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Chapter 04
<A Few Days Later, Player Management Agency>
Once Woo-hyun was ready to obtain his Player license, he headed to the Player Management Agency.
After arriving, he took a number ticket and waited patiently for his turn.
Ding-dong~
[123]
When his number was called, Woo-hyun approached the staff member.
He sat down in front of the employee and handed over the Player Qualification Exam application form he had filled out while waiting.
The employee accepted the papers, glanced over them, and began typing, uploading Woo-hyun’s personal information into the system.
Since Player status windows were strictly confidential—even hidden from family—the form Woo-hyun submitted contained only basic personal details, excluding any Player-related data.
When Players first emerged, politicians had tried to demand Players disclose their status window information, seeking to keep them on a leash. But the status window was more than just data—it was their very lifeline.
Naturally, the Players resisted. They fought back against the politicians.
The politicians, desperate to control these overwhelmingly powerful beings, tried every scheme and ploy to pressure them. But when the Players united and refused to subdue monsters or clear dungeons, the politicians had no choice but to shut up and raise the white flag.
As a result, even governments no longer dared pry into Players’ status window information.
Back then, Woo-hyun hadn’t cared much. But now that he had awakened his Gift—Vampirism—and become a Player himself, he felt grateful toward those early Players who had fought to protect their rights.
As Woo-hyun silently offered respect to those senior Players, the staff member finished uploading his details and pointed to a small terminal.
“Place your wrist on the device, please. We’ll verify your Player status through Gift detection.”
Woo-hyun did as instructed, setting his wrist on the machine.
A moment later, a green light lit up, and the staff confirmed:
“Gift detected.”
Turning the monitor toward him, the employee continued explaining.
“As you may already know, the exam consists of three stages: the first is written, the second is individual practical, and the third is group practical.”
The written test ensured that, as valuable national assets, Players possessed at least basic knowledge of monsters and dungeons—enough to avoid pointless deaths.
It was a 40-minute AI-generated, standardized exam. Scoring was absolute: anyone who achieved 85 points or higher passed. Woo-hyun felt confident.
‘I may not have been a Player before, but I followed them as a porter for over ten years. This much is nothing.’
After all, there’s a saying: “Even a dog at a village school learns verses after three years.”
If that were true for dogs, how much more so for Woo-hyun, who had spent years observing Players firsthand as they hunted monsters and cleared dungeons?
Compared to any rookie Player, his knowledge was far more extensive. The written test was nothing to worry about.
‘The problem is the practical, though.’
Players were the only ones capable of handling monsters and dungeons infused with mana.
That was why governments went to great lengths to ensure no Player died needlessly.
Thus, Player Qualification Exams tested not only knowledge but also minimum combat ability.
Of course, no real monsters were used—it was all simulated with augmented reality.
The practical portion was divided into individual and group tests. This too was to prevent unnecessary casualties.
Because the only thing more dangerous than a skilled enemy… was an incompetent ally.
Woo-hyun had learned that the hard way in Ocasio’s Tomb Dungeon.
There, three utterly useless “rookies” had triggered a red dungeon’s escalation into a black dungeon, costing Woo-hyun his life.
And unfortunately, such incidents weren’t all that rare in the Player world.
Hence, the system required individuals to first prove they could pull their own weight in solo trials before moving on to teamwork evaluation in group trials.
After all, Players typically worked in parties, not alone.
They were human—and in many ways, modern-day nobles.
Naturally, they didn’t want to die. They wanted to enjoy their aristocratic lives as long as possible.
So, to maximize survival odds, they banded together in groups.
Since teamwork was at the heart of a Player’s activities, the exam was designed with that in mind.
“The exams will proceed in the order of arrival today. The first and second stages will be combined, while the third will be conducted separately for fairness.”
Woo-hyun gave a small nod.
It made sense: the first two were solo tests and could be grouped, while the third—being a group trial—required synchronization.
“You’ll be given a 30-minute rest period before the third stage begins.”
Otherwise, the gap between the first and last test-takers would create unfair differences in stamina.
So, by inserting a mandatory break, the Agency eliminated excuses like ‘I failed because I was too tired.’
And since they had already announced that exams would be held in arrival order, Woo-hyun had deliberately come early this morning to secure an advantage.
<Player Exam Arena>
Having breezed through the written exam with a perfect score, Woo-hyun now stood in the arena, staring calmly at the electronic board.
The practical test simulated special “emergency scenarios.”
For example, the common Disarmed Scenario forced Players to fight barehanded after losing their weapons.
The test evaluated how effectively one could adapt to unexpected conditions faced in the field.
The roulette displayed on the big screen listed several such scenarios, spinning rapidly.
‘Please… anything but Mana Exhaustion!!!’
Clenching his fists, Woo-hyun prayed to every god he could name.
His Gift—Vampirism—was not combat-oriented.
He didn’t even have any skills yet.
The only reason he had the courage to sit for this exam was his overwhelming advantage: an absurd initial mana stat of 25.
For a freshly awakened Player, that number was so unbelievable it could make international headlines.
On top of that, thanks to his first-life memories, Woo-hyun had trained extensively in the supreme swordsmanship technique—Ability, crafted by Yuserin.
That was why, even without a combat Gift or skills, he dared to challenge the exam.
But if his only lifeline—his mana—was sealed?
That would be the ultimate counter to him.
He desperately hoped for anything else.
The roulette slowed, tick by tick… and the arrow landed squarely on Mana Exhaustion.
For the second time since his regression, Woo-hyun nearly burst into tears.
<A While Later>
Woo-hyun stretched lightly, then donned the augmented reality equipment.
Finally, he lowered the AR goggles, which displayed his HP above his vision.
A small green 100 floated there. Each hit from a monster would reduce the number, and at zero, the system would automatically disqualify him.
Clink—
Holding a longsword, Woo-hyun entered the arena. Staff members clasped mana-restraining cuffs around his wrist, sealing 80% of his mana.
Immediately, his body felt heavy, as though gravity had intensified.
‘Even with 80% sealed, my mana is still 5. That’s above average for a newly awakened Player. I just have to believe in myself.’
Woo-hyun had no desire for his family to learn about his hematophagia condition.
His plan was to quickly become a Player, hunt monsters, and solve his blood shortage problem himself.
But if he failed this exam, he would be forced to wait at least three months before retaking it. By then, he’d have no choice but to reveal his illness to his family—otherwise he wouldn’t be able to legally purchase blood.
He remembered the devastated faces of his parents and younger sister on the day he collapsed from anemia and was diagnosed with hematophagia in his first life.
Gripping his longsword tightly, Woo-hyun swore to himself.
‘I will pass. No matter what.’
[Ready]
At the mechanical voice, Woo-hyun raised his longsword into a middle guard stance.
Fwoosh—
Before him, a goblin—the weakest F-rank monster—materialized in a shimmer of light.
Keerik— Keerik—
With the AR equipment generating even the monster’s guttural cries, the experience felt terrifyingly real.
[Start!]
