ALL NOVEL Chapter 28
If we were to nitpick, Karen’s ‘treasure hunt’ is pretty challenging among the entrance exams.
Unlike the ‘duels,’ where you moderately watch out for each other and fight just enough to not get killed, or the ‘monster hunting,’ where you just select opponents that match your level.
‘The Demon Lord’s Arena is a real dungeon, after all.’
And it’s a super gigantic dungeon located beneath Polaris.
Typically, it’s only opened on a limited basis for practical training.
In other words, the monsters here are ‘real.’
“Kerrek!”
I cut through the green dwarf standing in front of me with a single strike.
Swish!Thud!
The goblin’s thin skin split apart, spilling its guts and blood all over the ground.
If this were an illusion, the moment my body cut through it, the corpse would have turned to dust and vanished.
It wastes mana to create guts and blood anyway.
“Seriously, thinking back, this is insane.”
Even back when I only saw the settings through a screen, I thought they were a bit over the top.
Experiencing it firsthand makes me realize how utterly crazy it is.
To throw children who aren’t even fully developed into a real dungeon like this.
‘Everyone must be in a state of panic right now.’
I could easily imagine the children tossed in the middle of the dungeon, frantically confused.
Moreover, they hadn’t even told them the exam conditions, so they must be even more anxious.
‘Well, honestly, that’s none of my business.’
When things get really dangerous, the instructors hiding everywhere will intervene.
I only need to focus on being the top student.
“Okay… let’s see.”
I spread my senses out wide and surveyed the area.
Ever since the middle floor was opened, my five senses have sharpened, making this a possible trick.
“I’m sure it was around here.”
As I focused and looked more closely, I finally spotted what I was searching for.
“Gwaaar!”
A massive orc with a golden treasure chest around its neck.
*
The rules of the exam are simple.
Find the hidden treasure, the ‘Polaris Admission Ticket,’ scattered throughout the dungeon.
However, unlike other treasure hunts, the treasure chests aren’t hidden!
“Look! That monster has a treasure chest around its neck!”
The monster’s neck.
A treasure chest hangs there like a necklace.
The grades are Bronze, Silver, and Gold.
Naturally, the higher the grade, the stronger the monster it’s hanging on, and the higher the chance it contains an admission ticket.
That doesn’t mean the lower-grade treasure chests are useless.
“Look at this. A potion that came out of the bronze chest on that goblin’s neck!”
“…Isn’t this orc’s manhood enhancer?”
“Eww, gross!!”
Inside the chests are items that help in monster hunting.
It’s possible to farm small monsters and then take down one big one.
‘There are only 50 admission tickets available.’
Of course, there are kids cooperating to obtain them.
“What did you get?”
“A harpoon, an orc’s manhood enhancer, a trap magic scroll… what’s this?”
“That’s a goblin’s manhood enhancer.”
“Eww, gross! There are so many enhancers!”
“Anyway, with this, the two of us can definitely take down an orc.”
The two female students made a pact.
“First, let’s get my admission ticket. Then we’ll hunt for your share, okay?”
“…Why are you naturally taking the lead here?”
“Is this really the time to be asking that?!”
“No… it’s obviously important…”
“Focus! It’s coming!”
“Damn it…!”
They scattered the orc enhancer on the ground and set up the trap scroll.
“Grrroooar!”
An orc was charging straight toward us.
A luscious golden chest was hanging from its neck.
Gulp!
The two girls’ hearts raced.
No matter how much of an advantage they started with, the opponent was a ‘third-tier’ monster, the orc.
If they let their guard down, they’d be smashed to bits by that massive club.
‘Come here!’
Just as the orc was about to step on the point where the scroll was laid down,
“Whoa, there’s someone else!”
Someone dashed in from the side at a wind-like speed, leaping directly towards the orc.
“Oh…?!”
“W-watch out!”
The two girls were horrified, reaching out their hands.
Dashing in front of an orc, especially one that had gone berserk from the enhancer, was a suicide mission.
And it was a guy, no less.
‘I have to protect them!’
The gallantry surged within them.
Slips and enhancers aside, they tried to move their feet.
“Weapon Fusion.”
『Scythe Storm』
A crimson storm blew from his sword.
Whooooosh!
The sharp wind shredded the orc’s flesh.
Its tough skin became tattered, and its muscles and bones were laid bare.
“Grrroooar…!”
Thud!
The orc’s body fell to the ground.
Just one hit.
It took only a single attack to kill the orc.
“Uh… huh…?”
“Wow…”
The two girls froze at the sight.
Regardless of that, Ran immediately smashed the treasure chest with a punch.
[Polaris Admission Ticket]
A crystal ticket that shone brilliantly.
A precious treasure that everyone entering this dungeon would drool over.
“Ugh… it’s another dud.”
For some reason, the owner clicked his tongue and furrowed his brow.
As he stuffed the ticket into his pocket as if it were a nuisance, a deep sense of doubt arose.
Thud!
Just then, a suspicious sound echoed beneath the two female students’ feet.
“…Hey.”
“Yeah?”
“Didn’t we set up trap scrolls here?”
“…Right.”
In their rush to save the boy who jumped in front of the orc, they hadn’t paid attention.
Vroom-!
The ground began to glow a bright blue as the trap magic prepared to activate.
A refreshing wind blew before them.
“Ugh! …Huh?”
“What… what’s going on?”
They braced for the trap to sweep them away, squeezing their eyes shut.
But what they felt was not pain, but a weightless sensation, floating in the air.
“You can’t let your guard down.”
In a life-and-death moment,
Ran had scooped them up under his arms and was escaping.
After safely landing, Ran set the two on the ground.
“Are you okay?”
“Uh… o-oh! Thanks to you….”
“Your face is a bit red.”
“This is… because of the orc’s enhancer…”
“…Orc’s enhancer?”
Damn, why do you have that?
Swallowing that minor question, Ran smiled gently.
“As long as you’re okay, that’s what counts.”
At that smile, both girls’ hearts skipped a beat.
‘It’s my first time being protected by a guy….’
‘He’s not only handsome but also strong? This is a bit unfair.’
The tingling feelings inside them bubbled briefly.
“Looks like we didn’t get the admission ticket…”
“…Looks like we’ll have to start from scratch.”
In conclusion, it was Ran who took down the orc.
Naturally, he had the right to the admission ticket.
“Anyway, thanks for saving us. We’ll be going now.”
“C-Congratulations on the admission ticket! Let’s meet again at Polaris.”
It seems we’ll have to slowly hunt goblins from now on.
A long sigh escaped.
“Hey, wait a minute.”
“Yeah?”
“Why are you calling?”
“Do you need this?”
Ran stopped the two who were about to leave and pulled out two shimmering papers from his pocket.
[Polaris Admission Ticket]
[Polaris Admission Ticket]
Their mouths dropped open upon seeing it.
To have two tickets when getting even one is tough.
“Do you want them?”
“Swallow…! W-wait, but that’s yours, right?!”
“Ugh! True… if you take them, then you won’t have any share….”
“Ah, 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 kind of have a lot of these.”
He needed to dispose of them, and this worked out perfectly.
“Here!”
Ran quickly gifted the admission tickets to the two female students and left in a hurry.
Thus, they were left behind alone, each holding an admission ticket.
“…Hey.”
“…Yeah?”
“I have a dream now.”
“What is it?”
“To be a housewife.”
The strange feeling they experienced when saved.
The sweet scent (of orc-enhancer) that brushed their nostrils.
The heartbeat that had been pounding since earlier.
“If I have a son who looks like my husband, he’d be really cute….”
“Get lost! Who’s your husband?!”
“Huh? He definitely smiled at me! That was flirting!”
“If you so much as wave a finger at our Yujin’s dad, I’ll definitely…!”
“Who said Yujin’s dad? You crazy woman!”
Clank!
The two drew their swords simultaneously.
It’s nature’s way that a strong female can claim a male.
The real exam for them had just begun.
*
“Hmm. Even though I gave them two tickets, I still have about ten left.”
I had been killing monsters with golden chests randomly, and I accumulated quite a few admission tickets.
Even if I keep one as a safety net, that leaves nine.
At this rate, I’ll soon run out of space in my pockets.
‘So hurry up and show yourself.’
What I’m aiming for is nothing as trivial as an admission ticket.
To be the top student, I need to obtain something else from the chests.
In a way, this fits the purpose of treasure hunting the best.
‘What is the treasure?’
The admission tickets strewn about the dungeon can hardly be considered treasure.
The one and only, most precious thing.
Only something of that caliber can be called a treasure.
“Ha!”
I smashed the gargoyle’s body with my sword infused with ki.
Though it was a third-tier monster like the orc, its wings made it trickier to handle.
Still, if I swing it like a bat, it’s easy to take down.
“Grrr!”
The gargoyle’s body shattered, dropping the chest it was holding.
“Please, this time!”
I prayed as I smashed the chest open.
Instead of a ticket, something else sprang out.
A foreboding key, entirely red.
[Key of Pandemonium]
“…Found it!”
This is it.
The key to becoming the top student.
The true ‘treasure.’