đźź Chapter 15 :
Four more months had passed.
By now, I'd spent nearly eight months in this city.
Thanks to my work at the forge, my Factory skill had finally reached level ten.
Honestly? It was painfully slow.
Six months of hammering, melting, fire, smoke… and all I had to show for it was just ten measly levels?!
[As I told you before: jobs give less experience points.]
"Yeah, I know, you broken-down system. No need to repeat yourself."
Still, I was stubborn about not becoming an adventurer.
I'd just take the test, get the card, and maybe come back here to swing my hammer like nothing happened.
[You're hopeless.]
"…Hah? And what do you want from me, fight monsters?"
[Ugh, never mind.]
I boarded a carriage headed toward Osmara.
During the ride, I stared at the road, my mind wandering. I wondered… what was Ren up to now?
Maybe he'd left the kingdom. Maybe he was already leading a party… or maybe he was still trying.
After months in this world, I'd started piecing together its geography.
The city of Valoris was in the eastern region of a kingdom called Azmirin.
Azmirin was a large kingdom, divided into three main provinces:
First, the eastern province where Valoris was located.
Then, the southern one—an industrial hub, home to heavy industry and mines.
And finally, the northern province, where Osmara stood. Known as the city of guilds and hunters.
The capital, a massive city named Ferenta, sat in the country's heart along the River Elan. Rumor said the first king of Azmirin had been crowned on its central bridge.
Osmara was about a three-day ride from Valoris at a steady pace. Long and exhausting.
---
After three days of bouncing in a wooden carriage that rattled every ten seconds like it was about to collapse, I finally reached Osmara.
At first, I wasn't sure if it was really a city… or just a bigger version of Valoris's market.
But once I passed through the gates, I realized the difference.
The buildings were built differently—tall, precise, sharp-edged, as if every stone had been personally inspected before being set.
The streets were wide, the people brisk and focused, their faces showing no hint of fatigue.
Everything in Osmara screamed: efficiency.
Guild banners hung on every corner.
I couldn't read their full meaning, but their symbols caught my eye:
A black spear cutting through a golden eye—assassins, maybe?
An open hand gripping a blue spark—lightning, perhaps?
And one called "Deep Echo." No clue what they did… but the name made it sound like they played depressing music in caves.
Most importantly—no one here looked lazy.
Which made me stand out even more.
I stopped at a gate guard and asked:
"Uh… where can I register for a hunter's card?"
He scanned me from head to toe, then said coldly:
"You look pathetic for someone aiming to be a hunter. Guild's in the city center. Straight ahead."
"Thanks for the warm welcome."
I walked the streets, trying not to look like I didn't belong.
Weapon shops. Food stalls. Cafés buzzing with loud talk about monsters I'd only seen in nightmares.
People wore their hunter cards proudly around their necks like badges of honor.
Then I saw it: a massive building crowned with a blue dome.
Above its doors, a sign read:
Hunter's Guild.
I took a deep breath.
"Alright… let's see if a card's waiting for me inside."
---
Inside, the hall was even grander than it looked from outside—arched ceilings, black stone pillars, banners hanging everywhere.
Every sound echoed against the polished walls.
Hunters came and went, some dressed in traditional fantasy gear, others in crisp uniforms—probably staff.
There were multiple sections: a card-issuing office, a main guild hall (likely for official missions), and the registration area.
A banner above it read: Fall Session.
I stepped in.
It looked like a typical bureaucratic office—wooden desk, paperwork piled high, and behind it sat a clerk who looked like she'd been dragged out of the tax office against her will.
Without even lifting her head, she shoved a form at me.
"Fill this out."
"Name, age, occupation, skill, medical condition, male or female, agree to terms and conditions?"
I scribbled everything quickly. I was excited for the perks, after all.
Then I handed it back and asked:
"So, what now? Where's the test?"
That finally made her lift her eyes. She stared at me like I'd asked if trees could fly.
"You came to register and don't even know where the place is?"
"Well… I'm new here. Isn't it normal not to know?"
Her gaze sharpened.
"…Don't tell me you came from Valoris?"
"Yes? Why?"
Her face softened with something that looked almost like pity.
"People from that city are the most ignorant in the kingdom. Always the last to know anything."
Her words gave me a bad feeling.
"…What exactly do you mean by that?"
She explained:
"You're probably asking about the old test that used to be held inside the guild. Yes, back then, people took the hunter test here. But it was discontinued last year."
"Discontinued?"
If that was true, how was the test held now?
She went on:
"The old test was far too easy. People weren't fighting real monsters—just weak training dummies. It didn't even represent ten percent of what someone faces in the wild.
And since anyone could get a card so easily… the death toll skyrocketed."
"Deaths?"
Well… if I thought about it, it made sense. If anyone could grab a card without strength, they'd die quickly in the field.
She continued:
"So, the king stepped in. He changed the test to give the title 'hunter' real weight—and to cut down the deaths. Now, candidates face real monsters. He also added social benefits for hunters. That started last year. But since then, far fewer people apply. Other kingdoms have been using real combat for ages… we were just late catching up."
…What?
Fight real monsters?
So those perks weren't freebies—they were rewards for those who actually survived.
This was bad. Couldn't they have changed the rule after this session?
She added:
"The ranking test will be held in Krais Forest. It begins tomorrow."
Then she stopped talking.
I froze.
Took a step back.
Another step.
And slowly made my way toward the door.
"Alright, I think I came to the wrong place. Clearly, I'm an idiot. Sorry for the bother."
But before I could slip out, two massive guards blocked the exit—like they'd just graduated from Minotaur Boot Camp.
"And where do you think you're going?"
"Me? Uh… I just decided not to register after all."
One raised an eyebrow.
"But… you signed the form."
"Yeah… but I thought I was signing up for a card, not for death."
"Sorry… no cancellations once it's filed. Be at the gate tomorrow. Five in the morning."
"…Five?! In the morning?!"
The other guard chuckled.
"Or you can die in your sleep. Your choice."
---
I shuffled out of the building.
Sat on the curb. Stared up at the sky.
[I think you're in deep trouble.]
"You know what? This time… I've got nothing to say."
And just like that… my 'adventure' began. By mistake.
Now what?
How the hell was I supposed to survive this test?
I'd never fought a monster in my life.
Maybe the best option… was to hide.
These thoughts circled my head as I wandered the city, until I noticed posters hanging everywhere:
"Hunter Test Day – Honor Your Family, Become a Hero!"
What is this… some kind of annual festival? Well, semi-annual, I guess.
Clearly, they were hyping people into taking the test because the number of participants had plummeted.
"The Hunter Test, huh… Next time, I'll read the fine print before chasing after social perks."