Handsome's exam had ended, and he was treated like royalty by those around him. If you ignored the near-fatal gas incident after using Muscle Engine, it would have been perfect.
Several applicants had demonstrated their skills, some proving their value despite having low physical performance. These individuals would be watched and might receive offers either later or immediately after the advancement exam ended.
There were also those whose futures looked bleak, as they failed to meet expectations. Not only would they not get any offers, but they might also fail to advance.
The criteria for selecting a monster to fight applicants were strict. The monster had to be at least one or two levels stronger than the applicant. Otherwise, it wouldn't prove their value enough to attract the scouts. Those who couldn't meet expectations had no right to receive a contract.
Asic, who had the highest scores in almost every category, still hadn't had his turn to showcase his skills. Higgs might have intentionally saved him as the highlight of the exam. Half of the exam had already passed when the applicants were released for lunch at the cafeteria.
Scouts began approaching those who had finished their exams at the cafeteria, while those who hadn't yet faced their turn mostly felt too nervous to eat, afraid they'd throw up everything once it was time to fight. These people carried far too much stress.
But Asic wasn't like them.
Asic looked at the various food stalls in the cafeteria, hesitating over what to eat for lunch. But he noticed a pair of eyes watching him. There was no way Asic wouldn't realize it—he could even tell exactly who those eyes belonged to. When he turned around, he saw a red-haired man in glasses and a pinstriped suit approaching.
"Long time no see, Asic Quadro. Do you remember me?"
"Long time no see, Roland Ironheart," Asic responded, recognizing the man before him. This man was not only the class president during Asic's year, graduating first in their class, but also the CEO of a hundred-million-dollar company. Even if Asic wanted to forget, he couldn't. After all, this guy was a legend.
"After graduation, you disappeared. If I hadn't seen you today, I would've thought you were dead."
"Personal matters."
"Hmm, everyone has their reasons." Roland adjusted his glasses slightly.
"As always, I'll treat you to a meal. Let's talk."
"Sure," Asic didn't refuse a free meal. The phrase "as always" meant that in the past, Roland often treated Asic to food.
Instead of eating at the cafeteria, Roland took Asic by car to a famous health-food restaurant four blocks from the office. As soon as they entered, the branch manager came out personally to greet them.
"This restaurant was taken over by our company. We saw a market in great-tasting health food. I'll take care of the bill, so order whatever you want." Roland seated Asic at the table with the best view in the restaurant. A QR code appeared, and as Asic used his Fluction system to look at it, the restaurant menu popped up.
'OC, choose something for me. Cheap but nutritionally balanced.'
[Understood, Master.] OC scanned the entire menu and ordered items that were nutritionally complete but reasonably priced, just as Asic wanted. Soon, the food was served at their table.
"How's the taste?"
"It's okay," Asic said as he ate. Health food typically didn't taste great, no matter how well it was prepared. Less sugar, low sodium, no fat—it was hard to beat the taste of food made for flavor. But the dishes here weren't bad.
It probably cost a lot, though. The vegetable and chicken meatball soup Asic was eating now was just a small bowl, but it cost $50—almost six times pricier than other places. But the taste was worth the price.
Roland looked at the table full of dishes Asic had ordered, including tofu egg soup, vegetable and chicken meatball soup, pork blood congee, and cabbage rolls with seasoned pork. Despite the full spread, they were the cheapest items on the menu.
"You're still the same."
"?"
"You like ordering the cheapest food. I told you I'd pay, but you're still as considerate as ever."
"Ask for too much, and you owe too much," Asic replied. Roland adjusted his glasses again. No matter how many years passed, Asic Quadro was still the same Asic Quadro—a tough person to talk to.
"In our school's 39th cohort, I graduated first in both theory and practical assessments. But there was one person I never managed to beat—you, Asic Quadro."
"You placed fourth. That was a mistake. If you had focused on becoming a Miner instead of taking the police academy exam, you would've ranked second in the class."
"You're wrong."
"Where did I go wrong?"
"About ranking second." Asic held up a single finger.
"If I hadn't taken the police academy exam, I would've been number one in the 39th cohort."
"Still as cocky as ever."
"Just say what you want—I don't like small talk."
"That's exactly why I like you. Avalex Steel is recruiting personnel to pioneer a new territory. I need you." Roland stared into Asic's eyes, trying to gauge his reaction from their past interactions ten years ago.
"I can immediately guarantee you a sub-team leader position, with a salary 12% higher than others in the same role. I'll pay three months' salary upfront as a bonus, with benefits equivalent to a four-star Miner. If you sign on right now, I'll give you one Ethereum coin on the spot," Roland made his offer.
The Asic Quadro Roland knew was someone who lacked money, always ordering the cheapest cafeteria food to eat alone. It was because of his poor financial situation that he got into Miner School on a scholarship—he'd been top of his class throughout all three years of middle school.
If you throw out a hook, there's a chance the fish will bite—but this fish wasn't interested at all.
"I like you, Roland. You're straightforward. I appreciate the offer, but I don't want to work for anyone."
"Hmm," Roland pushed up his glasses. Asic's answer wasn't entirely unexpected.
'Is it because my offer isn't good enough?' Roland thought to himself. He'd been CEO of Avalex Steel for ten years and knew what it took to bring talent onboard.
"In fact, Avalex Steel is in charge of a city-level project right now. Have you read the news about Clotclye Marsh? My company has pioneered 97% of it. Currently, we control 195 square kilometers of land, and we're building housing and farmland. Two hundred thousand people will soon call it home.
"With this project, we'll be helping 200,000 people once Clotclye City is completed. I'm also aiming for larger areas to develop. If we succeed, we'll be able to help another 300,000 to 400,000 people. You know how bad things are in the old world—so many people need help, and that's our mission at Avalex Steel."
Two things drove people in the new world: money and ideals.
Ideals were intangible, but they had the power to influence people more than money sometimes did. People needed money, and if you offered it, they'd follow. But those driven by ideals wouldn't stay, even for billions, if they didn't want to.
Avalex Steel used the ideal of being a profit-seeking company that also benefited people. It didn't exploit the poor, nor abandon those in need. Roland used this to gain support. People who admired these ideals joined Roland, something money alone could never buy. If Asic was someone who valued justice, he'd have to be at least somewhat persuaded.
"Nice persuasion skills."
"Did it work?"
"It did."
"Then, the contract—"
"One bottle of elixir, and I'll be your workhorse."
Elixir?
Hearing that word, Roland felt his gut twist in frustration.
Elixirs, or life potions, were only obtainable during special rookie Miner events held once every five years. No matter how close to death someone was, an elixir could bring them back, granting them longer life. They were priceless—no amount of money could buy them because those who owned them didn't want to sell. Having an elixir meant having a second life. Unfortunately, Avalex Steel didn't have a single one.
"If there's no elixir, I won't join anyone."
"Understood." Roland knew Asic well—he wasn't mentioning elixirs to play hardball or raise his value; he genuinely needed one.
Family? A loved one? Or maybe for himself?
Roland didn't know and didn't need to.
"There are three company sizes: offices, companies, and major corporations. Among the major corporations, there are the three strongholds—the global powers of the new world. I'm not sure if major corporations have elixirs, but the three strongholds certainly do. If you perform well today and catch their attention, you might be able to negotiate for one."
"Thanks." Asic appreciated Roland sharing this information. Even if he couldn't bring Asic on board, maintaining a good relationship could mean working together in the future. Roland's Ironheart nickname stemmed from his generosity, after all.
After their meal, Roland took Asic back to the Miners office. They exchanged numbers and parted ways.
Roland returned to the control room. All the sponsor scouts gathered again after meeting with their favorite Miners. Coincidentally, the first applicant for the second half was Asic Quadro.
"Should we send in a Fishman—maybe a shark breed this time?" Swan had been waiting for this—the exam's star was finally stepping up. He wanted to see something exciting. Handsome had fought a catfish-breed Fishman, but what he was suggesting was a shark-breed Fishman—ten times stronger.
"We already used a Fishman against Handsome. People will compare, and it'll be repetitive. I suggest something more thrilling for Asic Quadro—how about a ghoul?" Fujioka proposed. The others agreed not to reuse a Fishman, though they weren't sure if a ghoul was suitable.
"Man, I really want to know how good he is. A Miner like him is valuable—there's no need for extra training; he can be put to work immediately," Swan was frustrated. He desperately wanted Asic Quadro, but there were too many competitors.
Nine hours into the advancement exam, they had enough time to dig into Asic Quadro's background. It was clear he had been a police officer until October 31st. He was in the suppression unit, and interestingly, he was in the same cohort as Roland, ranking fourth.
Roland had disappeared during the lunch break, and everyone guessed he'd gone to talk to Asic Quadro, though no one knew if Asic had accepted any offers.
"I suggest Asic Quadro fight HH," Roland spoke up in the control room.
"..." The scouts and examiners all fell silent. Even Higgs, the chief examiner, was against his proposal.
HH was a special kind of monster, unlike Fishmen or Smurfmen that could be found in nature. Special monsters could only be found in specific locations, like mines or pioneering areas in the new world. They were limited, rare, and powerful.
Its name was Hammerhead.
"The Hammerhead is reserved for the three-star Miner advancement exam—you know that," Higgs disagreed with using a three-star monster for a two-star exam. It was unfair to Asic Quadro, no matter how skilled he was.
"He's worthy of it," Roland countered.
"He has the qualifications to fight it. We all want to see just how capable he is. If we send a Fishman or a ghoul, we won't know what he's really hiding. Isn't your job to test the Miners?" Roland adjusted his glasses again, his pressure making Higgs uncomfortable.
"Isn't that why we're here, everyone? To see something interesting?"
"Hammerhead? Now that's interesting," Swan snapped his fingers, laughing.
"I vote yes. I want Asic Quadro to fight the Hammerhead," San also voiced his support.
"It may not be fair to the applicant, but I think it's a great opportunity for Asic Quadro. If he beats the Hammerhead, he'll get noticed and prove his worth. That's the original purpose of the Miner exams. I vote yes," Fujioka raised his hand.
"Yes!"
"Let him fight the Hammerhead!"
"Only the Hammerhead!"
The sponsors pressured Higgs.
Higgs was just an employee of the Miners office. He had no real say, even as the chief examiner. This was the power of capitalism—if he opposed the sponsors, he'd lose his job. He had no choice, even if he disagreed.
"Send in the Hammerhead," Higgs turned away from the sponsors and ordered his subordinates. The staff exchanged uneasy glances. They knew it was too dangerous for the applicant, but this was what the sponsors wanted. How could the Miners office survive without funding from these companies?
Soon, Asic was notified in advance that he'd be fighting the Hammerhead.
Normally, applicants only found out what monster they were facing once they were in the exam room. But in Asic's case, it was different. Higgs had asked the staff to tell him beforehand to allow for some preparation.
[The situation is irregular. There's a high probability this is staged—not a random selection.] OC had learned more, searching public forums about conspiracy theories. It seemed likely that the monster selection wasn't random but influenced by higher authorities.
[Master, can we purchase data on the Hammerhead for our database?] OC accessed a website that sold detailed information about monsters.
Basic information about monsters was available online for free, but in-depth data had to be bought at high prices. Since the Hammerhead was a special monster, its information was expensive—$500.
"Buy it," Asic authorized. OC purchased the information and downloaded it. Now that Asic knew what the Hammerhead was, he could plan his approach.
[Unfair.] OC had learned about the Hammerhead and concluded that Asic wasn't being treated fairly. In terms of strength, abilities, and endurance, it was far above the monsters other applicants faced—a difference like heaven and earth, gold and dirt.
"Good. If they sent something boring, I'd be disappointed," Asic followed the staff into the armory to choose his weapons. He picked three items:
Two tonfa batons, a revolver, and a pair of power-enhancing gloves.