The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the bustling city as the sleek black sedan pulled up in front of the imposing Tower of Babel building. Two men in black suits, their faces impassive, opened the car doors. Seokjin emerged first, his tall frame casting a shadow over the gleaming chrome of the car. He then turned to help Nicole out, carefully lifting her from the car and holding her close.
"We have arrived, Assistant Guild Master," one of the men in suits said, his voice a low murmur. "We will drop you off here first and then pick up Guild Master to meet you here."
Seokjin nodded curtly, his gaze never leaving Nicole's face. He continued walking towards the building, his steps purposeful and strong. The staff at the entrance, recognizing Seokjin, bowed respectfully as he passed. He entered the building, his presence commanding attention.
He stepped into the lift, the sleek metal walls reflecting his image. The elevator ascended swiftly, and the doors opened to reveal the evaluation floor. The hallway was bustling with activity, a throng of people waiting for their turn to be evaluated for their hunter ranks. Nicole, who had been quiet and observant throughout the journey, looked around with wide eyes, her curiosity piqued by the scene before her.
The staff members of the Tower of Babel, noticing Seokjin's arrival, whispered amongst themselves. "Is that a child?" one of them murmured, her voice laced with surprise. "Was Seokjin ever married? Isn't he single?"
Seokjin ignored their gossiping, his gaze fixed on the entrance to the evaluation hall. He walked towards a set of chairs near the hall, carefully placing Nicole down beside him. He knew that his father would be meeting with the Tower of Babel's president, and he wanted to be there when they arrived.
The president's assistant, a sharp-eyed woman with a no-nonsense demeanor, approached Seokjin. "Mr. Eun," she said, her voice crisp. "The president would like to see you in the conference room. He's waiting for Guild Master Eun."
Seokjin nodded and rose to his feet, carefully lifting Nicole into his arms. The assistant, her eyes widening slightly at the sight of the child, thought, "A child?" But she didn't say anything, simply ushering them towards the conference room.
The conference room was large and opulent, with a massive mahogany table and a panoramic view of the city. Geok Dohyun, the president of the Tower of Babel, was seated at the head of the table, engrossed in a report. He looked up as Seokjin entered, a wide smile spreading across his face.
"Seokjin," he said, his voice warm. "It's good to see you."
"President Geok," Seokjin replied, bowing slightly. "It's an honor."
Dohyun's gaze fell on the child in Seokjin's arms, and a look of slight surprise crossed his face. "Is that...?" he began, his voice hesitant.
"Yes, she is," Seokjin said, his tone firm. "And I would like to request the Tower of Babel's assistance in checking if she is on the list of recently missing persons."
Dohyun nodded, understanding dawning on his face. He gestured to his assistant, who immediately began to gather information on recently reported missing children.
Nicole, a slippery little kid, managed to slip out of the conference room unnoticed. Seokjin and Dohyun were engrossed in their conversation, and the staff members who kept coming in and out of the room, delivering documents to the president, didn't seem to notice her absence.
Nicole, curious about the hunter evaluation hall, wandered down the hallway. Luckily, the signboards in the area were written in three languages: Korean, English, and Japanese. She was able to read the sign in English, which explained the process of the hunter evaluation.
Nicole, a slippery little kid, managed to slip out of the conference room unnoticed. Seokjin and Dohyun were engrossed in their conversation, and the staff members who kept coming in and out of the room, delivering documents to the president, didn't seem to notice her absence.
Nicole, curious about the hunter evaluation hall, wandered down the hallway. Luckily, the signboards in the area were written in three languages: Korean, English, and Japanese. She was able to read the sign in English, which explained the process of the hunter evaluation.
She stood by a pillar across the room next to the main entrance of the hall that connected to the lift, crossing her arms and trying to read the room. She saw a lot of people lining up to one big door, their faces a mix of anticipation and anxiety. She watched as people emerged from the room, some beaming with joy, others slumping with disappointment. Some even screamed their rank out loud, their voices echoing through the hall, a testament to their pride and accomplishment. The staff members called for the next hunter to be evaluated, their voices a constant rhythm in the bustling space.
Suddenly, the main entrance next to Nicole opened wide, the sound echoing through the room. Luckily, the pillar shielded her from the door's impact, but a gust of wind managed to move her hair. She didn't show any expression, simply shifting her eyes towards the entrance.
The atmosphere in the room instantly shifted, a mix of curiosity and fear replacing the usual buzz of anticipation. Three people entered the room, their presence radiating a malicious aura. Two of them looked like Muay Thai fighters, their bodies taut and powerful, their expressions hard and unforgiving. The one in the middle, however, was different. He looked like a gangster, adorned with gold accessories and expensive clothes, his face a mask of arrogance and disdain. They walked through the hall as if they owned the place, their steps heavy and deliberate.
The two Muay Thai fighters, like bodyguards clearing a path, pushed people aside, their movements forceful and intimidating. It was clear that the person in the middle, their boss, was someone to be feared.
Nicole, her eyes gleaming with mischief, saw an opportunity. This could be her ticket to enter the evaluation room. She smiled, a sly glint in her eyes, and started walking behind them, concealing her presence so that no one would notice they were being followed.
The evaluation staff tried to stop them, but the three men, led by the gangster-looking guy, managed to enter the evaluation room after threatening the staff to start his evaluation immediately. The door closed with a thud, and the hallways were buzzing with fear and questions. Some even complained about the lack of security.
In the evaluation room, Nicole managed to hide without being seen. The gangster-looking guy, about to be evaluated, placed his hand on the orb in the middle of the room. "I will be the country's most proud future S-Ranker!" he declared, his voice booming with arrogance. "Everyone will bow down to me! My empire will dominate the world!"
The staff members exchanged nervous glances. The evaluation leader, a stern-faced man with a sharp gaze, said, "We can start now, sir. Just place your hands on the orb, and your rank will be revealed on the monitors above you."
The gangster laughed maniacally and placed his hands shakily on the orb. The orb shone brightly for a moment, then his rank was revealed on the screen: An E-Rank. He was enraged, blaming the staff as he stepped away from the orb. Nicole, watching from her hiding spot, smiled. It was time to act.
Meanwhile, in the conference room, the White Tiger Guild Master, Eun Seokwon, had arrived. He and Seokjin had gone through a summary of the recent gate subjugation. The room was silent for a moment, then Seokwon turned to his son and asked, "So, what do you want to do with the kid?"
Seokjin was about to answer when a high alert emergency sound echoed through the room. Everyone in the room was concerned. The president asked his assistant to check what was happening.
Outside the Tower of Babel, holographic fireworks erupted in the sky. All the citizens surrounding the tower saw the messages and stopped their activities, waiting for the holograms' announcement. Everyone was happy with the sound of fireworks, a sound that hadn't been heard for a very long time. It was the sign of the birth of a new S-Ranker.
In the conference room, the assistant returned and whispered to the president. He was shocked. "What?" he exclaimed. Seokjin and Seokwon were wondering what was happening.
Back in the evaluation room, ten minutes earlier, Nicole, with her god-like speed, appeared next to the orbs. The gangster boss was so busy fighting with the evaluation staff that he didn't notice her. One of the Muay Thai fighters, however, did. "Hey kid, what are you doing here?" he asked, his voice laced with suspicion.
Everyone stopped and looked at the little girl suddenly in the room, their faces a mix of shock and confusion. Nicole just smiled and placed her right hand on the orbs. Suddenly, everything went red alert. Warning signs flashed everywhere as the room flickered in red light. Everyone was terrified by the sound.
The holograms message outside the tower showed Nicole's face. "A new S-Ranker has been born in the Asia Region."
The crowd outside the tower gasped in disbelief. "Isn't she just a baby?" one person exclaimed. "OMG, it's just a child!" Another person cried out, their voice filled with awe and astonishment.
Everyone outside the tower started taking pictures and sharing the good news on social media. The birth of the world's 12th S-Ranker. It had been 10 years since the last S-Ranker.