The process of being ranked as a Hunter was fairly simple.
Because abilities awakened via the Hunter Awakening System, it was possible to 'read' the rough nature and power of an ability via various technology and/or abilities honed from Gates.
However, that only provided surface level details. It didn't go into exact specifics.
If you wanted to register as a Hunter and be ranked, you still had to provide your own details about what your ability was and did.
Of course, you didn't have to provide everything.
What mattered was the rough category of the ability, whether attack, support, defense, healing, or miscellaneous. And then depending on that rough category, you would take a test that had standardized metrics.
Now, if we went by my real ability, Compilation, it would absolutely be miscellaneous.
But obviously I wasn't going to put that up when I now had a handy ability I could 'fake.'
True to a certain Ally of Justice's skillset, I'd be running as a 'Faker.'
Also...
"Is that him?"
"That's the man who snared Heavenly Lightning?"
"He looks so ordinary..."
...If I didn't pull off something flashy right now, I had a feeling things would be troublesome going forward. At least in terms of my relationship with Yura.
Beside me, Yura grit her teeth as she heard the Hunters talking about me.
I gently patted her shoulder and said, "Don't stress about it, Love. It's going to be fine."
"I'm not stressed. It just annoys me that they're talking about my man like that-" Yura immediately cut herself off, realizing what she said.
And the Hunters immediately froze, having heard what she said.
I chuckled and opened my mouth to tease her.
But before I could even get out a word, Yura dragged me through the Hunter's Association building and towards the closest receptionist.
Pointing at the poor female clerk, Yura said, "You! Go get Uncle Gyun! Tell him I'm bringing my... friend- Ah, fuck it." Yura grumbled and said, "Tell him I'm bringing my man to get measured as a Hunter."
The room suddenly burst into chaos as Yura's words and her doubling down on calling me her man echoed.
I just laughed and kissed Yura's cheek. "Bold today, are we, Love?"
Yura huffed but leaned into me. "Shut up. You made me like this, you bastard. Besides." She grinned at me, mischief in her eyes. "You have to properly show off now. Otherwise some other guy might get a stupid idea."
"True, true." I nodded. "It's better to nip those buds before they bloom. I'd rather not have to fill New Seoul with blood for thinking they could put a hand on the woman I chose to love."
It was meant to be a hyperbole. At least, that was what I intended.
But apparently, it wasn't seen as that.
The entire Hunter Association froze. The Hunters who were about to start mocking me or doubting me paled.
Even Yura swallowed, letting out a nervous laugh.
I was confused on why everyone was reacting like that.
And then I realized that it was because of the way I said it.
Light-hearted, sure. But also certain. Like I was discussing the weather.
It wasn't a boast. It was just a statement of fact.
And it WAS a fact.
"R-Right." Yura quickly held my hand. "Let's... NOT do that, Neol. Please?"
"Mm..." I swept my gaze around the room.
Seeing how terrified everyone was, I decided to lean into the bit.
"Only because you asked me, Love." I chuckled and kissed her cheek.
Yura let out a sigh of relief.
With that, the tension in the room snapped, relaxing.
And then a middle-aged man in a suit burst through the doors, having just sprinted down the stairs. The same one who I'd seen with Yura the other day.
Kim Gyun looked at Yura and said, "Lady Shin! You're safe! But what's this about-" He froze, noticing my presence. Then he pointed at me and said, "You! The scoundrel who stole Lady Shin's lips!"
I chuckled and let out a casual wave. "Hello again. So... shall we begin?"
===
Despite the initial chaotic affair that unfolded when I walked into the Hunter's Association with Yura, the actual testing was straight forward... is what I would have liked to say. But...
"This destructive power! It's on par with the Ten! No, with the demonic nature of these flames... Isn't this similar to President Shin's [Deicide]?!"
"No usage restriction?! Freely manipulated flames? Pyrokinesis on this level is already S-Ranked, but taking into the demonic and anti-divine nature of the fire as well...!"
"Lady Shin has Divine Lightning and her lover possesses Demonic Flames... isn't this a match made in heaven?!"
I let out a blank smile as I watched the researchers run around, parsing the results from me swinging Ragnarok at a chunk of Orichalcum.
Yura stood beside me with a similar expression. Then she leaned in and whispered, "You damned cheat. You didn't tell me that sword was this strong!"
I whispered back, "I hadn't tested it until now. How was I supposed to know, Love?"
"Hadn't-?!" Yura took a deep breath and then leaned back, smiling at me. "Well, 'Love.' If you have any other combat abilities, now would be a good time to tell me about them."
I paused, seriously considering her question. Then I said, "Nothing too ridiculous. I can use pretty much every weapon, fight unarmed, and run along various terrain with parkour. I haven't tried it, but I can also probably use magic if I had some magic stones from a Gate?"
Yura gave me a blank stare. Then she said, "...Are you doing this to distract me from grieving for my friends? Or are you naturally like this? Because either way, it's working."
"Well-"
Before I could answer, the door opened and a suave elderly voice echoed. One that didn't match the youthful appearance of the speaker.
"Well, well, well." Lee Shin, the Legendary Hunter, walked through the doors and smiled. "So this crazy bastard is the one who made a woman out of my little granddaughter?"
"G-G-Grandpa!?" Yura immediately turned a bright red. "That's not... I'm not... I mean... YOU CAN'T JUST SAY THAT!"
Lee chuckled, but his golden eyes were sharp, staring right at me.
I stared back at him, seemingly unphased. But internally...
> Warning. You are facing one who has surpassed the Absolute.
> Warning. Compilation cannot operate against the Defender of Humanity.
> Warning. Your hidden nature as one who has achieved 'a great accomplishment' in your past life is partially revealed.
"Hoh?" Lee looked surprised.
I kept smiling and walked forward, holding out my hand to him. "It's a pleasure to meet a legend like you, Sir."
Lee took my hand, his grasp light. "I should say that to you. It seems these old eyes weren't wrong." A bit of strength entered his hands and he smiled. "Even if this old man were to pass, the world seems to be in fine hands."
I shook his hand and said, "I wouldn't say that. It's a bit too soon for a legend like you to slip away. Stick around for another decade or so, won't you?"
Lee smiled and said, "This old man will do his best. But no promises." After that, he looked at Yura with mischievous eyes. "But does this imply that this old man already has great grandchildren on the way?"
Yura turned a bright red and said, "GRANDPA!"
Lee chuckled.
...Huh. I like this old man. Even if he looked like an immortal from a cultivation novel with his youthful body but starkwhite hair.
Lee smiled and said, "Mm... it would be troublesome to list him as an EX-Ranked Hunter. Or as an SSS-Ranked Hunter. How about this?" He turned to the researchers and said, "Let's have young Neol Won ranked as an S-Ranked Hunter so he can spend time with little Yura."
I froze.