Chapter 59
Chapter 59
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: 13. Needle in the Bag (1)
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The day of the test arrived.
Kang San's group arrived at the promotion exam site, their faces showing surprise at the massive crowd swarming the place.
"......What's going on?"
"Yeah, why are there so many people?"
Everyone looked puzzled.
This wasn't a common sight. Most of the crowd consisted of reporters with cameras slung around their necks. That likely meant a famous figure was taking the exam. They were tempted to grab a reporter and ask, but as Kang San started walking ahead, the group withdrew their gazes and followed.
They headed to the registration desk first.
After announcing their arrival as scheduled, the staff handed over an instruction manual and said,
"Your test slot is sixth today—the very last one. You've probably studied the format beforehand, but refer to the contents here if needed."
"Thank you."
They moved to the waiting room.
With plenty of time to spare, they passed the manual around, starting with Kang San.
[The exam...]
The contents matched what they'd researched.
To pass a group promotion, three conditions had to be met.
The first was, naturally, successfully clearing the raid.
The second was the time limit.
Unlike individual promotions that evaluated personal skill alone, group promotions assessed the party's overall synergy. Raids always came with countless variables. A skilled party would respond swiftly and produce results, so an objective time limit existed to gauge that prowess. Today's test explicitly required clearing within one hour.
The final criterion was the judges' evaluation.
Did they truly possess rank-appropriate skills? Any unfair play in the middle? No party member dragging everyone down? They had to exceed both clear standards and human judgment to earn a full party promotion—one rank up for all.
It was all familiar information.
Still, Kang San meticulously reviewed it again, ensuring nothing was overlooked.
About an hour later.
Flash-flash-flash.
A group emerged amid a barrage of flashes from afar.
Project B Team.
Its leader, Min Young-gi, read the exam-provided materials while listening to his manager's briefing.
"As you know, group promotions involve a ton of variables. It's to test the party's immediate responses, and inadequate handling leads to point deductions by the judges. For example, in the last exam, variables like..."
The content was long and tedious.
Yet Min Young-gi listened calmly.
This test had drawn media attention to Heavenly Firmament.
They'd announced it as the raid party painstakingly cultivated over time, drawing reporters early despite the hour. A poor showing in front of them? Their rosy future would evaporate. Even Heavenly Firmament might deem it hopeless and scrap the project, no matter the investment sunk.
Thus.
They had to prove it.
That Project B Team was worth the investment—that they were talent destined for A-Rank.
'The problem is the previous parties all failed. What the hell is happening? Group promotions are tough, sure, but I heard the success rate is around fifty percent.'
Group promotions carried penalties.
That's why only prepared parties attempted them, making surface-level pass rates higher than individuals.
Of course, it was a statistical trap.
Not easier— just more thoroughly prepared.
Project B was fourth in line, but he'd heard the first two parties failed. The third, now over fifty minutes in, looked doomed too. It left Min Young-gi uneasy for no reason.
A team member asked,
"We can pass, right?"
"Of course."
Min Young-gi eyed his team.
Anxiety was just anxiety; he had full confidence in this party.
"Remember? We cleared a troll habitat for group promotion practice. Even decent parties struggle there. So have faith. We won't fail."
He swallowed his worries.
He truly believed.
The unease was mere leader's responsibility—he'd never once imagined failing.
They'd pass.
As everyone expected.
As if it were inevitable.
Right on cue.
"Team 4, prepare."
"Yes."
Their turn at last.
Whoosh—
They entered the exam site.
Pitch darkness—not a step ahead visible.
Easy to panic at the start, but Min Young-gi's steady voice pierced the gloom.
"Light it up first."
"Yes."
The mage stepped forward.
One of many anticipated variables, swiftly cast per the team leader's order.
Flicker.
Light bloomed.
The surroundings came into view.
A cave dripping with stalactites. Then, odd noises echoed from afar.
Scuttle-scuttle-scrape—
"Get ready."
"Enemies incoming!"
The main tanker advanced.
Min Young-gi, warrior position, hung back a step. Soon, the source revealed itself.
Screeech—!
"Black Spiders?"
He grimaced.
Black Spiders were D-Rank monsters resembling giant spiders—dog-sized behemoths with crushing fangs and paralyzing venom from their teeth. Annoying foes. No issue here. Caves favored them, but they'd never have taken the exam if stumped by this level.
Scuttle-scrape—
Black Spiders raced along the walls.
Cave terrain disadvantage—darkness from all sides closed in fast.
Screeech.
Thud!
The tanker opened.
Drawing aggro and tanking a hit, Min Young-gi darted in like lightning.
Fast.
He cleaved the momentary gap in a Black Spider.
Flicker.
Screeeeech!
A howl echoed.
Project B: main tanker, sub-tanker, warrior, three mages—heavy firepower. Raids typically 4-8 members; difficulty scaled accordingly. The dozen-plus Black Spiders targeted six precisely.
One down first.
Green blood sprayed as it retreated, cueing the rear mages.
"Fireball."
"Wind Cutter."
Roarrrrr.
Boom—!
Scrape-scrape-scrape.
Seamless combo.
Blazing flames swept foes while wind blades shredded limbs. Tough exoskeletons couldn't withstand. Weak to fire anyway; blades breached, heat scorched innards. Planned synergy from countless drills enabled instant response.
The two mages kept pouring fire.
Frontline monsters never breached the tank wall; Min Young-gi preempted outliers. The third rear mage provided support situational—like the initial Light.
Boom—!
Blocked.
Impressive teamwork.
Proving their Project B worth, Min Young-gi advanced post-cleanup.
"Press on."
He scouted ahead.
Confident in his skills, they swiftly advanced, culling Black Spiders. Smooth so far. They'd conceded darkness and terrain, yet couldn't fathom the prior three failures. Probably his anxiety over nothing—maybe underperformers today.
Smooth sailing.
At this rate, group promotion was in the bag.
"Block—!"
Caak!
Bam, bam, bam!
Collisions repeated seamlessly.
Calm blocks, total wipes—as expected.
Then.
Variables struck abruptly.
Rumblerumblerumble.
"Argh!"
"Ack!"
Rear.
The ground under the mages collapsed.
Casting mages couldn't react; before Min Young-gi could, they vanished below. All three rear dealers gone in a flash.
Unforeseen variable.
The sunken ground.
About 10 meters down.
Caught off-guard, the mages were wrecked.
"Urghhh."
"......Think my leg's broken."
Casting disrupted too.
Never interrupt casting; the fall's shock caused internal damage.
But worse awaited.
Light gone, darkness engulfed them.
Min Young-gi reacted fast.
"Torches first."
Fwoosh.
Roar.
Magic items.
Min Young-gi and sub-tanker lit up; main tanker held while he asked the mages,
"Can you climb?"
"......Not with our power. Need Fly for this height—5th circle, beyond us. Team leader, you'll have to rescue us."
Current bind.
Magic solutions: Fly or Jump.
Fly impossible at their level; Jump obscure, skipped by proper mages. Thus, climb down manually. Min Young-gi checked front, then calmly,
"Recover first. We'll clean here, pull you up, reform ranks. Plenty time."
Gripped his sword.
Just three foes ahead.
Handle and rescue feasible.
That call crumbled before three fell.
Scuttle.
Scuttle-scuttle—
Beyond darkness.
A horde approached.
Assumed Black Spiders— but the emerging monsters differed slightly.
Puppy-sized.
Green hue.
"......Green Spiders?"
Almost screamed.
Green Spiders: also D-Rank.
Yet sometimes deemed deadlier than Blacks.
Why?
Thud.
Crunch!
Tanker smashed a Green Spider's head.
Unlike Black's tough skull, it shattered—spewing innards.
Whoosh-scatter-scatter—
Hundreds, thousands of Green Spiders.
Tiny 5cm spawn erupted infinitely, swarming the tanker, mad tiny bites. Couldn't swat them all—like mosquito hell. He thrashed, screaming.
"Arrrrgh!"
This scene.
Min Young-gi got chills.
Sneak mage disable, then Green Spiders unhandleable sans mages.
Now he knew.
Prior failures—no coincidence.