After speaking to her, Naruto entered the evaluation room, following a woman who was guiding him inside.
As Naruto stepped into the evaluation room, he noticed a large, gleaming crystal at the center, encased in a metal frame. This was the typical device used to measure a hunter's rank, known for its ability to gauge mana levels and categorize hunters accordingly.
When Naruto placed his hand on the crystal, the room seemed to hold its breath. The crystal began to glow with an intensity that quickly surpassed the norm, casting brilliant patterns of light throughout the space. The evaluators, initially observing with standard protocol, soon found themselves captivated by the unprecedented readings displayed on their monitors.
The crystal pulsed with vibrant energy, and the machines connected to it beeped wildly, indicating a power surge that was off the charts. One seasoned evaluator, a man with years of experience, leaned forward with a look of disbelief as he studied the data.
"This is... beyond anything we've seen," he thought, his mind racing. "Could he be... the tenth S-Rank Hunter?"
Turning to his colleagues, who were equally astounded, he whispered, "His magic power is immeasurable. We must notify the higher-ups for a more precise evaluation."
The lead evaluator, trying to maintain composure, addressed Naruto with professionalism. "Mr. Uzumaki, your mana levels are exceptionally high, beyond what our current equipment can accurately measure. We need to arrange for a more detailed assessment."
Naruto, sensing the gravity of the situation but maintaining his relaxed demeanor, withdrew his hand from the crystal. "So, what's next?" he inquired, a hint of curiosity in his voice.
"We'll need to consult with our senior officials to prepare the advanced evaluation equipment," the evaluator explained, keeping his thoughts about Naruto's potential rank to himself. "Please return in three days for this special assessment."
Naruto nodded, understanding the need for further evaluation. "I'll be here," he replied with his usual confidence, turning to leave the room.
As he exited, he passed by Aria, who had been watching the proceedings with a mix of awe and nervousness. Her eyes followed him, filled with curiosity and admiration.
"Everything okay?" she asked, trying to wrap her mind around what she had witnessed.
"Yeah, just need to come back in a few days," Naruto replied with a reassuring smile.
"Come back again?! Why?!" she asked curiously.
"There was something wrong with the evaluation equipment. According to them, they couldn't evaluate me because my mana level was immeasurable for their equipment," he said, as one of the nearby people who also heard Naruto's words stood up with a surprised expression.
"Did you say your mana level was immeasurable?!" he exclaimed.
"Yeah, that's what they said," Naruto replied. "Is there a problem with that?" he asked.
The person next to him was surprised, and not just him; everyone within hearing range was astonished.
Postponing evaluation is not a very common scenario. In fact, it was one of the rarest things—it meant South Korea had found their 10th S-Rank hunter.
Naruto realized it, and he knew. So, he ignored the astonished looks of people around him and faced Aria, who was also noticing the gossip around them and was starting to realize what it meant.
"Best of luck with your evaluation," Naruto said to Aria, as she smiled and thanked him.
After this, Naruto bid her farewell and left the Rank Evaluation building, when suddenly a thought crossed his mind, 'I need to buy books for college as well,' he thought to himself.
Naruto was exceptionally talented in terms of studies. That had to do with his eyes. Because of the greater perception of his eyes, his progress in studies was much easier and faster than normal. That's why, just at 16, he was already in college.
That's also one of the reasons he didn't have much of a problem applying to become a hunter at 16 years of age while being admitted to college.
So, after leaving the Hunter rank evaluation center, he bought the necessary items and books and did some shopping for lunch and dinner as he returned home.
He didn't have much to do for the day, as there were still 3 days left before the next evaluation for becoming a hunter, and 1 week before his college began, so he reached home, completed his daily tasks, cooked some food, and went to watch TV once again.
Meanwhile, the news of his evaluation had reached everywhere, even to the chairman of the Hunter Association, who was, along with others, amazed by the news.
Even the big guilds of the country got the news from their sources, as they were also ready to jump into the race of signing this new S-Rank hunter they were hearing about. Some guild masters were planning to be present during the next Rank Evaluation test of Naruto, and even the Hunter Association chairman would be there. Because a new S-Rank hunter was not something they would overlook anytime soon.
The next day...
Naruto was in his house, reading through the books he had just gotten, trying to cover most of the year's study before the year even began, as he knew that after becoming a hunter, he might not get as much chance as normal, especially for the higher rank he was going to get.
Suddenly, he received a phone call from an unknown number, and he looked confusedly at the unknown number because his phone was on DND, and only more than four calls in a row from the same number would get through. So, that would mean whoever this unknown person was, had called him more than four times.
He hesitated for a moment, eyeing the unknown number before finally deciding to pick up.
"Hello?" he answered, his tone casual.
"Mr. Uzumaki," came a composed voice from the other end. "This is Woo Jin-Chul from the Hunter Association. I hope I'm not interrupting?"
Naruto leaned back, mildly intrigued. "Not at all. What's up?"
"I'm reaching out on behalf of Chairman Go Gunhee," Jin-Chul explained, maintaining a respectful tone. "We were quite impressed with your recent rank evaluation, and the chairman himself would like to meet with you."
Naruto raised an eyebrow, a slight smile forming. "The chairman, huh? Must be pretty important."
"Indeed," Jin-Chul replied, a hint of admiration in his voice. "Your mana levels are unprecedented, and we'd like to discuss the potential role you could play within the association."
Naruto considered the invitation, his curiosity piqued by the attention from such high-ranking officials. "Alright, I can make time for a meeting. When should I come by?"
"Would today work for you? We can arrange a meeting at our headquarters, at your convenience," Jin-Chul offered, his tone courteous yet firm.
"Sure, I can swing by later," Naruto agreed, intrigued by the opportunity to learn more about his potential future as a hunter.
"Thank you, Mr. Uzumaki. We'll be expecting you," Jin-Chul confirmed before ending the call.
As the call ended, Naruto set his phone aside and looked over his study materials. The prospect of exploring what it meant to be an S-Rank hunter was tempting, and he knew balancing his academic and hunter responsibilities would be a challenge. Yet, his confidence surged, knowing he had the skills and determination to manage both.