I Became the Must-Have Character of the Academy City

“Huh?”

The place where I was standing wasn’t the filming set lined with cameras.

Out of nowhere, a new world unfolded before me.@@novelbin@@

Modern-looking buildings basked under a brilliantly shining sun in a clear blue sky.
The shops nestled between towering skyscrapers had strangely familiar names and designs.
The vehicles passing on the roads were all models I couldn’t recognize.

“What is this place...? Where’s the shoot? And that staff member?”

The things coming into my view didn’t make any sense.
My brain rejected the implications, unable to reconcile the information before me.
The breeze brushing against my skin and the faint scent in the air carried an overwhelming sense of reality, leaving me bewildered.

My mind went blank, and I found myself unable to move.

How long had I been standing there in a daze?
The sound of cheerful chatter pierced through my dazed consciousness.

─ "If I fail today’s placement exam, Mom said she’ll cut my allowance!"
─ "You kept saying you were good at memorizing but didn’t even cram for the test, did you?"
─ "Ugh, I don’t know! What am I supposed to do now...?"

The lively energy of their conversation snapped me out of my stupor.

“Haah.”

Closing my eyes tightly, I exhaled deeply.
Then, without hesitation, I bit down hard on my tongue, feeling the sharp pain and the metallic taste of blood fill my mouth.

“At least... this isn’t a dream, is it?”

The vivid sensations affirmed that I was alive.
I came to terms with the fact that this situation was real.

I moved my gaze from side to side, trying to gather as much information as possible.

The passersby had natural yet vibrant hair colors and eye colors that stood out.
Some of them even had animal ears and tails, blending seamlessly into the crowd.
No one gave them a second glance—it was entirely normal here.

Most of the people around me wore identical uniforms and were heading in the same direction.

"Those uniforms..."

Of course, I recognized them.
The uniforms of Orion Academy, set in the Academy City of Abyss City, the game where the character based on me, Rohan, was about to be released.

“And beastfolk are a common race in Abyss City, too.”

Though rare, elves also existed in this world.
I slowly nodded in understanding, lowering my gaze to inspect my hands and body.

“...”

All I had in my hand was the student ID I’d received as a gift earlier.
And somehow, I was also wearing Orion Academy’s uniform.

The smartphone that had been in my pocket was gone, replaced by an unfamiliar device.

In any case, I pieced together the evidence scattered around me and reached a conclusion.
There was no doubt about it.

No matter how many times I thought it over, it was hard to believe, but—

“This is something straight out of a novel...”

It was clear—I had fallen into the world of Abyss City.

Just like the protagonists of the web novels I used to read.

***

This world was familiar to me thanks to the countless hours I’d spent enjoying the game. It had a unique, bright atmosphere that felt strangely welcoming.
Yet, at the same time, there were aspects that felt utterly foreign when experienced firsthand.

“I still can’t wrap my head around this.”

While I was still coming to terms with my situation, I had a more immediate question to answer—what should I do next? Thankfully, I didn’t have to figure that out alone.

[First Step]
◇ Quest Objective: Complete the Orion Academy placement exam.
◇ Type: Tutorial
◇ Reward: 100P
◇ Failure Penalty: None

Just as I accepted the fact that I’d fallen into a game, a translucent window appeared in front of me.
It seemed only I could see it, as no one around me gave the floating screen even a passing glance.

“The Academy’s placement exam, huh...”

I stared at the semi-transparent screen, processing the information.

“This wasn’t something you could experience in the game, right?”

In Abyss City, the starting point was always after you were assigned to a class and met the key characters.
The placement exam was only ever mentioned in passing as part of a side story.
In other words, I knew it existed, but I had no idea what it actually entailed.

“Sounds fun.”

Though I knew little about it, the mystery only made me more curious.
I quickly decided to head toward Orion Academy, as the quest suggested.

There wasn’t any grand reasoning behind it.
I was simply curious.
And if some of the characters I loved were present, I wanted to see them with my own eyes.
Not to mention, I was intrigued by the 100P reward.

What convinced me the most, however, was the fact that—

“There’s no obligation to complete the quest.”

The absence of a failure penalty was liberating.
Whether I chose to take the placement exam or run off into the city, it didn’t seem to matter.
That freedom was something I found deeply appealing.

I pulled the unfamiliar smartphone from my pocket and checked the date: February 26.
It was still early in the morning.
Blending in with the other students heading toward Orion Academy, I began walking.

As I followed the bobbing ears and swaying tails of the beastfolk ahead of me, the grand gates of Orion Academy came into view.

“Wow, it’s even more impressive in person.”

A sign prohibiting vehicle entry stood prominently at the entrance.
Students were forming a line nearby, chatting excitedly.

“New students! Please have your student IDs ready!”

The loud announcements made it easy to understand what was happening.
I naturally and confidently joined the back of the line.

“Next!”

As the line moved forward step by step, I began to notice the process up close.
Students showed their IDs and received a number card in return.

“Oh!”

A sudden thought struck me as I fiddled with the student ID in my hand.

“This... should be fine, right?”

Now that I thought about it, this student ID was a gift.
While it looked identical to the IDs the other students were holding and even had an official stamp,
I couldn’t help but wonder if someone might question its authenticity.

“Hmm.”

The creeping anxiety made my throat dry.

“All I have is this strange smartphone, so this ID better work.”

Despite my nervousness, I tried to convince myself that the ID would function as a legitimate one.
Yet, there was still a nagging fear of being caught with a fake.

If someone accused me of using a counterfeit ID, would I need to run?
Imagining worst-case scenarios, I began scouting escape routes, just in case.

“Next!”

My turn came.

“Please hand over your student ID.”

“...Here you go.”

The person at the desk didn’t look like a student; they were likely an Orion Academy staff member.

“Hmm?”

The staff member, who had been working with a neutral expression, suddenly paused and examined my ID closely.

Was something wrong?
The brief moment of silence felt suffocating, as if a giant hand had gripped my throat.

“Oh! I’m sorry about that. I heard there was a new student from the Southern Branch this year, but I didn’t expect to see one in person.”

“...”

The staff member quickly apologized, explaining that their reaction was due to surprise rather than anything bad. Then, they pointed to a form.

“Please just sign your name here.”

I realized they’d taken an interest in the Southern Branch listed on my ID.

“That makes sense, given what I remember about the South.”

Suppressing a sigh of relief, I grabbed the pen and silently wrote down the name “Rohan,” just as it appeared on the ID.

“Here’s your student ID back. Take your number card as well.”

I received the number 99.
With the somewhat ambiguous number in hand, I joined the flow of students moving toward the test area.

“But why the Southern Branch?”

Curiosity about my character swirled in my mind.

[Test Area 4]

Inside the test area, I saw familiar faces from the game, which immediately piqued my interest.
Unfortunately, most of them were characters I hadn’t invested in or cared for, so the excitement quickly faded.

“Meh.”

Sitting at desk 99, I twirled the provided pen between my fingers and observed the room.
Unlike me, who had no bag or supplies, the other students were busy flipping through books, muttering to themselves as they made last-minute preparations.

A written exam, huh? Can I even do this?

In typical web novels, characters like me—those who are transported into games or stories—often ace written exams thanks to their pre-existing knowledge.

Will I be the same?

Well, if I fail, so be it.

I wasn’t too worried.
This was a new experience, and that alone was enough to make me happy.

Unaware of the exam subjects, I idly admired the view outside—airships floating in the sky and the grand scenery of the Academy City.

At some point, the door creaked open.

Click. Click. Click.

A stern-looking woman entered, carrying a thick envelope.
The handgun holstered at her waist served as a striking reminder of the Academy’s reality.

“There are no empty seats. Put away everything except your pens, and turn off your smartphones.”

Some students grumbled in frustration as they hurriedly packed up their things.

“The written exam will last 120 minutes. Students who finish early may leave to take the practical exam, but once you leave, you cannot return until the exam period ends.”

After her explanation, the invigilator tapped the pile of test papers on the podium.

The papers floated through the air, landing gently on each desk.
The students widened their eyes in awe at her precise control.

“Wow!”

“Quiet. Do not open the test papers until I give the signal. Opening them prematurely will be considered cheating.”

Silence fell over the room, broken only by the murmurs of students trying to memorize facts.

“Begin.”

At her sharp command, the room filled with the rustle of papers as students opened their tests.
I grabbed my pen and flipped to the first page.

Question 1:
Under Academy City’s Elysium laws, which case results in a fine of 50 coins?

1. Entering a restricted area without permission.
2. Causing disruption to the normal operation of critical facilities.
3. Removing Orion Academy-owned weapons without authorization.
4. Executing an escaped convict without reporting to the Elysium Security Bureau without valid reason.

“...Laws!?”

I hadn’t anticipated this.

The questions were beyond what I’d imagined, and my vision blurred momentarily.
I skimmed through the test, flipping pages to see other subjects.

There were a few monster-related and equipment-related questions with terms I recognized,
but just recognizing words didn’t mean I knew the answers.

What’s the formula for mana conductivity?

In web novels, protagonists often breeze through exams.
But Orion Academy’s written test wasn’t something I could pass just by relying on game knowledge.

It felt as if reality was smacking me in the head.

“...”

I marked random answers with a single stroke of my pen, finished first, and handed in my test.
Without hesitation, I headed straight for the practical exam area.