Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Promotion Exam (5)
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Kim Myung-min moved to the reception room, served a simple cup of tea, and opened the conversation.
"I'm sorry for not stepping in when the Blood Orc appeared. Truth be told, I had orders to let you handle it directly, but your skills were anything but ordinary, Kang San. I wanted to observe a bit longer. If I'd judged that Team 2 was outmatched, I would've jumped into the fray without a second thought."
"...Ah, I see."
Kang San gave a lukewarm response.
The most baffling part during that life-or-death fight had been Kim Myung-min watching from afar.
Exam proctors bore the responsibility of ensuring the safety of applicants.
If some fool died attempting an E-rank exam with F-rank skills, that was on them. But this incident? On the surface, it was clearly the promotion exam site's fault. Thanks to that, Kang San had to fully endure Azmun's trial. Under the constant tension that one slip could shatter his skull, he'd staked his life to take down the Blood Orc.
So, perhaps it was inevitable.
He couldn't help but view Kim Myung-min unfavorably.
"Your profile says you've been an Arrow Sponge for six years by the calendar—is that really true?"
"Yes, it is."
"Incredible. Watching the fight, I couldn't believe my eyes. Most people who take up tanking aren't chosen for their deep understanding of the role; it's usually just physically gifted types picking a 'rare position' on a whim. They're idiots who tank up front on skill power alone. But you, Kang San—you were different. Your grasp of tanking and your judgment were leagues above any tanker I've seen, making that F-rank label feel like a joke. That's why I decided to watch. I was certain that with a tanker like you holding the line, even a D-rank Blood Orc wouldn't be an issue."
"...Thank you."
It was an awkward moment.
With Kim Myung-min openly praising him to his face, Kang San managed an embarrassed smile.
Kim Myung-min didn't seem like a bad guy, contrary to first impressions.
From a B-rank hunter's perspective, he'd been confident in the safety and held back sincerely.
Well, in the end, he hadn't been wrong.
Kang San had only risked his life to protect Choi Si-won—not just to hold the line.
Perhaps feeling he'd laid enough groundwork,
Kim Myung-min got to the point.
"To cut to the chase, I'd like you to join my Ranger team. You know what Rangers do, I assume. If you want, I can register you as full-time for government perks. If you prefer freedom, we'll treat you as a mercenary with fair compensation. Either way, I'm ready to meet your terms. An exceptional tanker—one with unlimited potential—deserves no less, right?"
"You're a Ranger?"
"Yes, until recently. I'm proctoring exams for now, but I'll return to the team in a few months."
Kang San looked stunned.
Rangers.
The name for government-backed special forces.
Their role was clear-cut.
When Link phenomena threatened people, they moved in to exterminate or rescue. Or they'd dive straight into the Backside World for the same missions. People called them combat specialists, an honorable profession with hefty financial and social privileges.
Kim Myung-min leading a Ranger team.
He suddenly seemed different.
It meant he wasn't just a regular B-rank hunter—he had skills transcending rank.
"I'm barely an E-rank hunter. Why offer this to me?"
"Rank isn't everything. Some people have skills that make it irrelevant—like you, Kang San. You couldn't handle high-difficulty missions right now, but I believe you'll reach that level soon. I pride myself on spotting talent."
It was utterly bewildering.
A B-rank hunter and Ranger team leader.
A man of great renown reaching out first to someone who'd just barely promoted to E-rank.
Probably the rarity of tankers.
Top tankers commanded sky-high prices.
Given that, Kim Myung-min's move to secure one first made sense.
Kang San weighed the perks of being a Ranger but ultimately decided against it.
'Rangers are too dangerous.'
Rangers weren't just for personal gain.
It was a high-risk job demanding sacrifice and devotion for others, with honor as the reward.
Even as a mercenary, a Ranger was still a Ranger.
Kang San had no desire to take on that risk.
But at that moment.
An ominous feeling crept over him.
Rangers symbolized sacrifice and devotion.
Just the setup Azmun would love.
And sure enough.
The trial arrived right on cue.
Kang San's face twisted in dismay.
In the end, Kang San accepted Kim Myung-min's offer.
But with conditions.
"I accept, but make it clear I'm a mercenary. Even as a team member, I decide whether to take missions. As long as my freedom isn't restricted, I'll lend my strength to your team when our schedules and terms align."
"The mercenary system is for personal freedom. Thank you for accepting."
Kim Myung-min smiled brightly.
It felt like digging his own grave again, but there was no other way to clear the trial.
Kang San headed straight home.
Time to check his rewards.
He needed something sweet to soothe his aching gut.
Stats first.
The two trials had boosted them by 5 each, and now a new stat, 'Reaction Speed,' had appeared. From the Blood Orc fight—reading its moves and dodging with agile footwork must've triggered it. A huge gain for Kang San. He immediately absorbed a stat stone, and his stats updated.
'Agility and Reaction Speed went up. At this rate, I'll hit the D-rank average of 50 in no time.'
Stat stones.
Special items stored in monsters' bodies that boosted stats upon absorption.
Which stat rose was random.
The monster's mana reinforced the body, with effects varying wildly by mana content. Once, a top-grade stat stone sold at auction for over 10 billion—it was never revealed how much it boosted, but the price spoke volumes.
Next, skills.
A smile crept across Kang San's face as he checked them.
1. Defense increases by 5% temporarily. (Cooldown: 5 minutes) 2. Reduces incoming damage by 5%.
(Trial Reward)
Two skills.
The first from the skill spirit.
Skill spirits came from monsters like stat stones, leaving a soul orb that granted the skill when consumed. Normally, combat test drops were randomly distributed fairly, but the team unanimously gave both to Kang San. Unexpected for him—skill spirits were pricey valuables not buyable with money alone. A two-star skill would've sparked greed, yet after their own meeting, they rewarded his contributions.
The second was the trial reward.
Not bad.
Iron Body's defense boost was modest, but damage reduction was essential passive for any tanker.
The promotion site also gave a 'C-rank or Below Zone Free Selection' as atonement. Raids weren't reckless free-for-alls. Government-scouted, graded zones sold at fair prices or allocated to salaried workers. Raids were life-risking growth ops; byproducts like stat stones or monster corpses offset startup costs. People paid big for desired grades and conditions.
C-rank or below free pick was a solid perk.
Kang San needed growth opportunities and would buy fitting zones someday.
Finally, the fourth trial's special info.
He hadn't known what it was at first, but upon checking, Kang San's eyes went wide.
"...Past life memories?"
Past life.
Azmun's intent was obvious.
The Blood Demon.
He was trying to give Kang San that monster's memories.
After Kang San accepted the mercenary offer,
Kim Myung-min left the promotion exam site.
'He's no ordinary guy.'
Recruiting Kang San.
Objectively, it made no sense.
E-ranks weren't worth a glance to Kim Myung-min, but Kang San had shown something special. Ideal tanker judgment, sacrificing for teammates. Above all, instantly healing wounds—no such skill on record. All told, Kim Myung-min envisioned him fitting right into the Ranger team.
So he'd made the move.
Now, time to justify it.
'Background checks are essential.'
Rangers served the people.
Once, cops and firefighters handled crime and rescues. Now, Rangers filled that role. Even mercenaries needed clean histories. Accepting a heinous criminal could land Kim Myung-min in hot water.
He should've vetted first, but Kang San's potential was irresistible.
Rank didn't matter.
Tanker rivaling D-rank, boundless potential—he had to mark his territory before others snatched him.
'His upbringing didn't lead to deviance.'
Childhood.
Kang San lost both parents.
Insurance and assets vanished to relatives, yet through that grim youth, he'd committed no crimes. Not from strong civic duty—he was just an ordinary citizen who chose work over crime when needing money.
Clean record.
A relief.
He'd worried, given how badly he wanted Kang San.
Past clear.
Next, personal connections.
Issues often surfaced through them, not records.
First, old relatives.
Now wealthy, they brushed off questions about Kang San.
"No idea, no idea. It's been ages since he left home. He's got nothing to do with us anymore. Did he mess up some guarantee? Let me be clear—we won't handle his problems, so don't come around here."
Door slammed in his face.
Vile people.
Living large off what started with Kang San, yet showing him no regard.
Kim Myung-min checked other contacts.
No issues.
Finally,
he tackled the recent 'disturbance' with a mage.
'That report on a mage not long ago.'
The offender's guilt was ironclad—video evidence.
But witnesses could vary.
The man he met was Kim Chun-sik.
And there, Kim Myung-min's doubts about Kang San vanished.
"Tell me about Kang San? He's my lifesaver. That damn mage bailed irresponsibly, but Kang San could've escaped—yet he stayed, saved my life without abandoning me. Kim Myung-min, right? Ever been through something like that? It was my first taste of pure, selfless kindness. If you're probing for flaws, I can tell you he's not the type to warrant suspicion."
Kim Chun-sik's face hardened.
His rough speech rang true with genuine gratitude toward Kang San.
After the talk, Kim Chun-sik stepped out, lit a cigarette under the clear blue sky.
"Who knew a guy like that still existed in this shitty world."
He'd saved Kim Chun-sik.
And now Choi Si-won too.
Kim Myung-min smiled unwittingly at the heroic feats.