Genius

Drag the training mechanical wyvern twenty meters within one minute.

Effectively extract essence and inject it into the examinee.

Combine materials to create a scent-tracking item similar to a paintball.

Instructor Kedon checked the scroll's contents once more, still unable to understand Sara's intentions.

Some of the requirements he had specifically set for the new Kinsect, Ahtal-Ka, were beyond not just Kinsects.

Even hunters might not be able to meet them.

So this was not a matter of approving it under specific standards. He simply did not want Ahtal-Ka to pass.

Kedon noticed Sara watching the examination from outside the training ground fence.

He was about to approach him and ask, but the female instructor stopped him.

"Could it be that Sara isn't the one insisting on making Ahtal-Ka a Kinsect?"

After voicing her guess, the female instructor looked toward Li Le, who was earnestly practicing coordinated movements with Ahtal-Ka out on the grounds.

"Uh... could Li Le actually be the stubborn one?"

Understanding dawned on Kedon. He immediately grasped Sara's painstaking intentions and remarked, "Perhaps turning back before it's too late is the right choice. Li Le did well in all his earlier assessments. If he switches back to a standard Kinsect soon, his chances of passing won't be too low."

"Then we still need to prepare Ahtal-Ka's qualification test, right?"

The female instructor sighed.

She clearly struggled to muster any interest in a test that was doomed to fail.

"Of course. But removing the mechanical wyvern's ground anchor bolts ahead of time might affect the other examinees' weapon proficiency tests. Let's leave Ahtal-Ka's qualification test until last. I'll plan out the route for dragging it first."

All sorts of strange incidents occurred during every hunter examination.

Accustomed to the unusual, the examiners soon began their preparations.

That afternoon, the crucial final portion of the hunter examination-the physical fitness and hunting weapon proficiency tests-officially began.

The physical fitness test consisted of strength and impact resistance. Meeting the minimum standards counted as a pass.

Hunting weapon proficiency involved demonstrating techniques against a mechanical wyvern.

Three veteran weapon users recognized by the Guild would judge it together.

On the sandy ground, Li Le stretched his arms and legs. After warming up and loosening his body, he approached Ahtal-Ka.

A pair of sickle claws rose high, with two strands of insect silk dangling from them.

Li Le gripped the silk with both hands and stepped forward, pulling.

The muscles in his arms immediately bulged and tightened.

"Sisi! A little... harder!"

As Li Le spoke through gritted teeth, Ahtal-Ka shifted its sickle claws slightly backward.

Scrape~

Despite his feet being planted deep in the sand, Li Le slid backward a short distance.

"Ah!"

With a loud shout, Li Le lifted one foot and stepped forward.

Creak, creak~

The two silk strands trembled slightly before pulling taut again.

Once his foot landed firmly, Li Le promptly fell backward and lay on the sand, gasping for breath.

"Ah... I'm done."

Kaluo ran over, wiping away sweat while offering him a water flask.

"What an unusual way to train your strength."

Aiden, who was also warming up nearby, offered his assessment after watching.

"Normally, I'd do another set for my waist and legs, but it looks like there's no time now."

Li Le straightened up and began stretching his taut muscles.

"You really work hard. You're even making use of the little time left before the examination..."

After praising him, Aiden looked toward the training Insect Glaive propped against the fence and remarked, "I wanted to try the Insect Glaive before, too."

"Why didn't you?"

Li Le asked.

"Mostly because it hasn't been around long, and the local Guild branches don't have anyone who can teach beginners. Also, according to hunters who've tried it, this hunting weapon seems a little lacking in killing power."

After speaking, Aiden suddenly sensed a sinister stare.

He turned around and discovered Director Sara outside the fence.

"Of course, they might just be using it incorrectly."

At Aiden's words, Sara's gaze visibly softened.

"But I've never seen this Kinsect before."

"This is Sisi, an Ahtal-Ka. An extremely rare new type of Kinsect."

Li Le introduced it.

"Other than being an insect, nothing about it seems like a Kinsect. But since it can easily help you with strength training, it must be a power type, right?"

Aiden analyzed.

"It's a Kinsect combining power and intelligence. A power-intelligence Kinsect for short."

Sara supplied a clear definition.

"There's a type like that?... No wonder it's a new weapon people aren't familiar with. Looks like I'll have to watch more closely."

Before long, the physical strength test began.

Its two events were lifting stone locks and pushing a square stone block.

Both were simple and brutal.

While Aiden waited outside the grounds and watched,

a crisp crunching sound came from beside him.

He discovered Li Le taking large bites of a red fruit.

"Taking a Might Seed... Unfortunately, the strength boost it triggers is too small to make much of a difference."

Aiden commented.

Glug, glug...

He had only just turned back when the sound of gulping liquid rang out again.

"Is that... Demondrug?"

Watching Li Le tip back his head with a red potion bottle raised, Aiden ventured a guess.

"That's right."

Li Le wiped the potion from his mouth, took two red pills from Kaluo's paw, and tossed them into his mouth to chew.

"Might Pills... Even if you rely on money to pass the examination, you won't get far."

Aiden did not approve of Li Le's rampant use of drugs.

"It's not that serious. I'm just playing it safe."

Looking at the veins bulging like earthworms on his wrists, Li Le nodded in satisfaction.

"Hmph. As a soon-to-be rising hunter star, I refuse to approve."

Aiden folded his arms and made his stance clear.

"Coming, meow."

Kaluo came running with a red cloth bundle held up.

"Demon Powder. Want some?"

Li Le lowered his head and asked quietly.

The corners of Aiden's mouth twitched twice. He seemed hesitant.

"Hmm... was it obtained legally?"

"I bought it at Guild headquarters. Look, the mark's still there."

Li Le pointed to the X-shaped mark on the red cloth wrapping.

"Where did you get so much money? Support from your family?"

Aiden asked doubtfully.

After all, even hunters who passed the examination had very limited earnings early on.

Only after successfully advancing to three stars would that pressure ease somewhat.

"I'm the chief gathering director-general of the Kinsect Research Institute. Do you think I'd be short of money?"

"Fair point... Huh? When you first introduced yourself, wasn't it chief gathering director?"

"Well, I'm about to become a hunter, so Director Sara gave me another promotion... Ready? I'm tossing it."

"Li Le! Wait a moment."

After speaking, Aiden straightened up and forcefully exhaled several times, as though trying to empty his lungs.

After a nod of confirmation, Li Le gripped one corner of the cloth and flicked it open with an upward motion.

Glittering red powder scattered through the air.

Aiden closed his eyes, tipped his head back, and inhaled deeply.

"Uh... how come you inhaled even more than I did?"

Li Le was somewhat speechless.

"Sorry. It's my first time trying Demon Powder. I just didn't want to waste any..."

Aiden rubbed the back of his neck, looking apologetic.

"All right. It's actually my first time too. Usually, I just eat some Might Seeds when training."

"Coming, meow!"

Kaluo ran over with an insect cage raised above his head.

"There's more?"

Aiden could not believe it.

"It isn't a local insect, so it's not very active here. But the powder left on its wings should still have some effect."

Li Le removed the black cloth covering the cage, revealing a large, fiery-red butterfly.

"I've never seen one. Do we inhale the powder from its wings...?"

Aiden asked.

"Right. One wing each this time."

The two bent slightly at the waist and leaned closer. Seeing that the moment had come, Kaluo shook the insect cage hard with both paws.

Startled, the previously listless Firebeetle beat its wings fiercely, sending another cloud of red powder spreading outward.

"This feels... really good."

Li Le spoke excitedly as he looked at the veins bulging on his hands.

"Heh heh."

"Ha ha."

The two stared at each other with strange chuckles, red light flickering in their eyes.

Exuding a peculiar air, they soon attracted everyone's attention.

"Physical fitness isn't Li Le's strong suit. Can he handle stimulating his body with so many drugs at once?"

Watching, Holo asked somewhat nervously.

"For a powerful hunter, this dosage is merely the basic level they endure every day. It's good to get used to it early."

Sara seemed long accustomed to such scenes.

"Li Le! It's my turn!"

"Go for it, Aiden!"

Even in an ordinary exchange, both men's words brimmed with excitement.

"Hah! Hah!..."

Aiden repeatedly raised and lowered the two enormous stone locks at his sides, looking quite at ease.

He lifted them thirty-two times in a row before finally stopping from exhaustion.

After a brief breather, he headed straight for the enormous square stone block.

Bracing one shoulder and arm against the center of its surface, he tensed his leg muscles and drove forward hard.

Scrape, scrape~

The enormous square stone block began sliding backward.

"Aiden should have the best strength score this time..."

Instructor Kedon muttered as he recorded the distance on the measuring scale.

A short while later, Li Le's name was called, and he promptly stepped onto the grounds.

He lifted the stone locks twenty times in a row, achieving an above-average result.

He also successfully moved the square stone block, though the distance was less than ideal.

The next physical fitness event, impact resistance, used a rail cart with cushioning material wrapped around its front.

Having the courage to face it head-on without fleeing or dodging was the prerequisite for passing this event.

The criterion assessed afterward was how far the examinee was knocked back.

Though it appeared to be a simple physical fitness test, it actually had much to do with one's posture at the moment of impact, as well as the strength and use of the waist, abdomen, and lower limbs.

There were not many effective boosting supplies Li Le could obtain for this.

Only Armorskin and Adamant Seeds.

Bang!

"Ahhh!"

A young man with his arms crossed protectively in front of him was sent flying like a kite with a snapped string by the abruptly braking rail cart.

Since he flew far beyond the marked line, there was no need to measure. The instructor immediately declared that he had failed this event.

"This fellow will probably need an outstanding performance in weapon handling to make up for the points he lost here."

Li Le felt sorry for him as he offered his analysis.

Aiden was up next.

He did not cross both arms in front of himself in the usual defensive stance.

Instead, he bent at the waist and knees, bracing just one arm in front of him.

"That looks like... the Sword and Shield's guarding stance."

Although he had no shield in hand, Li Le still recognized which hunting weapon the stance belonged to.

Screech!

The rail cart's wheels scraped against the tracks with an ear-piercing screech of emergency braking.

Thump!

After making contact with the shock-absorbing material, Aiden took the impact, his waist and back bending farther in unison as his feet arched.

Whoosh-thump!

A burst of transparent energy passed out through his back.

After sliding several steps backward, Aiden came to a steady halt, unscathed.

Only half of one foot had crossed the front of the marked line.

After a brief silence, applause and cheers erupted.

"Sure enough, being a top newcomer isn't just talk."

Li Le applauded, offering his heartfelt praise.

"Sisi, I'm going to get hit by that thing in a moment. It's not dangerous, so don't be nervous."

Seeing Sisi tilt her head, seemingly only half understanding, Li Le thought of another, safer approach.

He gave Sisi a few packets of Power Insect Bait and had Kaluo accompany Sisi to look at the mechanical dragon.

"Kaluo, whatever you do, don't let Sisi damage the mechanical dragon. If the weapon-handling assessment can't go ahead, we'll have a lot to answer for."

"Don't worry, meow! ...Sisi! Over here!"

Soon, Li Le stood in the impact-resistance assessment area.

In the cab some distance away, the Felyne sounded the whistle as a warning signal.

After accelerating the rail cart to the designated assessment speed and reaching the marked distance, the Felyne pulled the brake lever all the way back.

Sparks flew from the wheels as the rail cart began braking, sliding along the tracks.

"Come on! Aah!"

Li Le mustered all his strength and dug both feet down into the sand.

Thump!

First, a wave of tingling numbness swept through his arms. Li Le felt something invisible pass through his entire body from every direction.

It felt as though the organs inside his body had been knocked apart.

By the time his awareness returned, he was already lying on the sand.

He turned his head to glance at the measuring scale. Seeing that he was around the middle, he breathed a sigh of relief.

The instructor hurried over with a medic. After they checked that he was unharmed, he was escorted out of the area.

"Yes! Going by his performance so far, as long as nothing goes wrong with weapon handling, Li Le will definitely pass."

Holo was in high spirits.

"Perhaps..."

Sara sighed.

"The weapon-handling assessment focuses more on technique, and that isn't Li Le's weakness. Why do I get the feeling you're not very confident, Director?"

Holo was puzzled.

"Becoming a hunter isn't that simple. The same goes for a Kinsect."

As Sara spoke, he shifted his gaze to Sisi.

"All right, I should go get ready too."

"Huh? You're taking part in the assessment too, Director?"

"Of course. I'm one of the invited Insect Glaive instructors. I need to judge and score the candidates' handling of it."

Sara raised his chin as he spoke.

"I see... Why haven't you taken part before?"

"There weren't many candidates choosing the Insect Glaive before."

Sara made no attempt to hide it and admitted it outright.

"Ha, you're actually looking forward to Li Le's performance too, aren't you?"

"Think what you like. I'm going to get ready."

After a short rest, the candidates gathered in front of the mechanical dragon.

The Long Sword and Great Sword were relatively popular weapons, and there were quite a lot of candidates using them.

After watching for a while, Li Le noticed that everyone's moves consisted mainly of conventional slashes, and their understanding of those moves seemed somewhat rigid.

Still, he could understand. For an ordinary person, passing this assessment really was extraordinarily difficult.

For a hunter, however, it was only the entry level.

If someone could already master things like the Great Sword's third-level charged slash or the Long Sword's Helm Breaker at this stage, they would truly be a peerless genius.

Before the assessment began, Examiner Kedon had specifically mentioned this. ()