Creation Talent
“Ughhh...”
Kim Jihun tossed and turned in bed, letting out strange groans as he hugged his pillow tight.
“Uuuu...”
He was suffering from a hangover, one he wasn’t used to at all. The culprit was the nonstop shots of liquor poured by Seo Yerim’s father, Seo Hyun-seok, the night before.
Kim Jihun’s physical abilities had improved dramatically compared to before. That included his liver’s detoxification capacity. Even with his enhanced liver, he’d ended up this hungover, which meant Seo Hyun-seok’s tolerance must be far beyond that of an ordinary person.
“Ugh... so this is a hangover? Water first...”
Parched like his throat was on fire, Jihun dragged himself out of bed in search of a drink. He staggered into the living room, poured himself a cup of water, and gulped it down. The cool chill seemed to slowly clear his head.
“Whew. Booze is great in the moment, but the aftermath is brutal.”
He recalled heading to Yerim’s place for dinner the previous evening. They’d grilled beef, and he’d joined his first-ever drinking party.
“Yesterday was fun.”
A faint smile crossed his lips as he shuffled back to his room.
…
“Oh, right. I got paid yesterday.”
Suddenly remembering his salary, Jihun reached into the pocket of his coat hanging nearby and pulled out a white envelope.
“Wonder how much is in here.”
Yerim had specifically mentioned slipping in a little extra. He hadn’t forgotten that, and it filled him with some anticipation as he peeked inside.
“My normal monthly part-time pay is 1.2 million won. And now...”
As he counted the bills, his face lit up with growing joy. Five... ten... twenty... and finally thirty.
“1.5 million won!”
He was supposed to get just 1.2 million for his work. But his efforts had boosted the bookstore’s sales, so Yerim had added 300,000 won as a bonus.
“An extra 300,000. Nice!”
Jihun grinned ear to ear, delighted. To others, it might not seem like much, but to a newly adult like him, it felt substantial.
“How many books could 300,000 buy?”
Of course, his sense of money’s value was a bit different from his peers’.
…
“Time to focus on studying.”
Now free from his bookstore job, Jihun could pour all his time into his studies. But that brought a new issue.
“Gotta buy more reference books.”
His study pace was ferocious. He’d devour an entire book—basic problems through advanced ones—in a day or two. That meant spending a fortune on them.
“Guess I’ll head out for some soon.”
He eyed the white envelope wistfully and muttered to himself.
“Oh yeah, gold!”
Stepping out to buy books, something caught the edge of his vision: one of the neighborhood gold shops that dotted the area. He stared at it from afar, pondering.
Should I grab a small gold souvenir right now?
If he could just get his hands on some gold, he was confident he could mass-produce it via material replication. And he had about 1.5 million won in cash—enough for a tiny piece. From there, his powers could multiply it endlessly.
From his research, gold was going for around 50 million won per kilogram these days. Fifty million—for a single 1kg gold bar! Next to that fortune, his 1.5 million felt insignificant.
Jihun stood rooted to the spot, lost in thought.
If I buy a small gold item with my part-time earnings and analyze it, I could generate nearly infinite money. But...
Something about it didn’t sit right.
It’d make me look like I’m just using my powers to chase cash.
He pictured Asrie before him, unleashing radiant creation: forging space, time, and matter; building star systems. Her serene smile as she beheld it all.
Comparing that to himself—debating whether to use such a grand, noble power just for money—made him feel pathetic.
I’m being too pitiful.
Creation Talent was the most exalted, brilliant gift. Would he sully it for greed, abandoning his conscience? Or develop it further, one day walking the path of a high Creator God like Asrie?
Suddenly, Yerim’s words from yesterday echoed in his mind.
—“If you keep working hard and get into Seoul National University, you can make money in all sorts of ways. Tutoring, lecturing—whatever.”
—“Once you’re in college, money won’t be an issue. Especially SNU.”
Her advice to push through the financial struggles stuck with him.
Yeah. I can earn money other ways.
His powers were absolute. If things got truly desperate, he could always resort to them. But not now. He wasn’t at that point yet.
With resolve, Jihun turned toward the bookstore, a quiet, proud smile on his face.
…
“Take care, Jihun.”
Bidding farewell to Yerim, he stepped out of the store.
“These books are pricey as hell.”
He carried paper bags stuffed with reference books in both hands. Today’s haul—reference materials and past SAT practice sets—had cost him about 300,000 won. He sighed at the depleted envelope.
“Part-time pay’s all gonna go to books.”
Yet even as he grumbled to himself, a quiet satisfaction swelled in his chest. His studies were progressing smoothly, and that pride overshadowed any regret.
At this rate, a perfect SAT score isn’t a pipe dream.
He’d tackled past SAT books multiple times already, nailing most problems. Top scores were all but guaranteed.
“Just a bit more. Keep at it.”
Muttering encouragement, he headed home.
…
[All things exist.]
Flash!
Jihun’s room filled with golden radiance. It emanated from his hand, channeling the authority of creation.
A golden glow enveloped his palm, gradually revealing... his smartphone.
To an outsider, it would seem miraculous. But to Jihun, it was frustratingly familiar.
Why do I keep failing?!
Since receiving the Advanced Object Replication Creation quest, he’d been chipping away at it in his spare time. But it wasn’t working.
Advanced objects—smartphones, computers, cars—required intricate, complex tech. His creation powers hadn’t reached that level yet.
“Just the shell again.”
He made a bitter face. He’d attempted to replicate his phone dozens of times. Early on, nothing formed at all. With effort, he got vague shapes. Now, after over a week, he could produce a perfect shell.
“My abilities fall short for the internal components.”
His Creation Force neared 20,000. Yet even that wasn’t enough for a flawless smartphone replica. Advanced replication demanded immense power.
“...I’ll get it eventually.”
Exhausted from all-day attempts, Jihun stepped out to clear his head.
“Haaaah.”
He exhaled warmly, watching his breath mist in the air and fade away.
“It’s freezing.”
On a whim, he took a stroll. Walking aimlessly was one of his few hobbies. Sure, city streets weren’t scenic, but he enjoyed the fresh air and people-watching.
Hurried folks, leisurely strollers, kids, adults, men, women... everyone with their own stories, shuffling along.
Jihun observed them one by one. Some stared at phones, others chatted with companions. A few walked while talking on calls; others listened to music through earbuds.
He watched without agenda, letting it soothe his mind.
Vrrr.
His phone buzzed. He answered.
“Tomorrow, me and the sand kids are hitting the pub. You in?”
Seokho’s voice brimmed with excitement for his first drinking outing.
“Yeah, I’ll come. No more shifts.”
“Cool. See you there.”
Hanging up, Jihun stared blankly at the street. So many people, each with their lives, walking by.
He took it all in slowly and murmured,
“I’m just one of them.”
Ordinary people, full of unique traits. He was no different. But if he became a great high Creator God like Asrie... wouldn’t that change?
Standing there, he pondered blankly.
============================ Author's Note ============================