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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: The Iron Man
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Nearly a fortnight had passed since then, but Kang-jun's life was much the same, a repetition of his usual routine.
*Thwack, thwack-thwack-!*
The 'Black and White Twin Fiends,' who had been turned into undead by Kang-jun, were relentlessly driving Bong-gu into a corner with a flurry of coordinated attacks.
But just a few days ago,
Bong-gu, who had seemed utterly helpless and only capable of taking hits, had undergone a slight yet distinct change.
"See? Learning by getting hit is the fastest way."
Where he would have once taken all ten blows, he could now dodge or block about half of them.
He even feigned a counterattack from time to time. This was what one could call 'progress by leaps and bounds.'
"Let's call it a day for training."
As Kang-jun finished speaking and extended a hand toward the Black and White Twin Fiends, black hands once again shot up from beneath their feet, growing like vines.
*Swoosh...*
The hands eventually engulfed the brothers' bodies, forming the shape of a coffin before sinking into the ground and vanishing.
Bong-gu, who had been panting with his hands on his knees, turned to Kang-jun with a pale face and asked.
"I think we've only done about half of what we usually do."
"The exam is tomorrow. You need to conserve your energy."
With a short sigh of "Ah..." Bong-gu paused before adding in a self-deprecating tone.
"I still don't feel ready for the exam. Why does time fly so fast...?"
"When you get down to it, this is all because of your lack of talent and skill. Who else is there to blame?"
Kang-jun patted Bong-gu's shoulder lightly and added nonchalantly.
"Let's go. I'm hungry."
Though his words might have sounded blunt, Kang-jun actually believed Bong-gu had improved tremendously over the past two months of training.
He was confident that Bong-gu would not only avoid embarrassing himself in the promotion exam but would also achieve quite a respectable score.
"Brother, by the way, did you give her the winning lottery ticket?"
"No," Kang-jun replied, scratching the back of his head.
"Truth is, I've been putting it off because I'm not sure how to bring it up to my sister, so I still haven't..."
"It's not a good luck charm. How long are you going to hold onto it?"
"I was thinking of telling her around Christmas. It's just around the corner."
Bong-gu nodded and replied.
"Oh, that sounds like a good idea. It'll be a Christmas your sister will never forget."
"Right?"
"By the way, shouldn't you start thinking about Seol-i's gift? You'll need to think carefully ahead of time to get something proper."
"A gift?"
"Kids Seol-i's age wait for Christmas all year, right? I know I used to do that every year..."
Kang-jun narrowed his eyes slightly and asked.
"Hey, don't tell me you got Seol-i a Christmas present too."
"Come on, she's my one and only niece. Of course, I got her something nice."
"Then give me a little hint about what you got."
"Are you worried I might have gotten her a better gift?"
Kang-jun scoffed and replied.
"Hey, as if I have a reason to be worried about you. You probably just got her some trendy toy..."
Bong-gu tilted his head slightly and asked.
"Sounds like you have a gift in mind already."
Kang-jun nodded once, a faint smirk playing on his lips as he answered quietly.
"Of course. I have something truly incredible in mind..."
After speaking, Kang-jun let out a low chuckle and added.
"Anyway, don't overthink things today. Just eat a hearty meal and get plenty of rest. You need to conserve your energy, right?"
In a dark, secret chamber, Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in D minor, the 'Choral,' played softly and serenely.
"I heard that even the Black and White Twin Fiends' fates are unknown."
The words came from a man sitting on a throne-like chair, his face obscured by the hood of his robe, listening to the music.
Though the hood concealed most of his face, it couldn't hide the red glow emanating from his eyes.
The robed man leading the Anti-Bureau Alliance was known only by the title 'The Leader'; nothing else about him was known.
The Anti-Bureau Alliance was a group formed by those captivated by the power of this man called 'The Leader' and the will of the god he served.
*'Behind me stands an omnipotent being known as the 'Dethroned King of Death.'*
*'He desires a world where the strong rule over all, a world of natural order...'*
*'To those who contribute to creating this new world in accordance with His will, I promise great glory in the future.'*
The Leader tapped the armrest of his throne with a bony finger and added.
"Trying to catch a single ornamental minnow cost me four of my precious and talented brothers..."
His voice was so chilling it made one's brow furrow, like the sound of fingernails scraping with all their might against a chalkboard.
However...
'The Shadow,' the highest-ranking of the twelve executives kneeling before him, replied nonchalantly as if it didn't bother him at all.
"Leader, all preparations for tomorrow's great undertaking are complete. Would you please clarify your decision?"
The robed man nodded a few times and replied in a low, soft voice.
"The plan remains unchanged."
He then added in a whisper, a faint smile on his lips.
"Is the omnipotent 'Dethroned King of Death' not assisting us in every way possible to help us realize our will?"
The symphony's tempo began to quicken...
"Proceed as planned. In the gathering of the ignorant and weak humans tomorrow, perform the forbidden ritual granted by the 'Dethroned King of Death'."
It was finally reaching its climax.
— Freude, freude, schöner Götterfunken! Götterfunken!
- Joy, joy, beautiful divine spark! Divine spark!
- Tochter aus Elysium!
- Daughter of Elysium!
- Freude! Freude! schöner Götterfunken! Götterfunken!
- Joy, joy, beautiful divine spark! Divine spark!
Everything would proceed according to the will of the god he served.
A faint smile on his face, he trembled.
He was certain that the world his god desired was drawing near.
Just then.
A sinister voice echoed in his mind.
- I must have revenge on 'Immortal,' who took my throne, my people, my lands, my body, and my power...
It was a divine oracle.
- Child, you must avenge me against the one who took everything from me...
Though he couldn't fully comprehend the oracle's message.
- Therefore, you must use the 'forbidden ritual' to secure more soldiers, build our forces, and offer more sacrifices to help me regain my strength...
He could clearly feel the piercing resentment within it.
The promotion exam, held twice a year, was a massive event that captured the nation's attention.
The proceedings were broadcast live on several major TV channels, and countless people traveled great distances to watch in person.
As a result, the lobby of the Bureau's Seoul Branch, the venue for this exam, was packed to the brim with a massive crowd.
*Gulp...*
Bong-gu unconsciously swallowed dryly, looking around like a country mouse who had just arrived in Seoul.
"Wow, this is insane..."
While most seemed to be 'ordinary spectators,' famous figures one would typically only see in the media were scattered among them.
From so-called ranker-level Hunters to agents from major domestic and international guilds on recruitment missions.
"Man, I'm getting nervous for no reason."
Just then, Crabslie, who had insisted on coming along, offered some serious advice.
"If you don't get nervous and just perform as you usually do, I am certain you will achieve a satisfactory result."
Kang-jun nodded a few times in agreement and added nonchalantly.
"Yeah, just do exactly twice as well as you did in training."
"What? Not half as well as in training?"
"If you can only do half as well as you did in training, are you even human?"
Bong-gu grunted, "Urgh..." and looked at the registration desk in the distance.
"Well, I'm off to register."
Kang-jun turned to Crabslie and spoke.
"We should head to the arena and find our seats."
"Yes, Jugun."
"I think they said the arena was in the basement..."
The promotion exam was divided into two parts: a 'physical ability test' conducted privately in an internal testing area, and a PvP combat tournament held publicly in a large arena.
Of course, the sole reason so many people paid for expensive tickets to come here was for the 'PvP combat tournament.'
It was one of the few opportunities to witness the spectacular and thrilling 'battles between Awakeners' firsthand, which were incomparable to most sporting events.
For that reason, it wasn't uncommon to see families who seemed to have come to watch together scattered throughout the building...
Snack corners selling various treats and drinks, as well as souvenir booths selling figurines and posters of famous Hunters, were set up everywhere for them.
*'It's practically a festival.'*
Kang-jun was walking along, engrossed in looking at the merchandise displayed at the various booths, when...
"Jugun?"
At Crabslie's call, Kang-jun finally lifted his head to look in front of him.
*Thump-!*
A large man walking from the opposite direction bumped into Kang-jun and fell flat on his back.
"Ughhh..."
The man, who had landed hard on his rear, was groaning with a frown when...
"Jeez, watch where you're going..."
At Kang-jun's blunt remark, the large man raised a hand and replied softly.
"My apologies. I was lost and looking at the map in the pamphlet, so I didn't see where I was going..."
As he was speaking, the man suddenly muttered, "Huh?"
He looked up at Kang-jun with a blank expression, tilting his head in thought.
*'Did I fall down?'*
In terms of pure physical strength, he was a man who wouldn't lose to any Hunter, not just in the country but in the entire world.
S-Rank Hunter, ranked 6th.
Iron Man, Go Du-yeol.
Kang-jun started to walk past him, but the man quickly dusted himself off, stood up, and asked again.
"Did I just fall down?"
"Can't you tell by looking?"
"Right, I definitely fell..."
Then, muttering "But how..." Go Du-yeol quickly closed the distance and asked cautiously.
"Why exactly did I fall down?"
"I think you just hit your head."
"No, this doesn't make any sense..."
"I recommend you go see a doctor."
As Kang-jun tried to walk away again, the man quickly blocked his path and asked.
"You seem like a strong fellow. How about a test of strength with me?"
At that, Kang-jun stared at Go Du-yeol for a moment with contempt, as if looking at a madman.
"Why would I?"
Stunned into silence, Go Du-yeol's lips moved wordlessly for a moment before he asked as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Because when two strong men meet on a narrow bridge, they must naturally determine who is superior through a contest. Isn't that obvious?"
He then suddenly started pounding his chest like a gorilla, continuing in an agitated tone.
"A contest between two strong men, beads of sweat pouring down, and the friendship that blossoms from it!"
At his words, Kang-jun sighed.
*'This guy is completely nuts.'*
No matter how he looked at it, the man was clearly not in his right mind.
"How dare-!"
Unable to watch any longer, Crabslie stepped forward.
"It's fine, it's fine."
Kang-jun placated him and then asked Go Du-yeol.
"What do you want me to do?"
From past experience, he knew that this type of person (*the not-in-their-right-mind type*) never gave up until you played along.
They would cling to him like a leech until then, so he decided it was better to just humor him and get it over with.
"I knew you were a true man."
Go Du-yeol replied, his voice filled with emotion, as he suddenly raised a hand the size of a pot lid and asked cautiously.
"Friend, have you ever heard of a 'slapping contest'?"
"Hmm, a contest to see who's the bigger idiot, I presume."
"It's a contest for real men to determine their manliness."
Kang-jun asked.
"So you're asking me to play that moronic game now?"
"Yes, I want to see who's better with a 'slapping contest'."
"So how do you play this moronic game?"
"It's a simple contest where we take turns slapping each other's cheeks."
"The first one to fall or give up loses, right?"
"You catch on quick," Go Du-yeol replied, raising his index finger.
"There are too many eyes here. Shall we go somewhere quiet?"
Kang-jun nodded in response, and Go Du-yeol said, "This way," leading him to a deserted spot right in front of the machine room door on the lowest floor.
"This should be a good spot."
"Who goes first?"
"I'll yield to my junior."
"Junior?" Kang-jun repeated. Go Du-yeol nodded and continued.
"You look like a rookie Hunter whose name isn't known yet. If you can withstand even one of my attacks, I'll even write you a letter of recommendation."
"A letter of recommendation to the National Idiot Association?"
"This friend, the more I see of him, the more I like him. If I could bench press with you every day, that would truly be a successful life."
He finished speaking and looked at Kang-jun with a profound gaze, continuing in a serious tone.
"I will write you a letter of recommendation for 'Solitad,' the prestigious guild representing the Republic of Korea, where I serve as Vice Guild Master. You'll likely be granted the incredible privilege of joining Solitad, skipping all the usual procedures."
To that, Kang-jun replied, "I don't need that," and dusted off his hands.
"You said I could go first, so I'm going first, right?"
"Hahaha, please, hit me with all your might."
"Not just a regular hit, but with all my might?"
"Yes, use every last ounce of your strength!"
Go Du-yeol slapped his own cheeks—*slap! slap!*—and said triumphantly.
"Junior, bring the heat!"
Kang-jun muttered, "Hmm, I hope this doesn't kill him," and immediately raised his palm high...
Go Du-yeol, instinctively sensing something was wrong, licked his suddenly dry lips.
*'D-don't tell me I'm scared right now...?'*
For a moment, Kang-jun's palm seemed as vast as a great mountain in Go Du-yeol's eyes.
"If you die, it's not my fault, okay?"
"H-hey..."
"Open your mouth and you'll lose all your teeth."
"W-wait..."
Having said his piece, Kang-jun swung his raised palm with all his strength.
