Ch.154154. Promotion Exam

The internet was abuzz with activity. Naturally, the exploits of monsters fighting against other monsters were making headlines everywhere.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that public perception of monsters was steadily improving.

But then, the monster who was most familiar to people—a pioneer of sorts—attacked another monster.

Various media outlets were flooding the airwaves with analyses of the situation.

[In my opinion, this proves that monsters aren’t unified among themselves.]

[They have different factions.]

[But isn’t this dangerous? They have internal factions and no unity.]

Experts were each offering their opinions, and online communities were doing the same.

-So they’re fighting their own kind? lolololol

-Yeah, I’m just a basement dweller so I don’t care. Let the popular kids get screwed lololol

-Idiot, what if a monster breaks into your house?

-But seriously, why are they fighting? They both save people.

Since this was still just a single incident, no one could make an accurate judgment yet.

However, it was clear that something different from before was happening.

And the Monster Panic Organization had deployed their field agents in response.

-To be honest, isn’t the new monster just jealous of the other one?

-Let’s be real, until now they’ve been saving their own factions, and now they’re appearing everywhere, so they’re just eliminating competition

-What if they end up harming civilians while fighting each other? They’re monsters who can’t even communicate.

These rumors and gossip spread rapidly.

Of course, without actual evidence, such rumors would normally be just gossip, but perception is important.

The Monster Panic Organization was planting these perceptions while preparing the stage for an even bigger incident.

*

“Do Jonghyun!”

I heard Instructor Oh Juhwan’s voice. In front of me, my sidekick was under attack.

I hurriedly moved to shield the sidekick, but the orc had already damaged me.

[Status Effect]

-Paralysis

A tremor ran through one of my arms, rendering it immobile for the time being.

Things that wouldn’t normally happen were occurring.

“Focus! What’s wrong with you all of a sudden?”

As Instructor Oh said, I had lost my concentration for a moment.

The cause was that incident from this morning.

I was caught on camera attacking those guys? Who filmed it? Was it recording from the beginning? Judging by the angle, it must have been dropped by the woman who fainted.

Unfortunately, the angle was tilted upward, so it clearly showed me coming down.

Knowing that those guys were from the Monster Panic Organization, I could somewhat predict what would happen.

Though I’m not sure if it was intentional, it’s certainly not a good subject for me.

What if it spreads that I’m engaged in factional warfare, or worse, that monsters secretly kill people?

It would give Dokgo Jun a justification to act. During the Devil incident, Dokgo Jun would have killed me if not for the people around.

If it becomes known that I kill other monster-humans, trust will be lost. Moreover, if it’s revealed that monster-humans kill people, public perception will plummet.

Then people will call for the extermination of monsters who kill humans anyway, and if hardliner Dokgo Jun takes action, the situation will develop into the worst-case scenario.

Isn’t that what they’re trying to induce?

I can’t be certain, but imagining the worst, Dokgo Jun might step in to clean up the mess.

I need to handle this as discreetly as possible.

“Phew. That’s better now.”

My mind, which had been working overtime to understand their intentions and methods, finally seemed to clear.

There were some mistakes in the team mission, but I still had the individual mission left.

The promotion exam isn’t much different from other tests. Like any exam, if you study hard regularly, you can do well enough.

“Hey, Do Jonghyun. Why did you mess up here?”

I was getting scolded by the people I was teamed with.

“Sorry. Sorry.”

What’s different this time is that teams are formed within each grade level.

There’s no grade-skipping system, so promotion and demotion happen within the same year, comparing students with their peers.

Let me focus again.

I just need to do it right.

I tapped my cheek while waiting for the second test, the individual assessment.

The individual assessment is about how well you can perform on your own.

It tests whether I can handle everything myself and if I’m suitable for promotion.

“We’ll start after lunch!”

We were given a short break. I needed to clear my mind and go in properly. I’ve learned monster combat techniques, after all.

I should use them effectively in one-on-one combat.

As I was about to make a hamburger with four beef patties, red hair fluttered in front of me.

“Amazing, Do Jonghyun. You were quite terrible. Even worse than usual.”

Ariel. Huh? Why is she here?

But I soon realized that Ariel wasn’t wearing a school uniform but casual clothes.

She was wearing a winter-length padded coat, and the fabric was incomparably finer than the other students’ coats. Expensive.

“Ariel? Did you come to watch?”

“Well, I was bored. Wanted to see how well you’d do.”

“Oh, you came just for me? I’m honored.”

“For everyone! Idiot. But I guess you’re prone to misunderstandings. Besides, from what I’ve seen, it looks like you won’t get promoted?”

Ariel was cutting her salad into small pieces and putting them in her mouth.

“Anyway, I’ll be spending time with the second-years next year. Just checking them out in advance. I didn’t come specifically to see you. You should worry about getting promoted first.”

“Looking forward to being in the same class next year.”

When I grinned at her, Ariel turned her head away with an annoyed expression.

“If I succeed in getting promoted, I’ll treat you to something.”

“You? Why suddenly?”

“You’ve invited me out a lot until now, so I want to invite you for a change. What, don’t you like it?”

“Uh.”

I meant it sincerely.

A response without even a moment’s hesitation. Her expression was bright-eyed, as if stating something obvious.

“…But since you’re humbly asking first, I’ll accept out of consideration for your feelings.”

“Then it’s settled… School starts on March 2nd, how about after it ends?”

On March 2nd, the opening ceremony, we only have morning classes.

That’s plenty of time to hang out with Ariel.

“That works, but… why are you deciding the date? I’ll let you know when I’m free, and we can go then.”

“Classes end early, so we can go right after. Have you ever been to an arcade?”

“Listen to me! Idiot.”

I ignored Ariel and took a bite of my hamburger.

Anyway, we’re set to hang out on March 2nd.

“Stupid Do Jonghyun. I hope you fail your exam!”

In the end, Ariel left while cursing me.

She’s really not honest with herself.

Seol Yuhwa sent me a text message of encouragement. Well, that’s just Ariel’s personality.

Alright, alright. Let’s focus again, shall we?

I need to show everything I’ve got in the individual duel.

After the meal time ended, the individual test finally began. Each instructor gives a mission to each student.

The mission given to me was just one.

“Instructor, is that a monster? Isn’t this more for advanced students?”

I was shocked to see six monsters in front of me.

This is Jahard, a C-class splitting monster. This monster is uniquely specialized in dividing itself to gang up on opponents.

Of course, it weakens as it divides, but the individual parts aren’t extremely weak—they range from E to D class.

Its weakness is that it’s weaker than a regular C-class monster when divided, but due to its numbers, it can be surprisingly strong against a lone Jaeger.

Among lower-ranked monsters, it ranks quite high in causing injuries and deaths to Jaegers.

You’re putting this in my mission? Instructor, you’re really going all out.

When I looked at Oh Juhwan, I saw a very pleased expression.

“Jonghyun, from what I’ve observed, you’re very good at finding opponents’ weaknesses. Your judgment is quick too.”

“I appreciate the compliment, but isn’t a C-class monster difficult for a first-year to handle?”

“I took Instructor Eun Serin’s advice. She said you can handle C-class monsters well?”

“Hahaha.”

This is a test of difficulty. Unlike other enemies I’ve faced, I can’t exploit a weakness to take it down in one shot.

Yes, weaknesses certainly exist, but what if I can’t surprise or subdue the enemy quickly?

He’s given me a mission that I would find challenging.

“I’ll have to live up to expectations.”

I moved in front of the simulation device. Like other individual missions, there are no terrain or objects to use.

Just like at the Cheonji Guild, it’s purely a one-on-one with a monster.

Everyone was checking my combat abilities, assuming I don’t have a summoning spirit.

But I’m different from before too. I’ve been consistently training in monster combat techniques.

I received a very valuable asset from the Cheonji Guild.

The weakness-targeting approach that I use is naturally vulnerable to the method Oh Juhwan is thinking of.

An enemy that doesn’t die in one hit despite hitting its weakness, a solid type with no apparent weaknesses, an enemy affected by special terrain effects, an enemy with insane regenerative abilities.

These are the types of opponents I find difficult.

The challenge Oh Changmin set for me falls into the second category, and Oh Juhwan’s falls into the first.

Weak but numerous. An enemy that needs to be taken down solidly.

Six pairs of eyes on shadow-like, fluid bodies were coming toward me.

A monster with scales like a human.

They were rushing at me. What I need to show in this test is just one thing:

Growth. Not just targeting weaknesses and striking, but showing that I myself am strong enough to be worthy of the advanced class.

“Come on!”

The monsters, both one and many, began to charge at me.

Yes, I know. The one that comes first isn’t the strongest.

[Their basic strategy is to gang up, so they send the weakest one first. What you need to watch out for is…]

The one watching for an opening from behind. That one is the strongest.

A picture was forming in my head.

The slow movements of the weakest one.

[If your opponent is humanoid, especially multiple ones, target the weakest one first. That’s common sense.]

I combine this with Oh Changmin’s advice.

What I’m aiming for is the one charging at the front. I need to subdue this one while dealing damage to the strongest individual.

Move.

The first clone of Jahard’s attack is crude and hard to read.

“But it’s obvious!”

Since it’s bait, its movements are exaggerated. As I learned in monster combat techniques, I pretended to close the distance but then widened it again.

Due to its large movements, the bait fell for my hit-and-run tactic, and I pushed it away with a body slam.

Using this one as a visual shield, I jumped.

I received the bait and used the momentum to take down the strongest individual.

My kick sent the strong individual flying in an instant. I bent my leg with all my strength.

It connects.

Clearly, my current action gives the enemies an opening. But still, I’m reducing the mobility of this strongest individual.

Something flew into me from behind, colliding, and I rolled forward.

I felt an impact right next to me. A kick?

No matter!

But where I rolled was toward the weakest one. Sorry, but this weakest one continues to be bait.

With the power of my enhanced combat suit, I lifted it up and threw it to the other side.

Keep them in a line facing me.

I stop the advance of the next one with a punch.

The fact that there’s a weakest one means that if I can subdue it, I can continue to use it as a pawn.

I use this one as bait to take the next attack.

And another hit.

The basics of monster combat technique, the classic hit-and-run. In that time, when the value of the weakest one disappeared, only two remained in front of me.

Ah, plus the one with the leg problem.

2:1.

Their reach is similar to mine, but they have no special techniques. Yes, I have techniques now.

The old me would have certainly struggled to deal with these guys.

But now it’s easier.

As their numbers decreased, I could see their attacks.

When they showed signs of splitting left and right to attack me together, my body was already charging toward one of them.

I parried a simple punch.

And delivered a strike.

If there’s one drawback, it’s that I don’t have a weapon to effectively take down enemies in one go. Without clear weak points, quick disposal is impossible with just punches.

So it takes time.

But I successfully managed to deal with all of them.

“How was that? Did I do well?”

“Advanced class.”

Oh Juhwan announced today’s result with this one clean statement.