[64] Ranking Test [4]

"Next."

A low voice echoed through the space.

No one was surprised or shocked by the voice anymore.

Instead, the scene before their eyes was far more shocking.

"...The monster's body folded like a piece of paper?"

"N-No, that's not the point right now. When you say 'next,' you mean the S-rank test, right?"

"Um... the S-rank test is impossible to take. Even the A-rank test was already an abuse of power..."

The employees stammered, spouting various excuses.

But the essence of what they were saying was simple.

You can't take the S-rank test.

In fact, even the A-rank test was overstepping, so you should be satisfied with that.

But Seung-woo had no reason to listen to them.

He was thirsty for a real challenge after so long.

Though his body was exhausted, Seung-woo's current state was like a drop of water on parched land. It was far from enough to quench his thirst.

"No, I'll take the next test here. Right now."

─T-That's impossible!

─You really can't go any further! Director, please say something!

The association employees desperately tried to stop him.

If he took any more tests, it would undoubtedly damage the association's fairness.

All tests must be fair. That is the stance of the neutral association.

But that was only the association's opinion.

So.

"Is that my problem?"

With a cold smile that suggested he had already made up his mind, Seung-woo's expression made the employees realize there was no turning back.

Seung-woo's confident attitude left the employees' hearts burning with frustration.

"Who's going to drag him out of there?!"

"Don't you know how terrifying Baek Seung-woo is? That guy buried several people alive just for ignoring his opinions!!"

"D-Director, what should we do...?"

Normally, such a demand wouldn't even be worth considering.

But the opponent was the head of the Cheonho Baek family.

Their influence on South Korea was almost absolute.

As mere low-level employees of the association, they couldn't possibly do anything to him.

And the same went for the director.

'...Damn it!'

He was an ordinary employee with no special talents.

Just a cunning man who had climbed the ranks by siding with the right people, thanks to his sharp instincts. The reason he became the director was due to his connections.

Thanks to the Nine-Tails Guild.

More precisely, it was due to the influence of the Nine-Tails' top executives, the 'Nine Tails,' especially the First Tail and other high-ranking members.

And now.

Their implicit superior, the infamous lunatic Baek Seung-woo, was pressuring him. As someone leaning toward the pro-elder faction within the Cheonho Baek family, the director shouldn't be helping Seung-woo.

That's why he allowed the A-rank test, hoping Seung-woo would fail.

But Seung-woo confidently passed the test and now boldly demanded the next step: the S-rank test.

He was screwed.

The Nine Tails and Baek Seung-woo.

Whichever he chose, his future path would not be smooth.

If he chose the latter, as the director, he would be held accountable for ignoring the rules twice, and he'd have to write a formal apology.

Moreover, if he accepted Seung-woo's demand, it would be a clear abuse of power, and the higher-ups would investigate, exposing his cooperation with the Nine-Tails Guild. Getting fired or sued wouldn't be out of the question.

If he was going to stop, it had to be now.

He had to stop immediately.

But.

"..."

The gaze fixed on him.

The burning red pupils. Within them was something as black and empty as his hair.

It was calling for the director's death.

He didn't know if this was the so-called "killing intent" he had only heard about.

He cursed the fact that he was alive to face that gaze at this moment. It wasn't just fear or chill.

In this split second, the director instinctively realized that his life was on the line.

It was the intuition honed over more than ten years of surviving in this wretched workplace.

Fired or dead.

As he agonized between the two, the director closed his eyes tightly.

Click!

He pressed the button to materialize the illusion of an S-rank monster within the space.

The mana inside the test room began to swirl at an abnormal speed, creating a creature with an overwhelming presence. Only then did Seung-woo's gaze shift away from the director.

The director let out a sigh of relief, his legs giving out as he knelt.

As he watched the creature's birth, a question arose in Seung-woo's mind.

'...How am I supposed to deal with that?'

He passed the B-rank test using only magic and the A-rank test by mixing in some incantations. So, what should he do for the S-rank test?

There was no time to think deeply.

In an instant, faster than anything before, it targeted his neck.

Kwaaaaaaak!

A crocodile-shaped monster, eagerly opening its jaws to devour Seung-woo.

He had vaguely thought S-rank and A-rank would be similar, but this thing was far more dangerous.

Damn it, if he had known this, he wouldn't have boasted about taking the next test immediately.

'About half of my mana is left, but my stamina is running low.'

His A+ mana was still flowing strongly, but his frail body couldn't fully handle the mana racing like a sports car.

He could probably use large-scale magic two or three more times.

If he was willing to risk injury, he could push it to ten times, and if he was willing to be hospitalized, maybe thirty times.

'But that would just make me look pathetic.'

This was the path he chose for himself.

Without a word, Seung-woo entered combat mode.

─Kugugugugung!

The ground shook as the massive crocodile moved.

A 4th-rank monster, capable of turning a village or even a city into ruins depending on its abilities.

The Serpent-Dragon Crocodile.

At that size, it looked more like a dragon or a wyvern than a crocodile.

There's a theory that dragons and wyverns originated from crocodiles. Maybe that's why the word "dragon" was in its name.

"...At least it can't breathe fire."

The crocodile just opened its jaws and approached.

It didn't spew powerful mana or poison from its mouth.

Well, it's not a real dragon or wyvern, so how could it breathe fire? If it could, it wouldn't be a 4th-rank monster; it would be at least one rank higher.

However, the stench from its mouth was so strong it made his nose and head hurt.

The foul odor was so intense it could almost be considered a form of breath attack.

Covering his nose didn't help block the intense stench penetrating his nasal passages.

Whoosh!

Crimson flames erupted, fiercely burning the crocodile's skin and the area around its jaws.

The skin burned, and the flesh began to cook, emitting a delicious smell that shouldn't come from a living creature. But compared to the Serpent-Dragon Crocodile's massive body, the damage was minimal.

How the hell is it this big?

The Serpent-Dragon Crocodile was even larger than the house-sized turtle he had just defeated.

While having more areas to attack was a good thing, at this size, even burning it with fire magic wouldn't deal significant damage to its bones and internal organs.

If he could pour flames intense enough to char its skin or control the flames to cook it evenly from the inside like a steamer, he might have a chance.

'But that's easier said than done.'

Char its skin?

The 4th-rank monster's tough hide and the mana flowing from the Serpent-Dragon Crocodile's heart made it difficult for fire magic to fully take effect. Burning through its skin entirely would be hard.

If only his stamina were a bit higher, he might have been able to adjust the power and range of his fire magic to manage it.

But in his current condition, it was impossible.

Cook it evenly from the inside like a steamer?

If he messed up, he might end up being steamed along with the crocodile.

Damn it, why is this so complicated?

"Burn."

With the activation word, flames of unprecedented efficiency scorched the creature's skin. But efficiency alone wasn't enough.

The flames, while efficient, were no more than a static shock to the monster.

Waaaaaak!

It opened its jaws and lunged at me with its massive body.

At the same time, it twisted its body as if ready to spin.

Seung-woo realized what it was about to do.

The Death Roll—a deadly whirlwind where the crocodile locks onto its prey with its powerful jaws and spins its body repeatedly.

The combination of the crocodile's terrifying bite force and relentless spinning wouldn't just tear limbs apart.

Especially if it was a high-rank monster like the Serpent-Dragon Crocodile.

Swish!

He quickly pulled his arm back, but the edge of his clothing got caught in the creature's sharp teeth.

Not wanting to let go, the creature twisted its body and began spinning at high speed.

Kwagwagwagwak!

The massive spin shook not only the ground but also the association building beyond the test room. The employees swallowed hard, imagining the attack would leave no bones unbroken.

Surely, he's not dead, right?

As they entertained such grim thoughts.

['Foxfire' blooms.]

[A curse spreads like mist across the area!]

Whoooooosh───!!

Flames erupted on the creature's rapidly spinning body.

The cursed, flickering purple flames engulfed the creature like kindling.

A low voice followed.

"Burn."

The same activation word as always.

But this time, it was different.

Foxfire.

['Pyrokinesis' is imbued with 'Foxfire.']

[You can now shape the cursed flames.]

Double Helix.

[The mana array transforms into a helix.]

[Two helixes intertwine, doubling the efficiency and power of the mana.]

The purple flames burning in the air twisted like rope.

What emerged was a flame spear with two forked ends.

It was the strongest strike Seung-woo could deliver without harming his own body.

"Fall."

An improvised, incomplete incantation.

Because of it, his throat was completely blocked.

The helical spear in the air descended, covering the area in massive flames as it struck the Serpent-Dragon Crocodile. It looked like stabbing food with a fork.

The dignity of a 4th-rank monster was nowhere to be seen.

Seung-woo controlled all the flames and heat in the area, solely focused on killing the crocodile.

To prevent the damage from spreading outside, he successfully exhausted all of his A+ mana for the first time since arriving here.

Soon after, having used up all his mana, Seung-woo collapsed to the ground and stared blankly at the ceiling.

He was utterly exhausted.

He closed his eyes for a moment to catch his breath and subjectively evaluated his performance.

'...S-rank is harder than I thought.'

He had passed the B and A-rank tests easily, so he underestimated it.

The highest rank a human can bestow upon another, just below the revered ranks of Ranker and High Ranker.

Seung-woo was on the verge of reaching S-rank.

If he added a few martial arts techniques to his current abilities, he could easily surpass S-rank.

But purely in terms of magic, A+ to S-rank was the appropriate evaluation.

For someone who had only been practicing magic for a month, it was a significant achievement, but that was only in terms of combat power.

The depth and mastery of magic were a different story.

"...The gap between S-rank, Ranker, and High Ranker is bigger than I thought."

Rankers are the top individuals in their respective fields, as designated by the system.

They could be swordsmen who have mastered the blade to its limits, mages specialized in fire magic, or doctors who have healed hundreds of thousands on the battlefield.

Whatever the case, those who have become the best in their field are called Rankers.

High Rankers are the exceptional geniuses among Rankers, irreplaceable by anyone.

They are on a completely different level from the S-rank license, which can be obtained simply by reaching a certain level of combat power.

They transcend their own fields.

Only 100 individuals, overwhelmingly superior to others in various fields, can hold this chosen position.

'The deeper I go, the more mountains I see. There's no end in sight.'

Recently, he had been learning incantations under Nam Hwa-yeon, but he still had a long way to go to reach those towering figures.

Well, it's only been a month, so it's natural.

Taking these tests and objectively assessing his condition made him even more impatient.

'I want to get stronger faster.'

As he is now, he can't change anything.

At the very least, he wanted enough power to twist the scenario, even if he couldn't change it entirely.

By the way, the license ended up being A-rank.

Just as the director was about to issue the S-rank license, the association president sensed something was off and issued a directive from above.

The director, caught red-handed, trembled and confessed everything he had done. For some reason, he readily admitted his actions, which was quite amusing.

After learning what had happened, the higher-ups bowed to me and handed over the A-rank license.

Since there are only a handful of S-rank licenses worldwide.

They apologized, saying they had to manage it strictly, and took the director away.

All of this was resolved in just 15 minutes.

"...My five hours."

The speed of the resolution was too fast compared to the time I had waited.

In that time, I could have easily played five rounds of a game I usually don't have time for.

As I watched the people in luxury cars leave leisurely, I thought.

'My five rounds...'

It was almost time to head to the auction house.

***

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