An Extra’s Rise in an Eroge

The academy grounds were packed. Nearly a thousand first-years had gathered, forming long lines in front of the massive forest gate.

At a glance, one might think this was a grand ceremony—but the truth was far harsher.

The Hunting Field Test carried only one meaning:

Hunt your way to the top—or be hunted.

After months of sheltered training, this was the first real test where lives were on the line. More than one student had died in past years, torn apart by monsters inside the hunting grounds. The staff and instructors prepared meticulously, but what could they do against infiltration?

Moles were among the students. Their targets were clear—the heirs of noble houses, especially those with powerful backings. Alex, Eveline, and Nadia had been high on that list. Many were set to be kidnapped, others killed. It was meant to be a bloodbath.

But now things were different.

Alex was no longer the academy's brightest star. He wasn't the top student anymore.

That spotlight had shifted—to me.

The "genius of this generation." The one everyone whispered about.

Which meant the assassins' crosshairs might very well shift too.

When the appointed time arrived, fifteen instructors and twenty assistants marched onto the field. Their presence instantly silenced the restless crowd. The students lined up, hearts pounding as they were each handed a copy of the map.

Instructor Luke stepped forward, his voice booming:

"Listen carefully! I'll explain the test!"

"Your goal is simple. Clear the obstacles, climb to the top of Mace Hill, and cross the finish line. Stamp your hands on the registration plate to complete the trial."

"On the path, you will face all manner of threats—monsters, golems crafted by our faculty, demonic beasts, and even chimeras. Multiple routes are marked on the back of your maps. The shorter the path, the greater the danger. Choose wisely."

"This test evaluates everything—decision-making, combat ability, survival instincts. Naturally, those who finish first will be rewarded the most. Your rank here will influence your standing for the rest of the year."

"If you wish to forfeit, fire the emergency flare provided. Guards will rescue you immediately—but you will fail. And failing another test after this means…" He let the words hang, and everyone understood. Expulsion.

The crowd buzzed with nerves. Some students clenched their fists, ignited with fighting spirit. Others paled, trembling. Not everyone came to Horizon to be warriors—many were alchemists, engineers, blacksmiths, healers, or researchers. But as awakened, their bodies were stronger than ordinary humans. At the very least, they had to protect themselves.

I tucked the map away and scanned the students around me. Teams were already forming. Some clustered with friends, others grouped for survival. Instructors encouraged teamwork—it raised chances of survival, especially for the weaker ones.

But I had no plans to join anyone. I intended to disappear, to move alone.

As I cut through the crowd, I spotted Cedric.

For a moment, I considered. Then decided. A warning might be in order.

"Cedric," I said evenly, "be careful today. Danger lurks ahead."

He raised a brow. "If you're so worried, why don't we team up?"

I smirked. "I would—but your strength would only drag me down."

"You—!" Cedric's temper flared, his hand twitching as if ready to point a finger at me.

But Kaela slid in beside him, resting a calming hand on his arm. "Calm down, darling. It's not like he's wrong."

"You too?!" Cedric snapped, deflated like a popped balloon.

Kaela giggled. "Ha-ha, I was joking. Of course, my darling is the strongest."

Cedric turned away with a humph. "No need to sugarcoat your words."

Kaela leaned in closer, smiling sweetly. "But I mean it."

Watching the syrupy atmosphere, I sighed inwardly and stepped away from them. I'd had enough dog food for the day.

After that Arthur met with Alicia gave her some life saving artifactas that he bought from system mall earlier and also made his beast companion Ignis to protect her.

He also met with Evelyn, Akira, Nadia and others giving them some insights, informing them of some dangers to keep an eye on.

~~~~

They were soon teleported to a dense forest where the test was to be conducted.

Arthur squinted as the sudden brightness of the canopy pierced his eyes. The teleportation circle beneath his feet dissolved into fading motes of light, leaving only the earthy smell of moss and damp leaves.

How much mana stone would have been spent to teleport such a large number of students? Arthur wondered. A massive drain of resources for just a test… the academy was truly extravagant.

But he had no time to dwell on that thought.

A heavy shadow loomed above him.

With a thunderous crash, a hulking stone fist smashed down toward his head. Arthur twisted aside, the blow sinking into the ground and shaking the earth. Dust and chunks of rock burst upward.

"Tch." Arthur's eyes narrowed.

Before the golem could pull back its embedded fist, Arthur's body moved on instinct. His sword, Abyssal Fang, whistled in a swift arc. The pitch-black blade cut through the stone torso with frightening ease.

Crack!

The golem's body split in half cleanly, its two pieces crashing heavily to the ground.

Arthur barely even slowed his steps.

Normally, cutting through a golem was no easy feat—its body was forged of reinforced mana-stone, designed to shrug off iron and steel. But Arthur wasn't wielding some average sword. Abyssal Fang, a legendary weapon, sliced through even hardened stone like it was no more than wet parchment.

If the instructors spectating the exam knew what weapon Arthur was holding, there would've been uproar across the entire academy. But no one recognized it. The weapon's appearance had shifted since Arthur obtained it, its form cloaked under layers of abyssal energy.

High above, tiny bird-shaped constructs hovered quietly, their faint crystal eyes gleaming. To the untrained eye, they looked like odd mechanical birds. But they were one of the marvels of magi-tech—autonomous scouts, not unlike drones from Earth. They didn't need a controller, each equipped with enough artificial intelligence to follow students, broadcast their actions, and send clear images to the instructors watching far away.

Arthur spared them a glance. So they're monitoring everything this way, huh. Figures.

He refocused his gaze ahead.

A deep rumble rolled across the forest floor. Branches shook violently, leaves scattering as if in a storm.

From the treeline, a line of golems advanced. Dozens of them. They varied in shape and size—massive juggernauts with heavy, lumbering steps, smaller units darting with surprising speed, and a few designed like beasts rather than men, crawling on all fours.

Their presence pressed down like a moving wall of stone.

Arthur assessed them quickly. C to D-class monsters at best. Durable, but stiff. Predictable. No brains, only pre-programmed attack patterns. Dangerous for the weak, but not impossible if you played smart.

Shouts broke out among the students.

"They're here!"

"Don't let them surround us!"

"Take the small ones down first!"

And then chaos erupted.

Students scattered, forming makeshift groups or charging recklessly at the constructs. Steel clashed against stone. Spells lit up the forest with bursts of light, flame, and lightning.

The wolves and the sheep had finally collided.

But at that moment, no one could tell which side belonged to the wolves—and which were the sheep.