A-Rank (1)

[Skill (A): Demonic Horns – Enhancement (22756/64000)]

[Essense: 47704/111577]

Oh, I can level up my horns.

[Skill (A): Demonic Horns – Enhancement (64000/64000)]

[Essense: 6460/111577]

Ding—

[Skill (A): Demonic Horns – Enhancement (0/128000)]

[Demonic Horns – Aptitude: Lv.8+2
-Magic Power 55% Increase
-Max Essense 900% Increase
-Skill (P): Essense Absorption 5 Level Increase
-Skill (P): Mana Absorption 5 Level Increase
-Skill (A): Innate Vital Energy Absorption 2 Level Increase
-Skill (A): Innate Vital Energy Conversion 2 Level Increase
-Skill (P): Flowing Desire 5 Level Increase
-Skill (A): Devil’s Whisper 5 Level Increase
-Skill (A): Kiss of Subjugation 5 Level Increase
-Skill (A): Body Recovery 5 Level Increase
-Skill (A): Body Enhancement 5 Level Increase
-Passive skills of ‘Demonic Wings’ 1 Level Increase]

[Demonic Horns – Manifestation: Lv.8+2
-Strength 50% Increase
-Skill (A): Devil’s Whisper 5 Level Increase
-Skill (A): Body Recovery 5 Level Increase
-Skill (A): Body Enhancement 5 Level Increase
-Passive skills of ‘Demonic Wings’ 2 Level Increase
-‘Demonic Shout’ now usable]

Whoa…

Demonic Horns. Always so reassuring to see.

Now my base Magic Power is 1.5 times higher. It’s the number one reason for my insane growth rate.

Anyway, what’s this ‘Demonic Shout’?

[Demonic Shout (Unavailable): Can only be used when ‘Demonic Horns’ are manifested. Drastically lowers the mental defenses of those who hear the shout and temporarily enhances ‘Optimal Physique’ and ‘Demonic Seduction’.]

Oh. So it’s a skill I can only use when the horns are out.

Judging by the word ‘drastically,’ it must be a skill that applies a powerful debuff to mental defenses.

Plus, since it enhances ‘Demonic Seduction,’ its sub-skill ‘Devil’s Whisper’ will probably be enhanced too.

Well then—
‘Manifest.’

Smooth, red horns sprouted from both sides of my forehead.

If straightened, they would be about a handspan and a half long, but they curved back gracefully.

They were definitely sturdier than before.

[Seo A-gyeol (Succubus)

Trait: Succubus
-Skill (P): Essense Absorption (Lv.7+7)
-Skill (P): Mana Absorption (Lv.5+7)
-Skill (A): Innate Vital Energy Absorption (Lv.2+4)
-Skill (A): Innate Vital Energy Conversion (Lv.3+4)
-Skill (A): Demonic Shout (Lv.1+2)

Sub-trait: Optimal Physique
-Skill (A): Body Recovery (Lv.4+12)
-Skill (A): Body Enhancement (Lv.3+12)

Sub-trait: Demonic Seduction
-Skill (P): Flowing Desire (Lv.3+12)
-Skill (A): Devil’s Whisper (Lv.3+12)
-Skill (A): Kiss of Subjugation (Lv.1+7)(6/8)
-Skill (A): Verbal Contract (Lv.1+2)

Sub-trait: Demonic Horns
-Skill (A): Demonic Horns – Enhancement (0/128000)
-Skill (P): Demonic Horns – Aptitude (Lv.8+2)
-Skill (A): Demonic Horns – Manifestation (Lv.8+2)

Sub-trait: Demonic Wings
-Skill (A): Demonic Wings – Enhancement ▼
-Flight (Unavailable) (Lv.3+5) (3245/4000)
-Pressure (Lv.4+5) (279/8000)
-Magic Field (Lv.4+5) (2314/8000)
-Skill (A): Demonic Wings – Deployment (Lv.1+2)

Trait: Transformation – Lee Han-gyeol
-Skill (A): Revert Transformation (Lv.3+2)

Trait: Spirit Summoner
-Skill (P): Spirit’s Blessing (Lv.1)
-Skill (A): Spiritmancy (Lv.1)

Trait: Master of Lust
-Skill (P): Corruption, or Awakening (Lv.2)
-Skill (P): Authority – Lust (Lv.1)
-Skill (A): Authority – Subjugation (Lv.2) (0/200)

Strength: 91+45
Magic Power: 855+470
Essense: 6360/132525
Mana: 421/89914
Innate Vital Energy: 1000+743/1000]

Power flowed through my entire body. My Strength was over 130.

And if I add Body Enhancement to this—

…Some skills, including Body Enhancement, had reached a bonus level of 12.

And while ‘Demonic Shout,’ which was previously ‘Unavailable,’ was now usable, I couldn’t exactly test it out in my apartment.

I had no idea what its effects—or what kind of… noise—it would make.

I’ll just have to try it out in a real fight later.

By the way, the ‘Unavailable’ status on my Demonic Wings’ Flight skill still hasn’t gone away.

Even after pouring in another 755 Essense to level it up, the ‘Unavailable’ tag remains.

The base level is 4, and with the bonus 5 levels, it’s at level 9. Maybe it becomes usable at level 10?

Well, nothing I can do about it. It’s not like I have 8,000 Essense lying around anyway.

*

Leaving behind my disappointment about not being able to fly, I reverted my transformation and headed to Elemental the next day.

I needed to feed the Innate Vital Energy I’d collected from four people to my spirit, and since the Lee Han-gyeol version of ‘Demonic Horns’ had also unlocked a new skill at level 10, just like ‘Demonic Shout,’ I needed to test that out too.

“Is Jeong Ji-hoon here today?”

“No. Mr. Jeong is… on sick leave and probably won’t be in for a while. Shall I make a reservation for you?”

Jeong Ji-hoon is on sick leave? Nice. Good riddance.

“Yes, thank you.”

[Mana: 421/132525]

[Essense: 5600/132525]

The low Mana and Essense… it’s just my imagination.

My ‘Essense Conversion’ is level 14, so the conversion ratio is 1:70. If I converted all that Essense to Mana, I’d have 392,000.

[Innate Vital Energy: 1000+743/1000]

Plus, I still have Innate Vital Energy…

For now, I’ll put off refilling my Essense and focus on training as much as possible to get a feel for my new abilities.

I need to raise some hell so that ‘Seo A-gyeol’ isn’t underestimated.

It’s about time… I started preparing for the gate expedition.

Usually, you take a day off after an expedition, but after that, it’s time to start gathering team members.

The schedules of some of the members from last time seemed like they were going to be delayed, so I decided to recruit them myself this time.

I’ve already posted on the bulletin board.

Therefore, my top priority is to improve my skills enough to gauge whether I should cause a scene at tomorrow’s blind date.

Just as I was leaving the guild building to head to a gate,

“Han-gyeol-ssi!” “Han-gyeol!”

Several people called out to me at once.

I turned to see the members of Team Orchestra.

The team I’d gone with to clear the Spider Cave during my probationary period.

Thinking back, they were quite an elite team.

They approached me.

“How have you been?”

“I’ve been well. You too, Team Leader?”

“Us? Things have been going smoothly ever since then. After that big incident, everyone started being more careful.”

“That’s a relief.”

After chatting with the team leader, Lee Hyun-woo, I spoke with the other members as well.

It’s been a while, good to see you, how’ve you been, are you coming to the next get-together, I heard you’re a rising star, you look great, I’m so jealous, thanks again for back then, let’s go on an expedition together sometime—

As we were in the middle of our conversation, the team leader, who had been watching me quietly, spoke up again.

“By the way, Han-gyeol-ssi.”

“Yes.”

“The amount of magic power I’m sensing from you… no matter how I look at it, you don’t seem to be below my level.”

“Pardon?”

For reference, Team Orchestra’s leader, Lee Hyun-woo, is A-rank.

Hmm, honestly, I thought I might be able to make A-rank… but he noticed right away.

Hearing his words, the team members’ eyes widened.

“Really?” “That’s insane. How is he so fast?” “Why did the heavens give birth to our Han-yul, only to then give birth to Han-gyeol!” “Sis, be quiet.”

“Uh… Even I have to admit it’s pretty fast.”

It is fast.

The price for it was just… never mind.

Ye-eun, who must have been summoned by the team leader via a wind message, approached.

“Han-gyeol-nim! That’s amazing! You should take a simple test at the guild, and if your numbers are good, go to the Awakened Center and get re-evaluated!”

*

“Mr. Lee Han-gyeol. Congratulations on achieving the government-certified rank of A!”

「Awakener Registration Card (Grade 7)
Lee Han-gyeol
Awakener Registration Number: 21009-88024
Magic Type, A-Rank」

I’m A-rank?

To be honest, I thought I might make it. My Magic Power had surpassed 1300, after all.

But actually receiving a registration card with ‘A-Rank’ stamped on it… feels different.

A-rank.

Officially the highest rank for an Awakener.

If B-rank is the top tier, then A-rank is the absolute highest tier.

You can easily be a team leader in most major guilds, or even a guild master for a small or medium-sized one.

In fact, most guild masters are government-certified A-ranks.

This is in stark contrast to the scarcity of B-rank guild masters, and the reason is the difference in the rights they’re granted.

From what I’ve overheard, they’re guaranteed maximum discretion to handle unpredictable situations inside gates…

To be honest, I don’t really know the details. Until yesterday—no, until two hours ago—I was B-rank myself.

Well, I can just look into the details one by one later—

“Please review all of these documents and be sure to sign them!”

….

I was a little taken aback.

Rights are one thing, but with rights come responsibilities.

With great rights come great responsibilities.

Documents about rights, documents about obligations—it was a staggering amount, but I had to read every single one carefully.

You can’t just sign these things carelessly…

Sure, the other party is the national government, but that doesn’t mean I can just skim it and sign.

When it comes to Awakener-related matters… I’ve heard the government likes to play tricks.

Of course, they claim it’s all for the public good, but a trick is a trick.

Since the beginning of the Gate Era, the role of governments has diminished worldwide.

It’s not that governments are unnecessary, but the ones who ‘actually’ protect my life and property are the Awakeners and guilds beside me.

Furthermore, government regulations can’t keep up with the Gate Era, a time of countless hidden dangers and newly discovered resources.

But it’s not like the government would just meekly hand over that power to Awakeners and guilds.

I might sound a bit harsh toward the government, but from my perspective as someone who was once a non-Awakener, they are necessary…

In the early days of the Gate Era, and perhaps even now, the mega-guilds acted like massive corporations running wild with no leash.

It’s a good thing the non-Awakeners got a taste of pure, spicy capitalism and quickly threw their support behind the government. If it weren’t for them…

But who am I?

A top-rank Awakener.

That was then, this is now.

Maximum rights, minimum obligations.

So…

…In the event of a gate-related incident in the surrounding area, participation is mandatory. Failure to faithfully fulfill this duty will result in penalties in accordance with Article 6, Section 3 of the Special Act on Awakeners and Article 12 of the Gate Management Act…

Hmm…

…In the case of an Awakener of the highest government-certified rank (hereafter referred to as A-rank), a contract shall be concluded with the consent of the Awakener in accordance with Article 9 of the Special Act on Awakeners, and should the Awakener refuse to conclude the contract without just cause…

Uh…

A phone rang.

“Hello.”

-Is this Mr. Lee Han-gyeol? If you’re at the Center working on paperwork, please bring it with you to the guild. We’ll help you with it.

…!

Thank you…! My overwhelming gratitude…