A New Rank
"S-so you're saying you have more skills?"
"Yeah. About three?"
"Three?! Wh-what kind of skills, if I may ask...?"
"Magic, healing, and summoning — though the healing one's a bit low-level."
"You can use magic and healing..."
Kim Seung-chul's face went blank with shock.
"Would you mind demonstrating?"
He's gotten a lot more careful all of a sudden...
"Sure. Fireball."
I casually cast a simple first-circle spell.
BOOM!
The training dummy in front of us went up in flames. Kim Seung-chul stared at the scene in a daze before managing to speak.
"A fireball, was it? What's the skill level?"
"It's not Fireball specifically. I can use magic of every element. Higher-circle spells would be a stretch, though..."
"Pardon? So Fireball isn't the skill itself?"
"Right. The skill is just called Magic."
"Then... roughly how many spells can you cast?"
"Hmm, about twenty-five for now? Roughly five per element."
And if I keep learning, I might be able to use even more.
Kim Seung-chul now wore an expression of pure defeat.
"Haaah... and the healing...?"
After a quick healing measurement, Kim Seung-chul shuffled out muttering under his breath, shoulders slumped.
Then it was Silvia's turn.
"So this is your summoned companion?"
"That's right. All right, Silvia — you're up."
"At last, my turn. I shall be in your care."
With that, Silvia raised her bow.
"An archer, I see. First up is the destructive power test. Just shoot the dummy in front of you as hard as you can."
Whoooosh. THWACK!
The arrow streaked forward so fast the eye could barely follow — and the dummy shattered into pieces on impact.
"Whoa. That's some serious destructive force. Next is the accuracy test. Hit the moving dummies ahead of you."
Five dummies appeared and began darting around. Silvia wordlessly nocked five arrows at once.
Seeing this, the staff member started to say, "You can hit them one at a ti—"
Twang. Thwip-thwip-thwip-thwip-thwip.
Every dummy dropped simultaneously, an arrow buried dead-center in each forehead.
"This much is basic. I can hit up to eight at once."
"Eight?"
"You doubt me?"
"N-no, not at all! N-next is the agility test."
The staff member hastily changed the subject and moved on. A single dummy and a timer appeared in front of them.
"Hit as many arrows as you can in ten seconds. One arrow per shot, please."
"Oh? This might actually be fun. Rapid fire, is it..."
"For reference, the current Korean record is held by S-class Hunter Lee Si-yeon — thirty-four hits."
"Thirty-four... She must handle a bow quite well."
Thirty-four meant more than three arrows per second. Factoring in the possibility of misses, that was an exceptionally fast record.
Silvia quietly nocked an arrow.
"Then... begin!"
The timer started, and Silvia's hands became a blur.
Twang. Twang. Twang.
Only the snap of the bowstring could be heard. She drew an arrow from the quiver at her hip, loosed it, and had another nocked and flying before the first had even landed — moving so fast the eye couldn't track her.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Not a single arrow missed. The dummy bristled with shafts.
Ten seconds later—
"F-forty-five..."
The staff member stared at the count with a vacant expression, utterly lost for words.
"Hah! It's been a while since I truly focused. How many did I hit?"
"Forty-five. Nice work. As expected of the Divine Archer, Silvia!"
"Hmph! Do not call me that!"
"Why not? It suits you."
"Uuuugh..."
Silvia hated being called by her epithet. Said it was embarrassing, or something like that. She hung her head low.
"So are we both S-class, then?"
"...Well... Silvia is a summoned companion, so she'll be counted as part of your combat power, Teo. That means for now, only you would be registered as S-class, but..."
"But?"
"...I suspect you'll end up in a new rank they're about to create."
"A new rank?"
"Yes. This is confidential, but apparently a handful of Hunters are so far above the rest that America has been deliberating over it."
"Ah."
America's tanker — the Iron Wall, Oliver Brown.
France's healer — the Holy Maiden, Isabelle Laurent.
Britain's mage — the Sage, Sophia Blackwood.
China's swordsman — the Sword Saint, Li Wei.
World ranks one through four. Hunters evaluated far above every other S-class. Those four would likely receive the new rank.
"Understood. I'll consider myself S-class for now, then."
"Yes. Thank you for your time."
I stepped out into the lobby and received my Hunter license — a circular platinum-colored badge with an S stamped in the center. Even the desk clerk looked stunned as she handed it over.
"C-congratulations on becoming a new S-class Hunter! Show this badge at any gate and you'll be cleared for entry."
"Thank you."
Silvia peered at the badge in my hand.
"So we can enter those 'gates' now?"
"Should be able to. Just need to put in a request."
"Then let us do so at once. I am eager to hunt those monsters."
"All right. Give me a second."
The highest-ranked gate nearby that we could enter was C-class. Anything above that rarely appeared, and when it did, high-rank Hunters formed parties to clear them.
"There's a C-class gate at Hangang Park. Aquatic monsters, apparently."
"I care not what they are. Let us go."
Silvia urged me on, and so we set off for the Han River.
"Ooooh — so this is a train!"
"Yeah. First time I've seen one that runs on magic stones, though."
After the gates appeared, the magic stones harvested from them had become a new energy source. More efficient than fossil fuels and free of pollutants, they sold for high prices — making them the primary income for most Hunters.
We boarded the subway.
Whooooom.
A train powered by magic stones was far faster and smoother than anything I remembered. Silvia pressed her face to the window, marveling at the speed of the world rushing past. She looked so adorable I snapped a picture of her profile.
Click.
"Hm?"
Startled by the sound, Silvia turned to look at me.
"Came out great. Want to see?"
I showed her the photo. Her expression was a perfect mix of wonder and embarrassment — fascinated by the picture itself, mortified that she was in it.
"Uuuugh. What is this?"
"It's called a photo. Pretty, right?"
"Pr-pretty...? It's just — ordinary!"
Her ears went scarlet as she shouted, drawing glances from the other passengers.
"Look over there — must be a Hunter. She's carrying a bow."
"She's ridiculously pretty, though. And the guy's handsome too. I thought they were celebrities."
"Right? Think I should ask for her number?"
"Your head might come off first."
"You little—"
"They're saying you're pretty," I whispered into Silvia's ear. Her entire face flushed crimson.
Then the announcement came over the speakers.
This stop is Jayang. Jayang Station.
"We're here. Let's get off."
"Hmph — a-all right."
Still red-faced, Silvia followed me off the train. She was unbearably cute.
We found the exit and stepped outside to find barricades up and police controlling the entrance. In front of the officers, a female Hunter was arguing heatedly with them.
"I'm telling you! Who reserved it?! Are they stronger than me? I don't think so!"
"Reservation information is confidential..."
"Ugh, this is ridiculous. Listen, mister — I'm A-class. A-class. There's no way a Hunter stronger than me would—"
"I made that reservation."
Seeing the flustered officers, I stepped in. The female Hunter spun around, and her eyes went wide.
"Oh my, what a handsome oppa~ Did you come alone, by any chance?"
"No, I came with my party."
"Your party?"
At that, she glanced past me at Silvia, spotted the bow on her back, and smiled sweetly.
"Oh, an archer, I see? What a coincidence — I'm an archer too. How about ditching her and taking me instead? I bet I shoot better."
"What — how dare you—!"
Silvia bristled at the slight, but I stepped between them.
"It's fine. This friend of mine is a pretty good shot herself."
"Still, I think I'd be better. I'm Choi Seo-ah, an A-class archer, you know?"
"A-class?"
That gave me pause. A-class put her in the top five percent of all Hunters.
"Yes, A-class. Wouldn't I be more useful?"
(Choi Seo-ah's POV)
A gate had opened at Hangang Park. C-class, so I rushed over. Even as an A-class, a C-class gate still paid decently.
Except it was already reserved.
Any Hunter booking a C-class gate would be C-class themselves — B-class at best. High-rank Hunters ran higher-rank gates. And they expected me to hand this one over to low-rank trash like that?
Not a chance.
I was mid-argument with the police when someone cut in.
"I made that reservation."
I turned toward the voice and found a man standing there. I studied his face, then let the corner of my mouth curl up.
Not bad. This one might be worth it.
Handsome, and he had a good presence about him.
"Oh my, what a handsome oppa~ Did you come alone, by any chance?"
"No, I came with my party."
"Your party?"
I glanced behind him and found a woman so beautiful even I was startled — bow slung across her back. Looking at that face only made me want the man more.
I'm pretty good-looking myself, aren't I?
So I decided to take him.
I kept needling the woman while clinging to the man.
"I'm Choi Seo-ah, an A-class archer, you know?"
"A-class?"
He reacted to that. Good.
"Yes, A-class. Wouldn't I be more useful?"
But the man just smirked and said, "Then come along with us."
"Shall I? Then that girl behind you—"
"All three of us."
"...Huh?"
My smile twisted at the edges.
Fine. So you like that bitch that much? Just wait — I'll take him from you for sure.
"...Haha, then let's go together~"
I forced a laugh and agreed — with no idea what was waiting for me inside.