Chapter 13

“Examinee number 117! Where is number 117?”

“I’ll be back.”

“Good luck, Uncle.”

I quietly raised my hand and stepped forward.

The certification exam wasn’t complicated. All I had to do was prove that I had the ability to survive the Gray Forest.

This exam was established as a gateway to becoming a Hunter, according to the laws set by the founding Boss of the Crocodile Bird, who laid the foundation of this city.

Though, it’s just a part of the Gray Forest sectioned off for the exam.

A simple test where you just go to a designated spot, pick up a flag, and return.

Of course, it wasn’t entirely easy, with traps and disruptors along the way.

The exam was designed to filter out the weaklings to reduce casualties.

I crossed the gate to the exam hall and looked at a woman holding a notebook at the entrance.

An examiner, perhaps.

“Examinee 117. Do you have any weapons?”

“No.”

“Please be aware that once you enter, you cannot leave until the exam is over.”

“I know.”

I know it all too well.

Passing this exam was like a two-part episode.

I didn’t remember every detail, but I had a rough idea of all the dangers.

“Then, begin. You have 15 minutes.”

I slowly stepped forward, recalling the original memories.

————————-

‘Why do so many rookies who can’t even walk properly come here?’

I know the exam is important.

It was the consideration of the Crocodile Bird’s founder to prevent sending unqualified people to their deaths.

That’s why he worked with a sense of mission at first.

But over time, his sense of mission eroded like a rock worn down by sandstorms.

Now, it’s just… a job.

So, as always, he mechanically prepared to torment the examinees.

‘Let’s finish this quickly and slack off. Sigh.’

He stretched in the small cave that served as the waiting area and stepped outside, taking a deep breath.

The damp, humid air.

He inhaled the all-too-familiar air deeply and looked bored-

“Found you here.”

“Huh?”

“Don’t come out. Just stay there and sleep.”

A young man’s voice echoed off the cave walls.

“What are you-”

Before he could finish, someone pushed his chest.

A light push, enough to make him stagger.

It should have only made him fall on his butt, but strangely, his body was flying back into the cave.

‘What kind of ability is this?’

Telekinesis?

Physical enhancement?

Or some special superpower?

Before he could finish his thoughts, he heard the sound of someone kicking off the ground.

The examiner rolled on the ground to absorb the impact and tried to get up and escape the cave.

If not for the boulder that suddenly rolled in, blocking the entrance.

“What the… what’s this now?”

Did they really block the exit with a boulder to trap him?

The examiner stared at the boulder blocking the cave in disbelief.

“Well.”

Pushing the boulder away wasn’t a difficult task.

He wasn’t new to this job and had faced worse situations.

‘How did they know my location?’

This cave was well-hidden, hard to find unless you were close. Even other examiners couldn’t find it easily.

For an examinee to find this place while trying to pass through the forest in time was nearly impossible.

“Whatever. Guess I can just rest now.”

It’s easier to accept this as some strange ability.

With that conclusion, the examiner lay down on the hammock inside the cave and closed his eyes.

Until the next exam began.

————-

“Lucky it’s the same location as in the original.”

A small cave hidden near the one-third point of the exam hall.

The examiner who appeared there once the exam started was a real headache.

He knew all the obstacles and traps in the exam hall and would often threaten examinees to lure them in.

His direct combat skills were on par with a trained soldier, but his ability was the real problem.

His ability to make those who heard his voice experience hallucinations and delusions. Once his ability activated, you were at his mercy. So, I decided to neutralize him.

Mental ability users have clear limits in close combat, after all.

And I succeeded beautifully.

“Let’s hurry.”

With the examiner, who should have been the biggest obstacle, neutralized, all that’s left is to leisurely retrieve the flag.

I glanced at the blocked cave entrance and headed toward the flag’s location.

With no obstacles or traps, I wasn’t sure if I was out for a stroll or taking an exam.

“So this is the flag.”

I picked up the flag stuck in the ground.

A flag about a meter long.

I slung it over my shoulder and turned around.

Time to head back.

I retraced my steps.

No disruptors on the way back either.

Did they give up?

Or were they still unable to come out?

Either way, it didn’t matter to me. I walked leisurely back and handed the flag to the examiner watching me.

“13 minutes… you took.”

“Can I leave now?”

“Park Yi-sak… understood. Congratulations on passing. You can collect your certification at the reception. Do you have a photo?”

“No.”

“You’ll need to take a photo. Head over there.”

I looked at the small passage the examiner pointed to, not the one I came from.

It looked eerily dark.

But since I knew it wouldn’t harm me, it wasn’t a big deal.

“Take care.”

“I look forward to your future endeavors.”

With a mechanical farewell, I stepped into the dark corridor.

A straight, narrow passage.

It wasn’t very long. After about thirty steps, I reached a door. Opening it, I entered a dark room.

If I hadn’t read the original, the eerie atmosphere would have made me nervous, but it was just because the photographer could only use their ability in the dark.

…You might wonder how they take photos in such darkness, but expecting common sense from ability users is asking too much.

“Are you here?”

“Three steps to the left. Turn 90 degrees to the right. Lift your chin slightly, open your eyes wide, and raise the corners of your mouth a bit.”

A cranky old voice gave me instructions.

I followed his commands without hesitation.

He just wanted to take a proper ID photo, after all.

Once I got into position, a blinding light filled my vision.

“Quick and efficient. You’ll last long.”

“Thank you.”

“Here’s your photo. Be careful with it.”

“Okay.”

I took the photo and walked toward the lit door. Opening it, I found myself in the lobby.

I immediately looked around for Mina. She was in a corner, talking coldly with a man.

These kinds of guys are everywhere, huh.

“Don’t be like that-”

“I’m fine, let’s go.”

“Come on, it’s just a chat. There’s a nice restaurant over there-”

“Let’s just go.”

Guess clichés exist even in novels.

I glanced at Mina’s face, expressionless but slightly fearful, and glared at the sleazy-looking thug.

“Do you know who I am?”

“Stop with the third-rate villain talk and just go.”

“Third-rate villain?”

Should I just beat him up?

No. No need to ruin my image from the start.

I took Mina’s hand and headed toward the reception.

But the guy wasn’t letting us go easily.

“Kid, do you know who I am?”

“Do you know who you’re hitting on?”

Should I teach him a lesson about youth protection laws… oh wait, they don’t have that here?

Damn this world.

“Do you really not know me?”

“No, I don’t.”

What’s with this guy?

Is it that shocking that I don’t know who he is? It’s not like there’s TV here or anything.

“You must be new to the city. Acting like this won’t get you far.”

“You should take your own advice.”

Should I just beat him up?

No.

Too many eyes here.

Better to handle it somewhere less conspicuous.

We’ll probably run into him again anyway.

I ignored the goblin-faced thug and headed to the reception.

To become a Hunter.

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