The Academy’s Weapon Replicator

...Well.

Of course, most of it was a lie.

First off, the 'firework' doesn't work with just an arrow.

It's completed with the combination of the bow 'Khryselakatos' and the arrow 'Iokeira', but I just shot an arrow.

In essence, it's capable of splitting and showering down like rain, but although it might 'look' feasible, these arrows don't come with a tracking feature that hits every vital point of the opponent.

Then, why didn't I use the bow? Because even if I did, it couldn't track anyway.

The near-mystical tracking ability of this bow requires me to see the target with my own eyes. Hitting an enemy whose location is unknown, like with Binkis right now, is impossible.

But I'm the only one who knows this fact.

Bluffing should work just fine.

Of course, I thought it was a really good idea. A tactic that fits perfectly with my skill, 'Weaving'.

But since this final exam is about proving my worth to Enfer,

I won't keep hiding as I have been.

[Hey, you, yeah, you, are you really going to shoot?]

Hmm.

The bluff seemed to have worked perfectly.

"Do you need to prepare yourself? Then, I'll count to three,"

[Hey! Hey!! Heeey!!]

It was almost a scream.

It seems like she's genuinely afraid of me. Feels strange. I'm not even planning to hit for real.

It's fortunate that Binkis doesn't know much about me. If the opponent had been Jane, this bluff might not have worked.

But now that it's come to this, let's push a bit more.

I need a proper reason to target her, other than just being a madman.

"The thing is, I know."

[What, what do you know?]

"This exam, it's deceiving the students."

[……!]

Binkis stopped talking.

Normally, she would've immediately stuck out her feet shamelessly, but maybe her mental state was shaken.

[What, what are you talking about?]

Still, she sticks out her feet, huh. Yeah.

"You're trying to instill a sense of defeat in the students from the start, aren't you? Saying that the student who handles the most incidents is ranked first is a lie."

[Oh, that's not true? If you actually go through the alerts in sequence,]

Crack! Crunch!

I repeatedly drove my spear into the golem.

I had practiced weaving until I could simultaneously cast four spells by the time of this exam. Having previously defeated a chimera also boosted my experience, so improving was quick.

Of course, Binkis's golem was tough, but the 'Imperial Armory' was beyond that level. Money truly is powerful.

I walked past the fallen golem towards another one nearby.

[Hey! Do you have any idea how much all this costs? The core is completely shattered and can't even be repaired!]

"If you're so concerned about the cost, let's have a more honest conversation."

This final practical exam is designed for the freshmen to fail.

That was something I knew beforehand.

And personally, I wasn't really dissatisfied with this system.

Facing the 'monsters outside' brings greater despair. Experiencing a minor failure beforehand reduces the panic when the actual situation arises, making it possible to cope and eventually recover from it.

But that's a different story.

Knowing what I know does make me feel somewhat disgusted.

And nothing could justify my actions to Binkis better than this.

"You might not realize it, but I'm quite angry."

Of course, that was a lie.

[Angry, you say?]

"Not just me, but all the students are giving their all for a practical exam they're bound to fail. Knowing that makes one feel disgusted."

That was partly true.

Why else would upperclassmen be scouted and vow revenge? They've already faced despair and are trying to rise above it.

However, there had never been a precedent for winning this "exam destined for defeat." From the perspective of the upperclassmen who had already faced despair, this system would not seem fair.

Defeat was predetermined. It felt to me like the overarching theme of the game "Etius."

"This practical test was a 'miniature version of a pro exam.'"

And to me, this practical test was also akin to a miniature version of "Etius."

I was sick of failing, and the thought of defeat was irritating.

"I have to win this practical test, by any means necessary."

I picked up the arrow again, ready to shoot the glowing arrow at any moment.

"If you won't tell me the location, that's fine. The result will be the same anyway."

[Ah, fine. You win. I'll tell you. This place is...]

"It's already too late."

[Wait! Just a minute! I'll tell you, okay? Do you really have to kill someone? I get that you're angry about the exam, but did I create it? Hey!]

He was right. Binkis had contributed nothing to this system. If there was any fault to find, it was perhaps in keeping secrets.

I kept a stern face and said,

"That's true. In fact, your location isn't important. I'm not really going to kill you. Tell me about someone else."

[Someone else?]

"Yes. The other teachers. All their locations."

[...I don't know.]

"I'll count to three."

[Hey! I really don't know! This time I truly have no idea!]

"Don't lie. The alarm went off simultaneously. You figured out the students' team formations and where the teachers were positioned based on that. How could you do that without knowing each other's locations?"

[Ugh.]

"Three, two, one─"

[Ah, alright alright! You students are so impatient.]

"When saving someone in danger, you need to act quickly."

[You really don't let anything go!]

Like this.

I had successfully disabled the first alert. And gained valuable information.

I felt like a villain, but what's done is done.