Days passed, and before I knew it, the time had come to become a knight.
When I arrived at the testing grounds, I was met with a massive crowd. Dozens—no, hundreds—of people had gathered, all hoping to earn the title of knight. Curiosity got the better of me, so I activated Eagle Eye.
Levels detected: 10–40.
Most of them were around my age. Some looked confident, others nervous, gripping their weapons like lifelines.
Soon, an instructor stepped forward and raised his voice.
"We'll be placing you into groups of three. You'll have five minutes to prepare before the test begins."
I was assigned to a small group with two others.
One of them, a tall boy with sharp eyes, spoke first.
Kim Hyun: "We should introduce ourselves and say what we're good at. It'll help during the test."
A short girl with soft features stepped forward next.
Baek Ha-rin: "My name is Baek Ha-rin. I'm really good at healing and spellcasting."
Her voice was calm, but there was confidence behind it.
Then… it was my turn.
I took a breath.
Kim Jihoon: "My name is Kim Jihoon. I don't really have one specific thing I'm good at."
The instructor's voice echoed across the testing grounds.
"The knight examination will consist of three phases. Only those who pass all three will be recognized as knights."
A murmur rippled through the crowd.
"For the first phase, you will be teleported into a dungeon arena. A fixed number of monsters will spawn within the arena. The teams that defeat the most monsters will advance to the second phase."
He paused, letting the pressure sink in.
"You will each be provided with a standard sword. Use it well."
Before anyone could respond, a blinding light swallowed us whole.
When my vision cleared, I was standing inside a massive stone arena. The air was heavy, thick with the smell of blood and damp earth
Then—
Monsters began pouring in.
I didn't hesitate.
Goblins rushed us first, shrieking as they charged. I cut them down one after another, followed by a pack of wolves that lunged from the shadows. Their movements were predictable—too slow.
Lv. 12. Lv. 14. Weak.
But the real test hadn't started yet.
The ground shook.
Massive figures emerged from the darkness—ogres, their clubs dragging against the stone, and enormous reptilian creatures with thick scales and glowing eyes.
"Stay close!" I shouted.
With Ha-rin's healing keeping us standing and Hyun holding the front line, we fought back wave after wave. Every strike pushed us closer to our limits—but also made us stronger.
Level up.
Level up.
I dumped most of my stat points into Mana and Agility. Speed mattered here. So did endurance.
Then—
A sharp pain stabbed behind my eyes.
[New Skill Acquired]
Future Sight (Active)
Allows the user to perceive an enemy's attack one second before it occurs.
Information flooded my mind all at once.
At the same time, my head throbbed violently.
"…So that's the cost," I muttered, feeling my mana drain rapidly.
High energy consumption. Massive mental strain.
Still—
As an ogre swung its club down, the world slowed.
I moved before it happened.
The attack missed by inches.
I focused, forcing the pain behind my eyes down as I continued predicting the ogre's movements.
One second.
That was all Future Sight gave me—but it was enough.
The ogre's club shifted slightly to the left.
I moved before the attack even began.
My blade flashed upward, slipping past its guard. The ogre let out a final roar before collapsing to the ground, its massive body shaking the arena as it fell.
I exhaled and quickly scanned the battlefield.
Kim Hyun was holding the front line without issue, shrugging off blow after blow as if they barely mattered. Behind him, Baek Ha-rin calmly cast healing spells, her mana flowing steadily as she kept him standing.
They're doing fine.
Moments later, a loud horn echoed through the dungeon.
—Phase One Complete—
The monsters froze, then dissolved into particles of light.
As the tension finally lifted, I walked over to Kim Hyun.
"What's your ability?" I asked.
He glanced at me, then smirked.
"Secret."
Before I could press further, the air in front of us distorted.
The instructor appeared, holding a glowing tablet filled with names.
"These are the teams advancing to the second phase," he announced.
My eyes scanned the list.
…There.
Our team's name was near the top.
We had done more than just pass.
We were one of the highest-scoring teams to advance to Phase Two.