How did the saying go again?


    ''When confronted with a challenging situation, always remember to approach it with a smile!''


    I was pretty certain that the ''genius'' who invented that statement never had to face a horde of monsters though.


    ''I mean, noints… just saying.''


    That didn''t stop me from donning my usual bullshitting smile as I responded to my name.


    The moment of truth was finally here.


    I simply had to try my hardest not to screw things up.


    "And so it begins…" I muttered, stepping into the ring.


    My heart raced as the cage dropped from the ceiling, trapping me in with ferocious monsters. There was no escape.


    ''It''s my first time fighting monsters… this feels kinda scary.''


    But, I had gone past the point of no return—literally.


    [SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]


    New Secondary Quest Added:


    [You are taking the Adventurer''s Combat Exam. Disy the overwhelming power worthy of a Hero and be a Legend.]


    Rewards: Addition Of A Particr Person to the Character List. +5 Stat Points. +10 Karmic Value.


    Failure: Loss Of Reputation From Spectators (Depending on how bad the failure is, you could gain a bad reputation)


    Additional Information: Depending on how well youplete this mission, additional Rewards


    will be given for Achievements.


    [End Of Information]


    As expected, the System didn''t let me off the hook this time.


    Of course, this meant I had to do my best to gain as many bonuses as possible for Achievements.


    ''Inventory…'' I quickly summoned my Godying de—a Katana I had ordered as an Anime Merch, back when I was still in my regr world.


    Usually, such a weapon would be dead weight, but after fighting Lucy, I decided to give it an upgrade.


    Resolving to utilize all I had been learning in terms ofbat, I maintained a fighting stance and awaited the appearance of the first monster.


    The gate opened, and my target stepped out, sporting a disgusting smile.


    "KRRIIIIIII!!!" The Goblin did not waste any time before lunging at me.


    >SWOOOSH<


    I returned the favor by unsheathing my de and sliding forward in one swift movement.


    It was like a sh of light, a cool move that was only achievable because of my enchanted sneakers and Rune de.


    >SPLOOOSHHH!!!<


    Blood spurted out of the Goblin''s neck as it waspletely decapitated.


    Just like that—in seconds—I killed my first monster.


    ''Damn… it''s not as hard as I thought.'' I smiled to myself, looking at my bloodied katana.


    It had three runes embedded in it.


    One was for heightened sharpness, the second was for greater durability, and thest? Well…


    "Bring it on." I smiled, my de glowing a bright white color as the as my next opponents sauntered in through the gate.


    "A-aura sword?!"


    "He has that Skill?"


    "But, doesn''t that burn through Mana faster than normal? Is it truly wise to use that at the start of the match?"


    "What a fool."


    "This is getting interesting…"


    I could hear them whispering about me from beyond the cage, which meant their focus was on me. If I screwed up now, things would get really bad.


    But, I nned on being as outstanding as I possibly could.


    I wasn''t overly powerful, sure. However, no one was as skilled as me, at putting up a good show in this godforsaken ce.


    "Come," I whispered, narrowing my vision on the three Goblins that lunged at me with absolute ferocity.


    ''If I think of them as green dogs, they''re not that scary…''


    Besides, I was pretty much unaffected by killing monsters due to the numerous times I had visualized doing so.


    ''After taking down the first one, the rest aren''t much of a bother.''


    Increasing my speed, thanks to the enchanted shoes I had on, I swiftly dashed in the direction of the three opponents and unleashed a roundabout strike, cutting down all three of their heads at once.


    The white trail of my energy spread across the area, burning their flesh and sizzling blood.


    "That''s four down." My voice echoed through the area as the corpsesnded on the ground with a thud.


    The next batch would be a group of five who had weapons.


    Fighting armed opponents would normally be tricky, but not for me.


    ''As long as I can see iting, I can respond appropriately.''


    Thanks to [Insight], [Five Seconds Rule], and [Freedom Of Expression], I could fight like a seasoned expert.


    There was no way I would lose to a couple of inexperienced monsters.


    The monsters lunged at me, roaring with their des tightly locked in their grasp.


    I could see where they would strike, and how long it would take for them to strike.


    Swiftly taking action, I took the initiative and took to the ground.


    shing their hind limbs, I instantly caused the Goblins to lose bnce. They yelped in pain as their bodies fell.


    Once they were in unstable forms, it was much easier tond killing blows on them.


    ''Compared to Lucy, these guys are chumps! Fighting them wasn''t as difficult as I imagined.''


    Unlike back then, I now had a functional weapon.


    I had also learned many good moves that allowed me to respond to any situation I saw, using my precognitive ability.


    Having a good grasp of my surroundings helped as well, so I was in control of the tide of the battle.


    ''They don''t have very high durability, so it''s possible to take them down with my weapon… but how long will thatst?''


    My Godying de could trap in Mana and release it when I desired. That was the third function I gave it.


    Like a battery, it took time to charge, and I couldn''t use the power released indefinitely. Sooner orter, the Mana flowing through my weapon would run out.


    Was I worried about that, though?


    ''Not a chance!'' I grinned, wholly anticipating the next challenge.


    To be honest, I was initially worried about the oue of my battle, but after watching the others fight I realized something.


    ''The people in this world have limited Skills. Even Lucy only had three—same with Sarah…''


    Sure, I was on the losing end in Stats, but I had more than enough Skills topensate for my shorings.


    With a broad smile, I shook off the green blood of my enemies and awaited the next group of opponents.


    ''Let''s see how far I can go!''


    ****************************************


    [Skills]


    <1> Five Seconds Rule


    <2> Rune crafting


    <3> Freedom Of Expression


    <4> With Great Responsibility, There Must Also Come Great Power;


    —Warrior''s Skin (Byron)


    —Blessing Of Recovery (Sarah)


    —Mana Strengthening (Lucy)


    <5> Insight


    <6> Martial Arts


    [Titles]


    <1> Hero


    <2> Fraud


    <3> Conqueror