Returned With Horns

* * *

Goblins and slimes. Quite a standard composition. Thinking that, I loosened up my body. A few punches were merely the appetizer of a course meal, an act that required no effort from me at all.

I could use mana if I wanted to, but right now I wasn't using any. I was just gently circulating the mana needed to maintain my body.

Because of this, the power output wasn't as great as one might expect. If I had swung with full force, there probably wouldn't have been any form left of the goblin or slime.

The next monster was an orc. Another standard design. I cleared the orc with one punch as well and waited for the next monster.

Troll, ogre, giant, golem... After clearing up to the 10th level with one punch each, a voice was heard from above.

[Good. Usually, we end at the 10th level, but since Miss Seohyun still seems relaxed, let's move on to the 11th level.]

"How many levels are there?"

[There are up to 15 levels.]

Saying that, Deputy Director Jung of the Test Department summoned a monster.

11th level. Lava Golem. In other words, these lava golems have bodies tempered by fire, so without mana, not even blades can penetrate them. But I took a boxing stance without drawing my sword. It was the most comfortable stance for me, who had been an amateur boxer before being summoned as a hero.

Boom-! With a sound of air splitting, I struck the lava golem's body with my fist. With a thud, the lava golem's body was scraped away, and the enraged lava golem breathed fire and struck down at me.

Avoiding the lava golem's fist easily with a few steps, I started running along its arm.

Because I was restricting my mana, it wasn't an incredibly fast speed, but it wasn't a normal speed either. Jumping quickly from the lava golem's shoulder like that, I used that momentum to strike down with my fist.

Bang-! A full-power punch hammers down on the lava golem's head. Being inherently slow-moving, the lava golem took the punch without being able to dodge and staggered once. Along with that, the lava golem's hard body was scraped away, revealing the core near its spine.

The lava golem seemed to notice this too and quickly swung its fist to aim at me, but it was just a futile struggle that only hurt itself.

Taking advantage of the lava golem staggering after hitting itself with its own fist, I approached the core and swung my fist. If once wasn't enough, twice, if twice wasn't enough, thrice. After three punches like that, the core cracked with a crunch and then shattered and scattered.

The 11th level is certainly enough to warm up properly. Thinking that, I looked up and heard applause.

[Amazing-! Would you like to try the 12th level?]

"Yeah. Right now."

At my answer, the 12th level monster soon revealed itself.

Amorphous eyes. Black wings. And spears gripped in both hands. It looked somewhat like an angel, but not quite. I've never seen a monster like this before.

As I was thinking that and looking up, a voice soon came.

[This one's name is Kaiser Nepherion. It's the fallen form of angels who once served the old emperor. Is this much explanation enough?]

"Well, it doesn't matter."

Since I can't use magic, I have to find the weakness myself. It's been a while since I've had a good scuffle. Thinking that, I clenched my fists.

* * *

"She's not using her sword this time either."

"She said it was a cursed equipment, maybe there's some reason?"

"It seems so."

While listening to the conversation between Han Ayoung and Director Baek, Seol-ah quietly looked down. Although the magic shielding device was on, Seol-ah could also understand the current situation due to the basic mana of humans and the inherent mana in monsters.

Moreover, that name she heard earlier, Kaiser Nepherion. It was a monster Seol-ah had faced too.

Its skin is tougher than the lava golem from earlier, so even sword blades don't cut properly, and it has strong immunity to magic, so it repels all magic below a certain level. That's why it's classified as at least A-rank, with some individuals even classified as S-rank.

Considering that lava golems are considered B+ to A-rank, it was quite a significant level increase. Of course, if she had mana, Seohyun could easily catch both lava golems and Kaiser Nepherions. But is it really possible to catch those two with pure physical ability without mana? At least Seol-ah couldn't do it.

Seol-ah, who had forfeited in the test because she couldn't properly pierce the lava golem's body, let out a small sigh as she remembered that time.

"What's wrong, Seol-ah?"

"I hope Miss Seohyun doesn't get hurt."

"Come on. The Test Department staff have seen this countless times. They'll adjust before she gets hurt."

"This is only my first or second time seeing it."

"Ah, that's right?"

Han Ayoung let out a deep sigh at Director Baek's empty consolation. At the same time, Seohyun rushed at Kaiser Nepherion.

"Oh..."

"It's fascinating. A returnee doing boxing."

"Maybe she was a boxer before being taken away?"

"I guess so. Probably."

Seohyun, who naturally weaved and avoided Kaiser Nepherion's spear, extends her fist. With a thud sound like leather bursting, Kaiser Nepherion's face turns.

The enraged Kaiser Nepherion screams and thrusts its spear quickly towards Seohyun. Seohyun easily avoids the series of thrusts that would be difficult for most people to dodge and immediately plants a straight punch into Kaiser Nepherion's abdomen.

Several impact sounds and air-splitting sounds passed, but not a single wound appeared on Seohyun. It was amazing how she avoided all the spear attacks while planting blows in between.

"Is this even possible?"

"Well... To be able to avoid all of Kaiser Nepherion's attacks with pure physical ability. Is it an ability related to those horns?"

"She might have a skill related to physical abilities."

"Hmm..."

To Seol-ah - although Seol-ah has no eyes - it seemed more like movements honed by experience rather than by skills, but Seol-ah didn't bother to mention this.

After easily subduing Kaiser Nepherion with several boxing strikes like that, Seohyun looked up with a relaxed expression. Then Deputy Director Jung opened his mouth with a very surprised face.

[Would you like to try the 13th level!]

"Why is he so excited?"

"Because the highest record in the test room is the 11th level. Not only did she break that 11th level, but challenging up to the 13th level means she's at least EX-rank."

"Ah. So it means she's Korea's first EX-rank."

"That's right. Since the existence of returnees was revealed, only three EX-ranks have been discovered. Wang Xunqian from China, Howard from the USA, and Tateyama from Japan."

Of course, that's just the ones that have been revealed, there might be returnees living in hiding. That's why Korea was desperate for an EX-rank hunter.

Despite being the country with the most returnees, there wasn't a single EX-rank. The closest to EX-rank among returnees was Seol-ah in front of them.

That was the reason why Deputy Director Han Ayoung, who had recruited Seol-ah, couldn't help but look pretty.

"Why are you staring at me like that, Director?"

"No, I was just wondering where this bundle of luck rolled in from."

"Ahem! Flattering me won't get you anything."

"But S-rank and EX-rank did roll in, didn't they? Hahaha!"

Below Director Baek, who was laughing heartily, Seohyun was quietly nodding her head as a sign of affirmation. And so, the 13th level monster proudly walked out.

* * *

"Huh?"

I couldn't help but be bewildered seeing what came out as the 13th level monster. It was clearly Deputy Director Han Ayoung, albeit with a much stiffer expression and a more feral appearance. While I was tilting my head in confusion, a voice that was close to a scream was heard from above.

[Kyaaaa-! W-what are you doing?! Why am I the 13th level?!]

[Deputy Director Han is the best teaching material to judge an S-rank, isn't she!]

"Hmm. So this is a fake, huh."

I wonder if I can beat it up without holding back. Just as I was thinking that, Han Ayoung suddenly leaped towards me.

Until now, the monsters gave some leeway until they took the initiative to attack, but Han Ayoung seemed determined not to give any such leeway.

There was no emotion visible in Han Ayoung's eyes as she recklessly swung the twin swords in her hands. At that moment, feeling an unbelievable pressure, I instinctively drew my sword. The cursed magic sword immediately swallowed a handful of my mana.

Ah, this is why I didn't want to draw it.

I can't use magic, but it seems the opponent can, as Han Ayoung's swords flashed with sword light.

When a mana-infused sword clashes with a normal sword, it usually breaks, but my magic sword, which had eaten a handful of my mana, remained intact even when clashing with a mana-infused sword.

Since I had drawn it anyway, I had to end this quickly. I decided not to use magic, so I couldn't use my unique sword technique, Soul Dance. Therefore, I had no choice but to handle it with pure swordsmanship.

I lightly swung my sword a few times towards the charging Han Ayoung.

Slash, the sword swung several times cuts through flesh in a single sound. I never imagined the sensation would be this vivid. Well, it was the same when I hit with my fists.

Looking at the fake Han Ayoung chopped into pieces like that, I sheathed my sword back at my waist.