The road, already packed with crowds, grew even more chaotic as battles broke out everywhere.
Ahead and behind.
"You bastard!"
"You hit me!? Do you know who I am...!!"
"Who's the one that just threw a dagger!?"
Shouts and the sound of metal clashing never ceased due to the battles erupting on all sides.
Yeon Ha-neul and I were also caught up in the flow.
Sshh-ick!
The back of a blade came at me from the edge of my vision.
I had been dealing with the examinees before me, but I immediately spun my body and let it brush past.
"...Huh?"
Confusion settled on the face of the guy who had naturally failed his attack, cutting through empty air.
I swung my sword before the guy could launch his next move.
"I'll hit you with the back of the blade too."
"Th-that's the back...!"
Don't worry, it's a reverse-bladed sword.
The guy, unable to finish his words, was struck by my sword and sent flying, crashing hard into the guardrail.
As far as today's exam goes, he's done.
By the time he regains consciousness, the exam will already be over, and even if not, it would be impossible to reach the summit of Angae Mountain with a body that has at least one broken bone.
"Congratulations on failing."
At this, I turned my head away from the guy leaning his back against the guardrail with his head drooped low.
"We need to take that bastard out first!"
"Be careful! He's from the Divine Sword Doga!"
Meanwhile, the guys nearby seemed to have marked me as a priority target and rushed to assault me together.
They rushed while surrounding me on all sides, so there was nowhere to dodge.
Not while keeping my feet on the ground.
Tak!
"...What!?"
I rushed toward the guy who seemed the least threatening.
Then the guys beside him crowded in to oppose me.
Even in that situation, I remained unflustered and undid the scabbard hanging at my waist.
Tang!
I blocked the falling sword with the scabbard.
At the same time, I leaped from the ground, stepping on that guy's knee and stomach.
"I'll put this to good use."
"Keuhk!"
Pushing my body further into the air from there, my vision spun round and round.
"He can't do anything in mid-air!"
"We have to attack now!"
That's what you think.
I rotated my body in the direction of the hand gripping my sword.
Mana manifested from my heart flowed out, coiling around my body and blade.
Lion's Heat Slash.
The azure sword flashed.
I unleashed the mana imbued in the blade, firing it at the guys swarming below.
Like idiots.
'They gathered on their own.'
I had adjusted the trajectory of the slash, but in a situation where they were crowded together like that, it was actually debatable whether I could say I had adjusted it.
The slash grazed between them and fell, tearing their flesh, scattering blood, shattering the ground, and sending debris flying.
"I can't see ahead! Dust in my eyes...!"
"Uuaaack! Blood! Bloooood!"
"That bastard killed someone!"
"I didn't kill anyone."
Geumgang Academy's practical entrance exam allows examinees to fight each other and inflict injury on their opponents.
One might receive a negative evaluation, but as long as one doesn't violate a hunter's moral code, they can even kill.
It was written in the pledge as well.
That's why I swung my sword at them without hesitation.
'Though I didn't kill them.'
Anyway, though they had swung swords before, they didn't seem accustomed to real combat senses.
Those who saw blood lost their composure and panicked.
I passed by those guys.
On one side, Yeon Ha-neul was using magic to repel examinees.
Once the situation was somewhat settled, she quickly came after me.
"There is an upside to battles breaking out. The road's cleared now."
"But if this situation continues like this, won't our stamina consumption be severe? And there will be more things we need to watch out for."
"That is true."
The vanguard runners' ranks, which had filled the road densely with no gaps to pierce through, as if to prevent anyone from taking the lead, had broken apart.
Yeon Ha-neul and I didn't miss the opportunity and quickly cut through them.
'We're not the only ones.'
Examinees who had been hiding their abilities until now were also using this situation to push forward.
That was how the lead was changing.
Around that time.
"Gyeon-woo! Over there!"
"That's...."
Yeon Ha-neul pointed ahead.
There were vehicles standing on the road.
Motorcycles, cars, taxis, buses, and so on—there was a wide variety.
"Do you think we can use them?"
"Even without keys, it seems like we could drive them using mana...."
"With your mana, there should be enough power."
What a coincidence that there were ownerless vehicles that looked like they would run well, just when we had a long distance to cover.
I suspected it might be the evaluators' arrangement.
Yeon Ha-neul and I were thinking the same thing.
"Let's say I replace the fuel with my mana. But do you know how to drive?"
"Can't I just step on the accelerator? Ignoring traffic laws."
"Which foot is the accelerator?"
"I'll know when I step on it."
"Somehow that makes me uneasy...."
Yeon Ha-neul groaned.
However, to reduce the time it took to reach the summit of Angae Mountain, we had to somehow use those vehicles.
Just then, an examinee who had gone ahead of us climbed onto a motorcycle.
Vroom.
The motorcycle started.
The examinee drove the motorcycle and quickly sped away.
"So we were right."
"Right?"
"Let's hurry and grab one too. The others are starting to move."
"But which one are we taking?"
"Wouldn't a taxi be best? Or do you want to ride a motorcycle? You can sit in the back."
"The driving... can I really leave it to you?"
"You just sit in the back and say 'Oppa, floor it,' or something."
"...We're not driving all the way to the underworld, right?"
After the examinee on the motorcycle moments ago confirmed that vehicles could be driven with mana, the examinees began speeding up to claim the remaining vehicles before others did.
We also ran so as not to lose to them.
Vroom.
The examinees began climbing into vehicles one by one and driving.
"Move! I got in first!"
"Block that bastard so he can't leave!"
On one side, fights broke out.
The examinees threatened each other over motorcycles or compact cars, which consumed the least mana.
In some cases, they outright blocked the road to prevent them from going forward.
'Damn...'
In that situation, it would be hard to even get in a car, and even if one drove, it wouldn't be easy to break through the road.
Even if one broke through, they would have to keep the cars chasing from behind in check.
Screech!
Thud!
Furthermore, examinees driving hastily crashed into guardrails or even caused collisions due to poor driving.
If such incidents kept happening while driving, the road situation would obviously be paralyzed.
'That's why a motorcycle would be good, but...'
I would have to jump into a situation where several people were drawing blades to claim a single motorcycle.
A sigh naturally escaped me.
Then, at that moment.
'A boat?'
Something caught my eye on the sandy beach below the guardrail.
It was a boat with a sail.
That boat was moored on the sandy beach.
"...Ha-neul, let's take that."
"That? What is that?"
"The boat over there."
"A boat?"
There are too many competitors on the road.
But it's different on the sea.
I jumped over the guardrail.
"Do you know how to drive a boat!?"
"I don't even know how to drive a car. Can't we just let the wind push us?"
"So in the end, you're telling me to drive."
"Noona, run! If you're a man, you should go out to sea."
"I'm not a man, though?"
"Be a man from today."
"I refuse."
Going down the hill below the guardrail, crossing the sandy beach.
Letting Yeon Ha-neul board the boat first.
I cut the rope tied to the post with my azure sword and then climbed aboard.
"Ha-neul, magic please."
"Sigh, fine."
"Setting sail on the Yeon Ha-neul!"
"Could you not name the boat after me?"
Yeon Ha-neul granted my request with a face that said she had no choice.
When she created wind with magic, the sail unfurled fully and the boat began moving at a fast speed.
There were no obstacles blocking the way ahead, so it seemed we could sail smoothly.
"Hey! Do Gyeon-woooo!"
"Gyeon-woo! Ha-neul!"
"Take us with you!"
It was right then that we heard voices calling us.
We spotted the triplets on the road in the direction we were heading.
"I knew it had to be you guys!"
"Wait right there! We'll be right there!"
"You'll take us with you, right!?"
The triplets' faces looked bright as they ran along the road waving their hands vigorously.
They had faces that seemed convinced we would take them aboard.
But that was out of the question.
I had no intention whatsoever of letting them on the boat.
"Ha-neul, ignore those minions."
"Huh? There's room left, so we could take them...."
"An exam is something you pass with your own strength, not with someone else's help."
"...Are you really the one to say that?"
"Besides, they're weaker than us, so they need more training. When else would they train if not now?"
"Wow, you're completely pretending not to hear me. So what's the real reason?"
"I don't want to see them having it easy."
"Yeah, I figured."
"Now, Captain Noona, floor it."
"What do you mean Captain Noona, Captain Noona...."
Yeon Ha-neul grumbled but ultimately followed my words.
The boat gradually moved away from where the triplets were.
"Hey! Where are you guys going! Don't leave us!"
"We're right here!? Don't go!"
"We want to go out to sea too!"
The triplets' wailing sounds echoed like reverberations.
Without looking back at those sounds, we advanced out to sea.
* * *
From the second exam held in the Gate, the instructors cannot grasp the situation happening in every examination venue.
This is because the inside and outside of the Gate are disconnected, so communicators do not work.
The instructors had to focus only on the Gate they had entered.
But even that was difficult.
"Move the Screen Eyes closest to the starting point. There aren't many examinees there now, and those still remaining there are as good as failed anyway."
"Well, it would be impossible time-wise unless a miracle happens."
"Still, we need to keep watching the situation, so I'll leave a few there."
Observing all the examinees heading to Angae Mountain was practically impossible.
This was not only because the inside of the Gate was so vast, but also because there were so many examinees.
The number of instructors and assistant instructors assigned to manage the exam as evaluators was utterly insufficient.
The number of Screen Eyes was also lacking.
"The density of examinees is increasing in the section with vehicles."
"As we expected, they're fighting over the cars."
"Deploy the Screen Eyes focusing on that area. And attach one to each of the examinees who went ahead. What about the examinees from distinguished families? Don't miss a single one belonging to the Ten Houses."
"What should we do with the disciples of the renowned masters?"
"Only observe examinees with exam tickets of red grade or higher. The rest won't have any differentiating points from the other examinees anyway."
Given the situation, the evaluators had no choice but to classify the examinees according to criteria and observe them discriminately.
Among them, the subjects they mainly paid attention to were examinees who had received teachings from renowned masters or examinees from distinguished families.
Especially the scions of the Ten Houses.
"How are the Ten Houses people doing?"
"Everyone is proceeding smoothly. I'll put them on the central monitor in order."
In their case, Screen Eyes had been assigned to them even before the exam started.
This was because they possessed the background and the skill to warrant it.
The evaluators would frequently bring up the footage showing them to the largest screen in the center.
The existence currently appearing on that screen was also an examinee from the Ten Houses.
['To think they would rely on such vehicles. They lack persistence. If you're born a man, you should think of running there on your own two feet! As if I'd ride anything.']
Yong Hae-rang of the Righteous Hero Yong family.
Wearing a black dobok, he showed not the slightest interest in the vehicles and was simply passing by the examinees.
Even though there was a path to go by vehicle, he seemed determined to climb Angae Mountain on his own feet.
[Persistence! Persistence! It's persistence!]
"...What is with that guy."
"He's from the Righteous Hero Yong family."
"In other words, the Persistence Yong family."
The evaluators couldn't hide their bewilderment at his conduct.
However, in the Righteous Hero Yong family, people who were completely filled with persistence like Yong Hae-rang were born from time to time.
There was even a joke in the world of Hunters that the chivalrous Yong family had tried to create outstanding Hunters, only to end up creating outstanding fools.
[Hyaah!]
“…He split a toppled bus in half with a single punch.”
“Crude, but still rather impressive.”
And yet, that fool could not be dismissed.
The fools born in the chivalrous Yong family… almost always went on to become one of the Hunters who led their generation.
The current head of the chivalrous Yong family was proof enough, and Yong Haerang was also showing a certain amount of promise.
That was why they were outstanding fools.
“Let’s move on to the other examinees.”
“The children of the Mage Min family and the Cycle Cha family are almost at Fog Mountain.”
“Then shall we take a look at them first?”
“However, the two of them are moving too quickly for the Screen Eye to keep up.”
“Then there should be Screen Chokers instead. Let’s watch through that feed.”
Soon, the evaluators decided to check on the children of the Mage Min family and the Cycle Cha family, who were strong contenders for first and second place.
The screen changed.
The footage the two were showing through their Screen Chokers was nothing but a pale haze.
They were cutting through the clouds.
“All I can say is that they’re incredible. To fly that long at their age… How many people could even do that?”
“Unless something unexpected happens, one of those two will probably take first place.”
“For now, the child of the Cycle Cha family seems more likely.”
The evaluators voiced no objections.
Just as they had done for Yong Haerang a little earlier, they awarded the two additional points as well.
Then they turned their attention to the examinee currently in third place, who was chasing after them.
[It’s boring just running the whole time.]
“…”
Nam Yuri of the Alchemy Nam family.
She was displaying the bizarre feat of running across the frozen sea.
The evaluators could not help but marvel.
“To freeze the sea…”
“She may not be flying through the sky, but she’s certainly no easy opponent either.”
What made her so remarkable was that, even as time passed, she showed not the slightest sign of disarray as she froze the sea as naturally as breathing.
It meant that, contrary to appearances, her mana consumption was low and her mana efficiency was excellent.
Each of the evaluators clicked their tongues in admiration.
“Who’s next?”
“Do Gyeonwoo of the Divine Sword Do family. He is currently in fourth place.”
“The disciple of Instructor Hong Yena as well.”
“Show us the feed.”
The screen changed again.
This time, too, the sea appeared on the screen.
A boat was cutting through the waves at high speed over that sea.
It was the boat carrying Do Gyeonwoo and Yeon Haneul.
“From the looks of it, Instructor Hong Yena’s disciple is generating wind to move the boat forward.”
“Compared to the examinees we saw earlier, it does feel a bit ordinary, but it’s not bad.”
“But at this rate…”
“The examinee from the Divine Sword Do family is merely going along for the ride in that situation.”
At this rate, even if they gave Yeon Haneul additional points for showing the resourcefulness to steer the boat, they could not award Do Gyeonwoo any.
Though regretful, the evaluators were about to observe other examinees.
Just then.
[Kiaaaaaaaaa!!]
The moment they were about to switch the screen.
In the direction the boat was heading, a monster resembling a sea lion suddenly emerged.
[Gyeonwoo!]
[Haneul, you keep steering just like that.]
As if he had known the creature would appear.
Do Gyeonwoo, who had been at the bow, drew his sword and stepped toward it.
* * *
[You have encountered a monster.]
[Brutal Sirion (Rank. 02) x 1]
Even before that message appeared.
In truth, I had already foreseen the creature’s approach.
‘So I was wondering what was chasing us, and it turns out to be this thing.’
From a certain point onward, my Evasion Instinct had been warning me of danger.
That was why I was able to remain calm.
‘A Rank 2 monster, huh…’
Brutal Sirion.
I looked at the creature, whose bulk rivaled the boat we were riding.
A Rank 2 monster was the kind of monster you could more or less handle only if at least one of your physical stats exceeded 50.
Stamina 65, Strength 59, Endurance 55, and Agility 71.
To me, who possessed four stats above 50, it was no match.
More than anything…
‘The environment is in my favor.’
I stared at the deck, which had been drenched into a watery mess when the creature surfaced.
And all around us was the sea.
A place where electricity conducted extremely well.
That was why…
“Gyeonwoo!”
“Haneul, you keep steering just like that.”
Soothing the worried Yeon Haneul, I drew the Deep Blue Sword toward the creature drawing closer and closer.
“You’re sure I don’t need to help? It’s a Rank 2…”
“I can take it down by myself. You just prepare yourself for any stray electric shocks, trust me, and charge forward at full speed.”
“Hoo… All right.”
There was no need to turn the boat aside when it was moving so well.
Besides, even if we changed course at this distance, we wouldn’t be able to avoid colliding with it anyway.
After telling Yeon Haneul that, I scraped the tip of the Deep Blue Sword against the floor.
Screeech.
The sound of the blade tip scraping the floor rang out.
I drew mana from within my body.
Kiaaaaaaaaa!
The creature opened its mouth wide as it waited for us to approach.
It was probably planning to smash the boat with its long, sharp fangs the moment we entered its range.
Of course, I had no intention of letting that happen.
Screeech.
I had gauged the distance and decided my path.
At once, I sprinted across the deck.
Screeeeeeech!
The tip of the Deep Blue Sword scraped along the floor, letting out an unpleasant sound.
The sound, from the friction caused by the speed at which I ran…
Crackle!
…was sublimated into blue lightning.
The blue lightning born from the blade tip instantly bloomed along the path I had scored into the floor, surging up from the entire water-soaked deck.
Before I knew it, the blue lightning gathered at the blade tip had rapidly swelled in force, until it wrapped around the entire sword.
Gripping that gathered blue lightning in my hand.
Lion Shakes the Heavens
A sword art blending swiftness and strength.
The instant I leaped from the very tip of the bow, I swung the sword that had been pointing downward all this time upward with all my might.
───!!
Kiaaaaaaaa!
Along with it, the blue lightning became a trajectory and soared into the sky.
The blue electric strike cut from the creature’s chest up through its shoulder.
‘It’s not over yet.’
Having flown into the air, I could look down at the sight of the creature screaming and thrashing below.
But Lion Shakes the Heavens was a two-hit sword art, one that struck upward and then brought the blade down.
Blue lightning still remained on the Deep Blue Sword.
But I did not stop there…
I used the Deep Blue Sword’s second skill, which had been unlocked when my Agility surpassed 50.
Current Condensation.
It was a skill that condensed a portion of the residual current in the surroundings into the sword.
Crackle!
Because of that skill, the blue lightning wrapped around the Deep Blue Sword grew stronger.
If I swung the Deep Blue Sword in this state, more attack power than usual would be applied, while the lightning attribute would be added as well.
And.
The Deep Blue Sword’s third skill, which I had obtained when my Agility surpassed 60.
If I used Current Discharge, I could fire the condensed current outward.
Twisting my body in midair and setting my stance, I brought down the Deep Blue Sword, which looked ready to unleash a blast of electricity at any moment.
───!!
Kiaaaaaaaak!
The final strike of Lion Shakes the Heavens.
A blue thunderbolt fell upon the creature.
With that attack, the creature’s body burned and vanished into particles of mana.
I snatched the magic stone that sprang out.
By then, the boat was passing below.
“See? I told you to keep steering. When monsters lose their magic stones, they turn into mana and disappear without leaving a corpse.”
“That’s still not something you should say ‘see?’ about. If the timing had been even a little late, the boat probably would’ve run aground.”
“We could’ve thought about that when the time came.”
Because I had even taken into account the timing of the boat passing by when I swung my sword at the creature, I was able to land safely on the boat as I fell from the air.
Then, to brag to her, I showed her the magic stone.
“Here, we got loot. Come to think of it, I never paid you the fare, did I? Take it. I’ll give it to you.”
“No thanks. Sell that after the exam and buy me a meal instead.”
“What do you want to eat?”
“Mm… I wonder.”
“I’ll buy you strawberry milk.”
“Don’t tell me you’re only going to buy me strawberry milk.”
“Should I buy you chocolate milk too?”
“…”
“I’m kidding.”
“Hmph. You’d better buy me something tasty.”
And so, we headed toward Fog Mountain.
I Became the Childhood Friend of the Mid-Boss