Chapter 9 – The S-Rank Reckoning
S-Rank.
A title that made most hunters tremble. A rank I never truly cared about—because ranks were numbers, and I calculated everything beyond numbers.
Still, even I had to admit: S-Rank villains were dangerous in ways probability alone couldn't predict.
Orion, scan for global-level threats.
"Multiple S-Rank anomalies detected. Global chaos probability: extreme. Civilian panic: inevitable. Ethical paradox: critical. Recommended: full-system intervention."
Good. I like extremes.
Mr. Tarlow had finally called in the elite of the elite:
SSS-Rank strategist disguised as S-Rank diplomat, manipulating international powers.
S-Rank cybernetic assassin capable of neutralizing multiple planetary systems simultaneously.
S-Rank bio-engineer villain experimenting with lifeforms—the first real cosmic-scale threat.
They didn't just want revenge—they wanted me eliminated, my experiments destroyed, and my legend erased from memory.
I activated the cosmic prototype tech—a fusion of monster-derived gadgets, planetary-scale drones, and mana-absorbing energy collectors capable of harnessing solar energy. The suit hummed with power. Tendrils of biotic energy wrapped around me, merging with the drones, forming a symbiotic network that could respond to threats before they even acted.
Orion, probability of victory?
"Estimated at 97.3% under current parameters. Moral risk: extreme. Probability of societal impact: unprecedented. Ethical dilemmas: maximum. Fun index: unparalleled."
I smirked. Fun is always a requirement.
The battle began.
The S-Rank assassin struck first, teleporting across the battlefield. I didn't move. My drones predicted the attack pattern and redirected him into a containment web, harmless but humiliating.
The strategist attempted political sabotage mid-battle—using the media, governments, and crowds as a weapon. I let him. Every move was fed back to the world, exposing corruption, lies, and manipulations.
The bio-engineer released engineered monsters—hybrids of beasts and machines. I activated adaptive monster-tech drones, controlling the hybrids to attack their own master, while citizens cheered, oblivious to the precision calculations behind it.
Orion, moral analysis.
"Your interventions blur the line between heroism and tyranny. Probability of global moral backlash: 56%. Should I challenge your decision-making?"
I smiled faintly. "Always, Orion. Let's see if even a superintelligent AI can convince me that I'm wrong."
By the end, the S-Rank villains lay defeated: exposed, humiliated, neutralized. Citizens now spread stories of the jobless boy as a planetary phenomenon. News across continents called him a savior, trickster, genius, and threat all at once.
Orion, tally results.
"All targets neutralized. Funds redistributed: 1.2 million credits. Public legend status: planetary. Ethical paradox: critical. Probability of future cosmic escalation: 99.9%. Monster-tech efficiency: optimal."
I nodded. Yes. This was only the beginning.
The world was starting to realize that F-Rank labels were meaningless, that jobless boys could be geniuses, and that a single mind could orchestrate chaos, morality, and order simultaneously.
Orion, query.
"Master Rocky… at what point does omnipotence become a moral burden?"
I smiled faintly. "Orion… the burden isn't knowing. It's deciding what to do with the knowledge."
Cliffhanger / Foreshadowing for Chapter 10
Villains begin assembling planetary- and cosmic-level SSS threats.
Rocky's cosmic tech experimentation accelerates, hinting at moon bases, planetary absorption devices, and unlimited mana systems.
Orion's philosophical autonomy grows more pronounced, foreshadowing potential conflict with Rocky.
Citizens, nations, and guilds begin actively recognizing the Jobless Genius, elevating him to legendary status across the planet.