Ch.131131. Take the Test with Confidence!

After the final exams, with vacation just around the corner, what’s the classroom atmosphere like? No different from high school seniors after the college entrance exam.

It’s obviously party time.

With continuous self-study periods, students crowd around simulation devices, and sometimes, with the instructor’s permission, they even visit gates.

And what am I doing? Naturally, I’m in the midst of training with everyone else, preparing for the Cheonji Guild test.

Honestly, since my mission is what matters, I’m not placing much importance on passing.

If I pass, great. If not, so be it.

What’s important is intercepting the creature that appears after the test.

The time is 5 PM, which is awkwardly in-between. If it were morning or evening, I could take the test and then go, but this overlaps.

Tests usually start at 1 PM and take about 30-40 minutes…

If I get to go first in the order, that’s one thing, but it’s random.

“Well, monster alerts take priority.”

Though it’s a shame to miss out on training worth over 100 million won, in my previous life, these creatures ran rampant, causing massive damage that accumulated.

That was essentially the same as humanity losing the drive to fight back.

I needed to stop them early to reduce casualties.

So I diligently prepared my operation sheet.

“It’s a gate simulation, but there’s also an actual gate at Palgongsan, right? I think gate practice would be best.”

Unfortunately, the test is this Sunday, so time is tight.

We had no choice but to practice intensively until Saturday.

“We need to strictly define our roles. Since we’re doing this among lower-class students…”

I emphasized the alliance between sidekicks and combat units.

If we’re doing this among classmates anyway, repeated training will lead to better evaluations.

Besides, mixing things up just for the test would be the worst.

If we had more time, maybe. But it’s Friday now. With tests happening simultaneously in just two days, what am I supposed to do?

So repetition is key. We needed to forcibly implant it in our minds through repetition.

“For gate practice, we could set conditions or aim for breakthrough targets… Anyway, let’s try both.”

Time is short. We decided to practice as much as possible and go to the gate as a group on Saturday.

During this period, I only collected M-points.

M-points: 17,000

With this, I can draw a new card. Anyway, when the big day arrived on Sunday, I found myself in an awkward situation.

“Why aren’t any of my classmates in Gwangju?”

Tests were being held simultaneously at four locations. They said it was to accommodate people living in the provinces, but I was the only one who came here.

All eyes around me were focused.

“Isn’t that the guy from that love triangle on TV?”

“He’s alone?”

The area was already filled with adult Yeagers who came to take the test.

“Hey, you’re that celebrity, aren’t you?”

Some men approached me. Why aren’t any of my classmates here?

“Hmph, he’s just from the lower class, isn’t he? They’re overhyping him. Hey, can you even perform properly?”

Amid all these stares, the test order was determined.

“Starting at 4 PM… Can I finish on time?”

If I move quickly, I should finish before 5 PM. That’s just an estimate, though. With an uneasy heart, I looked at the men who had gathered around me.

*

Cheonji Guild’s scouts and team leaders observed the trainees at all four locations.

Shin Doseong, the third team leader of Cheonji Guild, was in charge of the Gwangju test when a small problem arose.

“What? There’s an Academy student who came to Gwangju? Why? They should have gone to Seoul or at least Daejeon, which is closer. How many are there? Let’s see them separately first.”

“Just one.”

“One?”

Shin Doseong looked surprised.

“They came alone? Why? Lower class students should come together, not like an idiot!”

“Well… there were no such restrictions in the recruitment, so…”

“I thought it seemed rushed. This is exactly how loopholes are found.”

Just as Park Taesang had planned it hastily, this exceptional situation had occurred.

“Academy students need to be tested separately, but that’s impossible with just one… Who is it?”

When Shin Doseong saw the name, his eyes widened.

“Is this the kid involved in that Academy love triangle?”

“Really? Wait, is his face the one we saw on TV?”

Do Jonghyun was now somewhat recognizable.

Naturally, his face had appeared on national news for about three days.

That celebrity had come here.

“Wait, let me check the situation at other test sites. Hello? What? They all gathered in Seoul and Daejeon? But why is he alone here?”

This makes the test difficult. It’s a match between professionals and amateurs, and he’s just a first-year.

In many ways, his failure is guaranteed.

“Hmm… there’s still time. Let me see if we can make some changes.”

Shin Doseong dealt with the situation flexibly.

‘It’s not the first time our Guild Master has been careless like this.’

If anything, it’s their Guild Master’s fault for not anticipating this and just randomly distributing locations.

So a rescue was in order.

“Okay. So we can put him in the later group?”

An agreement was reached smoothly.

When they contacted Do Jonghyun to send him elsewhere, this celebrity made an unexpected choice.

“I’ll do it here.”

“Sorry, but you’re alone. You need to take the test with other students. Or are you that confident?”

“Yes.”

An incredibly bold answer. Shin Doseong whistled.

“They say he even charmed an Irish tycoon, so let’s see how good he is. Just don’t blame us if you fail.”

“That’s fine.”

Shin Doseong found an unexpected charm in this confident attitude.

‘Indeed, he doesn’t lose confidence even among adults. They say the first-year Academy students are a golden batch… Yes, with such guts, he’ll make a good Yeager.’

Seeing Do Jonghyun’s enthusiasm, Shin Doseong eventually placed him with an adult team.

Of course, there were complaints from the adult side when they were grouped with him.

“What? With a first-year kid? And he’s wearing reinforced clothing? Will this be okay?”

“Aren’t we at a disadvantage?”

“You’ll be evaluated separately. In fact, if you guide this child well, wouldn’t your score improve?”

Shin Doseong skillfully deflected the complaints. In the end, those who take on the risk can score better.

‘But if he’s too incompetent, that’s a problem. Let’s see how well he performs with that confidence.’

The tests began one by one. When the designated time came, Do Jonghyun made his appearance.

A high school student among adults. While there wasn’t much difference in size, he clearly looked young and inexperienced.

‘We’ll see…’

The test began. Since it’s conducted at an actual gate, they never release anything above C-grade.

‘The course ranges from E to C. Choosing the difficulty is free, but if you choose a high difficulty and perform poorly, you’ll be penalized. Conversely, even with lower skills, if you know your limits and choose the right course, you can pass.’

Those who get caught up in competitive psychology and choose something too difficult will naturally fail.

Understanding one’s abilities and teamwork are crucial.

‘With monsters getting stronger, teamwork is essential. We’ll see how harmoniously strangers can work together.’

Most chose E to D, avoiding risks.

Occasionally, some chose C, but disorganized groups quickly fell apart.

‘See? Know your limits.’

Shin Doseong clicked his tongue as he marked failures on the evaluation.

The time was 4:30 PM.

Later than expected, Do Jonghyun’s group began.

‘What? C-grade? Is he taking a big gamble?’

Surprisingly, Do Jonghyun, still a first-year student, appeared at the C-grade level.

A true audacity.

‘Why?’

What could be his intention? Shin Doseong’s uneasiness soon dissipated as they began their operation.

*

The gazes are sharp. I mean the looks from my team members right now.

“Wait, you’re wearing reinforced clothing? A Yeager in reinforced clothing? Does that make sense? How weak are you?”

“Calm down. He’s a first-year lower class student. He needs this support.”

“But he’s a combat unit, right? Can he perform well with that?”

Questioning gazes come my way.

The four of us, including me, introduced ourselves while waiting for our turn.

They were all from mid-to-low tier guilds, with the mindset of receiving proper training here.

But when I joined, the conversation changed. They grumbled about having to accommodate me.

“Well, then we should stick to E-grade. It’s easy… but there can’t be any mistakes.”

They already look disappointed. Hey, I’m a bit annoyed too. There’s no need to look so defeated!

“How great are you that they let you join us adults?”

“Are you confident?”

Amid these questioning gazes directed at me, my competitive spirit kicked in.

“I’m more than capable. I’m more concerned about whether you gentlemen can perform well.”

“What?”

“This kid! Look at his attitude!”

They get angry as if I’ve touched a nerve, but I can’t back down now.

“If you’re so confident, let’s go for C-grade, shall we? What’s the problem?”

I was all in.

“C-grade? You think you can handle C-grade?”

“Reinforced clothing has a limit of D-grade, doesn’t it?”

“No problem. For your information, I play around in C-grade at the Academy. But you gentlemen have more skill and experience than our Academy, right? So why are you giving up already? Let’s score well in C-grade.”

When I pushed like this, these people looked at each other.

“So you’re saying C-grade is sufficient?”

“I’ve rolled around a lot in C-grade gates, testing this new model. Not all gates, of course, but I’m familiar with the monsters and know how to deal with them. I’m confident I won’t be a burden at the very least.”

“…”

As I spoke, the curly-haired man grabbed my shoulder.

“Alright. Then I’ll trust you. Do it properly.”

“Absolutely.”

I didn’t want to draw this much aggro, but what can I do?

Since we’re doing this, I might as well do it right.

I also checked the abilities of the sidekicks. Basically, they can assist in combat up to D-grade, and they have unique buffs that enhance defense and elemental attacks.

The curly-haired man uses a sword imbued with magical power to attack enemies.

So the two attackers focus on close combat. The sidekicks help with attacks and defense?

Preemptive attacks are best.

I checked the time.

By the time it was our turn, it was already 4:30 PM.

’30 minutes? That’s cutting it close. Considering the test takes at least 30 minutes…’

We really need to strike quickly without mistakes.

I looked at the Palgongsan gate in front of me.

The now-familiar Armored Salamanders and Evil Bats are visible. About five of them. With no ranged skills, we need to charge at them.

I racked my brain.

“First…”

“Hey, kid. We know better.”

But these people stepped forward first.

“We’ll hold with a defensive wall and target the Armored Salamander’s weak point.”

“That sounds better.”

What are these people talking about? What about the Evil Bats? They’re not flying high right now. We don’t have ranged attacks.

“Wouldn’t it be better to catch the Evil Bats first? Let’s move quickly.”

“Sigh… Kid, stay out of this. Evil Bats? Do you think any of us can catch them quickly? We’re all close-combat fighters.”

“Yes.”

“And if we fail to catch the Evil Bats, the Armored Salamanders will get the first strike. Understand?”

“That’s true.”

It is the orthodox approach. The Armored Salamanders should be dealt with first, rather than the Evil Bats’ attacks.

But if we can’t catch the Evil Bats at their current low altitude, we’ll have to wait for them to attack, which will be nerve-wracking.

But if I had to choose, the gentlemen’s judgment is correct. They just need to show their abilities slowly. If only I weren’t in a hurry.

Let me think. I need to earn their trust by showing them what I can do.

“Kid, can you teach us how to tackle the Armored Salamander?”

“I know too. It’s the belly, right? In this situation, to easily attack its weak point…”

“Obviously, we block them with a defensive wall and then flip them over to strike the belly. We all know that.”

Right. They probably know better than Academy students. But considering the Evil Bats’ tricky tracking ability, they would hinder our progress.

And so the first stage began.

The curly-haired man and I slipped between the Armored Salamanders.

Here they come.

The Armored Salamanders all begin to charge. I backed up against a tree.

Instead of relying on my defense to withstand, I deliberately positioned myself behind the tree.

“What are you doing? Not following the plan?”

But when the Armored Salamander’s headbutt broke the tree, I kicked off the falling tree and jumped up.

An Evil Bat fluttered in surprise right in front of me.

I grabbed it, fell back down, and faced the Armored Salamander.

Come on.

I made the Evil Bat collide with the charging creature and simultaneously held up a defensive wall.

It’s the same tactic, but I can deal with the Evil Bat at the same time.

Then I grabbed the Armored Salamander and flipped it over.

“Now!”

I struck the exposed belly with magic-infused power.

Instantly, a hole appeared in its belly, and the Armored Salamander went silent.

“This way is easier and more efficient, right? This should score higher.”

“…Wow.”

“He’s actually good?”

The way they looked at me changed from that moment on.