Chapter 28
If you look closely, Karen’s ‘Treasure Hunt’ is considered to be one of the more difficult parts of the entrance exam.
Unlike the ‘Duel,’ where you only have to fight just enough not to die while taking it easy on each other, or the ‘Monster Hunt,’ where you pick a target suitable for your level and eliminate it.
‘After all, the Ten-Thousand Demon War is a real dungeon.’
A colossal dungeon that lies beneath Polaris.
It’s usually opened only for practical training purposes.
In other words, the monsters here are ‘real.’
“Gheerk!”
I sliced the green dwarf in front of me with a single stroke.
Swoosh!
Thud thud thud!
The goblin’s thin skin split open, spilling its innards and blood all over the ground.
If this were just an illusion, its body would have disintegrated into powder the moment it was cut.
There’s no need to waste mana on things like organs or blood.
“This is crazy no matter how many times I think about it.”
Even when I used to watch it on a screen, I thought the setting was a bit extreme.
But experiencing it firsthand really drives home just how insane it is.
Sending immature children into a real dungeon like this.
‘They’re probably all in a state of panic by now.’
It was easy to imagine the confused faces of the kids who were suddenly thrown into the middle of the dungeon.
Moreover, since they weren’t even told the exam conditions, they’d be even more anxious.
‘Well, honestly, that’s none of my business.’
When things really get dangerous, the instructors hiding here and there will step in.
All I have to do is focus on being the top student.
“Now… Let’s take a look.”
I spread my aura sense wide to examine my surroundings.
Ever since I opened the Central Danjun, my five senses have become sharper, making it possible to perform such trickery.
“It was definitely around here somewhere.”
When I focused and narrowed my senses even more, I finally found what I was looking for.
“Gwoooorrrr!”
A giant orc with a golden treasure chest hanging around its neck.
***
The rules of the exam are simple.
Obtain the treasure, the ‘Polaris Admission Ticket,’ hidden throughout the dungeon.
But unlike other treasure hunts, the treasure chests aren’t just hidden away.
“Look! Look over there! That monster has a treasure chest around its neck!”
Around the monster’s neck.
That’s where the treasure chest hangs like a necklace.
The chests are divided into bronze, silver, and gold.
Naturally, the higher the rank, the stronger the monster that has it, and the higher the probability of it containing an admission ticket.
That doesn’t mean the lower-grade chests are worthless, though.
“Look at this. This potion came out of the bronze chest that was around the goblin’s neck!”
“…This is an Orc Aphrodisiac, though.”
“Ugh, gross!!”
Inside the chests are items that help in subjugating monsters.
It’s possible to farm small monsters first, then tackle a bigger one.
‘Only 50 admission tickets.’
To get one, some students were naturally cooperating.
“What did you get?”
“A harpoon, an Orc Aphrodisiac, and a Trap Magic Scroll… What’s this?”
“That’s a Goblin Aphrodisiac.”
“Ugh, gross! Why are there so many aphrodisiacs?!”
“Anyway, with this much, the two of us should be able to handle an orc.”
The two female students firmed up their resolve.
“Let’s get my admission ticket first. After that, we’ll hunt one for you. Got it?”
“…Why do you get to go first?”
“Is now really the time to argue over this?!”
“Of course it is, it’s….”
“Focus! It’s coming!”
“Damn it…!”
They scattered the Orc Aphrodisiac on the ground and set up the Trap Scroll.
“Grrrrroooaaarrr!”
An orc rushed toward them.
Its neck was adorned with a tempting golden chest.
Gulp!
The two female students swallowed nervously.
No matter how much of an advantage they started with, the opponent was still a 3rd-floor-level orc.
If they let their guard down, they’d be turned into a pulp by its massive club.
‘Come on!’
Just as the orc was about to step onto the trapped area,
“There’s another one.”
Someone intervened from the side.
They rushed in at lightning speed, then leaped straight at the orc from the front.
“Huh…?!”
“W-wait, that’s dangerous!”
The two female students reached out in terror.
Charging at an orc head-on, especially an orc made even more aggressive by the aphrodisiac, was a suicidal act.
And it was a boy, no less.
‘We have to protect him!’
Their chivalry blossomed within them.
Screw the traps and aphrodisiacs—they tried to move their feet first.
“Sword Style Combination.”
『Rake Storm』
A blood-red storm burst from his sword.
Whoooosh!
The sharp winds shredded the orc’s flesh.
Its tough skin was left hanging in tatters, revealing bare muscle and bone.
“Grooooaaah…!”
Thud!
The orc’s body collapsed to the ground.
With a single blow.
It only took one attack to kill the orc.
“Uh… Huh…?”
“W-wow….”
The two female students were frozen on the spot as they watched.
Without paying them any mind, Ran immediately smashed open the treasure chest.
[Polaris Admission Ticket]
A crystal-clear ticket glowing with a radiant light.
A precious treasure that everyone in this dungeon would drool over and welcome with open arms.
“Click… another dud.”
Yet, the owner clicked his tongue and furrowed his brow.
Seeing him stuff the ticket into his pocket as if it were some useless junk raised thick doubts in my mind.
Thud!
It was then.
A suspicious sound echoed from under the feet of the two female students.
“…Hey.”
“Yeah?”
“Didn’t we set up a Trap Scroll here?”
“…We did.”
In their rush to protect the boy who was charging at the orc, they acted without thinking.
Buzzzzz-!
Just as the ground began to glow blue and the trap magic was about to activate,
A refreshing breeze blew in front of them.
“Kreeeeek! …Huh?”
“What… what’s going on?”
They squeezed their eyes shut, bracing for the pain, prepared to be caught in the trap.
But what they felt was not pain, but a sensation of floating in midair.
“You shouldn’t be spacing out.”
At the critical moment,
Ran had grabbed the two girls by their waists and carried them away.
After landing safely, Ran set the two down on the ground.
“Are you okay?”
“Uh… yeah, thanks to you….”
“Your faces are a bit red.”
“It’s… because of the Orc Aphrodisiac….”
“…Orc Aphrodisiac?”
Damn, why do you even have something like that?
Suppressing a minor doubt, Ran gave a gentle smile.
“If you’re okay, that’s what matters.”
At that smile, the hearts of the two girls skipped a beat.
‘It’s the first time I’ve been protected by a man….’
‘Handsome and strong? That’s not fair.’
Their hearts fluttered briefly with a strange emotion.
“…We didn’t get the admission ticket.”
“…We’ll have to start over from the beginning.”
Ultimately, it was Ran who had defeated the orc.
Naturally, the right to the admission ticket was his.
“Anyway, thanks for saving us. We’ll be on our way now.”
“Um… congratulations on getting the admission ticket! Let’s definitely meet again at Polaris.”
We’ll have to start hunting goblins slowly again from scratch.
A deep sigh escaped them.
“Wait a minute.”
“Huh?”
“Why are you calling us?”
“Do you need this?”
Ran, who had stopped them, pulled out two shimmering pieces of paper from his pocket.
[Polaris Admission Ticket]
[Polaris Admission Ticket]
Their jaws dropped.
It’s hard enough to obtain just one, yet he had two.
“Want them?”
“Gulp…! But, those are yours, aren’t they…?!”
“Sss! Yeah… if you give them to us, you won’t have any left….”
“Oh, that’s fine.”
Ran pulled out a few more tickets from his pocket.
[Polaris Admission Ticket]
[Polaris Admission Ticket]
[Polaris Admission Ticket]
[Polaris Admission Ticket]
[Polaris Admission Ticket]
.
.
.
“I have quite a few of these.”
I needed to find someone to get rid of them for me, and you two came along just in time.
“Take them!”
Ran handed the admission tickets to the two female students and quickly departed.
Leaving the two standing there dumbfounded, each holding an admission ticket.
“…Hey.”
“…Yeah?”
“I’ve got a dream now.”
“What is it?”
“To be a housewife.”
The strange emotions they felt when they were saved.
The sweet (Orc Aphrodisiac’s) scent that lingered on the tip of their noses.
The pounding of their hearts, echoing in their ears since earlier.
“A son who looks like dear hubby would be so cute….”
“Shut up! Who’s your dear hubby?!”
“Huh? He definitely smiled while looking at me! That was flirting, wasn’t it?!”
“If you so much as lift a finger at my Yujin’s dad, I’ll snap that neck of yours!”
“Who the hell is Yujin’s dad, you crazy bitch?!”
Schwing!
Both of them simultaneously drew their swords.
It’s natural for strong females to choose their males.
This was the moment their real test began.
***
“Hm. Even though I gave away two, I still have about ten left.”
I’ve been hunting monsters with gold chests like crazy, and the admission tickets have been piling up.
Even if I keep one for safety, there are still nine left.
If I collect any more, I won’t have enough room in my pockets.
‘So come on out already.’
What I’m aiming for isn’t just some mere admission ticket.
To become the top student, I need to get something else from these chests.
In a way, this fits the theme of a treasure hunt the best.
‘What is a treasure!’
The fifty admission tickets scattered throughout this dungeon can hardly be called treasures.
Unique and most valuable.
Something must be of that calibre to be called a treasure.
“Hup!”
I shattered the gargoyle’s body with a sword imbued with Qi.
Like the orc, it’s a 3rd-floor-level monster, but its wings make it a bit more troublesome.
Even so, if I swing my sword like a blunt weapon enveloped in qi, it’s easy to take down.
“Kreeeekk!”
The gargoyle’s body shattered, and it dropped the chest it was holding.
“Please, let it be this time!”
I prayed inwardly and broke open the chest.
Instead of a ticket, something else flew out.
A sinister-looking key, with every part of it dyed in a crimson red.
[Key of Pandemonium]
“…Found it!”
This is it.
The key to becoming the top student.
And the true ‘Treasure.’
—
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