Chapter 16: Awakening Test (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 16: Awakening Test (1)
The next day, the three of them headed to the Seoul Arts Center, where the Awakened Association was located.
The first thing that caught their eye was a massive 150-story skyscraper.
Jinhyuk tilted his head back.
He could see the top of the building piercing the clouds.
"So this is the building constructed using a construction-type unique ability?"
He had heard rumors, but seeing it in person was truly mind-blowing. To think they had completed this entire structure in just a single month.
"It's the headquarters of the Awakened Association," Yu Yeon-hwa explained. "They administer the tests and handle all administrative work related to the Tower of Trials here."
"Wow. Come to think of it, it's already been three weeks. My heart was pounding so hard when I took my test."
"Oh, come on, you've got to be joking," Tae-min scoffed. "You could beat up King Kong with your bare hands. Remember? Even the examiner was shaking in his boots when he saw you, Noona."
"Oh my. Were those words meant for me, Tae-min?"
Yu Yeon-hwa smiled sweetly.
Her eyes were smiling, but the corners of her mouth didn't budge.
At that moment, a sudden chill ran down their spines.
Goosebumps erupted all over Jinhyuk and Lee Tae-min's skin.
This was...
It was a suffocating pressure similar to when they had first encountered the Minotaur.
Surely, it's just my imagination.
...Probably.
"..."
Tae-min swallowed hard and quickly changed the subject.
"Oh! Right. Hyung, once you get your rank today, why don't the three of us join the same guild?"
"A guild?"
Why a guild all of a sudden?
"Guilds like 'Dangun' or 'Ssaulabi' don't usually accept rookies, but with your skills and ours, we should easily pass their entry tests. Honestly, from the 15th floor onward, it's practically impossible to clear stages without healers, buffers, or debuffers..."
Ah, so that's what he's getting at.
It was true. In the past, there had been countless instances where small parties entered labyrinths or ruins only to be completely wiped out. No matter how skilled a veteran player was, they would eventually hit a bottleneck due to a lack of numbers as they climbed higher.
The two of them had concluded that growing alongside powerful allies was the most efficient path forward.
Tsk, tsk.
Jinhyuk clicked his tongue inwardly.
And that's exactly why you failed to conquer the Tower.
Experience points, items, hidden pieces...
He barely had enough to keep for himself playing solo, so why on earth would he want to share those precious resources with companions? If he absolutely had to work with others, disposable tools he could use and discard would suffice.
"I think I should make one thing clear right now: I have absolutely no intention of joining any guild."
He despised being tied down.
Especially if it meant having some high-ranking guild bossing him around.
"Then... is it just going to be the three of us? You, me, and Yeon-hwa Noona?"
"No, even that is highly inefficient."
Sharing with even two other people was a waste.
The best approach was...
"As a rule, we should move independently and only team up for specific sections. I won't stop the two of you from working together since you already have good synergy, but I work better alone."
Yes, this was the best way.
"We... we're already struggling as a trio, and you want us to go solo?"
"Hyung, isn't that way too dangerous?"
Both of them looked at him with utter disbelief.
It was only natural for them to react that way.
Tae-min and Yu Yeon-hwa were veterans who had climbed all the way to the 20th floor of the Tower of Trials.
It meant they had invested an immense amount of time and effort.
Because of that, they knew better than anyone else that solo play, even on the lower floors, was practically suicide.
But there was one thing these two didn't know.
Even among veterans, there were tiers.
And...
That there existed a player who had wandered alone through a dead game abandoned by everyone else, and had ultimately conquered it.
"Let's just get the test over with first. We should head inside before it gets any more crowded."
Jinhyuk let out a smirk and walked toward the building.
"Uh...? Right."
"Yeah... let's do that."
The two of them followed behind him, wearing completely dazed expressions.
* * *
"Alright, everyone! Please take a number and wait for your turn!"
"Group D-09's test is about to begin! If you are in Group D-09, please make your way to the testing hall!"
Despite it being a weekday, the lobby was packed to the brim with people who had come to take the test.
The allure of the Tower was truly formidable, considering how many people it had managed to captivate.
"Please, please let me get a decent rank. I don't even dare hope for D-rank. Just E-rank, please..."
"If I can just get into a top-ten guild, my life will be set..."
"I want to sign a direct contract with the Awakened Association. How great would that be? Walking around proudly with a government ID hanging around my neck."
Anyone evaluated as F-rank or lower would be stripped of the chance to even set foot on the second floor, let alone catch the eye of a major guild.
Thus, everyone prayed desperately, as if waiting for the lottery numbers to be drawn.
Hoping that they...
That they alone would be different from the rest.
Of course, Jinhyuk's gaze as he watched them was cold.
People like them wouldn't last a month in the Tower.
At best, they would compromise with reality and become dropouts, forever stuck on whatever floor they managed to reach.
Actually, it would be a blessing if they knew their place and stayed quiet. It was far more annoying when incompetent fools tried to act tough and ended up dragging everyone else down.
Jinhyuk looked away and pulled a number ticket.
[Group E-01]
Coming early paid off.
Since Group D was already about halfway through, he would only have to wait about an hour.
"But is today some special occasion? There seem to be way more reporters than usual," Tae-min muttered, tilting his head as he looked around.
There were easily dozens of reporters waiting with cameras in hand. They were fidgeting anxiously, looking like puppies that desperately needed to relieve themselves.
"You're right. It is a bit strange," Yu Yeon-hwa agreed.
Under normal circumstances, there would be four or five reporters at most. Unless a highly anticipated prospect from a major guild was arriving, a press crowd of this scale would never gather.
Was there some unannounced event taking place?
Just as that thought crossed his mind...
Buzz, buzz!
Suddenly, a commotion broke out near the entrance.
Accompanied by someone's shouting, a group of people marched into the building.
"It's Park Ha-na! Park Ha-na of the Black Crow Guild!"
Park Ha-na.
How could anyone not know her?
She was the hot rookie who had taken the media and the internet by storm through the Hall of Fame.
"Whoa. That's Park Ha-na? The one who entered a labyrinth on the very first day and made it out alive?"
"Damn, that's insane. I watched her videos on ViewTube on repeat, but I never expected to see her in person today."
"The guy next to her is Park Ha-jin. I heard he recently did some business with the Chinese side."
Every single one of them was a prominent figure.
Moreover, alongside Park Ha-na and Park Ha-jin, there was another individual who instantly commanded everyone's attention.
"Oh my god, even Kim Gi-tae of the Ssaulabi Guild is here!"
Flash! Flash! Flash!
Camera flashes erupted from all directions.
Ssaulabi, one of the world's top seven guilds and the second-largest guild in South Korea.
And with them was an executive-level ranker from that very guild.
"Don't miss a single shot!"
"Get a front shot! Frame all three of them together!"
It was no wonder the reporters were in a frenzy.
In fact, they had every reason to be.
A scoop of this caliber was more than enough to grace the front page.
* * *
"Whew."
Standing at a towering height of nearly 190 centimeters, Kim Gi-tae lowered his sunglasses slightly and let out an irritated sigh.
"Why is it so damn crowded here? Is every random nobody taking the test these days?"
"It seems the number of people dreaming of hitting the jackpot has skyrocketed. You know how it is, sir—lately, more and more fools believe the Tower is their only ticket to climbing the social ladder," Park Ha-jin replied instantly.
"Insects, the lot of them. They just want a taste of the sweet life. Don't they know that struggling for a hundred days won't change a thing?"
Well, if they had known, they wouldn't have tried in the first place.
They would have known their place and lived quietly in the shadows.
"Anyway, make sure you do well today. I only came all the way out here because of you two siblings. If you mess up... you know what happens, right?"
"O-Of course, sir."
"Please don't... worry. I'll do well."
Park Ha-jin and Park Ha-na nodded.
This was a golden rope they had barely managed to grab onto.
No matter what.
By any means necessary.
They had to make this a massive success.
And they had already laid out a flawless plan.
"We don't have time, so clear out the people in line. The reporters are waiting, and we can't just loiter here for hours."
Park Ha-jin nodded toward the hulking men standing beside him.
At his signal, the men moved.
"Make way."
"Hey, can't you see people walking through? Press against the walls! Left and right!"
"Move it, quickly! Don't dawdle unless you want to get beaten up."
Players belonging to the Black Crow Guild began shoving their way through the line.
The crowd parted like Moses parting the Red Sea.
Not a single person dared to voice their complaints.
"Ahem!"
"Now, where did I put those registration documents..."
Even the Awakened Association staff turned their heads, deliberately looking away.
This was reality.
The name of a top guild carried more weight than laws or regulations.
However...
The hulking men suddenly ground to a halt.
Three people were blocking the path, refusing to budge.
To be precise, two of them were trying to pull the third back, while that one person stood his ground.
The guy standing his ground was casually sipping ice water from a plastic bottle.
"Who the hell are you? Didn't you hear us tell you to move?"
"Move? Why should I?"
Jinhyuk tilted his head.
No, seriously.
He had pulled a number and was waiting his turn. Why on earth should he move?
If they had just arrived, they would have been assigned to Group F.
Ah, wait. Don't tell me...
As if a realization had struck him, Jinhyuk shoved his number ticket right in front of the brute's face.
"These are what we call the English alphabet... It starts with A, then B, C, D. After that comes E, and then F. If you didn't know, take this chance to memorize it."
Sure, he might not know the order.
Even though people usually learn this in elementary school.
It was truly heartwarming.
How pitiful.
Did he have a difficult childhood or something?
"W-Who said they didn't know that?!"
The brute's face flushed bright red.
"Pfft!"
"Is this some kind of customized elementary education?"
Snickers and chuckles rippled through the crowd at the blatant mockery.
"..."
Watching from behind, Kim Gi-tae frowned but didn't step in.
It was as if he expected them to handle a minor nuisance like this on their own.
Ultimately...
"Tsk, useless bastards. Get out of the way!"
Park Ha-jin, who had been standing in the back, stepped forward himself.
"I don't know who the hell you are, but you're making a huge mistake right now. It's not too late, so get lost quietly before I grind you to dust."
Talk about a vicious threat.
So this is the brother Park Ha-na was talking about, huh?
Judging by the look in his eyes, he probably wouldn't hesitate to kill someone.
How amusing.
How could a brother and sister be so identical in their complete lack of self-awareness?
"That's all well and good, but could you take a step back when you speak? Your breath is so bad my eyes are watering."
Jinhyuk pinched his nose and grimaced.
"H-Hyung?"
Tae-min grabbed Jinhyuk's wrist in sheer panic.
"Oppa! What are you doing?"
Yeon-hwa was equally startled.
"Holy crap!"
"Did I hear that right? Did he just say that to Park Ha-jin...?"
"He must have a death wish. Is he out of his mind?"
The onlookers gasped, their jaws dropping.
Of course...
The one who was most dumbfounded was Park Ha-jin himself.
"You... what did you just... say?"
The color completely drained from Park Ha-jin's face.
"Is that a dumpling sitting on your shoulders instead of a head? I'm saying that your breath is polluting the air, so clamp your teeth shut."
Jinhyuk smiled brightly as he repackaged his words a bit more nicely.
Putting a ribbon on a piece of shit was just a bonus.
"You little bastard... Hey. Can you handle the consequences of this? If you think I won't touch you just because there are so many eyes watching..."
"Oh, please. Why would I be scared of nobodies who are nothing without the Ssaulabi Guild?"
"W-We're nothing without the Ssaulabi Guild?"
"Am I wrong? The one that's famous in Korea is Ssaulabi, not you guys. And besides..."
Jinhyuk shrugged and continued.
"What kind of name is the 'Black Crow Guild' anyway?"
It's not like white crows even exist.
"Are you guys lacking a few brain cells?"
Or are you guys poets or literary boys?
I know they allow double entendres and redundant expressions in literature.
Whatever the case, their naming sense was utterly incomprehensible.
"You! You insect-like bastard! You must be absolutely begging to die!"
Park Ha-jin thrust his hand forward like a sword, clearly done talking.
"You started this."
In an instant, the atmosphere shifted drastically.
A bone-chilling cold swept over them, sending shivers down everyone's spine.