TRGBH 08

[Entering Stage 11.]

Ah! This feels strange. I actually made it to Stage 11…

At this point, even if I do no better, my result should be in the top 1% of all the participants. Honestly, I feel like I’ve been climbing far too easily. I simply put a Puppet Needle into every monster that appeared, then killed time while waiting for the skill’s cooldown before moving on to the next stage. It was almost too easy.

Still… after struggling in this world for 20 years, then returning to the past without even remembering a single lottery number, shouldn’t I at least be allowed this much?

Anyway, right in front of me, the gatekeeper of Stage 11 was spreading its wings wide and opening its sharp beak as it let out a threatening cry.

“Kieeeek!”

——————————

【Red-Crested Cockatrice】

【Level】: 17

【Performance Score】: 8,000

——————————

A Cockatrice…

It was an absurdly strong opponent for a rookie who had only awakened two days ago. Honestly, even I wasn’t confident that I could survive fighting it head-on.

Considering the difference in level between the Cockatrice and me, even getting close enough to stick a Puppet Needle into it would be dangerous.

But I wasn’t alone.

“Go. Tarantula!”

At my command, the Giant Tarantula sprayed a huge web forward. The Cockatrice shot into the air as if it were flying, easily avoiding the web, then immediately flapped its short wings and charged at the Tarantula with its claws extended.

“Kieeeeeeek!”

My precious Tarantula quickly flipped its body over and sprayed another web.

The Cockatrice sliced through the web with its blade-like claws and charged forward. Before long, the two huge monsters became entangled in a fierce battle.

The Cockatrice repeatedly pecked at the Tarantula with its long beak, which was like a spear. The Tarantula curled up its eight legs, gripping its opponent while continuously spraying webs.

Good! That’s enough!

I didn’t want either of them to get hurt.

While the Cockatrice was distracted fighting the Tarantula, I moved behind it and stuck a Puppet Needle into its tail.

The Cockatrice stopped attacking and raised its head. Its eyes rolled around before finally stopping on me.

“Kkiruk?”

Welcome.

My friend.

“Welcome, my friend.”

[Entering Stage 12.]

Who will appear this time?

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【Blood Bear】

【Level】: 18

【Performance Score】: 12,000

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“GROOOOAAAR!”

A bear as large as a house, its entire body covered in blood-red fur, raised both paws and threatened me.

As if protecting its master, the Giant Tarantula quickly stepped in front of me.

A moment later, the Cockatrice, which had been outside the arena, flew back onto the dueling ground and stood beside the Tarantula.

“Grrr…”

The Blood Bear seemed to realize that something about the current situation was not normal.

Perhaps feeling pressured by being outnumbered, it closed its mouth and slowly began backing away.

Seeing that, my two puppets confidently stepped forward.

The Blood Bear was eventually pushed all the way to the edge of the arena.

As if its pride would no longer allow it to retreat any further, it let out a long roar and charged forward.

That’s right! That’s how it should be!

I’ll remember your courage!

“Coca! Taran! Move out! Don’t hurt each other, so take it easy!”

In an instant, the three giant monsters became tangled together in battle.

The 25m x 25m arena quickly felt cramped.

Even though the stages were getting harder, controlling more monsters with my puppetry made defeating them much easier.

Soon, I was able to stick a Puppet Needle into the Blood Bear’s butt.

“Grr?”

“Welcome, Blood Bear. From now on, you’re under Kim Daram.”

Very smooth.

It hadn’t even taken five minutes to enter Stage 12 and subdue the Blood Bear.

I could open the reward chest and immediately move on to the next stage, but I wanted to stay here a little longer and say goodbye to the Giant Tarantula.

I could use a total of three Puppet Needles at the same time. I always kept one of them in reserve.

Then I would use it on the gatekeeper of the next stage.

That was my strategy.

“At this rate, I might be able to clear as many stages as I want without any trouble.”

The monsters would become stronger as the stages increased. But I would also have the two gatekeepers from the previous stages at my side, so I wouldn’t be lacking in combat power at all.

“Could I end up becoming the first person to clear this stage?”

Although the stage used for the Hunter Selection Evaluation was classified as safe, there had never been an official clear record.

The stage also didn’t allow re-entry. And unless one benefited from the Easter Egg, there simply wasn’t enough reason to risk one’s life pushing through the stages.

On the other hand, for 19-year-old Awakened who received the Easter Egg’s benefits, the difficulty was practically impossible to overcome.

A little later, the effect of the Puppet Needle stuck into the Giant Tarantula ended.

The Tarantula wandered around me with a confused expression, and I quietly waved goodbye.

The Tarantula raised one of its legs and waved back as if saying goodbye.

Then it disappeared.

Good job, Taran.

Take care.

Now it was time for Stage 13.

More than ten hours had passed since all the participants entered the evaluation stage.

During that time, nearly five thousand participants had returned from the stage to reality.

But the border marking the stage entrance area was still glowing bright blue.

That meant the stage had not yet ended.

It also meant that there were still participants climbing the stages inside.

Last year’s winner of the Hunter Selection Evaluation had remained inside the stage for 10 hours and 7 minutes.

The winner at the time, Seo Yerin, had opened a total of 14 reward chests before returning to reality.

Her record was far better than the records of previous years.

But now, the electronic display hanging from the dome ceiling showed that 10 hours and 30 minutes had passed since the stage opened.

At the same time, a quiet sense of anticipation began to grow among the Hunter Association officials.

Something unusual might really happen this year.

Seonggijapsnida: Why hasn’t the light turned off? Does that mean someone is still inside? It’s already been more than 10 hours and 30 minutes! Could someone from this year’s group actually break the leader’s record?

Goun Mal Goun Maeum: Idiot, don’t get so excited for nothing. Do you think Stage 14 is child’s play? I think both the participant and the monster are probably incapacitated. That’s why the stage hasn’t closed yet.

Samdae Dokja: Please know what you’re talking about before saying something. Basically, each stage has a one-hour time limit, and once that time passes, the participant is automatically moved to the next stage.

Samdae Dokja: Even if both the participant and the monster became incapacitated, the participant would automatically move to the next stage and be killed by the newly appearing gatekeeper.

Samdae Dokja: Then the stage would end. Who is calling whom an idiot… How embarrassing. Really embarrassing.

Goun Mal Goun Maeum: Yes, thank you very much for explaining that so clearly.

Goun Mal Goun Maeum: But seriously, can’t you tell me who you are? I’ll give you some fruit. Let’s meet sometime.

Samdae Dokja: Even if you call it fruit, all you have is lukewarm mud-flavored fruit. I’d rather get assimilated. How am I supposed to eat that?

Goun Mal Goun Maeum: You… you bastard… How did you even know that…

HealerNikka Mosyeogayo: So that means there’s still someone climbing the stages? Wow, that’s amazing!

Samdae Dokja: A total of 5,024 people have returned to reality so far. Whoever comes out next, I cautiously predict they will be the last.

Goun Mal Goun Maeum: Don’t bullshit me. You counted all of them?

Samdae Dokja: Anyone with eyes can do it. Can you not even see anymore?

Goun Mal Goun Maeum: Hoo… Wait. Someday we’ll meet. When that day comes, we’ll see.

Samdae Dokja: I’m already looking at you right now, though?

Goun Mal Goun Maeum: You bastard! Where are you?!

Seonggijapsnida: Oh! Someone’s coming out! Whoa, but that person is completely covered in blood…

In the center of the empty dome, a participant appeared, covered in blood from head to toe.

He was clutching a blood-red greatsword in one hand and breathing heavily.

It was none other than Sajeil.

Sajeil realized that he had left the stage and deactivated the greatsword in his hand.

He had lost so much blood that he had no strength left in his body.

It seemed it would take at least a week for him to recover to his original condition.

“Still… I made it past Stage 14.”

That was the same record set by Sajeil’s father, Sahido, the current guild leader of the Death Sentence Guild.

In fact, Sajeil had intended to surpass his father’s record somehow and clear Stage 15.

But the gatekeeper that appeared in Stage 15 was a Minotaur nearly four meters tall.

It was an opponent he simply couldn’t defeat.

After exchanging several blows, he had escaped outside the arena as if running for his life, barely managing to survive.

Looking back, it had been the right choice.

Far away, he could see the staff members and emergency medical personnel waiting outside the entrance area, running toward him.

“Yes, hurry up and come take care of me. I am the Stage 14 achiever who will carry the future of South Korea.”

But something was strange.

The blue light surrounding the stage entrance area was still glowing.

As far as Sajeil knew, once the last participant returned, that blue light should immediately disappear.

“What? Don’t tell me…”

Just then, another participant appeared a short distance away from Sajeil.

His entire body was covered in blazing flames like armor.

He looked left and right, examining the place where he had appeared.

Then, apparently realizing that he was in a safe area, he collapsed onto the ground.

The flames covering his entire body soon disappeared as if they had been washed away.

What remained in their place was a small man with his hair dyed bright yellow.

“Th-that bastard…”

Sajeil’s eyes widened.

Wasn’t that the little kid who had been beside Kim Daram?

“That guy lasted longer in the stage than me?”

Unable to contain himself, Sajeil strode toward him.

Then he suddenly asked,

“How many stages?”

“Whoa! You’re Psycho Sajeil?”

The guy provoked him with an innocent expression.

But Sajeil held himself back so he could continue the conversation.

“Yes. My name is Sajeil.”

“I’m Lee Hasol.”

“I’m not asking for introductions. I’m asking how many stages you reached.”

“Me? I came out at Stage 16.”

Sajeil could no longer hold himself back.

“That makes no sense! You cleared Stage 15?”

Sajeil grabbed Lee Hasol by the collar and lifted him into the air.

Lee Hasol simply hung there without putting up much resistance, staring straight at Sajeil.

He remembered what Kim Daram had told him.

“Don’t start trouble, and don’t accept trouble from others.”

Daram was right.

Something like this wasn’t worth getting involved in.

He could just ignore it.

Just then, an old man with a white beard and a strong, athletic build leaned in from the side and suddenly asked,

“Boy, what did the one who came out of Stage 16 look like?”

Lee Hasol answered honestly.

“He had a lizard head. He was a little taller than me, and he had a sword and a shield… He was much stronger than any of the monsters that came before him.”

“I see. We call those Lizardmen. They have intelligence similar to humans. Depending on the individual, some can possess strength comparable to that of our Awakened. You did well to return safely without getting hurt while facing such a creature. Thank you.”

The old man patted Lee Hasol’s head affectionately.

Then he looked at Sajeil, who was still holding Lee Hasol by the collar.

“You did well too, boy. How many people in South Korea do you think have surpassed Stage 14 immediately after becoming Awakened? You have every right to be proud.”

“Che.”

Sajeil released Lee Hasol’s collar and stepped back.

Anyone who had chosen being a Hunter as their profession couldn’t possibly fail to recognize that old man’s face.

The staff members running from behind spotted the old man and quickly bowed.

“Chairman!”

“Yeah, yeah. Come on over. These two will become the pillars of the South Korean Hunter world in the future. Make sure they receive proper care and recover well.”

“Yes, sir!”

The medical staff rushed over and began checking Sajeil and Lee Hasol’s conditions.

Sajeil let them treat him and relaxed his stiff muscles.

Even if what the yellow-haired kid said was true, it was only a difference of one stage.

And that was nothing more than taking one step ahead at the starting line.

That single step would not determine the result of a race that lasted a lifetime.

Don’t dwell on it anymore.

Sajeil desperately tried to calm himself.

Then the Chairman’s voice, speaking with the executives, reached Sajeil’s ears.

“But you know, it seems there’s still one person left inside. This year really is a bumper crop. A bumper crop indeed. I can’t help but think all this is because I’ve accumulated good deeds little by little over the years. Don’t you agree? Hahaha!”

What?

Sajeil hurriedly turned his head.

“Crazy…”

The blue light around the entrance area was still shining brightly.

“There’s still one person left?”

For an instant, a single person flashed through Sajeil’s mind.

“…Kim Daram.”

Sajeil clenched his fists with all his strength.

He had to struggle with everything he had to suppress the murderous aura boiling inside him.