013 - Getting Used to It
The next morning in the test room.
Just like two days ago, she was accompanied by the chief researcher and several other researchers.
The measurement equipment hummed to life, and Lee Jiyeon stood before the sandbag, axe in hand.
Her transformation was already complete, of course—done out of sight where no one could watch.
Standing still, she closed her eyes and recalled the sensation from last evening.
It wasn't instantaneous yet; this process was still necessary.
Even back when he was a rookie hunter as Lee Chang, he'd gone through the same awkward phase learning to activate his reinforcement circuits.
Time would sort it out anyway, so she didn't sweat it.
A few seconds after closing her eyes, the girl snapped them open—and at the same moment, an intangible haze rose from her entire body.
Not blood-red, but a vivid crimson aura like spring cherry blossoms in full bloom.
It enveloped her body, circulating indirectly through her reinforcement circuits to activate them.
And with the same trick she'd used to infuse mana into weapons, she coated the axe in aura as well. Done.
Lee Jiyeon assumed her stance. Like a lumberjack chopping wood, slicing diagonally down at the side.
Compared to last time, the speed and force were on another level entirely—the black axe wrapped in cherry-red aura slammed down.
- C
The special-material sandbag let out a thunderous roar.
Its midsection split more than sixty percent, form distorted; the top half wobbled like it might tumble off any second.
"Hoo…."
Lee Jiyeon yanked the embedded axe free and readjusted her grip. Even a single swing was still quite taxing.
Reinforcement circuits might be simpler than spell circuits, but that didn't make them a cakewalk to wield.
Their core role was elevating the body's overall capabilities to a higher plane.
What she'd just done was the most basic application: minimal durability and strength reinforcement.
Sweat trickled down, heart rate spiking after one swing.
Yet the girl grinned through her ragged breaths.
A hologram popped up with the result: half-destroying a Lv.4 C-rank sandbag.
Pure destructive power put her at C-rank.
Three steps up from F just days ago: E, D, and now C.
And Lee Jiyeon's role was close-quarters specialist anyway.
Raw power wasn't her focus.
Even as an A-rank hunter, Lee Chang's destructive output topped out at upper B-rank.
His A-rank came from experience, battle record, and mastery of other domains—not sandbag scores.
By his philosophy, you just needed enough power to kill the enemy. Period.
And C-rank destruction was a stellar starting point for a hunter forging a new path.
As the girl basked in sentiment, someone approached from behind. Jo Jeong-ah.
"Congratulations, Jiyeon. I owe you an apology for what I said two days ago. I must've just worried you needlessly…."
"No, no. That's understandable. You were just concerned, right?"
Lee Jiyeon smiled back.
Since yesterday, she felt her emotional distance with Jo Jeong-ah had shrunk even further.
Not surprising. The woman had handed her an unexpected breakthrough; gratitude was natural.
Being a prick didn't mean he was some ungrateful beast.
He just treated assholes like the assholes they were.
Lee Chang had a few close acquaintances too.
'Speaking of which, what about them….'
Officially, Lee Chang was missing. News would break soon; the world would know.
Lee Jiyeon decided she couldn't risk letting more people here learn her true identity.
Better to let it fade away.
Luckily, no asset issues. He'd blown every penny on gambling anyway….
That settled it, for now.
The morning continued with more aura handling and measurements.
Lee Jiyeon sweated it out while the researchers fiddled and logged data.
With all the results and incoming data, Chief Researcher Jo Jeong-ah was about to get swamped.
Lunch would be solo. No big deal.
As they prepared to leave the test room, Jo Jeong-ah paused like she'd forgotten something.
"The showers are in the back—feel free to use them. Spare clothes are there too."
"Huh?"
In a rush? Jo Jeong-ah missed the girl's puzzled noise and left.
Shower?
…Come to think of it, she hadn't showered in days. Just morning and night face-washes and brushing.
Lee Jiyeon ran her fingers through her black hair, down to her nape.
'No grease feel, though….'
Counting days since the change: one, two, three, four… five today.
How had she gone this long without showering? No itchiness?
Well, no sweating till now.
Still, forgetting showers entirely was extreme.
Or… had she subconsciously avoided thinking about it?
Lee Jiyeon released her transformation and headed the way Jo Jeong-ah indicated.
Sure enough, a shower room—spotlessly clean.
Towels and soap too.
This is bath-worthy, Lee Jiyeon thought.
She stripped haphazardly, tossing clothes in a basket, and stepped in.
Twist the valve: cold water first, then hot steam billowed out.
She stood under the warm stream.
Water cascaded from her hair, tracing her body's gentle curves to the floor.
Facing forward, the mirror was high—only her shoulders and up visible.
She savored the warmth a while before sidestepping to grab the soap.
Showers had always been basic for the old her: rinse, lather, rinse. Done.
No reason to change now.
Lee Jiyeon worked the soap in her small hands and started lathering up.
In the process, she had to admit she'd been dodging showers subconsciously.
Impossible to ignore her body visually or tactilely while soaping up.
"Ugh…."
Smooth, petite, delicate.
Bones were the only firm parts.
Areas once packed with rock-hard muscle now yielded softly under fingertips.
And washing between her legs brought pangs of loss tormenting her mind.
'Damn….'
At least this underdeveloped body was a small mercy.
If fat mounds blocked her view down there, she'd have lost it completely.
Right now, just slight swells—nothing too bothersome….
"…."
Lee Jiyeon squeezed her eyes shut, finished lathering roughly, rinsed in a flash, and bolted out.
In the basket of prepared clothes, she spotted it.
The bra she'd refused before.
This time, she hesitated long.
Memories from earlier intense movements surfaced.
Not even that vigorous, but the bottoms had chafed uncomfortably….
Felt it acutely today, moving properly.
Ah, so that's why it's needed.
"Haa…."
Fine, good day anyway.
No hooks—just a snug tank top vibe exposing the lower belly. Less repulsive.
Lee Jiyeon donned all the prepared clothes.
The rest were normal: loose and comfy.
The new undergarment gave an odd sense of stability.
She ignored it and headed to the cafeteria.
Massive mental drain? Stomach rumbling fiercely.
Afternoon was for rest. Things to do.
First, thank the gallery.
Hwa Ryong Jeong-jeom. Without her, aura wouldn't have crossed her mind.
Lee Jiyeon sat at her desk, hammering the Hunter Network keyboard.
Video upload again. Last one got good buzz.
Tiny community—13 members, fewer active. Comments wouldn't pile up fast.
Better handle other stuff while waiting.
Lee Jiyeon crossed her legs on the bed and began meditating.
Even as Lee Chang, he'd meditated habitually to hone mana control.
Physical training and real combat were key, but handling abstract mana demanded this too.
An hour focusing inward, attuning to aura.
Around 2 p.m.—not long after lunch—a call came.
Her new smartphone, issued that morning under Lee Jiyeon's name, buzzed.
Jo Jeong-ah. What now?
Lee Jiyeon skipped replying, jumped up, and headed out.
Exiting the Experiment Building, they met immediately—she'd been waiting.
"What is it? Aren't you swamped?"
"He finished early and returned ahead of schedule. We should go meet him now."
"He…?"
Lee Jiyeon drew a blank on who.
Not Yoo Hayeon—and who else would she phrase it like that?
"Director Jin Baek-hyeon."
"Ah."
That clicked.
Aside from Jo Jeong-ah and three or so experiment-related researchers, only one person knew Lee Jiyeon's identity as Lee Chang.
Jin Baek-hyeon. Director of the Korea Hunter Technology Institute—and
One of Korea's two S-rank hunters.
Developer of the Hunter Network used by awakeners worldwide.
Creator of the security magical dolls "Sentinels."
The world's sole holder of the Madō Scholar trait.
No matter how isolated Lee Chang's life, he couldn't not know the man.
"…Let's hurry."
Lee Jiyeon followed without further comment.