That Woman from Back Then
I'm utterly flustered.
I'd closed my eyes, expecting her to approach calmly, but instead she suddenly charged in, grabbed my pant leg, and burst into tears.
She kept apologizing or something, but from my position, having done absolutely nothing, I felt incredibly wronged.
If this kept up, I might end up a criminal for no reason at all...
"Everyone, please put your phones away."
A heavy voice instantly silenced the noisy room.
Mana rippled through like a gentle wave, brushing over the bodies of the hunters in the exam hall.
Just that alone cowed them, and they immediately turned to stare at the owner of the voice.
"Sorry I'm late. I had something urgent to handle, so I ended up running a bit behind."
He was late.
To an important exam, no less.
But no one here could say a word against it.
Of course not.
The man who'd just entered was famous enough that even I, busy with day labor, knew who he was.
I shook off the woman clinging to my leg and gaped at the man standing in the center of the room, staring right at us.
No.
"As you all probably know, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Jeong Chan-woo. Embarrassingly, I'm still just an A-rank hunter, but I've earned the moniker Hye-seong."
Until a year ago, he was the A-rank hunter said to be the closest to S-rank in the country after Kim Taesung.
That's why he had a nickname—the hallmark of a famous hunter.
Why would someone that promising show up at an E-rank promotion exam?
My question was laughably answered by Jeong Chan-woo's next words.
"I'm not normally in charge of this, but we're short-staffed, so I've been pulled in as the proctor."
Hmm.
Even the famous Awakening Association struggles with manpower shortages.
I could tell right away from the fatigue in his voice.
Famous hunters are human too, huh.
He rubbed his eyes tiredly and spoke in a sigh-laden tone.
"Could someone explain what's going on here?"
"I didn't do anything, and suddenly this woman grabbed my pant leg and started sobbing."
"Y-yes, that's right..."
Hey, don't agree so quickly—it makes it look like I threatened you.
I really didn't do anything.
I hadn't even given her a proper glance.
I stared at the approaching Jeong Chan-woo, my eyes brimming with injustice.
Aah...
As expected of an A-rank hunter.
He sees the truth!
Jeong Chan-woo nodded as if he'd understood, then immediately separated me from the woman.
"I don't know what happened, but please continue after the exam is over."
"......"
No, he's not.
He's just trying to wrap this up quickly.
There's no one in this world I can trust.
"Kkung."
Yeah.
I'll trust you...
I swallowed back tears inwardly at the feel of Cheori wriggling quietly in my pocket.
To think I'd trust a snake more than people.
Oblivious to my feelings, Jeong Chan-woo moved to the center of the exam hall, cleared his throat, and spoke.
"The content of this E-rank promotion exam is simple. You'll spar with me."
Huh?
Totally different from what I'd expected.
E-rank promotion exams had always involved entering a gate and bringing back 20 monster byproducts.
Who knew it'd change like this?
"Some of you might think the main exam was hunting monsters in an E-rank gate and bringing back 20 byproducts."
Jeong Chan-woo pushed up his glasses and clasped his hands behind his back.
"But recently, it's come to light that more people are forming parties during the exam."
The so-called party hunt.
Teaming up to take down monsters.
Jeong Chan-woo eyed those flinching like they'd been caught.
It's not wrong.
Normal hunters usually form parties of several people to clear gates.
However.
"There are cases where the party exists solely for one person."
If someone acts as a proxy knight to promote someone unqualified, that's a different story.
Clear cheating.
That's why they're changing the exam format.
That was the reasoning from Jeong Chan-woo's mouth.
"This E-rank promotion exam tests whether you have what it takes to move forward as a hunter. So don't worry—use your skills on me freely."
Using skills directly on an A-rank hunter.
Only those deemed worthy become E-rank hunters.
A very straightforward method.
"If I judge someone has exceptional talent, they might receive special benefits, so give it your all."
With that, Jeong Chan-woo quietly turned and headed for the door.
"I'll be waiting in Training Room 9 on Basement Level 2. Please arrive within 10 minutes."
Step, step.
Jeong Chan-woo vanished, hands behind his back.
The moment he was gone, everyone in the exam hall scattered in an instant.
I watched from behind as people crowded the elevator and others bolted for the stairs.
Left alone, I quietly looked around.
She's gone.
The woman who'd been sobbing while clinging to me had vanished too.
What the hell was she, anyway?
She seemed kinda familiar...
Did I do something bad to her?
I tilted my head seriously and started down the stairs.
Basement Level 2 looked completely different from the surface.
Snow-white walls.
Mana emanating from them.
So this is mana ore.
There's a common stone called a mana stone.
It's named that because it contains mana inside.
These mana stones are divided into mana cores and mana ore.
First, mana cores come from the crystallized mana in monster hearts.
They're the most vital new resource in modern times, used as fuel for magic tools.
Unlike mana cores, mana ore refers to ores from inside gates.
Ores infused with mana.
Thus, mana ore's properties are entirely unlike ordinary ones.
I gently stroked the wall made entirely of mana ore.
Amazing.
This is the famous wall of the Awakening Association's training rooms that regenerates even if destroyed.
After admiring and caressing the wall for a good while, I turned at the sound of clapping nearby.
There stood Jeong Chan-woo in the center of Training Room 9, sword sheathed at his waist.
"I'll assume everyone's here. Let's begin the E-rank promotion exam. Number 701, please step forward."
A black-haired man walked out, face tense.
Jeong Chan-woo stared steadily at him without even drawing his sword.
The man glared back and drew up his mana.
Oh.
Whoosh.
Flames rose above the man's right hand.
But how to put it...
It's small.
Small.
Really small.
The flame on the man's hand was about as strong as a powerful lighter.
The man bent his knees and charged at Jeong Chan-woo, flames blazing on his right hand.
"Haaah!"
Whoosh!
As he closed in, he swung his flaming hand.
Jeong Chan-woo didn't dodge, just stood there and took the hit.
Then quietly spoke.
"This level is barely passing."
"A-awesome!"
Wait, what?
"You'll need to boost your firepower a lot for the D-rank exam."
"Got it!"
For real?
I dropped my jaw, watching the man cheer at passing.
That's passing?
I couldn't believe it, my mouth flapping open and shut.
"Next, number 702."
One by one, hunters approached Jeong Chan-woo.
Their levels weren't much different from 701.
All weak. Pathetically so.
I knew the Black Dragon was strong, but this was ridiculous.
"Um, excuse me..."
"...?"
While chuckling bitterly at the sight, I turned at the voice beside me.
The short-haired woman from earlier was timidly calling me.
What is she up to now?
I eyed her warily.
Under my gaze, she whispered urgently.
"I-it's not that. I came to apologize."
"...Apologize?"
"I'm sorry... I panicked because I didn't expect to run into you."
I tilted my head at her.
Didn't expect to run into me?
What did that mean?
Seeing my confusion, she squeezed her eyes shut and shouted.
"Y-you're the one who saved me last time!"
"Saved... Oh!"
Ah, got it.
Now I knew why she looked familiar.
She was the woman from the orc lord hunt.
The world really is small.
I grinned and said to her.
"You escaped safely from the orcs, huh?"
She nodded quietly.
Then bowed her head deeply, mumbling in a mouse-like voice.
"I'm sorry..."
"For what?"
"Eek!"
Did she think I couldn't hear that close by?
I blinked at her startled jump.
She mumbled, then tried to drop to her knees on the floor.
"Stop."
"Hic!?"
"Please, just stop."
If she knelt here, I'd be socially executed for real.
Her knees are way too light—what's with this girl?
Finally realizing she shouldn't, she squeezed her eyes shut and yelled softly.
"I-it was me! I took a photo of you, Black Dragon-nim, and posted it online!"
"...Of me?"
"Y-you handling the orcs. I took the photo and uploaded it!"
Hmm.
As long as my face wasn't in it.
Then.
"Doesn't bother me."
"...Huh?"
"Did you write anything weird?"
"N-no. But the rumor that Black Dragon-nim is an F-rank hunter spread like wildfire..."
"That's fine. I really am F-rank."
She dropped her jaw quietly at my shrugged words.
She didn't seem to believe it, but I really was an F-rank hunter.
Just one strong enough to one-shot A-rank monsters.
"That's why?"
"Yes. I thought I'd harmed my lifesaver..."
Not a big deal, surprisingly.
But looking at her face, she clearly thought otherwise.
Her dark circles went all the way to her chin.
No wonder I didn't recognize her right away.
"But we ran into each other anyway?"
"Yes! My family doesn't like me being a hunter, so I couldn't apply online and did it on-site. Didn't expect to see you."
Hehe.
She smiled brightly, scratching the back of her head.
"Come to think of it, I don't know your name."
"Pardon?"
"What's your name?"
"I'm Cheon Yu-na."
"Han Mir. Nice to meet you."
I smiled and extended my hand to Cheon Yu-na.
She stared at it blankly, then grabbed it in belated surprise.
"Pl-please take care of me!"
"Now that the misunderstanding's cleared up, get ready for the exam."
I quietly turned my gaze aside.
Already, the faces of the thinning crowd mixed joy and sorrow.
"O-okay. Um, but..."
"Yeah?"
"You can speak casually to me. I use formal speech because it's comfortable for me..."
"Mm. Got it. Casual it is, then."
If that's what she wants.
I shrugged and stood as Jeong Chan-woo called my number.
"Number 738. Please step forward."
My turn at last.
I cracked my neck lightly and walked into the training area.
He said those with exceptional talent get special benefits.
I had no idea what those 'special benefits' were.
But I wasn't planning to hold back anyway.
The Black Dragon fist had one-shot even B-rank monsters.
Would it work on Jeong Chan-woo, the pinnacle of A-rank?
I was curious.
So no holding back.
I'd go all out in this spar.
"Come on in."
Jeong Chan-woo stood with a relaxed expression.
Inviting me in, huh.
I nodded once and kicked off the ground with all my strength, charging forward.
Black Dragon
Crunch.
Scales sprouted in an instant.
The moment he saw my right arm transform into something inhuman.
"...!"
Jeong Chan-woo's face hardened as he drew his sword.