The Dark Mage’s Return to Enlistment

Chapter 18: Let’s go for Corporal

“Ah… even though I keep telling myself not to be like that inside, I still get nervous when I face monsters…”

Dong-jin nodded with a discouraged expression.

A few minor comments were made, which in ordinary circumstances would have been enough to discourage a private.

“Your eyes seem to be accurate. Next time, I’ll shoot with you during PX.”

“No, I can help you with this kind of thing anytime.”

It was possible because it was Kim Min-joon, who had excellent training results.

“How much dungeon experience do you have, Private Dong-jin?”

“I’ve been to some dungeons… but the other seniors keep telling me to fall behind.”

At that, Dong-jin smiled bitterly.

‘No wonder my skills won’t improve. This is not his problem, but the problem with this unit.’

What’s the point of clearing a dungeon many times when you can’t even touch a monster?

“Private Dong-jin, please wait for me until I become a corporal. I’ll take care of you.”

“Really? I think I’ll be discharged before that. But thanks for saying that.”

Dong-jin lightly tapped Kim Min-joon’s shoulder and headed towards the barracks.

Time passed, and it was 6 a.m. when the hunters woke up with the voice of the duty officer and returned to the barracks after breakfast.

Today is Saturday, a day off.

The sergeants quickly changed out of their uniforms and went back to bed.

Kim Min-joon was waiting in combat gear at the barracks.

Ah, Hunters who are taking the promotion test in the 2nd platoon can assemble in front of the Yeonbyeongjang (Lieutenant) now! Once again, 2nd platoon…

Finally, it was the day to remove his private rank!

Kim Min-joon saluted the seniors and left the barracks.

***

“Okay! Line up by rank! Private first class, stand on the left! We don’t have time, so act quickly!”

“Yes, sir!”

About 50 hunters gathered in the training center.

Even if only 5 of them succeed in promotion, it would be a big deal considering the number of people taking the test.

The squad leader knew this fact, so he didn’t have high expectations.

“Today’s schedule is very tight! Don’t dawdle and move quickly, got it!”

“Yes, sir!”

The promotion exam was held from Saturday morning to night.

They had to finish the written and practical exams in just one day, and the exam location was in another unit.

“Take your seats.”

The military bus arrived, and the squad leader finished the headcount.

The exam location changed every time, and this time the promotion exam was scheduled to be held at a unit near Gapyeong.

“Hey, did you hear? The female hunters from the 4th company also took the promotion exam.”

“Really? Can we see their faces today?”

The atmosphere inside the bus was excited.

They heard that female hunters from the 4th company were also taking the promotion exam.

“Men are all the same, huh.”

Kim Min-joon snickered and started to solve the written exam questions.

“Sit in your designated seat and start the exam!”

Inside the written exam room, hunters sat in their designated seats and waited for the exam papers to be distributed.

Meanwhile, the men looked at the female hunters with curious eyes.

“Their appearance is definitely better in Korea.”

That was Kim Min-joon’s simple impression.

“We will now begin the written exam! If you’re caught cheating, you will be immediately disqualified. Got it?”

“Yes, sir!”

At 10 a.m., the written exam began.

The exam room was filled with the sound of pens scratching on paper.

“What? I heard the written exam was easy, but is it really like this?”

Kim Min-joon was surprised when he saw the exam questions.

[Question 2. What is a monster with the appearance of a bat with the size of a young child?]

WoodpeckerMiddle betBatmanEagleDesert eagle

It wasn’t just one problem, but most of the problems were like this.

“Who said it was similar to a driver’s license written test?”

This is much worse, isn’t it?

It was a waste of time studying for the written exam.

Even though the level was this low, it was amazing that the written exam passing rate was not 100%.

All the hunters submitted their test papers within 10 minutes.

“What is this? Jo Jung-wook? Hey! What the hell are you doing? Come forward now!”

“Private! Jo Jung-wook!”

“What if you fail the written test?”

“I’m sorry!”

The scoring was done immediately, but one failure came out like a ghost.

Other hunters looked at the hunter in shock.

Indeed, the statistics were accurate.

“Before we start the practical exam, the commander would like to say something!”

After completing the written exam, the hunters headed to the practical exam room.

When the actual exam began, including the judges, officers from other units also appeared.

The ranks of the judges were certainly high.

In addition, even the commander, who rarely appeared in the exam room, was there.

The hunters stood at attention, tense.

“Well. It’s the weekend, but thank you for working hard for the promotion exam. Everyone knows what the practical exam tests for, right?”

“Yes! That’s correct!”

“That’s right. The sergeants should know… Let’s see. There!”

The commander pointed to Kim Min-jun.

“Private! Kim Min-jun!”

He purposely sat in the corner, but somehow the commander noticed him.

“That’s right. This time, by special permission, Private Kim Min-jun will take the promotion exam. He was originally a Private, but was promoted to Private some time ago. Can you explain the types of practical exams?”

“Yes! The practical exam tests for primary weapon proficiency, stat tests, and finally, the ability to handle monsters in combat!”

Kim Min-jun replied in a loud voice that even the officers in the front row could hear.

“That’s right. The commander will be watching this time, so do your best.”

“Yes!”

“Understood!”

After the commander’s speech, the practical exam group was decided.

A team of six people.

As many hunters are taking the promotion exam, the teams are formed based on excluding the ability to deal with monsters.

“Let’s do well!”

“Yes, sir.”

The hunters who became a team with other hunters were full of enthusiasm.

“Don’t hesitate and prepare quickly!”

The wandering hunters quickly moved to the inspector’s line.

First, the stat test.

The strength, agility, and stamina are tested for each item, and the score is calculated.

“When the signal sounds, stand in front of the supervisor one by one, got it?”

“Yes!”

The supervisor in charge of strength was a sergeant and a high-ranking officer with a high strength stat.

“The score is measured depending on how far you push the supervisor who is positioned there.”

The perfect score is 100 points, and if you push the supervisor more than 10m, you get 100 points.

“Ugh…”

“0 points. You are disqualified.”

“I understand…”

The hunters used all their strength to push the supervisor, but he didn’t even move.

They were given only one minute.

If you receive less than 40 points in the strength section, you will be disqualified.

“10 points!”

“20 points!”

“20 points!”

The supervisor didn’t let any hunter off the hook and even pushed them back.

The lower the hunters’ performance scores in the promotion exam, the higher the actual score they receive.

“Next!”

Starting with the first team, none of the hunters passed the criteria up to the fourth team.

“Private Son Eun-seo, 50 points!”

Only a few hunters passed the criteria by a hair, and it was the 16th team’s turn.

Only one female hunter met the criteria.

“Wow… crazy. She’s really pretty.”

“Is she the one whose father is a division commander?”

“Is it the power of genetics? I envy her.”

“But why did she apply as a regular soldier instead of a officer?”

“That’s true.”

While the men murmured, they didn’t know what to do with the cold atmosphere emanating from her.

“Ugh. Look at those sharp eyes. I feel like I’ll die if I get closer.”

“Have you heard the rumor? The officers tried to mess with her and got badly beaten by her father, who is a division commander.”

“Those officers are crazy. How can they mess with her father as the division commander?”

Son Eun-seo returned to her seat and looked towards where the men were, specifically towards Kim Min-jun.

“What’s this? Did something get on my face?”

Kim Min-joon stood in front of his assigned spot, not paying much attention.

“40 trillion!”

Finally, it was his turn.

“Oh, standing close really shows off his muscles.”

After scanning the director’s muscles with his eyes, Kim Min-joon approached him.

“Was the standard 10 points at 10 meters?”

If I go over 10 meters, will I get bonus points?

“Huh!”

With the desire to get a perfect score in every event, Kim Min-joon pushed the director with all his might using both hands.

“Keeee!”

Koong!

The director couldn’t withstand the tremendous force and flew off into the air.

“Okay, he went all the way there.”

He flew a distance of about 50 meters.

Kim Min-joon patted his hands satisfactorily.

“What, what was that!”

“The director flew!”

“He…did it. Is that even possible?”

“I heard rumors, but he’s really a monster.”

The other hunters and officers who saw him were shocked.

“……”

Son Eun-seo also looked at Kim Min-joon’s back with a bewildered expression.

“Private First Class Kim Min-joon, 100 points! Excellent!”

A moment later, the director returned to his seat, dusting himself off and giving his evaluation.

“Wow…100 points for strength…is he even human?”

“Alright! Everyone quiet! We’re moving on to the agility section without a break!”

Before the atmosphere could become more tense, the examiner quickly moved on to the next test.

“Even if the projectiles fired here are rubber bullets, they still hurt a lot when hit, so stay alert!”

“Yes! Understood!”

In the agility section, rubber bullets fly at a slightly slower speed than real bullets.

Dodging them with the naked eye is naturally impossible.

The key was to predict the trajectory of the bullets and try to get hit as little as possible.

“Ah!”

“Ugh!”

Groups one to five couldn’t even last 30 seconds and were knocked out.

One hunter got hit in the head and started bleeding.

“No wonder the acceptance rate is so low.”

Dealing with monsters is said to be the most difficult section.

If they can’t even pass the stat test and get knocked out like this, there’s no way they can pass.

“Well, it’s not unreasonable to be so strict.”

Fighting monsters in dungeons is just that difficult.

“Why are the abilities of these hunters so low this time?”

No one among groups one to fifteen could last 30 seconds.

“Next! Group sixteen! Focus more!”

“Yes!”

When it was group sixteen’s turn, including Son Eun-seo, the hunters stood up in their places.

“That’s right. Just like that!”

Son Eun-seo lasted the full minute, which is the perfect score standard.

The examiner finally looked impressed.

“What the…”

As Son Eun-seo walked back to her place, she stared at Kim Min-jun like she wanted to pierce him.

It was a gaze that seemed to dislike something.

“So what? What do you want?”

Kim Min-jun had no intention of dealing with her and decided to ignore her.

“What? Weren’t you staring at me earlier?”

“Don’t you have an interest in me?”

That’s why she’s being annoying next to me.

“Next, group forty! Get ready!”

“Yes!”

As time passed, their turn finally came.

“She’s still staring at me. I don’t feel good about this.”