B-Rank Promotion Exam (6)
The second monster assigned as a test task by the Association Guild was the Dust Kelp. A plant-type monster formed by sea trash and kelp tangled together into a single mass. It used the junk clinging to its body as armor, hiding its true kelp core inside the moment it sensed an attack. If anything, it protected itself like a turtle or hermit crab.
You could neutralize it by slicing the kelp core, but that was easier said than done. If you tried to cut the exposed kelp, it would swiftly retract with lightning reflexes. Even if you nicked the tip, it wouldn't die—in no time, it would regenerate. To kill one, you had to chop the hidden core into at least four or five pieces.
I wasn't completely unfamiliar with them. Though it hadn't been in an Association dungeon. Back when I vacationed on an island with Do Sihee, one had washed in with a monster wave. The difference was, I'd taken it down with fire magic instead of a sword.
Flames cooked it through its shell, whether it hid or not—making it the most efficient counter. Besides, I'd been fending off Kraels swarming my feet and a Kraken's massive tentacles head-on, leaving no room for anything but fire.
Of course, fire magic wasn't the only way. The simplest method with just a greatsword? Smash the damn thing shell and all.
Kwajak!
The Dust Kelp that met my greatsword shattered with a crunch, its shell crumbling as its form pulped completely. The trash shell synced with the monster's mana, gaining durability that resisted most blades. But if you focused purely on raw power instead of slicing, the pressure made the junk smash itself apart.
Once the guard was wrecked, out popped the core—slice it, and done. Tougher than regular kelp or seaweed, but still easy to cleave.
I took down the two Dust Kelps as specified by the Association Guide and waited for the evaluation.
"How was that?"
"Excellent! You clearly know how to handle Dust Kelp, and you have the strength to back it up!"
Her reaction meant I'd passed the second task without issue. It wasn't the best matchup for a sword warrior, but that only applied at the same rank level. With my swordsmanship nearing A-rank, struggling against a B-rank Dust Kelp would've been the real oddity.
I glanced at Cha Yuri, wondering her take—then two waterspouts erupted from the beach without warning.
The two Dust Kelps caught in the cyclones burst like overripe fruit under the wind pressure in seconds.
"…Cha Yuri?"
Sensing something off, I called her name. Without prompting, she launched into an explanation of Dust Kelp.
"Dust Kelp's core is kelp-like seaweed. The trash pile's just armor. Since it's not part of its body, you can wedge mana into the gaps and blast wind pressure."
"…Huh?"
"Meaning I can take these chumps easy too. Don't get cocky thinking B-rank hunter means you match me just 'cause you bagged some B-rank trash."
"……Ah, got it."
So that's why the sudden magic—she wanted to prove she could handle them like me. Objectively, the power was impressive enough for pride. From her description, she'd crammed mana into the narrow gaps of the junk armor. That fine control alone marked her as top-tier mage.
"Er…. Uh…."
The issue was showing it now, to me. Even the Association staff looked flustered, unsure how to react.
"I'm still stronger. J-just 'cause you hit B-rank doesn't mean you're above me. I won't hear that nonsense."
"Fine, let's move to the next site. You're supposed to be proctoring, Cha Yuri."
"……Yeah."
My flat response got a sour look from her. She stepped onto the warp gate for the final site.
"S-so…. This isn't a hunting contest between you two…."
Only the guide's timid protest reached my ears.
⁎ ⁎ ⁎
The final B-rank promotion exam site. Heading into the Golem Temple to face the last monster, we jumped straight into the third task.
The Association staff explained: three Stone Golems. Giants made of rock, about five meters tall—the capstone challenge.
True to its popularity, other hunters dotted the dungeon, each tackling one or two Stone Golems. Compared to the prior tasks, this felt straightforward, and I said so casually.
"Kinda ordinary for the finale."
"The difficulty doesn't ramp up progressively. By normal standards, Black Slimes or Dust Kelps are trickier than Stone Golems."
"I figured as much."
"And honestly, Kim Sungcheol-ssi, you've basically passed already. You could skip this one."
"Oh, really?"
"Pass if you clear two of three tasks. Especially impressive since you aced two bad matchups for melee awakeners. Upper management will approve you for B-rank, no doubt."
Even if beating a B-rank one-on-one defined B-rank hunters, some monsters were flat counters. Failing over bad luck in matchups would be unfair, so guilds passed on two-of-three. Made sense.
Plus, I'd already beaten two such counters.
That said, her offer to end early got a shake of my head.
"If possible, I'd like to finish strong."
"Understood. Timer starts now—take down three Stone Golems."
The moment she activated the timer, I charged the nearest with sword raised. One aura-charged slash cleaved it perfectly in half, ending it pathetically.
Grooo….
Its low death groan echoed as it fell, leaving just the corpse and a B-rank core.
Why was the Golem Temple so popular? Sure, Stone Golem cores fetched high prices for powering huge frames, and the rock bodies processed well as materials. But above all:
Despite looking tough, they were absurdly weak to physical attacks. Magic-resistant shells shrugged off spells, but zero physical defense meant a single sword swing did them in.
Not just my mithril greatsword's edge. Nearby melee hunters smashed them effortlessly too: plate-mail woman at 11 o'clock spearing heads, musclebound one at 2 o'clock halberding torsos. Hell, the barehanded fighter at 6 o'clock was pulverizing one with fists alone.
Granite bodies, granite toughness—nothing more. Any B-rank melee could shatter that as basics.
No wonder crowds packed it, sometimes outnumbering monsters.
I'd stuck to floor requests, rarely visiting, but even I one-shotted my first without prep.
Two more fell the same way in a blink. Returning, the staff clapped.
"Great work, Kim Sungcheol-ssi! Perfect finish!"
"Thanks for the praise."
"Your B-rank badge issues in three days—pick it up at the counter after next Monday!"
The promotion felt anticlimactic, but that didn't dim the joy. B-rank meant more ahead, but right now? Pure celebration.
To savor it fuller, I turned to my proctor.
"Cha Yuri! I finally hit B-rank—"
"Cannon Cyclone! Screw Tornado! Wind Cutter!!"
There stood a mage unleashing her full arsenal on a Stone Golem.