Chapter 126
Chapter 126
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 126
Chapter Title: Those Who Want to Be Fixers, Come Here (8)
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The proctor for the second assignment, Peacekeeper, was a muscular man of an overwhelmingly large build.
Shoulders as broad as the Pacific, a neck as thick as a tree trunk, and forearms like heavy clubs.
He looked less like a human and more like a gorilla in human form.
Even the buttons on his pure-white tuxedo, which seemed a size too small, were screaming in protest.
Perhaps it was because of his bushy beard and slicked-back black hair, glistening with wax.
I hadn't eaten anything greasy, but just looking at him felt like chewing on a stick of raw butter.
‘Not a metahuman… seems human. He didn’t use magic to get down from the ceiling; it was equipment.’
The strange secret to his descent from the ceiling seemed to be an unidentifiable belt at his waist.
Whether it was advanced technology or an artifact, it appeared to grant him the special ability to walk on air.
In any case, Peacekeeper strode down through the empty air.
He crossed his arms, as if to emphasize his bulging muscles, and abruptly began his introduction.
“Mwahahaha! Since you're all aspiring Fixers, I'm sure you already know my name…! But allow me to introduce myself anyway! I am Peacekeeper! A Triple-Number Fixer, ranked a mighty 987th… specializing in VIP protection! Hahaha! A pleasure to meet you all!”
Peacekeeper emphasized the "987th" with a heavy accent, flexing his pectoral muscles with a ripple.
It seemed he took considerable pride in his Fixer rank.
And his attitude, so certain that the examinees would know his name.
He was a very overbearing type. Was he suffering from some kind of prince complex?
Still, objectively speaking, it was an impressive feat.
Being a Triple-Number Fixer meant he was in the top 1,000 of all Fixers.
Considering that simply becoming a Fixer earned you respect as a person of considerable skill, it was certainly something to be proud of.
“Hmph… How ugly. He has no fat, so he probably wouldn’t even taste good…”
“…”
But perhaps it was because one of the most dangerous people in the world, someone who could be counted on one hand, was standing right next to me.
Peacekeeper’s boast, delivered with a brilliant smile that showed off his pearly white teeth, was simply absurd.
So what if he was a Triple-Number Fixer?
If Vespera pointed a finger and said, “Die,” he would stop breathing right where he stood.
This wasn't even a cat hissing at a tiger; I was at a loss for how to react.
‘So he’s the proctor for the White Team’s second assignment. Could this also become a variable…?’
Naturally, Peacekeeper had never appeared in the original story.
Alice going to the Red Team and David to the Blue Team was something that happened in the original.
There was no need to detail what happened on the empty White Team.
Still, the content of the second assignment itself was the same for all teams.
I suppose it was fortunate that an unfamiliar proctor wouldn’t be a major problem.
And yet, for some reason, Peacekeeper’s appearance felt strangely familiar.
It was as if he were a type of person I had seen with my own two eyes at least once in my life.
I was sure I had seen someone quite similar, up close, not too long ago.
‘…Ah, he’s like Victor. But… he feels like a downgrade in terms of looks, style, everything.’
That was it. If I had to compare, he overlapped with Victor in many ways.
The fact that he was a solid mass of muscle. The way things got loud and chaotic when he was around.
He was tall, and his style was similar enough that if you blurred your vision, you might think he was just a different color.
But looking closely, Peacekeeper was a step below Victor in every aspect.
Victor wasn't just muscle; he was a handsome blond, and he was positive and passionate about everything.
This guy, on the other hand, was all dressed up to little effect and seemed a bit obsessed with his rank.
Moreover, Victor was a formidable talent in the upper echelons of the Double-Number Fixers.
This one was barely clinging to his Triple-Number status at the bottom of the rankings.
In fact, comparing the two was probably an insult to Victor.
Even Vespera had lost interest after a brief glance and turned her gaze back to me.
It was exhausting to keep up this act of nonchalance. He was a truly unhelpful person.
“Hm! Yes… A fine gathering of talent. Having passed the first assignment, it's safe to say you all possess sufficient skill and qualification!”
Peacekeeper glanced around, then muttered with a satisfied smile.
He was so satisfied that the muscles hidden beneath his clothes twitched grotesquely.
Then, his gaze suddenly stopped on me, and he frowned slightly in puzzlement.
Could he have heard the mean things I was thinking, comparing him to Victor?
Feeling a pang of guilt, I subtly hid behind Vespera to escape his line of sight.
Peacekeeper tilted his head for a moment before continuing to address the examinees.
“Well then, since everyone seems ready, there’s no need to drag this out. Let’s begin the second assignment immediately! This assignment is…”
“Ooh, it’s finally starting!”
“Just what kind of assignment requires us to come all the way to Reverse Mountain…”
Hearing Peacekeeper’s words, the examinees of the White Team grew tense.
They seemed to be dying of curiosity about the true nature of the second assignment.
An outrageous event like the Fixer exam, held in a special location closed to civilians.
The pressure and nervousness for the upcoming second assignment were bound to keep growing.
However, the examinees soon found themselves blinking in bewilderment.
Peacekeeper’s next statement was so perplexing it was difficult to understand at first.
“Illusion Sparring!”
“I-Illusion?”
“What does that mean…”
“P-Proctor, sir! Please explain in detail!”
The confused examinees, as soon as he finished speaking, peppered him with questions, asking for a detailed explanation.
The words ‘illusion’ and ‘sparring’, which seemed to have no connection, had been mashed together into one phrase.
They likely had no idea what it could possibly mean.
I, however, had a general idea of what it was, so I wasn't particularly agitated.
Hehehe, this overwhelming sense of superiority, taking a test when you already know the answer!
I felt so good I wanted to brag about it to someone.
As I closed my eyes in that leisurely mood, composing my emotions.
Vespera, who had been calmly reviewing the information sent to her watch, turned to me and spoke.
“Put on the bracelet and defeat the enemy that appears. That's it… Sounds like they're hiding something. What do you think, little one?”
“…?”
“Hm? Why am I calling you ‘little one’? Well, you won't tell me your name, so what choice do I have? Do you not like being called ‘little one’?”
“…”
No, well, call me whatever you want.
I half-averted my gaze, nodding slowly as if to say she could do as she pleased.
It wasn't like she'd stop if I told her to. At this point, I didn't care if she called me ‘little one’ or anything else.
So, she thought they were hiding something?
She wasn’t wrong. This was an assignment with a hidden trap to evaluate the examinees.
Illusion Sparring. The details of the assignment were as follows.
After putting on an Illusion Bracelet, painstakingly developed by a mental mage belonging to the Association…
It was a very simple test where you fought an enemy that didn't actually exist.
‘The problem is… the enemy that appears in the illusion is the worst possible being you can imagine.’
But the enemies that appeared here were manifestations of trauma, regret, and shocking memories.
They were beings that pushed a person into a mental corner.
Of course, since the enemy didn't actually exist, shaking it off was simple if you had a strong enough will.
But when suddenly confronted with it without a detailed explanation, it wasn't as easy as it sounded.
‘So while it’s called sparring… it’s actually a test of mental fortitude. If you steel your heart and shake off the illusion, you pass. If you lose to the illusion and pass out, you’re immediately disqualified.’
No matter how strong your physical abilities were, they were meaningless if your mind was too weak to utilize them.
As an assignment for the Fixer exam, which produced Fixers, it could be seen as quite meaningful.
But if there was one thing that bothered me…
It was that I had no real sense of what my own mental weakness might be.
Of course, I was aware that it was an illusion brought forth, not something that actually existed.
So no matter what suddenly popped out, I felt I could somehow force myself to shake it off.
But as for what the worst possible being for me would be, I honestly couldn't guess.
I wasn't really afraid of anything in the first place. A monster under the bed, perhaps? Though I don't have a bed.
‘Still, I can’t be complacent. I’ll go in with a strong resolve. It’s not like I’ll die, right?’
Mentally tightening my belt, I organized my thoughts.
I nodded in agreement with Vespera, who still looked somewhat suspicious.
“But don't worry. I'll be sure to help you, little one. Your face… ahem, your mask is just my type, so I want to look at it for as long as possible.”
“…”
I, on the other hand, would like to get away from you as quickly as possible.
Somehow suppressing my reluctant expression, I nodded nonchalantly as if to thank her.
It seemed this woman had no intention of letting me go.
If a chance to shake her off comes up, I’ll have to grab it without hesitation!
As I continued my facial acting while secretly planning my escape.
It seemed all preparations for the second assignment were completed in the meantime.
The examinees were divided according to the order they entered the gymnasium and began to put on the Illusion Bracelets.
“Ugh, gyaaaah!”
“Aargh! No! Nooo!”
“Ghk… G-Get away…!”
Screams erupted nonstop from the examinees who wore the Illusion Bracelets.
They were likely facing the worst possible illusion imaginable.
They must be experiencing something horrific in real time. Were they being swarmed by giant insects or something?
Some swung their swords at empty air or unleashed wide-area magic.
But since there were many current Fixers among the staff, the aftermath never spread outside.
Vespera watched the situation unfold with a leisurely air.
She scanned the people who were foaming at the mouth and collapsing, then offered a light assessment.
“Hmm, the pass rate is about three out of ten? This seems to be quite difficult.”
“…!”
“Don’t push yourself too hard, little one. Well… you don’t seem mentally weak, though.”
To think the day would come when I’d receive words of concern from one of the world's worst criminals.
I tapped the back of her hand with my own, as if to thank her.
When my turn came, I took a small, deep breath and walked toward the center of the gymnasium.
There stood Peacekeeper and the examinees who had mocked me when I entered earlier.
What a coincidence. It seemed we ended up in the same turn during the random selection process.
“Hmm… Such a small girl for the second assignment… You can forfeit if you’re scared.”
“Kekek. Shouldn’t you be suckling on your mother’s teat?”
“You won’t pass anyway. It’s absurd you even made it through the first assignment…”
Hmm, their evaluation of me is quite harsh.
Still, I understood. In my mask, I looked like a small, powerless human.
To those who took pride in challenging the Fixer exam, I must have seemed like someone who didn't belong.
“…”
It was fine for them to think whatever they wanted.
They’d shrink back on their own once the results were out.
I simply held out my hand to Peacekeeper, the proctor, as if telling him to get on with it.
After a moment of hesitation, he nodded and handed me the Illusion Bracelet.
The moment I fastened the bracelet to my other wrist without a second thought.
I felt a sensation as if the world around me had been plunged into darkness…
And before I knew it, I was standing amidst countless corpses under a sky that seemed stained blood-red.