Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Promotion Exam (5)
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Hwang Jae-jun and Yang Beom-seok.
If I had to grade these two idiots' little scheme, I'd give it a generous 30 points.
'Their skill at lightly scratching at someone is worth a solid 50, at best.'
But they fell for my bait, so minus 20.
That much, their little "mistake" earlier was a decent ploy.
'The malice was obvious, but it'd be hard to punish them for it.'
Stuff like that happens occasionally even during raids, after all.
It's not the kind of thing the law steps in to judge.
It's on the level of petty theft—a vague misdemeanor.
Too much hassle to make public, too hard to punish.
You don't go to jail for spitting in someone's face.
But for the victim, it's the most infuriating thing.
'If they were aiming to make me rage-quit the exam, it was pretty apt.'
Of course, if they got called out, it'd stay on their Association record forever.
Not quite blacklisted, but their evaluation would tank.
They'd face major disadvantages in the next exam, too.
But if their brains didn't stretch that far, or they were willing to risk the bad eval from the start, it didn't matter.
'The Association isn't some absolute authority.'
Ah, sure, they issue hunter licenses and can revoke them.
But revocations are rare unless it's extreme.
By that logic, aren't cops absolute powerhouses?
'What makes the Association's rules truly scary is the nation backing them up.'
Especially gate-related crimes—they're almost always felonies.
The Association uncovers them, and the state handles the punishment.
Even if a company man breaks rules and commits a crime, the company can't punish him however they like.
But punishment under national law? That comes down.
The Association-hunter relationship is exactly like that.
You can get chummy, or if you've got skills, ignore them moderately or treat them as equals.
'Take me—I ignored the Association's intent entirely and started a live stream.'
But flip it around: the Association's evaluations are just that level.
As long as you follow the law, a dip in eval is bearable.
Ah, of course, Schönne follows the Association's rules to the letter.
Hail Association, hail the nation. Loyalty!
Heavens forbid anyone mock national law?
Live like me, abiding the law as model citizens!
'Still, schemes like this are common enough.'
Scam money with financial fraud, eat a few months in jail, get out.
Roll up to the press conference in a wheelchair, play the invalid.
Hmm, smells like my old job.
Trash journalists yapping away. People are the same everywhere.
'Problem is, these guys are self-harm extortionists at best.'
Not even proper hunters—just thugs who awakened abilities.
From their improv skills, they're third-rate at that.
And they came up with this plan of barely toeing the legal line? Not credible.
'Not a spur-of-the-moment spat. Someone tipped them off.'
Someone subtly egging on these fools.
A sly little petty schemer with a small vessel.
But Hwang Jae-jun, pissed off, botched it.
Instead of subtle sabotage, he went full-on confrontation.
"...Y-you cowardly bastard!! No matter how slick a lie you spin, the truth will win out!!"
Hwang Jae-jun switched to victim mode the second he saw the footage.
Bastard. Suddenly cosplaying the aggrieved party?
He must've realized I was filming.
"Yeah! If I testify as a witness and expose your scam, it's 2 against 1, you scum!!"
And here's the other moron piling on.
Idiots in stereo. Driving me nuts.
"There was a Necromancer among the examiners."
I shook my head and pointed to the sky.
"You thought there'd be no CCTV inside a gate? Didn't you know the Association's cameras caught you two attacking my summons?"
"...Cameras?"
Team members' faces went pale. Morons.
"Your personality evals are probably already in the gutter. Oh, right—amazingly, you two only tripped in that empty spot after the cameras left."
If you're gonna pick a fight, do it right.
Might as well mix in a bit of extortion while I'm at it.
I addressed the idiots who weren't even worth the effort.
"So, what're you gonna do, go public?"
[How many morons in this world would back you to the end if you screwed up? If I fake a bit that you abused your power over me, your hunter career's done.]
Whoa. Still a killer line on relisten.
Why do types like this spout advice they need themselves like it's for others?
People need my level of self-objectivity.
This era's conscience, and it hurts my heart.
'If it turns into an exposé war, they're the ones screwed.'
Even high officials fear public opinion.
Their heads must be spinning with the fallout.
"...Fuck!"
Of course, these conscienceless fools didn't utter a single apology to the end.
Flustered, they spun around.
"Kuak!"
"Kwaak!"
And promptly faceplanted again.
What's wrong? Thought I'd only trip you once?
Shocked, I sincerely consoled them.
"Oh my god, you two!! Tripping again like you're possessed?! Should I do an exorcism?!"
"Kuh...! Q-quit screwing around! Undo this?!"
"Whaaat?! I didn't do anything—why snap at me?! One exorcism fixes it! I'm a Necromancer, I know! It's evil spirits!"
"Not spirits—your ghost bullshit!!"
"Whatever—just undo it first!!"
"Huh? Wrong attitude for begging. Rude much?"
I straightened up and shook my head.
"No exorcism. Or rather, I can't."
"Aaaargh!! Fine, you bastard!! Don't!! Fuck!!"
Thud, thud, crash! Roll-roll-roll-!
The two endured it with sheer grit even as they kept falling.
Tougher than I expected.
For about 10 minutes.
"...Sorry. Please undo it."
"We were wrong.... My nose is bleeding...."
After barely 10 meters and thirty-ish falls, these idiots finally bowed and begged for mercy.
"Why act like this? Makes me look like the bad guy."
Finally got the bare minimum manners.
I nodded and held out my hand.
"500,000 won."
"...Pardon?"
"Pardon what. Exorcism fee. Pay up 500,000 won."
I need living expenses too.
Ah, no profit! Business is tough.
...Tremble-tremble-tremble! The morons shook all over.
"W-we... don't have our wallets...."
"You got your phones back earlier? For emergencies. Gonna save the transfer for fish-shaped buns?"
"Your speech is half-polite now...."
"So? Jealous?"
These bastards still not getting it.
Jealous? You know what happens.
I shook their phones with the crime footage.
Tremble-tremble-tremble...!
Veins bulging, they went into vibrate mode.
Chilly day? Keep shivering.
They know resistance won't even break even.
Grinding teeth, they pulled out their phones.
"500,000 won, right...?"
"C-could you, give us, your account number...?"
"Account? Ah."
Smack! I slapped my forehead like I'd just realized.
"Oops! Forgot my account number. Canceled!"
Gonna get charged with extortion for real?
Can't tarnish my clean streamer life.
I smiled at the vein-popping duo.
"Why so serious? Just kidding, kidding."
Of course, I didn't forget to throw Hwang Jae-jun's bullshit back at him.
Ah, great memory's a curse sometimes.
"...Grrrr!! Grrrgrrr!!"
Did my kind trolling land a crit?
The trembling bastards' eyes rolled back.
Now foaming too. King crab?
Level up today, learn water cannon.
"Hoo, haak...! Jeong Do-jin? We get it, so hurry and exorcise? Can't walk."
Fair enough. Relative grading—no slacking.
Convinced, I performed the rite at once.
"Sure~ Good vibes exorcism~."
"………………."
"What. Why the stare."
I really undid it. Why the wide eyes? Wanna go?
My face hardened, and the cowards couldn't meet my gaze, quickly turning away.
And cautiously testing a step?
'No, seriously—these scaredy-cats. I said it's off.'
Annoyed, I swallowed and bellowed.
"Waaah!!!!!"
"Kwaaaah?!"
"Hiiiik?!"
-Flail-flail!
Thinking they'd fall again, they panicked.
I pointed ahead and yelled.
"Aaaah! Kobolds! Kobolds, everyone!"
"……."
"Why so shocked? Scared of kobolds too? Sure, happens. I get it. Piss yourselves, I'll just film and pretend not to see."
"……Grrr!! Grrrrr!!"
"Quit grrr-ing and go fight. Been watching—you're the only one killing monsters. Gonna fail? Huh? Rude? Cancel the exorcism?"
"N-nooo...! We'll fiiiight...!"
"Us toooo...! We'll work haaard...!"
Ahem. Stop grinding teeth. Bad for dental health.
Broken teeth won't heal with exorcism.
"I'm tired, gonna rest. Guides off-duty too—figure it out, lap the path to the altar yourselves."
I dismissed all but El Ayla and chugged a potion.
Food tastes depend who you eat with.
This bitter medicine was honey-sweet today.
"Man, exam's a blast. Wanna do it daily. Fun for you guys too?"
"Y-yesss...!!"
"S-so funnn...!!"
Grind-crunch-grind-crunch...!
Teeth grinding as they switched to guide duty, the suckers.
Hard ground after rain.
Our sucker friendship was tighter than ever.
Minor misunderstanding cleared, we bared our hearts and truly became a team.
K-Black Sheep Express, full speed ahead.