The Weight of Recognition

The Hudson Bridge project ran smoothly for the remaining hours. The moment the second mistake was found, Nathan's influence shattered completely. He could argue, he could insist, but it no longer mattered. Nobody let him do anything.

He tried to give orders—ignored.

He tried to assist—brushed off.

He even tried to appeal to the coordinators, but their patience had run out. He had almost jeopardized the entire project. There was no coming back from that.

With Nathan neutralized, I focused on my work. I moved from section to section, reinforcing frameworks, triple-checking load-bearing supports, and keeping an eye on the overall flow of progress. My actions were methodical, efficient—normal.

The truth was, I didn't need to overextend myself anymore. I had already done what needed to be done. But working hard, especially now, would cement the image I had been building.

And it worked.

As we finished the final checks, Sienna approached me.

"You did good today, Reynard." Her voice was even, but I caught the subtle weight behind her words. "If you hadn't warned us about Nathan, we might have found the issue too late."

I shrugged. "Just doing my part."

She gave me a long look before nodding. "Right. Well, your part saved this damn project. Good work."

And just like that, she walked off.

I didn't dwell on the compliment. Instead, I forced myself to remain detached. To any outsider, it would just look like a dedicated worker brushing off praise. The reality?

I was waiting.

Because even after everything, one question still lingered in my mind—

Had I done enough?

This project wasn't permanent. The workers here today? Most of them wouldn't be back tomorrow. The evaluators overseeing the construction wanted to assess individuals from every district, not just the six districts present here, meaning nobody was guaranteed more than one opportunity to prove themselves.

If this wasn't enough to complete the quest…

I pushed the thought aside as I felt the telltale pull of the system.

A notification appeared.

[QUEST COMPLETE]

Requirements Fulfilled:

✔ Successfully integrate yourself as a core part of the project.

✔ Demonstrate value in leadership and execution.

Rank-Up Initiated.

I exhaled, a wave of relief washing over me as I felt the shift in my system.

[RANK UP: UNSKILLED LABORER (F) → CONSTRUCTION WORKER (B)]

A rush of new energy settled into my body—subtle but undeniable. My skills felt sharper, my thoughts quicker. My entire foundation had changed.

Then, a new notification appeared.

[RANK-UP REWARD]

Reward Earned: 3 Construction Worker Skill Keys

Three glowing icons appeared in my system interface, each shaped like a key with a question mark.

I tapped on one, and a description unfolded.

[Construction Worker Skill Keys]

-Grants any skill under the Construction Worker category.

-Does not require prior exposure.

-No cooldown.

My eyes narrowed. This was big.

Up until now, I could only acquire skills by seeing them in others. But these keys? They let me choose—regardless of whether I had encountered a skill before or not.

I needed to think carefully about how to use them.

But before I could dwell on it, a voice cut through my thoughts.

"Reynard Vale."

My body tensed instinctively.

I turned.

Standing just a few steps away, she looked as composed as ever. Her blonde hair was perfectly secured, not a single strand disturbed by the dust-filled air. Thin-framed glasses rested on the bridge of her nose, catching the faint glow of the work lights. Her uniform was crisp, untouched by the grime that clung to everyone else, as if the chaos of the worksite simply refused to touch her. In one hand, she held a clipboard, her fingers tapping against it in a slow, deliberate rhythm. But it was her eyes that stood out the most—sharp, calculating, already dissecting every move I had made before I even had the chance to speak.

Evelyn.

I knew better than to assume this was just a casual conversation. If she was speaking to me directly, there was a reason.

"You can relax," she said, adjusting her glasses. "You successfully corrected the issue in fifteen minutes. That's all that matters."

I didn't move. "And Nathan?"

She scoffed. "Irrelevant."

There was no hesitation in her tone. Evelyn didn't care about personal rivalries. She didn't care about drama or who was in the right. Her only concern was the efficiency of the project. I had delivered results. Nathan hadn't.

That was the only thing that mattered.

Without another word, she held out a single slip of paper.

I took it cautiously.

A meeting card.

I read the text. It was an address—one I recognized.

An evaluation center.

Evelyn studied me as I processed the information. "You're to report for reevaluation tomorrow," she stated. "Your skillset does not reflect your F-rank evaluation form."

I froze.

Reevaluations were rare. Exceptionally rare. Most people went their entire lives without getting a second chance. At best, they happened once or twice in a lifetime.

This? This was an opportunity people would kill for.

Evelyn adjusted her clipboard. "Do not be late."

And just like that, she was gone.

I remained still, the meeting card burning against my fingertips.

This was… a problem.

Evaluation centers didn't just test strength or knowledge. They revealed skills. They analyzed job titles.

I had spent this entire time trying to hide my special skill, my true job title, and my copy ability.

Now?

I had less than a day to figure out how to bury them even deeper.

I exhaled slowly, shoving the card into my pocket. One step at a time. I could handle this.

At least, that's what I told myself—until a group of construction workers cornered me.

"Reynard!" One of them clapped me on the shoulder. "We're heading out for drinks. You in?"

I hesitated.

I didn't have money. F-ranks were paid next to nothing. That wasn't the real reason I wanted to refuse, but it made for a convenient excuse.

"I—"

"It's on us." Another worker grinned. "After today? You deserve it."

I tried to think of another excuse.

I failed.

Even my Strategist skill wasn't helping me think of an excuse nor a plan for tomorrow.

"…Fine."

The workers cheered.

And just like that, I found myself swept away into the celebration.

Nathan, of course, wasn't invited.

We drank, we ate, we laughed. I let myself relax—just a little. But even as I enjoyed the atmosphere, my mind kept drifting back to tomorrow.

The evaluation center.

What would they see?

And more importantly… what could I do to stop them?

[SYSTEM INTERFACE]

Name: Reynard Vale

Job Title: Jobmaster (Rank SSS)

Job Skills:

Endurance Boost (Lv. 3): Reduces fatigue from manual labor

Strategist (Lv. 3): Improves planning and problem-solving abilities

Heavy Lifting (Lv. 2): Boosts physical strength, making it easier to carry heavy objects

Material Efficiency (Lv. 2): Optimizes use of resources, reducing waste and improving precision

Team Coordination (Lv. 6): Enhances team management and leadership

Structural Reinforcement (Lv. 2): Improves the stability and durability of structures

Precision Engineering (Lv. 2): Enhances accuracy in measurements and construction

Fast Assembly (Lv. 2): Increases speed in constructing frameworks and structures

Rapid Deconstruction (Lv. 1): Allows for swift and precise dismantling of specific structural components

Jobs:

Construction Worker (B-Rank)

Special Skill:

Scan, Absorb, Destroy

Cooldown:

Skill Copy (12h 36m left)

Available Rewards:

[3 Construction Worker Skill Keys]