Hero Rank Evaluation (1)
“Um, unni Mi-yang...”
Han Eunbyeol tugged timidly at Nyaistringer's sleeve, her voice thick with anxiety. “Even if my evaluation rank comes out super low... don't tease me too much, okay?”
At Eunbyeol's desperate plea, Nyaistringer swished her tail mischievously and smirked. “Hmph! Can't promise that, nyang! If it turns out too pathetic, I might just burst out laughing without meaning to, nya!”
“Ugh, you're the worst...”
Eunbyeol's face crumpled into a pout, but Ayoung Park, who was gathering documents, calmly pushed up her glasses and explained. “No need to worry so much, Miss Eunbyeol. Your first evaluation ranks will all come out low anyway.”
“Huh? All of us?”
“Hero ranks aren't determined solely by raw destructive power.”
Ayoung pulled up a screen on her tablet, displaying the association's evaluation chart.
70%: Crime suppression & rescue performance over the past 1 year
30%: Practical combat utility of current abilities
“Official hero rank evaluations are determined by a 70% weighting on crime suppression and rescue records from the past year, plus 30% on the practical combat utility of your abilities. As special admission hopefuls just stepping into the world, you have zero accumulated performance data over the past year, so you'll naturally start with deductions from the base score.”
Nyaistringer, her tail bristling straight up, grumbled in dissatisfaction. “What the hell? That's total boomer bullshit evaluation, nyang! Even if your power's fucking insane but no records, low rank—and even if your power's total shit, you rack up arrests on small-time crooks for records, high rank? What a bubbly, inflated system, nya!”
“Not entirely. There are outliers who ignore the system's ratios entirely.”
“Outliers?”
“Yes. Take, for example, one of Korea's two sole S-rank heroes, Onni Seven Day—a prime exceptional case.”
Onni Seven Day. The female hero who split the pinnacle of Korea's power with Rapid Star.
“She has zero recorded villain takedowns or rescues in recent years—not a single one on paper. But no one questions her S-rank status.”
Ayoung manipulated the tablet to open Onni Seven Day's file, accessible only to association executives.
Hero Profile: Onni Seven Day
Records: 0 (Villain Suppression / Rescues)
Reason for S-Rank: Apocalyptic Deterrence Power
Deploying her ability = National annihilation risk
“Because unleashing her ability to rack up records... would signal the start of a war that could wipe out a nation. Her deterrence and catastrophic destructive power alone earned her the S-rank crown despite zero records.”
Records equated to war. The overwhelming scale silenced not just wide-eyed Eunbyeol, but even grumbling Nyaistringer.
“Perfect timing—the evaluation's underway in the training ground over there. Why don't you all watch a senior hero get assessed? It'll help loosen you up.”
At Ayoung's suggestion, the group headed to the observation lounge connected to the lobby interior.
“Can total newbies like us just peek in on ability evaluations?” Ha Ohu asked, eyeing the soundproof glass enclosing the seats.
Ayoung replied flatly. “The hero profession thrives on public gaze and cheers. Heroes without spectators or star power lose merchandise value to the association. Publicly showcasing abilities is part of the evaluation too.”
The lounge already buzzed with other heroes, association staff, and reporters clutching cameras, all fixated on the training ground beyond the transparent bulletproof glass.
“Whoa... Master! Over there!”
Nyaistringer smooshed her nose against the glass, pointing inside. Amid dozens of measuring cameras and hovering drones stood a terribly familiar figure.
The man who had burst through the ceiling at Bupyeong Station's underground mall days ago to save Ha Ohu's group. Triple Axel.
Ha Ohu recognized the hero beyond the window too. Then, whispers from heroes clustered in the lounge corner reached his ears.
“Dude, didn't Senior Triple Axel maintain his A-rank in last month's regular eval? Why's he in the evaluation ground again today?”
“You don't know? He applied for re-evaluation to qualify for S-rank judgment.”
Their voices mixed awe and confusion.
“No way—with firepower like his, he's long been overqualified for S-rank. But he stuck to A-rank to look after his Triple A crew members... Why push for S-rank all of a sudden?”
“Does that mean Triple A disbands today? It's been around forever, though. Kinda sad.”
Listening to the murmurs, Ha Ohu realized anew. The laid-back neighborhood uncle who silently shouldered his broken leg at Bupyeong Station. The hero who teared up sincerely before his mother's portrait at the funeral. He was far stronger and more renowned in this world than Ha Ohu had imagined.
Ruuuuumble—!
A massive shockwave erupted from beyond the glass. Tornado-like drill airstreams spewed from Triple Axel's arms, pulverizing a dozens-of-tons titanium bunker for evaluation into dust in one go.
“Wooooaaah!!”
The lounge erupted in cheers.
Beep—!
The training ended, and the giant scoreboard monitor overhead blared Triple Axel's final evaluation rank in massive letters.
Comprehensive Evaluation
“Huh? Isn't this S-rank review? Why just A+?”
Nyaistringer tilted her head, and Ayoung answered. “The highest official rank a hero can earn through domestic activity caps at A-rank. The + symbol is key—it means qualification for the international body's final S-rank promotion review and overseas dispatch missions.”
Ha Ohu felt a quiet disgust at the system flaunting personal stats like sports scores for cheers. But eyeing the reporters snapping away, he clocked it as KHC marketing—hero idolization to reassure the masses.
“Finally! Another S-rank hero for our country!”
“Triple Axel! Triple Axel!”
The lounge buzzed. Clank.
The training ground door opened. Reporters swarmed Triple Axel as he entered, wiping sweat contentedly, thrusting mics forward.
“Triple Axel! After steadfastly holding your A-rank crew leader spot, what prompted this sudden S-rank push?!”
Despite the barrage, the veteran middle-aged hero fielded it masterfully with booming laughter, unflappable.
“Hahaha! No grand reason.”
Triple Axel swept back his sweat-matted hair, leaning into the mic. “As you know, our top powerhouse, Senior Rapid Star, left for a long overseas stint to handle the Detroit mess in the US. Villain incidents spiked in his absence, heightening public anxiety.”
He winked at the camera lenses. “The other S-rank, Miss Onni Seven Day, has such specialized powers they're impractical for routine domestic security. So... I just felt this land needs another reassuring symbol of a hero so folks can sleep soundly with legs stretched out. That's it!”
His heroic vow to fill the security gap was moved reporters into a shutter frenzy; fellow heroes applauded warmly.
Mid-relaxed interview, Triple Axel's gaze lingered on Ha Ohu's group, arms crossed in the corner.
“Mind giving me a sec?”
Excusing himself from reporters, he strode over and clapped Ha Ohu's broadened, thickened shoulders with a massive hand.
“Haha, what? You guys here for evaluations too?”
Triple Axel boomed at Ha Ohu. “Acted all tsundere about not doing hero shit at Bupyeong, but here you are getting licensed. Smart move.”
Ha Ohu grimaced at the dozens of camera flashes but didn't shrug off the reassuring pat.
“...Life happened.”
Ha Ohu answered dryly; Triple Axel gripped his shoulder firmly once more, offering sincere advice. “Association bastards always score first evals stingy as hell, no mercy—so don't get bummed if ranks are low. Keep your head up. You're all plenty great.”
Since isekai-ing into this eroge world. Be it Ayoung Park, who ruined Shooting Star and tried to torture him. Or Rapid Star, heavily involved in turning that Ayoung into a madwoman, with his shady vibes in words and deeds...
This was the first time a truly normal adult approached him without walls.
Last Moment was there, but felt more like a training gadget than an adult presence.
Anyway, Ha Ohu found the warm adult concern a bit burdensome yet secretly pleasant, nodding quietly.
“Don't get hurt—do great.”
Triple Axel showered encouragement not just on Ha Ohu, but frozen Eunbyeol and tail-wagging Nyaistringer too. Reporters feverishly captured the heartwarming generational handoff.
But the public, media—even Ha Ohu right before him receiving the cheers—didn't know why Triple Axel suddenly ditched lifelong comrades to strain for S-rank.
Security maintenance. A reassuring symbol. Those interview words were flashy excuses tailored to public tastes.
Sure, a justification he could spout fluidly from long-held beliefs—but the real reason lay deeper.
'Wait.'
Behind his genial smile, Triple Axel suppressed his inner impatience.
His mind fixated on one goal.
The coat-wearing woman he'd faced in Bupyeong Station's underground mall shadows days ago. She'd clearly craved Shooting Star's ability. Targeted Shooting Star lookalike Eunbyeol then—but now Ha Ohu's power was public, she'd target him next.
Shooting Star's son, Ha Ohu.
As an A-rank hero, crossing borders freely or digging without approval meant endless legal hurdles and reprimands.
To pursue that black unbound, no paperwork, legally—grind her limbs to dust.
To fully shield Shooting Star's last bloodline, the woman he'd uniquely loved, from worldly threats.
He vowed to cast all aside and don the S-rank crown of unchecked extraterritorial power.
“Alright, gotta head to the airport for S-rank review. Flight's tight.”
Triple Axel checked his watch and turned briskly. Confident of his easy A+, he'd booked all outbound flights today.
“Take care, everyone! Let's grab a meal sometime!”
With hearty laughter, he exited; reporters chased after.
Soon, an indifferent announcement echoed through the lounge.
Next: Special Admission Evaluator Nyaistringer
Please enter the evaluation ground.
“Yesss! My turn, nyang!”
Nyaistringer sprang up triumphantly, cat tail rigid skyward.
“Be right back, nyang! Master! Watch Nyaistringer show off her training results and snag an easy A-rank—look forward to it, seyo nya!”
She planted a sneak cheek kiss on Ha Ohu, then strode confidently toward the evaluation ground beyond the bulletproof glass.