The King and the Judge

The chaos outside, with people scrambling in response to the sudden actions of the king and the judge Yul, prickled at her back.

"Were you angry because someone brought up your mother's death from before?"

"No. I told you."

The world she stood upon was this current reality. Yul didn't cling to the words of those who had returned from some previous game she knew nothing about. Especially not from a slimy bastard like that.

"It's that you're not dying right now."

Not out of usefulness, but mercy granted upon their very life.

"This is 'judgment'."

Whether his promise not to touch her was true or not, it didn't matter. She would protect her thoroughly so he could never lay a finger on her.

"Excuse me."

At that moment, Jeon Se-han's secretary opened the door and entered.

"The Director of the Hunter Management Bureau requests your presence."

"Why that guy?"

"......It's about Park Sa-ha and Seo In-ah."

At the names that had briefly taken a backseat, Yul looked up.

* * *

"Registration?"

"Seo In-ah is strongly opposing Park Sa-ha's contract......"

Yul pondered briefly as she followed the secretary down to the basement. He had said he was living his third life. He'd spent the previous two blaming himself for being a worthless older brother to his younger siblings, and now as a hunter......

If I were him, I wouldn't want to either.

Objectively speaking, being a hunter wasn't a great job. Whether dungeon or tower, risking your life was par for the course—it was everyday life. Unless you were top-tier like her or Ryu Shin-ah, impervious to most threats, the world was brutal for mid-rank hunters.

Park Sa-ha aside, even Seo In-ah hasn't awakened yet......

Really?

If Star-nim acknowledged it, then it was certain. Yul rubbed her stiff eye area.

In that case, after registration, he might even enter the world rankings. Since one had to complete registration at the Management Bureau for the system to recognize them ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠as a hunter, unregistered and unmeasured awakenings like Seo In-ah weren't included yet.

The rating measurement room they arrived at held all of Double Black and Jeon Se-han. Park Sa-ha lay in the awakening pod, while Seo In-ah sat beside him with a dark expression.

"No. Can't let him contract."

"Hyung. But the awakening pod is sustaining."

"Seo In-ah, now that he's awakened......"

"No. We have to stop it."

No matter how Kim Yu-jun and Jeon Se-han tried to soothe him, Seo In-ah stubbornly shook his head. Ryu Shin-ah, witnessing the scene, clicked his tongue.

Creepy, so creepy.

"He's still holding out?"

"Ah, you two."

Jeon Se-han's face brightened. Ryu Shin-ah pried Seo In-ah away from Park Sa-ha.

"I get you're worried, In-ah hyung, but we have to be objective."

"......"

"Once awakened, you can't go back to pre-awakening days. Do you know how dangerous it is to reject a constellation in an awakened state and be alone?"

"......"

"Even if you don't hunt, contracting is safer."

At his words, Seo In-ah buried his face in his hands. He couldn't possibly not know it was objectively true. But even so, he wanted to block it.

Yul, having observed, spoke up.

"First, register Seo In-ah. For Park Sa-ha... contracting is right, even for the awakening pod."

"......"

"But it's ultimately up to the person. Let Park Sa-ha decide himself."

Park Sa-ha nodded slowly. Then, as if falling asleep, he closed his eyes. Seo In-ah could say no more. Partly because it was Yul who had heard the prior context, but also because he'd long sensed deep down it was inevitable.

"More importantly, we need to decide on announcing Seo In-ah and Park Sa-ha's awakenings."

Jeon Se-han changed the subject.

"They're so famous that revealing their awakenings later will cause big issues."

Hunters' personal info was recorded only in the 'Management Bureau database.' The previous system hadn't publicly disclosed real names from the linked database. Thanks to Ryu Shin-ah's database manipulation, Yul had lived normally until now. In short, revealing identities was up to the individual hunter until then.

Top hunters had faces exposed, making info public domain, but low-rankers weren't highlighted in activities, so unless they revealed themselves, it stayed unknown.

"If ranks are low, less issue. But......"

"Won't be. Obviously high without seeing."

Yul cut in. With constellation backing and returner status, no way low. F-rank civilian level aside, high rank meant moral pressure to hunt.

The agency rep and remaining three darkened at the foreseeable future.

System pulling real names from bureau records—Ryu can handle. Problem is public exposure.

Yul turned to Ryu Shin-ah.

"Ham-su."

Ryu Shin-ah answered instantly.

"Won't do it."

"Why? I thought you'd jump in first to cover."

"'Cause you're the queen. They're not. Why would I specially mark non-queens......"

"......"

Yul stared at him blankly. Wanna die? ......No. Spare me, General.

Ryu Shin-ah raised both hands.

"But seriously can't. They just gotta be careful themselves."

"Your skill's me-only?"

"Yeah. Condition and penalty. Can remove names from database pre-sync. After, they watch out not to get caught."

Skills unused wouldn't show much anyway. He added he couldn't help it. Jeon Se-han, Seo In-ah, and the rep acquiesced.

"Then, Seo In-ah, shall we ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠proceed?"

At Jeon Se-han's guidance, Seo In-ah finally stood and approached the rating machine. Placing his hand on the black orb.

The orb's interior glowed faint blue, intensifying.

Whoosh!

"Whoa."

Ryu Shin-ah whistled briefly at the light flooding the room. That level surpassed A for sure.

Ding.

A cheerful alert rang. Rating complete, system prepped nickname for new hunter.

A signup window floated before Seo In-ah. The staff at the linked computer asked.

"Seo In-ah, what will your hunter nickname be?"

"In-ah hyung."

Yul cut in urgently. Had to say before voice recognition.

She pleaded unusually seriously.

"Choose well. Something simple. Simple is best."

Painful advice from experience. Please, not like my fave—normal nickname only. Couldn't tolerate global humiliation from one name like hers.

Seo In-ah smiled faintly.

"......Let's go home."

......Huh?

Everyone present thought it inwardly. That the nickname...?

Ding-!

The system faithfully reflected his words, and Seo In-ah's permanent hunter nickname became 'WannaGoHome'.

'......Intentional, right?'

'Or just said what he wanted, like me?'

Kim Yu-jun and Yul looked grave, but the real issue followed.

"Huh?"

Ryu Shin-ah, fiddling with the database, let out a hollow laugh. Simultaneously—

Ding-!

Status windows popped before everyone's eyes. Region-wide notice even to civilians. Before shock could erupt, alerts poured.

The blue status window finished and quieted. Silence blanketed the measurement room.

"......Ha."

An admiring sigh escaped someone. Another S-rank had been born.

* * *

How are rankings determined? First, understand the clear rating criteria.

Rating equals constellation power. And the contractor's 'vessel' receiving it.

How mighty the constellation's power. How large the vessel digesting it.

The latter reflects potential and application, so ratings ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠rarely fluctuate—but transcendent cases are extremely rare.

Rankings prioritize rating foremost. But achievements, deeds, influence, fame factor in, so high rating alone isn't enough.

Seo In-ah's drop from 9th to 25th was due to the latter.