"You don't want me get famous?" I raised my eyebrow.

"It's more complicated than that. Our society remains peaceful because the citizen know there are enough S Rankers they can rely on in emergencies. If word got out that even stronger individuals existed, it would throw the entire ranking standard into a mess..

I could see his point. It wasn't just about society—other S Rankers wouldn't be too happy knowing they were no longer the top dogs.

On top of that, it would devalue their achievements. In a society that treated S Rankers like celebrities, it would be a huge blow—not just to them, but also to the companies that sponsored them.

"So why are you telling me this?" I asked, leaning back slightly. "You could just say I'm an S Rank like everybody else and call it a day."

"It doesn't work like that, Mr. Chase. People like you are extremely rare, and because of that, the government will want to keep a close watch, to make sure that you don't do anything stupid with your power as an Strategic Rank."

Oh. I liked the sound of that.

Strategic Rank.

Yeah… that was way cooler.

"So what happens now? Don't tell me you're planning to lock me up in some government facility with 51 on it?"

I meant it as a joke—mostly.

Of course, he didn't get the reference , but he still kept his professional tone.

"Not at all, Mr. Chase. In fact, this is your ID, officially recognizing you as an S Rank by the Association."

He slid it across the table.

I picked it up. The card was pure black, smooth and cold, with a single gold S stamped in the center. A small chip was embedded at the bottom

"That's it?" I asked, turning it over. "You're not even going to make me take the other tests or interview me to figure out what my abilities are?"

"There's no need for that. I doubt our branch is even equipped to test you properly," he said calmly. "As for your abilities, just tell me, and I'll update your record myself."

Wow. I liked this kind of privilege. Being powerful clearly earned more respect than being rich.

"This is my power." I raised my hand slowly.

The space around it started to fog up, turning into a mist that looked like steam rising from a boiler—but that was just from the sweat and moisture my Qi burned off.

I clenched my fist, and my arm turned solid black.

"My ability is the typical body enhancement… but this fist contains enough power to destroy this whole building."

It was an exaggeration of course.

"Got it." He simply nodded, accepting it without question.

I started explaining my abilities in more detail—how I could run faster than most eyes could follow, even push close to the speed of sound, how my body could take heavy hits without breaking.

Hayes type everything down, listening carefully. Every so often, I caught a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

I told him more than I probably should have. But this was a new identity, a new persona I was building. If I was going to use this clone freely, I couldn't afford too many limits later on.

When we were done, he leaned back and started explaining what I could—and couldn't—do from here on out.

Hayes folded his hands on the desk and spoke in a clear, steady tone.

"First, you are not allowed to disclose your Strategic Rank to the public. That information stays classified."

He raised a finger.

"Second, you're free to join any guild you want, just like any other Seeker. No restrictions there."

Then he paused, letting that sink in before continuing.

"However, if you choose to work directly with the Association, you would be granted the highest level of authority—higher even than a director."

"That means access. Resources. Information you would never normally be cleared to see."

Slowly, I began to touch my almost nonexistent beard.

"And what's the catch if I join the Association? You don't expect me to believe you would just give me all those benefits for nothing?"

Hayes didn't answer right away.

He rested his hands on the desk. "You're right. Nothing comes for free."

"First, you will be stationed in the Capital City. It's humanity's most advanced stronghold."

"Next, you will also be placed on immediate-call status. When a national‑level threat appears, you respond. No negotiations."

"And lastly, in the event of a catastrophic situation, you will be tasked with protecting the president of this country. That will be your top priority.

My smile faded. "So… you want me to be the government's lapdog?"

"Mr. Chase, technically speaking, we're all on a leash held by the government," he said, and this time I caught a hint of disapproval in his voice. "That's why the choice is still yours. I've only laid out your options."

"So you're not going to make my life difficult?" I asked, just to be sure.

Hayes shook his head slightly.

"That, I can't promise. The Association is required to report your existence to the government—and what they decide to do after that is out of our control."

Great. So all that talk about choice was just an illusion of freedom.

It was like being told I could do whatever I wanted—right up until I crossed some invisible line and ended up in a cell.

Nevertheless, at least they hadn't outright forced me to sign a shady deal.

I started to get up to take my leave when Hayes spoke again.

"Just so you know, we don't exactly go around announcing that a new S Rank has appeared in the city."

"People will only know about you if you join a guild. You should take that into consideration. If you want a more low-key life, working with the government will be the more discreet option."

Discreet and underpaid, unfortunately.

"I'll take that into consideration, Director Hayes. But for now, I want to explore my other options first."

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