Creation Talent
“Feeling so refreshed today!”
Kim Jihun sprang out of bed with a bright smile. He'd just woken up, but there wasn't a trace of grogginess. Instead, a crisp freshness he'd never felt before sent a shiver down his spine.
If every morning could be like this.
It had been ages since he'd had such a great start to the day. Jihun threw on some clothes and hopped on his bike, heading to school.
On the way to school, Jihun pedaled along the riverside bike path that stretched all the way to campus, just like always.
A cold winter breeze brushed against his cheek.
“Hey, Jihun! Been waiting for you.”
Halfway down the path, Jihun spotted his friend. The guy's name was Han Seokho, a classmate with a slightly bulkier build.
“Man, it's freezing. Let's hurry.”
“Yeah.”
Jihun and Seokho rode side by side down the path to school. The distance from Jihun's house was about 3 km—a quick 10-minute bike ride.
Jihun pedaled with unusual cheer.
Biking feels... effortless.
Jihun had zero talent for sports. Even with daily bike commutes, he'd be huffing and puffing after just 10 minutes.
But now? It felt like nothing.
I could go even faster. Should I crank it up?
Jihun shifted gears and pushed harder.
Click. The chain shifted with a sharp snap.
He bore down on the pedals.
Whoosh!
Jihun's bike shot forward. The scenery blurred past at high speed, the icy wind whipping his face.
“Whoa!”
Jihun let out a cry of amazement. Even at this much faster pace—way beyond his usual—he felt as natural as breathing.
He glanced back. Seokho stared at him in disbelief, struggling to keep up despite giving it his all.
“Ahahaha!”
Jihun burst into laughter at the unexpected thrill. They'd raced bikes every day, but he'd never once beaten Seokho.
Yet here he was, blowing past him with ease.
For some reason, Jihun sensed himself changing.
“You been working out or something?”
At school, Jihun and Seokho locked up their bikes. Seokho eyed him suspiciously.
Jihun grinned. “Nah. You know I'd never catch up to you no matter how hard I tried.”
“Then how'd you zoom past like that? Oh, is it this bike?”
Seokho hefted Jihun's pseudo-MTB bike. Its hefty weight strained his arms.
“Ugh, this is straight-up steel TB. You beat me on this? Mine's aluminum—way lighter—and you still lapped me on that tank...”
Seokho muttered in confusion.
Jihun beamed. “Hey, it happens.”
But Seokho wasn't buying it. “No way. You'd be gasping after 10 slow minutes before. How are you so chill after sprinting like that? I'm dying over here.”
He wasn't wrong. Sweat beaded on Seokho's face from his five-minute all-out chase, while Jihun, who'd gone even faster, stood there looking perfectly relaxed.
“Dunno. Body just feels light today.”
Jihun was thrilled by his sudden stamina boost. No idea why, but biking—which used to drain him—now felt like a breeze.
Something good's coming. I can feel it.
Senior year, post-college entrance exams. That was Jihun's current status.
Like most schools, his didn't really teach after exams. Teachers just played movies or let them self-study, basically leaving them alone.
The class read novels they'd brought or fiddled with phones.
Jihun was no different. He pulled out his book and started reading.
“...?”
But suddenly, he noticed his focus and thinking speed were sharper. He'd devoured a thick 500-page heavy novel in just 30 minutes—reading every word carefully.
“What? Have I ever read this fast?”
Jihun blinked at his boosted reading speed and concentration. Normally, that book would've taken him 4-5 hours minimum.
But 30 minutes? Insane.
Something's changing.
Biking without tiring. Speed-reading books. He was starting to grasp his new abilities.
Maybe I finally got some talent?
A flicker of hope stirred in him.
...
On the way home, Jihun and Seokho biked side by side again.
“Jihun, seriously—no workouts?”
“Told you, no.”
“This is weird! You beat me on a bike?”
Seokho shot him a dubious look—like he'd been secretly training.
If practice worked, I'd have won ages ago.
Meeting Seokho's gaze made Jihun reflect on his past lack of talent. He'd practiced biking and trained his stamina before, but never beaten him.
Then he got that mysterious book, and suddenly... he could lap him effortlessly.
What did that book do to me?
Asrie's words from yesterday replayed in his mind. The self-proclaimed Creator God had appeared, explained Creation Talent, and asked if he wanted it removed. He'd refused, and she'd smiled in satisfaction...
“Asrie... or the book. One of them changed me.”
“Huh? What'd you say?”
“Nothing.”
Jihun pedaled silently, his mind full of thoughts about Creation Talent.
...
“I'm home.”
Jihun returned, greeted his parents, and headed straight to his room.
First thing he checked: the book on his desk. The Creator God Manual.
“Creator God Manual, huh.”
He stroked it gently, feeling joy at how it seemed to be unlocking his talents.
But then, reacting to his touch, the book began to glow.
“Gasp!”
He hadn't expected it again. Tension made him swallow hard.
Hummm.
A golden sheen emanated faintly from the book.
With trembling hands, Jihun turned a page. Swish—the silky, luxurious paper flipped smoothly.
Golden text appeared.
Jihun's eyes widened. “The words are back?!”
Chapter 1 - Material Creation
Guide: Insufficient material realm Creation Force to interpret.
“Creation Force?”
Jihun frowned at the brief message. Basically, he lacked this “Creation Force” to read the book.
“Ugh, thought something was finally happening. Can't even read because of missing Creation Force?”
No different from before. He sighed in disappointment.
“Don't even know what Creation Force is or how to get it. What now?”
Then, as if responding, the book glowed faintly gold again and displayed new text.
Material realm Creation Force can be obtained by keeping the Creator God Manual close or analyzing the structure of matter.
Jihun read the new text. “Keep the book close or analyze matter's structure...”
He tilted his head. “Book close means... hold it? And analyzing structure?”
He didn't get it fully, but decided to try.
It explicitly said keeping the book close builds Creation Force.
“Close, huh? Like hugging it?”
He closed the Creator God Manual and hugged it tight to his chest. Pretty heavy for its size.
“...Nothing.”
He grumbled and set it back down. Time for the next method.
“Said analyze matter's structure.”
His eye caught a cheap ballpoint pen rolling on the desk—a generic MXX pen, nothing special.
“Hmm.”
Jihun picked it up, intending to analyze.
Hummm!
“!”
Suddenly, a flood of info poured into his mind—all about that lowly pen. From basics like structure, material, function... to molecular and atomic details of every tiny part.
“Ugh... argh!”
The onslaught triggered a splitting headache. Jihun groaned, clutching his head, and dropped the pen.
“Hah!”
The pain vanished instantly.
“Hah... huff...”
Jihun stared at the fallen pen, catching his breath. Still reeling from the shock.
“The moment I grabbed it and thought 'analyze,' info exploded in my head. Like scanning it...”
He calmed himself and pieced it together.
“That's what 'analyzing matter' means.”
Reviewing it: Holding the pen and willing analysis dumped an overwhelming data torrent into his brain—structure, use, durability, down to atomic levels.
“Incredible.”
It felt godlike. A bizarre sensation beyond human limits. Absorbing vast info in a flash was burdensome and painful, but satisfying his thirst for knowledge too.
As Jihun marveled at his new power,
Actually, Jihun's talent boost is a side effect of the Creator God Manual increasing his Creation Force. Creation is the highest among all talents and authorities, so as Creation Force grows, lower talents get indirect boosts too.
I've got a stockpile for a few more chapters, so expect weekend uploads for a bit!