Ch.81Monsterization, Want to Control It? (2)

A City, where the hero exam was being held, had always been a slow-developing urban area.

Among its scattered high-rise buildings, only one—the Hero Association building—stood tall like the city’s landmark.

Arriving in such a place, I felt as if I had suddenly teleported from the middle of a wasteland straight into a bustling downtown.

The city streets were literally packed with people.

Even the usually empty main roads where not a single vehicle would normally be seen were now surging with swirling crowds.

Drone cameras floating in the sky, people holding picket signs and cheering, cosplayers dressed as fake heroes taking photos—it was hard to tell if this was an exam venue or a festival site.

The rumor about “record-breaking numbers of examinees” wasn’t exaggerated at all.

This exam, with hundreds of thousands of applicants gathered at once, was unprecedented since the founding of the Hero Association.

In the midst of it all, I was completely alone, overwhelmed by the sheer scale while buried in sweat, heat, and tangled noise.

‘But… is this gender ratio even normal? It’s like a women’s bathhouse in here.’

Looking around after barely catching my breath in the crowd, I was once again left speechless.

Women everywhere I looked.

The female-to-male ratio seemed to be over 99%.

No, this atmosphere was practically like a man walking into a women’s bathhouse.

The problem was their outfits.

One wore armor with a deeply cut breastplate, another had on loose-fitting robes that seemed to have nothing underneath.

There were even bizarre combinations like mini-skirts with combat boots—at this point, it wasn’t a dress code but an apocalypse of fashion.

In terms of my original world, it was pure vulgarity.

Strong ones, weak ones, beings whose humanity was questionable—literally a preliminary battlefield where anyone and everyone had gathered.

Of course, I was included in that “anyone and everyone.”

“Pfft.”

“I get that there are no restrictions on examinees this time, but… even men?”

“Is he in his right mind?”

Whispers came from all directions.

In the midst of it all was one anomalous presence—me, a man.

I felt like a buoy floating alone in the middle of a sea filled only with women.

What was being poured on me wasn’t simple curiosity.

“This exam really must be unrestricted if they’re letting someone like that in.”

“But… I’m kind of into it. Can’t you just imagine him screaming and running away?”

“Heh, I’m already wet.”

Though their voices were low, they reached my ears clearly.

Snickering laughter, meaningful glances.

Some even deliberately turned in front of me to show off their thighs, or brushed against my shoulders to reveal glimpses of skin—these “accidental” contacts continued without pause.

Their gazes scanned me up and down, followed by clicking tongues.

‘…Ah, this is straight-up visual assault.’

My body, which had taken down countless monsters, felt powerless in this place.

‘I’ve made enemies right from the start.’

At times like this, having even one acquaintance would be such a relief.

Unfortunately, my peers—Carmilla and Miss Hoshino—had already become S-rank heroes.

And they were participating as examiners for this test.

Whisper, whisper.

“By the way, did you hear? S-rank heroes are supervising this exam.”

“Damn… I thought the pass rate would be higher this time, but it’s actually getting tougher?”

“How do those monster-like people see us… probably just like kids playing house.”

Usually, exam supervisors were newly promoted C-rank professional heroes.

Above them, A-rank heroes handled the final evaluations.

S-rank heroes were completely outside this route, existing as unattainable ideals.

The tension among examinees was understandable, given that the supervisors had been upgraded to S-rank.

Of course, I was tense too, but for entirely different reasons.

“First Miss Hoshino… and now Carmilla is an examiner too.”

Both of them probably volunteered as examiners out of concern that I might find myself in a dangerous situation.

They were likely planning to fail me the moment I made even the slightest mistake.

Gulp.

Could they be monitoring me right now?

Surely they couldn’t pick me out from hundreds of thousands of people stretching to the horizon.

…Could they?

……Really, they couldn’t, right?!

No… knowing those two, it might actually be possible.

I couldn’t help but sigh as a chill ran down my spine.

“Huh?! Mr. Janghun?”

“…Huh?”

That’s when it happened.

A hand tapped my shoulder.

When I turned around in surprise, a familiar face caught my eye.

Red hair fluttered in the wind.

A silhouette that swayed gently as if dyed by sunlight, softly rippling over her shoulders.

A fitted, neat military-style uniform,

With gleaming epaulets on her shoulders. Military dignity and feminine curves coexisted in perfect harmony.

And eyes as deep as the ocean and clear as jewels.

I was perfectly reflected in them.

Even without words, the passion visible in her gaze revealed her identity…

“It really is you, Mr. Janghun! I recognized your silhouette from behind and took a chance!”

“Miss Hana?!”

None other than the true protagonist of this world whom I’d met during the cockroach monster incident.

Song Hana.

“How did you… I heard you were badly injured by the cockroach monster?”

“Hehe. I was mostly ignored in that situation… so I was surprisingly fine!”

Even so, she couldn’t have been completely unscathed.

Even if not seriously injured, she must have experienced some trauma or psychological stress.

Yet seeing her walking around so normally, I couldn’t help but be impressed.

“And they say the hero exam pass rate has increased this year! I’m determined to pass this time!”

“Your passion is truly admirable.”

“Hehe. Believe it or not, this is my tenth attempt at the hero exam! I’ve already chopped up and discarded any thoughts of giving up!”

A ten-time applicant… that’s worthy of respect.

“But Mr. Janghun… why are you here?”

“I’m here to take the hero exam too.”

“Whaaaat?!?”

At my unexpected answer, Miss Song Hana’s eyes widened and she froze.

As if her smiling memory from just moments ago had been erased, she stood with her mouth open, unable to continue for a while, then cautiously asked again.

“…What do you mean? Are you saying you want to register as an official hero…?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

Only then did her expression gradually become more complex.

Surprise, bewilderment, confusion, and concern.

The emotions washed over her like waves, visibly all at once.

After staring silently for a while, she pressed her lips together and fixed her gaze on me.

A moment later, her pupils trembled slightly.

Something like unspoken guilt seemed to peek through.

“Isn’t, isn’t that too dangerous?”

“Of course it’s dangerous. People die in this exam every year.”

“You could… really die if something goes wrong.”

“I know. But I still want to become a hero.”

At those words, Hana stared at me blankly.

At first, her eyes showed disbelief.

Then, slowly, her expression changed to one of acceptance.

“A male hero… that’s really foolish. But…”

She quietly extended her hand toward me.

That hand held complicated emotions. Worry, acknowledgment, and a strange expectation.

“The hero exam doesn’t just have one successful candidate. If we become enemies, I’ll do my best to defeat you, and if we become comrades, let’s face challenges together.”

I firmly grasped her hand.

“Yes! I look forward to working with you.”

“Likewise.”

As our hands met, a brief but weighty moment passed.

And right then.

“Mr. Janghun? And… Miss Song Hana?”

“Huh?”

“…What?”

A familiar mechanical-like voice quietly split the space between us, like a stone dropped onto a water surface.

We both reflexively turned our heads.

There stood a figure we hadn’t expected at all, with an expressionless face.

***

12:00 PM.

The hero exam begins with a magnificent boom.

Fwooosh!

“……!”

“Wh-what?! Look at that!”

“A magic circle in the sky? It’s a magic circle!”

An enormous purple magic circle spread above the examinees.

The sky instantly filled with radiance, and amethyst light seeped from what had been barren ground.

And at that moment.

Something, or rather someone, appeared in the middle of the sky.

Her image, floating in mid-air, was broadcast through magic on screens throughout the city.

All eyes and breaths focused entirely on her.

A single silhouette rising in the distant sky.

That silhouette slowly revealed itself.

A black witch’s hat.

A purple high-cut leotard that tightly cinched her waist, clearly revealing her figure.

Her magical attire, delicately decorated with golden embroidery, exposed her back deeply and emphasized a plunging neckline in front that drew attention to her cleavage.

Slightly transparent black mesh and glossy high-heeled thigh-high socks that reached above her thighs.

Her appearance was like the embodiment of wicked temptation combined with absolute dignity.

Silver hair flowed down to her waist, freely dancing in the magical wind.

Her arms slowly spread to the sides as an intense aura of magical power exploded around her.

Her gaze was cold and serious, freezing the spines of examinees with a single look.

Sexy, beautiful, and powerful.

She was not just any hero.

The pinnacle of the current hero era.

S-rank Hero, Rank 1.

The chairperson of the Hero Association and humanity’s last magician.

Her name…

The Grand Magician, Arcana Spear.

Countless examinees held their breath.

Some blushed, some trembled, and some nearly fell to their knees.

Respect.

Admiration.

Desire.

Reverence.

All emotions intertwined as they couldn’t take their eyes off her, drawn to her every movement.

And then she spoke.

“I will now commence the hero examination.”

Her voice resonated across the entire sky, and at that moment, a thunderous “WOOOOOAH!!!” erupted from the ground like it was being split open.