The morning sun bathed Seoul in its warm glow as Hae Jin and I made our way to the Adventure Guild Ranking event. The streets were alive with activity, but I could barely focus on anything beyond the knot of anxiety tightening in my stomach. Today was a significant milestone—one I had been preparing for my entire life.

Hae Jin, ever the beacon of confidence, walked beside me, her excitement palpable. "I can't believe it's finally here. It's my first time being tested, you know, since I missed the last ranking due to being sick. I'm so ready to show what I can do!"

I forced a smile, trying to match her enthusiasm. "Yeah, it's... quite the event."

The grandeur of the Adventure Guild Ranking venue was awe-inspiring. Its imposing structure was adorned with banners and flags heralding the annual event, and the crowd of hopeful adventurers and spectators buzzed with anticipation.

Inside, the hall was a hive of activity. The space was divided into sections, each dedicated to a different aspect of the ranking process. Our first stop was the Mana Orb station. This was where we would discover not only our mana control but also our elemental affinity. The orb, glowing with an almost sentient light, hovered in the center of the room.

Hae Jin approached the orb with her usual confidence. As she placed her hand on the orb, it glowed a brilliant red, indicating her elemental affinity—Fire. The orb's response was immediate and clear, and Hae Jin's control over fire was impressive. The results appeared on a nearby screen—90% mana control. She smiled, clearly satisfied. "Fire suits me perfectly! I'm so ready to show what I can do. Gosh this is so exciting!"

I stepped up next. My hand touched the orb, and it began to swirl with blue and white lights, revealing my elemental affinities—Water and Ice. It was an exciting confirmation of what I had always felt deep inside. The results displayed were a remarkable 96% mana control, and I felt a surge of pride and relief. "Water and Ice... I can work with that."

The next test was the physical strength assessment. A large, durable doll made from the toughest material stood in the center of the room. Each participant had to strike the doll with as much force as possible, demonstrating their physical prowess.

Hae Jin approached the doll, her stance steady. With a powerful punch, she made an impressive impact, and the doll's surface registered a score of 90%. The crowd applauded, clearly impressed by her strength.

When it was my turn, I took a deep breath and focused all my energy into my punch. The doll's surface registered an outstanding 98%, drawing a mix of astonishment and admiration from the crowd. 

The anticipation in the room reached a fever pitch as the guild president took the stage. His speech, filled with praise and inspiration, set the tone for the announcement of the rankings. The crowd was on edge, eager to see how the day's events had unfolded.

When the rankings were finally displayed on a large board, the excitement was palpable. Hae Jin's name appeared in second place, earning her an A rank—an excellent result for her first time being tested she really was a well rounded person it made sense for her. I scanned the board until my own name appeared at the top, and I was awarded an A+ rank. The media and crowd erupted in excitement, their cameras flashing and voices rising in enthusiasm.

I noticed a fleeting moment of disappointment in Hae Jin's eyes before she quickly masked it with a smile. She seemed pleased for me, but there was an underlying tension. Hae Jin, eager to capitalize on her achievement, quickly aligned herself with KingsCrown, the most prestigious guild in Seoul. The representatives greeted her with open arms, and the media followed her every move. 

Feeling somewhat out of place amid the celebration, I decided not to join a guild immediately. Instead, I quietly made my way home, my emotions a turbulent mix of exhilaration and introspection. The day had been a whirlwind, and as I walked away from the scene, I couldn't help but reflect on the journey ahead.

With a deep breath, I headed toward the familiarity of home, ready to process the day's events and the new chapter of my life that lay before me. Once i arrived i collapsed on my bed and could'nt contain the large smile on my face in 48 hours the ability list for each candidate would be released and ways to contact that contestant would be released to the guilds. The Adventurers guild would create emails for each person and send them the login information. This also would allow us to take on dungeons or different quests in doormant guilds or the Sky tower. 

"Open Status" i spoke sitting up and looking at my status layout. it had all of my information updated and a new skill was unlocked 'water manipulation' I cocked my head and nodded. looks like i needed to be tested in order to unlock one of the three skills. 

"WHaT dO YoU ThInK!?" a dark voice whispered in my ear and i shivered standing quickly and looking around my room. 

"Who..." i whispered into the room backing up into a wall. 

"NoT WhO bUt WhAt..." it spoke a shadow swirling into my room.

"I aM NoT I We aRe wE." it said its voice seperating into different voices. 

"them?"

"YeS." it spoke as my status screen began to glitch and a message popped up with an envelope. 

"We DonT MeaN tO FriGhTeN YoU. Please Read..." and the tense air disappeared, the lights in the room came on and i collapsed to the floor staring at the red envelope on my status screen. the From section blurred. 

"What was that...?" i said staring at the envelope. 

----

Next Chapter Teaser: The Red Envelope

Jin Ah's celebration is cut short by a cryptic red envelope and a chilling message from shadowy beings. With her new powers and unanswered questions, she must uncover the truth behind the mysterious communication.

What do the beings want? How will Jin Ah face the upcoming challenges?

Find out in the next chapter as Jin Ah's journey takes a dark and thrilling turn.