Controlled Exposure
The Hunter Association updated the public ranking board every Friday at noon.
The display covered the entire front wall of the Association headquarters, a shifting column of names, ranks, guild affiliations, and performance metrics. Hunters passed by it constantly, sometimes pretending not to care while still checking their own placement.
Jae-min stood across the street and watched the refresh cycle complete.
His name appeared near the bottom.
Kang Jae-min — F-Rank — Evaluation Pending.
There was no special notation acknowledging his father. No additional detail beyond the standard Awakening entry. The world had already moved on from the memorial ceremony, and the headlines about his F-Rank result had lost their immediate novelty.
That suited him.
The fewer expectations attached to his name, the easier it would be to control perception.
He opened the Association application and reviewed the available dungeon gates. Training Gate Three would be inefficient now. Clearing F-Rank monsters repeatedly would generate minimal experience and would not justify upward ranking review.
Training Gate Five was listed as E-Rank recommended.
He selected it.
The decision was not reckless. It was calculated. An F-Rank entering an E-Rank gate would increase monitoring intensity, but it would not automatically trigger denial. The Association permitted hunters to test themselves above their recommended tier so long as they acknowledged the risk.
He arrived at the facility mid-morning.
The same attendant from the previous day glanced up when he approached the desk. Recognition flickered across her face before she checked her tablet.
"Gate Five is E-Rank," she said, her tone neutral but measured.
"I know."
She hesitated briefly before confirming the registration. "Monitoring sensitivity will be increased."
"That's fine."
He secured the tracking band around his wrist and descended through the reinforced corridor.
The environmental shift was immediate upon entering the gate. Mana density pressed more heavily against his senses than in Gate Three. The cavern system was larger, with elevated ridges, branching tunnels, and limited visibility beyond mid-range.
Three E-Rank hunters stood near the entrance discussing their route. One of them glanced at Jae-min's band and frowned slightly.
"F-Rank?" the hunter asked.
Jae-min met his gaze calmly but did not elaborate. After a moment, the hunter turned back to his group.
He moved deeper into the cavern alone.
The first creature appeared near a rocky outcrop ahead. It resembled a wolf, though its proportions were exaggerated and its skeletal frame reinforced by visible bone plating along its spine. Its movements were measured rather than chaotic.
The wolf lunged without warning.
Jae-min activated Reinforcement at C-Tier.
The enhancement settled into his body with familiar precision. There was no distortion in balance, only calibrated amplification. He sidestepped the creature's initial strike and countered with a controlled blow to its flank.
The impact staggered the wolf but did not eliminate it.
That confirmed the difference in durability between F-Rank and E-Rank monsters.
He adjusted his approach.
Instead of overpowering the creature immediately, he allowed it to circle once, studying its attack rhythm. When it lunged again, he redirected its momentum and struck at the joint of its forelimb rather than the torso.
The wolf collapsed after the second exchange.
[Moderate Experience Acquired]
The experience bar increased more noticeably than in the lower-tier gate.
He continued forward.
Two additional wolves descended from an elevated ridge, coordinating their approach with greater intelligence than the goblins had displayed. He activated Reinforcement again and moved with deliberate efficiency rather than explosive force. His strikes targeted structural weaknesses, minimizing unnecessary destruction while maintaining clear dominance.
Both creatures fell within half a minute.
The cavern grew quieter.
Ambient mana density increased slightly toward the central chamber, indicating a higher-tier spawn point.
A larger silhouette emerged from the deeper tunnel.
This variant stood taller and carried reinforced plating across its shoulders and chest. A concentrated mana core pulsed faintly beneath the armor.
An E-Rank elite.
Jae-min exhaled slowly and allowed the enhancement to settle before advancing.
The elite wolf moved with calculated aggression, feinting before committing to a full strike. Its claws connected with his forearm, and pain registered sharply despite the reinforcement, though the damage was far less severe than it would have been at F-Tier.
He adjusted immediately.
Instead of retreating, he stepped inward and drove a measured strike into a partially exposed seam in the armor plating. The crack widened under sustained force.
The creature roared and lunged again.
This time he timed his movement precisely, redirecting its weight and delivering a reinforced blow directly into the compromised section protecting the mana core.
The elite wolf collapsed heavily onto the cavern floor.
Silence followed.
[High Experience Acquired]
The experience bar surged forward, crossing a visible threshold.
[Experience Threshold Reached][Upgrade Available]
He remained still for several seconds, allowing the environment to settle.
Clearing an E-Rank elite solo as a registered F-Rank would already produce irregular performance metrics. Association analysts reviewed dungeon completion data routinely, and significant deviations from statistical norms were flagged for further observation.
He did not upgrade inside the gate.
Instead, he allowed Reinforcement to fade and began walking toward the exit.
Near the entrance, one of the E-Rank hunters from earlier stood waiting. His expression was no longer dismissive.
"You went deep," the hunter said.
"Yes."
"You were alone."
"Yes."
The hunter studied him for a moment longer. "We heard something heavy drop."
Jae-min maintained a neutral expression. "The monsters are predictable if you watch their timing."
The explanation was plausible without being revealing.
The hunter nodded slowly but did not look fully convinced.
Jae-min exited the gate and returned the monitoring band to the attendant.
She stared at her tablet for several seconds before looking up.
"Your clear time was efficient," she said carefully. "Faster than the average E-Rank party."
He inclined his head slightly. "I focused on minimizing wasted movement."
She entered a final notation and dismissed him without further comment.
Outside, the public ranking board across the street flickered as backend data synchronized with dungeon reports.
It did not update immediately.
But it would.
The system interface pulsed faintly in his vision.
[Upgrade Available]
He did not rush to confirm it.
Instead, he stood for a moment longer, watching the ranking board cycle through names and statistics.
Growth required timing.
If he climbed too quickly, scrutiny would tighten around him. If he moved steadily but unpredictably, the system would adjust before anyone realized the scale of change.
He turned away from the board and began walking down the street.
The upgrade prompt remained visible at the edge of his awareness.
This time, when he selected Confirm, he did so without hesitation.