Arena

“It’s genetics. Candidate Kim Hyunho’s father also died due to hear disease right?”

“Huh…. that is….”

I was so shocked that I couldn"t speak properly.

The baby angel’s words were certain.

My father died due to heart disease. My mom warned me to be careful as my grandfather also pa.s.sed away like that.

With shaking voice I asked:

“Am I really dead?”

“It’s too bad.”

Flapping his wings like a sparrow, the baby angel comforted me.

It did not comfort me at all.

I am only 29 years old.

I haven’t done anything after being born as a male.

I never had a proper job, did not have a chance at taking care of a family, or fall in love properly.

If I die what would happen to my family?

What about my mom?!

Thinking about my mom brought about intense sadness and despair.

After my father pa.s.sed away early due to his disease my mom raised we three siblings under great hardship.

Even though I created hardship and worry for her, I was her only form of comfort.

But if I die like this, what’s going to happen to my mom?

I still haven’t been able to be filial towards her. The joking conversation we had yesterday night is our last conversation?

…. This is how my life ends?

“I can’t die like this!”

“That’s right?”

“What do I need to do? You said you’ll give me a chance? If I do what you say you’ll save me right?

“Of course, would I swindle you? I’m an angel, angel. “

The baby angel pounded his chest with a prideful look on his face.

It was because this b.a.s.t.a.r.d was an angel it caused suspicions. If it was a jaw dropping beautiful girl I would believe her in a blink of an eye.

“I’ll do anything so save me.”

“Okay. You swear that until all tests are completed you will try your very best to complete them right?

“Yes.”

The baby angel smiled widely and clapped his hands.

“Yahoo, congratulations on becoming a candidate.”

“Congratulation my a.s.s, but did you say ‘all’ the tests? You’re saying it is not just one test?

“Yes, just like there isn"t one question on the civil employment exam. After completing several tens of exams, you must reach the final goal.”

He made the remark about the civil employment exam in this situation. I’m starting to detest this worm b.a.s.t.a.r.d.

“Isn"t this too much?”

“What is?”

“It"s too much because you will only save me only after completing several tens of dangerous tests!"

“Ah that’s not it. After completing every test you will get a break from 10 days to as long as 2 months.

“A break?”

“Yes, during the break time you can go back to living world and stay there.”

“Speaking in laymen’s term, after clearing every test my life gets extended 10 day to 2 months.”

“That’s right.”

“What happens when I die when I’m taking the test? Something in terms of my soul being exterminated or something ….. “

“There is no such thing. You will go back to the afterlife just as before so you have nothing to lose.”

It seems as though there is no penalty.

“Also after clearing every test, there is a reward. Depending on the breakdown of the reward you can lead a more abundant life. Of course the biggest reward is after completing all your tests and being completely free from death.”

It doesn"t look like this angle b.a.s.t.a.r.d is tricking me.

Even though he looks like much, he can send down lightning and even have wings on his back.

Would someone like this kidnap me and try to trick me?

I don’t know how hard the exam is but instead of ending my life full of regret it"s better to face this test even if it’s full of hardship.

I’m going to live to see my mom’s face one more time.

“From now I’m going to tell you some basic information about the test. First of all say ‘Summon slate.”

“Summon slate? What are you talking about? …..”

Ding!

Suddenly a slate a size of a notebook appeared in front of my eyes.

“Huh, what’s this?”

Shocked, I stared at the piece of slate floating in empty s.p.a.ce.

There was something written on the slate.

-          Name: Kim Hyunho

-          Cla.s.s: 1

-          Karma: 0

-          Mission: Get rid of the red ape.

-          Time limit: 30 minutes

“What is this?”

“This is to help with the candidates understanding of the situation regarding the test.”

“I basically understand, but what is this cla.s.s and karma thing?”

“Cla.s.s is candidate Kim Hyunho’s current capability. Karma to put it simply, is your test scores. The better you do on your test more points you get.”

“It’s a good thing to earn more points?”

“Of course, using the karma you earn after clearing the test you can get rewarded. The more karma points you have the greater the reward.

After thinking carefully I asked again.

“Among the things you can get from karma points is there something that can help you during the test?”

“That’s obvious. You can get good weapons, martial arts, magic, psychic abilities, etc. Using karma points well to strengthen one’s own strength is the only way to complete all the tests.”

At that time the slate disappeared out of thin air.

“Huh?”

“The slate disappears automatically if left alone.”

“Summon slate.”

 The slate reappeared in front of my eyes.

The baby angel smirked.

“Slate is no more than an introduction and as it serves no physical ability and it cannot be seen by anyone other than you. If you throw it anywhere it disappears.”

“Is that so?”

I threw the slate.

After drawing a parabola the slate went poof and disappeared.

That is really fascinating.

It really is too bad. It doesn"t have any physical ability so it cannot serve as a shield or weapon when in a pinch.

The baby angel clapped his hands.

“Okay, since you know everything we are going to start the first test.”

“Wait!”

I hurriedly stopped the baby angel.

“What about knowing everything? You have to tell me what a red ape is before I start the test, you worm b.a.s.t.a.r.d!”

“That, you need to figure out on your own.”

“What, at least tell me if it’s an animal, plant or bug?”

“That’s enough, hurry up and go already.”

The baby angel flicked his fingers together.

Doing that made a worn a.s.s door appeared in front of my eyes.

“This is the test door.”

“Test door?”

“If you open this door and go out you will arrive at another dimension called the ‘arena’. The arena is the stage where candidate Kim Hyunho will have to fight from now on.”

“Arena…..”

“Hurry up and open the door and go.”

The baby angel flapping his wings pushed my back to guide me in.

Okay, okay, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d. Why is a b.a.s.t.a.r.d who hasn"t even done his circ.u.mcision surgery telling me what to do?

I swallowed my saliva and opened the test door.

[Door squeaking]-

Light was pouring through between the open door way. It was so bright I couldn"t see what was beyond the door.

Hesitating for a moment I took the first step.

And I prayed.

Praying after pa.s.sing through the door I will wake up from the dream and laugh it off as a weird dream.