Hunter Exam (2): Flunking the Written Test?
Posts I'd seen on the Hunter Gallery flashed through my mind. I'd thought it was just the community's usual dunking on noobs.
But...
'......Is this for real?'
I stared blankly at the first English question on the exam.
[1. Choose the one that is not a fruit.]
1. Banana
2. Apple
3. Cat
4. Grape
"......"
No way this was on a nationally certified qualification exam, even if it was question 1.
Even English kindergarten tests were harder than this.
I quietly raised my hand.
"Something wrong, examinee?"
The middle-aged proctor asked in a low voice.
"Um, the questions seem a bit off."
The proctor's brow furrowed slightly. He peered closely at the problem I pointed to.
"Looks perfectly fine to me. It's a standard exam paper."
"Really?"
"Yes. Keep solving."
I looked back down at the paper.
Were they giving me a kids' version because I'm a 12-year-old? Nah, no such thing.
Hunter certification exams had no age limit. Awaken and you could take it, even as a kid.
Plus, passing granted adult-level legal rights in certain areas.
So no special easy papers for children.
'But this level of difficulty.'
Exam time was a generous 1 hour 30 minutes anyway.
I leisurely twirled my pen and started marking answers.
Of course, it got a tad harder toward the end, but "harder" still meant middle school early years at best.
'Didn't expect it to be this easy.'
Pages flipped smoothly without a hitch.
Korean, English, Math. Done in a flash.
I'd come just to check it out, but looks like instant pass.
"Hmm."
But the real hurdle was at the end.
[Subject 4: Hunter Act]
[1. Caught trying to privately trade low-grade slime mucus harvested from an unregistered gate without going through Association customs. Applicable law?]
1. No punishment.
2. Tax evasion and smuggling violation.
3. Ecosystem invasive species protection violation.
4. Illegal explosives manufacturing prevention violation.
"......How the hell am I supposed to know this."
Totally different vibe from the other subjects.
Hunter Act was pure rote memorization.
The questions straight-up tested if you'd memorized the clauses.
Which made it more problematic. If you didn't know, you flunked.
No logical reasoning like the others.
"Ugh."
A groan slipped out.
Should've at least skimmed a summary before coming.
Content didn't look that hard. Not much to memorize, they said.
But without memorizing, every question was impossible.
'At this rate, definite subject fail.'
Written exam was absolute grading. 60+ on every subject to pass.
Korean/English/Math? Even with a few mistakes, no dropping below 60.
Hunter Act? Unless a fluke god descends, 60 looks tough.
Maybe just flunk spectacularly and hit the gallery for memes?
Burn 50k on a post instead?
'Nah.'
That wasn't memeing. That was getting branded a moron online forever.
I glanced around.
Everyone heads down, scribbling away.
Only one option left.
"Ahem."
I fake-coughed, then whispered super quietly.
"Heukryeon."
The familiar voice responded. Only in my ears, of course.
"Yes. What is it?"
"Got a favor."
"Anything."
I mouthed silently.
"Uh, find the smartest-looking person here in the exam hall."
"Smartest-looking?"
"Yeah. You know, studious type. Peek at their Hunter Act answers and tell me......"
Of course, caught cheating here means ejection.
But I had a foolproof method.
"......Understood."
Heukryeon nodded without protest.
Okay. 50k saved.
I clenched a tiny victory fist.
PASS
You have passed the written exam. Applause for splendidly proving your essential knowledge and your hard work...
A big blue word blared in the center of the monitor screen.
The fine print below? Skip.
Written exam passed. That's all I needed.
Worried the "smart guy" Heukryeon copied from was weird, but her eyes were spot-on. Lucky.
"The exam... was eeeasy......"
I grinned wickedly at the monitor.
A true Heavenly Demon seized victory by any means.
So what I did wasn't cheating.
True Heavenly Demon style.
Long time no proper Heavenly Demon move, so time for a reward.
"Slurp."
Next to me: a freshly delivered whole fried chicken and canned cola.
Written pass celebration party.
Would've eaten anyway if failed.
I deeply inhaled the hot fried chicken aroma.
Savory.
"Heukryeon, have some."
She shook her head, standing beside me.
"Thank you, but I have no body, so no need for food......"
"C'mon, it's the mood. Try a bite. It's really good."
She smiled faintly at my insistence.
"If you insist, I gratefully accept."
Heukryeon reached delicately into the box.
Her pale finger aimed right for... the drumstick.
'Nooo.'
"That's just bone, no meat...... Ah."
Too late.
She'd already chomped a big bite of the drumstick.
Nom nom.
She looked at me, cheeks slightly puffed, like what's up?
That munching mouth was oddly cute.
"......"
I awkwardly waved it off with a smile.
"Nothing."
She saved my 50k and got me the pass. One drumstick as thanks? No biggie.
Probably.
"Delicious. I see why you like it."
She wiped her mouth after cleanly stripping the bone.
"By the way, when's the practical exam?"
Right.
Hadn't checked the practical date.
I tore into a wing while checking my phone calendar empty-handed.
"Huh? Next week?"
Blinked at the Association site schedule.
Sooner than expected.
And.
"Unlike written, practical has longer gaps. Only twice a year."
Way different scale from paper test.
Practical needed huge venue rental, expert evaluators, safety for surprises.
Even with national backing, couldn't do it often.
Heukryeon asked curiously.
"Only twice a year? Must be very difficult."
I shook the wing bone.
"Nah, the exam itself isn't that hard."
Getting Hunter cert wasn't passing a needle's eye.
Met minimum mana response and physicals, and most passed.
Simple reason: More hunters farming gates for mana stones and items? National win.
Why 12-year-olds could hunter freely.
"But something more important than passing."
"What?"
"Stamping your mark so others notice."
Practical venues swarm with big guild reps.
Headhunters scouting promising rookies.
Catch their eye? Sets your hunter life's first button.
Sure, late-bloomers explode later.
But first impressions rule.
Ambition for big corps or guilds? They try to shine.
"What'll you do, Heavenly Demon?"
"Freelancer suits me better......"
Truth: Not keen on guilds.
Plenty freelancers thrived. Often better than corp hunters if done right.
But cert needed anyway.
Sneaking gates? Illegal.
Plus, selling gate loot easier with cert.
I gulped cola.
"Anyway, practical next week. Time to prep."