Chapter 88 – Promotion Match (3)

“If you have completed the gate entry training, please come here and get a confirmation stamp.”

An enchanting, languid voice rang out. The children who had completed the training to enter the gate took off their protective equipment halfway and were heading towards the guide staff. The employee was wearing a large helmet and protective gear for safety. It was very pitiful to see the helmet blur with every breath and then return to its original state.

“Aren’t you hot?”

One of the students asked the staff while fiddling with the stamp on his hand. The employee rattled his large helmet and nodded. The student went back to his seat with a strange feeling when he saw that the staff was silent.

On the student’s hand, a black spider-shaped seal glowed faintly. It was a dim light that could not be felt by a student with a low level.

While the instructor rechecked the students who had completed the gate training, the staff shook their heads and secretly hid in the shady shade. As he took off his helmet, curly purple hair cascaded down like water in a valley. She clicked her tongue and caught her breath.

“Pha…”

She took one look around her and pulled out her little crystal ball from among her clutter. Purple energy was constantly emanating from the orb, which had a black spider shape on it. She determined how many people had stamped by counting the number of sparks rising in her crystal ball.

*****

Same time. On the other side of the training ground, the noise of the distorted cage and monsters was filling the road. People dressed in thick, jet-black clothing that did not reveal their faces and identities huddled together and smoked cigarettes. They waited for the signal to fly from the training ground, preparing rampantly to release us at any time.

The monsters here were dangerous species made up of C-class to D-class. Even if they were instructors, it was difficult to subdue them easily, and they required considerable time and effort. And beside it, a small alarm mechanism was running.

The party planned to send an alert that a Class A monster Chariot had appeared here by manipulating an alarm, and at the same time they planned to send a signal to the other teams waiting near the training ground to pour out Class D monsters.

Hunter, who is leading this plan, said while kicking the cage of monsters that kept trying to destroy us.

“Be quiet, kids. I will send it to you soon.”

*******

In front of the gate, there were three people preparing for a D-class promotion. It was a team consisting of Kim Jin-pyo, Oh Min-young, and Kim Joo-seong. Among the D-class personnel, they were to challenge the gate first and defeat the D-class monsters. As the gate maintenance team busily moved to open a new gate, a staff member wearing a thick helmet beckoned the three of them like a ghost.

“Don’t wear protective gear, just hold out your hand for now.”

Hearing her soft voice, the three of them held out their hands in order. Kim Joo-seong went to the back of her as if to tell her Oh Min-young first, and Kim Jin-pyo went back to put on her protective gear, examining the spider pattern on his hand. He wanted to get a promotion quickly and his body was on fire.

As soon as Min-young Oh was also stamped, she patted Kim Joo-sung on the shoulder once and ran to change her clothes. The employee facing Kim Joo-sung did not stamp her, but only nodded her head once and shook her hand. Kim Joo-seong covered his hands appropriately, pretending to have been stamped, and ran toward the protective equipment.

*******

“Good job.”

The gate was closing with the instructor’s greeting. There were three hunters standing in front of the gate out of breath. The three of them successfully defeated the D-class monsters and proudly promoted to D-class hunters. They were Oh Min-young, Kim Jin-pyo, and Kim Joo-seong.

“Great job.”

“Good job. Would you like a drink later?”

“I’m done.”

In the midst of encouraging voices, Kim Jin-pyo threw a subtle flirtation at Oh Min-young. Oh Min-young firmly refused, and Kim Joo-seong patted her on the shoulder and said.

“Don’t avoid it like that. Have a drink the two of you uh?”

And at the same time, Kim Joo-seong lightly broke the spray that was in her hand. The liquid vaporized in the spray and spread around Oh Min-young. Oh Min-young sniffed at her and frowned at her, then looked at Kim Joo-sung and asked.

“What did you eat without us noticing?”

“No?”

Saying that, Kim Joo-seong dropped a piece of her spray onto the floor. In the meantime, Kim Jin-pyo was busy looking for recommended restaurants in the area on his cell phone. Oh Min-young asked the instructor.

“Our promotion is over, can we go?”

“Please wait. Because it’s a rule to leave the prison together.”

“Ah…”

Oh Min-young said she seemed to have a lot to say. Juseong Kim confirmed that a red hive was growing around her neck, and she smiled in satisfaction.

******

We were the last to turn. Thanks to this, I was able to easily finish everything from showering to changing clothes in each room. Just as senior Yoo Jeong said, “It is very easy to get promoted to D grade,” When we finished preparing and went outside, there were a handful of academy classmates who had already reached D grade. Kim Joo-seong was fiddling with her cellphone with her very relaxed expression, and Kim Jin-pyo was smoking a cigarette in one corner of her and talking to someone on the phone.

Oh Min-young was coughing and frowning at her as her face turned red. Did she have aftereffects from using her neck too much? A new gate was opening next to the instructor. The instructor wearing a red cap checked the list and called our names.

“Ichigaya Ichie-san. Jung Soo-hyun. Please come forward.”

The information staff in front of the gate took out protective equipment one by one. As we were about to get dressed, an attendant holding a small pad gestured at us in the corner of the gate. I was wearing a big and thick helmet, but the blue light of the gate was reflected intact because it was tinted on the inside of the helmet.

“I’ll put a confirmation stamp first.”

“Yes.”

“Yes.”

At the word confirmation stamp, the corners of my mouth went up involuntarily. It was because it reminded me of the 1st place stamp that I used to take at the sports day in elementary school. The black stamp stamped on it reminded me of the plate that was often sold at stationery stores. I asked Ichie as I raised my protective gear again.

“It makes sense. Do you know the parallel?”

“I know.”

“Oh really?”

“You mean the same thing.”

“…Okay.”

“No?”

“That’s right.”

While chatting, we changed our clothes. Holding the spear and shield over the tightly worn protective gear, Ichie checked the blade of the Japanese sword once more. Said the instructor.

“Is there anything wrong with the tool?”

“Doesn’t exist.”

“No.”

The instructor turned to the side and shouted.

“Gate! Inrush!”

Beyond the gate stretched a damp forest. Jungle cats shaking their heads in curiosity about the entrance could be seen in the distance. According to the location indicator passed to the leader, the boss was quite far away. It seemed like it would take quite a bit of time to come and go, so I thought I would have to prepare well.

“It makes sense. Shall we bring two more bottles of water?”

“Yes.”

After adding the two bottles of water Ichie gave us to our backpacks, we sprinted toward the gate.

******

And, as soon as he confirmed that Jung Soo-hyeon and Ichie had jumped into the gate, the helmet-wearing employee pressed a small switch in his pocket.

When she pressed her switch, the crew members hiding in the woods on the other side of the training ground were contacted for confirmation, and the chain-smoking captain opened the cage door and shouted. The monsters inside the cage jumped out as if they had been waiting. From Lava to Strong Boar, monsters that were second to none in hand-to-hand combat changed the topography of the mountain and created a commotion.

“Sound the alarm!”

And, with his cry, an alert for the appearance of A-class monsters went off to the instructor and B-class hunter teachers who were waiting at the gate. Lee Jeong-ah, who was drinking coffee in the break area, saw the [Charriot] Appearance alert on her pad, and was startled and jumped out with her equipment.

“For now, let’s all wait here. There is an urgent dispatch issue, so I will solve it.”

As soon as the instructors disappeared, a D-class hunter in a suit appeared in a dark place in the building. The helmeted employee nodded his head as soon as he saw him, then walked in the opposite direction of the gate and said:

“Now, everyone, please look here for a moment!”

While his eyes were focused on her voice. The D-class Hunter of the Diamond Club jumped over the gate.

*******

“Hey! Hey! What’s wrong with him?”

Kim Jin-pyo shook Oh Min-young with a puzzled face. Her face was covered with hives, her cheeks were swollen, and she couldn’t even breathe properly, let alone speak. Although her life was saved thanks to the treatment of her emergency team, the after effects of allergies were still lingering on her body.

Kim Joo-seong lightly rubbed Oh Min-young’s arm and said.

“Are you okay. It will get better.”

And, Kim Joo-seong found a black spider pattern shimmering very faintly on the wrists of all the students. He turned his head hastily. A crystal ball of the same light glowed faintly in his back alley.

“Uh, Mom… !”

Then, Kim Jin-pyo, who was sitting next to Oh Min-young and worried about her, suddenly started crying and looking for her mother.

“Ji, I want to go home…”

Sequentially, all the other students were falling into depression and lethargy. Kim Joo-seong felt a strange sense of uplift in this situation. She liked the version, perfectly designed for herself.

He could feel The sound of small monsters running from beyond the bush. And having someone’s buff wrap around his body.

“Guys. Are you okay.”

Kim Joo-sung said in a calm voice. The fearless students looked at Kim Joo-seong in unison. He momentarily used his powers to inflate his body, then said:

“Because I will protect you. Let’s all go into the building.”