I Became an Illegal Cheat User

4 – Entrance Exam (4)

The theme of the second test.

‘Courage (勇氣)’.

What is suitable to test ‘courage,’ which corresponds to a person’s heart (心), mental strength, and the like?

It is none other than ‘fear.’

The test determines whether one can overcome that fear.

In contrast to the maze where all examinees moved together in the first test, the second test takes place in individually assigned sealed rooms.

The test of courage is about overcoming the fear created by ‘phantoms.’

Why take such a test?

In reality, the world of ‘Arena Academy’ may appear peaceful, but delving just a bit deeper reveals that peace is distant. Although the game’s theme is ‘duels,’ this RPG incorporates elements that allow characters to move outside the academy for their growth.

However, when moving from the urban setting of the academy to other areas, especially remote ones, the atmosphere of the game becomes extremely dark.

The reason for this is the ‘fallen’ individuals.

While the extraterrestrial beings appearing in the later stages of the game are indeed dangerous, the ones bringing destruction to the human realm (人界) are also the ‘fallen.’

Areas with transcendent beings, like the city where the academy is located, may not prominently display the fallen, but regions lacking transcendent beings and having lower security often see the fallen freely roaming.

People living in such places are always engulfed in anxiety and fear.

They never know when they might be captured or abducted by the fallen, becoming a sacrifice that summons the presence of extraterrestrial beings.

And it is because of such fallen individuals that one place has turned into ruins.

That place is none other than China.

A country with vast land and an enormous population.

There was no better place for the fallen to thrive.

As a result of the fallen making that their main activity area, an immense number of people became the prey of the fallen, offered as sacrifices, summoning a multitude of extraterrestrial beings.

As most regions in China became contaminated by magic (魔), turning into prohibited zones for humans, fortunately, the first-generation transcendent beings united and risked their lives to fight against the extraterrestrial beings, banishing them. This ensured the safety of other countries.

However, China is still referred to as the ‘continent of death,’ where people cannot live, strictly prohibiting human entry.

Given such examples, the legend who established the Arena Academy, the first-generation transcendent being who is still alive today, ‘War God (武神) Baek Yuhwa,’ treats academy students equally regardless of their background but favors those with high skills and a heroic spirit.

This principle remains unchanged even now, so even though the themes of the tests change each time, the focus is always on evaluating ‘skill’ and ‘heroic spirit,’ unlike the first test, which assessed the examinee’s ‘capacity (器量).’

The second test, the “Trial of Courage,” examines the examinee’s “heroic spirit.”

But just like the first test, there’s a loophole.

I reached into my inventory and retrieved the items I had prepared for this test.

“Whew.”

I took a deep breath.

The preparation for this test wasn’t entirely safe.

The item I had in my hand could potentially turn me into a cripple if mishandled.

However, I had safety measures in place, so it should be fine.

Shhh.

Now, as if the test had begun, a white fog began to fill the enclosed room I had entered.

This fog was an artificial creation inspired by the “Fog of Death” found in the prohibited zone of “Centralia” in the United States.

While the “Fog of Death” had lethal properties, the “Illusion Fog” didn’t directly cause death. However, it maximized a person’s fear, making it dangerous in its own right.

That’s why it was only used for tests in confined spaces like this, not in wider areas.

“But accidents might happen in the next examinees’ tests.”

An examinee with an S-rank skill called “Daydream” caused a major incident when they came into contact with this illusion fog.

The “Daydream” skill allowed one to bring their imagination to life in reality.

However, when an examinee with this skill encountered the Illusion Fog, they became so consumed by fear that they unwittingly materialized something dangerously alien in reality.

As a result, a state of emergency was declared in the city, and the test was terminated abruptly.

But that was a problem for later.

There shouldn’t be any issues with this test.

Anyway, after seeing the fog filling the enclosed room, I looked down at the item in my hand.

“It’s insane…”

There was nothing as certain to help me pass this test as this item.

A small bottle, about 150ml in size, shaped like a vial.

Inside, a liquid shimmered with a rainbow of colors.

It had the appearance of something you definitely shouldn’t drink.

But in reality… it wasn’t just a “something you shouldn’t drink,” it was a substance you absolutely must not consume.

If anyone who knew what this liquid was saw it, they would likely exclaim, “Are you trying to drink that? Are you out of your mind?”

That’s how dangerous this liquid was.

So, what was this liquid?

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【Unicorn’s Tears (C-)】

A potion made by mixing unicorn horn and fairy dust.

*Due to an inexperienced alchemist’s incorrect blend, the effects of ‘abnormal conditions’ have been heightened.

– Upon consumption, Mental -5, Mana +2 temporarily applied.

– Upon consumption, ‘Hallucination (B)’ abnormal condition applied.

– Upon consumption, ‘Poisoning (B)’ abnormal condition applied.

────────────────────

It’s a favorite among the drug aficionados in the underworld.

However, it wasn’t acquired from there.

Ingredients for the potion were personally gathered, taken to the alchemy workshop, and entrusted to an apprentice alchemist for crafting.

And as expected of an apprentice, their potion-making skills were lacking, enhancing not the positive effects but rather the negative effects of ‘abnormal conditions.’

Yet, it was precisely these effects that were anticipated, hence the request to the apprentice.

Satisfied with the resulting product, emptied the last bit of available funds to purchase the potions.

Pulling out one of those potions from the inventory, the ‘Unicorn’s Tears,’ tightly grasped it in the opposite hand.

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【Intermediate Antidote (B+)】

An antidote crafted by a skilled alchemist.

*Crafted by a skilled alchemist who balanced the ingredients in the golden ratio, enhancing its effects.

– Upon consumption, Antidote (B+) applied.

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Antidote (B+).

Effectively cures all abnormal conditions of rank B or below.

There’s no skill for it, but perhaps due to the game setting, it seemed as though possessing the ‘Emotion’ skill allowed viewing information about items. Thanks to this, among the potions available at the alchemy workshop, ones of superior quality at the same price could be chosen and purchased.

Ssshh…

A chamber filled with swirling misty illusions.

So blurred that distinguishing between front and back was impossible.

Yet, only for a moment.

As the effect of the mist began, the haziness twisted, revealing something amidst the fog.

– Cr-r-r-r.

Enveloped by the mist of illusion, whether due to sensory confusion or not, the distant echoes of an animal’s growl reverberated.

And at some point, the distinctive large pupils of reptiles began to appear in the retina.

A single blink of those long and large pupils, longer than two average adult men, rapidly intensified the fear.

Shiver, shiver, shiver.

Like a pine tree trembling in the wind, the body shook uncontrollably.

Before that colossal illusion fully revealed itself, I drank the ‘Tears of the Unicorn’ I had in my hand.

Gulp.

Liquid passing through the throat.

And immediately, the effect manifested.

Ssshhhhh.

The mist retreated, and the enormous pupils faded away.

The hallucinogenic state marked as ‘B’ was taking full effect.

‘Poison against poison.’

There’s a saying: “To counteract poison, use another poison.”

It’s using a different poison to eliminate the existing one.

Although it will be revealed later, the illusion grade of the illusion fog used in the exam is ‘B-.’

It’s not a very high grade because it was created for the examinees’ tests, but without intermediate-level talent or skills related to mental resilience, one would be completely consumed by the illusion. This is a kind of ‘debuff.’

So, the discovered method is using items related to ‘debuff’ like this ‘Tears of the Unicorn.’

The reason for using this method is that some debuffs can stack, while others cannot.

Illusion of the illusion fog: ‘Illusion (幻影).’

Hallucination of the Unicorn potion: ‘Hallucination (幻覺).’

Although they seem the same, they are categorized differently.

Perhaps that’s why, even with the same debuff, if they don’t belong to the same category, they won’t stack, and the higher-grade debuff takes precedence.

‘The effect of the fog has disappeared.’

The characteristic of the illusion fog, ‘amplification of fear,’ disappeared.

The stillness of the body was evidence of that.

Instead.

Shiver.

The body started trembling for a different reason.

It was another state beyond the potion, a condition called ‘poisoning.’

The body was craving for the medicine.

“Heh, hehehe.”

The corners of the mouth rose on their own as laughter spilled out.

A hazy mist seeped in like the color of the potion, and a pleasant illusion began to unfold.

Now, joy surged more than fear.

‘Quickly.’

Before the symptoms worsened, I hurriedly moved.

Toward the passage point faintly visible beyond that mist.

Steps tangled, and the body swayed.

Fortunately, the sealed room wasn’t too large.

Ding.

────────────────────

You have passed the second test, the ‘Test of Courage.’

Your ranking, ‘Lee Yujin,’ is ‘3rd.’

────────────────────

I managed to reach the passage point.

‘Hurry, quickly.’

Immediately after passing the test, I hastily popped the antidote into my mouth.

Though my hands were shaking severely, I didn’t spill the contents as I opened the seal of the antidote and shoved it into my mouth.

Gulp.

The moment the liquid passed through the throat into the stomach.

“Uweeek!”

I vomited everything in my stomach at the otherworldly bitterness sensed on my tongue.

It felt like my insides were flipping.

The taste was so bitter that my head felt like it was going to split.

Nevertheless, I clearly felt the abnormal states of ‘hallucination’ and ‘poisoning’ disappearing.

But I resolved with this incident.

To definitely obtain talents or skills related to mental resistance.

So that it never happens again.

“I will not drink this potion.”

&

&

&

Meanwhile, in the monitoring room.

Among the instructors observing the ‘courage’ of the test takers.

Two instructors focused on monitoring Lee Yujin.

“Crazy bastard….”

The female instructor sighed with a weary expression.

“hahahahaha! Well, that’s courage, too! hahahahaha!”

The male instructor slapped his forehead and burst into laughter.

These two instructors were well aware of Yujin’s courage.