Special Evaluation, Not a Rank Test - 3
Chang Juyeol. Second-year, combat specialist. Ranked number one in Silver. That meant he had challenged for Gold promotion multiple times.
When I checked him with my Third Eye, he wasn’t a thug like Park Junwoo or trash like Jeong Yuhyeon. Just an ordinary ability user. A student with decent talent who put in a decent amount of effort. Nothing more, nothing less.
“You want to spar? What’s the sudden reason for this?”
“Since I’m already Silver rank, I can’t take the regular evaluation. This isn’t about obsessing over winning or losing. I just want you to see that the current Silver students have a reason to stay in Silver.”
In his own way, he might have said that because he was worried he’d actually beat me. Asking to spar but saying not to care about the outcome? That was nonsense. It seemed he was looking down on me quite a bit, probably because I was just a Silver-rank examiner.
“Alright. Chang Juyeol. A spar that functions as an evaluation. Let’s do it.”
“Thank you! Let’s head over right away!”
I turned and started walking toward the examination hall. I never imagined that keeping my spar with Jeong Yuhyeon a secret would snowball like this. If that had gotten out, this ridiculously sweet situation would never have happened. What kind of Silver would be crazy enough to challenge an examiner who had beaten a Gold?
They’d probably just bow and apologize before running away, and no one would blame them. Of course, since this was an evaluation and not a simple duel, victory or defeat wasn’t the point. If the examiners judged using the most objective standards possible and approved the promotion, then it was possible.
What if examiners took bribes and passed anyone? Well, once students attended the professors’ lectures, their true levels became obvious. The people running this place had rolled around in the field for years. There was no way they wouldn’t notice.
And if they got caught doing that, they’d be looking at prison time without question.
Besides, rising in rank meant shouldering that much more responsibility. If someone’s real level was Bronze but they got pushed into Silver, could they actually handle it? What if they went out for field training and ran into a monster or villain they couldn’t handle?
That was exactly why neither examiners nor students tried to force or encourage such things. Because of that, students didn’t question their current ranks. They had done their best, and the examiners had confirmed it without any personal bias.
That principle applied even to those who had reached the so-called basics of basics—Silver. That was why they had quietly looked down on the Bronzes who couldn’t even get past that.
At least until that massive storm called Lee Hyunwoo showed up.
“Examiner. Are you really going to do this?”
Kang Hana had followed me at some point. She asked the question in a worried voice. It seemed she was concerned that I, as a civil servant, might act recklessly and suffer consequences. Even during the Jeong Yuhyeon incident, that part had bothered me too. Thankfully, that arrogant bastard must have been embarrassed enough to keep it secret. If he hadn’t, things could have gotten quite awkward.
“Yes. I’m going to.”
But this time, there was no chance of that. Nope. Not at all.
“If any problems come up, I can just write a statement of reflection.”
“I-isn’t that a little too lacking in countermeasures?”
She probably thought I was really prepared to write one. Absolutely not. I had already spoken with Ma Hakjun. And the conversation had ended on a very positive note. He had fallen for my smooth talking and asked me to work hard as an examiner for the Academy. On top of that, it had become known that I might have some connection to Irina. Those two things alone were more than enough cover.
In this world too, having connections was still a crucial part of life.
“I’m ready, Examiner.”
“Good. Before we begin, there’s something we need to go over first.”
“What is it?”
What else? Something very important. The part where you drop back down to Bronze.
“If you don’t receive any meaningful positive evaluation from me, what do you plan to do?”
“Pardon? What do you…”
“It looks like you want to use me to get past what even Lee Hyunwoo couldn’t overcome and secure some justification for yourself. Am I wrong?”
Chang Juyeol couldn’t say anything. Because it was true. He wasn’t bad enough to lie about it with a straight face.
“If I acknowledge you, it proves you’re better than Lee Hyunwoo. That’s fine. But on the other hand, if you receive an evaluation saying you’re not even at Silver level, what will you do then?”
He probably already knew the answer. He was just hesitating because saying it out loud was too heavy a burden.
“In that case…”
He needed to answer quickly so we could start, but he kept hesitating. Was it that disappointing to go from living as the king of Silver back down to Bronze? Hadn’t he thrown out the challenge to spar without that kind of resolve?
“Obviously, your Silver qualification will be revoked. What more needs to be said?”
“Huh? D-Director?!”
At some point Ma Hakjun had appeared. He was sitting on a bench, laughing heartily. It made me wonder if he had truly retired because of old age.
“Chang Juyeol. What will you do? Can you accept these conditions?”
“Uh… Yes, Director. I will.”
With the situation like this, he must have decided there was no way to back out. In the end, Chang Juyeol accepted the condition of dropping to Bronze. If he had refused, that would have caused problems in its own way.
“Then, by the authority of the Director, Baek Seojin, Examiner. We will now begin the special evaluation.”
“Special evaluation… you say?”
“It’s not a spar, nor is it a regular evaluation. So calling it a special evaluation should be fine, no?”
There was something strange about the way Ma Hakjun said it. I wondered why he was acting like that, but it seemed he had his own goals as well. Anyway, old people were always hard to read. It was uncomfortable.
“The one who tries to pass and the one who tries to block. I’m curious what kind of result will come out.”
Indeed, Director. I’m quite curious too. I wonder how many Silvers will drop back to Bronze today.
When I estimated based on the traits only visible to me… there were a few besides Lee Hyunwoo and Kim Suhyun who seemed worthy of Silver. That was a relief. I had been worried there might be none at all.
Special Evaluation has begun.
‘The Director came too? This is getting way too big!’
Meanwhile, Kang Hana stood behind them, screaming internally. The reason she had agreed after hearing Kim Suhyun’s suggestion and watching Baek Seojin’s behavior was because she judged it was the only way to calm the current uproar. That didn’t mean all her worries had disappeared. In fact, there was now a chance this incident could grow even larger.
What if they failed to pass Baek Seojin’s evaluation? Everyone would drop to Bronze. If the number one Silver couldn’t pass, the rest was obvious. But couldn’t they just ignore it? Who would acknowledge those ranks?
‘He’s the examiner who already crushed even Jeong Yuhyeon. Chang Juyeol doesn’t stand a chance. The ones below him don’t either.’
They would all lose. If that happened, the entire Silver rank would vanish. What would those Silvers say then? They would definitely try to find something to complain about. In Kang Hana’s prediction, there was even a chance they would insist on re-evaluating up to Gold.
Looking at Baek Seojin’s skill, there was no one in Gold who could beat him. If the Golds really lost too, they would end up dropping to Bronze as well.
‘Why did the Director even give it the name “special evaluation” and push Examiner Baek Seojin like this? At this rate, the entire ranking system we’ve maintained until now will completely collapse?’
After thinking hard, Kang Hana came up with one prediction. In Jeong Yuhyeon’s case, there had been a clear reason that enraged Baek Seojin. How could anyone in South Korea say something like that right to someone’s face! That was why he had been utterly destroyed by the furious Baek Seojin.
But these Silvers were different. They hadn’t done anything to Baek Seojin. So unlike with Jeong Yuhyeon, he might go easy on them. Baek Seojin would know that going too far would cause problems.
‘Maybe the Director knows that too and is trying to end it appropriately at Silver?’
There were definitely students who treated Silver as a safe zone, slacked off, and just graduated. If this was meant to give them a good stimulus, then it might not be so bad…
KWAAAAANG—!
“Huh…?”
The person rolling across the floor and collapsing was unmistakably Chang Juyeol. It had happened exactly ten seconds after the special evaluation began. Kang Hana clutched her head and screamed internally.
‘Th-this isn’t what was supposed to happen!’
Judging whether he had the qualifications to be Silver? Baek Seojin had given his answer. Shut your mouth and quietly get lost back to Bronze. At this level, you don’t even come close!
‘Wait, hold on. If it’s like this…’
Just as her vision was going dark as the student council president, she saw Ma Hakjun.
“Looks like we’ll have to re-evaluate the entire Silver rank.”
Ma Hakjun was laughing heartily with a satisfied expression. Even though Baek Seojin destroying Chang Juyeol signaled a massive upheaval, he looked like he couldn’t be happier.
That was when Kang Hana finally understood Ma Hakjun’s true intentions.
‘I see! The Director wants to completely reset and reestablish the students’ standards!’
If water stagnates, it rots. Once it rots, it can never return. The Director had brought in a wave of change before that could happen. Even if the process would be noisy and full of trouble.
To the majority of the middle ranks who had been peacefully stagnating, he had cracked the whip and created an opportunity to raise the average.
‘This… I really need to get serious.’
Silver had fallen. Silvers never died alone. Gold was now in danger too. And if Gold got dragged down? Then even she, a Platinum, couldn’t feel safe.
Feeling a sense of crisis for the first time in a long while, Kang Hana stared intently at Baek Seojin.
‘That person… if he’s not actually some kind of special agent, maybe I should invite him to the clan once?’
He was a civil servant for now, but clan positions were preferred far more than government ones. And it wouldn’t even be her applying to the clan—it would be a recruitment offer. This was the perfect time to skyrocket in the ability user world.
‘Someone like him would be an enormous help to the Matap Clan in the future.’
While Kang Hana kept nodding to herself, lost in thought…
“…”
Kim Suhyun’s eyes sparkled brightly as she stared at Baek Seojin with her entire gaze filled with him.