LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 27 - Rank Assessment 3
Chapter 27: Rank Assessment 3
Ark is a place where numerous political systems are interwoven, and the administrative structure differs depending on the zones or levels.
However, at the deepest core of Ark’s uppermost layer, there exists a kind of pinnacle of power, akin to kings, called “Administrators.”
While First-Class Overseers, S-Class Hunters, and Ultima-level Executors handle Ark’s protection and force, the highest governing authority and administrative head were the Administrators.
They are sometimes referred to as Chief Judges or Heads of Civil Administration, but they are generally called Administrators.
The Administrators number 80 in total. Some people regard them as the most powerful figures in Ark, but the reality is somewhat different.
Indeed, Administrators hold immense authority within Ark and are effectively the kings of their respective administrative zones.
However, true to their name, their primary role is to manage the torrent of administrative tasks flooding in from across the city, and the volume of work they face is unimaginable.
Disputes among criminal organizations in the lower levels.
Improvements in living conditions in residential zones.
Requests for punishment of long-term tax defaulters from the Energy Corporation.
Regular reports from perimeter patrols.
And many other tasks besides, including expedition reports from Pioneer Teams this month, which doubled the usual workload of documents and materials piling up for the Administrators.
As a result, Administrators often earned peculiar nicknames.
Complaint Punching Bag.
Lifelong Slave.
Eternal Graduate Student.
Semi-Permanent Living Complaint Consultant.
A demeanor far removed from respect or fear for power.
While it’s true that Administrators possess authority, their power is solely used to issue permits, approvals, or implement policies necessary for performing their duties.
Moreover, Ark’s advanced technology and magic ensure that Administrators don’t succumb to physical exhaustion, leaving them surrounded by administrative documents and holograms 24 hours a day—a fate hardly different from slavery.
Of course, not all Administrators are without ambition, and some have assumed their positions out of lust for power and desire.
Yet, when faced with the overwhelming reality of their responsibilities, they quickly realize that the role of Administrator is closer to slavery than even that of graduate students or corporate interns.
Thinking of quitting everything to play around with power?
The Administrators of Ark shoulder the mission of protecting and managing humanity’s final bastion, bearing tremendous responsibility and duty.
It’s not a position for just anyone to occupy.
Moreover, even if someone did manage to climb to the top, other Administrators wouldn’t stand idly by.
Why do you think there are 80 Administrators in Ark?
Because if even one of them is caught doing something improper, they face impeachment from the other 79.
Dare to play without including me?
Dare to slack off while I work? You think you can get away with that while I haven’t even finished half my paperwork for the day?
The fury, checks, and impeachments from fellow Administrators are quite a spectacle from an outsider’s perspective.
So, if a Administrator wants to indulge in a power play, they must do so discreetly, avoiding the notice or judgment of their peers.
For these reasons, Administrators, crowned as the highest administrative heads, remained trapped in the hell of work with dark circles under their eyes.
However, among them, there was one person who stood out with an unusually bright expression.
Administrator No. 31, Rilstia Frostia.
Rilstia Frostia was a petite girl with chestnut hair and a small frame.
Although her actual age reached triple digits, her mental age was quite young, and her adorable and petite appearance made her somewhat famous among the Overseers.
When Executors saw her tottering down the hallway, carrying massive stacks of documents with her diminutive height barely reaching 130 cm, they couldn’t help but smile, forgetting she was part of the supreme administrative leadership.
By the way, the number “31” didn’t indicate a rank but rather the number of the administrative zone under her jurisdiction.
Zone 31 included a collective residential area called Kowloon.
“Is that true? That’s a relief, Overseer Oriana!”
Even while diligently handling a flood of paperwork with her tiny hands, Rilstia didn’t stop communicating with someone through her earpiece.
“I feel so reassured now that a successor for Overseer Oriana has been decided!”
Administrators, including Rilstia Frostia, had at least one First-Class Overseer under their command, and Oriana was the First-Class Overseer assigned to Rilstia.
Tasks that Rilstia couldn’t handle directly were carried out by Overseers like Oriana, making their workload incredibly high.
To give Oriana a semblance of vacation after dealing with a string of difficult assignments, Rilstia temporarily assigned her to the outskirts patrol base near the Scrap Forest, where Oriana reportedly found a Returnee.
And it wasn’t just any random Returnee; it was someone fit to become the successor of a First-Class Overseer!
“That’s great! Really great! If Overseer Oriana succeeds, then I succeed too!”
[Calm down. It hasn’t been officially submitted yet. First, the Returnee needs to go through registration and complete the rank assessment. Once substantial achievements are confirmed, we’ll move forward with the formal successor process.]
“I see! So, does that mean Overseer Oriana preemptively reported this for my benefit?”
[Yes, since the official successor registration process takes at least two to three years even at its fastest.]
Given the weight of responsibility and duty required of a First-Class Overseer, the process of selecting a successor was nothing short of rigorous.
It wasn’t merely a matter of strength and capability.
Recording achievements substantial enough to qualify for First-Class Overseer status was the most challenging hurdle for a potential successor.
Typically, this meant assisting Overseers for a minimum of seven years and earning a medal of recognition from a Administrator.
Otherwise, achievements like subduing Calamities or participating in pioneering expeditions, significant enough to etch one’s name in history, were required to become a formal successor to a First-Class Overseer.
Still, it was fortunate that someone worthy of being a successor had appeared!
Oriana had shown no interest in marrying or having children, nor in finding a successor!
Of course, Rilstia knew that Oriana’s lack of interest in these matters was related to her personal life, so she didn’t mention it aloud.
“This is wonderful! The more First-Class Overseers there are, the easier my life becomes! I hope Overseer Oriana completes the successor process as soon as possible!”
[Ah, speaking of which…]
“Yes, please go ahead!”
[We need your help for Alice’s rank assessment.]
“Rank assessment? Are you talking about the Returnee’s assessment? I thought the Barrier Agency AI handled such assessments automatically!”
[The Barrier Agency AI seems to have encountered an error and will be undergoing maintenance for a while. Therefore, we’ll need recommendations from two First-Class Overseers and your approval as a Administrator.]
“Understood! I got it!”
Though she looked like a young girl, Rilstia was seasoned in administrative work, having grown up with her tasks.
Ordinarily, a Returnee’s assessment required the authorization of the Barrier Agency or an equivalent administrative body, but Oriana’s request essentially asked Rilstia to bypass the usual process using her authority.
“By the way, I’ll assist Overseer Oriana, but who will provide the second recommendation for the First-Class Overseer? As you know, Oriana is the only First-Class Overseer under my command!”
[Ah… well, we’ve decided to seek help from Fira Dunhill.]
“Lady Dunhill! That’s unexpected! That family is notorious for being a bunch of disgusting maggot-spawned monsters with a cooperation level just as wretched!”
[Fira is quite different. We even have a personal connection.]
“Ahaha! I see! Then send me the assessment certificate with the seals of both. I’ll review it and handle it with my authority!”
[Thank you. However, please don’t show the documents to anyone else…]
Before Oriana could finish speaking, Rilstia hung up the call and hopped down from her tall chair.
-Beep~!
The sound of compressed cushioning echoed as Rilstia’s cushioned shoes absorbed the impact of her leap.
A short distance away, the holographic fax machine was printing the document Oriana had sent. Once it was complete, Rilstia clutched it to her chest as if it were a precious treasure.
Even as paperwork and administrative files continued to pile up, Rilstia was thrilled at the prospect of having her number of First-Class Overseers increase from one to two.
There was no way she’d let this opportunity slip by.
Naturally, she’d provide any support or process any paperwork needed.
Having more First-Class Overseers under her meant greater division of labor, improved efficiency, and more opportunities for her to take time off.
While Hunters were entirely uninvolved with Ark’s internal affairs and focused solely on combat, Overseers shared administrative responsibilities with Administrators, acting as their eyes and hands.
It wasn’t just Rilstia; other Administrators were equally eager to recruit new Overseers under their command.
“Administrator Rilstia, you seem to be in good spirits.”
“Ah! Administrator Baden! Seeing you drink instant coffee, you must have some leisure time as well!”
“Well, I have to straighten my back every now and then. I haven’t undergone the procedures, so I need frequent rest.”
Rilstia cheerfully responded to Baden, a neatly bearded elderly administrator.
If Rilstia had been under her usual work stress, she might have snapped with, “Don’t talk to me!” but today, she was in an exceptionally good mood.
“Haha! Administrator Baden, wouldn’t it be better for you to just undergo the procedure?”
“It would rob me of my humanity. Instead of becoming a tin-can human with six arms tirelessly processing documents, I’d rather have eternal youth abilities like Administrator Rilstia.”
“Hoho, are you jealous?”
“Yes, yes, I’m jealous. By the way, you seem much more energetic than usual—what’s the occasion?”
“Fufu!”
Rilstia puffed out her petite chest and smiled.
She looked like an elementary school student bursting with joy over acing a spelling test.
“I’m about to get a new Overseer!”
“Oh, could it be a successor? I didn’t think Overseer Oriana would easily take on a successor… You’re the first among our peer administrators to get one!”
“Fufufufu! In just two years, I’ll finally be able to use all my allocated vacation days for the year!”
“That might be a stretch. Even an administrator with four First-Class Overseers doesn’t have that much leeway…”
“Well, that’s up to the administrator’s discretion! I’ll be content as long as I have one more Overseer besides Oriana!”
“I see. Then, what about that document?”
“Oh! The Barrier Agency AI malfunctioned, so I’m processing the Returnee’s assessment with my authority!”
Hearing this, Baden raised an intrigued expression.
Oriana was quite well-known among the Overseers.
While her skills were impressive, there wasn’t a single First-Class Overseer who wasn’t exceptional.
What made Baden remember Oriana was that she was a survivor of the [Great Annihilation] event.
“According to the records, her family, friends, and neighbors all perished… But since Administrator Rilstia oversees those records, I couldn’t access further details.”
Even for Ark’s administrators, the aftermath of the Great Annihilation was so catastrophic that its effects still lingered, and Oriana had yet to overcome the memories of that event.
Having lost everything to the Great Annihilation, it was only natural for Oriana to obsess over anything related to it. Consequently, finding a successor wasn’t her priority.
Yet, the fact that she was the first among her peers to secure a successor was surprising, to say the least.
“Would you like to see it too, Administrator Baden? This is Overseer Oriana’s successor evaluation file!”
“Oh? May I?”
“It’s fine! Even if a jealous Administrator Baden tries to intervene, my rank is higher than yours!”
“Must you put it that way?”
Despite being over a century old and knowledgeable enough to be a top-notch administrator, Rilstia’s mental age seemed stuck at the elementary school level.
Playful, mischievous, innocent, and at times vicious—she was the epitome of a child.
“Well, I’m curious too, so let’s have a look…”
“Here, take a look!”
With pride, Rilstia opened the hologram file, its translucent light weaving letters into place.
The first thing that caught the eye was the name, Alice.
The appearance in the file was that of a rather young individual.
Alice looked only three or four years older than Administrator Rilstia, at best.
“Hm, is this a Returnee? They’re younger than I expected.”
“That’s right! A Returnee!”
Returnees often have appearances that differ greatly from what lies within.
『Name: Alice』
『Age: Unknown』
『Species: Human (Intelligent)』
『Body Composition: Unanalyzable metal, fully mechanical body, possibility of unidentified high-intelligence artificial intelligence』
『Disposition: Indeterminable.』
“Judging by the ‘unknown’ listed for age, this is likely a type with significant memory loss. The species seems to be mentally human but physically a mechanical body.”
Mechanical bodies in Ark are not uncommon, but they are far from being widespread.
They are stronger than regular humans, but it’s debatable whether they are strong enough to become Overseers.
Typically, robots, drones, or individuals with fully mechanical bodies have clear limits.
“If a Returnee has been chosen as an Overseer’s successor, it must mean they’re capable…”
Thinking this, Baden flipped through the hologram and came upon Alice’s unique features.
『Despite the Returnee’s intellectual abilities, they exhibit innate aptitude for physical combat. Using their metal body, they demonstrate exceptional resistance to physical attacks. Their internal body components include 19 metallic tendrils. These tendrils can transform into various tools and are used for torture and surgery.』
『The ability to absorb capabilities has been observed.』
“Capability absorption…”
Theoretically, this is a monstrous ability, but it has its limitations.
Even with absorption, ultimate performance depends on the user’s capabilities, allowing for quick improvement but also leading to rapid discovery of one’s limits.
“I’m not sure if these limits apply to someone with a metallic body.”
Even from this limited information, it was clear this Returnee deserved attention.
If they excel in physical combat, even if they don’t become an Overseer, they could be recruited as a Hunter and assigned to a pioneering team, hastening the liberation of the outer regions.
Baden nodded with interest as he quickly read through the text.
Speed-reading was a basic skill for administrators.
However, his eyes widened when he reached the last part of the document.
『Scrap Orc, Scrap Goblin, B-391 Contact Unit, Scrap Dragon, True Ancestor in “Newborn” stage exterminated.』
“…What?”
True Ancestor extermination.
Reading that line, Baden wasn’t sure if he was looking at an authentic First-Class Overseer report or a fabricated document.
The dangers of True Ancestors were well-known throughout Ark, and the idea of one being subdued by a newly returned Returnee was absurd.
There were suspicions that True Ancestors were involved in causing the Great Annihilation, and they played a significant role in countless past calamities.
Yet this Returnee supposedly handled a True Ancestor on their own?
Even if it was a “Newborn” stage True Ancestor, it was beyond belief…
“Oh no! That’s right! Overseer Oriana told me not to show this to anyone else!”
“…Ah, ahem. I see.”
Though Rilstia had shown Baden the document and snatched it back within five seconds, Baden had already speed-read through it and handed it back without resistance.
“Well, I’ll be off then! I must prepare to welcome my new slave—no, my new Overseer!”
“Ah, yes. Understood. Best of luck, Administrator Rilstia.”
“Goodbye, Administrator Baden!”
Watching Rilstia trot off, documents in hand, Baden fell into deep thought.
If that document wasn’t a forgery or a joke but was real…
“That Returnee, Alice, is quite intriguing.”
Baden’s eyes gleamed with interest.