The tension in the meeting room was palpable.
Kael Ardyn sat at the head of the table.
He did not belong in this world, yet here he was—a King seated before men who believed they held authority.
His expression was unreadable. His presence—calm yet suffocating.
The men before him were Hunters of status, leaders of Earth's strongest organization.
And yet, before him, they were but uncertain politicians.
---
Kim Seung-Ho, Director of the Hunter Association, was the first to speak.
"You already know why we're here," he said, voice even. "We need to talk about your future."
Kael remained silent.
Chae Do-Gyun, Chief of Hunter Operations, leaned forward.
"The world has already seen what you can do. Your existence has created a storm we cannot contain."
Kwon Tae-Hyun, Director of Hunter Assocation Intelligence, nodded.
"If you continue to move freely without regulation, you will attract enemies—from within and beyond our borders."
Kael finally spoke.
His voice was low, steady, yet carried the weight of centuries.
"And you believe I require your protection?"
---
Silence.
Kim Seung-Ho chose his words carefully.
"This is not about protection. It's about integration."
He met Kael's gaze.
"We're offering you legal Hunter status—a place within our system. In return, we ensure your freedom, security, and the means to operate without interference."
Kael's expression remained unreadable.
"Operate?" he echoed.
His fingers lightly tapped the wooden table.
"You seek to place me within your order. You wish to observe me, to define my existence under your laws."
His gaze sharpened.
"Tell me—do you believe you hold such power over me?"
A chill ran through the room.
Chae Do-Gyun exhaled, measuring his response.
"We are not seeking to control you," he said. "But you must understand—we cannot allow a Hunter of your caliber to move unchecked."
"You are not a Hunter," Kael corrected, eyes darkening. "You are rulers of men, governing power you barely comprehend."
He leaned back.
"And now you stand before something beyond your understanding, hoping to place a collar around its throat."
Kim Seung-Ho did not flinch.
"This is not a negotiation," he said. "It is an offer of mutual benefit."
Kael was silent for a moment.
Then, he smiled.
"You are mistaken," he said, voice cool, composed, absolute.
"Everything with me is a negotiation."
.
.
The meeting room was no longer filled with tense silence.
It was filled with noise.
Sharp voices, heated arguments, clashing egos—chaos barely held together by decorum.
"You want us to just let him in?"
Yoo Sang-Min, Leader of Shadow Fang, scoffed, arms crossed.
His voice was sharp, filled with disbelief.
"The man isn't even from our world, and you want to classify him as a Hunter? Under what justification?"
His gaze swept across the table, landing on Kim Seung-Ho.
"Tell me, Director. Did you forget that this man walked out of that Gate while our strongest A-Rank Hunters barely crawled out alive?"
Jang Tae-Min, Leader of Phantom Dawn, leaned forward.
"Let's be real. The question isn't 'should we classify him as a Hunter.'"
He exhaled slowly.
"It's 'how much of a problem is he going to be?'"
Kim Eun-Jae, Minister of Hunter Affairs, cleared her throat.
Her tone was measured, careful.
"The world has already seen what he can do," she said. "If we do not classify him, we risk international scrutiny."
Her gaze shifted toward Kwon Tae-Hyun, Director of HA Intelligence.
"The World Hunter Association is already asking questions. If we fail to manage the situation internally, we lose our ability to dictate the terms of his existence."
Kwon Tae-Hyun adjusted his glasses, speaking calmly.
"Kael Ardyn is an anomaly. One that cannot be ignored."
His fingers tapped against the table.
"We can argue about the risks all we want, but the reality is simple—he exists. And whether we like it or not, he will continue to exist."
He looked directly at Yoo Sang-Min.
"Would you prefer if he aligned himself with an unknown foreign entity?"
Yoo Sang-Min's jaw tightened, but he said nothing.
The point was made.
---
Yoon Hye-Rim, Leader of the Korean Guild Federation, finally spoke.
"We need to be careful."
Her voice cut through the noise like a blade.
All eyes turned to her.
"We have no control over him," she continued. "That alone is dangerous. And yet, the alternative—allowing someone else to claim influence over him—is even worse."
She glanced at Kim Seung-Ho.
"This is a delicate balance. If we push him too hard, we turn him into an enemy. If we let him walk freely, we risk the unknown."
Her expression was unreadable.
"So tell me, Director. How do you propose we handle this without making a mistake that costs us everything?"
Kim Seung-Ho exhaled.
For the first time since the meeting began, he looked tired.
"We find the balance," he said.
He met their gazes one by one.
"We bring him into the system. Give him legal status, observe his movements, and ensure that he has no reason to turn against us."
A pause.
"Because make no mistake—if he ever does, we will not be able to stop him."
.
.
The room was no longer divided—it was fractured.
There were now two distinct factions.
One that saw Kael as a necessary asset.
One that saw him as an uncontrollable danger.
And in between, a thin line of uncertainty.
Jang Tae-Min, Leader of Phantom Dawn, scoffed.
"'Observe his movements?'" he repeated. "And how exactly do you propose we do that?"
His tone was sharp, pointed.
"You really think someone like him can be monitored?"
He shook his head.
"This isn't some unstable S-Rank Hunter with an ego problem. This is a man who fought an S+ Rank entity and walked away unscathed."
He turned toward Kim Seung-Ho.
"What do we do when the leash snaps?"
Kim Seung-Ho remained unfazed.
"We prevent it from snapping in the first place," he said.
He glanced at Kwon Tae-Hyun, Director of HA Intelligence.
"Establish a dedicated surveillance network. Not to control him, but to understand him."
Kwon Tae-Hyun nodded.
"I'll assign a specialized team. Nothing invasive. Just enough to ensure we aren't left blind."
---
Yoo Sang-Min, Leader of Shadow Fang, exhaled through his nose.
"This is insanity," he muttered.
He turned to Yoon Hye-Rim.
"And you? You're just going along with this?"
Yoon Hye-Rim's expression remained unreadable.
She was silent for a moment. Then—
"You think we have a choice?"
Her gaze was sharp.
"You want to push him away? Fine. But when someone else offers him a place, don't come crying back when it's too late."
A tense silence followed.
Then, slowly, Yoo Sang-Min leaned back.
"Tch."
He didn't argue further.
---
Kim Eun-Jae, Minister of Hunter Affairs, cleared her throat.
"We need to finalize our stance," she said. "If we are bringing him into the system, we need to define his status."
A pause.
"Is he given a formal Hunter rank… or do we create a new classification?"
That question hung in the air.
Kim Seung-Ho exhaled.
"That," he said, "is what we discuss next."
.
.
The meeting room had fallen into tense silence.
For the first time since the discussion began, there was no clear answer.
Kim Eun-Jae, Minister of Hunter Affairs, broke the silence.
"We have a problem."
She exhaled, rubbing her temples.
"Our ranking system does not account for someone like him."
She gestured to the holographic display—a frozen frame of Kael's battle against the Abyssal Knight.
"The standard classifications—E to S-Rank—are based on measurable statistics. Physical strength, mana output, combat effectiveness, and adaptability."
She sighed.
"But Kael Ardyn… doesn't fit into any of those categories."
---
Jang Tae-Min, Leader of Phantom Dawn, scoffed.
"What's there to discuss? Just mark him as an S-Rank and be done with it."
His voice carried an edge of impatience.
"He clearly surpasses A-Rank limitations, and we don't have time to create an entirely new category."
Park Do-Yun, Representative of the Research Division, shook his head.
"It's not that simple," he said.
He tapped on the display, pulling up a side-by-side comparison of Kael and an S-Rank Hunter.
"Based on the combat footage, Kael's raw power output is inconsistent with the usual mana readings of an S-Rank Hunter."
He glanced at the others.
"And yet, he was able to engage an S+ Rank monster in direct combat and win."
Kwon Tae-Hyun, Director of HA Intelligence, spoke next.
"Meaning...?"
Park Do-Yun adjusted his glasses.
"Meaning his combat ability isn't just a matter of sheer power."
He tapped the screen again, zooming in on Kael's movements.
"He has battle-hardened experience reflecting centuries worth. His movements, precision, and adaptability are beyond anything we've documented in modern Hunters."
He exhaled.
"If we only consider raw mana output, he may not be classified as an S+ Rank."
His gaze hardened.
"But if we consider actual combat performance, battlefield dominance, and skill execution—he is far beyond S-Rank limitations."
A heavy silence followed.
Kim Seung-Ho, Director of the HA, leaned forward.
"So what you're saying is... Kael isn't just another S-Rank."
He tapped his fingers on the table.
"He might be something entirely different."
.
.
The meeting room was silent.
Kael Ardyn was beyond any Hunter they had encountered.
And yet—creating a new rank was not an option.
Kim Eun-Jae, Minister of Hunter Affairs, was the first to break the silence.
"We cannot introduce a new classification."
Her voice was calm, measured.
"The World Hunter Association controls the ranking system. If we suddenly introduce something beyond S-Rank, we invite global scrutiny."
She glanced around the table.
"If we make Kael an anomaly, the world will ask why."
Jang Tae-Min, Leader of Phantom Dawn, scoffed.
"Then we're back to the original problem," he muttered.
"If he's beyond S-Rank, but we can't call him anything else, what do we do?"
Kwon Tae-Hyun, Director of HA Intelligence, exhaled.
"We classify him as an S-Rank."
His tone was firm.
"We follow the existing system. Keep everything within standard protocol."
A pause.
"But internally, we acknowledge that he is different."
---
Kang Tae-Sung, Leader of Iron Claw, crossed his arms.
"A special case within S-Rank," he mused.
His gaze flicked to the holographic display of Kael's battle.
"A Hunter whose power cannot be fully measured—but remains classified within the system."
Yoon Hye-Rim, Leader of the Korean Guild Federation, nodded.
"This is the only way."
She met Kim Seung-Ho's gaze.
"If we classify him as anything beyond S-Rank, we expose him to the world. The WHA will investigate. Foreign governments will take interest."
She leaned forward.
"Right now, Kael Ardyn exists in a fragile space. The more we try to define him, the more attention he draws."
A pause.
"We do not need to create a new rank. We only need to ensure the world does not see what lies beyond the surface."
---
Kim Seung-Ho took a deep breath.
He looked at the assembled leaders, researchers, and intelligence officers.
Then, he spoke.
"Kael Ardyn will be classified as an S-Rank Hunter."
The decision was made.
A Hunter unlike any other. Yet, for the world to remain stable—he would simply be S-Rank.
Internally, the Hunter Association would monitor and study him.
Externally, he would be just another powerful Hunter.
The meeting was over.
And the weight of this decision would change everything.