F-Class Master, S-Class Disciple
A-class Awakened, Park Yul.
The man had recently risen from B-class to A-class.
He was also the Guild Master of the Geltimore Guild, which boasted an unstoppable growth rate.
"Satellite imagery shows approximately thirty large individuals moving south along the coast at forty kilometers per hour. Their exact species remain unidentified, but we estimate they are monsters spawned from at least A-class gates."
That was the news Park Yul heard.
His eyes sparkled.
'This is my chance.'
The Mir Guild was confronting monsters descending from North Korea.
While they were occupied, other monsters would slip in through the gaps.
If he handled those, it would help the guild gain recognition in the public eye.
With that thought, he immediately rushed to the scene with his guild members.
Unfortunately...
It was a disaster.
"Guild Master! Help... Help...!"
"Kyaak!!"
The opposing monsters possessed unexpected power.
Having cleared A-class gates several times before, he had thought victory was within reach.
But the monsters' strength far exceeded expectations.
"Shaaaah--!!"
"Guhk-!! Everyone, fall back! I'll hold the front line. Pull back!"
Park Yul shouted desperately.
He had no choice but to admit his mistake.
It was a blunder caused by his impatience to succeed quickly.
He should have researched status monsters thoroughly before engaging.
Instead, the single line from the news saying 'A-class' had sent him into a frenzy.
"Damn it-!"
A ridiculous misjudgment.
It was the result of his pride after rising to A-class.
He pushed his guild members back while trying to minimize their casualties and fought alone.
But it was futile.
Ching-!
Ching-!
Kwajik-!!
"Kkuhuk--!"
"Shaaaah-!"
Overwhelmed by the monsters' ferocious assault, his weapon broke.
At that life-or-death moment...
One guild member's voice changed the battlefield.
"Support! Support has arrived!!"
Even those not named Gernon turned their heads.
The guild member who cried for support pointed at the sky.
At the end of his finger, a pair of man and woman flew through the air.
***
Shuuu--
Kwaang--!!
"Uwa... the landing was too rough... uwwk...!"
"I noticed a dangerous situation and couldn't spare the time to worry about the landing. Sorry."
Thanks to Elysia's quick help, they had arrived fast, but her ride was terrible.
While retching from the stomach-churning sensation, one guild member still fighting asked.
"Um... you came to support, right?"
"Yes, that's right."
She regained her composure and surveyed the battlefield.
It didn't look promising.
All the guild members were injured, some seriously.
They couldn't fight anymore.
The only one still struggling was the one who seemed to be the Guild Master.
It looked like he would be overwhelmed by them soon.
"Ha... but two of you came?"
"Those guys aren't normal!"
Just as the news said, there were about thirty monsters.
All of them were terrifyingly fierce.
"They're not 'two'."
"Eh?"
"I alone will fight them."
"?"
Elysia let out a soft sigh and pulled out her sword.
The Sovereign Sword she had received from me long ago.
It emitted a fierce blue light suitable for her golden hair.
"Let's finish this quickly."
"Yes, Master."
With that reply, Elysia sharpened her mana along the blade.
Then she leaped lightly toward the monsters.
Chwa chwa chwa-!!
"Shashaaah--!!"
Swoosh-!!
"Shaaaah--!!"
The place where Awakened screams had filled the air before.
Was now so chaotic it was no longer even a battlefield.
Elysia was hunting the monsters.
"Crazy, she's cutting down those monsters like that?"
"I've never seen that woman. First time seeing one like her in our country."
"If she's that strong, she's at least S-class. No such person exists in Korea. Must be a foreigner?"
Of course I hadn't seen her before.
She came from another world.
Just as we were in danger, a woman appeared out of nowhere.
And slaughtered thirty A-class monsters in an instant.
Anyone would doubt their eyes.
"Master, it's finished."
Without a single breath out of rhythm, Elysia wiped the blood from her sword.
"Good work."
Then, as naturally as always, Elysia came to my side and bowed her head.
I naturally stroked her hair, as I always had.
Scruff scruff-
The habit I had picked up since she was fifteen years old.
Whenever she completed the mission I entrusted her with, I would stroke her head.
Back then, I had been too immature to give praise, so the single time I stroked her head became a routine between us for nearly ten years.
"Ah, this doesn't match my height."
Back then my height was almost two meters, so reaching her head was natural.
But in this world's body, it didn't quite reach.
"Then I will kneel."
Saying that, Elysia knelt on one knee.
"No, no need for that."
I awkwardly pulled her up, startled.
She seemed to have become addicted to making me flustered ever since coming to this world.
"Then! Should I gather some mana crystals?"
With excitement, while stuffing mana crystals into the backpack she had brought.
The man who looked like the Guild Master spoke up.
"Well... thank you. If not for your help, we would have been in real danger."
"Not at all. I came for the mana crystals... It's fine for me to keep them, right?"
"Ah, of course."
The Guild Master waved his hands, insisting they were fine.
And then casually asked.
"If it wouldn't be rude... could you tell me which guild you are from?"
With her level of skill, she must belong to some great guild.
He had asked out of that assumption.
But Elysia and I had no guild.
After all, I had only just awakened and was unregistered.
And Elysia was from another world entirely.
"A guild... none yet."
"Eh? With that level of strength... you were active alone?"
"I only awakened recently."
"?"
It seemed they thought Elysia and I had similar strength.
But in my current state, despite awakening, I only felt a slight mana fluctuation.
I hadn't become particularly strong compared to before.
But there was no need to explain it.
"If you plan to keep operating, forming a guild wouldn't be bad. How about it, Elysia?"
"If the Master wishes, I will follow at any time."
***
The next day.
I went to the exchange to cash in the mana crystals I had stockpiled.
"Heh heh! That's almost five billion!"
"O...fifty billion...?"
A figure that screamed '100 million' in the other world.
Elysia, who had no sense of currency in this world, just looked at my surprised face and chuckled.
"Is such a large amount of money normal?"
"Of course. With this, I could buy a house."
Buying a house in this world was very different from the other world, so Elysia looked bewildered, unable to fully understand the emotions and joy I felt.
But she seemed pleased to see me like that.
The exchange boss also spoke cheerfully with a somewhat serious expression.
"How did you come by this much in one night? Were you... not stealing, were you? Hahaha."
"No. I awakened yesterday. Boss."
"Oh ho? Really? What rank?"
"I haven't received a rank assessment yet."
"I see. And that blonde friend there is a colleague?"
The boss's gaze turned to Elysia.
Elysia bowed her head with respect.
"It is an honor to meet you. I am Elysia, a disciple of the Master."
"Heh heh, 'Elysia'... foreigner?"
The boss's generous reaction matched mine appropriately.
"Well... you could say that."
"You look young, yet you have a disciple already. Impressive. Are you perhaps a National Intelligence Service agent or special forces?"
"No, not at all."
I couldn't say out loud that I was a hero who had defeated the Demon King and saved the world in another dimension.
Amid the cheerful atmosphere, news began playing on the TV inside the store.
"Last night, video footage of an Awakened who defeated thirty A-class monsters descending along the coast has gone viral."
On the TV, with the anchor's voice, footage of Elysia sweeping through the monsters was broadcast.
In an instant, the monsters were finished, and Elysia sheathed her sword.
Then, to my head, she received the stroking she deserved.
'Wait, who filmed that?'
The world where everyone carried a camera in their pocket.
This world was no different.
The exchange boss alternated between the video on the TV and me, then opened his mouth in surprise.
"Ah, so you are them?"
"You got the news too."
The boss stared blankly at the video of Elysia's swordsmanship for a moment, then spoke.
"Heh heh... Elysia is incredibly skilled."
"Thank you for the compliment."
"With that level of strength, you would definitely be recruited by a guild."
Elysia lowered her head slightly and said in a serious tone.
"I will follow no one except the Master."
At that, the exchange boss laughed heartily.
"This friend has a very reliable disciple."
"That's right."
Among my many companions, Elysia was the one who followed me the most.
Second only to trust, she was irreplaceable.
***
After cashing in at the exchange, I headed to the Awakened Management Bureau.
The 'Awakened Management Bureau'.
Shortened to the Bureau, it was a national institution handling almost all matters regarding Awakened and guilds.
Since I had awakened, I would get a rank assessment.
And since I was forming a guild...
I decided to visit.
"This place serves a role similar to the 'Demon King Resistance Army' in our world."
"You could say that."
The specific roles differed, but for Elysia it would be easy to understand.
"So, we are actually creating a guild called 'guild'?"
"Yes, I plan to."
It would probably be best to form a guild before operating actively.
Becoming guild leader brought many advantages.
Especially in information gathering.
Relying only on the internet would have limits.
To obtain high-level information unknown to the public, forming a guild and gaining fame would help.
'First, become famous. Then high-level info will flow in for free!'
It was similar to the wisdom I gained from ten years as a hero.
Even in the fantasy world where magic and swords clashed, the importance of information could not be overstated.
In this tumultuous modern society, how much more so!
'I wanted a quiet life here... but at this point, I have no choice.'
Since monsters from my hero world were suspected to be the same as those in this world.
It was unforgivable to just sit by and watch.
For my peaceful life, it was impossible to turn a blind eye.
Thanks to my hero habit already ingrained in me.
My sense of responsibility had already grown too large.
Moreover, thanks to the 'Dimension Summon' skill, I could summon Elysia.
So I had no reason not to act.
'Since it has come to this... I will pull out the root.'
With that resolve firmly set, we arrived at the Bureau.
"I recently awakened. I came for a rank assessment."
"Yes, are both of you?"
"...Yes."
Naturally, Elysia pretended to be a recently awakened person like me.
We stood before the rank assessment machine.
"Then, place your hand on the machine one at a time."
Trembling.
What would come out?
My mana wasn't that strong since awakening, so S-class was out.
A-class?
No, I had hoped too much.
B-class was fine too.
After all, ranks could be raised through training.
"...F-class."
"???"
F-class?!
I am F-class!!
No matter how you look at it.
I never thought I would get the lowest rank.
"Is something... wrong?"
"Sometimes there are F-class Awakened too."
"No, please just once more..."
"Enough. Next person~"
The Bureau employee dismissed my re-examination request and immediately moved to Elysia's assessment.
"Master, please do not worry. Such a rank..."
Before Elysia's words even finished...
The employee's eyes widened as he shouted.
"Heheee? S...S-class!?!?! Deputy Director! Director!!!"
Elysia had been assessed S-class.
The employee, unable to hide his surprise, searched for the Director while shouting.
The moment Elysia's S-class assessment spread, the Bureau lobby began to buzz instantly.
"S-class? For real?"
"An S-class Awakened after how many years?!"
Spectators gathered one by one, and soon the area around Elysia was filled with people.
From other Awakened to ordinary citizens, everyone whispered while staring at Elysia in amazement.
In between, guild relations in suits began to approach.
"Hello! I am a scout from the Elberin Guild. Please take this business card."
"We also have one! Here is our card. Conditions are flexible!"
"As an S-class, you deserve the highest treatment!"
Hands offering countless business cards poured toward Elysia.
All eyes focused on her.
'Heh heh, amazing.'
I saw the gap between F-class and S-class in real time.
I wasn't particularly disappointed.
While worrying about how to take Elysia and escape.
Elysia suddenly pushed through the crowd and came to my side.
"Elysia?"
What she did next stunned everyone.
She knelt.
She placed one knee on the floor in front of me and bowed her head.
The lobby fell silent instantly.
All eyes locked on me and Elysia.
"I serve only one person as Master."
Elysia's voice echoed throughout the lobby.
"I will not accept any guild's proposal or conditions. I already have someone to follow."
The guild relations looked around in panic.
"Master... who might that be?"
Elysia raised her head to look at me.
"Right here. This is my only Master."
"...Eh?"
All eyes turned to me.
The F-class me.
The S-class's Master is F-class?"
"What...?"
Whispers filled the air, but Elysia remained unmoved.
"One cannot judge by rank."
Her firm declaration once again wrapped the lobby in silence.
The shame that followed was entirely mine.
At that moment, I thought.
This was also one of Elysia's ways to tease me.