In shock and muttering strange words like "Monster," the aloof mage handed me the pass certificate.
From there, I and a small group of others were given direct permission to enter the portal that led to the Magic Tower in India.
We teleported into the Magic Tower, a vast, magically expanded space where visitors like us were arriving through many different portals from all over the world.
Upon our arrival, the on-duty staff greeted us, collected our pass certificates, and then directed us to our respective auditoriums.
That was how I got here.
"The 1st auditorium of Magic Tower."
With my mana of 50 at level 1, I was practically guaranteed entry into this auditorium, where other top-ranking students with the highest mana capacity were gathered and where my target was.
From where I was sitting, I cast a quick glance around the auditorium and quickly located my target, which made me smile secretly.
However, my gaze did not pause on her, and instead, I gave the entire place a cursory glance.
Not long after that, when no one else was coming in, the gate to the auditorium shut.
"It seems like everyone is gathered, so let's start the test, then..."
It was a weak voice, from a bald old Tower Mage, who was skinny with a gloomy face, as if malnourished.
His name was Roman, and he stood on the podium, dressed in a white mage robe, looking at us.
Tower Mages don't value anyone or anything other than their Magic research due to their eccentric personalities.
They were doing this because of the rules set by the Tower Master.
Subsequently, they weren't serious about it, like Roman, who even yawned and cleared his ears in front of the players before continuing.
"Well, you must have known about the test before you came. Anyway, if I'm impressed, you pass; if not, you fail. Now come forward as I call your names one at a time. Dinesh, Wu Xian, Zoya..."
He began to call each individual person one by one, but before he could continue,
"Mage!!!"
A sudden shout cut him in between, and then, a girl with an aura that said, 'I am a faultless virgin bitch,' raised her hand.
Simultaneously, the attention of the other players in the arena shifted to a single point.
"What's your name? Anyway, if you have any questions outside of the test, let's talk about them later, since we're about to begin the test right now."
As if annoyed by her involvement, Roman attempted to move on, but was once again thwarted by the same girl.
In a neat, wrinkle-free blue mage robe and hat, Sylvia, with waist-length black hair, round glasses, and a proud smile, said her name.
"This is Sylvia Oxford, and my question is related to the test."
"...Yes, Miss Sylvia, so what is it?"
"I'm curious about the passing standards. How can we determine whether we pass or fail without knowing the benchmark? Saying that you will pass or fail us of your own volition isn't fair, is it?"
"..."
"..."
Silence!
The auditorium fell silent at her words, and everyone turned their gaze to Sylvia as if she were an ignorant fool.
The fact that players couldn't use magic for much other than using their skills was common knowledge.
High ranked players might be able to do this in some ways, but not these new players, so testing them with regular methods was difficult.
As a result, Magic Tower set two tests for the new players.
First, a mana capacity test, used to determine their potential, and second, where the Tower Mage in charge would give a test and assess players based on how well they interact with Mana.
When Roman said he would evaluate according to his will, he meant it, because there was indeed no clear benchmark for passing.
All of this was common knowledge, but not to Sylvia, who came from a middle-class family and had never played Nexus World Online.
Furthermore, she didn't even think about trying to learn all of this when she awakened the Archmage Class, giving her Mana Affinity (F).
For her, simply knowing that she had the best mage-type Class was sufficient.
Because of her conceit and narrow minded thinking, the thought never crossed her mind that she was directly questioning and accusing the authority of the Tower Mage with her words.
The result of which could be disastrous.
However, this bitch was the heroine, so how could anything bad happen to her?
This was all set up for a face slapping scene, where she would face slap everyone and prove that she was just thinking for others welfare.
Even though I did create her character, I was annoyed and nauseous when I saw her in person.
Realizing the blunder Sylvia made, people couldn't help but look at her as if she were a clown.
It was also then that Roman scratched his head in displeasure.
But since Roman was still a decent person with some tolerance, he let out a deep sigh and opened his mouth instead of just throwing Sylvia out.
"You don't want to receive my evaluation? Then the door to exit is over there."
"Yes? What?"
Sylvia acted as if the response she received was completely ludicrous.
Either way, Roman raised his index finger and pointed to the door leading out of the auditorium.
"It seems that you are seriously mistaken about something, this is not your home. This is the Magic Tower, and I am a Tower Mage. My test, my rules."
"No, I don't mean that."
"Do you think I can't expel you guys who came here just because you have a little extra mana capacity?"
The players in the auditorium bowed their heads involuntarily as Roman's icy words sent shivers down their spines.
This time, Roman's words came like a warning.
"Sylvia, do you want to be tested quietly or just be expelled?"
"No, that's..."
Even so, Sylvia did not budge, and she tried to say something.
But it was then that Roman suddenly smiled in amusement, and instead of lecturing Sylvia, he turned his head and looked at the other players.
"Listen everyone! If Sylvia doesn't politely accept the test or leave the auditorium in five minutes, I will expel half of you people here."
Roman spoke gently, but his words threw almost everyone into a pit of despair.
Expulsion from the Magic Tower by a Tower Mage?
It was a direct death sentence.
"..."
Silence fell in the auditorium once again.
But it was momentary, as some people's shouts soon echoed throughout the auditorium, one after another.
"Hey, you insane woman! Why are you pretending to be proud?"
"I knew from the beginning when she spoke back to Mage Roman."
"Whether you're staying or leaving, why aren't you saying anything? Annoying bitch..."
"If I fail, will you take responsibility?"
"I swear if I fail, I will destroy your whole bloodline."
In no time, everyone else joined in, as if agreeing with those shouts, and began continuously cursing and threatening Sylvia.
The stinging eyes and the voice of ridicule continued to pour down on her.
In this situation, which was completely opposite to her expectations, and hearing those curses, Sylvia's mentality broke immediately.
She knew that she was only a girl from a middle class family, and these people with strong backing, if they tried, could completely make her parents' lives hell.
"I know... I am sorry."
In the end, Sylvia, who couldn't overcome it, lowered her head and went back to her place, her teeth and fists clenched in a swirl of negative emotions.
After witnessing such a scene, Roman, too, did not pursue the matter further, as if the bug was not worth it for him to get angry.
"Okay then. There doesn't seem to be any other complaints either, so we will start testing."
Roman calmly announced the start of the test, and I also sat back in my seat and thought to myself.
'Everything is the same as I wrote in the novel, and if we stick to the storyline, Sylvia will soon shock everyone with her talent, pass with the highest evaluation, and slap everyone in the face.'
Unfortunately for her, with me here, she was doomed to fall today and cry bloody tears.
'Don't worry, my Sylvia, I made you wrong, and I will fix you. I will break you so thoroughly, and then fix you so well, that you won't even piss without my permission in the future.'
When I thought of teaching this bitch a lesson, I smiled sadistically in my mind.
But the sudden, excruciating groans of a player quickly brought me back to reality.
"Ugh!"
My attention shifted to the player who was having problems in the test.
He was dealing with rays of mana that got absorbed into his body.
"It looks hard for him, but the test is the same as I had written."
Roman's test was straightforward.
A player's body would be made to absorb mana from a magical device.
The player forced to absorb mana from an unfamiliar source would feel as though they were being suffocated.
And their task was to deal with this unknown mana inside their bodies.
The simplest way to deal with it would be to expel it from their bodies, by first sensing its location in their bodies and then pushing it out with their mana.
Of course, it was easier said than done for these people, who couldn't even see how and where the mana came and suddenly went inside their bodies.
They were just told to deal with this situation, and not even given the appropriate instructions.
However, the majority of those present were not dupes like Sylvia, and came prepared.
Still, the fail-to-pass ratio was 5:1.
Even those who made it through took a long time and were so drained that they could barely stand.
While all of this was going on, I wasn't naturally sitting still.
After activating 'Stealth,' I moved quietly among the students who were concentrating on the test until I got close to where Sylvia was sitting.
"Why am I being blamed... I ask for their benefit; I was just doing a good thing."
From where I was, I could hear Sylvia constantly muttering, as if the earlier incident had broken her mentality.
'Shouldn't have tried to act like a Virgin Mary, bitch.'
However, I knew that this was not enough to bring her down, and being a heroine, she would soon overcome it.
Of course, that was, if I allowed it.
'Hehehe.'
Without wasting any time, I changed my tone of voice, and quietly whispered in Sylvia's ears, who was still dazed.
"Why do you pretend to be sad, you whore?"
And then, before she could react, I used my 'Stealth' again to escape among the cadets.
"Who is this!?"
Then, in shock, Sylvia shouted, and soon the eyes of the players began to gather on her again.
"Why is she acting this way again?"
"I don't know, it's a crazy bitch, she wanted to get attention from the beginning, but she fucked up."
Realizing that it was Sylvia who shouted, the players began to once again pour curses on the hated Sylvia.
Hearing all of this, Sylvia lowered her head again.
"Is once not enough?"
I smiled evilly and approached her again.
"Why are you alive? Why don't you die?"
"Don't you have any friends? Outcast loser."
"Who the hell are you?!"
Phew~
'That was close.'
After I did it once or twice, Sylvia kept her eyes open and began looking around her to see who had cursed her.
But it didn't matter to me.
There was no need for me to go further than this.
Sylvia screamed several times, and a more effective means of attack was automatically started for her.
"Why is such a bitch here?"
"It was already so difficult to focus, plus this bitch's yell, I almost failed because of her."
"I think this is all her plan."
Multiple gazes and people whispering abusive words.
In the end, it made Sylvia shed tears of agony.
"Ah-"
Her breath stopped for a moment.
"Sylvia"
And it was at that time that Roman called her name, and Sylvia's body absorbed the mana rays.
Realizing the opportunity, I activated two of my skills at the same time, one on me, and the other on Sylvia.
[Activated: Stealth]
[Activated: Intimidation]
Sylvia felt a shudder run through her body, as though she had been struck by an invisible force.
Because of her already broken mentality, the fear she felt from the skill 'Intimidation' multiplied countless times, as she stood frozen in terror.
It was also at that time that the mana rays, which could have been easily stopped by her body's innate mana, ran rampant in her body.
"Ahhhh!"
A heart wrenching scream resounded throughout the auditorium.
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[A/N: Shout out to "MindlessFly" and "TWISTEK" Thanks a lot for the Inspiration Capsules.]
[This bonus chapter was longer than normal ones, so it took a little longer than expected. I hope you guys enjoy it.]