The Retired Hero is an Extra

Back on the island, where only female participants were taking the Entrance Test.

Unlike their counterparts, there weren't many fights happening despite the number of talented girls.

It wasn't that they were afraid or anything; it was just that the fight with the boss monster had erupted earlier than the boys' side.

If not for that, the number of fights wouldn't just be some minor skirmishes between the crowd's favorites.

Be it Princess Ava, wielding a katana and swinging it in precise arcs to defeat monsters and examinees alike on her way.

Or be it the beautiful Elven Princess with her long light green flowing hair and jewel-like aquamarine eyes, using her daggers or her green vines adorned with roses.

Or be it the yellowish-orange-haired dwarven girl, Freirae, who used a greatsword to defeat her foes.

Not paling in comparison to the three most important females in the three races was Vivia, casting spells effortlessly and also healing her injuries, being one of the rare holders of healing element.

Then there was Caera, the Battlemage, who used spells, dagger, bows, swords, and every weapon she could get her hands on to fight.

Falling slightly behind her were girls like Rura Warmis and Levi Killion, who were just a tad bit weaker than them.

Despite that, Rura using her earth element freely came as a surprise as awakening elements was nothing easy.

Alas, fighting wasn't what she was best at, so it mattered little for the VIP guests.

If they were keeping an eye on anyone, it was Lyra Thalorien, the sole daughter of Archduke Thalorien.

With her vibrant blue hair, cascading in waves and her piercing black eyes, which contained a hint of something else, she caught the attention due to her water magic.

In the observation room, the professors looked at the screen, which was split into countless figures of the participants.

One of the professors in the observation room couldn't help but comment, "We have too many participants with awakened elements this year."

The others nodded wordlessly, agreeing to his statement but not responding with words, busily switching between the various screens.

"Not like it changes who will get First Rank among girls," Aera, the professor with straight long black hair, said, silencing others.

"Aera, we don't know for sure," the professor with his back straight and a stoic expression on her left retired.

"Jin, we do know," Aera replied, twirling the tip of her hair without even sparing him a glance.

"No, that's not..."

Just when the two began rebutting and retorting, the other professors rolled their eyes with the same thought: 'There they go again!'

Choosing to ignore them, as everyone was used to it, the other professors turned to the screen, focusing on the one most likely to win.

A girl with hair as dark as the night itself yet they seemed to have a sheen of their own, reflecting the golden hues of the bright sun.

Her purple amethyst eyes, complemented by black eyelashes and light-pink lips, added to her charm.

However, it was a charm so dangerous, few men would dare to go near her, let alone have the guts to talk to her.

Her expression remained one of casual indifference and a focus on her goals as if nothing else mattered.

What destroyed her beautiful sight was the retractable whip-sword she wielded without any hesitation.

Her control and mastery of the whip-sword was as beautiful as it was terrifying, making her scenes brief yet impactful.

Of course, that didn't mean that the observing professors or the VIP guests shied away from it.

Instead, they looked on with great fervor, wanting to know more about her strengths and limits, making plans with her.

After all, mere rumors of engagement dissuaded many nobles as she herself was a duke's daughter.

Contrastingly, the professors only looked on to find potégés and talented hunters, with her fulfilling all those conditions.

Little did they know that Ziva had talent far surpassing their imaginations, alas, she had her own limitations.

Not like it changed anything for them as they were busy observing the fast-changing events on the island.

The boss monster, the same one faced by the male participants, was startled awake by a fight between two girls.

Naturally, the two got no time to react as they were immediately teleported out with the help of their barrier activating.

—ROAAR!!

Its loud roar attracted everyone as spells landed on after a few minutes of the loud roar, eliciting more roars and eliminations.

The situation was no different than the other side until one of the nine most talented girls arrived at the place.

However, before them a girl with dark green hair and deep-blue eyes appeared, stopping in her tracks at the sight of the boss monster.

Unlike the girls before her, she didn't attack, but stayed a distance away from the boss monster, wary of it.

She looked back and saw no one, and chose to find some cover instead of getting targeted by whoever arrives next.

She didn't know, but there was a girl who was hiding nearby and had observed her strange calmness and planning.

The look on the green-haired girl was far too calm in the face of a boss monster as if she held no fear for it.

'Strange,' the observing girl thought, aware that she was hiding due to her lack of strength.

'When I arrived, didn't I instinctively take a step back, wanting to find a safe hiding place?' she recalled, comparing herself to the newcomer.

Nevertheless, she kept her composure and stayed alert for any attacks, just in case.

Although she looked confident and was a strong contestant, she still recognized the reality that she wasn't the pinnacle of strength.

She shivered as the scene from a fight she just so happened to witness played in her mind.

The sword's transformation into a serrated whip, taking down multiple monsters with ease, reminded her of her own struggles.

'I had trouble with just one, and that girl took down 4-5 in one go!' she shivered at the scene and had made her escape immediately.

'I hope she didn't see me,' the observing girl prayed, awaiting the main fight and hoping to gain something.

Unlike all the formidable participants who were treated with respect and care by others their whole life, she was different.

She had been raised by her father who was just an E-Rank hunter and worked as a technician to feed them.

'I will enter and become a successful hunter,' she had promised her father who couldn't believe that his daughter had grown up so wonderfully.

While she was busy reminiscing, she failed to keep her entire body in check as strands of her stunning pink hair almost got revealed.

Fortunately, no one except the green-haired girl was nearby, saving the pink-haired girl from being discovered.

However, the situation didn't remain so peaceful for long as a few girls, arrogant and full of pride, arrived and attacked the boss monster.

"Hmph! Only someone like I–"

Before a newcomer could even finish her declaration, she was eliminated mercilessly by the monster.

'That's what you get for being arrogant,' the pink-haired girl smirked, recognizing the girl from her waiting room and how she demeaned her.

At the same time, all the girls were approaching the area, fighting amongst themselves or letting themselves be eliminated.