Prologue – The End Before Awakening
Blood.
Smoke.
Screams.
That was all I could hear as the world crumbled around me.
I had never stepped into a Portal before—at least, not like this.
They said it was a low-level gate.
"Perfect for your first mission," they told us.
"Just a routine cleanup for F-ranks."
But there was nothing routine about what waited inside.
Nothing low-level.
It was a massacre.
My team—experienced hunters, stronger than me—were torn apart like paper.
Their screams faded beneath the sound of ripping flesh and cracking bone.
I couldn't even scream.
I couldn't move.
My legs refused to obey.
I collapsed.
Frozen. Useless.
I was going to die.
No magic.
No strength.
No backup.
Just a weak F-rank, trembling in the middle of a slaughterhouse.
And then I saw it.
The demon stood over me — massive, grotesque, its eyes glowing with hunger.
Its claw raised, ready to strike.
And then… it appeared.
A screen. Floating. Silent. Glitching with unreadable light.
Right in front of me.
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[System Activation Detected]
[Initializing… Loading Class: ???]
[Death Condition Met. Awakening Begins.]
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I didn't understand.
The words meant nothing.
The pain meant everything.
Then — black.
No more screams.
No more fire.
Just the cold, infinite void.
That should've been the end of me.
But it wasn't.
Fate wasn't done with Han Jiwoo yet.
Here's a clean, professional power hierarchy system used for my story "Leveling Up: Rise" — ranked from weakest to strongest, with descriptions for each level to guide for worldbuilding and character development:
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🌀 Power Level Hierarchy (Hunter Ranks)
> Used by Hunter Academies, Guilds, and National Hunter Associations to classify the strength, potential, and mission eligibility of Hunters.
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🔻 Basic Ranks (Student-Level / Common):
F-Rank – "The Powerless"
No combat value, low mana output.
Often weak physically and magically.
Only permitted low-level training missions or field assistance roles.
E-Rank – "Awakened Low-tier"
Slight mana detection.
Can use basic magic techniques or weapon enhancements.
Still not combat-effective alone.
D-Rank – "Novice Combatant"
Capable of basic offensive and defensive combat.
Usually starts to specialize in weapon or magic paths.
Can handle minor dungeons with a team.
C-Rank – "Standard Hunter"
Fully combat-ready.
Can join or form teams for standard dungeon raids.
May awaken a minor ability or unique trait.
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🔺 Advanced Ranks (Elite-Level / Graduation-Ready):
B-Rank – "Skilled Hunter"
Notable mana pool, enhanced strength/speed/reflexes.
Likely awakened a special trait, magic type, or beast contract.
Trusted for moderate-risk portals solo.
A-Rank – "Elite Hunter"
Very powerful and respected.
May command squads or join top guilds.
Assigned to dangerous rift raids and national defense missions.
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🚨 High-Tier Ranks (Rare / Global Threat Handlers):
S-Rank – "Superhuman Hunter"
Extreme combat power; few can match them.
Can solo mid- to high-tier portals.
Often control territories, guilds, or serve in national Hunter forces.
SS-Rank – "Catastrophe-Class"
Only a handful exist in each country.
Capable of leveling cities or closing high-tier gates alone.
Typically awakened a powerful unique class or forbidden ability.
SSS-Rank – "World-Ender"
Legendary, often feared.
Not officially listed in public rankings.
Their awakening is considered a geopolitical event.