Leon stretched, cracking his neck. "Well, I've done my part. Rest up while you can, Ryzen. Things are about to get a whole lot more complicated."
With that, he turned and strode toward the door, hands in his pockets. He didn't look back as he stepped out, the door clicking shut behind him.
Silence filled the room. I exhaled slowly, leaning back against the pillows.
My mind was a mess.
The Hunter Association will test me.
I really had no idea how the system worked when it came to outside detection. I rubbed my temple, frustration creeping in. This power… it had already changed everything.
I had survived an A-rank boss fight. I had gained abilities far beyond what a normal Hunter could even comprehend.
I let out a deep sigh, dragging a hand down my face. My thoughts kept circling back to the same thing: the Hunter Association's evaluation.
Would they find something? Could they even analyze the system? And if they did, what would happen to me?
I didn't have the answers.
With a quiet groan, I pushed those thoughts away. There was no point in losing sleep over something I couldn't control—not yet, at least.
So, despite just waking up, I forced myself to close my eyes again. My body still ached from the battle, and exhaustion lingered at the edges of my mind. Tomorrow. I'd deal with everything tomorrow.
Slowly, sleep took over.
***
Morning came too soon.
The first thing I felt was the stiffness in my body. The dull ache in my muscles reminded me that my Adaptive Growth was still working overtime, adjusting, improving.
I blinked against the morning light filtering through the window, stretching my sore limbs.
And then—
Knock. Knock.
A sharp series of knocks at the door.
I sat up, frowning. Not Leon again, is it?
"Come in," I called, already preparing myself.
The door swung open, and Agent Hale stepped inside.
His expression was unreadable, his sharp gaze scanning me the moment he entered.
"Good morning, Mr. Kael," he said smoothly. "I trust you've rested well?"
I exhaled, rubbing my temple. So much for an easy morning.
"Not long enough," I muttered. "What do you want?"
Hale took a step closer, his presence alone making the air feel heavier.
"It's time for your official assessment."
I blinked. "Assessment?"
Agent Hale gave a slow nod. "Yes. Your mana levels, combat capabilities, and overall rank potential will be officially evaluated today."
A heavy silence filled the room.
I had assumed I'd have at least a few days to figure things out. To plan. But now—
Knock. Knock.
Before I could even process what was happening, the door swung open again.
Leon stepped in.
"Morning," Leon greeted casually, hands stuffed into his jacket pockets. His smirk was infuriatingly smug. "Hope you're ready, Ryzen. We're heading out."
I shot him a glare. "You didn't think to give me a damn warning?"
Leon shrugged. "Figured you'd just overthink it."
I exhaled sharply, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. "You figured right."
Agent Hale remained composed, watching our interaction with a neutral expression. "The sooner we begin, the better. The Association is expecting you."
Leon clapped a hand on my shoulder. "Don't look so tense. It's just a little test."
I scowled. "That's easy for you to say."
Because unlike me, he didn't have a system hidden inside him. I took a deep breath, trying to push aside the growing sense of unease. This is happening. Now.
"Fine," I muttered, rubbing my temples. "Let's get this over with."
Leon grinned, stepping back as I swung my legs off the hospital bed and stood up. My body still ached from the fight with the warlord, but thanks to my regeneration and the hospital's medical treatment, I was in far better shape than I should have been.
"Before we go," I said, my voice steady, "I need to check something."
I called up my Status Window in my mind.
***
[ Status Window ]
Name: Ryzen Kael
Level: 5
Class: System's Avatar
Adventurer Rank: D
-
Titles:
[ First Blood ]
Effect: +2% Attack Power Against Monsters
[ Sole Survivor ]
Effect: When facing enemies alone or higher level than you, all stats temporarily increase by 15%. Additionally, near-death experiences trigger a Survivor's Instinct, allowing the user to ignore fatal damage once per battle for five seconds. (Cooldown: 24 hours)
[ One Who Defies Death ]
Effect: Upon surviving a battle where death was certain, gain a temporary boost of +5% to all stats for ten minutes. Additionally, the system acknowledges your will to fight beyond your limits.
-
[ Stats ]
Strength (STR): 25
Agility (AGI): 25
Vitality (VIT): 25
Intelligence (INT): 20
-
[ Exclusive Skills ]
Adaptive Growth- (Active)
Eclipse Sovereign (Upgraded) - (Active/Passive)
Phantom Step - (Active/Passive Hybrid)
-
[Special System Stats]
Fatigue: 0/100
HP: 450/450
MP: 240/240
[Unallocated Stat Points: 0]
***
The numbers were real. The power was real. And now the Hunter Association was going to test me.
I exhaled. Let's hope the system knows how to hide itself.
Leon glanced at me. "Everything good?"
I nodded, pushing the status window away. "Yeah."
Agent Hale, who had been quietly observing, checked his watch. "We should leave soon."
Leon stretched, rolling his shoulders as if shaking off some unseen weight. "While the Association is running their tests on you," he said, glancing at me, "I'll be handling your paperwork to get you into City A."
I blinked. "Paperwork?"
Leon clapped a hand on my shoulder. "Don't overthink it. Just focus on getting through the evaluation. I'll take care of the rest."
Easier said than done. I wasn't sure how I felt about Leon "handling" things for me, but right now, there were bigger problems to deal with.
Hale, who had remained silent up until now, stepped forward. "Let's move. The car's waiting."
With one last glance at Leon, I followed Hale out of the room—toward whatever came next.