The Hunter Association headquarters was unusually silent that morning. No bustling crowds of hunters lined up for their turns, no guild representatives pressed forward to demand reassessments. Only the Association's own employees moved quietly through the halls. For a place that was normally overflowing with people, the emptiness felt strange.
Lee Seong-jun, arriving early, noticed the absence immediately. But the reason revealed itself soon enough. Team Leader Jo Kang-hyun stood waiting at the entrance, his posture straight and formal. The entire schedule had been cleared to give Seong-jun privacy. Normally, hunters clamored for rank trials from dawn, but today the corridors were left empty to avoid drawing attention to the returnee.
This level of courtesy was rare, and it showed just how seriously the Association was treating him. Even if rank evaluation was considered a sensitive issue, exceptions had been made. With a polite smile, Jo Kang-hyun guided Seong-jun down the long corridor toward the measurement chamber.
At the far end, a white door marked Measurement Room stood waiting. The machine inside was too precise to allow multiple presences, so Seong-jun would enter alone. A voice from the system would explain the process once he was inside. Jo Kang-hyun could only escort him to the door, though he did so with extra care, determined not to repeat the mistakes of their first meeting.
Inside the adjoining observation room, Vice President Go Tae-hyun was already waiting. He asked Jo Kang-hyun what impression he had of Seong-jun this time. But the truth was simple—the more they saw him, the harder he was to read. His strength was wrapped in a depth that seemed endless, an unfathomable darkness.
Instead, Go Tae-hyun shifted the topic. What rank did Jo Kang-hyun expect? Jo replied that, since Seong-jun had slain an Earth Worm alone, it should be at least B+ or A-rank. Yet even that answer felt uncertain. Normally, even the fastest returnees in Korea took over a year to climb that high. Some never surpassed B-rank at all, stopped by an invisible wall.
While they discussed, Seong-jun stepped into the measurement room and placed his hand upon the black crystal device—MEP-09, the Association's most advanced rank evaluator.
The crystal pulsed with light, shifting through colors that marked progression—E, D, C+. Finally, it settled on a steady blue glow, the symbol of B-rank. The color held firm, unwavering.
Jo Kang-hyun was stunned. For a man who had fought alone against a creature of Earth Worm caliber, the rank felt almost insulting. But Go Tae-hyun quickly reminded him of a crucial fact: the device only measured the system's granted stats—physical ability, mana, and raw force. It did not account for unique techniques, training, or hidden powers.
This was the truth revealed when the MEP series was first announced by its creator, Florian Lucas. A person's measured rank was not always the full story. Most returnees fought only within the boundaries of their system stats, rarely able to exceed them. At best, the most gifted might fight one rank higher. But Lee Seong-jun had already displayed power far beyond that limit—two full ranks above what the machine acknowledged.
Go Tae-hyun's gaze sharpened. A lower measurement might actually serve them better. It disguised Seong-jun's true strength, hiding him from the scrutiny of rival guilds and hostile nations. His growth potential was staggering, and with each level and title earned, the gap would only widen.
This was not a man who would serve merely as a shield against unruly guilds in Korea. With time, his strength could reshape Korea's standing in the world. For a nation long overshadowed by its neighbors, such a figure was beyond priceless.
When the evaluation ended, Seong-jun left the chamber with a stiff expression. He understood what the result meant. The machine had only scanned the surface, recording the remnants of system-granted power within him. It could not measure the changes rooted in his own body, nor the techniques he carried from his past as the Blood Demon.
The realization was clear—if even tools crafted by Florian Lucas could not capture his true ability, then relying on rank alone was meaningless. He would need to tread carefully when facing hunters or monsters, for enemies might underestimate or misjudge him. That danger could be both weapon and trap.
As he gathered his thoughts, a sudden sound of clapping drew his attention. Vice President Go Tae-hyun appeared before him in person, offering congratulations. This was unusual—Go was known to rarely leave his seat unless dire emergencies demanded it. For him to appear directly meant Seong-jun was no ordinary hunter in the Association's eyes.
With calm composure, Seong-jun accepted the words. Go Tae-hyun then extended further courtesy: a personal gift, both as an apology for past offenses and as recognition of his promotion. Since Seong-jun had no plans that day, he agreed without hesitation.
The rank trial was complete. But beneath the calm surface, new currents were beginning to stir.