The Qualities of a One-Man Army
A hunter with the qualities to become a one-man army had been attacked and afflicted with an unknown status abnormality. Any other hunter would have charged straight at the skeleton in that situation, but Maeng Seong-yong's temperament had done a complete one-eighty since becoming an Awakened. Instead, curiosity burned within him. What is this mark, exactly...?
He tore his gaze away from the silent skeleton and turned toward the one who had planned and executed this entire situation. The girl commanded a massive number of summons, had instantly called forth a Spectre for a counterattack, and cleverly used slimes to defend wherever she was struck. She simultaneously controlled a skeleton soldier with inexplicable power and all sorts of other summons. Could such strength truly belong to a single person? And she was only just reaching D-rank?
A chill ran down his spine at that unfathomable power. It was still just a sprout that had barely broken through the soil, yet Maeng Seong-yong realized she possessed the qualities to become a one-man army.
...The chairman would be very pleased if I reported this.
His expression had already turned serious. Slowly raising his arm, he signaled that the test was over. The mark would wear off with time, and continuing the fight risked losing control and causing an accident.
"Aah— I could still keep going!"
Yeonhee, who still had plenty of mana left, cried out in disappointment without thinking, but she could barely even stand. As for me, I instinctively knew I couldn't draw out any more of the examiner's strength. If I wanted to see more, we'd have to wager something greater. Like our lives.
Still a long way to go...
Of course, there had been gains as well. One good, one bad. Being able to carve into the examiner's tank-like back was a definite positive. For someone who had been playing around at E-rank to wound a powerhouse near A-rank was nothing short of miraculous. On the other hand, missing with that Fireball by such a wide margin was something I needed to fix quickly. It would be a waste to finally gain magic only to fail at using it. The fact that I'd reached this level of combat power without using any bombs was also worth noting—though I hadn't had any bombs left to use anyway.
Crack—
Ah, damn it. Everything's falling apart.
My left shoulder was completely destroyed, and my torso was crumbling away like sand. The examiner had probably struck me while cloaking his hand in some ability. It was supposed to be the debut of my bone armor, yet it had shattered pathetically. Still, given who the opponent was, there was nothing to be done.
A little more and my upper and lower body will separate...
When I turned my head toward Yeonhee, she was limping over to me and beginning the summoning release. I already knew from our days clearing the Lizardman Swamp that my broken body would recover in the Dark Space. Thud—
Just then, the massive examiner approached us with an oddly benevolent smile.
"Hey, summoner who commands that skeleton. Any interest in joining the Association?"
"Eh?"
Yeonhee's dazed reply was the last thing I heard before I was pulled into the Dark Space.
What? Why suddenly scout us for the Association?
It meant we'd made quite an impression, but still... the Association? The Hunter Association mediated conflicts between hunters and, by extension, between guilds, while shielding them from government interference. In a way, it was similar to the UN, but with far more coercive power. That power came from the council of major guild leaders, and the authority of the chairman they elected was considerable by the Association's very nature.
Even so, was there any real benefit to joining? Not a damn thing. No matter how much power it held, it wasn't enough to sway the rise and fall of guilds, and there was far too much tedious busywork. It wasn't a place for someone like Yeonhee, who was still in her growth phase. So why make the offer?
He must have some agenda.
Even in my previous life, there had been rumors that the Association was making various efforts to bring the guilds under its control. This was probably part of that plan.
That big guy wasn't just a regular examiner. Maybe he's laying the groundwork to strengthen the Association long-term?
The government built up power to keep the Association in check, while the Association built up power to control the guilds. The guilds sought freedom from such interference, and hunters wanted to raise their own value amid those forces. It was the same old dance I'd always seen. But having lived through the future, none of it sat well with me.
They're only looking one step ahead...
Compared to the orc uprisings that had erupted across the world, these petty power struggles were nothing more than child's play.
Crackle—
Though I hadn't been inside long, my destroyed left side was gradually regaining its shape.
<01:58:33>
Two hours... Had the time decreased because of my class change? This was the first time I'd been this badly injured, so I couldn't be sure. Eventually, there might come a point where dying and recovering immediately would be more efficient.
Taking too long...
I immediately pulled out the Water Pitcher and poured its contents over myself. Gush, gush, gush— Sitting cross-legged like a monk beneath a waterfall, I let the water wash over me for several minutes.
- Your body's recovery rate has increased slightly.
The water from Irma Lake had an effect, but it was only marginal.
Ahh, whatever. Might as well train. The test is probably over anyway.
With my intact right hand, I manifested a Fireball and hurled it at a single point. Boom—! As expected, it exploded far from the target.
It's not as simple as just throwing it. No wonder mages always talk about zeroing in.
The Fireball I'd thrown at the examiner at the very end, which had landed in such a ridiculous spot, still left a bitter taste in my mouth.
Think of it as designating coordinates... Fragmented memories from my past life surfaced. Did it mean calculating while visualizing the x, y, and z axes in my head? I was terrible at math. For now, I drew an imaginary line to designate a point, abandoned the idea of throwing, and simply reached out my hand to form the image.
Hmm— It feels like it's moving a little...
The Fireball resting on my right hand twitched and shifted. But then— Pop! It dropped right in front of my face and only succeeded in burning the ground.
Keep at it and something will work out.
I wasn't the type to overthink during training anyway, so I simply repeated the process according to the image that had come to mind.
* * *
"Come to the Association."
"Uh... um..."
Faced with the examiner repeating the same offer, Yeonhee didn't know what to do.
"I, I, I..."
"Hmm."
Scary... How can a person be as big as Unit 1? The pressure from that overwhelming physique was more terrifying than expected. Still, Yeonhee managed to voice her refusal, using the White Knight Guild as an excuse.
"White Knight? Damn... Those sly bastards already got their claws into you."
"Claws..."
"Ahem— Forget what I just said. Erase it from your mind."
"Yes..."
"What a shame. Did they catch you with some weakness?"
"No. If anything, I've received help from them, but..."
"Help? What kind of help? Those guys wouldn't help anyone."
"It's a personal matter... I'm, I'm sorry."
Examiner Maeng Seong-yong walked with Lee Yeonhee toward the exit, smacking his lips the whole way. Click—
"Huh? Deputy Chief Maeng?"
"Yeah, Assistant Ha. This one's a pass."
"Yes. You didn't have to come out to say that..."
The bleeding on Maeng Seong-yong's back had stopped while he walked, but his rear was soaked in blood. He usually handled promotion tests from D-rank to B-rank, and even Assistant Ha had never seen him this injured before. So of course, she'd passed.
"And make sure I'm assigned to this one's next promotion test as well."
"...Eh?..."
Lee Yeonhee looked up at the massive man as if asking what on earth he meant.
"Deputy Chief, the person in question is right here. Saying that is a bit awkward."
"That's for you to handle, Assistant Ha."
"If you have a complaint, say it to me."
Examiner Maeng Seong-yong said nothing more. He simply gave Yeonhee's shoulder a light pat before turning back toward the testing ground.
"Phew— I, I'm alive..."
Yeonhee felt a sense of liberation, as if a huge boulder lodged in her chest had finally disappeared.
"That crazy bastard... Ah! Hunter-nim. You did well. He might seem like that, but he's not actually that insane, so don't worry. Assigning a specific examiner is ridiculous."
Assistant Ha ground his teeth as he spoke. Yeonhee nodded, thinking, I see. Maybe he wasn't as scary as he looked.
Following Assistant Ha's guidance, Yeonhee headed in the opposite direction from the lobby where she'd gotten off the elevator. A more luxurious lobby awaited her, and the people sitting there radiated bright energy.
"If you wait here, your updated license will be ready. It won't take long, so please wait a moment."
"Yes, thank you."
"And, just to say it again, you don't need to worry about what the examiner mentioned about assigning you to a C-rank promotion. He'll probably forget all about it by tomorrow anyway."
"...Understood."
"Alright then."
After Assistant Ha returned to his duties, Yeonhee sat in an empty corner seat to wait. Two unfamiliar men approached and spoke to her.
"Oh! That's right! Hello! You're Lee Yeonhee, correct?"
"......"
Yeonhee felt her hair stand on end at yet another pair of men striking up a conversation.
"W-Why are you talking to me?"
"Well, we were wondering if we could take a photo with you! We're fans of your hunter. We've been following you since your first interview! We even saw you at the Lizardman Swamp, though you probably don't remember us."
Had she ever met people like this before...? She tried to recall but drew a complete blank. Feeling guilty, she stood up.
"J-Just one photo..."
Click—
Fortunately, the two men really did take just one photo before expressing their thanks and returning to their seats. She felt a bit foolish for getting so nervous over something so minor.
Requests like this will only get more frequent... I need to prepare myself mentally too.
She knew her personality didn't suit a job that involved fame. But she was already deeply immersed in the hunter profession itself and couldn't back out now. Besides, it paid really well.
Change, me. Be confident!
- Number 477, Hunter Lee Yeonhee! Please come collect your license.
"Y-Yes! Yes!!"
Ah, that startled me.
But the way she jumped up in surprise at the call still seemed far from that resolution.