Chapter 7: Promotion Test （3）
“We will now move to the Gate.”
It was Team 2’s turn.
As they stepped into the Gate leading to the Other World, the world distorted, and a different landscape unfolded before them.
Whoosh.
Dizziness washed over them.
Those experiencing dimensional travel for the first time often felt nauseous and vomited. However, even though Kang San was an F-rank human shield, he was a veteran who had experienced hundreds of raids. Accepting the familiar nausea with an indifferent expression, Kang San immediately grasped the surrounding situation as soon as he set foot on the unfamiliar land.
‘… A swamp?’
This place was also a forest.
Towering trees blocked the sunlight, and the ground beneath their feet was generally sticky.
It was the worst.
Extreme climates or terrains that hindered combat, like swamps, were typical points people avoided. Usually, they would conduct hunts after confirming all these facts through prior investigation, but in the case of this practical test, they were not provided with any information regarding the hunting grounds.
It meant they had to figure it out themselves.
The ability to respond to variables was also included in the test scope.
Rustle, rustle.
“Something’s approaching!”
“Everyone, get into formation!”
Jo Han-byeol raised his voice.
As one team member said, something was approaching them.
At first, only the grass on one side rustled.
But as they focused on that spot, the rustling began to spread in all directions.
Rustle, rustle, rustle!
Whoosh!
“Goblins!”
The grotesque creatures that emerged through the thick grass were Goblins, known as F-rank monsters. They were small and had weak physiques, with individual combat abilities known to be weak. However, the appearance of Goblins in an E-rank zone meant that this place was not just a simple hunting ground.
“Damn it, it’s a Hobgoblin’s territory.”
Hobgoblins.
Possessing intellectual abilities, Hobgoblins, as leaders of monsters, knew how to cunningly utilize their fellow Goblins.
As expected, the Goblins did not rush in recklessly.
The first Goblin to launch itself was a decoy, and Goblins that suddenly popped out from all directions simultaneously fired paralyzing needles.
Whoosh, whoosh!
A surprise attack!
Fortunately, the Tanker reacted quickly.
From the moment the Goblins appeared, Kang San had already secured an appropriate position to protect his team members.
Clang, clang, clang!
The Goblins’ paralyzing needle attacks were blocked by his shield. At the same time, a Goblin that lunged at Kang San aimed a dagger at his weak point, but Kang San swiftly swung his sword first. Slice, the Goblin’s chest split open. As monsters with weak individual abilities, the Goblin fell to the ground, spraying blood.
“Everyone, respond calmly. Goblins are, after all, just Goblins.”
Kang San spoke calmly.
His voice, as if there was no threat at all, made the team members feel at ease.
Goblins immediately attempted follow-up attacks.
Some Goblins rushed at Kang San with weapons, while others targeted him with ranged attacks.
There were about 10 of them?
A smile appeared on Kang San’s lips.
Not only had he dealt with Goblins countless times, but unlike before, Kang San now had ‘skills.’
And they were incredibly awesome skills.
‘Good.’
It was the source of his confidence.
The Iron Man skill that Park Jeong-su used against the Orc only increased defense by a mere 5%. However, Guardian’s Will was a skill that secured a stronger defense the more enemies there were. Rather, monsters like Goblins, which relied on overwhelming numbers, were easier for Kang San to handle.
Thud!
Kang San calmly blocked the Goblin’s attack.
Although they were attacks made with all their might, the attacks of the already weak Goblins couldn’t inflict any damage.
Defense rate.
All percentage values were based on 100%, and by securing 12% defense, Kang San offset the opponent’s attack power by that much. Of course, monsters with skills that amplified attack power or those equipped with strong weapons could exhibit higher attack power, but the Goblins in front of him were not like that.
Easy opponents.
All attacks were blocked by Kang San.
Seeing Kang San skillfully forming the front line, the team members behind him showed surprised expressions.
“He’s quite good.”
It was an unexpected situation.
They had thought Kang San’s skills were inferior to Park Jeong-su’s, but contrary to their expectations, he displayed a considerably stable performance.
Thanks to this, the situation unfolded smoothly.
While Kang San held the line, Team 2’s members began to attack the Goblins one by one.
Thwack!
An arrow struck a Goblin’s head.
Its body, flung into the air, crashed to the ground, and the Dealer, a swordsman, quickly approached and finished off the Goblin. Jo Han-byeol’s skill in attempting ranged attacks from the rear was quite good. He was one of the A-rank applicants who had caught Kim Myeong-min’s attention, and with his attacks hitting their marks appropriately, the number of Goblins rapidly decreased.
Then.
‘Interesting skill.’
He laughed.
A skill that made him stronger with many opponents and weaker with fewer.
He liked it.
Although it was a conditional buff, it was still a considerable advantage for a Tanker to have such a skill.
The situation was quickly resolved.
Including the additional Goblins that appeared, the number of enemies reached almost 30, but since Kang San firmly held the front line, dealing with them was not a problem. Smiles appeared on the faces of Team 2’s members. Picking Kang San had been a stroke of genius, and it seemed like they would successfully complete this test.
But at that moment.
An unexpected variable occurred that no one had anticipated.
✦✦✦✦✦✦
Bang!
“Ugh.”
Kang San’s body was pushed back.
It was fortunate that he had instinctively blocked the attack. If he had been hit by that attack just now, his head would have been smashed.
But it was strange.
Destructive attack power.
This was definitely not the power of a Goblin.
“Gasp!”
“What is that?”
“No, why is a Blood Orc appearing in an E-rank zone?”
Hiss.
Blood-red skin.
A massive body exceeding 3 meters in height.
While ordinary Orcs were E-rank, this was a Blood Orc, which meant even the lowest-ranked Orc among them was D-rank.
Team 2’s members were shocked.
For them, who had come to take the E-rank promotion test, a D-rank Blood Orc was a disaster.
At that moment of chaos.
Kang San was facing a different problem alone.
‘Fuck.’
Kang San’s expression hardened.
What a shitty quest this was.
The moment he confirmed the part about the difficulty being forcibly increased, the happy future Kang San had been anticipating shattered into pieces.
‘Azmoon, Luca Bellino weren’t on my side. They don’t want me to repent and live a good life; they just want me to die because of my past karma. Those fucking bastards. What did I do so wrong that they’re sending a Blood Orc to someone who’s just aiming for E-rank!’
He was furious.
He wanted to openly curse Azmoon and Luca Bellino, but right now, Kang San didn’t have the luxury to do so.
Hiss!
“Huff!”
The Blood Orc snorted and swung its axe with lightning speed. He managed to dodge it by a hair’s breadth, but the chilling sound of the wind being sliced made Kang San’s mouth go dry. This was an attack he couldn’t face head-on. Even though Kang San’s abilities were sufficient for E-rank, that was strictly within the E-rank level.
D-rank was a different matter.
This damned Trial had assigned a difficulty level that truly required Kang San to risk his life at his current level.
Luca Bellino.
He wasn’t just a simple agent of God.
As a judge of God, he had no reason to show Kang San any favor.
‘There’s no other way.’
It was a race he had no choice but to accept.
Kang San gripped his shield tightly.
He wasn’t confident in facing a Blood Orc alone, but he didn’t want to drop out of this race either.
The rewards he had earned so far.
His life was changing.
The people who had looked at him like trash when he was an F-rank human shield were now showing completely different expressions.
This life.
This moment.
As a man, wouldn’t it be better to live a cool life?
‘I won’t be the first to give up, you bastards.’
“I’ll block it, so quickly prepare to attack!”
Kang San gritted his teeth.
Leaving behind Team 2’s members who were still in shock, Kang San threw himself at the Blood Orc’s axe that was falling from the sky.
Crack!
✦✦✦✦✦✦
Beyond the screen.
People in the real world were in an uproar.
Seeing the Blood Orc appear, the official conducting the practical test showed signs of panic.
“This is insane!”
It was strange.
The practical test.
Although it was a very dangerous test where casualties sometimes occurred, the Promotion Test Center was fully prepared for any unforeseen circumstances. Sending a reconnaissance team to check the difficulty of the area in advance was a very basic procedure. Variables in the practical test could directly lead to the deaths of applicants. Only after fully grasping the monster situation in the area would they classify it separately for testing purposes.
‘How could a Blood Orc be there? During the three checks, there were definitely no such signs.’
The reconnaissance team.
They were professionals.
If it had been an area where Blood Orcs inhabited, there was no way they wouldn’t have found any traces, and it wouldn’t have been designated as E-rank after three explorations. What was certain was that the problem had already occurred. If the Blood Orc killed an applicant, there would be a huge uproar, so the official hurriedly contacted Kim Myeong-min.
“Examiner Kim Myeong-min, please stop the test right now. It seems like you’ll have to step in and deal with the Blood Orc yourself.”
Beyond the dimension.
Kim Myeong-min was there for safety reasons.
Kim Myeong-min was a B-rank Hunter.
If he stepped in, dealing with the Blood Orc wouldn’t be a problem at all.
But the answer that came back was different from what he expected.
“Excuse me? What do you mean? If we hesitate and an applicant gets seriously injured, there’s a high chance we’ll be embroiled in a lawsuit. You know that the media’s view of us isn’t favorable these days because of the applicant death issue, right? It’s right to stop this test here.”
“Then why on earth…?”
Kim Myeong-min’s firm voice.
The official’s face contorted in dismay.
“He’s got that crazy streak again.”
This was Kim Myeong-min’s problem.
Once he got fixated on something, he ignored the rules.
This was also the reason why he had been demoted to an Examiner.
Kim Myeong-min, who had been a fairly successful Hunter in the field, was forced to be assigned to Examiner duties because he broke the rules.
Therefore.
‘If Kim Myeong-min’s got his mind set on something, there’s no stopping him.’
He was in the real world.
All he could do now was watch.
The official’s anxious gaze turned towards the screen.
“Please, please don’t get hurt.”
Meanwhile, the applicant named Kang San seemed to have lost his mind, as he was facing the Blood Orc head-on.
They were both crazy.
