Chapter 41: RANK ASCENSION
The steam fogged the small mirror, and Raito leaned on the sink afterward, staring at his reflection. His eyes looked heavier, older. The scar on his cheek caught the light.
When he came out, dressed in a plain black shirt and dark trousers, Aiko was standing beside the kitchenette, stirring something in a pot.
"Oh, you’re finally done," she said without looking up. "At least now you smell human again."
"Yeah, obviously," Raito muttered, drying his hair with the towel.
"There’s still rice left," she said softly, filling a plate and handing it to him. "Eat while it’s warm."
Raito sat down on the small table beside the bed. The apartment was quiet except for the faint hum of the fridge.
"Thanks," he said, picking up the spoon.
Aiko leaned against the counter, watching him. The silence between them wasn’t awkward—it was the silence of relief.
Raito sat on the edge of his bed, eating spoonfuls of rice while the hum of the city buzzed faintly through the thin apartment walls. The air was warm, still scented faintly of soap from his shower. His shirt clung loosely to him—plain, black, and torn at the edges—but at least he was clean now.
He exhaled softly. "What a day..." he muttered.
It was actually tougher than I thought. But still... I did it. He paused, setting the spoon down. I reached Level 7.
A small grin crept across his face. "And... Flight. I actually unlocked it."
He leaned back, remembering the moment in the dungeon—the surge of energy, the weightlessness when the purple thunder engulfed him. For an instant, he’d felt unstoppable. Untouchable.
"That feeling..." he whispered. "The power flowing through me—it was unreal."
But then the smile faded. "Still, I can’t control it completely. Not yet. The moment I start flying, I burn through my stamina like crazy. If I don’t train harder, I’ll end up crashing before I can even go ten meters."
He sighed, picking his plate back up and finishing another bite of rice. Then, after a brief silence, he said quietly, "Status Box. Open."
A soft digital ding echoed in his head as a glowing panel appeared before his eyes.
[Status Box – Open]
Name: Raito
Level: 7
HP: 2,900 / 2,900
LP: +3,000 (Recovered)
Raito’s eyes softened as he stared at the glowing text. "Level 7, huh? I’m still just getting started."
Aiko tilted her head, watching him. "Hey, what’s wrong? You’ve been staring at nothing for the past minute... and your hand’s just... waving in the air."
Raito blinked, realizing he still had the status box open in front of him. He quickly swiped it away and forced a smile. "Ah—no, it’s nothing. Just... thinking about something."
She raised an eyebrow. "You looked really focused."
"Yeah, I guess I was," he said, scratching the back of his head.
The faint digital glow disappeared completely, and silence filled the small apartment. The sound of the ticking wall clock broke through—tick... tick... tick...
Raito looked over. "It’s already 3 p.m.?"
He leaned back on the chair, eyes distant. "The fight with the Hydra alone... that must’ve lasted at least three hours." He exhaled slowly. "No wonder I feel like I’ve been gone for a whole day."
He stared at the floor, his thoughts deepening. Maybe it’s about time I go for my rank assessment. I need to know what level I’m really at now.
A faint grin crossed his lips as he clenched his fist. No hunter ID yet... but that’s about to change.
He stood slowly, eyes sharp with renewed determination.
If I can survive a Hydra, then I’m ready for whatever comes next.
Raito leaned back, staring at the ceiling. Still... I shouldn’t get cocky after defeating that three-headed Hydra.
He clenched his fists tightly. I know the truth. I didn’t actually win. If that skill hadn’t activated when I was on the brink of death, I’d be dead by now.
He exhaled slowly, shaking his head. I’m not strong enough yet. Not even close. So I can’t get full of myself.
He picked up his phone, scrolling absentmindedly. Aiko was sitting at the small table, her attention on her own phone.
"Hey," Raito said, standing up, "I’ll be going out for a bit."
She looked up sharply. "You just came back. Where are you going again? Don’t tell me you’ll vanish like you did this morning."
He chuckled faintly. "No, nothing like that. I just need to grab some groceries."
Aiko eyed him for a moment, then sighed. "Fine. But don’t take too long."
"I won’t," he said, waving lightly as he stepped out of the one-room apartment.
The streets buzzed with afternoon chatter. Cars, food stalls, and hunters in their combat gear passed by as Raito walked briskly toward the Hunter Association.
When he arrived, a short line of people stood before the registration desk—maybe ten or so. He took his place, glancing at his phone. 3:30 p.m.
Thirty minutes later, it was his turn.
"Next!" the woman behind the counter called. "Let me see your passport."
He handed it over.
"Raito, right?" she asked, typing on her terminal. "Please follow me for your rank assessment."
He nodded and followed her through a corridor into a large, circular room. At the center stood a glowing crystal sphere connected to several cables.
"Place your palm on the scanner," she instructed.
Raito stepped forward and pressed his palm onto the smooth surface. The machine pulsed with light, humming softly. A faint glow surrounded his body as the mana inside him was measured.
So this is it... my first assessment, he thought, heart pounding.
After a minute, the machine emitted a soft chime, and the screen beside it displayed the results.
The woman smiled. "Your rank assessment is complete. You’re ranked C. Your mana capacity and compatibility both fall within the C-tier range. Congratulations—you’re officially a Hunter."
"Rank C...?" Raito repeated, blinking. Then a small smile crept across his face.
I actually did it.