Free Web NovelChapter 10: Evaluation of Rank
Seeing Gerhman slide his sweatshirt over his head, Hae-neul felt a sudden heat rise to her cheeks. A faint redness spread across her cheekbones. She quickly averted her gaze, fixing her eyes on a vague point on the wall to avoid letting them linger on the muscles outlined on his torso.
"I am Hae-neul, the vice-master of the Aegis Prime guild," she announced in a voice she wanted to sound firm, but a slight hesitation betrayed her control. She paused, observed Gerhman’s impassiveness, then continued: "I am here on the direct order of Electhra. She has tasked me with showing you around the guild and its surroundings, and handling your administrative formalities."
Gerhman slowly straightened up, and his joints emitted a series of dull cracks. He ran a hand through his grayish hair, paying no attention to the fatigue that still numbed his limbs. His gaze, devoid of any warmth, swept over Hae-neul from head to toe. freeweɓnovēl.coɱ
"So you’re the one Electhra was talking about," he said in a neutral, almost weary tone.
Hae-neul showed a moment of surprise. She hadn’t known that Electhra had already mentioned her name. However, what intrigued her even more was the familiarity with which this man addressed the guild master. The informal "you" was a privilege that very few dared to take. Yet not only did Gerhman use it without any discomfort, but he also seemed accustomed to this liberty. This observation strengthened her caution toward him, especially since Electhra had warned her in unusually meticulous terms. It was the first time Hae-neul had seen her superior being so cautious.
"Before we start, stop using formal speech with me," Gerhman warned, raising an eyebrow. "It’s annoying."
"But Electhra..." Hae-neul began.
"I told you," he interrupted without raising his voice, but with a weariness that left no room for reply. "You don’t need to make a big deal out of it."
She took a discreet breath, then released it while lowering her shoulders. "Okay, since you allow me... I will do so."
Gerhman looked at her, visibly waiting for the immediate correction.
"... Okay, since you allow me," she corrected in a lower, but embarrassed voice.
"By the way, you’re going to have to find me something else. I’m not going to visit a guild wearing only my shirt," Gerhman said, gesturing vaguely at the sweat-soaked sweatshirt he had just removed.
"Wait for me a moment," Hae-neul replied before leaving the training room and returning a few minutes later with a new sweatshirt that Gerhman quickly put on. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
"These armors," he finally said, "what type of impact are they designed to withstand? Magical or physical?"
Hae-neul blinked, surprised that he suddenly took interest in a technical detail. "Both," she replied. "The outer layer dissipates kinetic energy, while the glass fabric lining absorbs hostile mana residues."
"I see," he nodded.
Then Hae-neul turned around and invited him to follow her through the immense corridors of the Aegis Prime headquarters. The building was a masterpiece of technology and magic, where every wall was imbued with mana to reinforce the structure against possible energy leaks from high-ranking awakened.
They first passed through the logistics department, a vast area where technicians were busy around armors and enchanted weapons. Hae-neul explained with precision the functioning of the stocks, the distribution of resources for raids and the support system for rankers. Gerhman walked beside her, hands in his pockets, observing the artifacts with obvious contempt.
The further they advanced, the more destabilized Hae-neul felt. Gerhman’s silence was oppressive, and every time he spoke, it was to ask a question whose coldness and relevance caught her off guard. She caught herself nervously fiddling with the edge of her mittens, her red eyes sometimes avoiding the young man’s piercing gray gaze.
"The Aegis Prime guild is currently the most powerful in Korea..." she tried to justify as they crossed the main hall adorned with ice statues. "We manage the majority of the high-ranking towers in the region..."
"Power is a relative notion, Hae-neul..." Gerhman replied in a monotonous tone. "Electhra seems to have built a solid empire..."
This remark left Hae-neul speechless. She didn’t fully understand the deeper meaning of his words, but her nervousness only increased. Her shy nature, which she tried to hide behind her position as vice-master, resurfaced. She stammered slightly while indicating the direction of the underground parking lot.
"We... we are now going to the Awakened Association..." she stammered. "Your registration is an essential step to be able to move freely in the towers..."
They got into a luxury vehicle with tinted windows, Hae-neul remaining silent throughout the entire journey. She could feel Gerhman’s gaze on her, a gaze that seemed to see through her. When they arrived at the Association headquarters, an imposing glass and steel skyscraper located in the heart of Seoul, they were greeted by constant activity. Awakened of all ranks, from the modest F-rank to the arrogant B-rank, circulated in the hall, creating an incessant buzz.
Hae-neul guided Gerhman to the new registrations sector, a calmer area where the mana measurement devices were the most sophisticated in the country. The Association officials straightened up when they saw Hae-neul, immediately recognizing the vice-master of Aegis Prime.
"We are here for an evaluation," she announced to the chief examiner, a middle-aged man whose gaze lit up with curiosity upon seeing the young man with gray hair.
"Of course, Vice-Master Hae-neul," the examiner replied with a polite smile. "Young man, please follow us."
Together, they followed the chief examiner who led them to an empty room with a crystal in the center.
"Please approach the kinetic and magical measurement device. Simply place your palm on this reinforced quartz crystal..."
Gerhman stepped forward with calculated nonchalance. He stared at the crystal that stood in the center of the room, an artifact capable of translating the density and pressure of the soul into a numerical value understandable by the earthly system. He knew that his current body was limited, that his mana circuits were still too narrow to let his true essence pass through. Nevertheless, he needed to obtain this status to begin his ascension.
He placed his hand on the cold surface of the crystal. Immediately, a bluish glow began to emanate from the artifact. The light grew in intensity, shifting from pale blue to deep violet, before stabilizing in a dull vibration that made the nearby measuring instruments tremble. Gerhman felt his mana circulate with difficulty.
Hae-neul observed the scene with sustained attention, her hands clasped in front of her. She saw sweat beading again on Gerhman’s forehead, a sign that his body was struggling against the power of his own mind. Finally, a beep sounded and a notification appeared on the examiner’s screen, as well as on Gerhman’s interface.
[EVALUATION COMPLETED]
[RESULT: AWAKENED OF RANK D]
[CLASS: MAGE]
The examiner seemed slightly disappointed, probably expecting a more spectacular result from a protégé of the Aegis Prime guild. For him, rank D was only an intermediate stage, a step that thousands of awakened passed every year.
"Rank D..." Gerhman murmured with a contemptuous smile. "It’s enough for a start."
Hae-neul approached, retrieving the identification card that had just been issued. She handed it to Gerhman, her fingers brushing against his.
"Congratulations... Gerhman..." she said, regaining some of her usual confidence. "You are officially an awakened. Now that the formalities are completed, I must take you back to the guild. Electhra probably wants to review your progress..."
Gerhman slipped the card into his sweatshirt without even glancing at it. He turned toward the exit, his silhouette standing out against the large bay windows of the Association.
"No need, let’s go straight to that thing you call a tower," he said as he walked away.
Hae-neul followed him while watching him walk as if nothing had happened. All sorts of thoughts ran through her mind, but for the moment she had to focus on what she had to do.
