Chapter: 36
Two days after the preliminary round, on the day of the main round’s first match.
Although I had just arrived at the testing venue, I could already feel the noticeable shift in public attention compared to before.
Most of the broadcasts (televisions) in the taverns and inns I passed on the way here were dedicated to the test coverage. Even on the streets, many were abuzz with conversations about it.
If it’s obvious, then it’s just plain obvious.
The infamous 8th Dragon has been defeated, and the spotlight is on the recent sensation, the scarecrow. This undoubtedly piqued the interest of not just those in related professions, but also the general public who typically couldn’t care less.
‘I wonder if this will lure in more aspiring adventurers.’
Considering most adventurers settle for a B-rank at best, what kind of motivation could there be from tales of an S-rank promotion exam?
Korean parents probably sent their kids to baduk academies with dreams of them beating AI. If they just see that this industry has potential, the influx will naturally increase.
‘I feel strangely proud for some reason.’
On the surface, it might just seem like an unusual rookie has popped up.
But from my perspective, isn’t this just a grand scene of a past legend stepping up for future generations? It feels weird to say it aloud, though.
“Oppa, you’re popular… there’s going to be more competition.”
I smiled at Maria’s worries and gave her a gentle pat.
As her words suggested, the instant focus on me meant that various jealously-driven gossip was bound to arise.
It’s alright. As long as I win, that’s all that matters. Besides, we won’t even have time to worry about that since a public enemy will appear soon.
“You can enter this way. Once you enter, each of you will be moved to a random location.”
It felt like the guild was also aware of the unexpected changes.
Not only had the demeanor of the event staff changed, but they also seemed to have brought on someone who looked even more enthusiastic.
“Scarecrow, show us something this time!!”
“Maria is so cute~!!”
Amidst the passionate cheers and support from those gathered in front of the testing center, I made my way toward the gate.
Looking back now, the promotional impact feels much greater than expected. Did the guild even spread the news themselves?
“Why are there no admirers praising me, these damn kids!!”
I grabbed Astrea by the neck.
I couldn’t manage it alone, so Maria lent a hand.
*
To put the main round’s first match, the subjugation battle, in a nutshell: it’s a monster-catching spree.
Participants move through a gate into a virtual space, capturing randomly summoned creatures to collect points.
Since it’s a special area where you can revive even after dying—similar to the Tutorial Zone—contesting and killing are both allowed.
The final eight participants, or those with the highest scores at the end, will advance to the final second round.
‘Will my score go up if I catch you?’
I absentmindedly looked up.
Fortunately, there’s no indication of how many points a contestant would gain from catching it. Even if there were, I reckon the score wouldn’t be very high.
After quickly identifying that out of the five fields, we were in the jungle, I immediately sent a message to my crew.
The rules dictate that in this individual competition, each participant is scattered to random locations. While teaming up isn’t outright banned in the subjugation battle, at least some degree of restriction exists.
But since we have a party chat feature, that poses no hindrance to us! Instead, it simply penalizes others, giving us the upper hand.
“Oppa.”
“You made it.”
As I approached our meeting spot, Maria and Astrea were already there, waiting for me.
After exchanging greetings, I moved right along to a massive rock that served as a landmark.
“Astraea. Smash this for me.”
“Come see.”
CRASH-!
Behind the crumbled rock debris, an artificial passage was revealed.
I wondered if they had patched reality while I was gone, but thankfully, it looked just like Sally said—still holding on to the same gimmick from a hundred years ago.
Even without this, it’d have been easy for our entire group to place in the top 8, but that alone would have lacked a certain punch, you know?
“Hey, my dear traveller, you must have your reasons, but is it really okay to be so sluggish at a time like this?”
“Besides, the real deal in subjugation battles is in the later stages. The beginning is only filled with weak mobs that don’t yield much in points.”
I lightly responded to Astrea’s question, making my way down the stairs leading underground.
But I’m sure I explained this to her just yesterday. She’s consistently someone who despises the mundane.
“Oppa. What’s that…”
“That, indeed. The hatching egg is the field boss for this first round.”
Passing through the passage that exuded a dense mana scent from the entrance to the innermost part, we found a giant egg welcoming us.
The subjugation battle lasts exactly one hour, precisely at that midpoint mark of the entire event. The field boss hatches from its egg and offers participants two choices.
To either catch it or evade it.
“Ohhhh. So we just kill that thing, right?”
“No, Astrea, you actually didn’t hear a single word yesterday, did you?”
“I remember quite well about the phrase, ‘Sleep well.’”
Who’s going to stop that thing?
Well, the score hovering above the egg isn’t too shabby either.
However, only the one who delivers the last blow gets credited. As someone who pursues impactful moments, such a temporary gain feels a bit disappointing.
It’d be shocking if the score suddenly skyrocketed, but it lacks a certain flair.
“Maria.”
“Okay. I’ll give it a try.”
Maria linked her mana thread to the egg.
It’s impossible after it hatches, so the plan is to tame it while it’s still an egg and turn it into Maria’s little toy.
“I did it!”
“Whoa! Well done, Maria.”
“Hehe.”
I lavished Maria with compliments, shaking her with unreserved praise.
I then retrieved seasoning and a sparrow’s magic stone from my inventory to spice things up.
“Maria. Plant this in the egg.”
“Got it.”
Feeling all chipper, Maria happily trotted over to the egg.
The magic stone of the sparrow. I had kept it with this specific use in mind.
It may seem unimpressive as the main entity, yet the concentrated mana that morphs regular beasts into monsters cannot be dismissed.
WHOOSH-!
In terms of difficulty, taming the egg was a tougher feat. Thankfully, Maria effortlessly planted the magic stone within it.
With this, the field boss’s hatching timeframe will speed up, and its strength will thank you greatly.
“Good job, Maria. Once this egg hatches, let’s lead the minions and sweep all the points clean.”
“Right!”
“Well then, you. Is there nothing left for me to do?”
Astrea had been keeping an eye on things until now and seized the opportunity to ask. She clearly wanted to partake in some role.
Honestly, there isn’t anything particularly for her to do during these tests. She just needs to exercise her skills at her own discretion.
So I didn’t mind if she dozed off during the explanations.
“Astraea, you’re talking about…”
But currently, Astrea’s quite irritated that she’s not getting enough attention.
If I didn’t take care of her, one of two things would clearly happen: either she’d sulk or get really upset.
In that complex moment, a bright task popped into my head that suited her perfectly.
“Listen well, Astraea. This is a task I can only entrust to you.”
“Ohhhh…! What is it!!”
“Break it.”
*
One of the participants in the S-rank promotion exam, Peter, dashed through the jungle in despair.
‘This is insane, this test is insane…!!’
He considered himself an A-rank adventurer who could hold his own. In these times of talent scarcity, even being an S-rank might not be an outlandish dream; at least that’s what he thought when he signed up.
Perhaps his impulsive and carefree attitude became his downfall. At some point, Peter sensed that something big was happening in this year’s exam.
He’d heard the buzz about the genius girl Maria, the youngest A-rank, and the news of the recent talk of the town—the scarecrow was participating too. That was the real problem.
BANG-! CRASH-!
Maria was leading a field boss that was still ages away from being due and rallying monsters like a pro.
“Can’t you just stop it-!!!”
“I’m on the bottom ranks, so I don’t even need to do checks and balances!! Why on earth are you acting like this?!!”
What kind of insane woman is that, causing chaos everywhere?
The black-haired lady currently chasing Peter was already established in second place with an overwhelming score. As Peter stated, there seemed to be absolutely no reason for such a ruckus.
“What sheer nonsense! I’ve been ordered by my master to solidify the hierarchy—!!!”
Peter had come to a realization and made a resolve.
He recognized that being S-rank was not a name meant for him to crave. He vowed never to look that way again.
*
·
·
·
I smiled with satisfaction at the sight of our names filling the 1st to 3rd spots. Sure, we played our tricks, but this score gap is proof that everyone put in their effort.
Especially Astrea, who, at this rate, could afford to chill without worries at all. She was darting about and scouring every nook and cranny more vigorously than anyone else in this place.
I suggested it without a clear subject or object in mind, intending for folks to interpret it whatever way they wanted, but this feels a tad too perfect, right?
Thank you, Captain. You were a stroke of brilliant inspiration.
A notification rang out, indicating the boss was hatching, or in other words, that half of the first round had passed.
Sadly, the boss had already woken up ages ago, and it’s already in our hands. The pre-set phrase just got a bit awkward…
‘Huh? I don’t remember this part in the game?’
Whether the boss existed or not, the subjugation battle would have proceeded as normal. But what in the world is this?
“Excuse me?”
A dazzling 1 million points appeared above my head.
I had become the field boss scarecrow.
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