Chapter 32: Star, The Test (3)

Chapter 32: Star, The Test (3)

Boom!

Rumbbbleee―!

“Huh, is that sound from Sector C again?”

“What the...?! What kind of monster is he?”

“Where did he come from?”

“We still have to wait for our turn, so do you want to go and watch?”

Several people busily talked among themselves.

During the Player auditions, the White Tiger Clan’s Daedong Building was usually quiet, as the people inside were all nervous. However, it seemed the current auditions were different due to a suspicious(?) applicant who had appeared in Sector C.

The ‘Tyrant’ Lee Chang-Sun, a former world-class professional gamer, had caused a sensation. After the magic testing device used for the first test exploded, the exam staff had hurriedly brought another machine, thinking the previous one might have malfunctioned. However, they belatedly realized the magnitude of the situation, as the replacement magic testing device also exploded.

The devices they used during the test were for novice Players whose levels were under 30. They would easily malfunction if they were infused with magic beyond their capacity. That meant Chang-Sun was an intermediate-rank Player who was above Level 30—no, the exam staff expected that he had to be at least Level 40, as the device had exploded.

They were unsure why such a talented Player had applied via the new employee recruitment process, not the one for experienced employees. Regardless, they brought a more advanced testing device that could display both the Player’s level and magic class, thinking there had to be a reason for the explosions.

However, when the new device showed Chang-Sun’s test results, they were left gaping. As it turned out, all their expectations were wrong.

<Level: 25>

<Magic Grade: SSS+++>

“W-What? 25...?”

“Did you see his grade...?!”

“Shit, shit! We can’t handle this on our own! The Section Chief... No, call the Department Head right now! Come on!”

The exam staff fell into chaos, because they had previously expected Chang-Sun to be a Player in the Level 40 range, or even a ranker in the Level 50 range who had hidden his level. And yet, a novice Player who had not even reached Level 30 had pulled off something unbelievable. On top of that, his Magic Grade, which referred to his magic’s purity and efficiency, was not just SSS-Grade. It had three pluses in the end. Even the ‘Duke-Class’ or ‘King-Class’ high rankers only had SSS-Grade at most.

That was not all, however. There was still a possibility that the device had failed to accurately measure Chang-Sun’s Magic Grade due to the device’s limits. Chang-Sun’s magic class could be EX-Grade or R-Grade, which were known as ‘exceptions’. Naturally, the testing site was in an uproar, which meant the staff in Sector C had to stop the test in order to accurately figure out what had happened.

After hearing the news, several White Tiger Clan’s executives had arrived in Sector C to observe Chang-Sun. Sector C became Chang-Sun’s personal testing site, and the other applicants in Sector C were sent to other sectors.

The second and third test results were no different from the first test: The power and speed testing devices both gave Chang-Sun a perfect score. The device they used for the third test, which was about testing the Player’s reflexes, overloaded in a burst of white smoke. Just then, he even passed the fourth test easily.

Sector C was soon surrounded by a group of spectators, as the rumors about Chang-Sun spread through the entire Daedong Building.

“Isn’t he the Tyrant?”

“Yeah, you’re right. I’m sure of it, because a person who’s that handsome is rare.”

“I heard he became an alcoholic... What on earth happened to him?”

“Man, you’re naive. How can you believe that, you idiot? Maybe someone spread that rumor to hide the fact that he was getting trained by an expensive private coach.”

“Shit! He’s handsome, a great gamer, rich, and his class is...! I envy him so much.”

“You skipped one thing.”

“What did I skip?”

“He’s popular among women.”

“...He’s one gifted bastard.”

“He’s a bastard who’s gifted with everything.”

After some time passed, the spectators began having increasingly ridiculous conversations. Perhaps they would have been jealous if Chang-Sun had only been a moderately better Player; however, the gap between Chang-Sun and them was simply too wide, rendering them unable to even think about being jealous. Instead, they blamed their misfortune of happening to take the test on the same day as a person with overwhelming talent.

“Damn! Why did I apply for the same job posting as him...?! I’ll only look worse than him.”

“Ah, I’m fucked. This is already my fifth time applying for the White Tiger Clan. My parents will kick me out of the house if I don’t get hired this time, too...”

Some people had already given up on the test and begun filming Chang-Sun’s test with their smartphones. Others had begun calling broadcasting stations and newspaper companies, tipping them off. Perhaps the whole world would be stirred up the next morning, as many news articles and broadcasts reported the return of a fallen genius.

Considering how the Highoff Clan scandal had provoked outrage around the world, people would be glad to read news articles about the birth of a new hero.

However, the applicants did not realize just how great Korea’s information technology was. Information spread even faster in Korea than they thought.

<‘Tyrant’ Lee Chang-Sun’s sensational return!>

<A SSS-Grade supernova rookie has appeared in Korea for the first time in 15 years!>

A large, open space surrounded by fences had been prepared in Sector C, where Chang-Sun was waiting alone. Behind the fences, many spectators stood watching. On the far side of the sector, designated seats had been prepared for several threatening-looking men.

‘They’re Heoju’s claws and fangs,’ Chang-Sun realized.

Each one of the men was as ferocious as a beast. With Heoju as their Guardian, they worked voluntarily as his loyal servants, meaning they were the people Chang-Sun had to fight and kill.

‘It’s not going to be easy.’

That was the first thought that crossed Chang-Sun’s mind; Heoju’s servants looked more ferocious than he had expected. Although he had fought in wars against numerous apostles and priests in Arcadia, Heoju’s servants looked even stronger than those foes. However, Chang-Sun was unsure whether that was because Players on Earth were generally strong, or because the Players of the White Tiger Clan were simply talented.

It seemed Chang-Sun would need a lot of time to hunt down every Player in the White Tiger Clan, but...

[The Celestial ‘Calamity Tiger’ observes you with interest.]

...Chang-Sun did not fail to notice the air above the heads of Heoju’s servants being distorted, taking the shape of a tiger. Heoju was watching Chang-Sun through his priests’ eyes; he was intrigued by the super rookie who had voluntarily come to him.

‘Then I'll have to fulfill his expectations,’ Chang-Sun thought with a faint smile. As he had been planning to monopolize Heoju’s attention to begin with, he had to show off all he had.

Thump!

Chang-Sun finally put down the drawing tube he had never opened previously, making a loud sound.

[The Celestial ‘World-Encircling Serpent’ assumes you are plotting something.]

After reading Jörmungandr’s message, Chang-Sun turned and informed a staffer, “I’ll take the test right away.”

Wiping away the sweat dripping down his cheeks with a handkerchief, the staffer nodded. As a low-level employee, he felt incredibly tense; the Clan’s executives, whom he had previously been watching from afar, were looking in his direction. Apart from the Clan Leader ‘Sword Sky Tiger’, Executive Director Oh and Director Kim were the most influential people in the White Tiger Clan.

The staffer trembled as he stuttered, “Y-You’re going to hunt a monster for the last test. You can choose any monster you want, such as a Red Orc or a Twin Head Ogre. Then, I’ll summon it here and you’ll have to fight it one-on-one.”

Two Players in the Level 20 range were needed to hunt a Red Orc, and a Twin Head Ogre could only be killed by four to five Players in the Level 30 range. They were normally found as boss monsters in Dungeons.

No one could kill such monsters one on one; thus, the purpose of the final test was to demonstrate Players’ ability and talent to the fullest extent. If the applicants seemed to be in mortal danger, the Raid Team Members on standby would be dispatched immediately, which meant there was nothing to worry about.

Of course, Chang-Sun had no intention of finishing the test in an ordinary manner. He wanted to put on a more brilliant and astonishing display than anyone else.

“Are those the only monsters you have?” Chang-Sun asked, as if the monsters the staffer had mentioned were insufficient.

The staffer immediately looked at his superior who was right beside him, silently asking whether to grant Chang-Sun’s request.

Regardless of Chang-Sun’s SSS+++ Magic Grade, a Level 25 Player could not possibly fight against monsters stronger than the previously mentioned ones, especially not one-on-one.

However, his superior nodded, seemingly telling him to do as Chang-Sun wanted. They had no other choice, because too many people were watching. In the end, the staffer turned pale and answered haltingly, “The strongest monster we can summon right now... is a Drake...”

“Then I choose to summon a Drake.” Chang-Sun answered firmly, leaving the spectators surprised.

Even though Drakes were low-rank dragon-type monsters with minimal intelligence, a dragon-type monster was still a dragon. Even the experienced Players in the Level 40 range had to study the geographical features of any territory where Drakes lived before trying to hunt them one on one; why was Chang-Sun requesting such a monster?

The Drake could break away and run toward a crowded place, causing a disaster. That fact alone made Chang-Sun come across as incredibly arrogant, but his confidence was undeniable.

Thinking things would somehow work out, as the Clan’s executives were in the testing area, the staffer summoned the monster Chang-Sun wanted.

Paaah―!

The magic circle on the floor turned blue.

Thud...!

A five-meter-tall Drake fell from the sky, making the ground shake fiercely.

“Wow, that’s...!”

“I can’t believe I’m seeing a Drake with my own eyes.”

“How on earth is he planning to catch that?”

The spectators spoke energetically among themselves.

The Drake seemed to have been summoned in the middle of its meal. Its mouth was smeared with blood and flesh, distinctly revealing its violent temper. Gradually realizing the situation it was in as it heard the noise coming from its surroundings, the Drake roared up toward the ceiling.

Roooaaar!

The monster then began charging toward Chang-Sun.

Thump, thump, thump―!

[The Celestial ‘Calamity Tiger’ wants to test your ability!]

‘Come, Heoju,’ Chang-Sun thought as he looked at the Drake. His eyes shone coldly as he grabbed the drawing tube on the floor.