147 - The S-Rank Threshold

Chapter 147 — The S-Rank Threshold

The results of the first S-rank evaluation were not announced immediately. The international committee had collected an enormous amount of data from the five candidates, and unlike the older ranking system, the new evaluation could not be reduced to a single battle or a simple comparison of levels. Every candidate had performed differently, and each had demonstrated strengths that could not be measured by the same standard.

For the next three days, the Association remained unusually quiet about the results.

That did not stop the public from speculating.

News networks discussed the five candidates constantly. Richard Cole's physical strength was analyzed by experts, while Zhao Ming's ability to influence atmospheric mana attracted attention from researchers. Helena Vogt's defensive capabilities were being studied by military organizations, and Rafael Costa's rapid adaptation during combat had already made him famous in several countries.

Subin received the most attention.

Not because he had made the most dramatic display during the evaluation, but because his performance had been remarkably consistent across every category.

He had not dominated every individual test.

He had simply performed well in almost all of them.

That distinction became the subject of endless discussion.

Subin himself didn't care.

He spent the morning in the training hall.

His sword moved steadily through the air as he practiced.

There was no special technique.

No enormous mana release.

Just repetition.

Yerin sat nearby, watching him.

"You know the results could be announced at any moment."

"I know."

"You're not curious?"

"Of course I am."

"Then why are you training?"

"Because I can be curious while training."

Yerin laughed.

"You've become very good at giving annoying answers."

Subin stopped and looked at her.

"Was that a compliment?"

"No."

"Okay."

She smiled.

The training hall doors opened.

Min-seok walked in carrying his axe.

"You're both here."

Yerin nodded.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just came to train."

He looked at Subin.

"Want to spar?"

"Sure."

Min-seok stepped onto the floor.

The two took their positions.

There was no audience this time.

No cameras.

No officials.

Just two friends who had spent months fighting together.

Min-seok attacked first.

His axe swept across the floor with tremendous force, but Subin moved with it rather than against it. He avoided the main impact, redirected the weapon, and stepped into Min-seok's range.

Min-seok immediately changed direction.

Subin adjusted.

The exchange continued for several minutes.

Min-seok had become considerably better at changing his rhythm. He no longer relied entirely on predictable combinations, and his movements were becoming more natural.

Subin eventually found an opening.

His sword stopped against Min-seok's shoulder.

"Point."

Min-seok exhaled.

"Again."

They continued.

The second exchange lasted longer.

The third lasted longer still.

By the fifth exchange, Min-seok finally managed to force Subin backward several steps.

He grinned.

"Got you moving."

"You did."

"That's progress."

"Yes."

Min-seok lowered his axe.

"You really don't get excited, do you?"

"I do."

"When?"

"When something is difficult."

Min-seok laughed.

"Then I need to get much stronger."

Subin smiled.

"You do."

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of the training hall doors opening.

Director Kang entered.

He was holding a tablet.

Everyone immediately understood.

"The results are ready."

Min-seok straightened.

Yerin stood.

Subin sheathed his sword.

Director Kang walked toward them.

"The international committee has completed the evaluation."

He activated the display.

Five names appeared.

Richard Cole — S-Rank

Zhao Ming — S-Rank

Helena Vogt — S-Rank

Rafael Costa — S-Rank

The fifth name appeared beneath them.

Subin Vans — S-Rank

For several seconds, nobody spoke.

Min-seok finally broke the silence.

"Well."

He looked at Subin.

"Congratulations."

Subin looked at the display.

S-Rank.

The letter itself didn't feel particularly important.

He had expected that his strength would eventually move beyond the old A-rank system, but seeing the new classification attached to his name still felt strange.

Yerin smiled.

"I knew it."

Subin looked at her.

"You knew?"

"Not exactly."

"Then?"

"I knew you'd pass."

Min-seok crossed his arms.

"I knew too."

Subin looked at him.

"You didn't."

"I absolutely did."

"You asked me yesterday whether the evaluation had gone badly."

"That was tactical."

Yerin laughed.

Director Kang shook his head.

"The committee has also released a preliminary definition of S-rank."

The display changed.

S-Rank Awakeners

1. Exceptional combat capability against A+ threats.

2. Ability to operate independently in high-level environments.

3. Ability complexity or specialization exceeding conventional A-rank limits.

4. Significant influence over surrounding mana or battlefield conditions.

5. Demonstrated ability to survive and respond to rapidly changing high-level threats.

6. Potential to affect large-scale combat situations.

Director Kang continued.

"Passing S-rank doesn't mean every S-rank Awakener has the same strength. The committee deliberately avoided creating another simple numerical ranking."

Subin nodded.

That was important.

Richard's strength came from his physical ability.

Helena's came from defense.

Zhao controlled large-scale atmospheric mana.

Rafael adapted during combat.

Subin's strength came from swordsmanship and his ability to understand combat.

Comparing them directly would always be imperfect.

Director Kang looked at the group.

"The Association will therefore stop using national rankings beyond A-rank."

Min-seok blinked.

"What?"

"There will be no official ranking between S-rank Awakeners."

Jae-hyun, who had just entered the hall, heard the announcement.

"That's probably for the best."

Min-seok looked at him.

"Why?"

"Because if they rank us, you'll spend every day complaining about your position."

Min-seok frowned.

"I would not."

Everyone looked at him.

He sighed.

"Fine. Maybe."

The atmosphere relaxed.

Director Kang continued.

"However, S-rank Awakeners will receive greater responsibilities."

Subin already expected that.

"International response teams will now include at least one S-rank Awakener whenever a confirmed S-rank threat appears. For A+ threats, the decision will depend on circumstances."

Subin nodded.

That made sense.

The world had changed again.

A-rank was no longer the highest level humanity could reasonably expect.

The emergence of S-rank meant the old system was already becoming obsolete.

And Subin suspected this was only the beginning.

Director Kang looked at him.

"There is one more thing."

"What?"

"Your evaluation report."

He handed Subin the tablet.

Subin read through it.

Most of the report contained technical measurements, combat data, and analysis from different specialists.

One section caught his attention.

Combat Growth Potential: Extremely High

Ability Development: Ongoing

Recommended Future Evaluation: Undetermined

Subin frowned.

"Why does it say ongoing?"

Director Kang smiled.

"Because nobody believes your ability has reached its final form."

Subin looked at the report again.

That was probably true.

Sword God had continued developing from the moment he awakened.

He had learned more about swordsmanship, mana, combat, and the world, yet he still felt as though there were countless things he had not understood.

Director Kang continued.

"The committee also wants you to participate in an international S-rank training program."

Subin looked up.

"What kind?"

"Controlled combat, rescue operations, high-level dungeon response, environmental stabilization, and international cooperation."

Min-seok immediately asked, "Can I participate?"

"You're still A-rank."

"I know."

Director Kang smiled.

"But selected A-rank Awakeners can participate."

Min-seok's expression brightened.

"Then I'm in."

Yerin also agreed.

Ara volunteered shortly afterward.

Jae-hyun crossed his arms.

"I'm joining too."

Subin looked around.

It was becoming familiar.

Wherever he went, the same people seemed to gather around him.

He didn't dislike it.

In fact, he had begun to enjoy it.

The S-rank announcement spread across the world within hours.

For the first time since Awakening, humanity had an officially recognized class above A-rank.

The public reaction was enormous.

Some celebrated the achievement.

Others were worried about what S-rank meant.

Governments began reviewing emergency response plans.

Guilds started reorganizing their strongest teams.

Researchers demanded more information about the relationship between Awakener ranks and monster evolution.

The Association released a statement clarifying that S-rank was not a guarantee of victory against every high-level monster.

The classification represented capability, not invincibility.

Subin agreed with that distinction.

That evening, he left the Association with Yerin.

The streets were unusually crowded.

Large screens were displaying the names of the five newly recognized S-rank Awakeners.

Subin saw his own face on one of them.

He stopped.

Yerin noticed.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"You're looking at yourself."

"I noticed."

She smiled.

"How does it feel?"

"Strange."

"You don't like attention."

"No."

"Too late."

Subin sighed.

They continued walking.

After a few minutes, Yerin asked, "Do you think this will change your life?"

"Probably."

"How?"

"More people will ask me to do things."

She laughed.

"That's what you're worried about?"

"Yes."

"Not the fame?"

"No."

"Not the money?"

"No."

"Not becoming one of the strongest people on Earth?"

Subin thought about it.

"That part is useful."

Yerin laughed again.

They reached a quiet restaurant.

After dinner, they walked toward the river.

The city lights reflected on the water.

Yerin leaned against the railing.

"So you're officially S-rank now."

"Apparently."

"How long do you think you'll stay S-rank?"

Subin looked at her.

"I don't know."

"You don't think there's another rank?"

"There will probably be."

"Above S?"

"Eventually."

Yerin considered that.

"How high do you think the world can go?"

Subin looked toward the night sky.

"Probably much higher than we understand."

He wasn't saying it as a prediction.

He was thinking about everything they had already encountered.

The evolving dungeons.

The Pacific ecosystem.

The strange mana networks.

The rapid awakening of humans.

If monsters could evolve, then humans could evolve too.

If Earth could change, there was no reason to believe Earth was the limit.

Yerin followed his gaze.

"You really think there are stronger worlds out there?"

Subin remained silent for a moment.

"I think it's possible."

She smiled.

"Then I guess you'll eventually want to go."

"Maybe."

"Would you take me?"

Subin looked at her.

"Yes."

She smiled.

"Good."

Neither of them said anything more.

The answer was enough.

The following morning, the Association received another major report.

A new dungeon had appeared in northern Japan.

That wasn't unusual anymore.

What made the report important was the dungeon's development speed.

It had appeared less than forty-eight hours earlier.

Already, its internal mana density had reached A-rank levels.

More importantly, the dungeon had produced a stable mana corridor connecting two separate regions.

Researchers were unsure whether this was simply another evolutionary adaptation or the beginning of a larger environmental phenomenon.

Director Kang called an emergency meeting.

Subin, Yerin, Min-seok, Ara, Jae-hyun, Ethan, Liu Wei, and several other senior Awakeners attended.

The northern Japan map appeared on the screen.

Director Kang pointed toward the dungeon.

"The Japanese Association has requested international assistance."

Min-seok looked at the map.

"How dangerous?"

"Current monster levels are between ninety and one hundred twenty."

"That's manageable."

Director Kang nodded.

"Normally."

He changed the display.

"However, the dungeon's mana corridor has already extended outside its original territory."

Subin studied the map.

"Where?"

"Toward the coast."

Kaia's report from the Pacific mission immediately came to mind.

Subin looked closer.

The corridor was following an underground water system.

"It is using the environment."

Director Kang nodded.

"That's what the Japanese researchers believe."

Subin thought about it.

Another evolving ecosystem.

Another dungeon adapting to its surroundings.

The phenomenon wasn't isolated anymore.

It was becoming increasingly common.

"Are there civilian settlements nearby?" he asked.

"Several."

"Then we should go."

Yerin looked at him.

Min-seok smiled.

"I was hoping you'd say that."

Director Kang nodded.

"The mission will be different from our previous expeditions. We aren't going there to clear the dungeon."

Subin understood immediately.

"We're going to determine how it is developing."

"Correct."

The team began preparing.

This time, however, Subin wasn't entering the dungeon alone.

He was going with people he trusted.

Yerin.

Min-seok.

Ara.

Jae-hyun.

Ethan.

Liu Wei.

And several Japanese A-rank Awakeners.

The world was becoming too large for a single swordsman to explore alone.

Subin no longer wanted to explore it alone anyway.

As the meeting ended, he walked toward the window.

Outside, the Global Awakener Development Center was filled with young Awakeners training.

Some were learning to control their abilities.

Others were fighting.

Some were simply trying to understand what they had awakened.

Subin watched them for a moment.

The title of S-rank had changed nothing fundamental.

He was still the same person.

He still had the same sword.

He still wanted to reach the peak.

But the world around him had changed.

There were now people strong enough to stand beside him.

There were young Awakeners preparing to surpass the generation before them.

There were dungeons becoming ecosystems instead of simple hunting grounds.

There were monsters evolving beyond established classifications.

And somewhere beyond the horizon, there were undoubtedly challenges that humanity had not yet encountered.

Subin smiled faintly.

For the first time, becoming stronger didn't feel like climbing a mountain alone.

It felt like standing at the beginning of a much larger journey.

He turned away from the window and picked up his sword.

"Let's go."

Yerin smiled.

"Ready?"

"Always."

Together, the team began preparing for northern Japan.

Another dungeon awaited them.

But this time, they wouldn't simply enter it to conquer what was inside.

They would enter to understand how the world itself was changing.