Chapter 5: The Special Management Target

As Se-hyeon left General Test Room 2 and entered the newly assigned Special Test Room 1…

“Are you Awakened Jang Se-hyeon?”

A staff member immediately confirmed his name.

“Yes, I’m Jang Se-hyeon.”

“Welcome. Before we begin, I’ll explain the test. It consists of five stages: Stage 1 is two Kobolds; Stage 2 is five Kobolds; Stage 3 is one Goblin and three Kobolds; Stage 4 is one Orc and two Goblins; and finally, Stage 5 is three Orcs.”

In other words, the difficulty increased with every stage cleared.

“Do I have to pass all five?”

“Not necessarily. Most people who have just awakened fail at Stage 2 or 3. This is simply to gauge your combat ability, so don’t feel pressured.”

Se-hyeon nodded, relieved he didn’t have to clear the whole thing.

“I see.”

“We will set up two virtual allies. Usually, for damage dealers—especially Mage-types—we set up a Tanker and a Melee Dealer. Would you like that?”

Similar to the simulation center, these virtual reality testing facilities allowed for ally settings. For Tankers or Healers with low attack power, clearing stages without a dealer was difficult; conversely, dealers struggled to handle enemies alone without a front line.

“Yes, please do that,” Se-hyeon replied.

Deep down, he wanted to sweep everything alone using Magic Combat, but there was no need to show off. Since this was just a test to get his registration card, he decided to stick to the standard procedure for Mages.

“The Tanker is set to only defend, and the Dealer will only provide crowd control. The actual damage dealing must be done by you.”

“Got it.”

The staff member finished the explanation and pressed a button on the table.

Ziiiiiiing!

The door leading into the testing area opened.

“Please step inside. The test will begin shortly after a final briefing.”

Se-hyeon nodded and stepped in. The door hissed shut behind him.

Ziiing! Click!

Moments after the door closed, another door—the one leading outside—opened, and Manager Kim and Assistant Manager Choi walked in.

“Where is Jang Se-hyeon?”

“He just entered the test room. We’ll start as soon as the configuration is complete.”

Hearing that the test was about to start, Manager Kim looked at the monitor. “Is that so? Looks like we made it in time. Let’s see what he’s got.”

The test room staff member asked curiously, “But Manager Kim, isn’t it rare for a new registrant to use the Special Test Room? Even if he’s likely to be a Special Management target, he’s still brand new.”

“So what? It’s not like it’s never happened before. Besides, I’d be happy if he just shows us the basics.”

Manager Kim wanted to use Se-hyeon to suppress the Talent Development Department, which had been acting quite high and mighty lately. Naturally, the higher Se-hyeon’s value, the more incompetent the Talent Development Department would look for labeling him “Incapable.”

“We are beginning the test now.”

The staff member initiated the simulation.

Inside the test room, Se-hyeon took a position in the center of the empty space and waited.

• “Mr. Jang Se-hyeon, the test is starting. The environment is a cave-type dungeon.”

The staff member’s voice came through the speakers. Simultaneously, the empty void transformed into a rugged cave.

Flash!

Two virtual allies—a Tanker and a Melee Dealer—were summoned beside him.

• “Stage 1, beginning.”

With the announcement, two Kobolds appeared.

• Bark!
• Grrrr!

The Kobolds lunged at Se-hyeon but were immediately intercepted by the virtual Tanker.

• “Taunt!”

As the Tanker’s basic skill activated, the Kobolds diverted their attention away from Se-hyeon.

‘Shall I start? Shadow Orb!’

Without even activating Boots of Wind, Se-hyeon stood still and cast his spell.

Wooooong!

Two Shadow Orbs formed instantly.

‘Go!’

At his command, the two orbs suspended in the air shot forward.

Swaaaaaak!

Based on the positioning, a straight line would have sent the orbs right into the Tanker’s back. Indeed, they flew fiercely as if they were about to hit the ally. But at that moment…

Swish!

The two orbs curved—one to the right and one to the left of the Tanker—and slammed into the flanks of the two Kobolds.

Boom! Ka-boom!

Loud explosions echoed, and that was it. The Kobolds were gone. While the Tanker took a bit of splash damage, it was negligible.

Se-hyeon looked up and spoke calmly.

“Let’s move to the next stage immediately.”

He didn’t wait for the next wave to appear before manifesting more orbs.

‘Shadow Orb!’

Since the next wave would consist of five Kobolds, five Shadow Orbs now hovered in front of him.

Outside, Manager Kim and Assistant Manager Choi were jolted by Se-hyeon’s actions.

“Wait! Those look like Fireballs or Magic Bolts. If he fires like that, isn’t he going to hit the Tanker?”

“What on earth is he…”

Usually, these types of spells traveled in straight lines, requiring the Mage to move and find a clear line of sight. But Se-hyeon was firing directly at his ally’s back. It looked absurd—until the next second.

Veeer!

The spheres that seemed destined for the Tanker’s back suddenly curved and struck the Kobolds.

Boom! Boom!

The two men were stunned.

“Heavens! What… did they just change direction?”

“Hmm, that’s not just a simple direction change,” Manager Kim muttered. “He’s controlling them. He’s moving them exactly where he wants. Otherwise, an attack like that is impossible.”

Unlike Choi, who thought it was a simple trick, Kim realized Se-hyeon was manually controlling the spheres.

“He can control them? Most spells are linear. Changing direction is one thing, but total control…”

“The important thing isn’t just the control,” Kim added, “it’s that he controlled two simultaneously. Having a controllable spell is rare, but controlling two at once with that much precision is incredibly difficult.”

As they stood there in shock…

• “Next stage, please.”

Se-hyeon’s voice came through. This time, five spheres were created.

“Five?! I thought you could only generate one Fireball or Magic Bolt at a time?”

“Tsk. If he can make two, why not five? The question is whether he can handle all five at once. If he can… this test might be meaningless.”

Each sphere had enough power to take out a Kobold in one hit. If he could control five, he could clear the rest of the test without moving an inch. In other words, “combat sense” was irrelevant; he could win with raw mechanical control.

Ten minutes into the test.

Ziiiiiiing!

The door opened, and Se-hyeon walked out. Usually, reaching Stage 3 takes 20 to 30 minutes. Se-hyeon had cleared all five stages in just ten.

“Good work,” the staff member said, bowing slightly.

Se-hyeon nodded back. “Thanks.”

He then glanced at Manager Kim and Assistant Manager Choi. “And these people are…?”

Manager Kim stepped forward with a bright smile and extended his hand.

“Haha, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Kim Seong-ho, Manager of the Awakened Management Department.”

Se-hyeon took his hand, looking puzzled. “Oh, hello. I’m Jang Se-hyeon.”

“I watched your combat footage just now,” Kim Seong-ho continued, keeping his smile. “It was very impressive. A spell that moves freely and the ability to control several at once. What spell is that, exactly?”

“It’s called Shadow Orb,” Se-hyeon replied casually. “But why is a Department Manager watching my test…?”

A Manager was a high-ranking official within the Association. Why would such a person be watching a rookie’s test?

“Actually, I viewed your files after receiving a report that your Magic stat was 180. I saw that you were previously judged as ‘Incapable of Awakening.’ With those stats, even an S-rank potential rating wouldn’t be enough. I suspect there was a grave error or a malfunction during your evaluation.”

Se-hyeon nodded. “I thought so too. I was told I’d never awaken, so I was surprised when it happened. But it doesn’t really matter. I’ve awakened now, so that’s that. I don’t really want to make an issue out of it.”

In truth, the test wasn’t “wrong”—Se-hyeon wouldn’t have awakened without the ring and Kartemian’s power. But Kim Seong-ho had a different agenda.

“No, that’s not right. If you had received a high-potential rank, you could have entered the Academy and received massive support. You missed out on resources you were entitled to. This isn’t something that should just be ignored.”

Se-hyeon looked confused. Normally, Association officials try to cover up mistakes. Why was this man trying to blow it up?

“It’s in the past. What if I don’t ignore it?”

“It won’t make up for what you lost, but you should at least receive minimum compensation.”

Assistant Manager Choi chimed in immediately. “Haha! What is the Association for if not to protect the rights of the Awakened? If an Awakened suffered a loss because of the Association, corrective measures are only natural.”

Se-hyeon fell into thought.

‘What’s the catch? Shouldn’t they be trying to quiet me down? Why are they the ones making a fuss? Is there something I’m missing?’

Seeing Se-hyeon hesitate, Kim Seong-ho spoke quickly.

“Correcting wrongs is necessary for any organization. If we turn a blind eye or try to bury it, it becomes a cancer that eventually destroys the system. The Association needs to learn a lesson from this.”

It sounded reasonable, but Se-hyeon sensed a hidden motive. Still, he kept a neutral face and asked, “So, what do you want me to do?”

“If you choose to officially raise an issue, we will advise you so that you can receive the maximum possible compensation.”

In short: Kim Seong-ho would stay behind the scenes but tell Se-hyeon exactly what to say to get paid.

‘Ho. I don’t know the full story, but this isn’t bad for me. If they want to hand me stuff, why say no? But I should make sure of one thing first.’

“If I raise an issue, will I be blacklisted or face any disadvantages from the Association?”

This was a valid concern. Being labeled a “Blacklisted Awakened” could lead to restrictions on dungeon entries and other penalties.

“I give you my word that won’t happen. If it does, you can come to me anytime.”

The Management Department was a core branch of the Association. With the head of that department making a promise, Se-hyeon saw no reason to refuse.

“Hmm. Alright. What do I need to do?”

A smile played on Kim Seong-ho’s lips. “Let’s not talk here. Let’s move to a more private place. We also need to discuss your Special Management status, so that would be better.”

Se-hyeon followed him out of the testing area.