The heavy silence in the office was suffocating.
Darius Vaughn leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled together, his piercing gray eyes locked onto the holo-screen hovering above his desk. The footage from earlier played once more—Ryzen Kael, wreathed in abyssal power, his form shifting into something that defied classification.
Something beyond human.
Hale stood beside him, arms crossed, watching the replay with a rare flicker of unease. "You saw it too, didn't you?" he muttered.
Vaughn didn't respond immediately. His gaze remained on the screen, watching as Ryzen's power distorted the very air around him. The data readout beside the footage fluctuated, failing to categorize him.
There was no class.
No standard designation.
Just one word blinking in ominous red text:
ENTITY IDENTIFIED: CLASSIFICATION UNKNOWN.
-
Vaughn exhaled sharply. "The system doesn't even register him as human anymore."
Hale nodded, his usual smirk absent. "That's not something you see every day. Hell, I've never seen it." He gestured at the data. "Not even the highest-ranked hunters get tagged as 'unknown entities.' But this…"
His voice trailed off.
Vaughn tapped the desk, pulling up another file—one that had been buried deep in restricted Association archives. It wasn't just about Ryzen Kael's power. It was about something far more troubling.
A national-level list.
"Tell me, Hale," Vaughn said slowly, "how does a man reach national-level recognition without ever officially ranking as S-Rank?"
"No," Vaughn said, his voice edged with certainty. "The system doesn't make errors like this. Which means someone classified him as national-level for a reason."
Hale exhaled. "And yet… he has no memory of it."
After that, Darius Vaughn's expression darkened as he pulled up a classified file—one that only the highest-ranking officials had access to.
The National-Level Hunter Registry.
Only the strongest hunters in the world were ever granted this title. Those who stood at the peak, wielding power beyond conventional S-Ranks.
And yet, Ryzen Kael's name wasn't officially listed among them.
Vaughn's fingers glided over the holographic interface, and four names appeared on the screen:
The list was short. Only four names.
***
[ National-Level Hunters – Global Ranking ]
1. Alexander Graves – "Titan of Calamity" (USA)
Feats:
The only hunter to single-handedly neutralize an SSS-Rank Dungeon Break before reinforcements could even arrive.
Stopped a SS-rank monster capable of wiping out entire nations, using sheer brute force.
Possesses "Absolute Titanform", the strongest defensive ability recorded—making him nearly indestructible.
-
2. Raiden Arakawa – "Storm Emperor" (Japan)
Feats:
Destroyed an Abyssal Rift that had already consumed three major cities—alone.
Wields the legendary Myth-Class weapon, Raijin's Wrath, summoning storms powerful enough to disrupt entire continents.
His very presence creates an artificial storm radius, making aerial combat against him nearly impossible.
-
3. Ji Seong-Ho – "Celestial Blade" (South Korea)
Feats:
Fought and defeated an Archfiend, a demonic entity classified as a S-rank threat, in a one-on-one battle.
Wields the Celestial Edge, a blade capable of cutting through space itself, ignoring all defenses.
Recognized as the fastest hunter in history, capable of breaking the sound barrier through sheer movement speed.
-
4. Gabriel Dela Cruz – "Radiant Sovereign" (Philippines)
Feats:
Prevented the awakening of a Demon King, purging an entire city that had succumbed to demonic corruption.
His ability, "Divine Dominion," amplifies the strength of every hunter within range, effectively turning whole armies into enhanced warriors.
Known as the strongest support-type National Hunter, yet his personal combat power alone rivals S-Ranks.
-
Hale exhaled, rubbing his temples. "This is a damn mess." His voice was low, but the weight behind it was unmistakable. "If he's not even recognized as a human entity… that means the system doesn't categorize him as one of us."
Vaughn remained silent, gaze fixed on the blank entry. His fingers tapped rhythmically against the desk, his thoughts clearly racing.
"Then the real question is," Hale continued, crossing his arms, "is Ryzen Kael a threat?"
Vaughn's sharp eyes flicked to him. "That depends."
Hale raised a brow. "On?"
"On whether or not he chooses to be."
Another silence.
The air in the room was heavy—neither of them were fools. They had just witnessed a power that defied known limits, a transformation that shattered expectations. And yet, there was no way to determine if Ryzen Kael was an ally or something far worse.
Vaughn leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly. "For now, we observe."
Hale narrowed his eyes. "And if he proves to be a danger?"
Vaughn didn't hesitate. "Then we neutralize him before he becomes unstoppable. Even if meant losing him in the process."
Hale was quiet for a moment. Then he let out a low chuckle, though there was no humor in it. "Easier said than done. If what we saw today was only a fraction of what he's capable of… I doubt even the S-ranks could bring him down if he goes rogue."
Vaughn's expression darkened. He knew that. They both did.
Finally, he turned off the holographic display, the blank entry vanishing from sight. "For now, Ryzen Kael remains under observation. We'll determine whether he's a weapon—or a calamity—when the time comes."
Hale exhaled, shaking his head. "Let's just hope we never have to make that choice, President."
The weight of their conversation lingered, even as the holographic display flickered off.
Yet, I was unaware of it.
Somewhere else in the city, far from the suffocating presence of the Association's highest ranks, I stepped into the cold night air.
The Hunter Association's headquarters towered behind me, its countless windows reflecting the dim glow of the city lights. The black envelope they had given me rested in my hands, is something I can't ignore.
A guild invitation—an attempt to pull me into one of the 10 Major Guilds.
My grip tightened around the envelope.
It didn't matter which guild it was from. I wasn't interested.
Not yet.
With a slow breath, I tucked the envelope into my inventory. I had other things to deal with first.
My mind drifted back to the battle—back to the moment I lost control. The Abyss had tried to consume me, to take over completely.
And the worst part? It almost succeeded.
I exhaled sharply, shaking off the lingering unease. Not again.
I had to get stronger. Faster. Before the Abyss claimed me first.