Chapter 20 – The Cost of Carelessness
After killing the tiger, Nero's body finally gave in.
The arm that had delivered the final punch—his right arm—was completely shattered. Not just fractured, but broken to the
point that even lifting it sent waves of agony through his body. Blood covered him, soaking into the soil beneath his feet.
Every step hurt.
Breathing hurt.
Staying conscious hurt.
Clenching his teeth, Nero forced himself to move. He needed shelter—now. Wandering through the forest aimlessly, guided
only by instinct, he finally found a small, ordinary cave hidden behind thick bushes.
"…Good enough."
He stumbled inside and collapsed near the wall.
With trembling fingers, he took off his shattered gauntlet and tossed it aside. The metal was warped and cracked, almost
useless.
After catching his breath, he reached for his storage ring.
Inside—
Elixirs.
So many of them.
Too many.
"System," Nero muttered weakly. "Show healing elixirs."
A list immediately appeared before his eyes. With the system's help, he quickly identified one suitable for his condition.
Without hesitation, he uncorked the vial and drank it.
The taste was bitter.
Then—
Cool energy spread through his body like a gentle tide, washing over his nerves and bones. Nero immediately sat down,
crossed his legs, and began cultivating his Flame Art, guiding the elixir's power through his mana channels.
The pain didn't vanish instantly.
Instead, it slowly faded.
The shattered bones in his arm began to knit together. Torn flesh reformed, muscles tightened, and warmth replaced the
sharp agony that had consumed him moments ago.
Hours passed.
When Nero finally opened his eyes, the cave was silent.
He looked down at his right arm.
Perfect.
No scars.
No cracks.
It was as if the injury had never existed.
Nero flexed his fingers slowly, then clenched his fist.
"…Alive," he whispered.
Nero – POV
"Ha… I almost died back there."
Even though he knew that death inside the exam would only teleport him outside, the experience still clung to him. The fear.
The pain. The feeling of being so close to the end.
That wasn't something a teleportation could erase.
"I always thought joining the academy would be easy," I muttered.
"Free food. Free wine. A relaxed life."
I had never taken this world seriously.
I treated it like a novel.
I thought I could casually pass the entrance exam and stroll into Valerian Academy without effort.
Reality hit me hard.
First—my weapon.
I used cheap gauntlets, bought like trash from a roadside stall. In the fight against the tiger, they shattered like mud. If they
hadn't broken, my arm might not have taken that much damage.
Second—time management.
I wasted days at the southern beach, treating the exam like a vacation. Fishing. Remembering my mother. If I hadn't wasted
that time, I might have encountered cadets instead of wandering into an adept-peak monster.
Third—
I shouldn't have come here at all.
I could have earned money another way. Taken a job. Trained longer. Prepared properly.
I clenched my fists.
"I was foolish."
Regret settled deep in my chest.
I stayed silent in the cave, listening to my own breathing, when—
A presence entered.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Heavy.
Someone else had come into the cave.
And Nero knew immediately—
This guest wasn't ordinary.
It was Viara.
The lunatic beastkin.