After completing the measurement test, Lee Jin Wook came over to the private waiting room before the practical test, sat down, clenched his fist, and glared at the name written on the monitor.

“Choi Yu Seong.”

The voice that called the name was low.

Lee Jin Wook was a troublemaker.

It could be said that it was inevitable, considering his family situation.

His father was a third-rate gangster, his mother was a prostitute.

In such a situation, it was a great job to go through from ordinary elementary and middle schools to high school by himself.

However, Lee Jin Wook caused many accidents in the process.

It started to worsen in elementary school.

He hit friends who he didn’t like at school, and when he got into a quarrel, he just bit back and fought. When he needed money, he chose a rather easy guy and took it away.

The level had changed since middle school.

His mother left the house, and his father became a violent drunkard.

Lee Jin Wook decided to leave the house by then.

Of course, he needed money.

It’s a lot of money, incomparable to before.

It was money that could no longer be solved by picking on a child’s nose.

He called a friend whom he had been bullying since elementary school and asked him to steal from his parents’ wallet.

There were rejections and rebellions, but it was also fun.

The resistance of his powerless and fearful friend only served as fuel for Lee Jin Wook’s violence.

When he couldn’t communicate with his fist, he threatened the victim with his family, parents, and younger sister as the excuse.

The pleasure of seeing a friend of the same age, covered with tears and a runny nose, gathering his hands together and pleading!

Lee Jin Wook felt as if he became the king of a small world.

He got quite a lot of money.

At that time, he learned what it meant to have money in a capitalist society. He had solved several requests of his friends who had a lot of money at school but wanted to live quietly.

Around the third year of middle school, one of the friends he beat ended up dying.

Lee Jin Wook, who thought of himself as a king, was frightened and visited the rich friend who had asked him to beat the dead friend.

The friend called someone as if he couldn’t be bothered, and the incident, which seemed terrifying, passed quietly.

From that day on, Lee Jin Wook became a servant, not a king.

Lee Jin Wook who had ran away from his father and started living alone.

When he became high school student, a friend who had played the role of his wallet since elementary school had committed suicide.

His suicide note was filled with sorrow, anger, and things he had suffered from Lee Jin Wook.

The suicide note catalyzed the outpour of different testimonies. Other students, who had been victims to Lee Jin Wook, allegedly talked about his evil deeds.

He was scared, but wouldn’t it be better than when he killed someone himself? He thought so, but this time the king did not help him.

The king looked as if he was annoyed and told him to solve his problems on his own.

He went to a juvenile detention center, which was a place he didn’t even go when he caused someone’s death, and he was already an adult when he was released.

It was a snowy day.

What should he do now?

School days were over.

Agonizing about it, he fell into the backstreet life and made a name for himself.

And one day a few years later, he became an Awakener.

When he was moved by a miracle he didn’t believe in the past, his king came to him.

‘Hey, there’s something you need to do.’

A king?

He thought he was no longer a servant as an Awakener.

He rushed.

It’s time to change his position.

However, he understood his position from the overwhelming power of another Awakener, who came out from the side of the King, and he knelt in front of him with his head buried on the stone floor.

‘Your head is a bit big. The dog doesn’t even recognize his owner.’

He didn’t even have a grand position like a servant.

He was just a hunting dog that follows its owner’s every whim.

After several days of terrible mental torture, he fully understood his situation.

And he knew what he had to do.

He had to destroy the king’s younger brother.

“Choi Yu Seong.”

He must be either killed or crippled within this exam.

As the practical exam of the Hunter exam itself was the last test before the actual hunting in the first place, the degree of serious injuries was so intense that it was considered ridiculous.

If broken or fractured limbs happened, the examiners did not intervene much.

This was because they think it’s better than going out in the actual battle and losing their life.

Of course, if someone intentionally caused excessive injuries or took another’s life, the story would be different.

The examiners who were watching won’t stay still.

Therefore, he should inflict fatal injuries as if he was trying to defeat Choi Yu Seong, between the examiners’ ambiguous line of intervention.

The automatic door of the waiting room opened when Lee Jin Wook hardened his resolve and ran a simulation in his head.

“Hey, Jin Wook-i.”

His owner, Choi Min Seok, who appeared with swaggering steps, called his name as if he was a neighborhood puppy.

“Yes, sir.”

“You will meet Choi Yu Seong unconditionally as planned. You know, right?

If the owner said so, then so be it.

He personally showed him that there was nothing that money couldn’t do in this world.

“It’s okay to fail the hunter exam. You didn’t forget what you had to do, right?

“I will do a good job.”

“I don’t think you’re going to lose to that brat Choi Yu Seong, but..”

Choi Min Seok smacked his lips lightly and took something shiny out of his arms.

“That..?

“Use this in case you think you’re going to fail.”

“But..”

“What? Are you worried about something?”

“Will it be all right?”

Lee Jin Wook talked in a small voice as if he was talking to himself then shook his head.

“Nothing, sir.”

Choi Min Seok was not the king of a small world like Lee Jin Wook in the past.

At least as far as Lee Jin Wook knew, he was a real king with enough power even in the vast world of society.

“Don’t worry about useless things and focus on your work. What’s your purpose?

“Choi Yu Seong’s death or irrecoverable injury.”

“This time, don’t be as stupid as before and do well. Jin Wook-i.”

Choi Min Seok, who patted him on the shoulder lightly, turned outside the automatic door.

‘What a moron.’

Lee Jin Wook’s thoughts were as obvious as seeing the fire.

He believed that Choi Min Seok would help somehow even if the situation grew bigger.

Choi Min Seok brainwashed him to think that way.

Therefore, he didn’t even know how stupid he was thinking.

‘Whether he’s an Irregular or whatever, to believe that he can be safe after touching a Choi. Tsk, tsk.’

Lee Jin Wook was still a child who didn’t know what the world was like.

If Choi Yu Seong was ruined, chances are,Choi Wu Jae would step in.

At that time, Choi Min Seok had to act like he never imagined that Lee Jin Wook would do that.

A piece of back alley organization and a wandering Awakener?

It wasn’t even a work to bury it.

It might be a bit of a fuss in many ways, but if he acted with tears and snots, even Choi Wu Jae would end the situation with only an appropriate punishment as if it couldn’t be helped.

After crippling Choi Yu Seong, the next would be Jin Yu Ri.

‘How dare you grab my weakness and threaten me? I’ll make you never think about raising your head again.’

After finishing the same family member, Choi Yu Seong, he thought it would not be too difficult to bury Jin Yu Ri by asking the sixth, Choi Byung Chan.

Of course, Jin Yu Ri seemed to have held many of his weaknesses, so it wasn’t without risk.

Choi Min Seok would definitely catch the fire himself.1

‘But it’s a hundred times better than to keep being humiliated by someone like Choi Yu Seong in the future!’

What he believed was that Choi Min Seok, who could still do his part, would be much more useful to Choi Wu Jae than Choi Yu Seong, who had already been ruined by then.

Choi Yu Seong, who failed to protect himself even though he was posed with a small threat, could bury everything due to his own mistake and Choi Min Seok would not suffer the same disgrace as before.

Of course, if the case of using Lee Jin Wook to kill Choi Yu Seong was revealed, it would be more difficult than expected, but he thought that would never happen.

As mentioned before, killing Lee Jin Wook who entered Awakener Prison?

‘It’s easier than lying down and eating a rice cake. Kekek.’

Lee Jin Wook, who was left alone in the waiting room without knowing what Choi Min Seok was thinking as he walked out, stared at the monitor again.

‘Choi Yu Seong.’

It was a name imprinted on the mind.

***

Among the starting 30 applicants, 22 had come for the last practical exam.

‘That’s even. There won’t be any trouble with the number of heads.’

Sitting in a private waiting room given to candidates who passed the written and measured exam, Choi Yu Seong nodded after looking at the names and numbers of successful candidates through a monitor hanging from the ceiling.

The practical exam also called the highlight2?of the Hunter exam, consisted of a battle between the examinees.

In the case of odd numbers, one of the active Hunters would serve as an examiner, and whether or not someone passed was not simply divided into winner and loser.

‘It’s literally to see if you’re capable enough to get into the dungeon and survive.’

Even if you lose, a license would be issued if they think you were sufficiently qualified to act as a Hunter.

Then, why was this practical exam called the highlight of the Hunter exam?

As known previously, there were no other external figures at the written exam site and the measurement exam site except for the examinees and examiners.

Until the exam was over, others couldn’t even know the results.

However, the practical exam had a very different story.

The practical exam would be held in a 1v1 match at a large circular stadium made of glass that was surrounded by mana barriers above the high walls, so everything could be seen from both ways.

Beyond the glass walls were Association officials, guild scouts, as well as a handful of selected reporters and renowned hunters who occasionally come due to curiosity or for some other personal reason.

Examinees would fight in their presence as if they had become monkeys inside the zoo, but this was not actually a bad thing for each other.

‘For the examinees’ side, there’s no reason to refuse if they can grow up by receiving scout offers from not only Association but also renowned guilds.’

If someone is recognized by figures such as the top ranker Sword Star who came unexpectedly, like Kim Do Jin’s case, their fame would soar to the sky.

Anyone in South Korea knew that the offers for Kim Do Jin, who was still working alone without belonging to any guild, were far beyond the level of a super rookie.

‘‘China, for example, is willing to give Kim Do Jin a house or anything if he immigrated.’

Any examinees who were aware of this phenomenon wanted to be seen here and receive a lot of attention to raise their ransom.

In the first place, the reason why they risked their lives to become a Hunter was because of money and fame.

As a result, it was beneficial for the guilds to witness and scout talented people first, as well as for the Association that received some profits while giving the right to observe various organizations and individuals, and finally for reporters who were searching for issues.

Since no one hated and wanted to be here, that was the reason why the practical exam was called the highlight of the Hunter exam.

The reason why the association gave individual waiting rooms to examinees for the practical exam in the first place was that if there was any guild who had paid attention to someone even before the sparring, there was already a prepared place to approach first.

After or before the sparring. Everyone knew that it was rather advantageous to mark as soon as possible if they were sure.

Unfortunately, however, no one came to see Choi Yu Seong.

Is it because they think he’s not good enough?

Of course not.

‘There’s the desire for sure. If they can somehow get me into their guild, they can carry the capital of Hyesung Group on their backs.’

Hyesung Group was one of the groups that did not add a Hunter guild to their affiliates even though they had a large number of quite powerful Awakeners.

In this situation, it was very meaningful to hold Choi Yu Seong, the ninth of the Choi family.

Even if his ability as a Hunter was infinitely insufficient, Choi Yu Seong would be a coveted talent for the guild, especially if they’re short of money.

However, they also know that the sweeter and the prettier the flower was, the more dangerous it was.

‘Because it hurts so much if you get stabbed with a thorn while trying to pick it up.’

In particular, if Choi Wu Jae moves directly, it would not be just a thorn.

A huge monster might swallow the guild whole, so they couldn’t reach out even if they’re scared.

Therefore, no one would come to Choi Yu Seong’s waiting room.

‘Because I told Jin Do Yun and Jin Yu Ri to tell them not to come here too.’

This was because he thought there was no need to come when they wouldn’t meet each other again after the practical exam was over.

Thinking so, while he was maintaining some tension and comfort, the door of Choi Yu Seong’s waiting room opened.

“Huh?”

The expression of Choi Yu Seong, who turned his head and confirmed the person beyond the door, changed into a mysterious look.

“Kim Do Jin?”

“Why, am I not welcome?”

“No, that’s not it.. There’s no reason for you to be here.”

At the end of Choi Yu Seong’s words, creases were formed between the two eyes of the heartless Kim Do Jin.

“I came here to see if I could help, but it was a waste of time.”

The moment Kim Do Jin turned his back without hesitation, Choi Yu Seong called him.

“Ah, maybe can you show me another skill?”

“..So you think I’m a clown, huh.”

“No way.”

Kim Do Jin, who did not know Choi Yu Seong’s ability, might think so. But of course, he wasn’t.

“Or do you have the ability to copy skills?”

“I don’t.”

“I was right.”

“No, I really don’t.”

“I think you do, though.”

“I said I don’t.”

“Righ-, no, that’s enough. I just need to believe what I want to believe.”

Kim Do Jin concluded with a deep sigh as if he thought the current situation was somewhat embarrassing while continuously responding to each other.

‘A sharp bastard.’

It was only from Choi Yu Seong’s perspective that his heart was in an eerie situation.

He deduced up to there with just a few words.

‘It’s scary since I shouldn’t be seen getting goosebumps. Protagonist bastard.’

Choi Yu Seong, who thought Kim Do Jin was too much without using predictive ability even though he was the main character, pouted his lips.

“We are supposed to see each other after this exam. Seriously, why are you here?”

Since the last meeting, Choi Yu Seong had not completely ignored Kim Do Jin whenever he reached out.

This was because he made promises and he felt that he could not cut off this relationship with him just by looking away.

Kim Do Jin was a tough returnee who survived and returned even after falling into another world and did not easily miss his prey.

From the beginning, it was natural that widening the distance would not work.

Kim Do Jin, who had a rather curt expression, painstakingly closed his lips but then spoke out.