Chapter 5:

Chapter 5:

The curtain was drawn on the window in the carriage.

Because of that, Abel couldn’t look outside, so he tried to start a conversation with Diron sitting opposite him.

“How long will it take to get to Del Modor?”

“The mansion is on the outskirts. It’ll take at least 40 minutes.”

It wasn’t that far, considering they were riding a carriage. Just like there were fierce Gigants in this world, there were many modes of transportation. But most of them were used for military purposes, so civilians didn’t have a lot of options. And primarily due to safety concerns, nobles mainly used horse carriages.

Abel nodded in response to Diron and then spoke, “By the way, do you know about the entrance test for the Academy?”

“I can’t say I know a lot.” His tone was a bit harsh, but from his face, it seemed he really didn’t know much.

Actually, Abel didn’t ask him that because he thought Diron would give him a detailed explanation of the test. He just wanted to check if it differed much from what he knew, so he asked again.

“Still, could you tell me what you know, no matter how much? See, I haven’t heard anything about it, and I’m clueless.”

“Oh, I see. Of course, then.”

Diron replied to the question this time with all his heart.

“All the applicants take the test using a Tito grade Gigant that the Academy prepares. I’ve been told they measure basic qualities like physical strength, ability to use mana, and synchronization rate.”

“Well, they’re all important factors riding Gigants.”

“Yes. There are three types of tests, but the content of the test changes every year. Last year, everyone had to run till they fainted and also...”

Abel listened carefully to Diron for quite a while. He heard a few things for the first time, but fortunately, it wasn’t vastly different from what he knew.

Just like that, as their conversation continued while jumping around different topics, at some point, the carriage started to slow down at some point, and they realized that they were near.

“So... Ah, I’ll just check with the rider for a second.”

“Okay.”

Diron stopped the conversation and told Abell.

“We’ve passed through the Academy’s main entrance already. Please prepare to get off the carriage in a while.”

“Okay.”

He told him to prepare, but all he had to do was fix his clothes and hair a bit. After that, they talked a bit more, and the carriage stopped completely. Upon hearing the sound of someone knocking on the door from outside, Diron opened the door and got down first.

Abel also got down and couldn’t help but look around him.

‘Whoa...’

If Diron weren’t standing beside him, Abel would’ve voiced his wonder. It wasn’t exceptionally luxurious or anything, but there were rows and rows of stone buildings that looked sophisticated and elegant. Not to mention, the buildings were extremely tall in general.

He knew the reason for that because of the game. The academy was basically a place to nurture Gigant Riders, and many Gigants moved around the place, and the tall buildings were meant to block their view. Because at normal heights of a building, the Gigants would be clearly visible.

‘That’s so fascinating.’

Also, it wasn’t his first time seeing those high-rise buildings. He hadn’t visited the Academy before, but while walking around the place, he was able to catch a sight. Looking at the sight of a forest of buildings, memories of this place from earth popped up in his mind.

‘Memories.... Huh. But after coming here personally and seeing it first hand, it’s way more majestic.’

When Abel was thinking this, Diron spoke up, “Please follow me.”

“Yeah.” Abel returned to his senses and walked after Diron.

»————- ★ ————-«

It didn’t take long, and they arrived at the only flashy building there. After passing a door with beautiful patterns engraved on it, the inside of the building was serene.

There were barely twenty people in there, including the receptionists. In an academy like Del Modor, there were only these many people at the application center, and the reason was simple.

‘Most people have probably applied already.’

That’s because it was the last phase of the application process for admission.

Abel glanced around, hoping to see any of the characters he knew, but he didn’t see any faces he recognized. All his excitement just disappeared.

“This way...” Diron guided Abel to the desk in the middle and started talking to the receptionist after handing him a few documents.

This world was strange. It was like a messy mixture of different features of specific times in the history of Earth.

‘In a way, it’s kind of obvious.’

This was the world inside the game. A highly user-friendly world. But every time he thought of that, another question would pop up in his mind.

Is it really?

Every nonsensical part of the game seemed to make sense after he came here because there were genuine justifications for things being the way they were.

In other words, all the blanks were filled. If this was all merely a game, does that mean someone filled in those ‘blanks’?

“Abel Klein. Is that right?”

Abel nodded upon hearing his name being called out.

The receptionist had brown hair and a fairly plain appearance and was looking at Abel. At some point, the conversation with Diron ended.

“Ah, yes.”

“Could you raise your hand right here? It’s a simple confirmation procedure.”

Abel raised his hand over a wide platform as per the receptionist’s instructions.

Whiring-!

“It’s the bronze statue of a great Imperial Knight, Sir Allon.”

Allon.

He was a historical figure considered a hero of the country, and a key personality involved in the foundation of the Academy.

Abel looked up at the statue.

The statue was of a knight in armor holding a sword with both hands, which was pretty impressive. But he didn’t come here simply for relaxation or a look around the Academy.

‘It’s bigger in real life.’

Abel knew.

That there was a hidden piece inside that statue. And that’s why he came here.

“Can I go closer to see?”

“Of course.”

After asking Diron, Abel got closer to the statue.

There was a legend about this statue – if a hero who was destined to accomplish great things emerged in front of the statue, the statue would start moving. It was like a mere folklore that almost every school had, so it only made sense that this place had a legend like that too.

Something like the statue of King Sejong the Great would move when it’s midnight. And the legend about Sir Allon was quite similar—just an interesting story to tell.

But Abel knew that it wasn’t just a story.

The Principal and a handful of professors must already be aware of the true identity of this place.

“Pheeew.”

Abel breathed a long exhale, got close to the statue, and placed his palms on the pedestal at the statue’s base for support.

Gigants were being developed rapidly, but this process wasn’t even 100 years old. But this wasn’t true in the synchronization rate related to the Gigants. Even without Gigants, humans had plenty of abilities, and one of them was synchronization rate, which had its utility.

In fact, it was the ‘ancient relic’ that became the origin of Gigants.

‘Let’s focus.’

Abel closed his eyes and carefully focused on the knowledge he had. With the highest grade in his ability to synchronize, he was the first to come to find this place.

Unrecognizable energy flowed between the pedestal and his palms, penetrating deep into him.

Deudeudeu-!

At that moment, the statue suddenly started vibrating violently, and everyone in the Square had their attention fixed on Abel and the statue. Behind him, even Diron felt something unusual and was about to get them both out of there.

Whoosh-!

Suddenly, a light emerged from the statue.

The light was so bright that everyone could barely keep their eyes open. But soon afterward, the light disappeared, as if it wasn’t there in the first place, and everything turned back to normal.

“Are you okay?” Diron hurriedly came up to Abel and asked him.

Abel seemed to be staring into the void with a blank expression on his face. He blinked his eyes on hearing Diron’s question as if he was coming back to his senses and nodded in response.

“Ah, yeah. I’m okay.”

“Why would... light from a statue...?”

Diron fumbled with his words and was shocked, the complete opposite of his usual calm and collected self. Then again, the guest he was accompanying put his hand on a statue’s pedestal, and a bright light started flashing from it. Of course, he’d be startled.

But Abel was too out of it to be thinking about Diron.

[An unparalleled energy has entered your body.]

[You’ve obtained a clue about ‘Overflow’.]

[Within a week, the magic growth rate will increase by 200%.”]

A constant stream of messages, a noticeable change in the flow of mana, and a different sensation arising inside the body were all experiences he expected to happen. Still, the actual experience was way beyond those expectations.

In the original game, there was a condition to obtain the hidden piece that ‘a player of synchronization rate of over A grade could attempt to tune with the statue’.

If that condition was fulfilled, the player could gain useful skills and buffs, which were considerable compared to their efforts.

‘But the most important was the symbolism.’

Of course, the effect of the rapid increase in magic growth rate and clue for overflow skill were both great results. But even more important was the legend related to the statue itself – if a hero who was destined to accomplish great things emerged in front of the statue, the statue of Sir Allon would start moving.

If the legend mentioned this, would this really end here with just a little mysterious incident?

Absolutely not.

There would be a lot of attention on him.

That could be a pressure for some people, but not for Abel.

If he wanted to receive the game’s main quest, he couldn’t just be an exemplary goody-two-shoes student with good test scores. He had to become a ‘hero’.

And this incident would be a significant first step toward Abel’s goal.

“Let’s go back now.”

Abel calmed down, his heart racing, and spoke to Diron. Diron nodded, but his expression made it seem he was unwilling to leave.

The two were under the overwhelming gaze of countless eyes while they exited the Square.

It didn’t take long till they got on the carriage and left the Academy behind.

[To be continued.]