Chapter 143
Chapter 143
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 143
Chapter Title: There's Something Special About Mages (1)
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I could have left a message at the base before arriving here, but traveling with Blue Bear had forced us to take a different route than usual, and that seemed to be the cause.
‘What could the Director want?’
There was only one reason the Director would summon him. Something had happened. Whether it was good or bad.
“Then I’ll head to the Development Planning Department for a bit... Hold on, what’s wrong with everyone?”
The team members’ faces looked utterly drained, as if they were suffering from a brutal hangover. Suhyun even suspected they might have snuck some drinks while he wasn’t looking.
‘No, Park Su-yong and Lee So-hee are here too, so that can’t be it.’
“My stomach feels off... I think I’ll feel better if I go rest.”
“We weren’t marching that hard. Go take a break then. Kim Chang-sik, you look relatively fine...”
“Isn’t this the difference that comes from regular training?”
“You talk a good game. Don’t wander off anywhere—just go rest up properly for a few days. The rest of you too. Got it?”
“Yes, sir!”
Thanks to the easy travel with Blue Bear, Suhyun hadn’t noticed right away how off the team members were from their usual state. Still, he didn’t think too much of it.
‘They’re not kids anymore. They’ll manage their own condition just fine.’
“What did you need me for?”
Suhyun checked his watch as he asked. Once this was done, he planned to head to Ji-eun and report on the situation. There were too many incidents from Insulin to sort through alone—he needed time to organize his thoughts, and someone to help with that.
“Oh, you’re here. I was worried sick. With dragons and dark elves over there...”
“If we let that scare us, we couldn’t move at all. It’s all handled, Director. I get that getting blown away by a dragon left a trauma, but dwelling on it won’t do any good. No matter who steps up first, humanity will have to move eventually. The difference is just whether we do it fast or slow. Like always, the ones who lag behind won’t get a shot. If we’re gonna do it, better to jump in quick and claim the lead, right? Especially since you were worried about your political position...”
The Director pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his brow. Truth be told, even having this conversation with Suhyun felt precarious. Suhyun was far too big to consider under his command anymore. Korea’s sole mage wouldn’t change regardless of whether the Director stayed or got axed.
“That should be fine.”
“Oh, your approval ratings holding up?”
“Yes, projections look steady for a win...”
“Well, maintaining the status quo works for me too. A change in administration would mean a full purge of this department—adapting to new blood would be a hassle.”
At Suhyun’s attitude, the Director let out a sigh of relief. One of his worries had been Suhyun teaming up with outsiders to stir internal politics. Suhyun had the power for it now.
But from his demeanor, he didn’t seem interested.
“So, what’s this about?”
“It’s not that important, really, but you asked to be informed about anything team-related, so I called you in.”
“Team formation? Did you find a new team to work with the Development Planning Department?”
“Oh, no, not that. And it’ll be tough for a while. At least until after the election...”
Joo Won-jun’s screw-up had ripple effects everywhere. The department had caught heat for trying to work with a guy like that on government ops. Lucky for them, it was their own Suhyun who exposed it—otherwise, they’d have been pinned down and hammered relentlessly.
Either way, adding a new team now was too risky. The Director figured he’d just manage the mage team they already had and stay put.
“It’s about a new team in the National Guard. They don’t have to worry about public opinion as much as we do.”
“Fair enough. They’ve always done their own thing...”
Suhyun nodded. Korean military and a new team. He could guess what this was about. Korea, which had relied mostly on private mercenary firms, was finally kicking off a new project. Like the special forces unit back in his army days, gathering talent from the ranks.
Cheaper, easier to keep secret, convenient in every way. Sure, it bordered on talent exploitation for those involved.
‘Thinking back, why the hell was I so gung-ho about it then...’
The idea of loyalty to nation or military now drew a hollow laugh. That loyalty had been cleanly washed away after the betrayal.
“Do you know a guy named Lee Jung-young?”
“Nope.”
As if he didn’t. Suhyun shook his head, feigning ignorance.
Lee Jung-young. Former Army Colonel. Rumors swirled that his discharge involved tangled politics. But that wasn’t the point—the key was he’d pushed for forming special forces at the regiment level.
‘I never liked that guy much even back then...’
He wanted to benchmark China’s state-led approach. Scoop up talent cheaply from the military, launder them through fake private merc companies, and boom—instant usable forces.
No more begging scraps from existing PMCs.
The problem was treating troops like disposables, despite being ex-military himself. Add sky-high ambition, and it synergized into a nightmare.
‘China’s got talent to spare. We’re a fraction of that.’
“Ex-Army Colonel, but quite the exceptional fellow. Convinced military brass and government types to greenlight a new project. There’s talent in the ranks, right? He wants to gather them into a new team.”
“Intriguing... Oh, Director.”
“Yes?”
“With the Joo Won-jun mess, you owe me one.”
The Director felt a sudden unease. Why bring that up now?
“Yeah... I do.”
“You’ve gotta pay up eventually.”
“Sure, of course...”
“When they’re gathering talent from the military, mind if I snag a few?”
The Director’s face fell. He was mincing words, but it boiled down to poaching.
“No, the team doesn’t even exist yet, project’s not even live—starting now is...”
“Can’t do it?”
“It’s not impossible, but... you see...”
“Really can’t?”
“...It’ll happen. I’ll make it work.”
When squeezed between powers, stick to the stronger one. The Director played by the rule.
“How many you planning to take?”
“Not many. Two or three at most. Oh, and I’ll pull them before the team forms—no harm to you.”
Yanking after selection and formation would be tougher. Better for everyone to grab during recruitment.
“Pardon? How would you even pick them out?”
“Director, who do you think I am?”
“Ah...”
Only then did the Director recall the rumors trailing Suhyun.
- Korea’s mage can distinguish unawakened superpowered individuals.
- Korea’s mage can awaken superpowers.
The rumors clung stubbornly, even growing wilder after Suhyun’s mage status went public.
‘Does this guy really have that ability?’
He couldn’t help suspecting. Plus, the Director had a read on Suhyun now. Young-looking exterior aside, he was no ordinary schemer. Hiding such power for some goal wouldn’t shock him.
“Spotting talent’s my specialty. So, that’s a yes—much appreciated.”
“Uh, sure...”
Suhyun stood. He had no clue his rumors were about to blow up even bigger.
* * *
“This the elixir?”
“You have no idea the ordeal to get it...”
Closing his eyes brought back Shaia’s family clinging to his ankle. Suhyun shuddered.
‘Wait, thinking about it, that hardship had nothing to do with the elixir.’
Misreading it, Ji-eun spoke with concern.
“That ogre must’ve been brutal? Should’ve dodged it...”
“No, well, yeah. It was tough. Without time powers, it would’ve been a nightmare.”
“Oh, the time power... How’s handling it?”
“Pretty much got the hang of acceleration now.”
“What about other ways?”
“Other ways?”
“Deceleration, applying to other objects, ramping up acceleration more, variations like that. You know superpowers better than I do.”
Superpowers had fixed forms but no set limits. Had to test diverse uses to find boundaries.
“Deceleration... Haven’t needed it. What use is slowing myself? Applying to objects starts now. The elixir’s incomplete still.”
“Huh?”
“Needs much longer to mature, apparently.”
“Mind if I analyze the components?”
“As long as you don’t mess with the contents.”
“Obviously.”
“And I spotted something odd.”
“?”
Suhyun explained the technique that pierced the ogre’s nullification defense—combining two-plus superpowers. Seeing Ji-eun’s blank face light up, he shook his head.
‘Born workaholic.’
Not that he could talk. After hearing him out, Ji-eun spoke with interest.
“Superpower combos have been theorized forever. Group efforts or artifacts failed before—wavelengths vary by user. But with a mage, it proves viable.”
“Stop calling me a test subject to my face.”
“Oh, that reminds me—while you were gone, something fun happened on our end.”
“Intruders? Attack? Kidnapping? Data leak? Industrial espionage?”
“...Is that what counts as fun for you?”
“Sorry, my standards slipped in.”
Ji-eun pressed a finger to her lips for silence, then led him along. After layers of security, they reached a room.
A silver metal box sat inside. Stark, but irrelevant. Suhyun heard pulsing from within.
“What’s this?”
“At least it’s not a Christmas present.”
Ji-eun wore a rare expression—excited anticipation before gifting, unusual for her.
“Want it as a Christmas gift, it’s yours.”
“Pass. Suspicious box over wine? Too much of a downgrade.”
“Wine? Oh... I got you wine for Christmas?”
“With birth control pills.”
“...!”
Ji-eun’s ears flushed. Cursing her future self inwardly, she regained composure.
“A-anyway. This is...”
“Need time? Take a breather first?”
“No need for that! It’s an artifact.”
“?”
Suhyun approached the box. An artifact?
“Why’s this ‘fun’?”
“It’s an ‘artificial’ artifact.”
“...!”
Suhyun was genuinely shocked for once. Artificial artifact? Just rumors everywhere, never commercialized.
‘How’d Korea beat everyone? My tech imports?’
“Know what’s inside?”
“What?”
“Joo Won-jun’s organ.”
“......”
It clicked. Securing a top-tier superpower user’s organ intact was tricky. Still, turning it into an artifact so fast? Suhyun felt unfamiliar pity.
“Wait, you actually tested it?”
“Yeah, see that?”
Behind a transparent wall stood a metal humanoid. Cyborg straight out of a movie.
“No way that’s...”
“Adapted from Joo Won-jun’s data. If it works out, guard duty here.”
Corpse enhanced with mechanical wizardry. Different direction from Joo’s zombies, but imposing nonetheless.
“Next time, bring altaranium—coat it on top.”
“Seriously?!”
Dr. Lee Seon-hwa had peeked in on hearing Suhyun visit Ji-eun, only to see the pair chummily chatting over a corpse. She shook her head.
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