Musclebound Necromancer?! Are You Kidding Me?

Chapter 5 – Novice TrialE

After everyone finished their introductions, Xue Jinlong spoke loudly.

"Classmates! Relax, don't be nervous! Isn't the Novice Trial something anyone can handle? Remember to stay united, support each other, and strive for the whole class to pass the Novice Trial together tomorrow!

Alright, that's it for today's class. Go home and prepare. Qiao Yu, come with me!"

Xue Jinlong hurriedly left the classroom, and Qiao Yu followed him out under the envious gazes of his classmates.

Of course, some classmates hid disdain in their eyes. After all, a fragile class like Necromancer is just a liability without a team.

Unlike those popular warrior and assassin classes!

One person, one blade, roaming the world; one person, one sword, upholding justice.

That's what a man should do, hiding behind and summoning the undead is no skill!

"Qiao Yu, you've made it! You've finally come out on top!

A Hidden Class! Once you complete the Novice Trial, you'll definitely get into the top Mage Class at the best university in the country to continue learning various combat techniques."

In the office, Xue Jinlong's face was full of excitement, as if he was the one who awakened the Hidden Class.

"Qiao Yu, is there a university you want to attend?"

Qiao Yu raised his head, thought for a moment, and said.

"Kyoto University."

Xue Jinlong wasn't surprised at all.

"Is it because of your parents?"

Qiao Yu nodded.

When he was young, he wasn't an orphan; he had parents. In Qiao Yu's memory, his parents in this world were very kind and gentle people.

But when he was six, his parents said they were going to Kyoto, and then they mysteriously disappeared, and he was sent to an orphanage.

Qiao Yu desperately wanted to know where his parents had gone.

"Alright, I'll do my best to help you negotiate tuition and living expenses with Kyoto University! You just focus on preparing for the Novice Trial!"

Xue Jinlong naturally knew about Qiao Yu's situation and tried to help wherever he could.

"Thank you, Teacher Xue."

Qiao Yu bowed to Xue Jinlong. He wasn't good with words, so he expressed his gratitude this way.

"It's my duty! After all, I'm your homeroom teacher. By the way, what level is your Talent?" Xue Jinlong asked, taking a sip of water.

"Level... unknown."

"Unknown, unknown is fine... What?!!"

Xue Jinlong's eyes widened, almost spitting out the water he just drank.

In his twenty years of teaching, he had never seen a Talent level that was unknown. He hurriedly asked.

"Does this Talent enhance your necromancy?"

"Seems like... it doesn't."

Qiao Yu thought for a moment, realizing that melee combat indeed didn't enhance necromancy.

"Ah... how can a good Hidden Class have an unknown Talent level, and it doesn't even enhance the class's abilities..."

Xue Jinlong felt a headache coming on. For someone like Qiao Yu with a Hidden Class, even a D-level Talent would make him an undisputed genius.

In an interview, he could beat up the admissions officer from Kyoto University, and the officer would still praise Qiao Yu for being versatile.

But an unknown Talent level...

"Never mind, just go back and prepare for tomorrow's Novice Trial! Leave this matter to me!"

"Okay, thank you, teacher."

Qiao Yu thanked him and left the school.

***

His home was very close to the school, and five minutes later, Qiao Yu opened the door and shouted.

"I'm back!"

However, no one responded to Qiao Yu. The large house was empty, with not much furniture.

This was the house his parents left him. After they disappeared, every time Qiao Yu came home, he would shout, "I'm back."

In his memory, his father and mother would always say this when they came home.

Qiao Yu skillfully turned on the gas stove, fried an egg, added water, put in noodles, added chicken essence, and salt.

A steaming bowl of egg noodles was ready. After eating, he washed the dishes, took a bath, and went to bed. This was how Qiao Yu had lived alone for 12 years.

***

The next morning.

"Today is another beautiful day."

Qiao Yu stretched with a clear mind; he was always an optimistic person.

Today was the day of the Novice Trial, and he couldn't be late.

After washing up, Qiao Yu went out, bought a basket of steamed dumplings, and headed straight to school.

By this time, many in the class were already discussing the Novice Trial.

After all, the Novice Trial was no different from the College Entrance Examination; it could almost decide a person's future.

If you failed the Novice Trial, you were destined to have no connection with the Inner World and could only be an ordinary worker.

"Hey, Qiao Yu, good morning!"

As soon as Qiao Yu walked into the classroom, someone greeted him. After all, being handsome and a Necromancer, Qiao Yu was quite popular in many people's eyes.

Qiao Yu looked up and saw it was the class beauty, Zuo You.

Her face was quite delicate, but unfortunately, she was rather flat-chested.

"Good morning."

After greeting, Qiao Yu returned to his seat and peacefully ate his steamed dumplings.

From time to time, girls chatting would glance at Qiao Yu, making him feel a bit uneasy.

Since returning from the Inner World, his presence had significantly increased.

Classmates arrived one after another, and Xue Jinlong soon stood on the podium.

Unlike usual, today Xue Jinlong was no longer amiable; his expression was extremely serious.

"For today's Novice Trial, I have only one request: if you're not confident, remember to immediately exit the Inner World!

Better to fail the trial than to die in the Inner World! Although you can be resurrected, that real sense of death might trick your brain into thinking you're truly dead!

If that happens, even if you resurrect, you might become a vegetable!"

The previously noisy classroom instantly fell silent.

Generally, the danger level of novice dungeons isn't high and usually doesn't lead to player deaths.

But there are always exceptions.

There was once a major incident where a novice dungeon wiped out an entire class of fifty people, and they disappeared without a trace!

To this day, no one knows what kind of terrifying dungeon it was, only that it was called Nightmare Village!

"You don't have to be so heavy-hearted. As long as you exit the Inner World in time, there won't be any danger."

Seeing everyone's serious expressions, Xue Jinlong quickly comforted them.

Xue Jinlong placed a stopwatch on the podium. Everyone knew that when the stopwatch hit zero, it was time to enter the Inner World.

"Everyone, make your preparations. The Novice Trial starts in half an hour!"

Classmates began discussing tactics with their usual friends.

Yang Xiangdi turned to Qiao Yu and asked.

"Qiao Yu, what do we do? We don't have many friends, and we're both mages. Who do we team up with?"

"Take it as it comes. Why are you in such a hurry?"

Qiao Yu shrugged nonchalantly; his Strength attribute was almost a hundred.

As long as it wasn't an exceptionally difficult Novice Trial, he could handle it easily.

"Alright, then I'll just stick with you!"

"Qiao Yu, Xiangdi, want to team up?"

Zuo You approached again, flashing a sweet smile.

The surrounding classmates immediately showed envious looks. Teaming up with the class beauty was something many dreamed of.

Yang Xiangdi quickly leaned over to Qiao Yu's ear.

"Qiao Yu, this is good! Not only is she pretty, but her class is also a tank, perfect for taking damage for us!"

Qiao Yu rolled his eyes and whispered.

"I think you're just lusting after her!"

"Damn it! Don't say that, I don't like flat chests! Her chest isn't even as big as mine!"

With that, Yang Xiangdi puffed out his own ample chest.

Qiao Yu glanced around; it seemed Zuo You indeed wasn't as big as Yang Xiangdi.

Zuo You tilted her head in confusion; she only saw Qiao Yu and Yang Xiangdi animatedly talking but didn't hear what they were saying.

"Qiao Yu, Xiangdi, have you decided? Are we teaming up?"

"Yes!"

Qiao Yu and Yang Xiangdi answered in unison.

"Great, see you in the Inner World!"

Zuo You waved gracefully and returned to her seat.

If Zuo You knew that Qiao Yu and Yang Xiangdi were discussing who had the bigger chest, she might have been angry enough to take out her teammates first.

Time ticked by, and the stopwatch slowly hit zero. Xue Jinlong reminded them again.

"Attention, the Novice Trial is about to start! Exit immediately if there's danger!"

A mechanical female voice echoed in everyone's mind simultaneously.

"3!"

"2!"

"1!"

"Novice Trial, start!"

With a wave of spatial distortion, the entire class disappeared.

Xue Jinlong set up an incense burner and sincerely lit three sticks of incense.

"Gods, please bless Class Four, Year Four, to return safely and successfully pass the Novice Trial!"

Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan