The road, already bustling with crowds, erupted into battles, further clogging the path.
Front and back, chaos reigned.
“This brat!”
“You hit me!? Do you know who I am…?!”
“Who just threw a dagger?!”
Shouts and metallic clangs echoed from all directions as skirmishes broke out.
Yeon-ha and I were swept up in the turmoil.
Swish!
A blade swung into my peripheral vision.
I was engaged with nearby candidates when I spun around and dodged.
“…Huh?”
The attacker’s face contorted with confusion as his slash sliced empty air.
Before he could react, I swung my sword.
“I’ll return the favour with a blade strike.”
“B-but that’s a blade strike…!”
Don’t worry, it’s a reverse-edged swing.
The stunned fool flew backwards after colliding with my sword, crashing into the guardrail.
His exam was over.
By the time he regained consciousness, the exam would’ve ended, or he’d limp toward Foggy Mountain with broken bones.
“Congratulations on your elimination.”
I turned away from the dazed candidate leaning against the guardrail.
“We need to take out that guy first!”
“Watch out! Divine Sword Sect!”
Meanwhile, nearby candidates, eyeing me as a threat, swarmed to attack.
Surrounded, there was nowhere to evade.
Thud!
“…What?!”
I charged at the least threatening target.
Surrounding foes condensed to counter me.
Unfazed, I unsheathed my sword from its scabbard.
Bang!
I blocked the falling sword with my scabbard.
Then, leaping from the ground, I stomped on a nearby candidate’s knee and stomach.
“Thanks for the boost.”
“Ugh!”
From there, I propelled myself higher, spinning in mid-air.
“You can’t do anything in the air!”
“We need to attack now!”
That’s what you think.
I rotated toward my sword-wielding hand.
Mana surged from my heart, enveloping my body and blade.
My Military Green Sword flashed.
I unleashed the mana embedded in the blade, firing it at the swarming foes below.
Fools.
“Thanks for gathering yourselves.”
Though I adjusted the strike’s trajectory, it was ambiguous whether I’d truly held back in such a cluster.
The strike sliced through the crowd, spraying blood and shattering the ground, sending debris flying.
“Can’t see ahead! Dust in my eyes…!”
“Aaaah! Blood! Blood everywhere!”
“That guy killed someone!”
“I didn’t.”
Golden Academy’s practical exam permitted candidates to injure each other.
While negative evaluations were inevitable, as long as hunter ethics weren’t abandoned, killing was allowed.
It was stated in the pledge.
Thus, I swung my sword at them without hesitation.
“Didn’t kill anyone, though.”
In any case, despite their swordplay, they seemed unaccustomed to real combat.
Candidates who’d seen blood panicked, losing their composure.
I left them behind.
Elsewhere, Yeon-ha was using magic to repel candidates.
Once the situation stabilized, she quickly chased after me.
“The upside of the battle is the road’s clear now.”
“But if this continues, won’t our stamina drain? And we’ll have more to worry about.”
“You’re right.”
As if to prevent us from leading, the tightly packed front-runners’ formation crumbled.
Yeon-ha and I seized the chance, swiftly pushing past them.
“We’re not the only ones.”
Candidates who’d concealed their skills were also seizing the moment to surge ahead.
The lead was shifting.
Then.
“Jian-woo! Look over there!”
“What’s that…?”
Yeon-ha pointed ahead.
Vehicles lined the road—motorcycles, sedans, taxis, buses, a diverse array.
“Maybe we can use them?”
“Without keys, but I guess we can drive using mana….”
“Your mana should suffice for power.”
With a long journey ahead and ownerless, functional vehicles nearby, it seemed the evaluators had arranged this.
Yeon-ha and I agreed.
“Assuming my mana replaces the fuel. But can you drive?”
“Isn’t it just stepping on the gas? Ignoring traffic rules.”
“Which foot is the gas?”
“I’ll figure it out by stepping.”
“Feels uneasy…”
Yeon-ha groaned.
But to reduce travel time to Foggy Mountain, we had to use those vehicles somehow.
Then, a candidate ahead of us mounted a motorcycle.
Vroom.
The motorcycle roared to life.
The candidate sped away on it.
“Our guess was right.”
“Exactly.”
“Let’s quickly grab one and ride. Others are starting to move.”
“But which one?”
“A taxi’s best, or a motorcycle? You ride behind.”
“Can I really trust you to drive?”
“You just shout ‘Oppa, go faster.’”
“…Not driving to the afterlife, right?”
Earlier, the candidate on the motorcycle had confirmed we could drive vehicles with mana, prompting others to race for the remaining cars.
We sprinted to keep up.
Vroom.
Candidates began boarding and driving vehicles one by one.
“Get out of the way! I boarded first!”
“Stop that guy!”
Elsewhere, fights broke out.
Candidates threatened each other over motorcycles and compact cars, the least mana-draining options.
Sometimes, they blocked the road entirely to halt progress.
“This is…”
In that situation, boarding a vehicle was difficult, and even if we drove, breaking through would be a challenge.
And we’d have to watch out for pursuing cars.
Squeeeek!
Crash!
Moreover, candidates rushing to drive mishandled their vehicles, crashing into guardrails or causing collisions.
If such incidents occurred throughout the drive, the road would be paralyzed.
“So motorcycles are better…”
But to claim a motorcycle, we’d have to join the knife-fighting crowd.
A sigh escaped me.
Then, it hit me.
“Boat?”
Something caught my eye from the sandy beach below the guardrail.
A sailboat.
It was stranded on the beach.
“…Heaven, let’s take that.”
“What? What’s that?”
“The boat there.”
“A boat?”
The road was too crowded with competitors.
But the sea was different.
I vaulted over the guardrail.
“Can you sail a boat!?”
“I don’t even know cars. Maybe just push it with wind?”
“So you’re saying I have to sail it.”
“Sail like a man! After all, a real man goes to the sea.”
“I’m not a man!”
“Be one today.”
“Not interested.”
Descending the slope below the guardrail, past the sandy beach.
I boarded the boat first.
Then, using my Military Green Sword, I severed the rope tied to the stake and climbed aboard.
“Heaven, magic please.”
“Ugh, fine.”
“Yeon-ha’s Boat, depart!”
“Don’t name the boat after me.”
Yeon-ha reluctantly granted my request.
As she conjured wind with magic, the sails billowed, and the boat began to move swiftly.
With no obstacles ahead, we could cruise smoothly.
“Hey! Jian-woo!”
“Jian-woo! Heaven!”
“Give us a ride too!”
At that moment, we heard shouts.
We spotted the triplets on the road ahead.
“Knew it was you guys!”
“Wait there! I’ll be right there!”
“You’ll give us a ride, right!?”
Their faces lit up as they waved frantically while running.
They seemed certain we’d take them.
But no way.
I had no intention of boarding them.
“Heaven, ignore the troublemakers.”
“What? There’s space, we could….”
“The exam’s about one’s own strength, not relying on others.”
“Isn’t that hypocritical coming from you?”
“And those guys are weaker than us, needing more training. When else but now?”
“Wow, you’re just ignoring me. What’s your real motive?”
“I don’t want to see them in a good light.”
“Yeah, figured.”
“Alright, Captain Sister, let’s go.”
“Captain Sister? Seriously, Captain Sister….”
Yeon-ha grumbled but followed my lead.
The boat gradually distanced itself from the triplets.
“Hey! Where are you going! Don’t leave us behind!”
“We’re right here! Don’t go!”
“We want to go to the sea too!”
Their wails echoed like a refrain.
We didn’t look back as we sailed into the sea.
From the second exam in the gate onward, instructors couldn’t monitor situations in all exam halls.
The gate’s interior and exterior were cut off, rendering communicators useless.
Instructors had to focus solely on their own gates.
But even that was a struggle.
“Move the Screen Eyes closest to the starting point. Few candidates remain there, and those still lingering are as good as eliminated.”
“It’s impossible time-wise unless a miracle happens.”
“But we should still keep an eye on the situation, so leave a few behind.”
Observing all the candidates heading to Foggy Mountain was nearly impossible.
The gate’s interior was vast, and candidates were too numerous.
The number of instructors and assistants managing the exam was woefully insufficient.
Screen Eyes were also in short supply.
“The vehicle area’s candidate density is increasing.”
“As we expected, they’re fighting over the cars.”
“Deploy Screen Eyes there and attach them to candidates who’ve taken the lead. How about the noble clan candidates? Don’t miss a single one from the Ten Great Clans.”
“What about the disciples of renowned masters?”
“Only observe candidates with red or higher exam tickets. The rest likely have no distinguishing features compared to other candidates.”
Given the situation, evaluators had no choice but to classify candidates and monitor them selectively.
Their primary focus was on candidates mentored by famous masters or those from prestigious clans, especially the Ten Great Clans.
“How are the Ten Great Clans’ candidates faring?”
“They’re all progressing smoothly. We’ll display them on the central monitor in order.”
These candidates had been assigned Screen Eyes before the exam began, as they possessed noteworthy backgrounds and skills.
Evaluators frequently brought their footage to the largest central screen.
Currently, a Ten Great Clans candidate appeared on that screen.
“Relying on such vehicles—how pathetic. If you’re born a man, you should run there on foot! Where do I look for a ride?”
Yong Hee-rang of the Righteous Hero Yong clan.
Clad in black, he showed no interest in vehicles, simply bypassing candidates as if intent on conquering Foggy Mountain on foot.
“Endurance! Endurance! It’s all about endurance!”
“…Who is that guy?”
“He’s from the Righteous Hero Yong clan.”
“Or, as some call them, the ‘Endurance Yong clan.’”
Evaluators couldn’t help but find his actions absurd.
Yet, the Righteous Hero Yong clan occasionally produced individuals like Yong Hee-rang, obsessed with endurance.
In the hunter world, there was even a joke that the Righteous Hero Yong clan aimed to create excellent hunters but ended up making “excellent fools.”
“Whoosh!”
“…Splitting a bus in half with a single punch? Brainless, but impressive.”
But one couldn’t dismiss such fools.
Fools born from the Righteous Hero Yong clan… almost always became one of the hunters leading their generation.
The current clan head was an example, and Yong Hee-rang showed promise too.
Thus, they were “excellent fools.”
“Let’s move on to other candidates.”
“The Mad Dog Min and Circulating Chariot Cha clan heirs are nearly approaching Foggy Mountain.”
“Then let’s check on them first.”
“However, their speed is too fast for Screen Eyes to keep up.”
“But they have Screen Chokers, so we can view through those.”
Soon, evaluators decided to check on the Mad Dog Min and Circulating Chariot Cha heirs, likely contenders for 1st and 2nd place.
The screen changed.
The footage from their Screen Chokers was hazy, as they were cutting through clouds.
“Truly remarkable. At their age, how many can sustain flight for so long?”
“If no surprises occur, one of them will likely take 1st place.”
“For now, the Circulating Chariot heir seems more likely.”
Evaluators voiced no objections.
As they had with Yong Hee-rang earlier, they awarded bonus points to these two.
Then, they shifted focus to the candidate currently in 3rd place, chasing the duo.
“Running nonstop is boring.”
“…”
Nam Yoo-ri of the Flexible Southern Nam clan.
She was performing the feat of sprinting across a frozen sea.
Evaluators couldn’t help but admire her.
“Freezing the sea…”
“She’s not flying, but she’s truly formidable.”
Her remarkable feat was maintaining composure over time, effortlessly freezing the sea as if breathing.
It implied low mana consumption and high efficiency.
Evaluators clicked their tongues in awe.
“Who’s next?”
“Dao Jianwu from the Divine Sword Sect. Currently in 4th place.”
“And Hong Ye-na Instructor’s disciple.”
“Display the footage.”
The screen changed again.
This time, the sea appeared.
A boat was slicing through the waves at high speed—Dao Jianwu and Yeon-ha’s vessel.
“It seems Hong Ye-na’s disciple is using wind magic to propel the boat.”
“Compared to earlier candidates, it feels somewhat ordinary, but not bad.”
“But in this case…”
“Dao Jianwu is merely along for the ride.”
Thus, even if Yeon-ha earned bonus points for her ingenuity in sailing, Dao Jianwu couldn’t receive any.
Evaluators reluctantly moved on to other candidates.
At that moment.
“Kiiiiiaaaah!!”
As they were about to switch the screen, a monster resembling a sea lion suddenly emerged from the direction the boat was heading.
“Jianwu!”
“Heaven, keep steering as is.”
Dao Jianwu, standing at the bow, drew his sword and stepped toward the beast, as if anticipating its appearance.
[Encountered a monster.]
[Brutal Sealion (Rank. 02) x 1]
Before the message even appeared, I’d already anticipated the beast’s approach.
“I wondered who was chasing us—this guy, huh.”
My evasion instinct had been warning me of danger since a certain point, so I wasn’t caught off guard.
“A Rank 2 monster…”
Brutal Sealion.
I regarded the beast, large enough to approach our boat.
A Rank 2 monster required at least one physical stat over 50 to barely handle.
Its stats: Health 65, Strength 59, Endurance 55, Agility 71.
With four stats over 50, it was no match for me.
Moreover…
“The environment favours me.”
I watched the deck, now a water surface, as the beast emerged.
The surroundings were the sea—where lightning strikes effectively.
Thus…
“Jianwu!”
“Heaven, keep steering as is.”
Reassuring Yeon-ha, I drew my Military Green Sword toward the approaching beast.
“Should I not assist? It’s a Rank 2…”
“I can handle it alone. Prepare for any lightning and trust me to steer full speed ahead.”
“Ugh… Alright.”
There was no need to divert the boat, which was already safely avoiding the beast.
Even if we turned now, the collision was inevitable at this distance.
I urged Yeon-ha thusly, then scraped the sword tip against the deck.
Scrape.
The sound of the sword tip against the deck rang out.
I channelled mana.
“Kiiiiiaaaah!”
The beast awaited our approach, mouth agape.
It planned to smash us with its long, sharp fangs once we entered its territory.
Obviously, I had no intention of letting that happen.
Scrape.
I gauged the distance and decided my path.
Immediately, I sprinted across the deck.
“Kiiiiiiiiieeek!”
The grating sound of the sword tip against the deck intensified as I ran…
Crackle!
Transmuted into wall thunder.
The wall thunder, traced from my path, surged across the wet deck.
The thunder coalesced at the sword tip, enveloping the entire blade.
Holding the gathered thunder, I executed…
A sword technique blending speed and strength.
Leaping from the bow, I swung the sword, previously pointed downward, upward with all my might.
───!!
“Kiiiiiaaaah!”
The wall of thunder followed the trajectory, soaring into the sky.
Blue lightning struck the beast’s chest, slicing through its shoulder.
“It’s not over yet.”
Having leapt into the air, I watched the beast below, screaming and thrashing.
But Lion’s Sky-Shake is a two-strike technique—upward and downward.
The Military Green Sword still held wall thunder.
Yet I didn’t stop there…
With agility over 50, I unleashed the sword’s second skill, unlocked.
Current Condensation.
A skill to condense residual current around the sword.
Crackle!
The wall of thunder surrounding the Military Green Sword intensified.
Swinging the sword now would increase attack power and add lightning属性.
And then.
The third skill is obtained with agility over 60.
Using Current Emission allowed me to fire the condensed current.
Having adjusted my posture midair, I struck downward with the Military Green Sword, ready to unleash lightning.
───!!
“Kiiiiiaaaahhh!”
The final strike of Lion’s Sky-Shake.
Blue lightning descended upon the beast.
The attack incinerated its body, reducing it to mana particles that vanished without a corpse.
I caught the floating magic stone.
By then, the boat had passed beneath.
“See, I told you to keep steering. Monsters disappear without a corpse once they lose their magic stone.”
“But ‘see’ isn’t the right thing to say. If your timing was off by a bit, the boat might’ve wrecked.”
“We’d deal with that if it happened.”
Having timed the boat’s passage, I swung my sword at the beast, allowing me to land safely on the boat.
Then, to show off to her, I displayed the magic stone.
“Here, a loot drop. Come to think of it, I didn’t pay the fare, did I? Take it. It’s yours.”
“Forget it. After the exam, sell it and buy me a meal.”
“What do you want to eat?”
“Hmm… How about that.”
“I’ll buy you strawberry milk.”
“Don’t tell me you’re only buying strawberry milk?”
“Should I get chocolate milk too?”
“…”
“Just kidding.”
“Hmph, don’t you dare not buy me something tasty.”
And so, we sailed toward Foggy Mountain.
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