A Sinner’s Chance

The assessment grounds were split into to two distinct areas, though both were indoors in the same building. The first area was where one took a test to determine what accumulated knowledge you had and an area for physical examination, where the supervisors could judge your actual proficiency with your Skills. It was only required that you complete one of the assessments if you weren't going to attend any classes related to the assessment, such as a noble's child who was only here to learn politics and manners, however most people chose to take both so they could expand their options.

The knowledge assessment test wasn't extremely difficult, mostly just testing basic knowledge and skills, but it did become more complex as you got farther into it. While I wasn't sure how well I did on the history or religion sections as I didn't know that much beyond the basics, I was confident in my language and math skills and managed to complete far more of those sections.

The physical test area wasn't actually in the real world, but rather in the Dreamscape, a place that existed like a dream. There were bed-like altars with complex magical formula carved into them and by laying down and supplying a bit of mana you would be connected to the Dreamscape. They did this because it allowed one to use potentially lethal Skills that one wouldn't normally be able to demonstrate as while dying or getting wounded in the Dreamscape might leave a phantom pain once you awoke, but there would be no actual damage done to your real body.

Upon entering the Dreamscape I found myself in a stone room filled with all sorts of armor and weaponry. Behind me was a metal portcullis that led out into what looked to be an arena, one that a gladiator might have fought in. Sandy ground and an open blue sky above with spectator seats that were empty, other than a few orbs of light in some of the seats.

As I glanced around I noticed a plaque with a small inscription. 'Arm yourself well, this is your only chance. Once you've picked three pieces of equipment exit into the arena to begin the assessment.'

Three pieces seemed like a small number, especially considering that there was only one chance to choose. I was rather confident in my Carapace so I decided to forgo armor and grabbed three weapons instead, an arming sword as that was the only weapon I was familiar with, a two-handed warhammer that had a pick-like spike on one side, and a light crossbow. I'd originally wanted to get a more powerful crossbow but my strength wasn't up to the task so I had to make do with the lighter one, it was the best ranged option I had as I'd never used a regular bow.

Once I'd picked the weapons and strapped them to my body I grew my carapace, my limbs slowing growing the black chitin until they were fully covered. The only real wounds I feared were losing a limb or something that could instantly kill me as over the years I'd learned the extent that my regeneration was capable of. I'd yet to lose a limb, and I wasn't sure if I could regrow one, but I'd had broken bones, extremely deep cuts, and even some serious burns that had all healed within a few days. On top of that I'd gained the Skill Undying Fortitude which was sure to make it harder for me to die, I was planning on taking full advantage of the Dreamscape to figure out how much each of my current abilities was capable of dealing with.

Once I'd stepped onto the sandy ground off the stone floor of the armory room the portcullis lowered behind me, while another began to raise on the other side, once it had completely raised a small shape leapt out, a slime. It was a bit larger that a basketball and translucent, though it lacked any color and just slowly hopped its way towards me.

The hardest part of killing a slime was being able to hit its nucleus, the core that kept it together. It moved around freely in a slime's body making it difficult to hit without some kind of area of effect attack, but as slime's themselves weren't particularly smart or strong even an untrained child could eventually defeat an unevolved one, though further along their evolution they became smarter and more dangerous.