Ch.5656. S-Class Tank Kim Jin-hyeop

The team leader was a professional.

“I apologize, Mr. Kim Suhyun. Normally, our Hunter Association’s procedure for issuing hunter registration cards simply involves checking your status window and issuing a card according to the ability rank displayed there, but…”

“Yes.”

“Your status window has some unique elements, so I’d like to conduct one simple verification procedure if that’s alright with you?”

“Is it absolutely necessary?”

“I understand that your status window appears exactly as it did in the game ‘Farming World,’ including the various abilities and farming points, but we need to verify that these abilities are functioning properly.”

He calmly explained the situation, making it convincing.

“The reason the Hunter Association issues registration cards is to prevent accidents from indiscriminate dungeon entry. Until now, we’ve never encountered incorrect ability rankings in status windows, so we typically just check and issue cards, but in this case…”

“It could be a bug?”

“It’s funny to call it a bug. This isn’t a game, after all… But I personally believe there’s a possibility that only your status window appears in a game format. If you’ll just cooperate with a simple verification, we can issue your card right away.”

He’s not wrong.

The [Status Window] is a tool that proves the existence of hunters—beings that would otherwise be unrealistic in our world—and since it hasn’t been wrong once in ten years, the Hunter Association simply looks at a hunter’s [Status Window] and certifies that the hunter indeed possesses abilities of that rank without conducting any tests.

But in my case, I have something called a [Farming Window], which is similar to but different from a status window, and it even shows an unprecedented SSS+ rank.

Would anyone believe this?

While the system showing the status window is similar to what hunters have demonstrated so far, what if there’s a separate ability that merely mimics a [Status Window]?

It was a rather sharp judgment.

I accepted it willingly since it made sense to me.

“Fine. How do we conduct the test?”

It’s just a bit annoying.

I know better than anyone that there’s nothing wrong with my abilities, so I don’t mind any test.

“Thank you for your cooperation. The test will be simple—we just need to verify that your stats and abilities are real. It will take place in the Hunter Association training room inside the building. Since you’re a close-combat weapon user, you can use your skills or attack me with your close-combat weapon.”

“That’s it?”

“Yes. We just need to confirm if your stats are truly S-rank and if the SSS+ close-combat weapon ability actually exists. If you don’t have skills due to your low level, just attacking is fine.”

“I do have skills… but will you be okay?”

I had a rather positive view of the Hunter Association.

Even before my awakening, I didn’t see them as some incompetent, idiotic government agency like those in fantasy novels, but rather as a truly capable, globally connected organization that prevents hunters from causing trouble while significantly reducing accident rates—a cutting-edge organization.

There’s even a saying that hunter resources go first and most abundantly to the Hunter Association.

Yet their testing method was so traditional.

It’s not that I think it’s bad.

I’m just concerned.

“Hahaha. No need to worry. Despite appearances, I’m an S-rank tanker.”

“…What? Really? I heard there are fewer than ten S-rank hunters in Korea.”

“I’m one of them. At my age, you need to be at least that level to be a team leader at the Korean Hunter Association headquarters. Now, shall we go this way?”

Maybe it’s fine since it’s just a verification.

If he’s an S-rank tanker, this approach might actually be more efficient and reliable.

Going up one floor, we reached the Hunter Association training room, which felt like an entire floor converted into a large gymnasium.

It was surrounded by sturdy walls that seemed capable of withstanding anything, with various training equipment and a separate physical training room.

Kim Jin-hyeop and I entered an area marked [Sparring Room].

There was durable glass visible throughout, creating spaces completely isolated from the outside.

Kim Jin-hyeop took out a shield.

It was quite large.

Standing at least 180cm tall, when he held up the shield, it completely concealed him.

A perfect tanker.

Usually, shield users also wield a sword—blocking attacks with one hand while attacking with the other.

That’s why most use simple hand shields, but Kim Jin-hyeop seemed to be purely focused on tanking.

Or perhaps he was only thinking about defense for this test.

“Come at me.”

Before entering, he asked if I brought a weapon, so I requested a wooden sword.

While I always had the Sewer Sword in my belt, I thought it might slice through his shield and everything else if I drew it.

It’s hard for me to gauge my own damage.

It would be convenient to know exactly how much damage I can deal when hunting, but with attack power at 1150% plus 300% damage, the result exceeds my calculation abilities.

Still, if he’s S-rank, he should be able to withstand skills used with a wooden sword, right?

With that thought, I stood before him.

Looking at the large shield gave me the impression of facing a mountain.

Before attacking, I asked once more.

“Should I use a skill?”

“Yes. If you can use skills, please do. Using your full power would be even better. That will allow for a more accurate assessment.”

“Ah… that’s tricky.”

Even with his clear answer, I felt hesitant.

No matter how much of a socially awkward 26-year-old unemployed man-child I might be, I don’t enjoy hurting innocent people.

Of course, I might be underestimating an S-rank tanker.

The wooden sword I’m holding only has +1 attack power, so even with skills, the damage might not be as high as I expect.

Still, there’s always that small chance.

“Then please block with full power.”

“…Yes. Don’t worry and come at me with full force.”

“Here I come?”

“Yes.”

I activate [Leap Slash] as I swing the sword, then immediately trigger [Double Slash].

Clang!

As the sword and shield collide, I feel resistance through my hand for the first time.

It’s not that no damage was dealt.

It was, but there was a heaviness to it.

This is a sensation I’ve never felt since awakening and using [Master of Close Combat Weapons].

Perhaps my concerns were overblown, given that this is just a +1 wooden sword and my opponent is an S-rank tanker?

I felt somewhat relieved.

So although I had initially planned to strike just once, I continued with the remaining slashes.

If an SSS+ ability was too easily blocked, the test might lose its meaning.

Above all, this thought was strongest:

‘I need to clearly demonstrate what SSS+ means.’

It might not have been intentional.

But the look in his eyes.

Is it real? Probably not.

Despite his kindness, I wanted to correct the doubt I saw in his gaze.

It might be youthful impulsiveness, but well, he’s an S-rank tanker.

Cha-cha-cha-clang!

The remaining four slashes struck the shield.

The time gap was less than 0.1 seconds.

And then.

Cha-cha-cha-cha-clang-!

With the sound of [Double Slash]’s effect triggering right after.

Crack-!

“Kuhek!”

The shield shattered into pieces as Team Leader Kim Jin-hyeop was sent flying back into the wall.

————————-

Team Leader Kim Jin-hyeop is an S-rank tanker, hunter, and the Hunter Management Team Leader at the Korean Hunter Association headquarters.

This Hunter Management Team deploys in emergencies to ensure hunters’ safety and is the first to respond to “dungeon backflows”—when monsters emerge from dungeons—to protect civilians.

That’s why they recruit high-ranking hunters and invest heavily in their growth and levels.

If someone has a high rank, they’ll support their growth even if their level is low, creating teams specifically for their development.

Team Leader Kim Jin-hyeop’s shield is an impressive A+ rank.

His signature shield had never been penetrated once in an hour.

He wasn’t particularly worried this time either.

Though this was an unprecedented case, he judged that even if the SSS+ rank was real, he could withstand it due to the hunter’s low level.

Above all, to be honest, he didn’t really believe it.

“I awakened while playing a game.”

If that were true, wouldn’t countless gamers worldwide all be SSS+ hunters?

Seeing something like a status window appear confirmed the person was a hunter, but he was 80% certain this was a hunter with the ability to forge status windows.

After all, that seemed far more realistic than an SSS+ hunter with a strange status window appearing after ten years without a single such case.

“Can I really go all out?”

“Yes. I’ll also use my full power. Feel free.”

Even if it was a lie, one shouldn’t ignore even a 1% possibility.

The person was cooperating with the test anyway, and conducting it would only waste Kim Jin-hyeop’s time without changing anything.

He figured he’d just use any defensive skill.

That’s what he was thinking as he looked beyond the shield.

“…Huh?”

The opponent, who had been 5 meters away, was suddenly swinging a sword right in front of the shield.

No.

Was he swinging it?

The moment he registered this, an enormous impact transferred through the shield he was holding, and his body was already out of control, flying back and hitting the wall.

“Kuhek!”

The words “gaming delusion patient” were erased from Kim Jin-hyeop’s mind.