TRKLG 09

Chapter 09

“Grrrr…!”

Red-Eyed Wolves were troublesome monsters that even average D-rank hunters struggled to deal with.

They possessed exceptional mobility, powerful attack strength, and on top of that, they fought in packs.

If three attacked at once, an E-rank like Hajun would normally be overwhelmed before he could even react.

But Hajun didn’t hesitate—instead, he lunged straight toward the pack.

The method for a smaller number to fight a larger one was surprisingly simple.

‘Limit their movement and create one-on-one situations.’

In that instant, Hajun concentrated mana into his legs.

And then—

Bang!

With explosive speed, he dug into the flank of the wolf pack.

“Yelp!?”

The wolves charging head-on tried to twist their bodies in surprise, but with their momentum already built up, it wasn’t easy.

Their sides were completely exposed.

And with their movement paths blocked, it had turned into a perfect one-on-one situation.

Without delay, Hajun plunged his dagger into the nearest wolf’s side.

Thud—!

The blade sank deep, tearing through flesh—

Then slid smoothly, cleaving the wolf’s body clean in two.

‘That’s one.’

The moment he cut down the first—

The second wolf kicked off the air and lunged toward Hajun’s neck.

“Grrraaaah—!”

It was the Red-Eyed Wolf’s typical attack pattern: bite the prey’s throat at high speed and end it instantly.

But Hajun didn’t panic.

With a single step, he slipped past its fangs.

At the same time, his dagger drew a clean arc through the air.

Slash—!

The wolf’s neck was torn open, and its head flew off.

‘That’s two.’

But it wasn’t over yet.

Before Hajun even finished off the second wolf, the third was already charging from his blind spot.

‘Predictable.’

As if he had anticipated this exact moment, Hajun curled his lips slightly.

His dagger was already positioned along the wolf’s attack path—

But unfortunately, the frenzied beast didn’t notice.

And then—

The wolf impaled its own heart on Hajun’s blade as it lunged forward, meeting its end.

Baek Yujin stood in the monitor room, arms crossed, watching Hajun’s test.

The rookies who had taken the test today were, overall, disappointing.

It was hard to find anyone “worth using,” and even those who seemed decent didn’t show clear potential for growth.

She had been slightly interested in Hajun, but at the end of the day, he was just an E-rank.

She hadn’t expected much in terms of combat ability.

But then—

“Kieeeek—!”

An E-rank rookie—one who hadn’t even received his hunter license yet—

Captured a fleeting moment and precisely struck a goblin’s weak point.

And he did it with an indifferent expression, as if it were nothing.

Baek Yujin’s eyes wavered.

‘…What is he?’

This wasn’t just about defeating a goblin.

He had perfectly read the goblin’s movement and timing, dodging and counterattacking in one seamless motion.

It was so clean and composed it could be put in a textbook.

Despite clearly being an E-rank rookie, there was an odd sense of composure about him.

Her gaze changed.

‘I think I need to watch him a little more….’

There was no reason to hesitate.

Yujin immediately approached a staff member.

“Please summon the next monster.”

“…Pardon? But the test is already over.”

“Excuse me, can’t you see he’s not even out of breath?”

As Yujin glared sharply, the staff member looked troubled.

But she had no intention of backing down.

“What kind of test is this supposed to be?”

“Well… if something goes wrong—”

“What do you mean ‘goes wrong’? They’re just holograms. No one’s getting hurt.”

“……”

The staff exchanged uneasy glances.

Seizing the moment, Yujin pressed further.

“Come on, this is frustrating. Why are we doing this test in the first place? Isn’t it just so the Association can funnel rookies into guilds and collect fees?”

“W-Well, even so…”

“Please. If anything happens, just say I forced it. An A-rank hunter told you to do it—how could a regular employee refuse? I’ll take full responsibility.”

Baek Yujin.

Head of Talent Acquisition for Baekhwa, the 9th-ranked guild in the country, and the only granddaughter of the Baekhwa Group—one of the top conglomerates in Korea.

The Association had never really refused her requests before.

But she had never been this forceful either.

After a brief hesitation, the staff member reluctantly placed a hand on the panel.

“…Sigh. Then I know nothing about this. Two goblins should be enough, right?”

“No. Three Red-Eyed Wolves, please.”

“…Excuse me? Those are D-rank monsters. Three of them?”

“It’s fine.”

According to Association rules, summoning monsters above a candidate’s rank during evaluation was strictly prohibited.

But the person making the request was an A-rank hunter—and Baekhwa’s heir.

Refusing her might cause even bigger trouble.

“…Sigh… I really know nothing about this.”

Yujin smiled softly, as if she had expected that answer.

“Of course.”

As the staff operated the panel—

Crackle!

The hologram device activated, distorting the space.

And then—

“Grrrrrr…!”

Three wolves with black fur and glowing red eyes appeared, immediately charging at Hajun.

These weren’t like the goblins from before.

Faster, more aggressive, and capable of coordinated attacks.

Even D-rank hunters hesitated to face them—yet three had been summoned.

Watching from the test room, the staff whispered nervously.

“Um… is this really okay?”

“Even if they’re holograms… this is too much for an E-rank…”

But the one who caused all this didn’t seem concerned at all.

“I said it’s fine. They’re just holograms. He won’t get hurt.”

Yujin’s eyes gleamed as she stared at the screen.

‘…Alright, Kang Hajun. Show me what you’ve got.’

Hajun casually rotated his wrist, adjusting his grip on the dagger.

And the next moment—

Bang!

His body shot forward like a bullet.

Instead of taking a defensive stance, he charged straight into the wolves.

Yujin’s eyebrow twitched slightly.

‘Fast. Definitely not E-rank level.’

He accelerated again, slipping into the wolves’ flank.

Whoosh—!

His dagger traced a smooth arc and plunged into a wolf’s side.

“Yelp!”

Moments later—

The wolf’s body split in half and collapsed.

Yujin’s eyes widened.

‘Wait… that speed just reached C-rank levels!’

Did he awaken a speed-type ability?

Holding her breath, she continued watching.

The remaining two wolves coordinated, attacking Hajun from front and back—

But in the blink of an eye, one lost its head.

Then the last had its heart pierced.

A seamless flow of movement.

Perfect. Not a single flaw.

“…This is insane.”

Everyone watching stared at the screen, speechless.

Even talented rookies usually fought clumsily.

That wasn’t a matter of talent—it was experience.

There were gaps that talent alone couldn’t bridge.

But this man was different.

‘He’s… incredibly skilled in combat….’

Creating one-on-one situations against multiple enemies.

Reading ahead and responding accordingly.

His clean, efficient movements resembled a veteran who had spent decades on the battlefield.

‘And he’s a rookie…?’

Gulp. Impossible.

Baek Yujin instinctively realized—

If she let him slip away now, Baekhwa would regret it for a long time.

The final part of the test was a personality assessment.

Dungeons were completely cut off from the outside world—a legal blind spot where crimes occurred frequently.

So it was necessary to determine whether an applicant posed a risk of committing serious crimes inside a dungeon.

The assessment was merely a formality for that purpose.

After completing everything, a staff member called Hajun’s name in the waiting room.

“Kang Hajun’s hunter rank is E.”

A calm announcement.

Most new hunters would feel disappointed or complain at this point.

But despite receiving the lowest rank, Hajun’s reaction was indifferent.

‘E-rank.’

The lowest tier in the hunter world, where one could barely be treated as human inside dungeons.

But Hajun didn’t care.

After all, it was only a matter of time before he reached the top.

“Please sign here to complete the registration.”

It was a document outlining basic rules and obligations.

Hajun signed without hesitation.

After verifying everything, the staff handed him a license card.

“Congratulations on officially becoming a hunter, Kang Hajun.”

A hunter ID.

A small plastic card.

Hajun quietly stared at it.

At the top, the Association’s official mark was engraved, along with his name and rank.

The staff continued with the necessary instructions.

“Before you begin your activities, there are a few required procedures. First, you must complete about two weeks of safety training before entering dungeons.”

“I see.”

Though he already knew, Hajun responded politely.

“Yes, dungeons are very dangerous places.”

The staff smiled and continued.

“That’s why the Association provides basic dungeon knowledge, hazard response methods, and other essential training. After completing the course, you’ll also need to finish practical training before being approved to enter gates.”

Hajun nodded.

It was a hassle, but necessary to reduce accidents.

When he left the waiting room and entered the training center, several newly registered hunters were already gathered.

They were all there for safety training.

As Hajun joined them—

“Kang Hajun, do you have a moment?”

Someone called out, stopping him in his tracks.