Chapter 6: Evaluation Day
"Ryu, Jin?" the receptionist called out.
Jin stood, rubbing the back of his neck. The lobby of the Seoul Hunter Association buzzed with low chatter. Dozens of Hunters waited for their evaluations—some confident, some yawning, others pale with nerves.
Jin wasn't sure where he fit in anymore.
"Room 7," the receptionist added, nodding toward the hallway.
As he passed, a few other Hunters glanced his way.
"That's the E-Rank who cleared a gate solo."
"Seriously? Looks like a delivery guy."
"He's probably lying. Bet he got carried."
Jin didn't respond. Not worth it.
He stepped into Room 7.
---
Inside stood a woman with a sharp gaze and black hair tied back neatly. Her ID badge read: Ayla Sung – Assessment Officer.
She didn't smile.
"Jin Ryu," she said. "You're late."
"I'm… technically two minutes early."
She raised an eyebrow. "You've never passed a combat test. No guild affiliation. Failed aptitude three times."
He shrugged. "Maybe I just had a late start."
She motioned toward the center of the room. "Step inside the circle. We'll run your mana signature first."
Jin stepped forward. A faint blue ring glowed beneath him.
> [Analyzing Mana Signature…]
[Warning: Temporal Distortion Detected]
[Classification: Unranked – System Interference Present]
Ayla frowned at the screen.
"Unranked?" she murmured. "That doesn't make sense."
"What's that mean?"
She looked at him carefully. "It means your mana can't be evaluated using standard systems. It's… unstable. Or maybe intentionally hidden."
Jin shrugged. "Sounds like your system's broken."
She actually smiled a little at that. "Maybe. Let's try something else. Combat test."
---
Combat Arena – Lower Testing Hall
Jin stretched his arms. Across from him stood a training dummy glowing with yellow energy.
"Mid-C Rank combat simulator," Ayla said over the intercom. "Standard reflex and attack test. It scales if you survive long enough."
"Cool," Jin muttered. "No pressure."
> [Chrono System Active]
[Time Energy: 76%]
[Skills Ready: Blink, Time Slow, Chrono Dodge]
The moment the test started, the dummy lunged forward unnaturally fast.
Jin blinked—literally.
One second he was still. The next, he was three feet to the right, watching the dummy's punch slice through air.
The watching instructors behind the glass leaned forward in their seats.
"Did you see that?" one asked.
"He moved mid-frame. No spell cast. No chant. Just—teleported?"
Ayla didn't respond. Her eyes were fixed on Jin.
Inside the arena, Jin slid under a swing and twisted behind the dummy. He ducked another strike, then reached out and tapped the back of its neck.
Crack!
The dummy crumpled like a puppet cut from its strings.
Test over.
---
Back in the observation room, Ayla clicked the results screen, watching the playback in slow motion.
"He isn't teleporting," she muttered. "He's… slipping through time. Only milliseconds. But enough to dodge mid-strike."
One of the staff beside her whistled. "That's not a regular Hunter skill. That's high-grade manipulation—S-Rank tier."
"He doesn't even have a rank," Ayla replied.
She stood, already knowing what came next.
---
Evaluation Room
Jin sat on a bench, sipping from a bottle of water. Ayla stepped in.
"Congratulations," she said. "You passed."
"That obvious?"
She handed him a printed card.
> Provisional Classification: A-Rank (Temporal Variant)
Subject to further review
"A-Rank?" Jin blinked. "That's… a joke, right?"
"You're either the most underestimated Hunter in Korea, or you're something else entirely."
"I'm just trying to survive."
She crossed her arms. "And yet you move like time's afraid of you."
He paused. "…Is that a compliment?"
Ayla cracked a grin. "I haven't decided yet."
---
Outside the building, Jin stepped into the open air and looked up at the sky.
For the first time in a long time, it felt like something had changed.
The people watching him had names now. He wasn't just a shadow in the back of a party. He was becoming something.
Something real.
Then came the message.
> [New Quest Unlocked: The Observer's Test]
You are being watched.
Survive the next dungeon.
Reward: Unknown
Penalty: Death
---
End of Chapter 6