I Became A Thief Who Steals Overpowered Skills

The Martial Arts hall, where the midterm exam was being held, was bustling.

The students gathered there all wore tense expressions.

Today’s midterm evaluation was an opportunity to reduce the six-month training period in one go.

It was also a chance to showcase themselves to the upper echelons.

Exceptional students would naturally be scouted.

To the students, the midterm wasn’t just an evaluation; it was an opportunity.

Well, for all but one of them.

“Ha-aah…”

A boy yawned openly, stretching his mouth wide as if bored.

His relaxed demeanor only served to demoralize the others.

Of course, it made sense—he was Kraush Valheim.

From entering first in the admission rankings to defeating a 6-star Erosion Entity on his first mission, to taking down the provincial aristocratic faction’s Freya heir, Arsolder Freya, and submitting a proposals to the Dual Emperor Durandal— one of which culminated in vanquishing a World Eroder during a mission.

For the second-generation students his age, it was inevitable to feel intimidated.

His achievements weren’t just outstanding—they were unmatched.

Yet his air of nonchalance ignited a faint spark of competitiveness in the others.

Rahern Academy was a gathering of the finest prodigies worldwide.

And when it came to pride, the Martial Arts students were second to none.

They were born warriors.

The urge to shatter the composure of this so-called “strongest” began to simmer within them.

[ What a blatant provokation. ]

Indeed, Kraush was deliberately provoking someone.

His target? None other than Mary Diana.

Since entering the Martial Arts training hall, Mary had leaned against a wall, quietly observing him.

‘Even if I act nonchalantly, I doubt Mary would let her guard down.’

He could somewhat understand what her brother Glen had said.

Mary had been gritting her teeth and had regained much of her prime strength.

Of course, she still had a long way to go to fully reach her peak.

But the intense aura emanating from her was undeniable.

Creak!

As everyone was lost in their own thoughts, the sound of the door opening drew their attention.

A pure white cat walked in alongside an assistant professor.

The cat strolled to the center of the training hall, then plopped down, sitting on its haunches.

This was Ganon Sarsha, the professor for the second-generation Martial Arts students.

“Now, I will explain the method for the midterm exam.”

Without a hint of hesitation, Ganon proceeded to initiate the exam.

Ganon’s assistant professor brought out a magical projector.

Chwarak-

With the sound of the projector spinning, an image was displayed in the air. It was a mountain.

“This is a mountain artificially created and shaped with magic. Inside, there are illusionary Erosion Entities that you will hunt.”

The image of the mountain shifted, its regions now marked with rainbow-colored zones.

“From the outermost Purple Line to the innermost Red Line, the difficulty and number of Erosion Entities vary. The Purple Line, which has the most entities, contains 1-star Erosion Entities, while the Red Line, with the fewest, contains 7-star Erosion Entities.”

At the mention of 7-star entities, the students began murmuring.

It was no surprise, as few among them had ever faced a 7-star Erosion Entity.

“Of course, the deeper you go, the higher the score variance. Even if you eliminate all the Erosion Entities in the Orange Line, it won’t match the points of taking down just one from the Red Line.”

The screen shifted again, this time displaying a person.

“And here’s an additional rule: Starting from the Blue Line, battles between students are permitted.”

The students’ gazes sharpened collectively.

“If you defeat another student, you can claim all the points they’ve earned so far. However, defeated students will be prohibited from further entry. Eliminated students will take a supplementary exam instead, so keep that in mind.”

Although there was a supplementary exam, being eliminated in the midterm evaluation was essentially equivalent to failing.

‘They’re intentionally trying to heighten the tension.’ 

In the world of Erosion, safety was never guaranteed.

The intent behind the test was clear—to replicate the pressure and unpredictability of real situations, even while hunting Erosion Entities.

“This test will be graded comparatively. All scores below the median will result in mandatory supplementary exams, so keep that in mind.”

Ganon ran a hand through his hair and looked at the assistant professor, who swiftly prepared spatial transport magic and distributed bracelets to the students.

“These bracelets will track your points and accumulated damage. They are linked to your clothing, and if your accumulated damage exceeds 100%, you will be immediately eliminated.”

As Ganon finished his explanation, Kraush casually fastened his bracelet with a click.

“Aha, this is going to be fun!”

Right on cue, Ballak, his ever-energetic classmate, grinned and held up his bracelet enthusiastically.

Despite his small stature, Ballak’s excitement was as high as ever.

“This isn’t the time to be calling it fun.”

Glen, standing nearby, cast a warning glance at the nearby group.

“If student clashes are allowed, those with high scores will likely become primary targets.”

Several students who met Glen’s gaze flinched and quickly averted their eyes.

The ones most likely to earn the highest scores here were, of course, the elite students.

Their abilities had already been proven to surpass those of their peers.

Naturally, the other students would be watching for opportunities to target their scores.

If they waited until the elites were worn out from hunting Erosion Entities, they could eliminate them and take their points.

“They might even form alliances to come after us.”

Karandis murmured, seemingly aware of the tense atmosphere, as she shifted her body uncomfortably.

“Kraush, I’m scared. Will you protect me?”

“I’ll make sure you’re the first to be eliminated.”

“Don’t be so mean!”

She pouted, sticking her lips out in a mock protest.

At that moment, Kraush felt a tug on his clothes.

Turning his head, he saw Haring standing there with a determined expression.

“Kraush, I’ll definitely protect you.”

She looked like a cat resolute in guarding its owner.

“Just focus on keeping your own score safe. If you want to join missions with me later, you can’t get eliminated here.”

Kraush spoke with a smile, causing Haring to flinch slightly and bite her lips nervously.

“…Okay.”

She replied with a slightly sulky expression.

Karandis’s eyes widened slightly as she noticed the shift in Haring’s demeanor.

“Haring… don’t tell me…”

Before Karandis could finish her thought, Ganon began calling names.

“Kraush Valheim.”

Hearing the first name called, everyone quickly caught on to the order—it was based on admission rankings.

‘How ruthless.’

It was a clear reminder to the students: who their real competition was in this midterm evaluation.

Kraush stepped forward to the entrance.

All eyes turned to him, their gazes fully fixed on his figure.

Admiration, respect, competitiveness, jealousy.

A mixture of emotions poured out from the crowd.

Not a bad feeling at all.

Standing at the forefront, Kraush was ready to play the role of the trailblazer, the one to set the pace and challenge the others to catch up.

For the sake of the future, Kraush needed to remain in this position.

As the focus of all the students’ attention, Kraush also noticed the presence of the fake Arthur among them.

The emotions reflected in the fake Arthur’s eyes were difficult for Kraush to discern.

However, thinking of Arthur lingering beyond those eyes made Kraush unconsciously tense.

‘Let’s see.’

He resolved to make a significant impact on this midterm evaluation.

With that determination, Kraush stepped toward the spatial magic portal.

In an instant, the scenery around him shifted with a flicker of light.

The first thing that caught his eye was a forest.

It looked like an ordinary forest at first glance.

However, the purple hue glowing on the bracelet wrapped around his wrist confirmed it—this was the examination site for the midterm evaluation.

Kraush also noticed a red circle drawn beneath his feet.

When he raised his hand, he felt a barrier-like transparent film.

It was a clear sign to wait until everyone had entered.

As expected of Rahern Academy, which prided itself on producing the world’s finest talents.

They had clearly invested an incredible amount of magic to prepare this test.

Kraush waited patiently for a while.

Eventually, the red circle beneath him disappeared, and he felt the breeze against his face.

Judging by the scent that hit his nose a moment later, it seemed there was a sea nearby.

‘Is this some remote island?’

He marveled at how they had managed to locate such a place and use it as a test site.

Ding!

At the same time, a sound echoed from above.

When he looked up, he saw the name “Sebas” displayed in the sky, followed by the number “1.”

Someone in the Purple Line had succeeded in the first hunt.

Seeing this, Kraush let out a dry laugh.

Rahern Academy really lived up to its reputation; they even displayed the scores for all to see, practically inviting conflict.

“With this system, the one with the highest score is bound to become a target.”

[What’s the plan?]

“It’s simple.”

Kraush began to loosen his legs, stretching lightly.

Whoosh!

At that moment, the heat of Annihilation Erosion surged from his body.

He had trained his physical strength to the point where he could now maintain Annihilation Erosion at will.

“I’m heading to the Red Line.”

A 7-star Erosion Entity.

Let’s see if I can take it down.

* * *

The island prepared for the midterm evaluation.

[Catch it! Drive it that way!]

[This thing feels like a real Erosion Entity!]

[Aaargh, you traitor!]

Amidst the chaos on the test island, there was a room filled with multiple screens displaying the events.

Sitting in front of the screens was a single white cat.

Behind the cat stood several assistant professors and assistants, all with tense expressions.

The reason for their tension was simple.

Behind them was an entirely unexpected individual.

“Couldn’t you have considered the assistant professors and assistants a bit more?”

The cat, Professor Ganon, spoke as he watched the screens.

The person behind him scoffed lightly at the remark.

“Surely, observing an exam is within my rights.”

“You’re more than qualified, of course. But while I don’t mind, I imagine the others find this absolutely grueling.”

Exposed beneath his formal attire were bulging muscles and scars etched across his body—marks of past battles.

With a massive frame that barely seemed human, he was the former Fighting Emperor Durandal, once one of the Four Above the Heavens and now retired as the headmaster of Rahern Academy.

The headmaster observing the midterm evaluation in person made the assistant professors and assistants struggle to maintain their composure as they graded the students.

“So, how are the second-generation students?”

When Durandal asked, Ganon let out a deep sigh.

“They’re certainly skilled overall.”

Rahern Academy was known for gathering the brightest and most talented students from across the world.

It was only natural for their skills to be impressive.

“But compared to the first-generation students, they fall far too short.”

Still, they weren’t the best Rahern had ever seen.

The first-generation students of Rahern Academy had been admitted after the academy’s most competitive entrance exams.

It had been unavoidable, as the academy was newly established, attracting exceptional candidates aged 15 to 19.

The resulting first-generation class had been a carefully curated group, considered the most outstanding of their era.

In contrast, the second-generation students were clearly inferior to their predecessors.

Half of them were only 15 years old, having just reached the minimum age for admission.

Among the older students, many had failed the exams during the first round of admissions.

The qualitative gap between the first and second generations was unmistakable.

It was an unavoidable reality.

Most of the truly exceptional talents had been gathered during the first-generation admissions.

Naturally, the second-generation students couldn’t help but fall short in comparison.

“And what about on an individual level?”

Durandal’s lips curled into a meaningful smile.

Ganon, understanding the implication of that smile, let out a brief sigh.

“Even on an individual level, the first-generation students are superior.”

The top-ranking members of the first generation were remarkable figures who would have left their mark in any era.

Their excellence was undeniable.

However, Ganon also knew of one individual.

Someone who not only kept up with the best of the first generation but even surpassed their achievements.

Kraush Valheim.

The current top student of the second-generation Martial Arts division.

Ever since his admission to Rahern Academy, he had been a constant source of headlines with his extraordinary accomplishments.

“Kraush wouldn’t fall behind the first generation.”

It wasn’t just Kraush.

The elite students of his group could easily hold their own among the first generation.

But even among them, Kraush stood out.

Even Ganon, known for his harsh evaluations, sometimes found himself thinking:

This boy is going to accomplish something monumental someday.

“Ha-ha, isn’t that right?”

Durandal let out a satisfied laugh.

Knowing exactly what Durandal was hinting at from the beginning, Ganon cast him a slightly annoyed look.

“Do you like Kraush that much?”

Hearing the question, Durandal turned his gaze back to the screen.

On the display, Kraush was running in a straight line without hesitation.

Judging by his direction, he was undoubtedly heading toward the Red Line.

Despite the presence of a 7-star Erosion Entity that even seasoned warriors would hesitate to face, Kraush’s unwavering determination and lack of consideration for failure impressed Durandal.

“I’ve never seen anyone surpass my old friend quite like this.”

Hearing this, Ganon glanced up slightly.

“Are you comparing him to the Sword Emperor?”

During Durandal’s time as one of the Four Above the Heavens, his companion and close friend, the Sword Emperor, had been a legendary figure.

Even the Valheim family, renowned for their mastery of the sword, held the Sword Emperor in the highest regard.

It was because of him that the moniker of Sword Emperor had passed to another, while Martial Emperor became their new title.

Recalling the one who was no longer among them, Durandal let out a slow smile.

“That friend of mine had a ferocity that was unmatched.”

Even the fierce determination he had shown at the end was unforgettable.

As he reminisced, Durandal turned his gaze back to Kraush.

“And so, I’m considering something.”

He mused aloud, wondering whether to bestow a gift on that fiercely determined student to ensure he wouldn’t stumble.

A star destined to light up the world must never lose its shine.

Hearing this, Ganon’s eyes widened slightly.

“…He is the son of the Martial Emperor.”

If Durandal were to act as he was hinting, it could concentrate too much power within Valheim.

If the world’s balance tipped too far, it was inevitable that something somewhere would break.

Was Durandal unaware of that? Ganon’s expression posed the unspoken question.

But Durandal’s face remained calm.

“There’s an old prophecy left behind by the previous head of Sephira.”

Sephira, the family of astrologers.

Durandal vividly remembered the words left by the former head of Sephira.

“‘Upon the devoured Black Star, countless stars will follow the guidance of a single star.’”

“What a cryptic message to interpret…”

“If so, wouldn’t it be better to make that single star shine as brightly as possible, so more stars can follow it?”

Ganon said nothing further, instead shifting his gaze to the screen showing Kraush.

Not everyone in the room fully grasped the meaning behind Durandal’s words.

But Ganon understood.

‘The successor of the Fighting Emperor.’

Durandal had chosen who would inherit the lifelong secrets and techniques he had built.

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