The sound of the door opening echoed through the room, drawing everyone’s attention as Ben walked in. He pushed a large trolley carrying a massive metallic ball, one so huge that it was almost half the size of a car.
Ben was positioned at the front of the trolley, pushing it steadily, his face lit with a smile as his sharp eyes swept across the room.
The young hunters inside immediately straightened, all of them rising to their feet as they stared anxiously at the B-ranked hunter. Their expressions were a mixture of curiosity, nervousness, and expectation.
"I’m glad to see that you’re all alright and eager," Ben said, clapping his hands loudly. The sound carried authority, making every hunter fall into a more orderly stance. One by one, they shifted until they were standing side by side, their eyes fixed on the strange metallic ball, confusion etched across their faces.
"What’s that?" Jasmine asked, her brows furrowed as she pointed directly at the enormous sphere.
"That," Ben replied, gesturing towards it with confidence, "is what will assign your rank to you."
The confused looks on their faces deepened. Realizing they didn’t understand, Ben decided to explain more clearly.
"Listen carefully. The assessments you all participated in—the strength test, the agility test, and the sparring session you had with me,every score was recorded.
Those results were sent back to the association headquarters. The officials there examine and calculate everything, and based on that, you are fitted into a rank that matches your performance."
"So the ball?" Jake asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow.
Ben exhaled in mild exasperation, then stepped aside, clearing the path to the strange sphere. His eyes swept across the group until they stopped on a young female hunter.
"You. Come here," Ben commanded firmly.
The girl froze for a moment, her face pale with nerves, but eventually forced herself to move forward. Her steps were shaky, and she stopped barely a meter away from the towering B-ranked hunter.
"Now, place your palm on the ball to receive your ranking," Ben instructed.
The girl sucked in a deep breath, then another, trying to calm her pounding heart. Finally, with trembling fingers, she reached out and pressed her hand against the cold metallic surface.
Instantly, the ball lit up, glowing brightly for several seconds before dimming back down. A ripple spread across its surface, almost like water disturbed by a stone, before a rectangular object emerged. With a faint metallic sound, a small ID card slipped out of the sphere and landed directly in her hand.
Her eyes darted down nervously as she examined the card. Stamped on the front was the bold insignia of the Hunter Association, the authority that governed all hunters. To the side was her picture, and below it were her details—her name, her age, and most importantly, her assigned rank.
Her lips trembled as she read it.
"Huh?" she muttered in disbelief. "D-rank?"
Her voice cracked slightly.
Ben gave a small nod, completely unfazed. He gestured for her to step aside. The girl shuffled away, her head slightly lowered as she kept staring at the card. Disappointment was written all over her face, though she did her best to swallow it down.
"Quick one," Ben suddenly said, clapping his hands loudly again to recapture the group’s attention. His sharp gaze swept over the hunters, making their anxious expressions deepen as they looked at the glowing ball with renewed wariness.
"Understand this. There is no ordinary way for you to upgrade your rank. Whatever you are assigned here and now will remain your rank, regardless of whether you go on to slay a thousand beasts."
Gasps erupted from the hunters at this announcement. The weight of Ben’s words made their nervousness skyrocket.
Some clenched their fists, others bit their lips in frustration. The girl who had just been branded a D-rank looked on the verge of tears but quickly forced herself to hold them back.
"The only way your rank can change," Ben continued in a steady voice, "is if the association itself deems you worthy of a re-evaluation. That means your feats, your accomplishments, and your strength must be recognized by the higher-ups.
If your actions catch their eyes, they will summon you for another assessment. Should you surpass your previous records during that re-evaluation, your rank will be upgraded accordingly. But make no mistake, this is not easy, nor is it guaranteed."
Max, who had been silent the entire time, nodded to himself.
’A re-evaluation, huh? Let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that,’ he thought as Ben began calling up more hunters, one after the other.
Each hunter placed their palm on the ball and received their ID card. The results varied: some broke into wide grins of excitement, others looked crushed with disappointment, while a few muttered curses under their breath, unwilling to accept their fates.
Finally, Jake’s name was called.
The air shifted immediately. Every hunter leaned forward in anticipation, eager to see what rank he would receive. Jake strode forward with confidence, placing his palm against the metallic ball.
Ripples shimmered across the surface once again, and moments later, another ID card slid out and landed neatly in his hand.
Glancing down at the card, Jake’s expression remained oddly blank, his eyes blinking rapidly as if trying to process what he was seeing.
Yet, beneath that calm mask, the tiniest trace of a smile tugged at his lips, so faint it was almost invisible. At the same time, a vein bulged on the side of his temple, betraying the frustration that lurked behind his composed front.
"Ah." He sighed softly, lifting his head with a forced smile that fooled no one. "A B-rank, huh. How nice."
’B-rank? And he looks disappointed? The hell is wrong with this guy?!’ Max scoffed inwardly, his brows furrowing. ’About ten people have been called already, and not a single one has even gotten close to a B-rank. None of them passed C-rank, and this guy is acting like it’s trash? Tch!’
Across the room, Zach tensed up, his face contorting in disbelief. ’A freaking B-rank? Th...that means this guy’s strength is on par with Hunter Ben standing right in front of us. Damn it! He’s a monster, I say.’
Another hunter, a female with sharp eyes, crossed her arms as she studied Jake carefully. ’B-rank, huh? Strength alone doesn’t cut it. Without experience, raw power won’t take you far. Let’s see how he handles real battlefields.’
Ben’s voice called again, and this time Jasmine stepped forward. She performed the same sequence as the others, placing her palm on the glowing metallic ball. Moments later, her ID slipped out.
She glanced at it quickly, and a bright smile broke across her face. With a small mutter of her rank, she stepped aside, satisfied. Turns out she had gotten a C-rank, and from her expression, it was clear she was more than content with it.
Then it was Max’s turn.
He strode forward with calm, unhurried steps, his eyes narrowing as he came to stand before the strange metallic sphere. For a moment, he simply stared at it, almost annoyed by the entire process. His lips moved slightly.
’Better give me something good,’ he muttered inwardly before placing his hand on the ball.
The metallic surface rippled like disturbed water, and after a short hum, an ID card slid out, landing neatly in his grasp.
Max looked down at it, his heart thumping faster. His eyes scanned the card, blinking once, then twice, before his expression froze.
Ben noticed instantly. "Is something wrong?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at Max’s stunned look.
Max’s grip tightened on the card. His voice came out in a hushed tone, almost disbelieving. "How is this possible?"
Confusion rippled through the room. Everyone, including Jake, raised their brows.
’Did he get a low rank?’ Jake thought, his eyes narrowing. ’That doesn’t make sense. His assessment scores were too high. Impossible.’
Zach, however, grinned wickedly, his eyes sparkling with satisfaction. ’Finally! This cocky bastard is getting what he deserves. I hope it’s a D-rank... no, even better, an F-rank. That would be perfect!’
Ben stepped forward, studying Max with keen interest. "What’s wrong?" he pressed.
Max muttered to himself, his voice shaky but still firm enough for the room to hear. "My... My rank... my rank..."
"What did you get?" Jasmine asked, unable to hold back her curiosity.
The tension in the room grew unbearable as Max slowly lifted his head. For a moment, silence reigned, until suddenly, a wide grin spread across his face.
"I got a freaking B-rank!" Max exclaimed loudly, his voice echoing in the room.
The entire room erupted in chaos, gasps and shocked murmurs exploding from every corner. Hunters turned to each other with wide eyes, disbelief plastered across their faces.