CHAPTER FOURTEEN !
───witness.

SUNLIGHT THROUGH THE WINDOW, painting golden stripes across Hyeon's face. He stirred, the remnants of a peaceful sleep clinging to him for a fleeting moment.

Then, it hit him.

Rank Re-Evaluation.

His stomach lurched. Tomorrow, the dreaded day when his Hunter rank would be assessed again. The possibility of being branded an F-Rank once more sent a jolt of panic through him.

He shot upright in bed, Jinx startled awake with a disgruntled meow. The cat stretched languidly, oblivious to the turmoil brewing within his human companion.

Hyeon ran a hand through his sleep-tousled hair, images of the lich's chilling laughter flashing behind his eyelids.

Sure, he'd defeated it, a feat worthy of a high-ranking Hunter, but the system wouldn't necessarily recognize that.

There were no witnesses, no official record of his victory. Just him, his battered body, and the lingering exhaustion as proof.

Throwing back the covers, Hyeon launched himself out of bed. A quick shower, and he dressed hurriedly, dressed in semi formal. As he descended the stairs, the clatter of shoes echoed in the otherwise silent house.

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee greeted him as he entered the kitchen. His parents sat at the table, his father engrossed in the morning newspaper while his mother sipped from a delicate china cup.

Hyeon hesitated, the words caught in his throat. He wasn't sure how to bring up his anxieties, how to express the fear that gnawed at him.

"Hyeon," his mother called out, her voice warm and inviting. "There you are. Did you sleep well?"

He forced a smile, the gesture strained. "Well enough, Mom." He poured himself a cup of coffee, the bitter liquid a stark contrast to the turmoil within.

His father lowered his newspaper, his gaze sharpening. Hyeon knew that look. It was the concerned parent gaze, the one that saw right through his facade. "Is everything alright?" his father asked, his voice gentle.

Hyeon took a deep breath. He couldn't keep bottling it up. "Rank Re-evaluation is today," he mumbled, the words tasting like ash in his mouth.

A heavy silence descended on the kitchen. Jinx, sensing the tension, hopped onto the table, nuzzling Hyeon's hand in a silent show of support.

Hyeon's mother reached out and squeezed his hand. "Hyeon," she said softly, "we know you've been working hard. Whatever the outcome, we're proud of you."

His father nodded, a flicker of pride in his eyes. "Remember, son, it's not just about the rank. It's about your growth, your determination. You've come a long way."

Hyeon met his parents' eyes, the warmth in their gaze starting to melt away the ice of fear that had gripped him.

Maybe they were right. Maybe the rank wasn't everything. He had faced a lich, for goodness sake! Surely that counted for something.

A newfound determination bloomed within him. He wouldn't let the rank define him. He would keep pushing forward, keep honing his skills.

He owed it to himself, to his family, and to the memory of that terrifying, exhilarating battle with the lich.

"Thanks, Mom. Thanks, Dad," he said, a genuine smile gracing his lips.

"But who again wants me to have a Re-Evaluation?" Hyeon asks while stroking the head of Jinx.

"Well, your Grandfather." Father said and he just nodded his head and continued taking his coffee. His father coughs.

"Ahem..Son. Do you want me to..." before he said that he wanted to Accompany his son on his Re-Evaluation but he just cut off!

He glared at the person who just entered their house.

"Where is my favorite grandson!?" Hyeon jolted up and ran in front of the door.

"Grandfather!" Hyeon said to his Grandfather named Kim Taejoon. His father pouted his lips and his mother just chuckled while hitting his shoulder.

"Why is he energetic to his grandfather but not to me??" His father mumbled, Hyeon laughed and Taejoon glared at him, making Seongho (Hyeon's Father) run behind his Wife named Minji.

Well Hyeon's father is a Mage Type Hunter, his rank is A-Ranker. While his mother is B-Rank Hunter who is a Healer.

"Hello Father, what's bring you here?" Minji asked his father. Taejoon who is ruffling his Grandson.

"Well I'm planning to accompany Hyeon on his Re-Evaluation." Hyeon smiled at him. He is really grateful to his family.

"I'm joini–"

"No, you stay here."

"Fathe–."

Taejoon glared at Seongho who turned into a puppy and hugged his wife. Hyeon laughed.

"When we're done with my Re-Evaluation, let's have a date later, Mom and Dad." Seongho's mood lifted when Hyeon said that. He nodded his head.

Hyeon chuckles and sees his grandfather on the underhand who is giving him puppy eyes.

"Of course, you are invited Grandfather."

'YOUR NAME WILL BE...TUSK.'

[Tusk Lv.1]
Elite Knight grade.

Instead of question marks, the new name appeared in the information window.

If the Shaman who remained utterly arrogant right till the moment it died heard this name, the poor guy might have fainted on the spot. But well, who cares? It was already dead, anyway.

With a satisfied grin on his face, Jin Woo recalled his Shadow Soldiers.

He could now store almost 130 of them. Although it was a bit regrettable, he had to return the rest back to the void.

'This much is more than enough, though.'

He stepped off from the altar with a big smile on his face, but then, several people rushed over to him. They were - Hunters from the raid team, a group of men wearing matching black business suits.

Jin Woo recognised one of the faces among the black suits.

'Since when did Chief Woo Jinchul show up?' Seeing the expression on Woo Jinchul, he probably had witnessed his Shadow Soldiers.

"Mister Sung Jin Woo."

"Sung Jin Woo Hunter-nim."

"Mister Porter?!"

Everyone called out to him at the same time, then they took glances at each other.

Well, it was all fine and dandy that he got to fight to his heart's content since he no longer had any reason to hide his powers, but.....

'....How am I supposed to get out of this now?'

Jin Woo looked at all these people surrounding him and scratched the back of his head. Woo Jinchul was the first to react.

While everyone else was busy eyeing others around them, he quickly walked right up to Jin Woo's side, pulled out his identification card, and displayed it proudly for all to see.

"We're from the Association's Monitoring Division."

Didn't matter whether you were a high-ranked Hunter or a low-ranked one, you'd inevitably tense up after hearing the name of the Monitoring Division. And this tactic was the right one.

It was only for a brief moment, but a hint of nervousness flashed past the expressions of the Hunters Guild members. Woo Jinchul seized upon this chance and carried on with what he wanted to say.

"The identity of Sung Jin Woo Hunter-nim is being strictly guarded by the Association. It is highly classified information that cannot be revealed publicly."

Jin Woo could only stand back in dumbfounded admiration at Woo Jinchul's skillful bullshitting.

Heck, his expression and words looked and sounded so natural that one couldn't help but wonder if he practiced it every morning while looking in the mirror or some such.

Whatever the case may be, his intentions definitely got through to the other party. At the same time, Woo Jinchul sent the slightest hint of a signal to Jin Woo with his eyes.

'We will assist you with avoiding unnecessary fuss when exiting from this place.'

Jin Woo had no idea why the Monitoring Division was helping him, but since they were volunteering to take care of the aftermath, was there a reason for him to refuse now?

Jin Woo nodded his head.

That's what he wanted, anyway.

The quick-witted subordinates of Woo Jinchul quickly surrounded Jin Woo like bodyguards.

"If you have any questions, please send them to the Association. We shall escort Hunter Sung Jin Woo now."

The not-so-subtle implication of 'We won't hear any of your objections' was apparent in his voice.

All thanks to Woo Jinchul's hardened attitude, hard enough to shatter a rock even, the members of the Hunters Guild had no choice but to rein in their questions and stay silent.

"Shall we go?"

While being escorted by the agents of the Monitoring Division, Jin Woo walked past the Hunters.

'Well, I am grateful, but....'

Something felt a bit odd, just then. Why did Chief Woo Jinchul do something no one asked him to do in the first place? Once they got a sufficient distance away from the members of the Hunters Guild, Jin Woo quietly asked.

"Why are you doing this all of a sudden?"

"By any chance, are you thinking of signing up with the Hunters Guild?"

Jin Woo shook his head.

As if he knew that such an answer was coming already, Woo Jinchul quickly made his reply.

"What you did just now was to display the kind of power that exceeds S-rank classification in front of the employees working for the largest, wealthiest Guild in South Korea. If you wish to avoid annoying matters in the near future, this method is the best one."

Indeed, he was right.

No one could tell just what lengths the wealthy Hunters Guild might go to secure another S-rank Hunter. Other Hunters would raise their hands and welcome that, but Jin Woo was different.

It was the same story for the Hunter's Association, too.

And so, the interests of both the Association, trying to prevent the concentration of too much power to one specific Guild, and Jin Woo's, who found the hindrance of the Guilds annoying, lined up rather nicely.

Since this wasn't one-sided goodwill coming from the other party but something that would help both sides, Jin Woo didn't feel uncomfortable with the current situation at all.

'Well, things have become more convenient thanks to the Association.'

Because this matter had been resolved quite nicely in an unexpected manner, Jin Woo could afford to float a thin, nearly imperceptible smile on his lips.

But, as they were about to exit from the boss room for good....

"H-hold on!!"

An urgent call came from behind the group.

Unintentionally looking back, Jin Woo spotted Son Kihoon approaching them while being supported by his big-framed colleague.

All of his external wounds had been healed perfectly, but his complexion remained pale as he had lost a lot of blood.

'It'd be better for him to not move yet, though.'

Despite Jin Woo's worries, Son Kihoon managed to stand before him. He then bowed deeply.

"Thank you."

And he began speaking up his mind without holding anything back.

"Thanks to you, we're still alive. On behalf of the raid team, I'd like to thank you."

If one believed the words of the Monitoring Division's Hunters, then this young man seemed to be burdened by some kind of circumstances preventing him from revealing himself.

'With that kind of power, it'd not be too strange if he does have some kind of an unspeakable circumstance.'

However....

He risked his identity being revealed to aid Son Kihoon and the rest of the raid team. But, was that all? He didn't even ask for any compensation, either.

He could've easily requested the Hunters Guild for the corpses of the monsters or for the cost of saving the lives of the raid team, but he backed off without saying a thing.

So, how could he not bow down to this young man?

"....Thank you very much!"

His emotions now getting raw, Son Kihoon bent his back forward 90 degrees once more. That sudden movement caused his aching body to scream out in pain, but he actually found that rather welcoming.

His heart welled up with emotions when he saw Jin Woo kill the monster in the exact same fashion as how he had been toyed around with before.

Thinking back to that moment was enough for him to thank this young man a countless number of times. The Hunters of the raid team saw their leader bow down to express his gratitude.

They're really thankful.