Alisa sat silently in the corner of the recovery hall, her body still aching from the brutal fight inside the gate. Her frost magic had saved countless lives, but her thoughts weren't on the battlefield anymore—they were stuck on him.
Max.
Who was he really?
The speed, the strength, that monstrous transformation... No human should've moved like that.
She clenched her hands, remembering how the Wolf King had hesitated. That fear wasn't for the situation. It was for Max.
Around her, hushed voices swirled.
"He's stronger than all five of our seven stars combined…"
"Is he stronger than Alisa?"
"No way—Alisa is our cold queen. She froze that battlefield."
"You're kidding. He made that Wolf King cry for his ancestors."
"But... can he beat Adam?"
The room went quiet.
Adam—the world's strongest hunter. The man who cleared the blood gate alone in twenty-four minutes. No one had seen his full power since the day of the Canadian collapse.
Was Max really on that level?
---
Inside the Presidential Hall, the President called in Russia's elite: all five seven-star hunters.
And Max.
He entered calmly, Sunny trailing behind him.
Sunny, ever cheerful, smirked, "You were way too cool out there. Can I use your face for our agency's poster?"
The President interrupted. "Sunny, you may wait outside. This meeting is for seven-star hunters only. We have private matters to discuss."
Max stopped walking.
"He's my personal assistant," he said plainly. "And CEO of Flames of Hell Agency. He stays."
Maks Orlov narrowed his eyes. "Regardless of relationships, protocol says—"
"Okay," Max interrupted. "Then I leave."
Everyone turned.
The President sighed. "Fine. Sunny may stay."
Sunny raised both hands like a winner. "Boom. Loyalty wins!"
---
The President turned serious.
"It's been three days since the incident. And now... every news channel on Earth is reporting about you. Not just here—America, Japan, Italy, everywhere. The entire hunter world wants answers."
Max didn't flinch.
"They want to know if you're stronger than Adam. If you're not just Russia's strongest—but Earth's."
"I see."
"As you requested, we covered up the truth. We announced the Wolf King had been severely weakened by all five seven-star hunters before your arrival—and that you defeated him as a finishing move."
Max nodded. "Thanks."
"But still," the President added, "you're receiving mixed reviews. Some praise you as a savior. Others accuse you of stealing credit."
Max folded his arms. "Forget the noise. Time will sort it."
Maks spoke up, his voice clipped. "We fought for hours. And yet, with one blow, you ended it. That leaves room for doubt. It's natural."
"No one doubts you," Lena whispered. "They fear you."
---
The President clapped his hands.
An officer entered with a sleek black box, lined with silver. He set it on the table and pushed it to Max.
"Open it."
Max lifted the lid.
Inside was a golden rank card—polished, etched with the seal of the Seven Stars, and a shimmering embedded crystal at its core.
The President grinned. "This is a limited-edition Seven-Star Rank Card. You are now the nineteenth seven-star hunter in the world."
Sunny whispered, "No way…"
"This is more than status," the President continued. "With this card, you can enter any country without a visa. You're granted first-class clearance in all airports. This card doubles as a credit card—with no spending limit. You get priority in every dungeon auction worldwide, first pick for portals, exclusive guild access, and diplomatic immunity in twelve nations."
Max stared. "Sounds interesting. I'll accept it. Thank you."
---
The meeting closed. One by one, the seven stars left.
Maks nodded at Max. No hostility. Just quiet respect.
Sunny and Max walked out together.
Sunny grinned. "So… why'd you defend me in there?"
Max shrugged. "You're my loyal slave."
Sunny glared. "Shut up, idiot. I'm the co-founder. And your accountant. And your therapist."
"You forgot designated coffee fetcher."
"You wish."
They laughed.
---
Hours later, the announcement echoed across the world.
Breaking news from Russia: a new seven-star hunter has emerged.
The world's nineteenth.
Name: Max.
Agency: Flames of Hell.
Screens lit up in every guild base.
Some watched with awe. Others whispered in fear.
In America, a man sat behind a white desk, his face shadowed. He watched the footage—Max walking through the smoke, his hand glowing with power.
The man smiled.
"Bring me everything about this Max," he said to his assistant.
"Yes, sir."
Back in Russia, Mariya twirled on her rooftop, eyes sparkling.
"My future husband is a seven-star," she gasped. "Finally... he's worthy of me."