night before.
—
Chrono stood in front of the mirror again.
Adjusting his sleeves.
His expression calmer now—
But his eyes…
Sharper.
More focused.
A faint soreness still lingered in his body.
From last night.
From her.
"…Tch."
He clicked his tongue lightly.
Not in annoyance—
But in acknowledgment.
Then—
Ding.
A soft notification echoed from his wrist.
Chrono glanced down.
The academy-issued watch.
A message blinked on the screen.
"New Rankings Released."
His eyes sharpened instantly.
"…Finally."
He tapped it open.
[Top Rankings – Eldoria Nexus Academy]
1. Leon Ardent
• Physical Examination Rank: #1
• Written Examination Rank: #2
2. Vayne Desmund
• Physical Examination Rank: #2
• Written Examination Rank: #1
3. Liam Veridian
• Physical Examination Rank: #3
• Written Examination Rank: #3
4. Rina Emberheart
• Physical Examination Rank: #5
• Written Examination Rank: #4
5. Nia Veridian
• Physical Examination Rank: #6
• Written Examination Rank: #6
6. Lia Heartly
• Physical Examination Rank: #7
• Written Examination Rank: #5
.
.
Rank:15 Carl Vane
.
.
.
Rank :346
Chrono Zephyr
• Physical Examination Rank: #4
• Written Examination Rank: #983
• Academic Ranking: #346
____
Carl Vane — Rank #15
Chrono blinked once.
"…Dropped?"
From 7 to 15.
That wasn't small.
Something clearly went wrong.
But—
That wasn't his concern right now.
His eyes moved.
Scrolling.
Searching.
Then—
They stopped.
…
Silence.
…
Physical Examination Rank: #4
Chrono froze.
"…What?"
He stared at the screen.
Once.
Twice.
"…Rank 4…?"
His grip tightened slightly.
'That's above…'
Rina Emberheart.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
A breath escaped him.
Half disbelief.
Half shock.
Then—
His eyes moved again.
Written Examination Rank: #983
A pause.
Then—
"…I passed?"
Genuine surprise.
Clear.
Unfiltered.
"I actually passed…"
A small exhale left him.
Relief—
Real relief this time.
Then—
The final line.
Academic Ranking: #346
Chrono leaned back slightly.
"…346, huh."
A slow grin formed.
Not arrogant—
But satisfied.
'My goal was top 1000…'
His eyes gleamed faintly.
'…and I reached top 500.'
"…That's actually impressive."
For a moment—
He just stood there.
Looking at the screen.
Letting it sink in.
From rank 2500—
To this.
In a single day.
Then—
His expression shifted again.
Subtle.
Focused.
Because deep down—
He knew.
This wasn't the end.
Not even close.
"…Rank 4, huh…"
DING
[Beginner Survival Trial]
Description:
The host currently possesses extremely low combat and academic ability.
To increase chances of survival, basic competency must be achieved.
Objectives:
• Reach Top 1000 in the Academic Ranking at Eldoria Nexus Academy
• Reach Top 1000 in the Physical Examination
Time Limit: 30 Days
Status: Complete
—
[Reward Generating…]
A low distortion rippled through the air.
Space itself seemed to bend—
Just slightly.
Then—
Something emerged.
Not summoned.
Not created.
Inserted.
A sword.
Black.
Completely black.
Not reflecting light—
But swallowing it.
Chrono's eyes narrowed.
"…A sword?"
It hovered for a brief second—
Before dropping.
He caught it instinctively.
The moment his hand touched the hilt—
A sharp pulse ran through his body.
Cold.
Heavy.
Wrong.
"…Tch—"
His grip tightened.
"…Show me its stats."
—
[Azeor]
Rank: S+
Status: Corrupted — Highly Unstable
Skills:
• Devour — Absorbs residual energy from defeated targets to strengthen the blade. Growth potential unknown.
• Ruin Pulse — Releases compressed destructive energy with each strike. Power scales with user's instability.
• Black Veil — Gradually erodes the user's surroundings, weakening defenses and structure over time.
• Abyss Mark — Targets struck repeatedly become "marked," amplifying damage with each consecutive hit.
• Corruption Sync (Passive) — The more mentally unstable the wielder becomes, the stronger the weapon grows.
—
Silence.
Chrono stared at the screen.
Then at the sword.
Then back again.
"…What the hell is this…"
"This is overpowered."
His grip tightened unconsciously.
'S+…?'
That alone was absurd.
But—
"Corrupted. Highly unstable."
His eyes darkened slightly.
"…Of course it is."
Nothing from this system—
Was ever normal.
A faint pulse ran through the blade again.
This time—
He felt it more clearly.
Something inside it.
Not alive—
But not dead either.
Waiting.
Hungry.
"…Devour… Ruin Pulse… Corruption Sync…"
A quiet exhale left him.
"…So you get stronger if I lose my mind?"
No response.
But the sword—
Felt heavier for a second.
As if acknowledging it.
He glanced down at Azeor again.
The blade rested in his hand—
Silent.
Heavy.
Unnatural.
"…Yeah."
A faint exhale left him.
"I can't use this in the academy."
His grip tightened slightly.
"If anyone finds out I somehow got a corrupted weapon…"
A pause.
His eyes dimmed.
"…they won't even bother asking questions."
No trial.
No explanation.
Just a verdict.
"…Execution."
The word lingered.
Cold.
Absolute.
Because illegal artifacts—
Especially ones like this—
Were strictly prohibited.
Erased.
Along with their owners.
Chrono stared at the blade for a moment longer.
Then—
"…Tch."
A quiet click of his tongue.
"Well… that's inconvenient."
For a second—
It almost felt like the sword pulsed in response.
Watching.
Waiting.
But Chrono's expression didn't change.
Instead—
A blue screen flickered faintly.
His inventory.
Without hesitation—
The blade vanished.
Gone.
Stored away.