Ch.198197. Recruitment (2)

# 197. Recruitment (2)

The Special Forces recruitment exam, notorious for its difficulty.

Among the tests, the second one—the dungeon conquest—is widely considered the most challenging.

The written exam is straightforward, and even the third test against actual Special Forces members is quite lenient since they’re the ones evaluating you.

‘But in the dungeon conquest test, there’s none of that.’

With no safety measures and entering completely alone, one wrong move means instant death.

They never enter with you, just watching from outside using [Observation Magic].

Of course, if you’re in danger but manage to survive and request rescue from a safe location, they will save you, but that’s all they offer.

Today, many died or were injured because of those terrible rules.

A warrior who barely escaped the dungeon, covered in blood, was receiving treatment while complaining.

“How am I supposed to clear something like that alone…!”

At that moment, Andres’s voice rang out.

Everyone present turned their attention to him.

“You don’t have to clear it. We value the process above all else.”

“Even so…! How can anyone solo an A-rank lower dungeon…”

“That’s precisely why we’re the Special Forces.”

A valid point.

Even Andres, whose skills were mostly defensive, could clear an A-rank mid-level dungeon alone.

‘It’s truly unbelievable.’

That’s the level of impossibility that defines the Special Forces.

It’s not a position for people who give up before even reaching halfway through an A-rank lower dungeon.

Following him, test-takers began withdrawing one after another.

Among them were those who weren’t even injured, mages who still had plenty of mana left, archers who returned with almost all their arrows intact…

There were so many strange people.

‘None of them seem to have even awakened… what a waste.’

It was truly disappointing.

This was one of the rare opportunities to push oneself to the limit.

Yet they chose to retreat as they would in ordinary situations.

Even though this was anything but ordinary…

After sending away all those who had just exited, Andres sighed deeply as he watched them leave.

“We could have saved them if they just hadn’t pushed too hard…”

“It’s a shame. Even if they couldn’t pass, this could have been a chance for everyone to test their limits and surpass them.”

“You understand well.”

People generally prefer safety—it’s an unavoidable instinct, and I’m no different.

But that’s merely a preference; in reality, one shouldn’t always act on it.

To achieve one’s goals, one must know when to abandon that preferred safety and be willing to risk one’s life.

Yet most people don’t.

“Is it a lack of courage? Or perhaps too much fear?”

Of course, I already knew the answer to this question.

Still, I asked anyway.

And as expected, Andres gave the response I anticipated.

“It’s neither. They simply lack experience—experience of hitting their limits and breaking through them. Unlike us.”

“Us? I’m honored.”

“You’re good with words. By the way, you’re next.”

It seemed my turn had come sooner than expected.

However, having already heard it was an A-rank lower dungeon, I wasn’t particularly nervous.

What concerned me more was how Andres perceived me.

“May I have high expectations?”

Judging by that question, he seemed quite expectant.

Unable to deny him in that situation, I simply affirmed his question.

“Yes, expect as much as you want.”

“It’s an A-rank lower dungeon, yet you’re not afraid.”

“Ah… I’ve been through some things.”

“Then follow me. Those behind you as well.”

Together with the others who had been eavesdropping on our conversation, I followed him.

After walking for about five minutes, I began to sense massive amounts of mana from the surroundings.

It was just mana from people, monsters, and the dungeon itself, but the sheer quantity was overwhelming enough to give me goosebumps.

‘This is on par with the magic stones of the Persian Kingdom.’

Given that they needed to produce high-level A-rank lower dungeons, they must have employed quite large magic stones.

In that environment saturated with mana, I stood before the dungeon I was about to enter.

“When I give the signal, you may begin. Please prepare to enter the dungeon, and let me know when you’re ready.”

“I’m ready.”

As soon as I said those words, everyone looked at me strangely while continuing their preparations.

Certainly, I must have seemed odd.

I had no armor, not even basic defensive items—just accessories.

And I wasn’t even holding a weapon. Their reaction was understandable.

Of course, I didn’t particularly care about those reactions.

‘This should be somewhat challenging, right?’

While I was thinking such thoughts, Andres’s signal came.

“Please enter the dungeon now.”

Upon hearing that, we all entered the dungeon simultaneously.

The familiar mana I felt upon entering the dungeon.

Its quantity was appropriately moderate, befitting an A-rank lower dungeon.

“Now, let’s begin.”

Everyone says this test is the hardest, but that doesn’t apply to me.

Not only is soloing dungeons my daily routine, but I also have a tremendous advantage against monsters.

It’s a structure where I can’t help but score high.

‘They’re already here.’

Monsters coming to greet me, intent on eliminating the intruder who entered their base.

A scene of large orcs and cunning goblins harmoniously gathered together.

The sight was quite puzzling.

But since they were charging toward me, I decided to deal with them first and think later.

“Using the Abyss this early would be wasteful, right?”

With that thought, I summoned a sword.

-Woong!-

I raised the sword.

Then, as usual, I charged straight toward the horde.

-Kakang!!!-

The sound of my sword clashing with an orc’s blade echoed throughout the dungeon.

And with each sound, a smile involuntarily formed on my face.

“This is definitely better than holding a pen.”

***

Andres had been watching one screen intently, leaving other areas to other officials.

Seir, taking a rare break, sat in a chair and asked Andres:

“How is it?”

“As I felt when watching that video, there’s something… peculiar…”

“What is it?”

Andres spoke about what he had observed in the video.

“Didn’t you see it in the video? Even while being covered in blood, he never lost his smile.”

“Ah, that? Of course I saw it.”

“He’s still smiling now, as if he’s enjoying it.”

The sight of him slicing through monsters, unbothered by their blood splattering on him, maintaining his smile as he continued fighting.

That image shocked Andres in a different way than the Emperor had.

“It’s the opposite of His Majesty, who’s always expressionless.”

“Which do you think is better?”

“Don’t ask such difficult questions. Personally, I don’t understand either of them.”

The Emperor, who thinks nothing of such cruel acts, and Albert, who enjoys them.

Their attitudes stood at opposite ends of the spectrum.

It was impossible to say which was better.

“And I don’t have the right to judge.”

“Right? Why not?”

“Because I’m not a genius like them.”

“I suppose that’s true.”

He wasn’t trying to reduce their blood and sweat to mere talent.

He was simply stating that not just anyone could adopt such attitudes.

“I wish I could fight like that, even for a moment… so happily…”

“You just need to change your mindset.”

“Is it that easy? From the moment I was born as myself, it became impossible…”

Now standing in the same position as Andres, watching him on the screen, Seir questioned his actions.

“What’s he doing now?”

Kneeling on one knee with his palm spread on the floor, he seemed to be channeling mana into the ground.

Watching this, Andres explained:

“Can’t you tell? He’s sensing.”

“Sensing?”

“Yes. If you don’t have the relevant skill, that’s how you have to do it.”

“Seems tough… But from that position to the inside is quite a distance, isn’t it?”

Now that he mentioned it, it was true.

But he must have known that.

There was only one possible answer.

“He must have an abundance of mana. Recovery is faster in there, right? That’s probably why.”

“But at that level, couldn’t he just go ahead? He took down those small fry too easily.”

“That’s precisely why he’s being cautious.”

That made sense.

Perhaps because it had been too easy so far, he felt the need to be vigilant.

And his instincts matched the situation.

At some point, an absurd number of monsters began to appear.

Hundreds… thousands… tens of thousands.

In total, it might reach ten thousand.

Yet he was handling these monsters with ease.

“He’s truly a monster…”