Chapter 28
Chapter 28
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Labor, Study, Exercise
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Labor, study, exercise.
No matter what you did, if you pushed yourself diligently and steadily, you received the judgment of [Asceticism], and your First Skill would awaken.
It was an utterly natural phenomenon, like a child learning to speak and take their first steps.
Right— in a world where everyone awakened.
Statistics showed that over 70% of the population were Players.
Of course, being a Player didn't mean everyone worked in a related field.
The vast majority stayed at Level 1 until the day they died.
Because First Skills varied in type and grade.
For example, suppose there were 100 people who jogged the same distance every day.
Some maintained a pace suited to their stamina from start to finish, some sprinted full speed midway through, and others overexerted themselves the whole way.
And one person might do this five days a week, another six, or even every day.
The duration of that persistence could be one year, three years, or five.
After five years, those who pushed harder were distinguished from those who didn't.
These very differences determined the grade of the First Skill.
The more intensely and persistently one endured asceticism, the higher the grade of the First Skill they awakened.
But the type of skill awakened was random.
Some who jogged daily got movement-type skills, while others got something completely unrelated.
That was why it was called luck-based trash gacha.
"But life isn't all about luck."
One of the rare S-grade Players in Korea.
Among them, one of the old veterans over Level 150 was Association President Ji Cheon-myeong.
He had long maintained that outstanding Players were made, not born.
"Everyone has aptitudes. Twin brothers jog at the exact same level every day—one gets a movement skill, the other a magic skill they never cared about? That's not luck; it's innate talent."
A fact already recognized by many nations.
But knowing and utilizing it were worlds apart.
Observing each citizen long-term to identify aptitudes and provide tailored education was something even communist states couldn't pull off.
Yet noble houses did exactly that.
The families that protected the nation during the Great Cataclysm 200 years ago and earned ducal titles.
They had accumulated data on talents imprinted in their bloodlines.
"That's why you can't underestimate House Kang."
Ji Cheon-myeong rubbed his side.
The ribs broken by Kang Dae-seong eight years ago still ached occasionally.
No, it wasn't just that.
Every time he thought of House Kang, his insides twisted.
"Kang Dae-seong's little brother only got a green judgment? Bullshit. If he steadily trained that damn Quick Draw, it means he was born with swordsmanship aptitude. He'd have awakened a high-grade related skill with high probability."
Crack!
Ji Cheon-myeong gritted his teeth against the pain and snapped the armrest of his chair.
"I believe House Kang has a hidden Gate passed down through generations. Kang Jae-hyeok grew there alone before enrolling in Lion's Castle."
After receiving the principal's report.
Association President Ji Cheon-myeong first checked Kang Jae-hyeok's Gate usage records.
Once.
Kang Jae-hyeok had no record of using any Gate outside Lion's Castle.
Yet Ji Cheon-myeong immediately accepted the bet with Seol Su-ah.
Because a Level 1 shining in the Leech King Raid was physically impossible.
If Kang Jae-hyeok were in his thirties or older, he might have hesitated a second.
After twenty years of asceticism breaking limits multiple times, even a Level 1 could have decent stats.
But Kang Jae-hyeok was just a 16-year-old kid.
Zero chance he'd experienced limit breakthroughs the System recognized.
Complete depletion of physical strength and mental power.
The limits the System meant were brutally harsh.
Even high-grade Players could barely twitch a finger in that state.
With no energy left to move the body, how could they?
From there, it was purely the realm of will.
The domain of S-grade Players who crossed death's door countless times to forge even faint resolve.
A kid entering a System-recognized limit state, then continuing training to break through? Absolutely impossible.
"Even if he were a genius surpassing Kang Dae-seong and mastered House Kang's swordsmanship at that age, shining in a C-grade Raid at Level 1 makes no sense."
"I agree. If Kang Jae-hyeok were a true genius, Kang Dae-seong wouldn't have abandoned him. He's just moderately talented at best."
The chief secretary, who brought a new chair, nodded in agreement.
Ji Cheon-myeong nodded and snapped another armrest as he issued an order.
"Leak to the press that Yaksha's youngest son is facing readmission review for admission fraud. Let's drag House Kang's reputation straight to Earth's core this time."
"White Night won't stay silent."
"So what if that fool who fell for a 16-year-old kid's tricks doesn't stay silent? She's already in dire straits. Trying to block a flood just causes more damage—she has no choice but to stay quiet."
Foolish Seol Su-ah.
She must have enrolled him in Lion's Castle thinking she'd protect Yaksha's youngest son at least—but what now?
She was about to suffer even greater backlash.
A thick smile spread across Ji Cheon-myeong's lips.
***
Russia, Lake Baikal.
From the bottom of the world's deepest lake, five men and women slowly emerged.
They all looked exhausted, but only the black-haired long-haired man had unflawed breathing.
The middle-aged man swallowed dryly at the sight of the Dragon Turtle corpse being dragged out by its hand, forcing a smile.
"Impressive. I couldn't even imagine luring that monster ashore—you caught and hauled it from underwater."
"Yeah, narrow escape. Harvest the essence core and heart while it's fresh. You know what happens if even a scratch occurs?"
"Haha..."
Such an attitude toward the master of Russia's second guild.
The middle-aged man flinched but kept smiling as he urged his subordinates—when,
"Huh? Dae-seong hyung, news about your little brother. Check this out."
The youngest in the long-haired man's group waved his phone.
"Jae-hyeok?"
"Enrolled in Lion's Castle?"
"Readmission review..."
The article was so detailed it seemed like someone from Lion's Castle had leaked it.
Details like Kang Jae-hyeok, who entered Class B at Level 1, topping contributions in a crashed C-grade Raid, industry experts calling it impossible, all annotated.
"Isn't your brother in big trouble, hyung?"
"He must have hidden his level for unavoidable reasons to enroll—plans are messed up now. Tough spot."
"He'll get expelled and dragged around—shouldn't we go help?"
The group buzzed.
Even by their eyes—minimum A-grade Players—Kang Jae-hyeok's feats had plenty of suspicious circumstances.
"Do you know why I left the house to Jae-hyeok and departed?"
Kang Dae-seong smirked.
"That kid swung a sword over a thousand times from the day he first held one. The moment he learned basic forms from Father and understood them, he fell into a trance."
Even after ten years, recalling that day still sent chills down his spine.
"The rightful heir of House Kang, the young king we'll serve—dare not doubt him."
***
"What the hell is that..."
"Is it growing this big?"
Da-hee and Yu-jin's pupils shook.
The crowd filling the grand training grounds.
Lion's Castle, which locked its gates except for exchange matches with foreign schools, team tournaments, or festivals, was swarming with outsiders. Even dozens of media vans.
It felt like every media outlet in Korea was there.
At this point, it seemed someone had begged them to come.
Even accounting for him being Yaksha's son, the attention was abnormal.
"...I sense malice."
Yu-jin's expression turned bitter.
She realized anew how the media's negative coverage of House Kang over the past eight years wasn't normal.
'Claims that the government and Association smeared House Kang excessively—were they true?'
Assertions from anonymous communities, dismissed as fringe conspiracy.
She hadn't even cared.
To her, House Kang was just an old noble family past its prime.
But after receiving Jae-hyeok's help and building rapport, viewing the world through that lens made those claims seem far from wrong.
"Bad people."
Da-hee wore an uncharacteristically cold expression.
Having always admired Yaksha, she'd likely felt this creepy discomfort for a long time.
"What? Festival? Then why no food stalls?"
Only Do-jin seemed oblivious.
"Is Jae-hyeok okay?"
"Hmm..."
Yu-jin couldn't answer lightly.
People wishing for House Kang's total downfall.
Standing on stage before thousands harboring hostility— she couldn't imagine the despair.
If she were Jae-hyeok, her mind would collapse.
"Jae-hyeok's gotta be fucking thrilled."
Do-jin said excitedly to the worried Da-hee and Yu-jin.
"It's a chance to smack those bastards down in one go?"
Surprisingly.
Do-jin showed not a shred of doubt about irregularities in Jae-hyeok's admission review.
A trust even Da-hee, who defended House Kang, and Yu-jin, helped by Jae-hyeok, couldn't muster.
A freshman in Class B dominating a C-grade Raid was impossible.
Media cited experts swearing as much—regardless of personal feelings, doubt was inevitable.
"Do-jin sunbae, you met Jae-hyeok here too, right? How can you trust him that much?"
Do-jin grinned at Yu-jin's question.
"That guy's an ultra-genius."
"...?"
"When I use Shunpo, even I don't know where it'll land—but he does."
His red eyes, usually boiling with rage and madness, sparkled.
"A guy who'd inevitably take 1st in Class A even if enrolled there faked his level for grades and entered Class B? Makes no sense."
"Right! Exactly!"
"Yeah...?"
Predict Shunpo's position?
Take 1st in A-class with Silla Mirror someday?
And Da-hee believed it too?
As Yu-jin reeled in disbelief.
-We will now begin Kang Jae-hyeok's readmission review!
The host on stage announced vigorously, like starting a festival.