The Modern Founding Chronicles of the Returned Demon King

The Modern Founding Chronicles of the Returned Demon King

Episode 6: Hunter Exam (2)

In the Hunter exam monitoring room, team leaders from various guilds and the Association President were gathered. Among them, Park Sang-cheol, an S-rank Hunter and the President of the Hunter Association, shouted.

“Then, let’s start the Hunter exam now! Release the monsters into the exam area!”

His booming voice suited his imposing stature.

The exam proceeded steadily.

Numerous monitors connected to drones displayed the Hunters fighting.

[Monster Points]

Shin Chang-min: 6 points

Ha In-soo: 2 points

Ahn Seong-ho: 2 points

…

On both sides of the monitor were electronic scoreboards.

Special devices were attached to the exam monsters, so when captured, the points would automatically increase.

“As expected, Shin Chang-min is in first place.”

“He should easily get an A-rank at this rate.”

Seeing Shin Chang-min’s performance on the screen, the team leaders nodded in approval.

Kim Eun-ha, who had been quietly observing, expressed dissatisfaction.

“I still don’t like it. According to his record, Shin Chang-min has been violent towards his peers and has ruled like a king.”

To this, Jo Geun-woo, the team leader of the Moonlight Guild, replied.

“Well, what can you do? This world now values ability above all. But if Dawn Guild doesn’t have any intention to scout him, that’s better for us.”

“…Do as you wish.”

Kim Eun-ha let out a sigh, as if disappointed.

Park Sang-cheol intervened to stop the strange tension between the two.

“Let’s just wait and see for now. Someone might even surpass Shin Chang-min.”

“Haha, Mr. President. If such a talent were so easily found, we wouldn’t be struggling like this—”

Jo Geun-woo’s words were cut off around one minute after the exam had begun.

“What, what’s going on?”

The team leaders were murmuring as they looked at the sudden change on the scoreboard.

The name ‘Lee Seo-jun’ was rapidly rising through the ranks.

From 150th place to 30th. From 30th to 10th. From 10th to 2nd. And finally, to 1st.

It took less than 30 seconds to climb from the bottom to the top.

[Monster Points]

Lee Seo-jun: 63 points

Shin Chang-min: 24 points

Ahn Seong-ho: 9 points

…

Upon seeing this, Park Sang-cheol was stunned.

“Already 63 points? What on earth…”

“Who exactly is this Lee Seo-jun? I’ve never heard of this name before.”

Jo Geun-woo was also perplexed. The other team leaders started to skim through the distributed documents, conversing with each other.

Park Sang-cheol hastily instructed,

“Everyone, focus the monitors on candidate Lee Seo-jun!”

The next moment, an elegant figure of a man appeared on all monitors.

Hair as if it had absorbed all the light in the world despite the intense sunlight. Bloodstains here and there on his body, yet a calm and composed face.

His dignity wasn’t disrupted by any factor.

Kim Eun-ha’s eyes widened at the familiar old-world elegance.

“…Huh?”

“What’s wrong? Do you know him?”

“No, no I don’t.”

Kim Eun-ha, who had dodged Park Sang-cheol’s question, took another close look at the man.

A deeply attractive face that would certainly catch the attention of many women.

Although his attire was markedly different from before, that appearance was undoubtedly the man she had seen during the Behemoth incident.

And the spectacle that unfolded afterwards solidified her judgement.

“What kind of speed is…”

“No, what has he been doing all this time to only now take the Hunter exam…?”

With a single swing of his fist, monsters turned into formless smoke.

With one stomp on the ground, his figure disappeared from the monitors.

Only when Lee Seo-jun stopped could the screens barely capture his outline.

[Monster Points]

Lee Seo-jun: 212 points

Ahn Seong-ho: 35 points

Shin Chang-min: 24 points

The vast gap in the scores was evident.

The team leaders stared at the monitors, forgetting even to breathe, completely overwhelmed by his formidable strength.

The long silence was broken when he was seen sitting and resting on a rooftop.

“…Is he tired?”

“No, that doesn’t seem to be the case… we just received a report that all the test monsters have been killed.”

Park Sang-cheol pointed to the device plugged into one of his ears.

“In less than 10 minutes?”

“Yes… Even most S-rank Hunters wouldn’t be able to accomplish this…”

The monitoring room fell into silence once more.

Park Sang-cheol, stroking the sparse beard on his chin, looked around at the team leaders.

“I have something to discuss with you all.”

“…Yes?”

“I’m considering rating that man as an S-rank Hunter. What are your thoughts?”

“Certainly… with that level of ability, he’d not only qualify for S-rank but exceed it.”

“But won’t there be objections? It’s unprecedented to rank someone as an S-class hunter without any track record.”

Park Sang-cheol nodded as if he had anticipated such questions.

“That’s why we’re planning something special this time.”

“Something special?”

“Yes, I’ve captured an A-class boss, ‘Giant centipede’, underneath that testing ground. I kept it partly for fun, but I never thought we’d actually use it.”

“You mean you’re going to release that creature in there?”

“Exactly. An S-class hunter should be able to handle an A-class boss without any problems.”

Then one of the team leaders raised a concern.

“But won’t that put the other applicants at risk? Even S-class hunters have a hard time breaking through Giant centipede’s defenses. There could be multiple casualties.”

“Ah, I intend to send the other applicants away first. The test is effectively over as we’ve run out of prepared monsters.”

The team leaders seemed somewhat convinced by the chairman’s explanation.

“So, all you have to do is vouch for the applicant being an S-class hunter later. Do you agree?”

The team leaders looked at each other. Getting involved and causing casualties would be a headache.

Then Kim Eun-ha interrupted.

“I think it’ll be fine! I agree.”

“I also agree. I want to see just how much stronger he can get.”

When even Jo Geun-woo agreed, the rest naturally consented.

Unable to hide a smile, Park Sang-cheol said, “Then release it.”

***

Hoo-woong—

A refreshing wind touched the tip of my nose.

I was sitting on the rooftop railing, as there were no more monsters to deal with.

[Hunter exam over. All applicants except Lee Seo-jun, please return to the entrance.]

The announcement echoed through the city.

[Lee Seo-jun, there will be an additional test. If you wish to refuse, please shake your head. If you agree, nod your head in affirmation.]

I got the reaction I was expecting.

Going all out was the right choice. If they rated me as an A-class like Shin Chang-min, that would just be the association’s stupidity.

It seems like a decent group after all.

I looked up at the sky. Drones gathered like seagulls seeking prey.

“I accept.”

I conveyed my intentions to them.

If this elevates my status, then I can afford to throw them a bone.

Whether I put poison or medicine in that bone is up to me.

Thud—thud—

As soon as I tossed the bone, the feeding frenzy began.

I focused there.

Sounds of large collisions came from near the wall surrounding the city. It seemed desperate to be released.

‘Something’s there.’

From the feel of it, it seemed like an arthropod. Maybe an A-class boss.

This must be the additional test.

[Shin Chang-min applicant, what are you doing there without coming out?]

“I, I’ll take the additional test too! Please let me!”

I shifted my gaze to below the rooftop where the voice came from.

A man staring at me with his shoulders hunched.

It was my proud junior, Shin Chang-min.

[Shin Chang-min applicant, you’ll die with your skills. You’re going to face an A-class boss alone.]

“Okay, it’s fine!”

The guiding voice advised giving up, but Shin Chang-min was determined.

Indeed, perhaps he felt rushed because all the attention he would have gotten was taken by me, and even second place was stolen by another candidate.

After a moment of silence, the broadcast resumed.

[Understood. The Association President has given their approval.]

“Thank you!!”

[And the President has a message for you. ‘Don’t get cocky, just try to keep up, kiddo.’]

“…Huh?”

There was no response.

I jumped down from the rooftop and landed hard in front of Shin Chang-min, who was startled and sat down abruptly.

I stared at him intently.

“Why, why…?”

“There’s blood on your face.”

A streak of blood was trickling down his cheek.

Without hesitating, I wiped the blood with my index finger and brought it to my mouth.

“Wh, what are you…?”

Puzzled by my strange behavior, Shin Chang-min seemed bewildered.

As I swallowed the blood that had smeared on my tongue, sparks fired in my brain.

[Energy Wave! Energy Wave!]

Information flooded into my head. Or rather, it was more like fragmented memories.

…But those memories were pitifully embarrassing.

In them, a young Shin Chang-min was doing something strange, both hands on one hip.

Judging from the situation, it seemed this was when he had acquired his abilities. Usually, people get powers due to certain traumatic experiences or something similar.

Confirming this, [Predation] was added to Shin Chang-min’s abilities.

[Magic Condensation]

Concentrates magic power into a part of the body to increase destructive power.

In my case, I could substitute magic for mana.

I had already seen Shin Chang-min use his ability, so I knew how to handle it.

‘It might be useful for a short while.’

Of course, I was confident I could defeat him with my bare hands, but something is better than nothing.

[We will now begin the additional test.]

Kugugugugu—

As the broadcast announced, the ground started to shake.

Something large and elongated was swiftly moving through the streets toward us.

A heavy noise like a subway train passing. The road seemed to serve as its tracks.

I grabbed the collar of the stunned Shin Chang-min and pulled him to his feet.

“Now, let the senior show some favor to the junior. If you can defeat it, go ahead and try.”

“…Yes.”

Shin Chang-min looked in the direction of the approaching noise with a serious expression.

Kugungkugung—

The creature was getting closer to its target but didn’t slow down, rather, it accelerated.

The moving sound alone was overwhelming.

KIEEEEEEEEEK—!!

Finally, a grotesque face appeared between the buildings.

A body like steel, countless bulging legs, and two curved horns like a crescent moon.

A gigantic centipede, as large as a train, was charging toward us.

Faced with this calamity, Shin Chang-min was horrified.

“They never said it would be this big!!”

I knew it would be like this.

I let out a snicker and flung Shin Chang-min backwards. He stumbled back, crouching down.

With its enormous size, anyone would do the same.

However, I approached it.

Then, I activated my power in front of its original owner.

“Magic Condensation.”

Whooosh

From the tip of my toes to my abdomen, from my abdomen to my heart, from my heart to my fingertips.

The dormant Magi Energy was instantly summoned by my will.

My blood boiled over with the intense pleasure that came with it.

Despite having lived in the demon realm for 6666 years, it was the first time I used this magic.

Hum

In the midst of this vivid sensation, a black sphere wrapped around my right hand like a glove.

It was incomparable in size to what Shin Chang-min had used before, and its color was not blue but black.

This is the difference between Magic Power and Magi Energy. There was also a difference in the total amount to begin with.

“Ma-magic Condensation? How did you…?”

I glanced at the puzzled Shin Chang-min and then looked straight ahead.

“Little one, the world is vast.”

I fixed my gaze forward.

A giant centipede, as if to consume everything, was rushing towards me. I calmly lowered my stance facing it.

“Above a sky that you thought was the end, there’s another sky. And above that sky, there’s an even higher sky.”

He wouldn’t know that. He thought the academy was the entire sky.

I thought so too.

I believed that the colorless, odorless ceiling was my entire world, my limit.

“And do you know what exists above that sky?”

However, above that sky existed another sky.

There’s always a bigger fish.

Beyond the confined room was Earth, and beyond Earth was the Solomon demon realm.

“It’s me.”

And at the peak of that Solomon demon realm,

Screeeeech—!

I clenched my fist as I saw the giant centipede that had suddenly closed in. I felt a tremendous power and bared my white teeth.

The two hideous horns, wide open to swallow me.

One, there was no way a thing like this could consume me.

I smashed my fist, forged through time, into its head.

Kabooooom—!

With a single punch, an immense resistance was generated centered on me.

Even its power, which could pierce buildings, was futile before me.

Thud—!

Unable to break through me, the giant centipede writhed its body like a train stuck somewhere.

With a long torso resembling a tidal wave,

A loud noise, its scales vibrating, and the ripple spread all the way to the tip of its elongated body.

Finally, when the aftermath had settled and its tail touched the ground,

Its head had completely disappeared.

Purple blood spurted out like a fountain, and it soon turned into a downpour.

The monster’s blood falls.

In the midst of this, I raised my head.

“Is this the end?”

(To be continued in the next episode)