By Zephyria 
A simulator that perfectly recreates real-life situations.
Indeed. Looking around the room, there were several entrances that resembled Dungeon Gates.
Each entrance had the same design, but they were painted in different colors.
White, yellow, green, blue, red, and black, in that order.
As I stared at the doors, an employee explained to me.
“As you probably know, Espers and Guides, like other Ability Users, are classified from S-Class to F-Class, and Gates are also divided into the same ranking system, right?”
That’s common sense that everyone knows, even if they’re not an Ability User.
“Yes.”
As I nodded, the employee pointed to the artificial simulator Gates.
“The Gates in Examination Room 5 are also designed with ranks from S to F. We referenced data from Hunters who have experienced real Dungeons.”
“I see.”
I take back what I said about nothing changing in 20 years. Technology seems to have advanced quite a bit. They even created a simulator similar to a real Dungeon.
As I marveled, the employee added further explanation.
“The examination in Room 5 was recently added to identify those who try to fake their abilities. By having them enter the Gate of their previously received rank with a partner and observing the process, it becomes easier to grasp their true abilities.”
“…In short, you’re saying that putting them in a critical situation reveals their true skills?”
“You have a good understanding. That’s right. In a situation facing monsters, it becomes difficult to hide one’s true abilities.”
It was definitely a good method.
In a critical situation, people are bound to give their all. The monsters in the Dungeon desperately try to devour Espers and Guides.
If the simulator has succeeded in perfectly recreating the Dungeon and the monsters, there couldn’t be a better examination than this.
“So, since this examination was introduced, everyone who tried to fake their abilities to be higher has been caught. Amazing, right?”
“Yes… amazing.”
Although one question remained.
“But this examination, it seems like it wouldn’t be easy to catch someone who’s faking their abilities to be lower, especially if they’re a Guide.”
Espers might be different, but it seemed like it would be difficult to catch a Guide.
If an Esper fakes their abilities to be lower, it’s obvious in combat.
An S-Class hit and a B-Class hit have different power. Even if they try to hit softly, unless they’re a seasoned veteran who has experienced the limits of their abilities, it’s only a matter of time before their rank is exposed.
It’s nearly impossible for a higher rank to understand the power control of a lower rank.
For example, if an S-Class tries to fight a B-Class monster as if they were a B-Class and hits it once, the monster will foam at the mouth and collapse. Or they might catch a glimpse of the River Styx and run away completely terrified.
But when the same B-Class Esper attacks, they don’t die and come running to kill you.
Since there’s such a difference in power in combat, it’s very difficult for an Esper with strong power to fake their rank.
On the other hand, Guides were easier to deceive than Espers.
‘Of course, things would be different in a desperate combat situation, especially if their partner is dying.’
Let’s say an S-Class Guide is faking their rank and disguising themselves as a B-Class.
Then the partner Esper is also likely to be a B-Class. Secrety was a unique exception. Usually, partners are formed between similar ranks.
If Ability Users with a large difference in rank form a partnership, it’s not good for either of them. It was the same principle as getting sick from overeating or not getting enough to eat.
‘If they’re a high-ranking Guide, wouldn’t it be possible to deceive by only transmitting a small amount of Guiding energy?’
When I asked with that intention, the employee’s eyes sparkled.
“Even though you chose to live as a normal person instead of a Hunter, you seem like someone who has been active in the field for a long time.”
“…I’ve been studying hard with books. You never know when a similar accident might happen again after the Dungeon Break incident last time.”
It wasn’t a bad excuse for something I made up on the spot.
The employee shrugged, seemingly convinced.
“Yeon Yu-jin Guide is right. It’s difficult to filter out high-ranking Guides who are trying to hide their power with the examination. But.”
“But?”
The employee approached my ear and whispered as I wondered.
‘…When did he get so close?’
I thought he was just a mediocre B-Class Esper.
Something was strange. A B-Class Esper wouldn’t have such delicate control to completely erase their presence, would they?
The fact that I didn’t even hear the sound of the beads on his earring was shocking.
‘What the hell is this guy?’
Was there someone this strong in the government?
While I was shocked.
“Hoo.”
Hot air touched my ear.
I almost cursed.
It felt disgusting to have a stranger whispering in my ear.
‘You son of a bitch! You X-like X bastard!’
“Ack! What are you doing!”
Blowing air into my ear. Is he crazy?!
‘I’ve seen all kinds of crazy bastards.’
Should I file a complaint with the Management Bureau for sexual harassment?
Even as I covered my ear and panted, the employee smiled without a care. It was probably just my imagination, but it felt like he was mocking me.
“You’ll find out when you go inside this simulator Gate.”
After finishing the explanation, the employee took me to the simulator Gate painted green.
“It was measured as C-Class in the previous examinations, so you can proceed with a mock battle in the green Gate corresponding to C-Class.”
“…Are my partner Espers already inside?”
“Yes. They entered the Gate in advance and are waiting.”
It seemed like they were proceeding with C-Class because I was the one being examined.
‘Even though the Secrety members are all A-Class Espers, even with only one battle experience, wouldn’t the situation end in an instant if they went into the C-Class Gate…?’
I thought it might be surprisingly anticlimactic.
‘No. Judging from the confident attitude of the employee, there might be some other device.’
I shouldn’t let my guard down.
I slowly pulled the lever on the simulator Gate, and the door opened. As I pulled the door, cool air touched my cheek.
The space inside was quite spacious. There was a sliding door made of glass on the floor, and a lever to open the sliding door on the wall.
Judging from the hole with endless depth, it seemed like the simulator Dungeon would appear if I went down here.
There were no abnormalities on the surface. I didn’t hesitate any longer and turned the lever, jumping into the huge hole.
Watching me fall, the employee quietly recited.
“Good luck.”
The employee, or rather Ban No-ah, erased his smile as Yeon Yu-jin disappeared into the simulator Gate.
He closed the Gate door and fiddled with the red earring on his right ear.
Ting-.
As the red bead rippled with green, the color painted on the Gate slowly began to change.
No, to be exact, Ban No-ah was restoring it to its original color.
The green Gate that Yeon Yu-jin entered regained its original black color.
Black Gate. The most dangerous virtual Dungeon that only the highest-ranking S-Class enter.
Even though it’s a simulation, it’s reproduced almost identically to a real Dungeon with the power of technology, so the power of the monsters that appear is also S-Class.
“If the real Yeon Yu-jin is C-Class, then this is the end for him.”
If not, he’ll come out unscathed.
Even if Yeon Yu-jin is harmed and suffers a major injury or becomes disabled inside the simulator Gate, it wouldn’t be Ban No-ah’s responsibility.
The employee of Room 5 who was supposed to conduct the examination today was someone else. The CCTV had already been manipulated, so all he had to do was watch for a while and leave.
Resting his chin on his clasped hands, Ban No-ah quietly stared at the video inside the simulator Gate.
“Now, Yeon Yu-jin. Just how useful of a Guide are you?”
Following his smile, the red earring shook slightly.
Thud.
I landed on my butt after sliding down the simulator Gate like a long slide.
“Ugh!”
As I grabbed my sore butt and stood up, I saw a dark night desert. The air was dry and cold. The sand felt like silk under my feet.
“Oh. They’ve recreated the terrain exactly like the real thing.”
The climate of the Dungeon is random and unpredictable. Did they choose the desert to create an extreme environment here?
As I marveled and tried to explore the surroundings, it was too cold.
“Ugh, it’s cold.”
This is cheating. If they’re going to set up an extreme climate environment, they should at least provide minimal clothing or survival supplies to start with, right?
‘Management Bureau, you son of a bitches.’
Shivering, I looked for the Secrety members who had entered in advance.
“Hey! Ra Ho-yeon! Shin Tae-beom! Seo Yun-chae! Cha Si-yoon! Where are you all!”
If these guys came through the same Gate as me, they should be around here…
I thought they would stay nearby since the examination wouldn’t start until I came down. The surroundings were too quiet.
‘What’s going on?’
I instinctively stopped making noise. If the examination had already started with my arrival, the monsters would hear my voice.
Instead, I tried to sense where the Esper’s energy was coming from.
‘Where are you guys?’
As I closed my eyes and tried to focus solely on the Esper’s unique energy, I felt something running towards me from about 500 meters ahead, making a thumping sound.
“Wait a minute…”
This, it’s not a human presence.