episode_0331

Hunter promotion exam on October 1st.

The practical content of the C-level exam is simple.

Enter the [Rift Field] managed by the Hunter Association and complete specific missions given by the test supervisor.

Collect x number of Demon Stones,

Collecting necessary herbs and edible plants,

Search and rescue operations for victims of disaster.

In addition, the Hunter carries out the mission to survive in the [Crack Field] ‘alone’, and the test supervisor gives the score.

‘It’s my first time moving alone… I’m not nervous.’

In the afternoon after finishing the physical test.

Eunha followed the test supervisor’s instructions and arrived at [Goryongsan Crack Field].

Knock knock.

I came here in a vehicle prepared by the association.

I take my usual black carrier out of the trunk and look up at the massive concrete wall surrounding the ‘crack’.

(Since the other three [Crack Fields] have finished assigning test takers, Eunha, you will temporarily take the test at another [Crack Field]. There won’t be a problem since the potion lab will send an additional supervisor.)

Galaxy stopped in front of the checkpoint of [Crack Field] and looked around.

[Goryongsan Crack Field] was deserted thanks to the ‘swarm of bugs’ she once summoned.

The anxiety of not knowing when the bugs will appear again.

Because of this, the number of hunters has noticeably decreased, and for some reason, only one person from Eunha has come to take the promotion exam.

Thanks to that, I passed the checkpoint feeling like I was halfway through renting the place.

I’m a bit concerned about the ‘No Trespassing’ tape that someone has crumpled up in the corner of the checkpoint.

“You can enter as soon as you are ready.”

“I see.”

“Don’t be nervous. As long as you don’t make any big mistakes, I’ll just grade it for you.”

And, one proctor to grade the galaxy’s exam scores.

A young man of fairly neat appearance approaches and smiles kindly.

He is a man wearing a dark gray suit, which is the association’s uniform.

A person with a static atmosphere, as if he were stuck in a lab, rather than someone who is out and about like a proctor.

He was wearing black sunglasses, so it was impossible to tell where the author was looking.

Eunha turned her attention away from the wide-open chest button of the black suit she had received as a gift from Banharin for use in [Crack Field] activities, giving up on buttoning it up.

‘It’s my first time seeing you.”

Eunha, who had become close with the supervisors while retaking the exam 30 times while getting an F grade, was meeting the supervisor for the first time to the point of including them in department dinners.

Perhaps additional personnel from the potion lab.

I’m not sure, but I just hope they give me a good score.

Galaxy, who had finished preparing herself mentally, walked towards the [Crack Field] while dragging her carrier.

Step, step.

Beyond the concrete scene, a dome-shaped light gray curtain.

It was said that the mana leaking out from the ‘crack’ was blocked from invading reality any longer, and that the mana that had gathered in this way created a ‘curtain’.

Eunha stepped inside the ‘curtain’, conscious of the sound of the test supervisor’s footsteps following her.

‘Last test… If I just do well on this…’

If you pass the test and become a C-class Hunter, you will be able to enter [Rift Field] without a companion.

As a proper hunter.

Even while going back and forth through [the crack field] alone,

Like other hunters, as a single person…

‘So… what do we do?’

I don’t know.

Once you become a hunter, what do you do next?

What can a hunter do?

“… … .”

I made a smiling face.

What was your dream?

Becoming a hunter meant doing ‘something’.

Or was it just the end of becoming a hunter?

I don’t remember.

(Later, when ■■ grows up healthy and becomes an adult… I hope he becomes a great hunter that everyone looks up to.)

I thought positively.

Let’s think about it after passing the promotion test first. It’s urgent right now, so who has time to worry about anything else?

No matter what happens, I will pass.

‘Yeah. I’ve never heard of anyone having an accident during a promotion exam. There’s no way something like that could happen on the day I take the exam.’

[Goryongsan Crack Field], visited after a long time.

A gray-white world covered with dead weeds.

After [Bug Princess] left,

What would the world, once like a blank sheet of paper, have looked like?

“Current time is 13:03. Galaxy examinee [Crack Field] is entering.”

Knock knock.

The galaxy advanced forward, breaking through a ‘curtain’ of thick fog.

… … .

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

– This guide has been created to ensure your safety and a smoother hike.

– If you observe a phenomenon not recorded in the guidebook or an unspecified person with your senses, please visit the apartment security office as soon as possible and explain the reason for your visit.

Don’t look up to the bad ending.

– There are many ways to end a life. But most endings will not be good.

– Have you ever met someone on a bad day while hiking?

– I want you to bend down and move away quickly so that it can’t see you.

– Hanging on a tree branch, you want to be standing at the same eye level as yourself.

​

2. Watch your step.

– Mountain paths where no one has walked are especially dangerous.

– We pray for your safe daily life.

– If you find a round hole big enough for an adult male to fit in,

– Getting closer might not be a good idea.

3. We are happy.

– I am happy.

– You are happy too.

– Sometimes we go on a journey to find happiness, and the end result is happiness.

– So you should be happy too.

#. Smile.

– Smile.

– When you find us happy, smile happily too.

– We make you happy.

4. Mineral water is good for your health.

– There is a medicinal spring in the mountains. I don’t know who made it.

– However, we need to think about why it is called ‘medicinal water’.

– Try scooping up some water from the spring with a ladle.

– If there are no impurities, you can drink it with confidence.

– If there is hair in the bowl, rinse it in warm water and scoop it out again.

– Welcome.

– Come and drink some well-brewed medicinal water.

5. Listen to sounds coming from afar.

– Strange sounds are often heard in the mountains.

– Pay close attention to which direction the sound comes from.

– People think they’re hallucinating.

– If you don’t react to a hallucination, it remains a hallucination.

– But if you react and turn your head,

– That sound will no longer be an auditory hallucination.

5-1. Distinguish between hallucinations and truth.

– Another way is to ignore all sounds.

– No cries for help, no voices calling for help,

– It’s all probably an auditory hallucination. The easiest thing to do is to ignore it.

– As the day gets darker, strange noises will become more frequent and come closer.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We went through a ‘foggy area’ where we couldn’t see even an inch ahead.

[Goryongsan Crack Field] Test Supervisor… and researcher at the [Material Supply Team] of the Potion Preparation Lab.

Wearing black sunglasses, he followed the woman walking straight through the thick fog.

(On the day of the promotion test, we will capture the ‘original’ at [Goryongsan Crack Field].)

A conversation shared in the dark.

Stories told in places no one knew about were stuck to the ground like shadows.

(I heard there’s been a lot of chaos recently due to an unidentified ‘black bug monster’. It’s called the [Black Calamity] because it eats away at everything around it like a disaster.)

(There has been no news of the [Black Calamity] appearing since then… But wouldn’t it be a suitable place for a test taker to go missing due to an unexpected accident?)

The voice was cold.

Like moving a game character on a computer.

You say it so easily.

( What about those [Rare Hunter Protection-Killing] guys who are guarding the ‘original essence’? They’ll probably guard the surrounding area in the [Crack Field] as well. )

(You have to aim for the ‘original essence’. If the target of protection is a monster or is caught in a trap and about to die, won’t they come out on their own? Don’t worry about it and just focus on the ‘original essence’.)

Stop.

The man adjusted his sunglasses as he recalled a conversation he had with his boss a while ago.

Original.

A relationship that is so tiresome.

But this is the last time.

Using the ‘original liquid’ as bait, I’ll take them to [Facility] after clearing out the protection-killing and the guys.

(Contact from [facility]?)

( That’s… the last researcher dispatched, ‘Floundfish’, is still… )

(Tsk. But if you want to keep the captured ‘original solution’ without anyone knowing, there’s no other way than [Facility]. After this is over, I’ll go check out the condition of [Facility].)

That woman will fail to get promoted today.

In the first place, I have never worked as a supervisor before, and I didn’t come along to give grades or anything.

6pm when the exam ends.

Before that, that king’s chest will disappear and disappear from the world.

“The test will begin. The supervisor will not come out without the examinee’s request, and grading will end immediately. Please be informed in advance that the examinee is responsible for any injuries or accidents that occur during the test.”

“I see.”

A potion lab that somehow manages to capture the galaxy and put it into the [facility].

Eunha, who is trying to pass the promotion test by any means necessary.

And, [the facility] is becoming a mess without anyone knowing.

The young supervisor, who didn’t know exactly what the current situation was at [the facility], raised the corners of his mouth as he watched Eunha’s back.

She is too good of a woman to be put in [the facility] like this.

‘First, I’ll cut off the legs. I’ve set up plenty of traps… No matter how good your ‘recovery skills’ are, if your ankles are blown off, you won’t be able to escape.’

[Eun-gang Potion] cannot cure physical defects.

No matter how great your recovery skills are, it would be impossible to regenerate a severed ankle.

The biggest obstacle is, of course, [Rare Hunter Protection – Killing], which protects the ‘original essence’.

So, by injuring ‘Original’, she is used as bait to lure the guys, and the prepared combat personnel take care of them.

After thinking about it that far, he waited for the right time while recalling the locations of the traps he had set up here and there.

Sagak-.

The sound of insects croaking in the fog.

It must be an auditory hallucination.

He emerged from the ‘Guide Curtain’ with his shoulders puffed out with anticipation.

… … .

… … .

(Behold, the kingdom of You that you have created.)

(The one who covered the kingdom, where every day was the same, with bright colors… was none other than a single black bug.)

Time goes by.

Without stopping.

Knock knock.

The galaxy emerged from the thick fog.

At that moment, the longed-for scent of grass brushed the bridge of my nose.

She emerged from the fog, dragging her carrier, and blinked blankly at the sight before her eyes.

‘… Surely, it was a dead land?’

Sagak-.

Light footsteps.

The pleasant sound of insects chirping.

The gray-white world that I had visited after a long time was dyed a refreshing green after the long winter.

Winter is over.

A grayish-white world covered with dead weeds.

‘Black worms’ ate the rotten wood and turned over the dead soil.

“They say the environment has changed after this [Black Disaster] incident.”

“… … .”

“This is the first time that the internal environment of [Crack Field] has changed, so it seems that it is drawing attention from overseas as well.”

The supervisor who explained the details that were not asked if he wanted to mix words with the galaxy.

Galaxy, bending down silently, carefully touched the green weeds growing out of the ground.

The grass has grown.

In a dead world.

One, two, I can hear breathing.

‘I heard that no matter how much [the crack field] is damaged, it will return to its ‘original state’ over time… but this place has changed.’

Mt. Goryong was as cold as the snow piled up.

Spring has come here before we knew it.

It’s the spring that the black bug has been waiting for so long.

Green cotyledons sprout from the overturned soil,

New branches grow on cut tree stumps.

Wheeinㅡ. Wheeinㅡ.

The sound of insects’ wings fluttering can be heard from afar.

It was as if it was a congratulatory performance for the galaxy that had visited here once again.

I walk one step at a time, feeling the scent of grass under my feet.

“… … Good.”

The truth that came out after a long time.

The galaxy laughed.

… … .

… … .

Kkeuggeuk!

The exam has begun.

[Goryongsan Crack Field] after winter.

The mission for the galaxy, which lacked combat capabilities, was simple.

Collect 600g of medicinal herbs.

Finding the location indicated on the map you received without getting lost.

And, collect 3 demon magic stones within the time limit.

“What should I do when I go to the places marked on this map?”

“Find a tree with an association sign. Write ‘Head of the Headquarters, You Bastard’ on that tree. ”

It’s several times safer than messing around with monsters.

Eunha took out a saw from her carrier and climbed the steep mountain path, scratching the surrounding trees.

The destination is the center of the [Crack Field].

Where there were ruins of bugs and an old castle.

It’s also a destination marked on the map, and I wonder how it has changed.

“Your weapon is a saw… That’s very unique.”

“It’s the most comfortable. At first, I used a baseball bat, but it was too heavy to carry around.”

The test supervisor, who was supposed to be watching from afar, spoke to me strangely.

Are you not planning on grading the scores?

It seemed as if it was waiting for something, constantly observing the piles of fallen leaves around it and the steps of the galaxy.

But the good news is that I have visited [Goryongsan Crack Field] before.

Thanks to that, I passed by without much tension, scratching the surrounding trees with my saw, wondering if there were any insects disguised as trees.

Clank!!

“Oh my…!”

At that time,

Galaxy, passing through the grass, stepped on a trap hidden by fallen leaves.

It is a trap intentionally set on the path that hunters take, not the path that monsters pass through.

Were you unable to see your feet because of your large chest?

One of Eunha’s legs is caught in a bear trap and starts bleeding.

Hard steel teeth bite down hard on her slender calves.

The pungent smell of blood.

The supervisor who had been watching from behind blushed and took off his sunglasses.

Is it okay to fall into a trap this early?

[Rare Hunter Protection – Killing] I don’t know where they are hiding, but if the monsters smell blood and come rushing in, they will come out on their own.

Or, if Eunha gives up on the test before the monster arrives and seeks the help of the supervisor, you can pretend to support her and lead her to a pre-planned location and take her hostage.

How will it go? It’ll be easier if we deal with the protection-killers and the guys first.

But since I was still a supervisor, I decided to keep my distance and observe the situation.

“Ouch. It hurts… I can’t see my feet so it’s hard. Did I get a score deducted?”

Galaxy gritted her teeth as she gave up trying to free her leg from the bear trap.

She cringes in pain as her legs are ripped off, but it seems like it will be difficult for her to escape the trap without any decent means of attack.

If the galaxy asks the supervisor for help, he will end the test early and release the trap.

And he supported her with her injured leg and lured her to the destination, saying it was a shortcut…

Kkeuggeuk!

When you are thinking about doing something,

The galaxy began to cut off its own trapped leg with a claw.

Hot! Hot! Hot!

Blood spurted out.

Older saws have less cutting power, so they feel like they are crushing rather than cutting, and you end up sawing them repeatedly.

Eunha bit her lips to keep herself from screaming.

Blood is flowing from the corner of the mouth.

Knock knock!

Finally, before the young supervisor could say anything in embarrassment, Eun-ha cut off the leg that was caught in the trap.

The trapped leg stands tall, covered in blood, its sloppily cut cross-section indirectly revealing the pain Galaxy feels.

“Oh, it seems like there are more traps than the last time I came. I have to be careful… Inspector. I’m still going to continue with the test.”

Chul-chul.

1 minute later.

Galaxy, who took off her shoes from her legs that were stuck in the trap, moved her newly grown legs and changed her shoes.

I moved my ankles here and there and trudged up the hill.

“… … .”

Physical defects… [Eun-gang Potion] can’t even fix them.

Is that right?

The young supervisor looked down at the one leg of the galaxy left behind and was shocked.

“… … What is that.”

What are they trying to capture now?

I couldn’t figure it out.

… … .

… … .

I took a step.

Move your recovered leg,

Climb the hill and cross the ridge.

As we climb up the lush green ridge, a sight we had not seen before comes into view.

“… … Phew.”

The galaxy captured the expansive landscape in its field of vision.

​

[Crack Field] A crack in space floating hundreds of meters above the ground.

Blue mana is scattered from cracked gaps like spider webs.

The sight of the blue mana grains orbiting around the ‘rift’, forming a giant halo, was like looking at a beautiful work of art.

Sagak. Sagak.

​

And, just below the crack,

In that place, which can be described as the center of this place,

A huge castle has been torn apart, leaving only rubble behind.

( “Do you see it? It is the kingdom of Yu that you created.” )

( 『The one who dyed the kingdom, where every day was the same, black as the night sky… was none other than ‘you’, whom ‘I’ love.』)

The castle of [Bug Princess], which I had been to before.

In front of it are the ruins where the people lived.

All of that fell apart,

Colorful flowers were blooming, covering the ruins of the kingdom.