Chapter 116
Chapter 116
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 116
Chapter Title: Humanity's First Mage (3)
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When facing monsters, two things were essential: a way to pierce their defenses and a way to block their attacks.
And every mercenary working on Cameron Planet knew this: the stronger the monster, the more crucial superpowers became in dealing with it.
Weak monsters could be handled with various methods without superpowers, but strong ones almost always required them—powerful ones, at that.
Even gathering a hundred superpower users with power level 1 achieved nothing. Combining them simultaneously wouldn't yield a power of 100 either. What was needed was a single superpower user who could unleash 100 at once.
That was the reason for the enthusiasm surrounding the concept of a mage.
If one could use multiple superpowers at the same time, wouldn't that surpass the limitations of conventional superpower users?
'Word will spread soon enough anyway.'
Lee Jung-woo thought as much. Anything else might slip by, but a mage? The rumors would reach him even if he plugged his ears.
* * *
"Everything checks out. Moving on to the next test..."
"Ah, come on. How long is this going to take?"
"S-Sorry. We were ordered to check everything..."
The doctor in charge of Suhyun's examination bowed repeatedly, flustered. He knew exactly who Suhyun was. A staff member nearby rushed over.
"If there's anything you need, we can provide it right now."
"Just hurry up and finish it."
Suhyun grumbled irritably. He'd anticipated these checks upon revealing himself as a mage, but that didn't make them any less tedious.
"Humans do the strangest things."
"For humans, a mage is a first. Elves have seen a few, so it feels different for you."
"Mages are rare for us too. I've never seen one in person... Though an elder from the tribe said he saw one when he was young, but I'm not sure."
Shaina shrugged her shoulders. The superpowered guards protecting Suhyun against any mishaps flinched every time they saw the dark elf Shaina. Suhyun noticed and waved them off—meaning, don't interrupt the conversation; go away.
"......"
Who would defy whose orders? The man quietly withdrew.
"All done. Everything's perfectly normal except for a few late results. As for the superpower power check..."
"Let's go."
They were just as interested in his superpower output as his physical condition. Suhyun moved to demonstrate his superpower power. This test measured telekinesis precisely, recording its limits in data.
"...!"
"No restrictions on the form of the ability, and the power is..."
The recording staff member's voice trembled slightly as they noted it down. As a specialist who'd seen every kind of superpower, this was Suhyun's telekinesis—a first.
"Is this a fusion of multiple superpowers, by any chance?"
"No, just telekinesis."
"You awakened healing first, right?"
"Yes."
'Does awakening afterward influence it with the prior ability?'
The staff thought so, given how powerful Suhyun's telekinesis was—not just in raw power, but in its very nature.
If they knew he'd toned it down, they'd have fainted.
Suhyun had hidden his full superpower power. He trusted the government, but not completely. His info could leak anywhere, anytime, and someone might exploit it. No need to lay all his cards on the table.
* * *
"Aren't Gate 4 countries allied under a treaty?"
"That treaty didn't include full information sharing."
"Speaking of info sharing, about that tech from China. What's the deal?"
"No idea what you're talking about."
"The superpower nullifier. How did it end up in a terrorist's hands?"
The American representative smiled slyly. The man, stung where it hurt, bit his lip slightly. Denying any link between the superpower nullifier and China was impossible—too much evidence.
"We had an incident on our side. All involved were punished..."
"Fixed the system too?"
"Pardon?"
"You'd need to fix the system to prevent repeats. Honestly, it's scary. A superpower nullifier... In some ways, it's too easy to abuse. Even the best superpower user drops with one of these. Especially now, with everyone desperate for them."
"......"
"I'm worried about terror attacks targeting superpower users. We can't let that happen. Maybe China could cooperate on this front..."
"The superpower nullifier is unequivocally our technology."
"Will you take responsibility for incidents caused by nullifiers afterward?"
"That's not our responsibility. Gun companies aren't liable for robberies with guns."
'Not budging.'
The American thought so and eased off. He hadn't expected much anyway. His own country had nearly completed research on the nullifier tech. A similar device would emerge soon.
What he was really after was something else.
"Well, the Korean mage is Korean, so requesting him is tricky."
"...!"
Two orders: block Russia and China's info requests first, then secure Korea's. US-Korea ties were far warmer than with Russia or China—plenty feasible.
'They're blatantly circling us.'
'Historical allies, huh?'
Both nations' reps realized official channels were dead ends. Unofficial ones? Always options.
* * *
"Must've been a hassle. Good work."
"What? It was for the government's benefit, not mine, so yeah, good work."
"......"
The director's face crumpled slightly; he'd expected something like, 'It was for my benefit.'
"What's next? If it's okay, I'd like to wrap this up and move on."
"W-Well..."
Lee Won-jae swallowed hard. He wanted to beg Suhyun not to leave Pyongyang for a while—too many eyes on him now. If Suhyun vanished, he'd take the fall.
'And elections are coming up soon...'
Development Planning Bureau boasted results like no other, but had a fatal flaw: Dragon Slayer Project. A regime change could axe it.
Suhyun read the director's mind.
"I'll keep risks minimal. Contacts... Well, I'm human; can't refuse every one."
'Damn!'
"More than that, doesn't Development Planning need me around? No team otherwise?"
Time to collaborate with the Korean military on a dedicated special forces unit. A military special unit disguised as a private merc company. The military had invested heavily. Suhyun had started shining then.
"Don't worry. We're not burdening Team Leader Kim Suhyun alone. We're recruiting a new team ASAP."
"...?"
Not the answer he'd expected—Suhyun tilted his head.
"From where?"
"Private merc companies, of course."
"...??"
Suhyun grew more confused. Few merc firms touched Dragon Slayer due to Development Planning ties. Big ones had their own gigs; small ones offered no government upside.
"Just between us and Team Leader Kim Suhyun..."
"That's not reassuring at all."
"...We've secured two teams. One confirmed, the other looking very positive—likely confirmed too."
"Where?"
"The confirmed one's a new merc company. Former Gaon-gil Team 2; whole team jumped ship and started their own."
'Joo Won-jun?!"
Suhyun finally remembered the forgotten nuisance. He clicked his tongue inwardly. Not his worry now, but the pest trailing him irked.
'Mogok needs to find it and return soon.'
"And the other?"
"You know them well. Jindo."
"Jindo? Teaming up with Development Planning?"
"We worked hard to convince them."
The director nodded proudly.
'How much did they promise...?'
Redwood Forest ties made Jindo more approachable than most.
"Anyway, I figured a different approach."
"?"
"Thought you'd spin up a new military unit and outsource it."
"!!!"
The director gaped at Suhyun.
"H-How...?"
Top secret. The new unit wasn't just monster hunts or scouting—likely espionage against other nations. All ultra-classified...
"Oh, nailed it then."
'Shoot!'
Lee Won-jae realized his slip, face stiffening. A man of his caliber making a rookie mistake—Suhyun's knowledge shocked him into losing composure.
"Team Leader Kim Suhyun, where'd you hear that? Tell me details. This is serious!"
"Didn't hear; just guessed."
"......"
"For real. Easy to deduce. China's doing it—pulling military personnel for external firms. Cheaper costs, broader ops. With our exclusive teams smashed except mine, expansion's impossible short-term. Only option: military collab."
"...!"
'W-What is this guy...?'
Hard to believe the 20-something merc walking beside him pierced Cameron's politics from his seat. Not just anyone.
"Anyway... Me going out puts our director in a bind, right?"
Lee Won-jae felt ominous. Suhyun had never been this chummy—especially not 'our director.'
"Y-Yes."
"Then I'll stick to the city for a bit. Grant a few requests."
"If we can..."
"Would I ask for too much?"
Suhyun grinned. The director couldn't say 'You might' to his face—just smiled back.
* * *
"Hello. Kim Suhyun."
"More polite than expected?"
"Did the director call me arrogant? Kinda disappointed in him..."
"N-No, not that..."
Lee Sun-hwa waved her hands. Pre-meeting rumors painted a young, cocky genius. Stellar achievements young, now a mage to boot.
"You requested physical enhancement surgery from me. Sure? Haven't done one hands-on in ages..."
"Best stays best, even stepped back."
"No rewards for flattery."
She said so, but her face beamed.
Suhyun's first request to the director: physical enhancement surgery.
He'd planned it awhile. ASAP.
His body couldn't quite handle his superpowers. Nothing worse than the flesh buckling under output—fix the flaw fast.
And Lee Sun-hwa had done his enhancement in his past life. He knew her well.
Biomechanics expert, enhancement authority. Unlike others, trustworthy character—no weird bombs implanted.
Above all, she was Choi Ji-eun's mother.
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