“What are you thinking, taking such a public approach?”
Having been away from the Academy for some hush-hush business related to the higher-ups, Han Jiyoon returned. The moment she arrived, she sought out Ma Hakjun and questioned him.
“I’m not sure what you mean, Professor Han.”
“Oh, come on. Don’t play dumb. You know exactly what I’m talking about, and it’s really throwing me off.”
At her scolding, Ma Hakjun let out a soft chuckle. He gestured for her to sit, then spoke slowly:
“I only did what I was supposed to do as the Headmaster.”
“So, why do it now, of all times?”
She patted her chest in frustration.
“If you shake things up like this, what’s going to happen to the Academy lectures? They’re divided by rank.”
“We’ll just have to re-teach them. The professors who handled Silver classes can handle Bronze, no?”
“What about field training?”
“Bronze students don’t do field training anyway, and there aren’t many Silvers left, so I see no problem.”
“Don’t tell me you just hate how the ranking system has become some rigid status hierarchy?”
People sometimes called the ranking system a new “caste.” Originally, the idea was to categorize missions by difficulty and assign them based on skill. But now, it’s transformed into a means of preserving each rank’s privileges.
That same rigid order extended to the Academy, too. They claimed it was meant to separate levels and give appropriate training, but in reality, the ranks ended up pitting students against each other.
“I know there’s been a lot of talk about the rank system. It’s serious, I get it. But doing this is going to cause massive chaos. You think those Silver students will just accept it quietly?”
“Of course not. Some might recognize their own weaknesses and remain silent, but others won’t.”
“Exactly! So they’ll rebel in some form. And that’s not the end—they’ll say, ‘why only us?’ and drag Gold down, too. That means we’ll have internal conflicts. Is that what you want, especially during these times when villains can exploit any chaos?”
If a big internal fight erupted now—somebody might get hurt during a duel, or worse. No one could say for sure if it was a mere accident or a planned terror attack by villains.
“I even met that Examiner, Baek Seojin. I assumed he’d only crack down on a few Silvers as an example, telling them to ‘put in more effort’… but he’s ready to demote all of them to Bronze.”
“That’s because I quietly encouraged him to do so. He seems willing as well.”
“What? Are you serious?”
At her question, Ma Hakjun nodded calmly. He wasn’t saying it just to defend Baek Seojin; he meant every word.
“No way…”
Han Jiyoon exhaled a long sigh and collapsed into the chair, massaging her temples.
“I admit a lot of the students here have a disappointing skill level. It’s frustrating. But you’re not just talking about skill, are you?”
“It’s not only skill, Jiyoon. It’s their mindset.”
“Their mindset?”
“Yes. Most of our students lack a sense of urgency. They just want to settle for what they have.”
In their minds, let stronger superhumans deal with the hardest missions. The world is stable anyway, so they can handle small monsters or petty villains. That’s enough.
“But that’s not necessarily wrong, is it? Maybe that’s just their way of trying to live more comfortably.”
Han Jiyoon’s question made Ma Hakjun nod in agreement. It’s not inherently evil to take the safe path. It’s just a personal choice.
“The real problem is something else. If it becomes the norm to dismiss the choice of pushing yourself further—if people start calling it ‘nonsense’ or ‘a waste of time’—that’s bad.”
“So, in a stagnating environment, you wanted to create a wave of change.”
Yes. The majority were Bronze or Silver, and just a few in Gold or higher. They’d graduate with their moderate abilities, then take on moderate tasks. Ma Hakjun was worried about that.
“A superhuman is not just an office worker. If that complacency spreads, our whole world could crumble.”
Han Jiyoon fell silent for a moment, then took a small breath and spoke:
“Alright, I get it. I really do. But you realize how complicated this will get, right? The staff who oversaw the old Silver promotions, maybe even the higher ranks, will have their methods questioned. Those professors will be in a tough spot. Have you thought about how to deal with that?”
“Yes, I have exactly one solution.”
Ma Hakjun smiled. Han Jiyoon muttered, “Seriously, old man? Don’t tell me…” under her breath.
“You plan to use Examiner Baek Seojin?”
“‘Use’ is a harsh word. Let’s say we’ll ask him for help.”
“That’s the same thing. Basically, you’ll have him show his true abilities to the students, right?”
He was someone who’d failed to enter the Academy or a field unit. Through blood and sweat, he rose to an extraordinary level. Yet he didn’t join a field unit or a clan—he stayed at the Academy as a Silver-rank Examiner, proving that a bit more effort can take you far beyond where you started.
“And sure, it’s tough, maybe even painful, but it’ll bring about real change. Look at that Lee Hyunwoo boy—despite having enough talent, he deliberately takes on massive challenges to push himself.”
“He’s a weirdo. Do you think it’s easy to train that hard?”
Ma Hakjun and Han Jiyoon had been keeping an eye on Lee Hyunwoo for a while. They recognized him as a future powerhouse.
Han Jiyoon scratched her cheek, then stood up. She’d just returned to the Academy and was about to be swamped by the fallout from this new “Examiner.” That was the reality.
“Oh, by the way, did you find out what I asked you to check?”
“For the most part, yes.”
She’d left partly at Ma Hakjun’s request. She handed some documents over to him.
“I dug pretty deep, but there was nothing. No hidden secrets.”
“So, he’s just someone whose abilities awakened belatedly after all…”
He tapped the table, looking thoughtful.
“However…”
Han Jiyoon, frowning slightly, spoke cautiously:
“It’s odd. Usually if you keep digging, you find a scrap of information or two. But his record is squeaky clean. It might just be that he became an orphan during a Gate incident, but… aside from his name and ID number, there’s nothing. Like…”
“Someone purposely erased it?”
“This is just speculation. It’s just so empty.”
Ma Hakjun let out a hum, looking at the documents she’d handed him.
“I’m not saying we should distrust him. I just… you know…”
“I understand. Don’t worry. Neither I, nor Kang Minseong, nor you, nor even that crazy blonde have sensed anything off about him, correct?”
“True…” she murmured, nodding.
Baek Seojin - A name printed beside a single ID photo.
…
“Me too! I want to take the Special Evaluation!”
Sure, you too!
“I’ll do it!”
And you as well!
“I’d like to challenge you, Examiner.”
You too—everyone’s going back to Bronze!
“Remember, if you fail my assessment, you’ll be automatically returned to Bronze. No point in filing objections. Keep that in mind.”
Just today alone, over thirty Silvers got sent back to Bronze. And there are still well over a hundred Silvers left in the Academy. Plus all the Bronze students who’ve been there from the start.
Truly, it’s an endless wellspring of fresh opportunities!
‘Ma Hakjun really planned this out well.’
From a Silver’s perspective, they can’t afford not to take the Special Evaluation. If they refuse, the Bronzes will mock them harder. They can grit their teeth and refuse, but will their newly Bronze friends let that slide? They’ll pressure them until they agree.
Humans can’t stand being the only one at a disadvantage. If your friend was forced down to Bronze with you while you stayed Silver, that’s not going to fly.
Meanwhile, the Bronzes have been motivated by Lee Hyunwoo. They realized that if they push themselves hard enough, they can achieve something. A Bronze beating a Silver? Unheard of until now. No doubt some of them are fired up. If they can leap to Silver while ex-Silvers are dropping to Bronze, it would be a total reversal!
‘So the ex-Silvers want to reclaim their lost glory, while the Bronzes see a shot at vengeance. If they’re at all serious, they’ll go all-in.’
The Academy, which had been like a calm lake, is now raging with waves. And Ma Hakjun secretly called me in to say:
“I’ve already told the Academy that academic warnings for staying in Bronze are suspended for now. We can’t sabotage a drastic measure aimed at positive change. If anyone shows resistance, feel free to mention my name—say the Headmaster asked you to do it.”
A headmaster who’ll lend his authority whenever needed. Much better than the manager in my own department, who always tries to slip away when we have to work late. If only all public officials could be like him!
“Examiner! I’m challenging the Silver rank test!”
Of course, nobody knows how long this wave will last. It could just be a brief flash.
If in the end, no one passes, no one grows, all the reasons behind this vanish into thin air.
‘So Lee Hyunwoo, Kim Suhyeon, I really need you two. Plus any other Bronze or Silver out there who’s got the potential—give it all you’ve got!’
I’ve already set a target: I want a Bronze student who can beat a Gold. If that happens, we can bring the Gold rankers into this mess too. Imagine a Bronze who fights like a Gold—just the thought is exciting.
And right then, a brand new message popped up:
◎ Notification
The required cooldown period has ended.
Yes, this is it! This is what I was hoping for!