Chapter 172
Chapter 172
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 172
Chapter Title: The Impossible Test
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The City Lord and the Knight Commander held a large-scale public recruitment, accepting applications from both citizens and users.
The total number was twenty.
Considering the city's population and the number of users, it was an absurdly small number, but on the other hand, it made sense.
The Knight Commander had declared she would personally verify the candidates, and they had to undertake a life-threatening mission to kill the boss of the white giants, Gigant. Those who weren't confident in their own abilities and skills wouldn't have even dared to apply.
The Knight Commander scanned the list of applicants up and down and asked.
“How many of these are Intruders?”
The City Lord answered, drawing a blue line under the names of the applicants with a marker.
“A total of eleven.”
“Hmm, so eight citizens?”
“No. Seven, excluding the wanderer Lee Si-woo.”
“Tsk, only seven? That's a bit disappointing.”
“It's a shame, but it can't be helped. The burden of heading straight to a death trap upon being selected must have been significant... and since the Knight Order is always recruiting, the citizens know all too well how high the bar is.”
In the first place, even on a city-wide scale, the number of people selected for the Knight Order never reaches double digits each year. So, it wasn't as if talented individuals would just spring up from the ground overnight simply because they were recruiting.
The city's human resources had already been picked clean.
The City Lord drew a vermilion line under the names of the seven or so citizens,
“Besides, these are individuals who have repeatedly applied in the past. They've failed every year... It would be ridiculous to pass them now. So, in the end...”
As the City Lord trailed off, the Knight Commander finished his sentence.
“The only real applicants are Lee Si-woo and the Intruders?”
“That's correct.”
The Knight Commander tapped the name 'Eric' with her index finger and asked.
“Tell me about this one.”
“He was caught by the guards this morning attempting to infiltrate the city by air. If not for his acquaintance with the wanderer Lee Si-woo, he would have been summarily executed.”
“Hmm, I heard he's on bad terms with the Arang Club?”
“One of his companions apparently stole a flight suit from the Arang Club.”
The Knight Commander checked the affiliated club next to Lee Si-woo's name and asked.
“But his affiliation is the Arang Club?”
“It seems some sort of agreement was reached.”
“I asked earlier and was told he already used his for today... It's highly likely he negotiated by demonstrating his ability, 'Heal,' to the Arang Club's master.”
“Yes. I think so too.”
“Then it means his claim of having the ability 'Heal' isn't a lie... Tsk, a heal that cures all injuries and diseases? An ability even the Faceless Saint doesn't possess... How absurd.”
“Well, it's a world where white giants appear and the White Calamity runs rampant.”
The Knight Commander ran her fingers through her unkempt, shaggy long hair and said.
“It's a troublesome world. Though we will eventually find peace under the guidance of the Faceless One.”
“More importantly... what will you do? Since only a limited number can receive the blessing of the Faceless One, shouldn't we screen the applicants to find those who are qualified? So, perhaps a spar, or some kind of test...”
The Knight Commander gently traced the names on the list with her index finger.
She spoke in a meaningful tone.
“In the past, the Knight Order sought honorable individuals. Yes, back then... we valued diligence and faith more than personal ability. But today, in a world rife with countless crises and disasters, I have realized something. There is a virtue more important to a knight of today than honor.”
Hearing that there was a virtue more important than honor for a Knight of the Faceless, the City Lord let out a hollow laugh, yet couldn't hide his curiosity.
“What could be more important than honor?”
“Survival.”
“Survival... you say?”
“Yes, survival. Those two syllables encompass everything we need. The ability to return alive even from a death trap. The luck to evade crises. And... the belief that one is accompanied by the protection of the Faceless One.”
The Knight Commander's eyes flashed as she continued.
“Relay this to the applicants. If they go outside the walled city with nothing but their bare bodies and return alive after a full day has passed, I will accept them into the Knight Order.”
The Knight Commander's bold, no, reckless decision even flustered the City Lord.
“Commander. Do you really think that's a reasonable mission? Even knights who can handle mana would find it impossible to survive outside the city for 24 hours right now. And you're asking ordinary people, with bare bodies and unable to handle mana, to do it? This... is nothing more and nothing less than telling them to go out and die.”
“If they don't like it, they can withdraw their application.”
“...Didn't you say you needed talented people?”
The Knight Commander spoke in a tone laced with scorn.
“There's plenty of talent among the knights. They've acquired everything through long training and real combat—honor, faith, ability, courage. So why would I accept new applicants?”
“I thought it was because you needed any help you could get... but now I see that's not the case.”
“Why would a person need a cat's paw for a person's work? City Lord. What I... no, what *we* need is an irregular. Yes, an outlier who can nonchalantly accomplish tasks so absurd that you'd find them preposterous the moment you hear them. Or... someone so mysterious they could be called a miracle itself.”
“...I understand what you're saying, Commander, but the chances of someone like that appearing overnight, especially from among the Intruders... are nonexistent, aren't they?”
“No, I believe. One will surely appear. The Faceless One protects us; they would not abandon us like this. City Lord, you may not know, but the situation is worse than you can possibly imagine. Did you know? The moment we encountered Gigant, we lost a third of the Knight Order's strength?”
At that shocking revelation, even the City Lord was speechless.
Even the City Lord had thought the Knight Order was holding its own against the white giants.
He hadn't known the battle was going so poorly that they had lost a third of their forces.
With a bitter smile, the Knight Commander said.
“We are already... mired in a despair we cannot escape without searching for a miracle. City Lord. You asked if I needed talent? That's right. I need people. But not just talent. A hero. I need an unparalleled hero who can overcome this crisis...”
Only then did the City Lord realize that the Knight Commander was recruiting applicants out of desperation, grasping at straws.
And why she was demanding such an impossibly dangerous mission from them.
Without someone possessing the extraordinary ability to survive an impossible mission, there was no way to overcome the current crisis.
The City Lord spoke, his voice heavy.
“I will inform the applicants... exactly as you've said.”
* * *
After being informed that he had to survive for 24 hours outside the walled city to join, Lee Si-woo let out an empty breath.
‘Survive for 24 hours outside, where the white giants are? Damn it, I knew getting mana seemed too easy... So this was the trap card.’
Luctator, who had also put his name on the applicant list with Lee Si-woo, spoke.
“Twenty-four hours against those giant bastards... Is this even possible?”
“It's tough. We'd be lucky to last three hours, let alone twenty-four.”
“Should we give up then?”
“No. It's difficult, but... with Si-woo, it might be a different story.”
With those words, Lee Si-woo looked at Si-woo next to him with eyes full of expectation.
At that, Si-woo sighed, burdened, and opened his mouth.
“Twenty-four hours. It's not impossible. But it's difficult with just our bare bodies.”
“If it's hard with just our bare bodies, what do we need?”
“The white giants have a trait of sensing and chasing mana. So we need an item imbued with mana. Then we tie that item to a small mouse, and whenever we're in danger, we release it. The white giant's aggro will be drawn to the mouse, and we can escape.”
“So we just repeat that process to survive for 24 hours?”
“Yes. Something like that. But the problem is the 'bare bodies' condition. The Knight Order won't lend us a mana item, and there's no way to take one outside without getting caught.”
“Hmm...”
“Twenty-four hours outside with nothing? Even I'd have a hard time with that.”
Lee Si-woo stared at Si-woo with an unreadable expression and asked.
“Be honest. You. Do you draw the white giants' aggro or not?”
Recalling his experience from the previous chapter, thanks to some trick the ancestor demon had played on Si-woo, the white monsters and wraiths hadn't been hostile to him.
And Lee Si-woo thought it was highly likely the white giants would also treat Si-woo as if he wasn't there.
At Lee Si-woo's question, Si-woo licked his lips and answered.
“...I don't. If I were alone, I could survive.”
“Then go alone. And make a demand. Get me, the old man, and Plenitas accepted into the Knight Order.”
As if dumbfounded by Lee Si-woo's blatant intention to use connections and get a free ride, Si-woo narrowed his eyes as if looking at a wicked thief.
“No, hyung. That's not right.”
“What do you mean, 'not right'? Did you forget I saved you at the church and helped you diligently when we fought the wraiths? If you owe a debt, you pay it back. Don't let some useless conscience lead you to a pointless refusal.”
“...A debt. I do owe you one. But... didn't we settle that when I saved you this time?”
“Right. So I'll write off one of the two debts. Hmm, that means there's one left, right? Good. If you get us into the Knight Order this time, we'll call all debts settled.”
Si-woo's jaw dropped as if to say 'what kind of hyung is this,' and he was left speechless.
Luctator, on the other hand, clapped his hands in delight, thinking 'my pretty boy is even prettier for being so shameless,' while Plenitas glanced around furtively and took a bite of chocolate cake.
It was a mystery where she had gotten cake in a situation like this.
Si-woo spoke, his expression full of disappointment.
“I thought you were a trustworthy person, hyung... but to make such an unreasonable demand. It's... a bit much.”
“Si-woo. Trustworthy people are extremely rare in this world. So I can't say I'm one of them. But... there are people worth making a deal with. Yes, people you can't trust, but you can have faith in their credit. And that's me.”
“...What reason do I have to have faith in you?”
“My ability. Si-woo. I'm a talented individual with a useful ability called Heal. Once I get my hands on mana, I'll become even more capable. And someone like me holds you in favor. Think about it. In this harsh world, how common is a bond strong enough where we've saved each other's lives and can rely on one another?”
Si-woo gradually began to be won over by Lee Si-woo's scammer-like persuasion, while Luctator playfully made the sign of the cross, as if saying, 'and so the poor little lamb is swayed once again.'
And Plenitas was now eating a chocolate bar.
Lee Si-woo placed a hand on Si-woo's shoulder and said in a friendly tone.
“Si-woo. I won't ask you to trust me unconditionally. I'm not that good or righteous of a guy. But look around you, and think back on your past connections. Is there anyone else you know who is as capable and useful as me?”
Persuaded by the subtle logic, Si-woo let out a quiet curse.
“...Damn it, you know what? I feel like I'm falling for a con artist right now.”
“Even con artists have friends. And you're it.”
With a deep sigh, Si-woo spoke.
“Fine. I accept your proposal, hyung. But I have a condition too.”
“A condition? What is it?”
“When you become a knight, swear in the name of the Faceless One and upon your mana. That you'll help me with one thing.”
“Hmm, how about I hear what this 'one thing' is first?”
Si-woo was fed up with Lee Si-woo's calculative attitude to the very end, yet he also found it oddly reassuring.
A real con artist would have just said 'okay' without even hearing the condition.
Si-woo said.
“I want you to help me meet the Faceless Saint.”
“The Faceless Saint? Why?”
“Because the Faceless Saint is Yun.”
“...What? Who did you say?”
“Yun. Ha-yun. My childhood friend from the orphanage. The Knight Order was the one that rescued Yun from the orphanage basement that day. After that, for some reason, I heard news that she had suddenly become the Saint.”
Lee Si-woo was at a loss for words upon hearing that the Faceless Saint was Ha-yun.
Ha-yun is the Faceless Saint?
Apparently, his past life.
Si-woo's history seemed to be tangled in all sorts of ways.