I was angry at the sudden change, but I calmed myself down.

  While Professor Endless went over a brief summary of the motivations behind exploring Gates and the difference between a Hero and a Gate Explorer like he was, I took the time to sort out my thoughts and the situation.

  So far, everything that happened had been in the realm of possibility. Although I didn't expect things like Princess Evelyn to take an interest in me or for the first mini arc's traitor professor to vanish, events still roughly lined up.

  The reason why Elio Endless died was because he explored the EX-Ranked Gate hidden in the north. Despite his reservations, he thought it was important as the world's best explorer to at least take a survey.

  But that was how he died.

  I never went into detail in the story, but was basically an end-game dungeon in a JRPG. The Rond just before fighting the Demon God would be able to clear it with brute force, but unless you were at that level, you'd have to know all the traps and twists to clear all 100 floors.

  Even I didn't know it all because I left it as just fvor text. But I did know that the reward was to be able to grant a single 'miracle.'

  That aside, it made sense why Elio Endless had come here and took over as Professor Endless.

  He and Sophia went way back, and he had probably been looking for an excuse to dey the expedition. Like this, everything worked out. Starlight filled the gap in its professors, and Elio could have time to prepare and pn the expedition to Tartarus.

  "Now, who's willing to volunteer?"

  I blinked and then snapped back to the present.

  Elio was looking around the room, doing his best professor impression.

  And I'd have to say, he had the dreaded fear of cold-calling down pat.

  Despite my peers being the elites of the elites, none of them seemed willing to step forward and demonstrate.

  …Though I was in the same boat since I didn't know what we were demonstrating.

  "Come on now." Elio ughed and scratched the back of his head. "There has to be someone who's willing to volunteer. There's a prize, you know? And don't make me have to be the bad guy by calling on someone."

  It was no use.

  Teens were teens, even if they were technically adults. They'd rather live with the awkward air than risk embarrassing themselves.

  Even Evelyn and Rond were averting their gazes.

  …Well, since it was like this, I might as well-

  "Why not you, Smith?" A cold and somewhat arrogant male voice.

  I turned towards it to see Isaac Frostbde staring at me with sharp eyes.

  Seeing that I was looking at him, Isaac smiled and said, "As the one who cleared the simution in our st css, you are surely qualified, are you not?"

  Wow. Bitter much?

  Was this because I was drawing attention to myself, or because I was getting Evelyn's attention?

  I didn't know, but it seemed like I was part of Isaac's bcklist.

  I smiled back at him and said, "That's a good point, Frostbde. Better the experienced soldier than the inexperienced field captain like yourself, no?"

  Just like a high school cssroom, my peers broke out in "ooohs."

  Evelyn stifled a ugh.

  Rond shook his head.

  As for the professor, he ughed and said, "Settle down now. We're all adults here."

  I shifted my gaze away from Isaac and towards Elio.

  Elio stared at me and said, "Smith… Alexander Smith, correct? Phi told me about you… Hm." He gave me a once over and said, "Well, let's see how you do." He snapped his fingers, and suddenly the room changed.

  My cssmates disappeared, and the surroundings were repced with just a long corridor. There was me at one end, and then Elio at the other.

  He smiled at me and held out his hands. "If you reach me, you win. But be careful. It would be in your best interest to treat this like a proper Gate."

  I was quiet, mulling over the situation.

  > You have taken center stage! +100 SP. Current SP: 9700

  > The main characters are watching you closely to see your actions! +300 SP. Current SP: 10000

  Right.

  For better or worse, I was the 'protagonist' in this css due to Isaac.

  The first week of css, I got a pass since it was hectic and the truth of what happened was only known to a select few. Especially since I walked out of the infirmary a few hours ter instead of missing a few days of csses.

  Small blessings in disguise.

  But there was no avoiding the spotlight this time.

  The question was how much I should show off.

  I didn't know this exact situation, but it wasn't hard to guess.

  The simutor room we were in was basically like a holodeck that allowed the professor to generate terrain to their exact specifications.

  While I could be sure there wouldn't be monsters, I could also be sure there'd be deadly traps.

  They wouldn't kill me, of course. But it'd be pretty painful.

  And furthermore… I didn't have the proper tools for it right now.

  Judging from Elio's personality, he wanted to use me as an example of what happened when you entered unknown territory. And considering his experience, he'd likely have a bunch of hidden traps that no student would be able to anticipate.

  Case in point: I couldn't see or sense anything off. It looked just like a long corridor.

  …It'd be funny if it was just that. But I doubted it.

  Hm…

  The best course of action here would be to take a fall and just eat it. That would definitely give me an advantage in future events since I'd look like a fool.

  But that just wasn't my style.

  And even if things started going even more off the rails…

  What kind of author would get tossed around by their own story?

  ===

  > Opening Inventory.

  > Selected: Fwless Amethyst (AAAA Grade)

  > Current SP: 10000

  > Would you like to use your SP to upgrade the target?

  > Confirmed.

  > Current SP: 0

  > "Fwless Amethyst (AAAA Grade)" has been refined 1000%. All of its attributes have increased by 10000%.

  > Through continual refinement, "Fwless Amethyst (AAAA Grade)" evolves!

  > You have obtained "Clear Star of Intuition."

  > "Clear Star of Intuition" has automatically been equipped.

  > You have gained the trait "Intuition." You will be able to sense and avoid danger with greater ease.

  > You have gained the trait "Crity." You will be able to see through falsehoods and remain composed in all situations.

  > An incredible feat! The setting of gemstone evolution to trait-granting equipment with sufficient refinement has been added! +10000 SP. Current SP: 10000

  > SYSTEM: An exploit has been discovered. It will be patched in the next major update. Upgrading of base materials is now restricted to 100%. SP will no longer be gained for setting revetions accomplished through use of the system.

  > SYSTEM: Warning. We remind you that the system operates like a game, but this world is a 'reality.' Introducing power and abilities beyond normal limits will cut as a double-edged sword.

  ===

  I gave a quick gnce at the flurry of messages.

  It was a shame that the exploit I thought of would be patched going forward, but that was fine. I got what I needed. And that warning… well, I'd deal with it when it became an issue.

  A perfect calm. Stress and an invisible pressure I didn't realize I was experiencing faded away.

  At the same time, I could feel it now. What was hidden to me before was now clear as day.

  A springboard three steps ahead.

  An array of buttons past that which would trigger a fusilde of arrows from above.

  Beyond that, a thin razor wire that would send two bdes crashing in from the sides.

  Then, a pitfall.

  But it still wasn't over.

  In the stretch of fifteen feet in front of Elio, there was a flurry of concealed magical traps that would erupt with rank 1 magical attacks. Not enough to be deadly, but enough to hurt.

  Taking all of that in a single gnce, I kicked off the ground, sprinting.

  One step. Two. And on the third, a force unched me into the air to sm against the ceiling.

  But I wasn't flustered. I'd already seen it coming.

  Focusing on my body, I pivoted to crash against the ceiling feet first, and then kicked off again.

  If it was any other time, I wouldn't be able to do it.

  But my mind was perfectly clear right now.

  My body flew forward, accelerated by gravity as well as the force from my legs. And as I flew, I skipped past the buttons unching the arrows and over the razor wire triggering the bdes.

  Then I nded on the ground.

  Immediately, a dozen magic formations fred into life as elemental attacks began to charge.

  But I rolled the moment I nded and popped back up into a sprint.

  My body felt hot. Sweat poured down my forehead, and my clothes felt sticky.

  But my mind was calm, and I maintained my breath.

  Then…

  *tap*

  "I reached you, Professor."

  I stood up straight and stared into Elio's eyes as I rested my hand on his shoulder.

  He stared back at me with his silver eyes. And then he smiled. "It seems you have. Congratutions, Mister Smith."

  > An incredible feat! You have shown a feat that normally requires an incredible amount of grit and focus! Your peers and your professor are surprised and shocked at your skill and determination! +1000 SP. Current SP: 11000.

  I smiled as well, though mostly due to the message. After that, I stepped back.

  The moment I did, the surroundings shattered, and we were back in the white tiled floor of the simution room.

  Elio cpped his hands and said, "Well, css. Not quite the demonstration I was thinking of, but an excellent demonstration overall. Your cssmate Mister Smith took time to prepare and assess the situation for dangers. And once he did, he committed to his course of action without hesitating. This is the mindset you must possess when entering a gate for the first time, be it as a Hero or as a Gate Explorer…"

  ===

  After dismissing the css for lunch, Elio stood in the simutor room, carefully reconstructing the hallway he used for the demonstration. And as he did, he was sure of it. "Precognition? Or perhaps a strong intuition?"

  Elio rubbed his chin, staring at the traps.

  It was a hallway he had encountered once when exploring a Gate modeled after a 'Tower' from another world.

  The traps he faced then had been much more lethal, but the yout and types of traps were the same. And moreover, it was impossible to see.

  A seamless transition in the stone floor for the buttons and pitfall. An eborate magical formation network that triggered only upon physical contact… And a sinister yout that toyed at the challenger's mind, taking advantage of the tension from facing consecutive lethal traps.

  Elio chuckled, remembering how Sophia had talked about Alexander, and also remembering the way his niece carefully chased after Alexander as he left while trying not to draw attention to herself.

  "Definitely a diamond in the rough, that one."

  And maybe someone who he could actually trust his back to in exploring gates in the future.

  But that was still the future.

  For now…

  "Since my old pal and my niece seem to like him, maybe I should help him out a bit?"

  An orphan without any backing like Alexander would find it rough to stand on his feet. Although he had a knack for gate exploration, he also cked the raw talent that would put him above his peers.

  Authority, skill, power.

  You needed at least one of those to stand in this callous world.

  The tter two could only be obtained by one's own actions, but Elio could at least help with the first.

  Now, how much paperwork did he need to fill to obtain a sponsee again…?