Seong Hyun-jin checked his exam pass.

It indicated Testing Room 3.

Following the signs, he made his way there.

He wasn’t alone—several other candidates from the lobby were heading down the same corridor. He glanced at them briefly.

‘…She’s not here.’

The girl from yesterday, Serena, was nowhere to be seen. Disappointed, Seong Hyun-jin clicked his tongue.

‘She looked strong.’

Even if it wasn’t a spar, facing her in the exam would’ve been interesting.

With a tinge of regret, he scanned the others again.

A few seemed skilled, but none stood out like Serena. Fiddling with his sword hilt, he was interrupted by a voice.

‘Candidates assigned to Testing Room 3, welcome.’

A woman with a black nameplate on her right chest, marking her as an Academy instructor, addressed the group.

‘I am Haze Fenrell, instructor for the first-year Combat Department at Terrestrial Academy. I’ll be guiding you through today’s exam.’

Her commanding voice silenced the restless crowd, drawing all eyes to her. She continued.

‘From now on, you will take the exam on equal terms, regardless of your background or path. Forget who you were before. You are all simply Terrestrial Academy candidates.’

Her words were clear: focus on the exam and don’t cause trouble. Though they could’ve sounded harsh, her resolute tone made them feel justified.

Her ability to control the chaotic atmosphere intrigued Seong Hyun-jin.

‘The Combat Department… Not specialized in any weapon, but focused on combat itself?’

He hadn’t been particularly interested in the Combat Department, but Haze’s presence piqued his curiosity.

He had no intention of altering his master’s swordsmanship. To him, Karin’s techniques were already perfect.

As Karin had said, he understood her swordsmanship completely—his only limitation was his body’s inability to fully execute it.

So, why bother with the Swordsmanship Department?

He had no interest in learning new techniques.

If he could focus on building his physique and honing his body, the Combat Department, which taught broader combat skills, might be better than learning unnecessary sword styles.

‘Candidates, please enter the testing room.’

‘What’s the exam about?’ one candidate asked.

Haze replied curtly.

‘You’ll find out inside, candidate.’

‘Oh… okay.’

‘Enter one by one in order.’

Haze expertly guided the candidates, calming their nerves and excitement with ease, leading them in an orderly manner.

This sparked a question in Seong Hyun-jin’s mind.

‘Are there many people like her at this Academy?’

If so, coming down from the mountain, as his master suggested, might have been worth it.

His earlier disappointment about the exam format shifted back to anticipation.

‘Submit your exam pass and enter.’

One by one, candidates handed their passes to Haze and entered. When Seong Hyun-jin’s turn came, he submitted his.

Haze, who had been impassively processing candidates, glanced at him.

‘Candidate.’

‘Yes.’

‘Are you a Reincarnator?’

He nodded. Then, Haze asked an unexpected question.

‘Do you have any mental issues from your past life or any psychological conditions?’

‘No, nothing like that. Why do you ask?’

‘To ensure no issues arise during the exam.’

It seemed a Reincarnator had caused trouble in a past exam. Her question suggested the exam might provoke emotional responses.

‘If there’s no issue, proceed.’

Seong Hyun-jin entered the testing room as instructed.

‘The dean said it’s a fair exam.’

Did that fairness not apply to Reincarnators or Transmigrators? Pondering this, he froze upon entering.

‘What?’

None of the other candidates who entered before him were there. It was impossible for so many to have vanished into thin air.

Scanning the room, he quickly grasped the situation.

‘Spatial displacement? A type of spirit magic?’

‘Correct, candidate.’

A voice rang out in the empty space, deep yet cheerful.

‘As you said, each candidate is now in a separate space.’

The speaker appeared.

‘This is for the exam, so don’t worry. You’ll return here once it’s over.’

Seong Hyun-jin noticed the man’s Academy uniform first, then a small pouch at his waist.

Quickly assessing, he asked.

‘You’re an Academy student. Who are you?’

‘Me?’

The man grinned broadly.

‘Just an exam assistant.’

‘So I’m not fighting you?’

‘What? Haha!’

He burst into laughter, waving his hand.

‘Why would I fight a candidate? Even a tough exam wouldn’t start with that.’

‘Then what’s the exam?’

‘You’ll fight what’s in here.’

He opened the pouch, revealing its contents to Seong Hyun-jin.

Seeing the object, Seong Hyun-jin instantly understood why Haze had asked about his mental state.

‘You seem to recognize it, candidate.’

The man spoke.

‘Then you know what you need to do.’

*

Terrestrial Academy’s exams were designed to be safe, fair, and discerning, just as Dean Eleonora had promised.

The entrance exam required candidates to face and overcome their greatest fear. It seemed impossible, but the mysterious object from the pouch made it so.

Resembling a slime, it was called a Realizer.

A pinnacle of spirit magic and a modern marvel of magical invention.

It read the target’s mind, transforming into their greatest fear. The candidate’s goal was to defeat it.

The Realizer perfectly replicated the feared entity’s form but adjusted its strength to match the candidate’s ability, making it ideal for evaluating candidates of varying skill levels.

Staring at the wriggling, slime-like Realizer, Seong Hyun-jin spoke as if he recognized it.

‘The Realizer, right?’

‘Exactly. You’ll face your greatest fear and demonstrate your abilities. That’s the exam’s core.’

Gix Crowell, second-year Combat Department vice-head, was intrigued that Seong Hyun-jin recognized the Realizer.

It wasn’t a common item. Even Gix, the second son of the prestigious Crowell family in the Magic Nation, hadn’t seen one until his own entrance exam.

As he marveled, Seong Hyun-jin muttered to himself.

‘…That’s why Instructor Haze asked that question.’

‘Hm?’

‘Nothing. So you’re just an assistant?’

‘And a safety monitor, just in case.’

Gix briefly explained the exam.

‘Touch the Realizer lightly, and it’ll transform. Your task is to defeat it as quickly as possible. Simple, right?’

‘Got it. But…’

Seong Hyun-jin hesitated, then asked.

‘Is this exam meaningful?’

‘I can’t answer that. I’m not the one grading.’

Gix found the question odd.

The Realizer-based exam was highly discerning. It was straightforward, clear, and appropriately challenging.

Questioning its meaning suggested Seong Hyun-jin knew of the Realizer but not its purpose.

He’d understand once he experienced it, Gix thought, urging him.

‘If you’re ready, let’s begin.’

‘…Fine.’

Thinking it’d be more fun to spar with Gix, Seong Hyun-jin touched the Realizer.

‘There’s only one thing it could be…’

Across both his past and current lives, his greatest fear was clear.

His past life wasn’t worth mentioning—nothing there compared to the figure before him now.

As the Realizer transformed, Seong Hyun-jin remained unfazed, but Gix’s eyes widened.

‘…!’

The Realizer became a woman in otherworldly, elegant attire, with a katana at her waist and a chillingly beautiful appearance.

‘How can someone be so…’

Even knowing it was the Realizer, Gix couldn’t look away. Her snow-white skin, night-black hair, and captivating gaze could ensnare any man.

But Seong Hyun-jin, as if familiar, bowed lightly.

‘…It’s been a while.’

Though no response came, he greeted simply.

‘Master.’

The Sword Saint, Hakodate Karin.

The Realizer had manifested Seong Hyun-jin’s greatest fear—his master.

He had expected this.

She was both the object of his admiration and his greatest fear.

But he wasn’t pleased with her appearance here.

‘Senior.’

‘Uh? …Ahem, what’s up?’

There was no issue with Karin appearing. Yet, Seong Hyun-jin raised a problem with Gix.

‘There’s a problem.’

‘A problem? What?’

‘This thing perfectly replicates the target, right?’

‘Yeah, it mirrors what you imagine—’

‘…What?’

Sighing heavily, Seong Hyun-jin raised his voice.

‘First, my master doesn’t dress so modestly.’

‘…?’

‘She always wears clothes that expose her shoulders, back, and cleavage. I don’t know why it’s comfortable for her, but it’s practically like she’s tempting me!’

‘That’s your master?’

‘Yes!’

Gix was dumbfounded.

Setting aside having such a beautiful master, complaining that she tempts him? These were words no disciple should dare utter.

‘And second, her chest is bigger than that!’

‘…Huh?’

‘Her upper bust is 101 cm, underbust 70 cm!’

‘What…?’

Gix stared at him, incredulous. Complaining about the Realizer’s accuracy over his master’s chest size? And how did he know her measurements so precisely?

Despite Gix’s bewildered look, Seong Hyun-jin grew more heated.

‘It’s 5 cm smaller than it should be! And it’s missing the mole on her left breast!’

‘Uh…’

Thanks to him, Gix now knew far too much about this woman.

‘It’s supposed to perfectly replicate my fear, right? How can it make such critical errors!?’

‘…Maybe it doesn’t need to replicate *that* precisely?’

Gix’s reasonable response only made Seong Hyun-jin sigh louder. He placed a hand on his sword hilt.

‘This is blasphemy. An insult to my master.’

‘That’s a bit extreme…’

‘To mimic her so poorly and disgrace her form… This unworthy disciple cannot stand for it.’

Drawing his sword, he declared.

‘Master, please watch.’

His eyes burned with resolve, determined to cut down this imperfect imitation.

‘This disciple will strike this imposter down in one blow!’