Chapter 115
Chapter 115
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 115
Chapter Title: Humanity's First Mage (2)
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Since Ivan was a superpower user himself, he couldn't help but feel curious about Suhyun, who had broken the common knowledge that only one superpower could be used.
“When, and how, did you awaken?”
“Were we close enough to share our deepest secrets like that?”
“Ah, well...”
Ivan's face reddened. That was certainly true. Information about mages was precious in every detail.
“I'm kidding. You might not believe it, but the awakening itself wasn't anything special. I just awakened twice.”
“......”
Ivan nodded with a mix of belief and doubt. Whether it was true or not, he had no intention of denying Suhyun's words right in front of him.
“So, you can't touch those guys? If we kill them together...”
“I'd say go ahead if you can handle the aftermath.”
“You're not even mad?”
“You have to be on the same level for me to get mad.”
“…!”
It sounded arrogant, but compared to what Suhyun had just shown, it was a statement he could fully back up.
It was a good opportunity to eliminate Liu Xin, but there were too many eyes watching right now. And the situation wasn't favorable. These were the official team from the Chinese side. Even if they claimed attackers, killing them together would make cleanup difficult. The Chinese weren't that powerless.
‘If they came at us, it'd make things easier on our end, but they've got good patience.’
Even as their allies were being wiped out, they held their positions. That was the rule. Unless they were the attackers, if it came out that they orchestrated it, it would escalate to an international dispute right away.
Suhyun's eyes met those of the Chinese superpower team sitting with grim expressions. Liu Xin's black eyes simmered with barely concealed hostility and fighting spirit. But Suhyun just looked at him indifferently.
‘Just you wait, next time...!’
‘He's really gotten smaller.’
An opponent who used to be so tricky now felt like he could be killed with a single finger. A sudden sense of emptiness washed over him.
“I guess those bastards will have to do.”
“Planning to send them to the Gulag?”
“Gu-Gulag? We don't have anything like that.”
“…?”
It was common knowledge that every country on Cameron had secret detention facilities. Prisons for incarcerating criminals who couldn't be dealt with publicly. He assumed China and Russia, ahead of Korea's military in that regard, already had them operating, and their reaction confirmed it.
‘They already built one?’
Suhyun clicked his tongue inwardly. Either way, the future didn't look bright for the captured prisoners. If they were lucky, they'd get a trial; if not, they wouldn't.
“Um... thank you.”
“If you're grateful, go tell my father to put in a good word.”
“Yes? Yes! I'll definitely tell him.”
Having revealed himself as a mage, Suhyun was as unreserved as if he'd taken off a mask. Dmitri nodded in flustered agreement.
“Communications are back up.”
“Good. When the follow-up team arrives, let's head back with our Chinese friends here.”
Suhyun said it with blatant sarcasm.
* * *
Before the Korean team could even check the altaranium mine, the news that humanity's first mage had appeared spread quickly. The Korean government, caught off guard by the unexpected situation, responded swiftly anyway.
An escort unit was assembled immediately. Having heard about the clash, the Korean government reacted sensitively. It would be absurd if their hard-earned first mage died to an attack.
As Suhyun and his team returned under heavy protection, Cameron buzzed with the new news.
“Ha, this is really...”
“Chairman, did you hear?”
“I just did.”
“What is this...? Chairman, I heard you made a scouting offer to Suhyun. Did you know about this?”
Robert McLean and Charles Carlos. They were heavyweights from the U.S. side with their own connections to Suhyun.
Robert already knew Charles had made an offer to Suhyun. If he hadn't anticipated it after their face-to-face, he wouldn't deserve his CEO position.
He'd let a major sponsor approach without interference because of Charles's temperament. Interfering could backfire. Charles had the power to support both Suhyun and Blue Bear, so there was no reason to provoke him.
But this situation went beyond expectations. For his mage status to be revealed during an operation with the Russians under attack.
‘This old man... How much did he know?’
If Charles had known about Suhyun being a mage and kept it to himself, that was a serious issue. What was he planning by hiding it?
“No way. If I'd known, would I have stopped at that kind of offer? I was surprised too.”
“He's a tough one to handle.”
“True. Like an untamed beast. But now what...”
“?”
“I thought people like us were the only ones who knew his true value and felt secure, but now every lowlife will come swarming.”
“That's what's bothering you right now?”
“In over a century of living, I've never had something I eyed first snatched away. Don't you get it? When you sponsor a poor artist and they suddenly become famous and everyone knows, it's a bit bittersweet.”
“That's a metaphor I can't quite grasp.”
“It was a bit of a strange one.”
“Anyway, you don't need to worry about that.”
“Why not?”
“You know Kim Suhyun's personality well.”
“You only know half the story.”
“Pardon?”
“I said he's like a beast. That wasn't just about his temper.”
Charles raised both hands in front, curling them like animal claws in a clumsy beast imitation. Robert barely held back a laugh. Charles held grudges long in such matters.
“Kim Suhyun is a guy who lives with endless hunger. Like a beast. I know—I was like that when I was young.”
“......”
“What's that look?”
“Nothing.”
“Guys like that keep starving. No matter what they achieve, it never feels enough, so they keep charging ahead. And when they snap out of it...”
Charles pointed to himself.
“They end up at the top like me.”
“I get that you're impressive and Kim Suhyun is impressive, but... how does that relate to what you just said?”
“Man, you still don't get it.”
Charles wagged his finger and continued.
“Would a hungry beast be picky about its prey?”
“…!”
“No matter who the opponent is, it'll snap it up greedily. Kim Suhyun isn't one to work under someone, but he'd accept a mutual exploitation deal. And now that he's a mage, the bold ones will come charging in for even that... This is a real headache. I thought we'd gotten close.”
“But we already have an established connection...”
“You think he'd care about that?”
“…No, probably not.”
Even Robert thought Suhyun could cut ties with them anytime if needed.
“I didn't call him beast-like for nothing. Anyway, we'll have to think on this separately. No point agonizing now. But what else was bothering you?”
“Ah... Humanity's first mage appears, and that's not on your mind?”
“Not really.”
Charles didn't look surprised at all.
“You might have forgotten, but I saw humanity's first superpower user in person. I always thought a mage would emerge from humanity someday. Just like the first superpower user.”
Charles gazed into the distance, reminiscing.
When humanity's first superpower user appeared, Earth was in an uproar. The paradigm dominating humanity for thousands of years had shattered. It was impossible not to be excited.
“Scientists called superpowers a mutation from exposure to Cameron's environment. If the hypothesis holds, the first one was the most affected. By that logic, a mage emerging from humanity isn't surprising, right? Records show they already exist among other races. Just see it as another mutation form—easy to understand.”
“Only someone like you could accept it that easily. The records on other-race mages are controversial too...”
Some scientists argued mages were impossible, and records of other-race mages were misinterpretations of artifact-wielding superpower users.
“First appearances are hard, but once one shows up, it won't be surprising anymore. More importantly, Kim Suhyun's superpowers are telekinesis and healing, right?”
“Yes.”
“He's not hiding more, is he?”
Charles said it casually, not imagining he'd pierced the truth.
“No way. No matter how sly, could he hide his identity while mastering multiple superpowers?”
“True. Two are plenty. And those two are so valuable...”
Charles fell silent in thought, then spoke again.
“Can't approach him now, right?”
“The Korean government won't allow it. They'd probably want to keep him from leaving Pyongyang altogether.”
“Good thing Kim Suhyun isn't the type to accept that.”
Nothing would be a bigger loss than the first mage dying outside. With only one, that's what it meant.
“Alright. Once things settle, there'll be an opening. We'll contact him then.”
* * *
“Kim Suhyun awakened as a mage? That Kim Suhyun from Uncle Jo Company?”
“Yes.”
“...Impressive.”
Jindo's 1st Team Leader Lee Jung-woo swallowed his surprise at the news. He acknowledged Suhyun's abilities, but a mage was beyond common sense.
Thud! Thud!
“What's that noise?”
“Team Leader Choi Jae-ho...”
“......”
Lee Jung-woo slowly shook his head. He understood why 2nd Team Leader Choi Jae-ho was losing it. He was the one who first evaluated Kim Suhyun at Jindo.
The evaluation started with: Healing ability is tempting, but the owner is hard to handle—no value in dragging to the company. As Suhyun accomplished feats one by one, it made Choi Jae-ho bow his head everywhere.
It got a reevaluation when Kang In-gyu filled Lee Jung-woo's absence, but that was it. After Kang In-gyu awakened as a superpower user, Choi Jae-ho started kicking off blankets at night.
Choi Jae-ho, once praised as a talent scout who threatened Lee Jung-woo's position, was now treated as a fool beaten by a young upstart. No one said it to his face, but those in the know mocked him behind his back.
And now, a mage too.
‘Honestly, it's a bit satisfying.’
Watching a rival who'd eyed his spot self-destruct was enjoyable. Lee Jung-woo held no grudge against Suhyun. He lost an artifact during the rescue, but now it seemed minor. Seeing Choi Jae-ho even made him grateful.
Plus, in the Dragon Slayer Project, Suhyun saved his life. Thinking of other mercenaries he knew who entered Dragonia Basin and came out as corpses still gave him chills.
“Offers will pour in from all sides.”
“Honestly, I don't get it. A mage is just one extra superpower, right? Artifacts can do that too...”
Lee Jung-woo smirked at his grumbling team member. The jealousy from a fellow superpower user was obvious. Having worked with Suhyun, it made sense.
“Artifacts don't grow, but superpowers do. Artifacts must be sourced, useless without the right one, and no matter how skilled, they're not your own power, so harder to control than innate superpowers. But not for a mage.”
“That's a minor difference...”
“True. One person like Kim Suhyun can't match a group of superpower users. But even so, it's plenty attractive. Superpower researchers will drool... Beyond that, honestly, I don't have a good read. Never seen how strong he really is.”
“I heard it's high-utility telekinesis, so the power must be underwhelming.”
Lee Jung-woo didn't stop his team member trying to badmouth anymore. It wouldn't sink in right now.
‘If it's not just the mage novelty, but his superpowers are powerful too...’
It could open a new chapter in Cameron exploration.
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