21. The Second Exam
"Phew..."
So Eun-byeol felt the tension drain from her body all at once. She shook off her sword lightly and slid it back into its sheath. A chilling sensation crept up her arm belatedly. The feeling of slicing through something was oddly unpleasant yet not entirely bad.
"Clean work. You're an enhancer-type Awakener, right?"
"Pardon? Oh, yeah... that's..."
"Anyway, are you planning to take the second exam too? You seem more than capable."
"Ah, yes!"
"Alright, then take your pass certificate, head out, and you'll see a temporary office. Sign the consent form there, and they'll guide you from there."
"Got it. Thank you."
So Eun-byeol stepped outside first. In the corner of the first-floor hallway, she spotted a small temporary office set up—it was where they handed out the consent forms.
"Excuse me."
She entered the office. A woman with heavy dark circles under her eyes handed her a paper with a blank expression.
"Read it over and sign. For payment, just insert your card here."
"Okay."
She looks exhausted, So Eun-byeol thought, accepting the consent form with a hesitant look and scanning it.
Hmm...
The consent form was filled with ominous clauses. Personal info sharing was one thing, but...
They'll treat injuries for free? Does that mean I could get hurt...? And no liability even if I die? People actually die in these exams?
Unlike the first exam, the second one seemed genuinely dangerous. But she couldn't back out just because it scared her. The second exam was a golden opportunity.
Scouts, headhunters, and even guild masters from major guilds and corporations flocked to the second exam venue to watch in person. They came to spot so-called monster rookies, dragging their heavy asses out of their offices. She couldn't blow a chance to impress them just out of fear. Missing this would mean ten times the effort to catch their eye later.
"Phew."
With trembling hands, So Eun-byeol signed the consent form. The exhausted woman took it, swiped her card, and handed it back.
"Head to Room 251."
"Yes."
Following the woman's directions, So Eun-byeol made her way to Room 251. Unlike the other cubes, this one was massive—maybe ten times bigger. The layout was completely different too. Instead of a plain cubic room like the others, this was like a coliseum: a circular arena with spectator seats above it.
The spectator seats were packed with people. Some faces she recognized from TV. Room 251 already buzzed with about thirty people. Not as many as she'd expected. Factoring in that only about 10% of first-exam passers took the second, out of the 17,000 who'd tested so far, that meant barely 300 had passed. A pass rate under 10%.
Of course, these weren't all of them—there had probably been a few rounds before. Even so, total passers would be around 1,000. Still under 10%.
Academy kids skip the exam anyway, so that skews it, she thought. But the brutal pass rate remained undeniable. And considering nine out of ten hunter exam passers never made D-rank, stuck as porters...
I have to join a guild. No matter what!
She steeled herself even more, slapping her cheeks and blending into the crowd. Everyone else paced around with tense expressions. After she entered, one more person joined. A man in a suit stood up from his seat.
"Ahem, looks like we're all here. Shall we begin? Close the door, please."
"Yes, sir!"
Thud.
The door sealed shut. At the same moment, the floor's center split open with a grinding screech.
"Now, a quick rundown of the second exam. From here on, you won't face monsters controlled by summoning magic."
Vrrr...
With a deep mechanical hum, a massive cage rose from the cracked center.
"You'll be fighting real, live monsters."
Inside the cage, countless monsters glared with feral eyes, howling savagely.
"Kieeeek!!!"
"Kyaaack!!"
Goblins, orcs, kobolds, trolls, and nameless beasts of all kinds. They spewed bloodlust, slamming heads against the bars, swinging weapons, radiating hatred for all life.
So Eun-byeol felt chills ripple across her skin instinctively. This was nothing like that smug-nosed goblin she'd faced earlier. These radiated raw predator terror.
These are real monsters...
Her hand gripped the sword at her waist tightly. Cold sweat beaded on her skin. But she couldn't freeze now. This was her life from here on—fighting and killing these things for money. And to impress the watchers, she needed to make a splash from the start.
"Go wild as you like, as long as you don't hit bystanders. No scoring system or anything. But you know it'll help your case."
The man glanced at the spectators as he spoke, then continued.
"Everyone who's made it this far gets the picture. Let's start."
Snap.
He snapped his fingers. The cage confining the monsters dismantled with a clang, unleashing them.
"Kieeeek!!!"
"Uwaaaack!!"
Monsters surged like a tidal wave. An orc's rusty glaive targeted a man's neck. The guy froze in terror, unable to move. Normally, his head would've flown—but it didn't.
Whoosh!
"Whoa!"
The examiner raised a finger, and psychokinesis lifted the man into the air, saving him.
At least there's basic safety, she thought. Though no one would recruit a guy who looked that pathetic.
"Gotta show 'em something impressive... Huh?!"
"Kieeeek!"
A goblin lunged at So Eun-byeol. She panicked for a split second, but her body reacted on instinct, activating her skill.
Slash (F)
Schwick!
She cleaved the goblin vertically in two.
Splurt.
Blood gushed from the severed body—but the warm proof of life evaporated into smoke in seconds. Monster bodies, made of mana, reverted to the mana realm upon death, leaving only a tiny mana stone.
"Hah, hah."
Just one kill, and sweat poured from her. No time to relax, though. Monsters swarmed, and unsaved examinees were dropping fast.
"Hyaah!"
She swung again, felling another goblin. She kept slashing, cutting down small monsters nonstop.
Am I... actually pretty strong?
After five kills, confidence surged. She was stronger than she thought. Emboldened, So Eun-byeol charged the monsters. Adrenaline pumped through her veins, euphoria flooding her body.
But her rampage didn't last.
Her bold slash bounced off something solid.
Clang!
"Ngh?"
"Grrr."
The battle high faded, her mind clearing. She finally took in her surroundings.
"An orc..."
"Krahung!"
A D-rank monster: orc. The green muscle mass swung its glaive at her.
Clang!
"Kuh."
So Eun-byeol countered with Slash. But unlike with goblins, her blade rebounded. Kaang, kang, kagak! Relentless attacks poured in. She could only block desperately. Unlike middle-school-level goblins, orcs had power surpassing twice that of an adult man. A former ordinary college girl couldn't handle it.
Twaang.
"Hup!"
Unable to withstand, her sword flew from her grip. Blood trickled from her torn palm.
Vmmm.
Psychokinesis enveloped her—the examiner deeming her unable to continue.
No!
She couldn't end like this. She hadn't shown everything yet. Before evacuation, she mustered all her mental strength to activate the ability her constellation had specially developed for her—one she still couldn't control well.
Light of Annihilation
"Kraaaack!!"
Pure white light pierced the orc's chest.