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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: SSS-grade Passive (2)
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Chief Examiner Trevor never personally conducted tests himself. Even Jin Seong-hyeok had his handled by another examiner, only meeting Trevor after becoming SSS-grade.
Su-ho, who had been staring silently at Trevor as he couldn't tear his eyes away from the documents in his hand, shifted his gaze.
On the large desk sat half a dozen monitors, flanked by a neat row of triangular flasks filled with some unknown solution.
"This is strange."
Su-ho, who had been looking around the room, fixed his eyes on Trevor at the sound of his voice. Trevor tilted his head, finally pulling his gaze from the documents to look at Su-ho.
"I was curious when I heard an F-grade Helper had regeneration abilities. Our center has never had a single misjudged rank."
Trevor set the documents on the desk and picked up an opaque plastic case beside them.
"While you were unconscious, Cha Su-ho Helper, we extracted some blood arbitrarily to check your Helper response."
He'd run a Helper test while I was asleep?
"The results were unbelievable, so we're doing it again today with you awake."
A sharp gaze pierced through his glasses, scrutinizing Su-ho from head to toe.
"And the results are the same."
The same? So that means I'm F-grade?
As Su-ho opened his mouth to speak, Trevor popped open the plastic case. Inside lay a neatly arranged set of surgical scalpels.
"Could you extend your hand?"
With a dazed expression, Su-ho held out his hand. Trevor grabbed one of his fingers and flipped his palm upward.
"I need to confirm it with my own eyes."
It happened in an instant.
A sleek surgical scalpel plunged straight into the center of Su-ho's palm.
Catching Su-ho off guard with the unexpected pain, he jerked his body back. But Trevor held firm to his fingers.
"Alright, let's pull it out."
Trevor calmly gripped the handle of the scalpel embedded in the palm.
A chilling schlick as it slid free made Su-ho shudder and groan.
"Ugh..."
"It shouldn't hurt anymore now."
After stabbing him out of nowhere, now he says it doesn't hurt? As Su-ho was about to protest what the hell this was, he looked at his own palm.
Right in the center, the gaping wound was knitting closed. Moments later, it was pristine, as if the scalpel had never touched it. A shiver ran through Su-ho's entire body.
To witness the regeneration ability he'd only seen in training videos, right before his eyes.
"That... just now..."
Trevor spoke flatly to the stunned, stammering Su-ho.
"Cha Su-ho Helper, as of today, you are no longer F-grade."
Trevor picked up the documents he'd placed on the desk moments ago. He held them up for Su-ho to see.
"You're A-grade."
At the surreal words, Su-ho's gaze slowly drifted to the documents. There, stamped boldly in red over his personal information, was the mark.
An 'A'.
Me, an A-grade? He could hardly believe his eyes.
Leaving the dumbfounded Su-ho behind, Trevor wiped the blood from his hand and continued.
"Cha Su-ho Helper, as of today, you're an A-grade Helper, so the national agency will manage you separately. A dedicated doctor will check your condition starting immediately. The World Hunter & Helper Association will be informed of your A-grade status by the end of the day."
A, B, C, D, E, F. Su-ho could scarcely believe he'd gone from the bottom rung as an F-grade to the pinnacle of Helpers, A-grade.
"Am I really... A-grade?"
"Yes."
"Then... what happens to me now?"
Trevor replied to Su-ho's question with an impassive expression.
"You'll do what an A-grade Helper does."
Su-ho stared blankly at Trevor, who stated the obvious. As if that was all, Trevor turned away.
"Then, Cha Su-ho Helper, rest well until the Hunter matching test."
The Hunter matching test. There were only a handful of A-grade Helpers, so for maximum efficiency, they teamed with S-grade or higher Hunters. The test paired them with the most compatible Hunter.
Leaving Trevor's office, Su-ho headed back to his hospital room in a daze.
'He still can't believe it, huh.'
Su-ho nodded at Jin Seong-hyeok's words.
"Can you blame me? Suddenly becoming A-grade."
Center 1, where Su-ho worked, had only three A-grade Helpers.
"...Jin Seong-hyeok must really be something. For an F-grade like me to become an A-grade Helper because of your power..."
It was definitely thanks to Jin Seong-hyeok. Though he didn't know why, absorbing his power had made him A-grade.
"How on earth did I absorb your power?"
'No idea there, but you're definitely not F-grade anymore.'
Memories of being scorned as an F-grade flashed by like a montage. The faces of other Helpers mocking him as worthless, and Team Leader Kang, too.
As an A-grade Helper, he could finally go to the field as much as he wanted. He could earn the admiration of the others and take down monsters stylishly alongside Hunters.
But then fear crept in.
"So, if you... disappear, Jin Seong-hyeok, I'll go back to F-grade."
Returning to F-grade.
"I mean! That's just how it is. I was F-grade to begin with; a brief stint as A-grade doesn't change anything. It's not my level..."
'Why couldn't it change?'
"Huh? Well, obviously because I became A-grade thanks to your power..."
'Doesn't matter. It's in your body now, so it's your power.'
Jin Seong-hyeok chuckled softly.
'So do the A-grade Helper thing properly. Give those worthless Helper jerks a real smackdown.'
Only then did a smile spread across Su-ho's tense face.
"It's probably already blown up."
'Then I gotta go watch.'
His F-grade days were over.
Cha Su-ho was an A-grade Helper as of today.
Right after Su-ho received his A-grade Helper certification, chaos erupted in Center 1's Helper office.
Team Leader Kang and even the Helpers who'd scorned Su-ho were all fidgeting restlessly.
"Team Leader Kang, that guy... really became A-grade? Something's off. That worthless trash..."
"Exactly. There's only one case worldwide of a Helper's rank changing, and that was D to C. Never F to A. The examiner must've messed up."
Team Leader Kang, listening to the Helpers with a grim face, shook his head firmly.
"Chief Examiner Trevor confirmed it personally."
"T-Trevor... himself?"
"Yes. Even the Center Director didn't believe it and ordered a retest—both times A-grade."
One shocked Helper collapsed into a chair.
"No way... that guy is really A-grade?"
An A-grade Helper. The absolute top rank among Helpers. Governments worldwide catered to their every whim to keep them in their jurisdictions.
A-grade Helpers were treated differently, with utmost respect. They were the envy of all other Helpers.
But now, the F-grade they'd mocked had suddenly become A-grade. The Center 1 Helpers were left in stunned despair.
Just being A-grade elevated Su-ho above Team Leader Kang in status and influence.
And if he decided to get revenge on those who'd ignored him by nitpicking...
Those Helpers would have a tough time ever working again.
"It's fine. That guy... Cha Su-ho Helper... won't stick around here anyway."
Center 1 had only three A-grade Helpers. And they had their own exclusive lounge, complete with dedicated doctors and secretaries—everything for A-grades.
Team Leader Kang inwardly sighed in relief. He had no idea what to say if he ran into Su-ho again.
Su-ho was the one who'd brought monsters and nearly gotten them killed, then vanished. Even though they'd survived, Kang hated admitting an F-grade had saved him.
And now hearing that same non-Helper was A-grade—not F-grade—stirred jealousy and rage. Suppressing his boiling emotions, Team Leader Kang spoke.
"He'll be in the A-grade lounge. So quit worrying and prep for the next field op."
He spat the words firmly and sat at his desk, face openly displeased.
As Team Leader Kang tried to act nonchalant and get back to work, a voice made him shoot to his feet.
"Hello."
The person who appeared in the Helper office with a relaxed expression was none other than Su-ho.
The Helpers parted like the Red Sea at the sight of him. Ignoring them completely, Su-ho headed to his old desk in the farthest, dingiest corner.
Team Leader Kang stared at him with clear displeasure.
"A-grade Helpers have their own lounge. What are you doing here?"
"Figured I'd pack my stuff."
One Helper next to Su-ho piped up.
"I'll help! This it? Need me to grab these?!"
What a two-faced rat.
This was one of the Helpers who'd chimed in when others mocked Su-ho before. Su-ho blocked the hand reaching for his belongings.
"No help needed. My personal secretary's on the way."
A murmur rippled through the Helpers at "personal secretary." Team Leader Kang's face crumpled further.
Su-ho casually gathered his things and turned to Team Leader Kang, who stood frozen.
"Oh, Team Leader Kang. Good thing you're alive."
Kang furrowed his brow as if to ask what that meant.
"From back then, on the field."
Team Leader Kang's jaw clenched tight, molars grinding in suppressed fury.
Su-ho knew full well it irked him that the F-grade he'd despised had saved him—and returned as A-grade.
Gazing at the silent Team Leader Kang, Su-ho's eyes swept over the other Helpers staring blankly at him. The corner of his mouth curved slightly.
"Well, I'll be off. Good luck to you all."
Unlike before, strength filled Su-ho's steps. This was no longer the cowed Cha Su-ho, intimidated just for being F-grade.
The Helpers watched him with varied gazes. Most mixed inferiority and contempt, but a few shone with genuine admiration.
No need for snide remarks. Just showing his face here had landed the perfect blow.
A triumphant grin spread across Su-ho's face as he headed to the A-grade Helper lounge.