Chapter 163: Promotion Exam (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 163: Promotion Exam (2)
I’ve finally made it here.
It felt strange to be at the promotion exam center hosted by the Association. Back when I was in the military, there were no exams; they just told you, "You're B-rank now," and that was that. Taking an actual test was a novel experience.
Of course, the military had its own criteria, and you couldn't rank up if you didn't meet the requirements, but...
To be honest, in my previous world, I hated the idea of ranking up.
What did a higher rank mean? It meant they’d work you even harder and send you into much more dangerous situations. On top of that, you were treated like a hazardous object, so the higher your rank, the tighter the surveillance on Awakened became.
It was a total shitshow—piling on responsibilities without giving you any rights.
But here, the higher your rank, the better you're treated, so everyone is desperate to climb. Even Awakened who don't work as heroes take the shot, and they say even villains sometimes hide their identities and take the test just to gauge their own strength.
Because it’s so popular, the Association’s standards are strict.
You might wonder how an exam center could be so crowded given the ratio of Awakened to the general population, but our society has a "fair" system that gives people another chance even if they fail. There are plenty of Awakened taking the test for the third or fourth time, just like students retaking college entrance exams. When you add them all up, it feels like every Awakened in Korea has gathered here.
Those in flashy costumes are heroes, while those in plain clothes are not. The latter are either affiliated with corporations or organizations, or they're Awakened in different professions whose skills aren't suited for dungeon combat.
Seeing them all mixed together makes the place look like a cosplay convention.
The atmosphere felt somewhat lacking in tension, but Kwon Ye-jin clearly didn't feel the same way. She was looking around with a stiff, frozen expression.
"Why are you so tense?"
"But what if I fail...? What if everyone else passes and I'm the only one who fails? Will I be kicked out of Black Unicorn?"
Lee Yu-na teased her, but Kwon Ye-jin still couldn't relax.
Now that she mentioned it, she had a point. If everyone passed but one person failed, what would happen to the party?
And if I, the leader, was the one to fail, it would be a total embarrassment. I needed to stay sharp too.
"Don't worry. Black Unicorn never abandons its members."
"Master..."
"But whoever fails better be prepared. I don't expect anyone from Black Unicorn to fail a place like this."
At my words, Kwon Ye-jin shut her mouth, her eyes darting around. Did I scare her too much? Even if she looks like this, Ye-jin has nerves of steel once things actually start.
I smiled and looked at my party members.
"You all know, right? Black Unicorn isn't weak."
"Yeah, Master! I'll do my best!"
"That's right. We aren't weak."
"Leader, I'll pass with the top score."
"Exactly. Like Yeon-woo said, we've been training and gaining experience. Right now, there are no C-rank heroes better than us. Well, as long as we're careful with the written exam."
Kwon Ye-jin, who had been trying to psych herself up, flinched at Lee Yu-na's last comment.
She was the weakest at written tests among us, but I wasn't too worried. Yoon A-young and Lee Yu-na had been tutoring her personally, and how important could a written test be for a hero anyway? It’s probably like a driver's license test—you can pass just by guessing reasonably well.
Still, since those two taught her well, she should be fine.
After finishing the registration, we split up. Since this was an evaluation of a hero's individual ability, there was a rule that party members could not take the exam together.
The exam sequence was a written test followed by several practical tests, I think. They evaluated various abilities: one-on-one combat, tactical execution, judgment, skills, and more. I heard that regular Awakened only had their skills and stats tested, but the standards for heroes were quite rigorous.
Well, since everyone wants to be one, they should at least do this much.
Aside from the initial exam to get a hero license, the B-rank exam is the only qualification test a hero takes during their career. For everything else, like moving from D-rank to C-rank, your grade goes up automatically as long as you build up a record by clearing dungeons, handling errors, defeating villains, or resolving disasters, and your stats increase.
In other words, you're considered a "real" hero starting from B-rank.
Once you reach B-rank, your discretionary power increases, and you can take a leading role in various operations. Other organizations like the Association or the police can also request you by name, so they say a lot of things change once you hit B-rank.
It’s like the difference between an amateur and a pro.
That’s why everyone tries so hard to get a B-rank qualification, even if it takes four or five attempts. The promotion exam is held every two months, but you can only attempt it twice a year.
I have to get my B-rank to join the support mission to Japan, which will soon be in chaos. If I fail this time, the timing won't work out.
I received my exam paper, praying that none of my party members—especially Kwon Ye-jin—would make a mistake on the written portion.
"Any use of mana will be considered cheating, and you will be removed from the room immediately."
I started solving the problems while listening to the supervisor's instructions.
... ...
This is way too easy.
There were many questions about how to process mana, which might be difficult for a civilian, but for a trained Awakened, it was as easy as "How do you make a fried egg?"
Surely no one in my party would write something weird here.
Besides, the Association is dying to use me, so they'll likely give Black Unicorn good scores unless something goes horribly wrong. For the time being, I should be a good little dog and work hard on the missions the Association gives me.
As expected, I wasn't the only one who found it easy; many people were already sitting idly after finishing their answers.
Hm? I think I've seen her somewhere.
I looked at a woman with a stiff expression and glowing white hair. Her skin was so pale it was almost albino, making her stand out. Her porcelain skin made her look like a doll... Ah, speaking of dolls, I remember now.
She’s the leader of the Dolls party I met at the ship party.
They were right before us, so at the time, they were considered top prospects along with Black Unicorn and Eom Soo-hyun's Greyhound.
Her name was Baek... Baek something. I can't remember.
After spending the remaining time in boredom, the supervisor collected the exam papers. We had to wait here until the next instruction, so people who didn't know each other sat there awkwardly.
"It's been a while, Hero Jeong Yeon-woo."
"Yes, it has, Hero Baek Seo-yeon. Has it been a little over half a year since the ship party?"
"I'm honored that you remember my name."
"Of course I do. Dolls is always performing well."
Sorry, I had a feeling you might talk to me, so I looked you up as soon as the test ended.
Perhaps she was pleased that I remembered her, because a smile appeared on Baek Seo-yeon's pale face... No, it didn't.
Ever since the ship party, she’s been like a doll with no emotions. Anna, who also has a doll-like vibe, is cute because she jokes around and hugs people, but this woman is consistently cold and expressionless. Did they name the party "Dolls" because of her?
Wait, why are you sitting down?
I thought she’d just say hello and leave, but Baek Seo-yeon naturally took the seat next to me. Even when I looked at her to see if she had something to say, she remained silent as if I weren't there.
This is awkward...
If you're going to sit next to me, at least strike up a conversation, or do something on your smartphone to kill time like everyone else. Baek Seo-yeon just sat there perfectly still, staring straight ahead.
With her back straight and her hands neatly folded, she looked like a refined lady from a wealthy family, but the fact that she was doing absolutely nothing made her seem alien.
"Did you do well on the exam?"
Unable to bear the awkwardness, I finally spoke up. Baek Seo-yeon turned her head slightly to meet my eyes and spoke in a soft voice.
"Yes. I checked my answers three times, and there were no errors."
"That's impressive. I was a bit confused by question 54..."
Actually, I wasn't confused at all, but I pretended to ask to create conversation.
"Question 54 asks about the theory of mana overheating. That is..."
Wait, hold on. I didn't ask for a lecture.
Baek Seo-yeon began explaining the solution as if she were a star tutor. She seemed to have memorized all the questions; she started from the theory of mana overheating and smoothly explained everything until she gave the correct answer.
"Ah, I see... Thank you."
"I'm glad I could be of help."
Having finished her explanation, she turned her head back to the front as if she were done with me.
No more conversation? I mean, you could ask if I have more questions or talk about something else. Why on earth did you sit here?
The original owner of the seat, who had returned from the restroom, just looked at us awkwardly before standing pitifully against the back wall.
Her personality is just as peculiar as her appearance.
"We will be moving now."
At the supervisor's command, we all stood up and followed her. This was the test where we would demonstrate our combat abilities in a one-on-one duel against a B-rank hero.
On the way to the testing area, I saw Kwon Ye-jin fighting in another arena.
She’s doing well.
Perhaps the special training with Han So-ye helped, because Kwon Ye-jin was fighting on equal footing with a B-rank hero. She has plenty of experience, and from their perspective, they're taking this test late because of me, so honestly, they're overqualified.
As I was about to pass by while silently cheering for her, I noticed a striking head of green hair among the people waiting.
Eom Soo-hyun, in her magical girl outfit, waved her arm happily when she saw me. I smiled and waved back, and she started jumping up and down, shouting for me to do my best.
I appreciated the warm welcome, but she was immediately scolded by a supervisor for disturbing the exam.
As I was laughing at her cute behavior, Baek Seo-yeon quietly stepped up behind me.
"Are you close with Hero Eom Soo-hyun?"
Don't just appear behind me and speak in that emotionless voice. It's creepy.
"Yes, we became close while studying at the Magic Tower."
"The Magic Tower... I see."
What do you see?
I looked at her, but Baek Seo-yeon, just like before, only said what she wanted to say and then treated me like a stranger. She’s pretty, but she’s a really strange person.
Arriving at the arena for my exam, I prepared to fight the B-rank hero I was assigned to. Some people fought well, while others were toyed with. Since the duel was to gauge their skill, it seemed the examiners were humoring them for a set amount of time.
When my turn came, I picked up a practice sword and headed toward the stage, making eye contact with Baek Seo-yeon.
"... ...?"
Right, I wasn't expecting any cheers.
I looked at her as she tilted her head as if asking if I had something to say, then I just shrugged my shoulders.
"I'll be back after a good fight."
"Yes. Have a good fight."
I wondered what kind of conversation that was, but I was grateful she at least responded as I entered the barrier-protected stage.
A large, muscular woman tilted her head when she saw the sword I was holding.
"Isn't Hero Jeong Yeon-woo's main weapon a gun?"
"Yes, it's right here. But I know how to use a sword too."
When I turned to show her the gun tucked into my waist, the woman gave a subtle smile.
"Hmm... We'll see if you're taking the exam lightly or if your skills match your confidence."
"Please go easy on me."
Despite my request, the woman charged at me as soon as we started.
Hey, why the discrimination?
She only played defense for the others, but she’s being aggressive with me. I hurriedly retreated, deflecting her club-like sword several times.
Perhaps because her consecutive strikes were deflected so easily, the woman paused for a moment and looked at me with interest.
My stats might be lower, but my pure swordsmanship is on a much higher level. Of course it is—I lived with a sword for over twenty years.
After swinging her sword in the air a few times, the woman lunged at me again.
Heh, how crafty.
It looked like a downward strike relying on the strength suited to her size, but her wrist was slightly turned. As expected, the downward path changed to a horizontal strike toward my waist. I lowered my stance, blocked diagonally upward, and let her sword slide over my head.
"Whoa—"
I heard exclamations from the onlookers. Stop it, you're making me blush.
After her horizontal swing was cleanly deflected without resistance, the woman looked flustered. She pulled her sword back to her side and attempted a thrust.
However, her reaction was slow, causing a brief opening. In that gap, I jumped back out of her attack range and swung my sword.
I tried to flick the back of my sword against the tip of hers to pull it upward like a fishing line... but it didn't work.
Damn this body. My physical abilities are too pathetic. Unless I'm redirecting the force, I get blocked by pure physical strength.
Seeing her hold her ground despite the slight lift, I stopped myself from lunging back in and prepared for her next attack. It was a fairly high-level technique, but what's the point of technique if it's blocked by raw power?
When I looked at her with disappointment, the woman smiled.
"You had a reason for that confidence. Who did you learn swordsmanship from?"
"I have many people around me who are good with a sword."
I was talking about my previous world, but since my affiliation is Square Garden, she immediately nodded in understanding.
"I'll end the exam here."
"Already?"
"If anything, I feel like I should be learning from you, Hero Jeong Yeon-woo. What kind of exam is this? To be at this level without even using your main weapon... You can't be called a C-rank anymore. Good work."
I thought she’d be difficult because she was aggressive from the start, but she was a broad-minded person who acknowledged me immediately. I bowed to her and stepped down from the stage.
"I won."
"Yes, you did."
I took my place while listening to Baek Seo-yeon's characteristically off-beat response.
From the next exam onward, I’d have to team up with strangers. I wasn't asking for much—I just hoped I’d be paired with people who actually listen.