Chapter 7 – The Exam

Se-min was growing stronger every day. Just as his chubby fat disappeared and muscle began to take its place, his aura and martial arts also advanced to a completely different realm than before.

“Tai Chi Wisdom is a truly wonderful method.”

Se-min muttered.

He was doing sit-ups while hanging upside down from a horizontal bar installed in the riverside park.

At the same time, the aura flowing through his body repeated the circulation of one complete cycle along his sub-meridians.

No other method operated on its own like this. Being able to circulate aura even while intensely stimulating his muscles completely shattered the common sense of aura.

Normally, it was easy to fall into a reverse flow of aura, commonly known as deviation.

Se-min once again sublimated his rising respect and gratitude toward his elder brother Dokgo Cheonma into sit-ups.

“Overwhelming gratitude! Thanks again!”

In an instant, he pulled off ten repetitions and was exhausted. He hung limply upside down from the bar.

Suddenly, he felt a presence.

“Sigh, I was wondering why she hadn’t come.”

Se-min let out a sigh.

Someone he didn’t want to see was approaching.

“Sheesh.”

Se-min closed his eyes and continued what he was doing. He hoped she would just pass by. However, the woman dashed his hopes, slowed down, and stopped by his side.

Se-min tried hard to ignore her.

“Excuse me, you’re that person from back then, right? Am I right?”

“…”

“Is it really you? How did you lose weight like this? Is this even possible?”

Se-min slightly opened one eye.

The jogging woman from back then was standing there. She was that vicious Raider woman who had gotten angry that Se-min hadn’t paid attention to her and had overtaken him while emitting aura.

Se-min closed his eyelids again.

“Let’s not disturb my workout.”

“Oh, look at how he talks.”

She crossed her arms as if he were being ridiculous.

“I’m sorry for saying harsh things back then. Okay? Is it because of that?”

“Yes. Go on your way.”

“I’m Kim Seon-ha. And you?”

“I’m just a passerby.”

“My goodness, how petty. Whatever, you’re a Raider, right? Aren’t you? No wonder you lost weight so quickly. You must have aura.”

She pointed to the wooden sword leaning beside the bar and said. It was something Se-min had brought to practice with weapons.

“Since there are no such chubby Raiders, are you an aura-aptitude holder preparing for the qualification exam?”

At the click, click sound of a camera, Se-min came down from the horizontal bar.

“What do you think you’re doing right now? Is this secret filming?”

“What’s wrong with taking a few pictures? The washboard abs pulsing every time you do a sit-up were so attractive that I took it without realizing. Why are you so prickly? Is it everything just because you have a handsome face and a good body?”

“No, well, cough, cough. That is true, but.”

Se-min, who was being serious, cleared his throat and turned his head at the unexpected compliment. His cheekbones were rising.

Although she was a Raider lacking in character, a compliment from a clearly beautiful woman lifted his mood.

Se-min, who revised his evaluation of her, barely calmed his mind and turned back with a bright smile.

“Am I, hmm, to that extent?”

“No. I just said it. Seeing your reaction, is this the first time you’ve received a compliment from a woman?”

It was the truth.

Se-min, his heart wounded, became serious again.

“Go on your way.”

“It’s a joke. You’re really tight-laced.”

Se-min scanned Kim Seon-ha, who was giggling. Her skin had tanned brown since they last met.

“You’ve gotten darker. Did you go somewhere nice to recuperate?”

“Recuperate? I went to Southeast Asia and went through hell. It’s a mess, a total mess.”

“Is it a raid?”

“Yes. That neighborhood… What’s your name? I’m just asking.”

“I’m Lee Se-min.”

“You’re not a Raider yet, right, Se-min? Preparing for the qualification exam?”

“Yes. I will take it this time.”

“Good luck. We’ll be working in the same industry soon. The atmosphere these days is strange, so be careful. I went to support Southeast Asia, and a series of missing gates opened up there, making it a complete mess. Government official documents were sent down to each company to send rescue teams. It will probably be on the news soon.”

“Does that happen often these days?”

“More or less. Since they don’t know the reason, the entire industry is in a state of tension, thinking Korea could end up like that too.”

Se-min nodded.

It was bad news.

However, he felt good inside.

Troubled times required heroes.

The more magic beasts appeared, the more the demand for Raiders increased. For him, who was about to become a Raider, it was a good sign.

Se-min had grown confident through Tai Chi Wisdom and Form-Intention Fist.

“Do well on the qualification exam, Se-min. When I go to watch, I’ll cheer for you.”

“Are you going too, Seon-ha?”

“I decided to go cheer for our company’s rising star. He’s a total prospect. Work hard. Who knows? Maybe you’ll catch our president’s eye and work with us?”

“A rising star…”

Se-min smiled secretly.

They said a gentleman’s revenge was not too late even after ten years.

He still hadn’t forgotten the verbal abuse she had hurled.

Chubby?

That rising star.

I will crush him.

“I’m looking forward to it. Hahaha! I will look forward to that rising star.”

“Pfft. Don’t be cocky. He’s going to wreck you. Our rising star is no joke, you know?”

“Let’s see for ourselves later.”

“Yes. I’ll watch you get wrecked, very clearly.”

“That rising star getting wrecked?”

“No. I mean the scene of you, the former fat boy and current cheeky prospective Raider Se-min, getting absolutely crushed.”

A cold front formed again between the two, where a warm breeze had briefly blown. The two glared at each other.

Se-min proposed.

“Let’s make a bet.”

“On what?”

“On who wins. The losing side grants a wish. Something within reason.”

Kim Seon-ha let out a smirk, her expression hardening, and spat out a reply.

“Deal. Don’t go back on your word.”

Se-min also deepened his nasolabial folds, pouted his lips, and threatened with a firm expression.

“Hmph, don’t regret it.”

The bet was made.

Glaring at each other, the two turned and walked away.

Even as they headed in opposite directions, they did not withdraw their fierce gazes. Each made gestures threatening the other.

“Just you wait.”

Kim Seon-ha turned her thumb down and twisted her lips.

“You’re dead.”

Se-min did not back down and made a throat-slitting gesture with the edge of his hand.

Sparks flew from their eyes.

***

Finally, that day arrived.

The first hurdle of the Raider qualification exam.

The written exam!

“Today, my mind is clearer than ever. The left brain is like the perpetual snow on a mountain peak, and the right brain is honed like a blade.”

Se-min murmured self-hypnosis and popped the tab of a high-caffeine energy drink can.

He had been unable to sleep all night.

Although he had dropped out of high school and walked the single path of a Raider, it was actually his first time taking the exam. Having tossed and turned with a racing heart, dawn had broken before he knew it.

“Driver! Driver! Hey! Mister! Bus driver!”

He caught the departing bus and barely managed to board.

“Ah, thank you.”

He bowed his head, crumpled into a back seat, and looked out the car window, where a haggard man with hollow eyes was gaping.

Se-min realized that the man was himself, downed the energy drink, and wiped his lips with his sleeve.

He took deep breaths to calm his mind. He closed his eyes and practiced Tai Chi Wisdom.

The Raider qualification exam is divided into two parts: the first part consists of a written exam and aura measurement, while the second part is divided into a practical exam and an in-depth evaluation.

The first part is usually passed if there are no major flaws, but for the second part, the method of the in-depth evaluation has changed every year. Therefore, passing or failing is usually decided in the second exam.

However, in Se-min’s case, he was anxious starting from the first part.

Even though he had overcome the limitations of his physical constitution with Tai Chi Wisdom, the preparation period was short. Due to the nature of aura fluctuating depending on one’s condition, there was a possibility that he might fall short of the standard.

“Dokgo Cheonma… Iana… I believe in you…”

He could only gather his thoughts by repeating the names of the two transcendents like a faith.

As the test venue drew near, a few people who kept their seats with stiff faces stood out amid the passengers boarding and alighting.

Se-min detected that they were Raiders.

If Se-min had been a master, he would have emitted formless energy to keep them in check like in wuxia novels, but currently, let alone formless energy, even his aura level was at an unstable state.

“Phew. Lee Se-min, you can do it.”

Soon, the bus stopped at Gukjagam University station, where the first qualification exam was held. Indeed, the passengers he had noted got off one after another.

Passing through the main gate of the campus, those presumed to be examinees were already climbing the path following the guide placards.

Young students were visible, and middle-aged Raider hopefuls seeking a new life also caught his eye.

There was also a familiar yellow back of a head.

“That bastard came too.”

It was Yoo Jin-se, the student who had sparred with Se-min at Taeseong Academy through Hwang Jeong-hun’s introduction. His elbow had been dislocated by an armbar, so Se-min had wondered what he would do about the exam, but it seemed he had treated it well.

His personality was terrible, but he was naturally talented. He would probably pass.

He couldn’t lose.

Se-min also walked up the slope following the crowd.

In the lecture building located at the top of the campus, Raider Bureau staff guided them.

Se-min confirmed his examinee number and entered the corresponding examination room.

True to Raider aspirants, they all wore diverse appearances. Dyes and shaven heads were common, and there were not a few free spirits with dreadlocks or tattoos all over their bodies.

Se-min felt an unknown sense of shame at his ordinary appearance.

“If I pass, it’s an afro perm…”

Se-min resolved and grasped the computer sign pen he had prepared.

The exam was beginning.

The written exam was a worry-free field. Not only was the difficulty level not high, but he was also a talented student who had mastered all subjects except aura at Taeseong Academy.

Question 12. Which of the following is not a desirable action for a Raider to take when dealing with the harmful magic beast System No. 88, Bantis? (3 points)

1) Since it is an aggressive magic beast, prepare with a thorough defensive posture.

2) Bantis fears fire, so carry a flamethrower.

3) Since some individuals paralyze enemies by letting out a roar, wear earplugs.

4) Since the likes of Bantis are easy opponents, drink a glass of alcohol each to liven up the mood before entering battle.

It was a much higher difficulty level than the mock exam books sold on the market.

As criticisms had been continuously raised that the written exam was too easy, the Raider Bureau seemed to have taken extreme measures to increase the level of discrimination.

Se-min checked the answer to question 12 after long deliberation. Still feeling a bit ambiguous, he drew a large question mark so that he could check it again if there was time left.

The exam was not easy.

It has to be difficult to be fun. If it’s easy, it’s no fun.

Se-min smiled belligerently. Other questions were waiting for him.

Occasionally there were confusing questions, but overall, it was smooth.

He reached the final question.

Question 50. A missing gate has occurred in Mount Buram. You are dispatched. Night falls, and darkness descends on the mountain. Feeling a presence during search, you turn on a flashlight toward the enemy. Red scales flicker. Which of the following is not an appropriate response to follow? (5 points)

1) Red scales are the symbol of the harmful magic beast System No. 43, Drake. I must lure the Drake using something shiny!

2) The corpse of the magic beast has high value. I should deal with it as gently as possible so that the scales are not damaged!

3) Since the magic beast has the ability to fly, let’s attack the wings first!

4) Damn it, what a struggle in the middle of the night. But I am a Raider responsible for the public safety. Let’s do our best to repel the enemy!

It was a trick question. Se-min clicked his tongue at the examiner’s clever ploy.

A high difficulty that nine out of ten unprepared examinees would get wrong!

The answer is number 1.

This was because Drake’s system number is 34, not 43.

It was a truly useless trap. What was so important about a system number that they had to test it like that?

Se-min shook his head at the petty trick.

“Phew…”

Anyway, he had solved all the questions. Se-min transferred and colored the answers onto the OMR card.

Although there were confusing questions, he checked the items judged to be closest to the answer.

After finishing marking, a little time remained. Looking around, everyone was holding their foreheads and groaning.

Who would have known that this year’s written exam would be this difficult? He could feel the Raider Bureau’s will to reform.

He began to worry about the in-depth evaluation of the second exam that would follow later.

“Now, it’s over. Everyone put down your pens and place your hands on your heads.”

At the declaration of the exam supervisor, everyone put down their pens. However, some conversely hurried their hand movements.

“The exam is over. Anyone who moves their pen will be disqualified.”

Despite the supervisor’s warning, a few were still scratching their computer sign pens on the OMR cards. They seemed to have failed to copy everything.

At that moment.

“Gah!”

“Ack!”

“I already told you.”

Those who were holding pens grabbed their necks and trembled.

Everyone in the examination room stared at the supervisor.

It was aura.

He had released aura to constrict the necks of the examinees at a distance.

A middle-aged man wearing glasses and with a protruding belly. He was thought to be just an administrative staff member dispatched from the Bureau, but he was actually a Raider of a tremendous level.

Only then did Se-min recognize the shining gold badge attached to his shirt collar.

A Gold Mark owner.

He was an distant master.

“All three of you are disqualified. Leave the room immediately.”

Soon the back door opened, and sturdy men entered to drag out the choked examinees. Active Raiders were waiting to control the aura-aptitude holders gathered from all over the country.

Tension hovered inside the examination room.

“For Raiders who fight with their lives on the line, discipline is life.”

The low voice of the middle-aged supervisor echoed through the examination room.

“The thought of ‘just a little, what’s wrong with this much’ puts the entire team in danger. Rules must be strictly kept. No one welcomes a self-indulgent Raider.”

He adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses and looked at the examinees one by one. Then he smiled genially.

“I wish you good luck. Good work.”

“Thank you for your hard work!”

Since he had demonstrated his strength, everyone answered loudly.

***

As the supervisor left the examination room, the groans of the examinees spread loudly.

“It was seriously hard. I’m ruined.”

“Do you think we’ll really fail? Next is the aura measurement, right? Which way is it?”

“I heard we line up on the first floor.”

“Let’s go slowly. There will be a lot of people right now.”

Se-min let the noises drift by, leaned against the chair, and closed his eyes. Although it was difficult, he didn’t think he would fail.

What remained was the aura level.

The last time he checked, his aura level was around 5,100. The aura cutline required by the Raider qualification exam is 5,000 or more.

An aura of 100. About 2 percent of the total aura amount Se-min possessed.

It was a level that could easily fluctuate depending on his condition.

It beat.

His heart.

It felt as if a sorrowful melody were echoing from afar.

Do Re Mi Mi… Sol#↗ Mi Re Do… Si Do Re… Do… Re Do Re…

The day I left home… and boarded the train… to the training camp…

‘If an aura-aptitude holder fails to pass the Raider exam and gets conscripted, they are drafted into a special forces unit and roll miserably on the absolute front line.’

The rumors floating on the internet echoed.

“Damn it.”

Se-min sat upright and began to openly practice aura in the classroom. Although Tai Chi Wisdom could be practiced in any posture and situation, the effect was better when taking a correct posture.

“Look at that guy. He’s practicing here.”

“What a psycho. He’ll die of reverse flow if he keeps that up.”

“Shouldn’t someone keep an eye on him?”

“I’m telling you, it’s full of crazy bastards.”

People whispered around him.

It is common sense not to practice in a place where safety is not guaranteed.

Se-min did not care about their reactions.

The classroom grew quieter and quieter. One by one, they left to have their aura levels checked. Se-min slightly opened his eyes to check the time. There was still room.

His aura inherent in his body began to move as if it had its own will. As if to soothe his hurried mind, it circled his beating heart once, went down, and scattered a refreshing energy in his danqian.

‘Tai Chi symbolizes the harmony of all creation.’

He recalled the words of his elder brother Dokgo Cheonma.

‘Tai Chi refers to yin and yang, heaven, earth, and humanity, and furthermore, origin, growth, benefit, and persistence.’

Although he couldn’t understand what it meant, Se-min could feel his aura gaining a layer of vitality every time he repeated it.

While contemplating his interior, Se-min met his own mind.

He was afraid.

He was afraid that what he believed was a new birth would go in vain, and he would fail to become a Raider.

That he would lose again.

And enlistment…

His memory rewound. Scenes from the past rose from the bottom of the darkness located on his eyelids.

He remembered the day he was beaten black and blue by Ahn Seong-jun. He was no match. He was angry that such a guy was an aura-aptitude holder. He wanted to grow stronger.

His goal to live as a Raider was established then.

On that day, Se-min informed his parents of his intention with a ruined face. His parents just looked at him and nodded peacefully.

‘I suppose that is your karma.’

Although they were not his biological parents, they were parents who had bestowed everything they could give.

He had resolved to succeed as a Raider and see them again.

But at this rate, he was going to see them during his hundred-day leave.

“Phew…”

Se-min opened his eyes.

“Whoa!”

And he threw his body back in surprise.

Someone was staring at him intently from the front seat.

It was the supervisor from earlier.

Thick glasses, an aging hairline, and a bulging belly.

If not for the Gold Mark hanging on his collar, he would have looked like a passing office worker mister.

Cold sweat poured.

He might fail him with cold eyes, asking why he was practicing in a place like this.

Judging by his behavior earlier, he was a stickler for rules. And it is a rule not to practice aura just anywhere.

Slowly, the man opened his mouth.

Inside the darkness lurking in his mouth, Se-min felt like he could see his future.

‘Do not make eye contact with this assistant instructor…’

‘Rush forward! Arghhhhh!’

‘After finishing a rewarding day’s work! Stretching both legs! Home sweet home!’

‘Does military life end just because you’re sorry? Do you only know “I’m sorry” and “No, it’s not”? No? What do you mean no? Didn’t you just say no? Are you sorry? Are you making fun of me? The kid is out of his mind…’

‘Ranger! Confidence! Ranger! Confidence!’

Eventually, he spoke.

“What are you doing?”

“Pardon?”

The supervisor asked.

“Practice in a safe place. Isn’t that the rule?”

“I am sorry!”

Since he had promised Dokgo Cheonma not to reveal Tai Chi Wisdom, he couldn’t explain in detail. Se-min just bowed his head and apologized.

But contrary to his fears, the supervisor smiled and tapped Se-min’s shoulder.

“Of course, there are times when rules do not work. If you are a real Raider, you will eventually face a moment of choice. For example, whether to give up or to struggle. I also once circulated aura without any guard in a forest where magic beasts lurked in order to survive.”

Se-min realized as he heard his nostalgic voice.

This man was recalling old memories now.

It was “back in my day” time.

Not missing the opportunity, Se-min took a listening posture.

“Yes, I see. You must have fought many dangerous battles.”

“Hahaha, Raider is a profession that is always friends with danger. There is never an easy time.”

“You are right. Which battle stands out in your memory in particular?”

“Hohoho…”

He licked his lips and began to tell his stories in earnest. Se-min responded.

“Let’s see… The most memorable moment among them would definitely be the Gate Subjugation Battle.”

“Sub-subjugation Battle…!”

“Yes, a Subjugation Battle. It rarely happens these days due to regulations, but in the past, you couldn’t be recognized as a Raider without doing a Subjugation Battle at least once. We met all kinds of bizarre magic beasts beyond the Gate.”

“Bi-bizarre magic beasts…!”

“Yes! Bizarre magic beasts that weren’t even recorded in the magic beast illustrated guide. The one I saw back then was literally a monster as big as a house, and it was an impregnable…”

“Im-impregnable…!”

“That’s right. Impregnable! We couldn’t kill it back then, so we couldn’t even register it properly in the guide. There is one called the unidentified magic beast, Black Castle, in the guide, and the team leader and I named it together. I haven’t seen a record of encountering it since then either. That guy, so…”

“Bl-Black Castle…!”

“Yes, Black Castle! It is exactly as that scary name suggests. It was like a pitch-black fortress. No matter how much we poured attacks on it, it shook them off as if they were nothing and strode forward, and the team leader at the time…”

“Te-Team Leader…!”

“Ah, who was the team leader back then, hahaha! Don’t be surprised. The current…”

Just as he began to diligently spin his heroic tales, the classroom door opened.

“The aura measurement is closing soon. Ah, Department Head.”

The Bureau staff member stopped speaking when he spotted the supervisor. The supervisor waved his hand.

“I will handle things here.”

“Yes.”

The door closed. The supervisor smacked his lips, regretting that there was no more time.

A man who used to be a Raider ending up working at the Bureau with a bulging belly meant he had retired from active duty. He might be that starved for conversation.

“Thank you for the good words, supervisor—no, senior!”

Se-min bowed his head.

“I will definitely pass and become a Raider who can participate in Subjugation Battles like you, senior.”

A Subjugation Battle. A perilous task where Raiders directly entered beyond the Gate to fight.

In the past, it was something every Raider went through, but as casualties increased, gate entry was gradually regulated.

Now, only a small number of skilled individuals verified by the government could participate.

The supervisor smiled at Se-min’s ambition.

“Hahaha. I pray it will be so. You seem worried about the aura measurement, but with that kind of grit, even if it’s not this time, you’ll be a Raider someday, so take it easy.”

“Thank you.”

“If Raiders like you, junior, increase, the world will become safer. Haha.”

The two shook hands.

Se-min bowed his head and left the classroom.

“Subjugation Battle.”

His words about wanting to become a Raider who could participate in Subjugation Battles were not a lie.

Raiders are divided into ranks based on their skills.

Blue Mark is the lowest, and Green Mark is next. From Gold Mark, they are recognized as quite outstanding Raiders.

Platinum Mark is enough to run one’s own company, and Black Mark represents a few monsters in a country.

And the Unique Mark.

The strongest Raiders who possess their own unique symbols rather than marks distinguished by color.

It was the symbol of a one-man army.

Unique Mark Raiders gain the qualification to freely cross beyond the Gate without government permission.

Unique Mark was the dream of all Raiders.

***

“Is this the way to the aura measurement?”

“Ah, yes. Go down and go straight to the right.”

Following the guidance of the Bureau staff, the examinees were waiting in line. There weren’t many people. The measurement seemed to be at the end.

Se-min stood at the very back of the line.

Suddenly, cheers were heard from the front.

“What is it? What’s going on?”

Se-min peeked his head out.

The bystanders at the front were watching the measurement results, and it was noisy there.

The man in the front row shook his head.

“Crazy, simply crazy…”

“Why is everyone like that?”

“They say the aura of the person who just measured exceeded 30,000.”

“Crazy.”

Se-min also gaped.

Naturally, the more aura accumulates, the slower its growth rate becomes. The cutline of the Raider exam is 5,000, and even the Raiders who are said to be doing well active on the field were around 20,000.

Yet they said 30,000.

Considering only the total amount of aura, it was a figure that even a Platinum Mark could covet.

Se-min muttered in shock.

“What kind of guy is that? I want to see the face of whose child it is.”

“I heard she’s a great beauty.”

“Damn it, does she have both aura and beauty?”

Se-min stood on tiptoe, feeling a sense of rivalry. His view was blocked by the crowd.

Since the structure was that those who finished the measurement left through the opposite exit, Se-min had no chance to see that examinee.

Suddenly, the face of the jogging woman, Kim Seon-ha, came to mind. When he proposed the bet, she had praised a guy called a rising star and expressed tremendous confidence.

No way, right?

Se-min asked the man in the front row.

“Is there anyone who failed, by any chance?”

“Failed?”

The man burst into laughter.

“Is there really someone whose aura is not even 5,000? Such a person wouldn’t even apply. Right?”

“T-true. Of course. Hahaha…”

After that, the crowd gradually thinned out. Every time cheers were heard from the people, news about what the aura level was followed.

There was really not a single failure.

Se-min’s hands sweated.

It was soon his turn.

He might get the shameful title of the only failure of this year.

Se-min prayed to the Tai Chi Wisdom circulating inside his body.

“Wisdom, Wisdom. Please help your brother…!”

At that, Tai Chi Wisdom surged once as if it were a living creature with its own will.

Se-min put the power of Tai Chi Wisdom on his fingertips and spread it. He felt the sensation of aura filling up.

Even if his mind was anxious, the aura was prepared.

Feeling the serene power of Tai Chi Wisdom, Se-min walked forward.

He heard the sound of the aura level of the examinee right in front of him being seven thousand and something. Hum-humming a song, that examinee came out of the measurement room, nodded to Se-min, and turned around.

The examiner called the last candidate.

“You are the last one. Come on in.”

“Yes.”

Se-min walked in.

The usual familiar equipment was lined up in the room. It was the aura measurement machine that had tortured him so much.

The nightmare of lying there and having the number 103 constantly hover around was so frequent that he was even familiar with it.

“Look here and place both index fingers.”

It was a procedure to confirm identity and fingerprints.

Se-min stared at the camera and placed his fingers on the scanner. A beep sounded and a mechanical voice flowed out confirming his identity.

“Lie down here. Be at ease. If you are tense, the aura level drops.”

At those words, Se-min’s heart began to thump. That his aura level would drop if he was tense was something he had never heard before.

If he hadn’t known it would be one thing, but hearing it made his heart beat faster and his chest churn. When he thought he shouldn’t be tense, he became even more tense.

It was a paradoxical part of human psychology.

“Oops.”

The person in charge who saw his pulse laughed.

“It’s a joke. Just a bluff. Calm down, calm down.”

“R-really?”

“Yes. It’s a joke.”

“Geez. You made me tense thinking it was real.”

Se-min let out a deep sigh and relaxed his body.

The scanner began to run.

Although it was a test he always took, he couldn’t get used to it.

All kinds of thoughts came to mind.

What if the Transcendent Network was his illusion, and the moment this test ended, that number would reach his ears again?

What if he had just experienced hallucinations due to stress and was still a half-wit stopped at 103?

He closed his eyes.

The difficult days passed like a panorama.

His chest was heavy.

With a heavy heart, he awaited the supervisor’s verdict.

“It’s 7,182. You passed.”

Se-min jumped up and approached the supervisor who was recording something in his seat.

The supervisor looked up at Se-min.

“Is there something you’re curious about…”

Se-min reached out his hand. The supervisor, who had been staring blankly, soon smiled and shook hands back.

“Hahaha. Yes. Congratulations.”

Se-min didn’t stop at shaking hands, but pulled the supervisor’s hand to raise him up. And he hugged him warmly.

“Oops… Yes, yes, congratulations.”

“Yes!”

Se-min held him tight and danced with joy.

“Yes! Alright! Let’s go! Yeeeeeaaah!”

“Ex-excuse me…”

At his commotion, the supervisor in the next room also poked his head out to see what was happening.

Se-min didn’t care.

“Keeeyaaaah!”

Se-min began to dance with joy. Shaking his body to a Jajinmori beat, he shook his head as if spinning a head ribbon.

His dance moves had no restraint.

Because he was utilizing aura.

“Dancing with aura…”

Se-min didn’t care about the reactions around him.

Heaven helped him.

When he last measured his aura, it was around 5,000. But now it exceeded 7,000.

Where did that 2,000 come from?

Se-min believed that it was the response of Tai Chi Wisdom, the aura method circulating within him.

And that is soon the response of his elder brother Dokgo Cheonma.

“Thank you! Elder brother Dokgo Cheonma!”

“Please let go of me…”

“I am not a coward!”

Although he had never seen Dokgo Cheonma’s face, he must be the world’s best, handsome, and accomplished golden boy, a living Jesus, a saint to all abandoned people.

Se-min held a grand ceremony, then shook hands and hugged every single examiner who was there.

“Thank you. Be happy, everyone! I hope everything goes well for you this year!”

“Yes, congratulations. Yes.”

“I’ll be going! See you again! Get rich!”

“Yes, yes…”

Se-min left the lecture building, dancing with his shoulders.

The place where he took the exam was the top building of the Gukjagam University campus located on a hillside.

So he could see everything below.

Looking down at the school and the city, Se-min felt a magnificent spirit rising up.

However, he did not commit the unsightly act of shouting here. Because Se-min was a man who knew how to exercise restraint.

“Rejoicing over such a small achievement is for a petty person. I’m a man who will become the best.”

Forgetting the fuss he had just made, he muttered shamelessly. Then, with an expression like a protagonist who possessed immense ability but hid his power without showing it off, he began to walk out of the campus.

After leaving the campus and checking the bus route map at the entrance bus stop, Se-min suddenly discovered a familiar station name.

“Yongyeon High…”

It was the high school where Park In-jae, a gym member and aura-aptitude holder, attended.

Coincidentally, the time was also when high school students would be dismissed.

Since he was in a good mood, this big brother was treating.

As soon as Se-min sent a message, Park In-jae replied.

***

Se-min strolled the busy street in front of Gukjagam University.

As a high school dropout, it was an unfamiliar scene. A fresh youth was exuded, and his steps seemed to lighten on their own.

If he hadn’t aimed to be a Raider, he would have been enjoying campus life here.

“I didn’t do it, but if I had, I would have studied well.”

Muttering that excuse everyone made, Se-min put the straw of his Americano in his mouth.

He felt like he would pass the first Raider qualification exam today without trouble.

The second part is divided into practical and in-depth. In the case of the practical, the method changes slightly, but the main framework is the same.

At the time he was attending the academy, those he thought lacked skills also passed the Raider qualification exam.

Back then, Se-min did not doubt that if he only had aura, he could easily pass the qualification exam.

He now had 7,000 aura. It was by no means a low figure. Even viewing his own skills objectively, he was confident of passing easily up to the practical.

What remained was the in-depth.

However, he had the in-depth analysis material book purchased under the table.

The author of the material book guessed that this exam would be a role-play. Although they analyzed other various cases, what they emphasized most was a role-play that required composure, confidence, and adaptability.

Try to sell a stove in the desert.

Se-min found it ridiculous to test creativity with such a thing, but looking at what the Raider Bureau had done so far, it was fully possible.

Anyway, why was Park In-jae not coming?

Se-min sent a message to urge Park In-jae.

And as he raised his head, he discovered an unexpected person.

“Huh?”