The battles continued.
Each fight was a masterpiece of combat, a clash of skill and power that shook the very foundations of the arena. The roar of the crowd was deafening, but I barely heard it.
Because I was too focused on growing stronger.
—
A Silent Evolution
Every move, every technique, every subtle shift in footwork—I absorbed them all.
•A swordsman's flawless parry? Now mine.
•A mage's instantaneous spell casting? •Already committed to memory.
•An assassin's near-invisible movement? Perfectly replicated.
With every battle I watched, my body instinctively adapted, my movements sharpening.
Yet, amid my rapid growth, something kept bothering me.
That A-rank hunter.
The one who said he'd keep an eye on me.
I could feel his gaze on me even now.
Why?
Did he know something?
Had he seen through me?
Could he tell that I wasn't just an ordinary E-rank?
Was my secret exposed?
The idea sent a chill down my spine.
—
The Confrontation
During the mid-break of the festival, I stepped away from the crowded arena, heading toward a quiet corridor.
And that's when he appeared.
Leaning against the wall, arms crossed.
That same A-rank hunter.
His smirk was gone, replaced by something far more dangerous—calculated interest.
I stopped.
The silence between us stretched.
Then he spoke.
"You're quite the interesting one, aren't you?"
His voice was calm, almost amused.
I narrowed my eyes.
"What do you want?"
He chuckled, pushing himself off the wall and taking a step closer.
"I am Zane Atris. A-rank assassin, class: sword and stealth. And you?"
I hesitated for a moment before answering.
"Raul or you can call me Rael."
His smirk returned.
"Two names and no last name? How mysterious."
I didn't respond.
He studied me for a moment before his gaze sharpened.
"Tell me, Rael… do you know what a false ranker is?"
My heart skipped a beat.
He knows.
—
The Truth Unveiled
Zane took another step forward, his expression unreadable.
"My guild's vice president sent me to watch you. You see, after you killed that chieftain… people started asking questions."
My fingers twitched.
"Questions?"
"Oh, you know. Things like: 'How did an E-rank kill something that even D-ranks struggled with?''
He tilted his head.
"You see, in this world, a rank is absolute. No matter how hard an E-rank trains, they can't surpass a D-rank. No amount of talent or effort can change that. It's just how the world works."
Zane's eyes locked onto mine.
"Unless… you're a false ranker."
A tense silence filled the space between us.
"…False ranker?" I finally asked.
Zane let out a dry chuckle.
"Some hunters have an exceptional ability to hide their mana, Hunters who are 'misranked' during their awakening. Some are weaker than their rank suggests, but the truly rare ones… are the ones who are actually stronger than what their rank shows.
usually they aren't a big threat as hunters above C-Rank choose to come in light , as they can earn more money by doing it so."
He leaned in slightly.
"And you, Rael, were under suspicion of being one."
My mind raced.
Zane exhaled, shaking his head.
"But after watching you all this time… I've come to a conclusion."
He met my gaze, his smirk returning.
"You're just another useless E-rank who got lucky."
I felt something cold settle in my chest.
"What?"
"You heard me. I kept an eye on you because you were a potential anomaly. But all I saw was an amateur who somehow stumbled through danger and survived by sheer chance. You're no false ranker."
His words carried absolute certainty.
Like he had completely dismissed me.
Like I was nothing.
The feeling was strange.
I had trained my entire life to stay unnoticed, to remain in the shadows.
And yet, hearing those words from him—someone so powerful—felt like being erased entirely.
But I wasn't angry.
I wasn't hurt.
If anything…
I felt amused.
Because he had just done exactly what I needed him to.
Underestimate me.
Zane turned, waving lazily over his shoulder.
"But I think you are a nice guy, we can be friends . Till then try not to die!"
And then, just like before—he vanished.
I exhaled slowly, my fingers unclenching.
in my mind ["like hell I'll befriend someone who spied on me"]
After he vanished..
False rankers… huh?
Interesting.
This world already has a term prepared for someone like me.
This means that there are other people like me with similar abilities.
But one thing was certain.
If Zane thought I was useless…
Then he wasn't watching closely enough.