D-Rank Surge and Multi-Class Mystery

"Hm..."

While we were deep in serious conversation, I suddenly felt something strange. Was it odd? Strictly speaking, it wasn't a bad sensation. If anything, it felt like my body was brimming with mana, overflowing with energy. I'd just woken up from sleep, and even had a pleasant dream, so it made sense. But this feeling was qualitatively different from simply being in good condition.

What was it? It was a sensation no ordinary awakened person could ever feel. I realized this wasn't the first time I'd experienced it, nor was it from some distant past. Direct comparison was tricky, though—back then, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I was wracked with a massive hangover.

Is it because of the potion?

During the disaster at my apartment, Kim Seol-bi had burst through the door and fed me a potion. Honestly, without it, I couldn't guarantee what would've happened. Kim Eun-bi's abilities were far weaker than Kim Seol-bi's, and at that moment, she'd completely lost her reason, consumed by her own lust. There was no way she could've considered my body's limits. If the potion had preemptively blocked another hangover from hitting me...

Leaving that aside, I wasn't sure if evolving from ordinary awakened to hunter was fundamentally different from rising ranks as an established hunter. In any case, I'd reached a conclusion about my current state.

"Seol-bi, do you have a mana measurer by any chance?"

"Yes. Why...?"

Kim Seol-bi glanced at my body as she spoke. Could she see the changes with her own eyes? Even if not, she couldn't think of any other reason I'd ask for one. My growth was good news for her too.

"Come with me!"

She happily grabbed my hand and led the way.

"Hold on a sec."

In her sudden motion, I nearly tumbled off the bed, but I picked up the bottle of yellow liquid lying there. It was what Kang A-jin had left behind. With her cryptic words in mind, I figured I had to take it with me. Kim Seol-bi led me out of the room. I realized we were on the second floor, and there were stairs leading even higher.

This is a house?

To my senses, honed by years in a one-room apartment, it felt less like a home and more like a palace. Not only was the structure elegantly built, but the interior design was incredibly sophisticated. The furnishings everywhere screamed luxury.

Kim Seol-bi took me to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a large room deeper in the second floor. A king-size bed made its purpose obvious. This was Kim Seol-bi's bedroom. No way something like this had ever been shown on YouTube or broadcasts. To actually see the bedroom of S-rank hunter Kim Seol-bi... It wasn't anything new at this point, but I couldn't help feeling a reflexive awe.

She guided me to a device on the table. She'd once told me about her own growth—something she'd given up on entirely until meeting me. She'd probably measured it back then, which was why it sat so prominently on her bedroom table. The everyday Kim Seol-bi wouldn't leave a mana measurer out in plain sight.

"Is this it?"

It looked nothing like the cheap mana measurer I used. No surprise—an S-rank hunter like her wouldn't own bargain-bin junk, even if she rarely needed it. This one was smaller, sleeker, like high-end gadgets tend to be.

"Put your hand here."

Kim Seol-bi seemed impatient. Our hopes aligned perfectly. The reason was simple: I had to grow to have sex. Having a woman as captivating as her by my side without being able to do it was pure torture. The intense kind.

With my heart pounding, I placed my hand on the mana measurer.

I was too eager to care about the device's message. All I wanted was to know how much I'd grown. But Kim Seol-bi spoke up beside me.

"Yes."

Just one word, huh. Fancy gadgets really are different. Voice recognition, obviously.

*Hum, hum—the device tingled under my palm as measurement began.*

'Wait a minute.'

I realized my critical mistake. Mana measurers were designed to track registered users' growth. Freshly registered, there was no "before" to compare to—what was the point...?

As that thought hit, the device beeped—beep, bleep—signaling completion.

"Huh?"

I froze at the unexpected message, but Kim Seol-bi wrapped her arms around me.

"Wow! You really grew! In just one day! Sung-gi, you're D-rank now!"

"Ah..."

So that's how it worked. This high-end mana measurer even gave rank and percentile. Top 43% meant mid-tier among D-ranks.

Curiosity piqued, I lifted my hand and placed it back. Lights flashed a few times before results appeared.

"Oh my!"

Kim Seol-bi gasped in surprise. I'd suspected as much—I was still growing.

"Amazing!"

She was genuinely thrilled, despite everything that had happened today. I was pleased with my growth too, but even more so that I could lift her spirits.

D-rank in just two days. Is there any growth this fast in the world?

On the other hand, I wondered what had driven it. Logically, the dungeon raid—my first ever, fully cleared. But...

Is that all?

That didn't explain my jump from ordinary awakened to E-rank hunter.

More likely...

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

As I shifted toward another cause, the device spoke unexpectedly.

"Huh?"

Kim Seol-bi sounded shocked. The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠message repeated.

Even expensive stuff breaks, huh. I'd been the only one using it, yet "new user" twice in a row. I tried to brush it off, but Kim Seol-bi's expression turned serious.

"What's wrong?"

"Mana measurers distinguish the quality of a hunter's mana to identify users."

Ah, got it. I learned something new from her. But why mention it?

"I heard from a friend once. Her first time using a new mana measurer after an accident, it kept prompting to register a new user like this. Furious, she tried exchanging it, but the company said nothing was wrong. She got a refund, bought from another brand—same issue. Turns out, the devices misread her ability. Back then, they couldn't detect hunters with multiple mana qualities in one body."

I caught her drift.

"So me too...?"

"Yes, high chance. This model's old too. A new one would give clearer results. I'll order it right now."

"No need on my account..."

"No, your growth matters to me too."

But what did multiple mana qualities mean? As an ordinary awakened turned office drone, I'd never paid attention to hunter abilities. So I asked.

"Ah~ It's like multi-class. Close combat, ranged, mental abilities—rare cases awakening multiple unrelated powers at once. Highly valued among hunters. Clans pay multi-classers way more."

She beamed proudly at me. Makes sense. Like a soccer player who can striker, midfielder, defender—priceless to a team. With versatile skills, one could solo what normally needs a party. In theory.

I'm a multi-classer...?

Shocking, though not confirmed.

Hold on...

I recalled the device had prompted "new user" three times total. Kim Seol-bi, Kim Eun-bi... If my Unreasonable Favor skill exposures influenced my growth... Copying Kim Seol-bi's ability in the dungeon fit.

But why three?

Then the third figure from my dream popped up.

Kang A-jin...?

Nah, no way. I chuckled and shook my head.