Chapter 163: Reassessment
"We fight for survival!"
Harold’s words echoed in everyone’s mind, reminding them of just how much the world was changing.
Then, just like that, he stood up and left without ceremony.
He had informed them of why they had been gathered and set expectations for them.
But just before he reached the door, he stopped.
The room stilled again.
"I’ll also make one thing clear."
His voice was calm and measured, but there was a weight behind it now.
"The Association cannot afford another gate break like last night."
He emphasised "gate break" to make it clear he knew it definitely wasn’t one.
Not a single person spoke, everyone feeling the pressure.
Harold slowly turned his head, his eyes moving across the room.
First was Kaela, who didn’t even flinch or react as he locked eyes with her, though her grin faded slightly. Then it was Elara, who impressively remained composed, but it only reminded her of what she had done.
And last was Ethan.
For a fraction of a second, it felt like the entire room disappeared. Like he was being seen through by the old man’s cold green eyes.
But Ethan held the gaze as Harold spoke again.
"You are all valuable assets."
He paused for effect.
"Do not make me reconsider that."
Then he turned and walked out, leaving them with that warning.
Ethan exhaled slowly.
’Yeah, he definitely knows everything.’
There was no doubt about it, and it was to be expected of a man in his position, with Ethan realising who he was.
’But is he really just going to let it slide?’
He smiled.
’I guess Titled really can get away with anything... as long as they’re useful enough.’
The thought lingered and was both troubling and comforting for Ethan, who was sure he was going to get into more trouble.
-
Meanwhile, down the hallway, Harold walked in silence with his hands clasped behind his back. His expression was calm and composed, but his thoughts were anything but.
’That damned Lucas...’
A faint scowl formed.
’Is he ever wrong about his hunches?’
-
Back inside, the room breathed again.
Conversations slowly resumed, and movement had returned, but everyone was still on edge, anxious for what was to come and about the surrounding people.
Ethan leaned back slightly in his chair.
Everything had happened so quickly, and it was a rollercoaster of emotions, but before he could even begin to process everything, he could feel it...
Many had their eyes on him.
’I guess I’m not getting a moment of peace,’ he sighed.
Swoosh!
A pink blur materialised beside him, as the first person made their move.
"Nice to see you again - yesterday was insane, right? Like actually insane, I’ve seen a lot, but that was something else, and now we’re doing a gate together, which is crazy when you think about it because yesterday we weren’t even - oh! And your reassessment, that’s happening too, right? You’ve gotta be at least C Rank, maybe even B Rank? I mean if you’re still E Rank after all that, then something’s broken-"
Ethan blinked.
"...What?"
Seraphina, the Pink Flash, was tapping his shoulder as she spoke.
Not once.
Not twice.
Thousands of times a second.
A literal blur of motion.
"Anyway, point is, good to see you!"
She stopped, smiled, then zipped to the other side of the room before he could respond.
Ethan sat there in silence for a moment.
"I think I understood about ten percent of that."
"She talks like that all the time."
Liora approached next, looking far more grounded, though noticeably exhausted.
The Barrier Bastion still looked like she hadn’t fully recovered from last night. Her messy brown hair was tied into a loose bun, strands falling out in every direction, and her hazel eyes carried a tired but warm expression.
"Hey," she said, offering a small smile. "We didn’t die, so that’s good."
"Barely," Ethan replied dryly.
She let out a quiet laugh, though it quickly faded as she rubbed her temple.
"Still recovering?"
"Yeah," she admitted. "I don’t know if I’ll ever accept the commission for another of those events after that craziness. Though the amount they pay..."
Their conversation didn’t last long because the atmosphere shifted again.
There were heavy footsteps, boots on ground.
Kaela didn’t hesitate, greet them, or slow down.
She pushed right past Liora and walked straight up to Ethan, grabbing him by the collar and yanking him out of his seat.
"Woah," Ethan let himself be lifted, more surprised than alarmed. "That’s a little rough. Did you miss me that much?"
Everyone in the room turned, watching curiously.
How could they not?
This supposed E Rank was surrounded by women, powerful ones at that, with all of them going up to him as he sat in his chair.
Kaela didn’t respond immediately.
Instead, she slapped something against his chest.
"Here."
Ethan blinked and looked down.
It was a sleek, black debit card of sorts.
"What’s this?"
"I lost count of how much I owe you from the bets," she said casually. "So, just use that. Spend whatever you want."
Ethan stared at it.
Then at her.
Then back at the card.
"You serious?"
"What? You don’t want it?"
He immediately shook his head, not planning on declining free money.
"That’s what I thought. There should be a decent amount on there, but don’t go too crazy."
Ethan smiled, and though Kaela doubted he would do that, she didn’t seem to care either.
’What is my life?’ he couldn’t help but think to himself.
First scamming Elara, then a briefcase full of cash, and now this - money was practically being thrown at him.
’It’s like I’m the main character of some ridiculous story written by some lonely bald dude.’
He slipped the card into his pocket without hesitation.
"I appreciate it."
Kaela just shrugged, then turned and walked away, not sticking around for any small talk. Ethan didn’t even get the chance to thank her properly or confront her on what had happened last night.
"She’s something else," he murmured.
"She is."
There was a new voice this time.
But unlike the pretty women so far that he couldn’t complain about having around him, it was a large, grey-skinned man.
The so-called bulldozer, who had caused some trouble with them in the training facility.
Ethan tensed slightly.
But instead of hostility, the man awkwardly scratched the back of his head.
"Look," he started. "About before."
Ethan raised an eyebrow.
"I was out of line," he admitted. "Calling you an E Rank like that. And..." he glanced at Elara briefly, "...getting in your way."
Elara blinked, also surprised.
It wasn’t the most heartfelt apology, far from it.
But seeing Ethan with all these powerful Titled and hearing of the Blood Demon’s feats, he would be an idiot not to try to apologise.
Ethan shrugged.
"Don’t worry about it. I already forgot."
"You did?" the man looked almost offended.
Ethan smirked slightly.
"Yeah. It wasn’t that important."
The giant man looked at Elara, and she seemed just as unbothered as her blue-eyed counterpart. He immediately let out a sigh of relief before scurrying off, which was amusing for a man of his size.
But before Ethan could be dragged into more conversations, a voice cut through.
"Ethan Crowe."
He turned, and one of the Association staff stood at the doorway.
"It’s time for your reassessment."
His expression shifted slightly.
’Here we go.’
He glanced at Elara.
"You good staying here by yourself?"
She hesitated just for a moment before nodding.
The looks they got were immediate, confused, and questioning.
Why was he asking her that?
She was an A Rank, and he was... well, not.
Ethan ignored it.
"Alright. I’ll be back."
He followed the staff member out and was led to a familiar floor of the building that he had been to twice before.
The first assessment result - no Title.
The second assessment result - E Rank.
And now?
"We’re about to find out."
-
The testing room looked identical: same testing pod and setup.
Only difference was the operator, who was a woman, but this time instead of antennae had a tail. A literal, fully formed tail that swayed behind her like a fifth limb, moving with natural precision.
Ethan barely reacted.
At this point?
That wasn’t even top hundred weirdest things he’d seen since receiving his Title.
"Step inside," she said, gesturing to the pod.
He nodded and did so.
The door sealed, then came the familiar sensation of a deep, intrusive scan, like something was peeling back layers of his being.
He focused on his Title as instructed.
Seconds passed, then the door hissed open.
Ethan stepped out.
The woman looked at her tablet, then at him, and smiled.
"Congratulations," she said. "You are officially a C Rank."
Ethan exhaled slightly.
’That sounds about right.’
"And," she continued, "you show signs of B Rank potential."
He nodded calmly, surprised at how easy that had all been.
’Maybe I was just being paranoid and overthinking it.’
But the results of his reassessment had reached many, including a certain detective who was fascinated by him...
