Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: 015. Nothing's Perfect (2)
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Lee Junyoung, the Hunter exam proctor heading to the recovery room, wore a grim expression.
"The second exam is probably out of the question."
The condition of the examinee he'd checked on was that dire.
Mana Exhaustion combined with muscle spasms—it wasn't something a couple hours of rest could fix.
D-rank examinee Kim Gunja.
He'd passed the first exam with a stunning score, but skipping the second would make failure a foregone conclusion.
"He's definitely retiring, but..."
Still, procedures had to be followed. He needed to hear it directly from the man himself.
How to break the news without hurting him too much?
Pondering that, he pushed open the recovery room door.
And his jaw dropped at the utterly unexpected sight.
"...H-how?"
The guy who should have been groaning in bed was shirtless, doing push-ups.
With someone riding on his back, no less.
"H-hey! Don't you know how to knock?!"
Sin Yeji, perched on Kim Gunja's back, hopped off in a huff and vented her frustration.
"S-sorry! I was lost in thought for a sec—wait, what the hell is this...?"
Before Lee Junyoung could wrap his head around it,
"Monster uncle, you good to go? I'm heading out first!"
Sin Yeji bolted out the door like she was late for something.
Lee Junyoung could only stand there blinking.
Kim Gunja rose from the floor with a smirk.
She'd waited for him to say he'd go together, but ditched him the second she could.
What a wild one, he muttered, grabbing his shirt.
Watching him, Lee Junyoung let out a soft gasp of admiration.
He'd been too flustered earlier to notice, but up close, those chiseled abs and obliques were the kind any guy would envy.
'Must've been training for years.'
From Lee Junyoung's perspective, unaware Kim Gunja was only three months in, it was the only logical conclusion.
'And those burn scars?'
Unlike his smooth physique, the mottled red patches on his right arm were a bit unsightly, but they contrasted nicely with his gentle face, giving off a rugged masculinity that worked surprisingly well.
He was still staring in thought when,
"So, what brings you here...?"
Kim Gunja, now dressed, prompted him. Lee Junyoung snapped out of it.
"Oh, right. It's about whether you'll participate in the second exam..."
He couldn't bring himself to say he'd come to confirm a withdrawal.
The guy looked way too fine.
No, beyond fine—like he'd slept for a week straight. His sweat-glistened face practically glowed with vitality.
By contrast, his own reflection in the mirror nearby looked more like the patient: sallow and worn from overtime.
...This is kinda depressing.
"...I was going to ask, but it seems unnecessary now. You'll participate, right?"
"Of course."
Kim Gunja answered Lee Junyoung's question as if it were obvious.
"The second exam—Slayer combat training—starts soon. Head to the waiting room as soon as you're ready."
"Thank you. I'll tidy up and come right over."
Lee Junyoung gazed at the straightforward Kim Gunja, questions on the tip of his tongue, but held back.
He had plenty he wanted to ask, but grilling someone fresh off recovery wasn't polite.
Besides, helping examinees focus on the exam was his job. The guy's drive—working out right after waking up—plus his consistent politeness compared to the younger Awakeners, all earned him goodwill.
"Then... good luck to the end."
"Thank you."
With a nod, Lee Junyoung left the room.
Click.
The door shut, and Kim Gunja let out a quiet sigh.
'Didn't ask much, surprisingly.'
He'd prepped excuses via a call with Park Chunduk, but they went unused.
As Kim Gunja tidied up to leave, he paused.
His right hand on the doorknob—the mottled red patches stood out starkly.
"......"
It was a change from his Sync Rate leveling up another notch.
Maybe because he'd pushed it extra hard today.
After recovering via Customizing Room and loosening up, his Sync Rate had leveled up.
For the first time, it manifested physically.
'This won't lead to it taking over my body later, right? Better ask Austin tomorrow just in case.'
Yeji just called him "monster uncle" without prying into his changes.
Three months.
Living together, she had to know Park Chunduk and he were hiding something, but she never asked.
She just waited patiently.
Believing they'd tell her someday.
Kim Gunja was simply grateful.
'After the exam, I'll tell Yeji too.'
He'd thought knowing too many people wasn't good, but Yeji was different.
With that in mind, he left the recovery room for the waiting area.
And,
"......"
A man watched his retreating figure silently from the corridor shadows.
Han Jihan.
His face was expressionless, a far cry from his usual dopey demeanor.
"Are you an examinee?"
A passing staffer asked, and
"Oh, yeah!"
"The second exam starts soon. Please gather in the waiting room."
"Haha! On my way!"
Han Jihan switched back to his goofy grin and headed off.
"A D-rank caused Mana Exhaustion?"
Baek Jincheon's gaze shifted from the papers to the front.
With the Guild Master's interest piqued, the headquarters chief breathed a sigh of relief.
Reporting to Baek Jincheon—who barely acknowledged anyone below A-rank—had been a tough call.
'Good thing I chose right...'
The confident chief delivered his prepared response.
"Yes. And our analysis team confirmed Dual Stream from the Association's data."
"Hooh..."
Baek Jincheon's fingers drummed the desk.
Sensing genuine intrigue, the chief added more.
"Plus, he returned to the waiting room in under an hour."
"That's surprising."
"We're suspecting a regeneration or recovery unique trait as well."
"The files."
The chief handed over the documents with deference.
Baek Jincheon, donning his non-prescription glasses, scrutinized them closely.
'Why wear those if he doesn't need them...'
The chief couldn't fathom it but never questioned.
Curiosity killed more than cats.
Baek Jincheon set the papers down after review.
"No notable data from three months ago, huh."
That meant, Is this the best you've got?
Cold sweat trickled down the chief's back.
"Sorry. As a D-rank, there wasn't much collected. If you need, I can send someone now—"
"No need. I'll check myself."
The chief flinched hard at Baek Jincheon's intrigued tone.
The mighty Baek Jincheon moving personally?
For a mere D-rank?
His mind raced at the unforeseen crisis.
Baek Jincheon stood, donning his coat, and continued.
"Took Kang Inhyeok six months to master Dual Stream, right?"
"Yes, exactly 187 days."
"Interesting. Files say three months. A talent like that stuck at D-rank."
"He may have already surpassed D-rank."
"Yeah. Likely. Can't let a gem from my country slip away."
He said "my" instead of "our," as always.
From anyone else, it'd sound off, but not from him.
He had the credentials.
"Let's go before the hyenas swarm. Check for foreign rats too."
He hated others poaching his picks.
The chief bowed deeply.
"Helicopter on standby right away."
The giant stirred.
My face itches.
Kim Gunja wished someone would peel off that damn scoreboard.
1st. Jin Garyul 3470
2nd. Han Juyeong 3120
3rd. Cha Gangju 3100
4th. Sin Yeji 2790
5th. Kim Gunja 2160
.
.
His one flashy performance couldn't match the steady A-rank hunters.
But Kim Gunja wasn't disappointed at all.
His goal was clearing the quest; points were just a bonus.
Only,
"That's the guy?"
"Heard he had Mana Exhaustion, but he looks fine."
"Re-awakened maybe?"
"As if. Probability's insane."
"Then how's he walking around?"
"...Fair point. Weird dude."
The chatter made him feel like a zoo monkey.
And for some reason,
Diamond Han Juyeong.
He was glaring with intense hostility.
Why?
"......"
No, not hostility—disgust.
Kim Gunja had no clue.
They'd had zero interaction since the exam started.
Han Juyeong's pomaded bulk radiated menace.
That killer glare.
Gonna murder someone.
"What, gorilla's pissed?"
"Yeji."
"What? It's true. Thinks he can glare without consequence."
Sin Yeji growled back at him. Oh boy.
"Hey, cut it out."
He said it, but didn't intervene much.
Just a token effort.
Having someone rage on his behalf felt pretty good.
He checked if the quest auto-completed somehow—no dice.
As he pondered how to leave a strong impression,
"Kim Gunja."
Someone poked his shoulder from behind.
Turning, Cha Gangju flashed a bright smile.
She could make that face too?
She'd look great in a soda ad, but memories of her shoving her hand in a monster's mouth for a blood shower soured it into a wry grin.
"Oh... Cha Gangju."
"Feeling okay?"
"Yes, recovered enough for the exam."
"Hmm... Already?"
Cha Gangju hummed, eyeing him oddly.
Like she knew something others didn't.
"Is your recovery that fast because of this right arm too?"
"Pardon?"
As she reached for it, Sin Yeji slapped her hand away.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"Oh? Boyfriend?"
"W-what nonsense!"
"Then why interfere?"
"He's still recovering! That psycho clung to him earlier—how much hell did he go through?"
"Psycho?"
Sin Yeji shot a glance at Jin Garyul.
He pretended not to hear, plastering on his fake smile.
Thanks to the commotion,
"What, the old guy's already buddy-buddy with A-rank examinees?"
"Scary stuff. That's connections for ya? Street-smart already."
"Jealous? Just say it."
"...Tch."
Useless misunderstandings spread.
Not entirely wrong, though.
He had fixated on A-ranks for the quest.
The ruckus died down as proctor Lee Junyoung appeared on cue.
"The final second exam is Slayer combat training."
Slayer.
Awakeners who saw gates as natural order, deeming Hunters—who tried blocking them—heretics worthy of death. Fanatical system zealots.
"Slayer ambushes inside gates are rising. Identifying them pre-entry would be ideal, but it's near impossible."
The grave words sobered the room.
It could happen here too.
"Thus, Hunters need interpersonal combat skills beyond hunting to protect themselves."
They'd evaluate anti-Slayer prowess via duels.
"You can pick an instructor or examinee. Victory doesn't matter—focus on showcasing your PvP skills when choosing."
With the brief explanation done, opponent selection began.
Most chose instructors—logical, since examinees vs. examinees meant full effort and high uncertainty.
But exceptions always existed.
"...You serious?"
The staffer double-checked.
Kim Gunja nodded.
No other way.
To clear both Hunter license exam and quest.
"Yes. I pick Han Juyeong."
The waiting room erupted the instant he spoke.
A D-rank challenging an A-rank—unprecedented.
Diamond Han Juyeong.
His eyebrow twitched.
Visibly displeased.