C-Rank Male Hero, A-Rank Female Hero
"Failed."
The moment the verdict left his lips, my head dropped.
It was neither disappointment nor resignation. Nothing quite so grand as that.
Figures...
It was merely the instinctive posture of someone accepting the inevitable—a quiet bow of the head conceding to a foregone conclusion.
I wasn't returning from a prolonged injury, nor had I been absent from duty; I was an active C-rank hero undergoing real-time weekly evaluations. For a dime-a-dozen hero like me, earning a promotion on the merit of a physical examination alone would have been unprecedented. No, frankly impossible. Even the most self-indulgent power-fantasy novel wouldn't dare pull such a flimsy contrivance.
All I had to do was accept the obvious, pack up my things, and leave. To avoid looking like some bitter loser whining about being undervalued, I should make a clean exit right n—
"Hold on a moment, C-Rank 32, Minor Man."
That was where the complication arose. What the examiner said next threw everything out of order.
The man addressing me by my hero alias was Oh Eui-jung, the Hero Association's Bureau Director of Combat Power Assessment. A grand title, to be sure, but in appearance, he looked like nothing more than a middle-aged man with a prominent beer belly. Thinning hair, unimposing features—the kind of plain, weary ahjussi you could pass on any street corner.
Still... he's got presence.
Watching him work, the man did carry an unmistakable air of bureaucratic authority. Pushing up his white rimless spectacles, he flipped through the dossier, intently scanning the contents. After a prolonged, silent appraisal, he looked up.
"To be frank, I am astonished."
"Pardon?"
"Hm? Did you not apply for this promotion test knowing this already?"
When I stared at him blankly, he seemed genuinely surprised by my confusion. Wondering what on earth was happening, I sat ramrod-straight in my chair and listened closely.
"Your numbers clearly exceed our parameters," he explained, tapping the page. "Far beyond the normal variance of the data we previously gathered on you."
"They... do...?"
"Your basic physical metrics, reaction speed, muscular strength, and endurance... Remarkable. These readings deviate considerably from the Minor Man data on file."
I still couldn't wrap my head around it. In a daze, I could only nod blankly as I planted my weight back into the seat.
"I am confident," Director Oh declared. "Physical specs of this caliber place you solidly in B-Rank... and not merely scraping by at the bottom, either, but right in the middle tier."
"What?!"
"It is quite unexpected. It is exceedingly rare to witness such a discrepancy between our continuous field data and a live assessment."
He cross-checked the figures against previous charts several times before peering over his lenses with a sharp, probing gaze.
"Has anything out of the ordinary happened to you recently? Perhaps you experienced a re-awakening while apprehending a villain, or underwent an unsanctioned surgical procedure?" Adding a subtle, ominous edge of tension to his tone, he pressed, "Or perhaps... you have consumed some sort of illicit substance?"
Gulp.
At that, my throat clamped shut.
The counseling center's signboard flashed vividly in my mind. Along with that tiny, fine-print warning etched beneath it: Various complications may arise.
"W-Well, not really?!" I stammered, raising my hands in frantic defense. "Everything's been completely normal! My diet hasn't changed a bit—I still can't kick my habit of eating donuts with an iced Americano every morning. Ahaha..."
"Is that so?"
Director Oh scrutinized the sheets once more, clearly sensing an anomaly, but the physical metrics recorded within the Hero Association's testing facilities were indisputable.
Thud.
With a faint sigh, he tossed the dossier onto the wooden desk. Slowly sliding off his spectacles, he leaned forward.
"Be it a late bloomer's growth spurt or a secondary awakening... whatever the catalyst may be, with metrics like these, you undoubtedly possess the talent to step up to B-rank."
"T-Then why...?"
"Because your field record is the issue."
"Ah..."
"Sudden spikes in power can always prove to be temporary, so standard procedure dictates monitoring a hero's progress rather than rushing an immediate promotion. The rest, of course, is confidential protocol."
"R-Right... I understand."
It was an entirely reasonable explanation. After all, it wasn't unheard of for desperate heroes to temporarily inflate their combat metrics using black-market stimulants with catastrophic side effects.
Director Oh studied my face for a long moment. Then, as if reaching a firm conclusion, he brought his palm down on the desk with a resolute smack.
"...Very well. I have made my decision. I will put Minor Man on the candidate shortlist for the upcoming B-rank promotions."
"Really?!"
"Build up a solid track record and show us what you can do in the field. Pass the public evaluation with flying colors, and your promotion will be processed immediately."
"Are you serious?!"
Screeech!
Overjoyed, I sprang to my feet. In my sheer excitement, the force of my legs kicking back actually warped the metal legs of the chair. Director Oh waved his hands downward, motioning for me to settle down. But I couldn't. As I stood there panting, unable to rein in my galloping pulse, he offered a warm, genial smile.
"Whenever our roster of capable, higher-ranked heroes expands, it is always a reason for the Association to celebrate."
"Thank you! Thank you so much!"
"Work on building your public recognition and performance metrics. With your current momentum, you should easily break into the target range."
"Yes, sir! I'll give it everything I've got! I'll step up my patrols and earn the citizens' recognition!"
"Mmh... Though, truth be told, there is a faster way to climb the ranks."
"...Pardon?"
Tilting my head, I looked at him inquisitively. Director Oh merely reached for the glass of water on his desk. After taking a single measured sip to wet his throat, he asked casually, "By any chance, Minor Man... are you dating Swan Blade?"
"What?!"
"Hahaha, please don't be alarmed; that is not an official examination question. Gossip like that is popular even among Association executives. Forgive me if I overstepped."
"Ah, w-well... that is..."
It seemed the rumors had already spread far and wide. Then again, we had arrived together at the reception desk this very morning. We had also been photographed side by side in several hero magazine articles recently, so anyone paying attention in the Association was bound to put the pieces together.
"It's true, sir..." I admitted, scratching the back of my neck. "Though please, keep it quiet while we're on duty as heroes..."
"Ah, of course! One must always separate personal matters from professional duties."
"Thank you. Ahaha..."
"Still, I must say, I am quite envious. Having an A-Rank hero as your girlfriend... In a different sense, aren't you a superhero yourself? Truly impressive."
"Ha, hahaha..."
I could only offer a strained chuckle. He was prying into my private life a little too intimately for comfort, but I was riding so high on the news of my impending promotion that I let it slide.
"......"
Director Oh watched me for a beat, then raised the glass again. Downing the rest of the water in a single swallow, he brought the evaluation to a close with one parting remark.
"As a fellow hero, please cherish her."
Click.
"Your girlfriend, that is."
Fuck yes! Holy shit, it worked...!
The moment I stepped out into the corridor, I pumped my fists into the air, throwing flurry after flurry of jabs at the empty hallway wall—mindful not to graze the plaster, knowing that a reckless punch with my newfound strength might actually shatter the concrete.
It worked. The counseling actually worked. I had walked into that shadowy clinic desperate for results, but I never imagined they would manifest this rapidly.
I had genuinely become stronger. I just hadn't experienced a live combat scenario yet to gauge it with my own eyes. Come to think of it, during the physical endurance exam, my body had felt astonishingly light. That sensation of effortless power hadn't been an illusion.
The Association had officially verified it. By objective, institutional metrics, I was stronger. Even a senior department director appraised my combat capabilities at mid-tier B-rank, and if all went well, my promotion would be locked in at the next evaluation cycle. This was massive news.
Eager to share it right away, I whipped out my smartphone. Yoona must have finished her evaluation before mine. Wondering if she had run to the restroom, I dialed her number.
Ring... ring...
The tone dragged on for an uncomfortably long time. Then—click. It rang almost to the threshold before abruptly cutting off. Perplexed, I hit redial.
After another agonizing stretch of rings, she finally answered.
"O-Oppa?!"
"Yoona! Where are you right now? Did you go to the bathroom?"
"Ah, well... where I am is..."
"Yoona, listen to this! If things go well, I might get promoted to B-rank right away!"
"What?! R-Really?!"
"I just finished the test! But seriously, where are you? Can we switch to a video call?"
"Uh, um... that's..."
When I sent the video call request, she hesitated for several seconds before reluctantly accepting. The moment the camera connected, she gave a startled twitch and rapidly angled the lens, hurriedly smoothing down her disheveled bangs.
"Yoona, can you see me?"
"Y-Yeah! Oppa! You look really happy... Did your test results turn out that well?"
"Of course! I didn't get the instant pass on paper, but they said it might not even take two months! If the director signs off early, they might announce it ahead of schedule!"
"Yeah... that's... that's really wonderful."
"Hey, why's your reaction so lukewarm?"
"No, it's just..."
"It's only two months! In just two months, I can finally hold my head high and—"
"Pardon the interruption, Seong Junpyo-ssi."
"Ah...!"
The screen shuddered violently and whipped around. As if the phone had been seized from her grasp, the blurred feed swept sideways until another face filled the display.
"............Shim Eui-jin?"
It was Shim Eui-jin. The counselor had suddenly appeared on my screen. Viewed through the digital feed, his pale, sharp complexion looked even more bloodless and ghostly.
...Why the hell are you on her phone?
The blood drained entirely from my face. The sight of his composed, frigid countenance devoured every shred of elation I had just felt.
Looking closer at the background, it became terrifyingly clear: she wasn't inside the Hero Association headquarters. This wasn't the open, bustling lobby cafe where heroes gathered, but a secluded, dimly lit private cafe somewhere outside.
Sitting right beside her—close enough to effortlessly pluck the phone from her fingers—he addressed the camera with chilling indifference.
"My apologies for intruding while you were popping the champagne, but this is an enclosed space. Careless remarks could compromise discretion, so please exercise restraint."
"...Why are you with her? Where are you two?"
"I requested an in-person meeting regarding our business. There is no need to disclose the location, and I will be borrowing Yoona-ssi for a while. We have serious matters to discuss."
"W-Wait! Who said you could just—"
Beep.
The call terminated instantly. Cut off without a second thought.
"The subscriber's phone is currently turned off. Transferring to voicemail..."
"......"
That bastard had switched off her phone entirely.
The euphoric high I had ridden seconds ago was doused in a bucket of ice water. My vision spun, my mind growing so dizzy that I could barely fathom having celebrated just moments prior.
In that brief, fractured call, far too many violent, sickening images flashed behind my eyelids. Yoona, unable to wait for my evaluation to conclude, willingly following him to a secluded cafe. What kind of "serious matters" could they possibly have to discuss in private? And why the hell was he sitting right next to her on the bench rather than across the table?
Then a demon whispered in my ear. Delivering the answer as if it were the most natural truth in the universe.
Because sitting right beside her makes it effortless to slide a hand over.
Those large, pale hands slipping down beneath the tablecloth. Easily parting the hem of her short skirt, caressing the exposed flesh of her thighs. Yoona's thighs had always been thick, soft, and supple. Every time I touched them, the warmth and firmness were vividly intoxicating.
"Please, wait... Doing this here is..."
He would be savoring that texture. Brushing aside her feeble, breathless protests to indulge himself.
"After all, this is what was contracted, is it not?"
"Still, so suddenly... right after the call, like this..."
Because that was the contract. Because both Yoona and I had surrendered our dignity, our boundaries, and our very selves to that advice center. So he would overpower her with those large, veined hands, shamelessly relishing every second—committing depraved, public molestation right there in the cafe.
Disregarding the potential whispers of other patrons. Ignoring the watching eyes, he would feast on the sensations that were supposed to belong solely to me. Publicly degrading and exposing my girlfriend right in the middle of a cafe.
"You can't... If you keep touching me here..."
And those wandering hands wouldn't stop.
Invoking the terms of the contract to pin down Yoona's trembling wrists. Sliding deeper, crawling higher beneath that short skirt—
Crash!
I smashed my fist into the wall. I struck it with all the frantic, desperate power in my body, sending a spiderweb of thick cracks tearing through the solid concrete.
Staff members passing through the hallway froze in terror, staring at the shattered wall and at me, but I merely hung my head, fighting to regulate my ragged, suffocating breaths.
"Haah... haah... haah...!"
In a fleeting moment of petty triumph, I had forgotten. I had forgotten that I had merely entered a deeper corridor of hell.
That I had signed a contract with a devil, placing Yoona on the line as collateral. That my sudden surge in power was fed exclusively by the agonizing dread of that bastard being alone with my girlfriend. I had formally granted him permission to dismantle her boundaries and grow intimate with her. As her boyfriend, I was growing stronger through acts I could never, ever condone.
I could never afford to forget. I had to keep my senses razor-sharp at every waking second.
Because at any moment, subject to that bastard's twisted whims, Yoona could be pushed over the edge.
Grit...!
Even her very body could be taken. Because to that counselor, I had permitted everything—even laying hands on my girlfriend and fucking her.