Solo Leveling: Banishment of the Anomaly

The five of them stared at the mana-measuring device, unable to believe their eyes.

The screen displayed a mana reading of only 3000, indicating that Joo-Hee was an A-rank mage and healer.

Go Gunhee furrowed his brow and asked the female agent to redo the assessment.

Yet, even after multiple attempts, the result was unchanged—3000 Mana.

Joo-Hee, observing their reactions, suppressed a sigh.

'As expected, my mana is still at an A-rank level. It seems I might need to complete the Stat Evolution Quest soon if I want to further increase my mana.'

While their disappointment was apparent, she remained unfazed on the outside.

Though she felt slightly irritated by their reactions on the inside, she couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction.

Starting with only 210 mana on the day she transmigrated and reaching 3000 in nearly a month was a remarkable achievement.

While much of her progress had been aided by external assistance and mysterious origins, it had ultimately helped her build a solid foundation for her growth.

The S-rank hunters, however, were crestfallen.

They had anticipated that Joo-Hee's reawakening would elevate her to their level.

Whispers broke out among them.

Choi Jong-In adjusted his glasses with a slight cough and muttered, "It seems my calculations were off."

Baek Yoonho crossed his arms, his beastly aura leaking slightly as he declared, "If you don't want her, then let me have her instead."

Jong-In shot him a sharp look.

"Oh? When did I say I didn't want her? She's still a valuable A-rank hunter. So keep your knuckles to yourself, gorilla."

Joo-Hee couldn't help but shake her head at their childish squabble.

Go Gunhee approached her, his expression calm but tinged with regret.

"It's rather unfortunate that your reawakening didn't push you to S-rank. If it had, you'd have been a tremendous asset."

Joo-Hee smiled politely.

"I agree it's a bit of a pity, but I'm still grateful. Reawakening isn't something everyone gets to experience. Besides, I've gained new abilities, so I have nothing to complain about."

Go Gunhee studied her thoughtfully, nodding with approval.

'She's right. Greed clouds many hunters, but she shows a sense of gratitude and maturity that's rare in this field. Her rank may not have met expectations, but her character is worth more than most high ranks. If only more hunters were like her…'

Still, his curiosity lingered.

Jin-Chul had only reported that she awakened nature magic, yet something about her felt more profound based on his past experiences.

The anticipation grew as they moved to the next test.

This was what everyone had been waiting for—Joo-Hee's demonstration of her newly awakened abilities.

A female agent handed her a mana recovery potion, and within moments, Joo-Hee's mana was replenished.

Utilizing [Basic Meditation], she fully regained her mana in almost a minute.

'This next move is rather risky,' she thought.

'The skill is still unstable, but I need to show my worth if I want my plans to succeed. And with Min Byung-Gyu here, I'll just swallow my pride and ask for a heal.'

Her gaze briefly fell on Eunseok, triggering a memory from her vacation in her soul realm.

She vividly recalled that Eunseok was destined to perish during the 3rd Jeju Island Raid.

Resolute, she had already made plans to save him, just as she had done with Kim Sang-Shik and Kang Jeonho.

By securing a spot in the raid, she could alter his fate.

However, saving Eunseok was only a side goal.

Her real objective lay deeper.

She had her sights set on the Ant Queen.

Knowing that Jin-Woo would eventually claim the Ant King as his shadow in the 4th Jeju Island Raid, Joo-Hee sought to take advantage of the overlooked yet crucial piece: the Queen.

This would allow her to achieve her ultimate plan slowly, step by calculated step.

Breaking her contemplation, Joo-Hee hesitated before addressing the chairman with a worried expression.

As broke as she was, the last thing she wanted was to break something and end up having to pay for it!

"Mr. Chairman, my ability is rather... destructive. Are you sure it's okay to demonstrate it here? I don't want to—"

Before she could finish, Choi Jong-In interrupted with a smirk, "Ms. Lee, you don't need to worry about that. This room is exclusively reinforced for high-rankers. It's designed to withstand most attacks, so relax."

Joo-Hee's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as irritation crept up her spine.

She noticed Eunseok stifling a laugh, and Yoonho had the audacity to grin.

She clenched her jaw and thought, 'These people... really? If this so-called precious 'reinforced exclusive room' ends up in shambles, don't you dare point fingers at me!'

Joo-Hee smiled sweetly at Choi Jong-In while effortlessly summoning a wooden sword from the corner of the room into her hand.

"If Mr. Choi says so, then I trust his words are true. But if anything happens, I hope you'll help me shoulder the burden," she said with a playful lilt, her eyes glinting mischievously.

Choi Jong-In chuckled, intrigued by her boldness.

'Quite a feisty girl, huh? How interesting...'

He gave a suave smile and replied, "Of course. If anything indeed happens, I'll gladly cover it all."

Hearing his words, Joo-Hee felt a wave of relief wash over her.

'Now I can use my skills without holding back.'

She discreetly coated her tongue and throat with healing mana to prepare herself for the pain that was sure to follow.

As she activated her skill, [Fragmented Tongue of Babel], ancient, golden cryptic patterns materialized on her tongue and began spreading outward, swirling down her neck like living tattoos.

The room's atmosphere changed instantly.

The S-Rank Hunters present exchanged wary glances, their sharp senses alerting them to the extraordinary nature of the aura emanating from her.

The patterns seemed to exude an ancient, almost divine energy, making them feel as if they were standing before some primordial, enlightened being.

Joo-Hee tapped the tip of the wooden sword against the ground and activated her other skill, [Verdant Growth].

Her throat tightened painfully, but she forced herself to shout through the sensation. Her voice, layered with a thousand otherworldly echoes, reverberated unnaturally as she directed it toward the wooden sword:

<>

The second the word left her lips, chaos erupted.

The S-Rank Hunters' composed exteriors faltered, their faces darkening as Min Byung-Gyu quickly stepped forward, casting a mass buff spell to shield their minds and bodies from the oppressive aura of her command.

The reinforced room, built to withstand full-scale attacks from A-Rank Hunters, began to tremble under the pressure.

Agents stationed nearby screamed in pain, blood streaming from their noses, mouths, and even eyes.

Cracks appeared across the highly-tempered windows before they shattered into a cascade of glass.

All of this happened in just a second.

But the worst was yet to come.

The wooden sword began to tremble violently, glowing green patterns etching themselves across its surface. 

The room filled with an eerie creaking sound as the sword warped and mutated, rooting itself into the ground.

Within moments, massive, writhing roots burst forth like living organisms, tearing through the reinforced flooring and spreading with a wild, unstoppable force.

Choi Jong-In quickly and calmly summoned blazing arrows, trying to burn the roots, but no matter how many he incinerated, they kept growing and regenerating.

Reluctant to unleash wide-range spells that might endanger others, he was forced to limit his actions, frustration flickering behind his composed demeanor.

The other S-Rank Hunters exchanged glances, their expressions slightly souring as they joined the effort to subdue the rampaging vegetation.

Go Gunhee's booming voice cut through the chaos.

"Joo-Hee! You can stop now!"

But Joo-Hee herself was in no better shape.

Despite coating her throat and mouth with healing mana, the pain was unbearable.

Her body trembled, and sweat dripped down her face as she struggled to regain control.

Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to utter another command, her voice cracking under the strain:

<>

Her voice cracked as she coughed up blood, her mana reserves plummeting to less than a tenth of their capacity.

Groggy and barely holding on, she watched as the vibrating roots froze mid-motion, inches away from nearly impaling Byung-Gyu and shattering the protective barrier he had cast.

Slowly, the monstrous roots began retracting, shrinking back into the wooden sword as if nothing had happened.

The sword clattered to the ground with a soft pang.

The room fell into an eerie silence.

The S-Rank Hunters—the only ones who remained conscious amidst the chaos—stood frozen in stunned but amazed disbelief.

Byung-Gyu, wiping the blood from his nose, stared at Joo-Hee, his thoughts in disarray.

'A-Rank, my ass. That power is definitely S-Rank.'

Yoonho, who had shifted back to his human form, let out a low whistle, a satisfied grin spreading across his face.

Choi Jong-In, despite his slightly disheveled state, adjusted his glasses, regaining his usual elegant composure.

All five S-Rank Hunters shared a singular thought as they looked at the battered but defiant Joo-Hee:

'We have to recruit her. No matter what.'